Matthew 14:28-33
Caught!
This story is a smaller part of the larger story. The larger story
is about Jesus walking on the water, calming a storm, and instantly
moving the ship back to the shore \\#John 6:21\\. The smaller story
is about Peter walking on the water. Both stories teach us about
God’s power and grow our faith. The disciples were in God’s
classroom of instruction, but their classroom was not in a building
but in life. They were in the Classroom of Life.
I. Peter’s Small Faith
A. You cannot deny that Peter messed up.
Matt 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous,
he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried,
saying, Lord, save me.
1. Peter took his eyes off Jesus and started looking at the
water.
2. As he did, his faith sank and as his faith sank, he sank.
B. It is fair to say that Peter’s faith at that time was small.
1. However, we need to remember that Peter was as we are,
just learning about God.
2. At this point, Peter is not called by the title of
apostle, nor teacher, nor Master. At this point, Peter
was a disciple, a follower, a learner.
3. At this point, Peter’s faith was small.
C. Sometimes people are critical of Peter for his short comings,
but let’s give him credit for the faith he had.
1. Peter’s faith was big enough…
a. \\#28 To ASK Jesus if he could come out of the boat.
b. \\#29\\ To actually GET OUT of the boat.
c. To WALK some distance on the water in a raging
storm.
d. \\#30\\ To CRY OUT TO JESUS for help when he started
to sink.
2. That might be a small faith, but Peter’s small faith was
bigger than the faith of the other 11 men still standing
on the ship!
D. Get this:
1. As long as your faith is a growing faith, it doesn’t
matter how small it presently is. It will get bigger.
2. And if your faith is not a growing faith, it doesn’t
matter how big it presently is. It will get smaller.
a. Faith is spiritual muscle.
b. The more you use it the stronger it gets.
c. The less you use it, the weaker it gets.
E. We could all do with some strength building exercises for our
faith muscles. Let me give you six:
1. Determine to make three church services each week. The
faith of others and the presence of the Holy Ghost will
grow you in church like you cannot grow elsewhere.
2. Read the Bible. Herein is the knowledge of the Almighty.
No matter how long you study it, it is a well that you
will never get to the bottom of and a mountain that you
will never get to the top of.
3. Pray and keep a record of those for whom you are praying.
4. Start tithing. If you expect God to give to you then you
should be giving to Him.
5. Start telling others about Jesus. You don’t have to
preach or teach them, just talk to them.
6. Get involved in the work of a local church.
F. Peter was way ahead of the rest of the class!
1. Eleven others were just sitting and watching.
2. Peter’s faith was going to grow.
2. Friend, my faith is still small, but I decided years ago
that I wanted to play in the game of Christianity and not
just watch it.
II. Peter held the hand of God, or rather, the hand of God held
Peter!
A. As Peter was walking on the water, he took his eyes off of
Jesus and began to sink. Jesus reached out and grabbed
Peter, I suppose pulling him back upon the water’s surface
until Jesus could get Peter back into the boat.
B. I do not know the exact sequence of events but I think I can
guarantee you that when Jesus reached out to Peter, Peter
grabbed Jesus.
C. Consider some things with me.
1. Consider how quickly Peter would fall.
a. Science tells us that if you start falling, after 1
second you will be falling 32 feet per second. After
2 seconds, you will be falling 64 feet per second.
And you speed will continue to increase by 32 feet
each second you fall until you reach terminal
velocity at approximate 178 feet per second or 122
MPH.
b. We had two injuries in building the new building.
Both Danny Collier and Steve Dana fell busting
themselves up pretty badly. I was not there when
Brother Danny fell, but I was watching Steve Dana
when he fell. He was climbing an extension ladder
that collapsed and fell when he was feet was about 8
or 9 feet off the ground to the concrete below. I
was probably standing about 5 feet from where Steve
landed and while I was not focusing on the ladder, I
was looking right at him when he fell.
c. He fell that 9 feet so fast that there was literally
nothing I could do. I am not even sure if I realized
he was falling until he hit the ground.
d. What am I saying? When a person falls, they fall
fast, faster than most people can respond.
r. There is certainly no comparison in what we can do and
what Jesus can do, but here is what I think. I think
Jesus was reaching for Peter before Peter started to
sink.
