Participants: Carlton P. Byrd
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000173
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00:00 Well, get
00:00 ready for a breath of new life. 00:07 Today, Dr. Byrd speaks on the topic, Get Out of The Boat. 00:11 Now, here he is, speaker-director of Breath of Life Ministries, Dr. Carlton Byrd. 00:18 Dr. Carlton Byrd: The Word of God says to us in Matthew 14, verse 22. If you have it, let me hear you say Amen. 00:25 Come on, if you have it let me hear you say Amen. The Word of God says, 00:29 "And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, 00:35 while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to" 00:44 do what, everybody? Come on, do what everybody? Response: "Pray." 00:47 "And when the evening was come, he was there alone. Bible says, "But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, 00:54 tossed with" what? Tossed with "waves: for the wind was contrary. 00:59 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the" what? Response: "Sea." 01:05 "And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying. It is a spirit: 01:11 and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, 01:15 Be of good cheer; it is I; be not" what, everybody? Come on, be not what, everybody? Response: "Afraid." 01:23 "And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 01:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 01:35 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 01:43 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, 01:51 wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 02:01 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God." 02:13 Get out of the boat. Get out of the boat. Jesus is the central figure of the Bible. 02:27 His life is foretold in the Old Testament and it's told four times over in the New Testament. 02:40 His life was a continuous interplay between the human and the divine. In his divinity he was God's way to man. 03:06 Herod could not kill him, governments could not silence him, money could not buy him, Satan could not seduce him, 03:21 death could not destroy him, hell could not handle him, and the grave could not hold him, because he's my Jesus. 03:33 Do I have a witness in this place? Now, Jesus' popularity on this earth was widespread because of his miracles. 03:41 Now these miracles, quickly, could be grouped into two main categories, those miracles that affected people 03:47 and those miracles that affected nature. Now, the larger of these two groups were the miracles 04:02 Other times he used a material like spit and mud healing a blind man's sight. 04:10 Which means, if you really want healing sometimes you've got to get dirty. I wish I had a witness in this place. 04:15 But the good news about all of Jesus' miracles was that Jesus delivered benefits freely 04:21 and there were no charges for his healing services. What a mighty God we serve. 04:28 What a mighty God we serve because angels bow before him. Heaven and earth adore him. 04:36 What a mighty God we serve. So it is in our text today that we find one of Jesus' recorded miracles. 04:45 This miracle was unique in that it affected both people and nature. Now, to give some context to our sermon text. 04:54 The Bible teaches in Matthew, Chapter 14 that John the Baptist has just been beheaded. 05:01 And the disciples, some of whom were followers of John, they did not have time to grieve. 05:06 But the Bible says Jesus hears all of this and the Bible goes on and says that Jesus continues healing people, 05:12 ministering to people, and showing compassion on people. While Jesus is doing this, 05:17 the multitudes following Jesus are increasing by the minute. After listening to Jesus, the people, 05:25 the Bible says, are hungry. That makes sense, because after church on Sabbath we like to go eat. 05:30 Are you hearing what I'm saying? After listening to Jesus the people are hungry. 05:36 Jesus in a throwback to a modern day Golden Corral where it's all you can eat, 05:41 and they're building a new one on University Drive. Come on, say Amen. 05:45 Miraculously feeds 5,000 men, plus women and children, with two fish and five loaves of bread. 05:54 After he feeds the 5,000, Jesus sends the disciples ahead of him in a boat. Now, the Greek here, 06:02 if you study it carefully, is quite emphatic because it tells us that Jesus compelled the people to leave him and to go 06:16 Now, the disciples, the story says, have been in the boat for about seven or eight hours on a journey 06:24 that should have taken two or three hours and it's now about three o'clock in the morning 06:30 and they're continuing to battle against a storm with winds and with waves, and they're in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, 06:36 and then in their exhaustion, not knowing if they're going to make it or think they see they do, a ghost walking on water. 06:45 Now, maybe going through their minds is the thought that this is the end for us. It's now over. 06:55 It's about to end. The waters are boisterous, the rains are falling, and there is a ghost walking towards us. 07:04 They get completely terrified, crying out in fear. But it's not a ghost, it's Jesus, and Jesus says, Be of good cheer. 07:32 So, then, take courage, Jesus is saying, because I am that I am is here. Notice in this situation with 07:51 Jesus knew they would be there for a while. Jesus knew there would be a storm that was going to come. 08:00 Jesus knew that they were going to be battling the sea all night long. 08:05 So, then why would Jesus send them in a situation that he knew would be difficult and bring about great fear? 08:12 Why did Jesus do this? It was because Jesus was trying to grow their faith. 08:17 Because, friends, there are times in our lives where the Lord sends us into storms. 08:23 He sends us into storms so we can grow in faith. So we can grow in courage. 08:28 So we can grow in confidence and conviction, so we can step out in faith in what the Lord is calling us to do. 08:34 The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God, but God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. 08:41 Which means then, just because you have a relationship with God doesn't mean you won't have trouble. 08:46 Those that live godly lives must suffer persecution. I say it all the time. 08:52 You can believe in God and still go through trouble. Still go through trial and tests and tribulations, 08:58 because your relationship with God does not mean that you won't go through anything. 09:02 You can go to church and still get cancer. You can return your tithe and offering and still lose your house. 09:11 You can refrain, young people, from studying on the Sabbath, but yet you still can fail that test. 09:17 Bad stuff happens to good people. Trouble will come in spite of your relationship with the Lord, 09:23 in spite of your commitment to the church, in spite of the fact that you sing in the choir. 