No Reason to Fear
Matthew 14:22-33
What is your biggest fear for the future? Is it tomorrow? Can it be what tomorrow might hold? Certainly, our biggest fear is always the future. It could be tomorrow, next week, or next year. It is a fear because we can’t do anything about it. We can be prepared, and do our homework, we can do our part, but it seems we all know that even one minute from right now is out of our control.
Is it possible that fear can change our decision-making process? Absolutely. Just a little bit of fear can change the way we look at some of the easiest things we might deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Can fear limit our everyday potential? Yes, it sure can. It can stop you and keep you from all the things that maybe you had on your list and the things that God might have had you to do that day. It can certainly stop your potential on a day-to-day basis.
Fear of change creates a lot of ongoing maintenance protecting yourself from change. Nobody likes change, so there’s that fear, also, where we’re protecting ourselves from change. We see change coming, we see things maybe not going the way we thought, and so we go into a protection mode to try to keep that change from happening.
We can get into a real defensive mode rather than a productive mode without even realizing it. We’re just constantly in this defensive mode of fear and change, and we’re not able to be productive at all.
We cannot run away from fear, but we exhaust ourselves trying – which completely wears us out. It takes a lot of effort to run from fear because no matter where we go – it’s there.
Fear is a waste of our energy. Think of all the energy we put into dealing with our fear.
Fear causes our imagination to blossom in a way that will strangle us to think clearly or rationally. We can think we are like a fortune teller. So we have this little bit of fear, and we begin to play that fear, and we just keep on going, and before we know it, we’ve got this story completely all worked out in our minds about something is going to turn out.
Let’s go to the beginning of Matthew Chapter 14.
The death of John the Baptist is reviewed in Matthew 14:1-12. John the Baptist was executed for speaking out against Herod concerning Herod’s relationship to his brother’s wife. John the Baptist stated it was against God’s law. Herod was a bit of a coward and was afraid to have John the Baptist executed for political reasons since John the Baptist was known as a prophet.
But at Herod’s birthday party, after a little too much liquid courage, he made a promise to his wife’s daughter that he had to keep. (A couple of lessons here – watch the liquid courage, it affected Herod, it can affect you as well. And watch what you promise.) At her mother’s urging, the daughter requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter.
The Disciples asked for the body of John the Baptist and buried him. Then, the Disciples told Jesus.
Jesus takes off in the boat, but the crowds of people follow him on the shore.
Verse 14 says Jesus saw the huge crowds following, so he stepped out of the boat for he had compassion for them and healed their sick. (Whenever Jesus is speaking or is being talked of when the word “compassion” comes up in the same sentence, there is always action that follows it.)
Then we have the feeding of the 5,000. The Disciples wanted to send the crowd away. In verse 16, Jesus told them that was not necessary. He told them, “You feed them.” We want to send people away – we don’t have time for people, or want to deal with people. And yet how many times would Jesus put that in your mind that this is something he might want us to do?
And you know the story of the five loaves of bread and the two fish. Now, our text for today makes some sense.
Matthew 14:22 (NLT)
22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home.
So, here are five foundational truths to apply the next time we start to be fearful about something. We need to implement these truths when we first get that first wave inside of our heart that there are some fears beginning to well up.
1). Jesus has allowed this in my life.
Jesus insisted that they got in the boat. Jesus has allowed this in my life for some reason. Grasping this one foundational truth can help us learn to trust God in a deeper way. Here’s where we say, I don’t understand, I don’t know why this doesn’t make sense – but it’s going to be okay.
Why would Jesus allow me to experience this storm?
He wants to protect me.
He wants to correct me.
He wants to perfect me.
James 1:2-4 (NLT)
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James Chapter 1 gives us four benefits of trouble in our lives if we respond correctly.
Benefit #1 (verse 2) – An opportunity for great joy
Benefit #2 (verse 3) – Our faith is tested for us to see
Benefit #3 (verse 3) – Our endurance has a chance to grow
Benefit #4 (verse 4) – We will be completed/perfected
Remember, it is safer in the will of God in a storm, than outside the will of God in a calm.
2). He is praying for me.
Matthew 14:23-24 (NLT)
23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.
24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.
