Title: Jesus is the Son of God (Kept From the Evil)
Text: Matthew 14: 22-36
Date: November 18, 2010
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Matthew 14: 22: And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
The multitudes saw by natural sight. They had their natural bellies filled. Their will was to take Christ by force and make him their king. AND STRAIGHWAY JESUS CONSTRAINED HIS DISCIPLE TO GET INTO A SHIP
Proposition: It is by the effectual command of Jesus Christ--by the Power of the Spirit of God--that every believer is in the ship we are in.
We are in the fellow-ship of faith in this body, each going through this sea called life by the direct order and command of Jesus Christ. Every individual trial we are in is by his direct Authority to save us from our natural sight. Christ does all that he does to teach us to walk by faith and not by sight--
To go BEFORE HIM unto the other side-we are ever before the all-knowing, watchful eye of our all-powerful, faithful God and Savior. He shall deliver us. And as he does so, he shall make us to know that He is the Authority by which the work of OUR SALVATION and the SALVATION of all his people is accomplished.
I. CHRIST JESUS IS GOD--OMNI-PRESENT
Matthew 14: 23: And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24: But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26: And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
AS WE BEHOLD JESUS GONE UP INTO THE MOUNTAIN ALONE AND THEN SEE HIM COME UNTO THEM, AS WE HEAR THEM SAYING, IT IS A SPIRIT, GOD DECLARES TO US THAT THE MAN BORN IN NAZARETH, CHRIST JESUS, IS INDEED THE OMNI-PRESENT, EVER PRESENT SON OF GOD IN HEAVEN AND IN OUR MIDST.
Can God be two places at once? God is everywhere at once. So the Man Christ Jesus is the Omni-present Son of God.
Christ Jesus, the Son of God was in the earth and never left the bosom of the Father. He is seated in the heavens now and he says to us, "Lo (behold), I be with you alway." He is our ever present Advocate with the Father in glory and at the same time our ever present help in this sea of life. OUR SAVIOR IS THE EVER-PRESENT GOD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH!
Matthew 14: 23: When he had sent the multitudes away he went up into a mountain apart to pray And when the evening was come, he was there alone--
In this world we are right now, in the evening of time. Just as real as the Man, Christ Jesus, went into that earthly mountain apart to pray, he is right now in his Holy Mountain. He alone is our Advocate with the Father.
Application: Think how we love to be in the know. The disciples did not want to part from this multitude. Think of the pride of being known as the closest companions of Christ before this multitude of people.
It takes but a little praise of men, a little addition of men and we easily begin to walk in the sin of natural sight rather than faith. Is this anything but sin? Anything but walking by sight rather than faith? But Christ, the Son of God has gone up to heavenly glory to pray:
1 John 2: 1: My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Christ Jesus is satisfaction for our sins, Jesus Christ the Righteous, in God's holy mountain right now as he was the Advocate with the Father and the Righteousness of his disciples that day in that earthly mountain..
II. CHRIST IS THE WORD OF TRUTH--THE SPIRIT OF GOD--THE WORD-WHO SPEAKS INTO OUR HEARTS THAT KEEPS US FROM THE EVIL OF UNBELIEF.
Matthew 14: 24: But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
He put them in that ship? Why does he put us in this ship of trial? Why did God leave them in the world?
John 17: 15: I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16: They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17: Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Matthew 14: 25: In the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
Mark this word, hold this word, get this word down in our hearts--Jesus went UP INTO THE MOUNTAIN AND JESUS WENT UNTO THEM. And get hold of this word-- Jesus went unto them, WALKING ON THE SEA
They were in the clutches of the storm--so they thought-it was all they could see-so we think--BUT NEVER! We are under the direct Lordship of Christ Jesus our God and our Savior. The waves of this world merely serve the purpose of our God to teach us exactly how ever-present he with us. The storm serves to teach us how absolutely in control of everything our Lord and our Savior really is.
Application: Right now you may be so troubled that all you can see are the waves, the storm--so much so that you can not make yourself enter into this glorious good news. The disciples could not do this for themselves or for each other.
The disciples walked with him in the flesh. They saw him with their eyes. They touched him with their hands. But that night when they saw him walking on the water all they could do was look with their eyes.
Matthew 14: 26: And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
But this what calms our fears:
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
GOD THE VOICE WHO WALKED IN THE GARDEN IS THE WORD OF PEACE, THE VOICE WHO SPEAKS THROUGH THE GOSPEL INTO OUR HEARTS BY HIS SPIRIT. CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY. We can not separate the Word, the Gospel, the Spirit, the Voice, the Life--it is our God--CHRIST SAID I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.
John 14: 25: These things have I spoken unto you, being [yet] present with you. 26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid…16:33: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Next, we get a very personal example between Peter and the Lord Jesus.
III. CHRIST IS THE FAITHFULNESS WHEREBY WE NEVER PERISH THOUGH OUR FAITH BE SO LITTLE.
The Lord spake…Matthew 14: 28 And Peter answered him…
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" ( John 10:27). Peter recognized the Voice.
Matthew 14: 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
This is not unbelief in Peter, but faith!
Peter desire was to draw nearer to the Lord. Peter believed that he could do all things through the Lord who strengthens the believer. Is that not your desire believer? Then may the Lord teach us this lesson. Notice, the Lord did not stop the wind or calm the sea first--but in the midst of it,
Matthew 14: 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
Application: Drawing near to Christ in full assurance of faith is NOT doing so once it appears the water has been made into a concrete sidewalk!
· It is not waiting until God has made the storm to stop raging.
· It is not waiting until we are increased with multitudes, but while we are but a few in the ship
· It is not waiting until others in the ship with us, say they believe--it is drawing near to him as Peter even when the others stay in the boat
· Drawing near in full assurance of faith is doing so even when to all natural sight, to all around us, there appears no way of doing so!
· Drawing near is doing so because we hear his Voise say, "Come!"
Next we see what unbelief within us does and results in:
Matthew 14: 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; (and he began to sink)
Here is the cry of faith:
Matthew 14: 30:…and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
All the pretty words are gone. All the guarded language is gone. Just three words of a child in need, "Lord, save me!"
Here is The Faithfulness Whereby We Are Made to Stand
Matthew 14: 31: And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Is your faith great or little? This is the apostle Peter he is speaking to? Wherefore do we doubt? God is faithful! He will keep his children from the evil of unbelief through his sovereign power and word. And he is able!
Matthew 14: 32: And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33: Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
Didn't they already know that? Don't you? But when he has brought us to the other side of this current sea of trial, we will Come and Worship him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
Please get these three things:
I. The Lord Jesus put us in this ship of trial to keep us separated from the evil of our natural sight to walk by faith--in the midst of the storm! What mercy and what grace!
II. CHRIST JESUS IS GOD--OMNI-PRESENT--the Son of God-our Righteousness in Heaven and the Word of who SPEAKS INTO OUR HEARTS to KEEPS US FROM THE EVIL OF UNBELIEF.
III. BY HIS FAITHFULNESS WE SHALL NEVER PERISH!
One more thing: When he has brought us to the other side of this trial so that we walk by faith then again He will begin healing this children in our midst--v34-36.
AMEN!