2. Consider that it was God’s hand that reach out.
a. Falling is nothing to get overly excited about; but in
this case, there was a bright spot.
b. Peter got to hold the hand of God!
(1) There is the hand that crafted the cosmos out of
nothing.
(2) There is the hand that fashioned man out of clay.
(3) There is the hand that guided Moses’ ark through
the bulrushes to an Egyptian princess.
(4) There is the hand that held back the Red Sea
while Israel walked through on dry ground.
(5) There is the hand that defeated the enemies of
Israel while they took the land of Israel.
(6) There is the hand that gripped mother Mary’s
tickling finger.
(7) There is the hand that held onto step-father
Joseph’s hand as he walked the toddling Lord
through the streets of the big city.
(8) There is the hand that was pierced with the spike
on the cross.
(9) There is the hand that Thomas put his doubting
finger into.
(10) There is the hand that the resurrected Lord
raised when the women wanted to embrace Him
before He had ascended to the Father.
(11) There is the hand that you and I will one day
see for ourselves.
c. It may seem like another small thing, but I know of no
other record of anyone else in the Bible getting to
hold the hand of God like Peter did!
(1) Jesus touched some blinded eyes; Jesus lifted
some lame up; Jesus raised children up to His
lap; but who else in the Bible did Jesus take
hold of by the land like He did Peter?
(2) All-in-all, I would have to say that putting your
hand in that hand is not a bad thing!
3. Consider that you are Peter.
a. Everything that happens in the Bible has at least two
purposes.
(1) One is to show us what God has done for others.
(2) The other is to show us what God will do for us.
b. Peter was in a tough fix, but Jesus was there with him
and was reaching out to Peter before Peter even knew
he was in trouble.
c. Jesus is reaching out to you too.
(1) You might think things are good right now, but
Jesus is there and He is reaching out to you
whether you want Him or not.
(2) Then again, you might already be in some trouble
and I am telling you that Jesus’ hand is
stretched out to you. You just have to turn to
Him.
III. Jesus is reaching out to offer you three things:
A. There are three definite areas in your life that Jesus is
reaching out to you.
1. Jesus is extending the hand of salvation.
John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter
in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out,
and find pasture.
2. Jesus is extending the hand of restoration.
1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.
a. What is restoration for a Christian?
(1) Restoration is understanding.
(a) Jesus understands when we get tired. He was
human once.
(b) Jesus understands when we get discouraged.
He was human once.
(c) Jesus understands when we are afraid. He
was human once.
(d) Jesus understands when we would just rather
not. He was human once.
(2) Restoration is forgiveness.
(a) Is taking your eyes off of Jesus a sin?
i. Yes.
ii. A Christian’s eyes should be on Jesus.
(b) Peter missed the mark. He did not hit the
bull’s eye.
(c) But in the grip of Jesus, Peter found ready
forgiveness.
(d) His sin was erased.
(3) Restoration is love.
(a) Love is more than any of the things I have
mentioned added together.
(b) Love means Jesus cared for Peter just as
much after he failed as He did before he
failed.
(c) Failures don’t reduce the love of our Savior
and successes don’t increase it.
(d) The love that Jesus offers is unconditional
and eternal.
b. Christian, could you use some restoration.
3. Jesus is extending the hand of help.
a. Peter received help that day.
b. I notice that Peter did not receive a sermon or a
cold shoulder.
(1) He received help.
(2) Could I ask, what would you expect him to receive
from Jesus?
(3) Sure, Peter messed up, but he was trying.
(4) If God expects perfection from us before He
helps us, both He and we are going to be very
disappointed.
c. I would like to say that Peter’s failing faith was
unique to him and it will never happen to me, but I
mess up all the time too.
d. What I have found in Jesus is help in the time of my
need.
B. Will you reach up and grab the hand of Jesus today?
Looking over the story, I would rather be Peter failing on the water
with Jesus than to be one of the twelve disciples sitting safely in
the boat!
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