How to be disciples who worship Christ
Paul Thompson
Matthew 14:22-33
Introduction :
This morning we were challenged to be disciples who are at war from Ephesians 6:10 “To be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might.
This evening we are challenged from Matthew 14 to be disciples who worship Christ
We said this morning in the Adult Bible Class that the context we find ourselves in as Churches is midlife. And the challenge is midlife can become a time where we slacken off, we can coast and become complacent as Christians and therefore as Churches.
How as disciples and therefore Churches are we going to be renewed and revived to be faithful to the task of making disciples who make disciples? This is our purpose as Churches; ( Matthew 28:18-20). "To be disciples who make disciples," according to Paul's charge to young Timothy.
Matthew writes an apologetic teaching manual for the early church with jesus and peter standout characters.
It’s not a story about having enough faith to walk on water. It’s not even a story about jesus walking on water even though he does this. It’s about Jesus making disciples - disciples who worship Him fully.
How does Jesus make us disciples who worship?
He shows us our Hearts 2. He shows us His heart 3. So our hearts worship Him - repeat
1. He shows us our Hearts
Our hearts are often full of idolatry
Matthew 14:22 "Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds."
How do we know that the disciples hearts are full of idolatry?
Because in John 6:15 “Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.”
Hadn't he just feed the 5000 not including women and children supernaturally? The disciples are intoxicated with the event and the moment.
The crowds worldly thinking says lets make him our earthly king. We to can have a view of worldly power. Jesus constrains, He compels them to get into the boat why? Because they want a earthly ruler who they can idolize and often we are idolize something or someone above the Lord. The way God humbles us is to bring storms into our lives so are hearts are tuned to repent and learn to worship Christ before anyone or anything.
Our hearts are often full of defeater beliefs which lead to irrational fears -
Matthew 14:24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. Mat 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. Mat 14:26 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.
They have an wrong worldview and so can we think in worldly ways - so…
Matthew14:28 And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
Can’t we be so presumptuous at times in our Christian lives?
Our hearts can be overwhelmed by our circumstances to cause irrational fears and doubts
Matthew 14:30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."
The moment Peter takes his eyes of Christ he’s in trouble, His heart fills with irrational fears and doubts. And isn’t this what happens to us.
So Jesus allows storms to enter our life to shows us our hearts are often idolatrous, defeater beliefs which lead to irrational fears, presumptuous and overwhelmed by our circumstances which cause us to have irrational fears and doubts
How does Jesus change us so we are disciples who worship Him?
2. He shows us His heart - we see
He's in our storms
Matthew 14:24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
Jesus teaches us and comforts us
Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.
He comes to us in our storms, didn't he promise His disciples in His great commission
Matthew 28:18 “lo I'm with you always..
John 14:18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
What comforting words William Cowper penned in his famous hymn?
God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Matthew 14:26 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. Mat 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."
Jesus often grants our presumption
Mat 14:28-29 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."
Jesus saves, corrects and calms our storms
Mat 14:30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me.” Mat 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him,
saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Mat 14:32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
He prays for us
Matthew 14:23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
How does Jesus make us disciples that worship Him?
We see Jesus heart in working storms in our lives teaching and comforting us often grants our presumption saves, corrects and calms our storms praying for us.
3. So our hearts can change to worship Christ
Our hearts put off idolatry and now obey and pray on mission
We know longer have a worldly view of power and making a name for ourselves as a Church. We want to get into the boat of mission by faith and we do this by spending time alone in prayer.
Our hearts put off defeater beliefs recognise Christ having hearts of peace and courage in our storms
Mat 14:26 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. Mat 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Our hearts put off presumption and believe and obey in our storms
Mat 14:28 - 29 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."
Instead we desire to live by faith as we battle the world our flesh and the devil that bring a constant storm against as we are on mission
Our hearts pray in our weakness believing Jesus in Church storms
Matthew14:30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me.” Mat 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Our hearts worship Christ when we see him in church storms
Matthew 14:32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Mat 14:33 And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
Matthew 28:17 20 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
All that see the Lord Jesus with an eye of faith are obliged to worship him. Matthew henry
Jesus went through a worse storm, separated from his father who He worshipped. He was forsake so we might be saved. He lived and died by faith so we might.
We recognise he is creator who moves over the water calms the storms walks through it in his life and death intercedes for us now
We see our hearts In the storms of mission Jesus shows us we are idolatrous, stubborn, prayerless, blind, fearful, presumptuous, disbelieving and doubting
We see Jesus heart He's in our storms coming to us and comforting. Jesus often grants our presumption He saves and corrects us. He calms our storms.
Then our hearts can be empowered to put off idolatry and now obey and pray on mission To put off our defeater beliefs recognise Christ having hearts of peace and courage in our storms putting off presumption and believing and obeying. We now desire to pray in our weakness believing Jesus is in our storms. We worship Christ when we see Him in our storms
Isaiah 43:1-2 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume
Psalm 89:9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.
So may the lord revive and renew us His disciples and therefore our Churches. May our midlife to changed to one where we battle again and worship Christ again seeking to glorify Christ afresh in making disciples for Him because lo He is with us always
Amen