Keep your eyes on the Lord

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 17, 2023 | Matthew 14:25-33

KEY VERSE:

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Matthew 14:30 (NIV)

MESSAGE:

The Lord is gracious to us and comes into our circumstances to deliver us and set us on the exciting journey of Christian discipleship. The Christian life is a journey that demands faith in God from the beginning to the end. The Apostle Paul speaking by the Holy Spirit captures this thought this way, “⁶So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Col 2:6-7 (NIV). In Galatians 3 the Apostle Paul writes to redirect the minds of the Galatian believers on the need to walk with God and find their Christian identity by faith and not by works of the law.

In our text, we have a wonderful event happening, Peter walking on water, because the Lord Jesus asked him to, and he believed that word. Unfortunately, in our key verse, Matthew 14:30 (NIV), “. . . when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Peter started by faith but then he doubted; he might have doubted the sustaining power of the word of Christ, or he might have doubted the possibility that he Peter, a mere frail man, an ordinary human was living above the normal by walking on the water, or he might have doubted the reality of what was happening, and discounting the reality, etc. Whatever it was that formed the basis of his doubts, Peter doubted. And the Lord’s response? “³¹Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" Matt 14:31 (NIV). On the other hand, the Lord accepted the disciples' worship, for His miracles were intended to reveal and demonstrate His deity.

The Lord reaches out and catches us, but He also scolds us for our inconsistency in faith, "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" It takes a glance at the Saviour to be saved, but we need a gaze at the Master to enjoy the life of the new birth and the life of discipleship. To the Hebrew Christians who were facing much persecution that could make them turn away from their exciting walk with Jesus, the Lord sent these words, “²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb 12:2-3 (NIV)

FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:

No matter what goes or what comes let us make up our minds to fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus, to keep believing, to keep trusting Him and holding on, even unto death. His Word is reliable, for He is the Faithful One.

PRAYER:

Dear Lord Jesus, Master of the ocean, the winds, and the waves, thank you that by your grace and your indwelling Holy Spirit, I am able to walk on the waters of life. Thank you for the times I have seen great victories over my challenges. Please help me to keep my faith awake, and to refuse to doubt. Lord help me, for there is so much that seeks to question faith and reliance on your word. But I believe, help my unbelief. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.

THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.

SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!