Mark 6:48 gives us some more insight into this event.
Mark 6:48 (NLT)
48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves...
a). They were in serious trouble. Jesus was praying for them and prays for us when we are in trouble.
b). They were rowing hard. Jesus was praying for them and prays for us even when we don’t surrender.
c). They were struggling against the wind and waves. Jesus was praying for them and prays for us when we are fighting the elements of life.
God knows every detail
God sees how I am handling the trial
God cares (Jesus was walking toward them)
How will it change your fear factor if you knew Jesus allowed this scary event, and he is praying for you?
He allowed this storm in my life – “allowed” means he is in control. He didn’t allow it and let it go… he still has it in his hands.
Jesus praying for me is hard to grasp, but it is a comfort.
3). He will meet me in the storm.
Matthew 14:25-27 (NLT)
25 About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, "It's a ghost!"
27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Take courage. I am here!"
First of all, the overarching truth in this section is: we are not alone. We feel alone because many times, we tend to draw away from God in a storm.
Our natural response to the storm is to feel sorry for ourselves and we want to be airlifted out of the storm.
A friend of mine took me on a deep-sea fishing trip, and I used to love to do that. It was a lot of fun for me. This was a three-day trip. On the way out, it was so rough, I started feeling sick. In fact, it was so rough, all the bait on the boat in the tanks died. That night we had to hide around the back of the island because it was so rough in the ocean. I was really, extremely sick for three days.
And about the second day, there was nothing left in my stomach at all. I literally asked if they would send a helicopter out there and take me off the boat. I wanted off. I wanted out of there! I had enough. And they just said, they don’t do that. It was tough because, I asked to get off the boat midway into the trip, and there was still the other part of the trip. All I could think of was how badly I wanted off that boat, even though there were people having fun and fishing. I wanted off that boat. And, I have never gone deep-sea fishing again.
The truth is we are never out of God’s care or his love.
Here are four truths about our storms.
Truth #1 – verse 25, He comes at the darkest hours of our storm. The last two hours of the night are always the darkest and the coldest. The Bible says, at just the right moment, Christ saved us!
Truth #2 – Mark 6:48 tells us that he comes after we have exhausted ourselves. Remember, the Disciples were in serious trouble, rowing hard and in trouble. It has been said, that at the end of ourselves there is a mighty and powerful God.
Truth #3 – verse 26, He comes to us on the same waves we feared the most. They saw him walking on the waves.
Isaiah 43:1-2 (NLT)
1 But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.
2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
Truth #4 – verse 27, He comes to us through his spoken and written Word.
a). don’t be afraid
b). take courage is a supernatural power to strengthen and motivate us
c). I am here
4). He will use this for my good.
Matthew 14:28-31 (NLT)
28 Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water."
29 "Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.
31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. "You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?"
Eight benefits that come from storms in our lives:
Storms help us look to Jesus for help. (Verse 28 – Lord if it is really you)
Storms keep our focus on Jesus (Verse 28 – Tell me to come to you)
Storms help us learn to hear Jesus’ voice (Verse 29 – yes come, Jesus said)
Storms cause us to exercise our faith (Verse 29 – so Peter went over the side of the boat) (Verse 29 – and walked on the water to Jesus)
Storms drive us to heartfelt prayers (Verse 30 – save me O Lord)
Storms allow us to see the power of God’s timing (Verse 31 – Jesus immediately)
Storms allow us to see the hand of God rescue us (Verse 31 – reached out and grabbed him)
Storms teach us to trust God (Verse 31 – why did you doubt me)
5). He will see me through to the end.
Matthew 14:32-33 (NLT)
32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.
33 Then the disciples worshiped him. "You really are the Son of God!" they exclaimed.
Four benefits of letting God decide when the storm is over
Verse 32, they both got back into the boat together – Jesus was in the waves and now he is in the boat, there is nowhere that Jesus will not go with you.
Verse 32, the wind stopped – (calm) the opposite of fear. When the storm is over, we have a new appreciation for clear skies, don’t we?
Verse 33, “You really are the Son of God!” – After the clear skies comes a fresh, new awareness of God’s presence in our lives.
Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
a). let us strip off every weight that slows us down
Fear in our storms
Fear of the future
b). especially the sin that so easily trips us up
Re-occurring habitual fear
Being consumed with too much negative information
Hebrews 12:2 (NLT)
2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.
Is it possible that fear can change our decision-making process? Absolutely. Just a little bit of fear can change the way we look at some of the easiest things we might deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Can fear limit our everyday potential? Yes, it sure can. It can stop you and keep you from all the things that maybe you had on your list and the things that God might have had you to do that day. It can certainly stop your potential on a day-to-day basis.
Fear of change creates a lot of ongoing maintenance protecting yourself from change. Nobody likes change, so there’s that fear, also, where we’re protecting ourselves from change. We see change coming, we see things maybe not going the way we thought, and so we go into a protection mode to try to keep that change from happening.
We can get into a real defensive mode rather than a productive mode without even realizing it. We’re just constantly in this defensive mode of fear and change, and we’re not able to be productive at all.
We cannot run away from fear, but we exhaust ourselves trying – which completely wears us out. It takes a lot of effort to run from fear because no matter where we go – it’s there.
Fear is a waste of our energy. Think of all the energy we put into dealing with our fear.
Fear causes our imagination to blossom in a way that will strangle us to think clearly or rationally. We can think we are like a fortune teller. So we have this little bit of fear, and we begin to play that fear, and we just keep on going, and before we know it, we’ve got this story completely all worked out in our minds about something is going to turn out.
Let’s go to the beginning of Matthew Chapter 14.
The death of John the Baptist is reviewed in Matthew 14:1-12. John the Baptist was executed for speaking out against Herod concerning Herod’s relationship to his brother’s wife. John the Baptist stated it was against God’s law. Herod was a bit of a coward and was afraid to have John the Baptist executed for political reasons since John the Baptist was known as a prophet.
But at Herod’s birthday party, after a little too much liquid courage, he made a promise to his wife’s daughter that he had to keep. (A couple of lessons here – watch the liquid courage, it affected Herod, it can affect you as well. And watch what you promise.) At her mother’s urging, the daughter requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter.
The Disciples asked for the body of John the Baptist and buried him. Then, the Disciples told Jesus.
Jesus takes off in the boat, but the crowds of people follow him on the shore.
Verse 14 says Jesus saw the huge crowds following, so he stepped out of the boat for he had compassion for them and healed their sick. (Whenever Jesus is speaking or is being talked of when the word “compassion” comes up in the same sentence, there is always action that follows it.)
Then we have the feeding of the 5,000. The Disciples wanted to send the crowd away. In verse 16, Jesus told them that was not necessary. He told them, “You feed them.” We want to send people away – we don’t have time for people, or want to deal with people. And yet how many times would Jesus put that in your mind that this is something he might want us to do?
And you know the story of the five loaves of bread and the two fish. Now, our text for today makes some sense.
Matthew 14:22 (NLT)
22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home.
So, here are five foundational truths to apply the next time we start to be fearful about something. We need to implement these truths when we first get that first wave inside of our heart that there are some fears beginning to well up.
1). Jesus has allowed this in my life.
Jesus insisted that they got in the boat. Jesus has allowed this in my life for some reason. Grasping this one foundational truth can help us learn to trust God in a deeper way. Here’s where we say, I don’t understand, I don’t know why this doesn’t make sense – but it’s going to be okay.
Why would Jesus allow me to experience this storm?
He wants to protect me.
He wants to correct me.
He wants to perfect me.
James 1:2-4 (NLT)
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James Chapter 1 gives us four benefits of trouble in our lives if we respond correctly.
Benefit #1 (verse 2) – An opportunity for great joy
Benefit #2 (verse 3) – Our faith is tested for us to see
Benefit #3 (verse 3) – Our endurance has a chance to grow
Benefit #4 (verse 4) – We will be completed/perfected
Remember, it is safer in the will of God in a storm, than outside the will of God in a calm.
2). He is praying for me.
Matthew 14:23-24 (NLT)
23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.
24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.
Mark 6:48 gives us some more insight into this event.
