Focus Into the Eyes of Jesus - Matthew 14:22-33 - Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost

 

Focus into the Eyes of Jesus

Matthew 14:22-33 ESV

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

What an interesting passage of scripture that is applicable today, yesterday and forever. In this passage, we find Jesus in need of prayer. This was the second time in this chapter in which Jesus attempts to draw away for prayer. Last week, Jesus withdrew into a boat for prayer, but the crowds interrupted him. This weeks account has Jesus going up to a mountain to pray. What strikes me funny hear is that Jesus MADE the disciples leave this time in a boat.

This was a decisive time in Jesus’ ministry. Jesus was breaking away from the Jewish Law to devote himself to his disciples. Jesus needed to pray. Which reminds me of how important prayer was to the life of Jesus. Prayer is important in the life of all believers and disciples of Jesus. Prayer is a time to speak to God and to listen to God. The introduction to the Lord’s Prayer… Our Father who art in heaven. This is our beginning to prayer with God. And Jesus withdrew, as we all should withdraw to God in prayer. Why? Well, God wants us to call on him as if we were little children calling to a loving Father. A Father in which we feel confident and bold to call upon for guidance, understanding, direction and love. When we call on God, we call upon God, God listens, and also, we must pause and listen to God.

In prayer we experience the alternation of true living. Living prayers that draw us to rest and work. Prayers when we hear God’s call for our lives in our daily situations. And prayers where we live out God’s call for us in action that pleases him.  God hears the cries of his children.

Yes, in prayer, Jesus came to understand his mission for the world and all the people he has come to save. Yet, we live our life in the midst of a few storms.

The storm this early morning came as the disciples were obeying Jesus’ command to leave in the boat. Jesus sent the disciples away and into what soon became a storm on the lake. Storms come to all of us. As I recalled last week, about my feelings of being caught in the middle of the ocean all alone after the death of my brother-in-law and sister only days apart, sometimes in life, we a caught in a little boat in a vast sea of water. We find ourselves helpless and alone in need of Jesus.

In this passage, and in life, Jesus walks into the midst of our storms, even in the middle of the night, here, sometime around 3am to 6am. Jesus comes not as a ghost or something of our imagination, but as a Savior to bless us in the midst of the storm.  Jesus invades the storm, of which he may have sent us into, to declare that he IS I AM. Jesus comes to us while we are in the fear of death, to open our eyes to life, in and through him and him alone.

In this passage, Peter leaps before he looks. How we desire to escape the storms of life, and into the arms of Jesus. But it seems better to leap than to spend way too much time looking before we leap. If I look too long, I just may think that I can escape this storm with my own effort. If I think I’m so smart, guess what!  This thinking reminds me of God’s answer to Job…

Job 38:4-18 ESV

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
    Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
    Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
    or who laid its cornerstone,
when the morning stars sang together
    and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

“Or who shut in the sea with doors
    when it burst out from the womb,
when I made clouds its garment
    and thick darkness its swaddling band,
and prescribed limits for it
    and set bars and doors,
and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
    and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began,
    and caused the dawn to know its place,
that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,
    and the wicked be shaken out of it?
It is changed like clay under the seal,
    and its features stand out like a garment.
From the wicked their light is withheld,
    and their uplifted arm is broken.

“Have you entered into the springs of the sea,
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
    or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
    Declare, if you know all this.

God passes through the waters. God has been passing through the waters all along. Think of the Red Sea and the passage through the waters. Think of crossing the Jordan and passing through the waters. And, pause and think of Baptism, a passing through the waters from death to new life in and with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. God has been passing through all the storms of life for us and with us. The result? God gives us his Word. God gives us Jesus to walk through the storm and call us to him. As we come to Jesus God gives us the faith we need. Hearing Jesus word on the waters and in prayer are all we need.

When Peter stepped out of the boat, we step with him as well. But my sinful self and the Law that points me to my sin gets in the way. I have a love for Jesus just as Peter had a love for Jesus. But love mixed with the pride that tells me that I can walk to Jesus on my own causes me to sink. I am not able to save myself. Rather my need is to be saved fully by Jesus. I am helpless without God. And… I sink in my own selfish pride. I can’t come to Jesus a half believer.

I fail when my eyes are partly on me and partly on Jesus. My eyes must turn from my sin and turn to the eyes of Jesus fully engaged that salvation can not come partially through me but only wholly through Jesus.

And there you have it. Being terrified of ghosts in the midst of the storms of life, I must fully focus into the eyes of Jesus and worship only the great I AM… today… tomorrow… and forever.

So, I say to you. Step out of the boat. Say a prayer and go, trusting, not on yourself, no, look into the eyes of Jesus, and trust fully in his salvation from the chaotic waters of the sea.

Thanks be to God!