Pastor Kris Freeman

Pleasant Union General Baptist Church

Sunday morning, June 22, 2008

When We Fall

 

Text: Matt. 14: 22-33

 

Its not how many times you fall, its how many times you get up

 

• Along the road of life come obstacles, struggles and trials as they attempt to better their life and further their career. Some burdens are brought upon by mistakes, other by failures and often more by chance and circumstance that seem to fall the way of bad luck. But nevertheless, the trials come. We fall. How we handle those times, and more importantly, how quickly and more often that we get up from those failures will shape how we approach the remainder of life.
• Todays story is so similar to those challenges. Here we have a group of disciples who have just watched Jesus perform one of his greatest miracles, certainly the most plentiful. Jesus has just fed the great multitude on the shore of the sea of Galilee, a feat recorded by all four gospels writers because it was such a vast and incredible thing.
• How come it is that the greatest opportunity for a fall always occurs when we are coming off a spiritual mountain of success?
• Jesus has instructed the disciples to go ahead to the other side, as he remained behind. He sends the multitudes away and then departs into the mountain region to pray alone, where he often did. During short few hours, nightfall comes and into the morning a common storm arises on the sea. The Bible says that its the fourth watch of he night, meaning its between 3-6 a.m. and the ship is about three miles out, at best estimation.
• Jesus walks out on the water and toward the disciples and they are afraid, seeing that its a spirit. Jesus calls out to them Be of good cheer, it is I. Be not afraid.
• He is the voice we know
• The familiarity of Jesus voice and phrase is one that we see in our personal relationships. Jesus does not refer to himself by name, but only as I and Jesus often  calls himself by I AM, one of the names of God. Only a few people in our lives Are we comfortable enough to know the sound of their voice without a name being spoken and here we see that the disciples are very familiar with the voice of Jesus.
• There is a lesson to be learned. Scripture says that he sticks closer than a brother and we have a friend in Jesus, one that we can know on that personal basis.
• We also see here that Peter does something no other disciple did. He called out to Jesus and when Jesus responded to him, he went out on to the water. Peter was a very impulsive disciple and quickly answered him.
• Some people will say that Peter had ultimate faith in his step to walk out on to the raging sea. A book written by John Ortberg called Get out of the Boat is based on strong, life-changing faith. Did Peter have so much faith that Jesus would take care of him that he stepped out of the boat to walk to him? Did Peter not see the storm raging or forget about his surroundings because his strong faith was placed upon the person of Jesus? Or was Peter so strong in his faith that he knew even if he sank that Jesus would rescue him?
• Some people will say that Peter had no faith at all or he would have remained in the boat in the first place. I once heard a message in 2000 by Bro. James Hamlett called Stay in the Boat expressing the idea that everything would have been right and Jesus was going to calm the storm anyway. Did Peter just change the complexion of the situation by stepping out? Did Peter lack in faith so much that he had to be sure it was Christ before he took that step? Did Peter believe that he could go to Jesus and escape the storm around him? What about his fellow disciples in the boat? Did Peter forget about them in his own personal fear and call out for the Savior?
• Regardless of how you feel about what Peter did, there is one simple fact that we cant overlook in this story. Peter DID get out of the boat, and when he did, he took his eyes off Jesus and he began to sink, only to be rescued by the Savior. The title of todays message is When We Fall.

 

1. We fall because we take our eyes off the Savior
2. We fall because were human
3. We fall because we make bad decisions

 

I.                     We fall because we take our eyes off the Savior

a.       Jesus was on the water, and Peter stepped out with his eyes placed upon him. When the realization took hold of Peter that he was surrounded by the storm, he panicked and he sank.

                                                               i.      If found in the storms of life, what better option to have than to look upon the Savior himself

b.       Everything that we do in life better be rooted in Gods word

                                                               i.      The storms of life are there. Where we place our faith is the important step in the process. If we begin to look to the world for our decisions and follow the worlds recommendations for life, well soon see that we will sink.

1.       Do we realize our situation or refuse to see it and go deeper into it?

2.       Do we cry out for God or do we attempt to do it upon our own?

3.       Do we accept the hand of Jesus or turn away hoping that the rescue will come in another form?

II.                   We fall because were human

a.       While Jesus walked upon the water, Peter was given the same ability, but only in the few moments where he looked solely and completely upon the Savior.

                                                               i.      The fact is, we are not immortal, and some people choose to live their lives that way

                                                             ii.      You are not invincible, not 10-feet-tall, not bulletproof.

                                                            iii.      In the real world, the devil may lead us down a path that only an immortal could walk and through the first stages of lifes path, we seem to be invincible. Only when the storm catches up with us do we find ourselves sinking, and the lies of the devil are no rescue for us then.

b.       We also see that Jesus rescued a man whose future he knew. This was the same man that would deny Jesus Christ. Yet Jesus never wavered when he reached out his hand to take him from the sea.

III.                  We fall because we make bad decisions

a.       Do any of us face a raging sea, and despite whats in front of us, we tackle a task too big for us to handle and make a wrong decision?

b.       Regardless of what the decision may be, we better place our eyes upon Jesus Christ! And follow his instructions.

                                                               i.      You may notice that Peter didnt just go out on the water on his own, Jesus asked him to come. But before that took place, it was Peter who asked of Jesus to come on to the water.

1.       God does not place us in the path of harm and sin, but God allows those things in our lives to make our faith stronger. We see that Peter asked and Jesus granted his request, knowing that Peter would fall and Jesus would have to rescue him.

2.       Jesus rescued a man whose future he knew!

 

Do not lose heart in the midst of a trial, for God has promised he would bring you through and use that trial for the benefit of your growth and His glory:

 

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. That in the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth; that it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:6-8

 

He is choosing you to build the church, just like he chose Peter. When you fall, fall into the arms of Jesus and let Him lead you to stand once again.

 

Be blessed,