Mark 6:48 (NLT)
48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves...
a). They were in serious trouble. Jesus was praying for them and prays for us when we are in trouble.
b). They were rowing hard. Jesus was praying for them and prays for us even when we don’t surrender.
c). They were struggling against the wind and waves. Jesus was praying for them and prays for us when we are fighting the elements of life.
God knows every detail
God sees how I am handling the trial
God cares (Jesus was walking toward them)
How will it change your fear factor if you knew Jesus allowed this scary event, and he is praying for you?
He allowed this storm in my life – “allowed” means he is in control. He didn’t allow it and let it go… he still has it in his hands.
Jesus praying for me is hard to grasp, but it is a comfort.
3). He will meet me in the storm.
Matthew 14:25-27 (NLT)
25 About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, "It's a ghost!"
27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Take courage. I am here!"
First of all, the overarching truth in this section is: we are not alone. We feel alone because many times, we tend to draw away from God in a storm.
Our natural response to the storm is to feel sorry for ourselves and we want to be airlifted out of the storm.
A friend of mine took me on a deep-sea fishing trip, and I used to love to do that. It was a lot of fun for me. This was a three-day trip. On the way out, it was so rough, I started feeling sick. In fact, it was so rough, all the bait on the boat in the tanks died. That night we had to hide around the back of the island because it was so rough in the ocean. I was really, extremely sick for three days.
And about the second day, there was nothing left in my stomach at all. I literally asked if they would send a helicopter out there and take me off the boat. I wanted off. I wanted out of there! I had enough. And they just said, they don’t do that. It was tough because, I asked to get off the boat midway into the trip, and there was still the other part of the trip. All I could think of was how badly I wanted off that boat, even though there were people having fun and fishing. I wanted off that boat. And, I have never gone deep-sea fishing again.
The truth is we are never out of God’s care or his love.
Here are four truths about our storms.
Truth #1 – verse 25, He comes at the darkest hours of our storm. The last two hours of the night are always the darkest and the coldest. The Bible says, at just the right moment, Christ saved us!
Truth #2 – Mark 6:48 tells us that he comes after we have exhausted ourselves. Remember, the Disciples were in serious trouble, rowing hard and in trouble. It has been said, that at the end of ourselves there is a mighty and powerful God.
Truth #3 – verse 26, He comes to us on the same waves we feared the most. They saw him walking on the waves.
Isaiah 43:1-2 (NLT)
1 But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.
2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
Truth #4 – verse 27, He comes to us through his spoken and written Word.
a). don’t be afraid
b). take courage is a supernatural power to strengthen and motivate us
c). I am here
4). He will use this for my good.
Matthew 14:28-31 (NLT)
28 Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water."
29 "Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.
31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. "You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?"
Eight benefits that come from storms in our lives:
Storms help us look to Jesus for help. (Verse 28 – Lord if it is really you)
Storms keep our focus on Jesus (Verse 28 – Tell me to come to you)
Storms help us learn to hear Jesus’ voice (Verse 29 – yes come, Jesus said)
Storms cause us to exercise our faith (Verse 29 – so Peter went over the side of the boat) (Verse 29 – and walked on the water to Jesus)
Storms drive us to heartfelt prayers (Verse 30 – save me O Lord)
Storms allow us to see the power of God’s timing (Verse 31 – Jesus immediately)
Storms allow us to see the hand of God rescue us (Verse 31 – reached out and grabbed him)
Storms teach us to trust God (Verse 31 – why did you doubt me)
5). He will see me through to the end.
Matthew 14:32-33 (NLT)
32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.
33 Then the disciples worshiped him. "You really are the Son of God!" they exclaimed.
Four benefits of letting God decide when the storm is over
Verse 32, they both got back into the boat together – Jesus was in the waves and now he is in the boat, there is nowhere that Jesus will not go with you.
Verse 32, the wind stopped – (calm) the opposite of fear. When the storm is over, we have a new appreciation for clear skies, don’t we?
Verse 33, “You really are the Son of God!” – After the clear skies comes a fresh, new awareness of God’s presence in our lives.
Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
a). let us strip off every weight that slows us down
Fear in our storms
Fear of the future
b). especially the sin that so easily trips us up
Re-occurring habitual fear
Being consumed with too much negative information
Hebrews 12:2 (NLT)
2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.