09:26 Trouble will still come in your life. The rain falls on the just and unjust, but I still have to have faith in God. 09:32 I still have to have faith in believing in a God who can do things I can't do, who can reach things I can't reach, 09:38 who can move things I can't move. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen. 09:45 I must believe that God can do stuff I can't see and do. I must believe that God can do stuff that does not make sense. 09:52 I've got to believe that God can roll back the Red Sea and the children of Israel can walk across on dry land. 10:02 I believe that God provided air conditioning in a fiery furnace. I believe that God shut the lions' mouths. 10:19 I believe God turned water into wedding punch. You have to go through something where your faith is tried. 10:28 God can't let you go through life easily because that won't build your faith. 10:31 And he'll let you get in trouble so he can teach you how to survive the attack in trouble. 10:35 Let me tell you something I've learned over the years. Obedience does not guarantee that we will escape adversity. 10:42 Obedience may, in fact, lead us to some severe storms. Sometimes God sends us into storms 10:55 and then sometimes people create their own storms and then they get mad when it rains. 11:01 God sent the disciples in the boat. God sent the disciples in the water. 11:13 But while the disciples don't recognize Jesus, Peter does. 11:18 Not only does Peter recognize Jesus, Peter has faith in Jesus. 11:23 So then Peter, the Bible teaches, calls out to Jesus in the midst of the storm, Lord, 11:27 if it's you then tell me to come to you on this water. 11:34 Now, quickly, why did Peter ask Jesus such a question in the first place? Courage alone is not enough to walk on water. 11:59 no matter how dark the night was, no matter how high the waves were, no matter how strong the wind or wet the water, 12:07 Peter knew that it was safer out of the ship in a storm with Jesus than being in a ship in a storm without Jesus. 12:28 than being in a ship in a storm without Jesus. Somebody's going to get this in a minute. 12:35 I can hear the other disciples saying to Brother Peter, Peter, you can't walk on water. It's impossible. 12:42 You'll look foolish and get wet. It's dangerous. The boat is the safest place to be. 12:48 We need you in the boat because we need all the help we can help to fight this storm. 12:53 But Peter knows it's safer out of the boat with Jesus than in the boat without Jesus. 12:59 So, what does Jesus say in the text? Come. He says what, everybody? He says what, everybody? Come. 13:07 And there's no other reason for Peter to climb over the side of that boat and get in the water. 13:20 His ways are not our ways. Now, quickly, different Bible commentators and different theologians 13:35 They say that he was trying to be God himself by wanting to be able to walk on water like Jesus. 13:42 They claim that he was trying to be equal with Jesus, able to do what only Jesus could do because of the power of God within him. 13:49 Then others say, point number two, no, Peter was only testing Jesus. They surmise that Peter says, Lord, if it is you, Jesus, 14:01 if it is you, then prove it to me by helping me walk on this water. So then Peter, in essence, commands this of Jesus. 14:19 If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down off this high temple and see if God will save you. 14:24 They suggest that Matthew here in his account was building the tension in his story, 14:30 looking toward the time when Jesus said to Peter, get thee behind me, Satan. But then others say, 14:36 Peter was showing great faith in holding out his hand to Jesus and putting his life at risk. 14:45 Peter was showing his faith by being willing to stake his life on Jesus being Jesus. 15:16 The others sat in the boat, cowering in fear, blinded by their fear of the storm. 15:23 The other eleven disciples remained terrified in the boat and never experienced walking on water, but Peter did. 15:31 Now, I listen to this story all the time growing up in the church. All I know is the church. 15:35 And I've heard preachers preach this and teachers teach this and I've heard people condemn Peter for his lack of faith, 15:41 stating that he took his eyes off Jesus and he had a lapse of faith, which is why he began to fall. 15:47 Yes, in the text, Jesus did say to Peter, you are a man of little faith. But what about the other eleven? 15:56 None of them even got out of the boat. So, then if Peter had little faith, then they had no faith at all 16:06 because if you remain in the boat you will never know what it's like to walk on water with Jesus. 16:12 Being safe is not easy, it's hard work. Do what everybody else is doing. Do what we've always done. 16:25 At least Peter got out of the boat, which is more than the other disciples ever did. 16:30 Every day someone's asking the same question, is God hiding his face from our problems? 16:37 Why do bad things happen to good people? Does God really hold my destiny in his hands? 16:47 The Breath of Life Ministry has the perfect answer in a beautiful new book called "How Can I Understand the Bible." 17:06 It's your gift free with your donation of any amount. Contact us at www.breathoflife.tv. Or call us at 1-877-265-6333. 17:21 Now, back to Dr. Bird with a message already in progress. 17:47 How many of us are afraid to try new things in ministry for fear of, we've never done it that way? 18:06 Lunacy is defined as doing the same things over and over and over again and expecting a different result. 18:18 But you'll never see new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. 18:22 It's all right to be cautious, but a turtle never gets anywhere until he sticks his head out. 18:30 Don't be afraid to go out on a limb. Don't be afraid to stick your head out. Don't be afraid to get out of the boat. 19:02 We'll have this mind, saying everybody's talking about you, ain't nobody thinking about you. 19:07 We're good at creating terrible events in our minds and worrying ourselves to death. 19:15 But sometimes we have to face our fears, face the unknown, and take a plunge in order that we might grow. 19:23 Friends of mine, you will never grow unless you get out of the boat and experience walking on water. 19:32 So, praise God, Peter got out of the boat. But what's the final point here? 19:38 He got out of the boat, he followed Jesus, but why did he sink? 19:44 Now, Bible enthusiasts, they say that he began to sink because he got distracted. Some say he got a little haughty. 19:59 Look at me, I'm walking on water. He took his eyes off Jesus. And while some or all of this might be true, 20:09 listen to me carefully, Peter needed to sink in order to grow. 20:18 Sometimes you have to sink in order that you might move to the next step of faith in Jesus Christ. 20:28 You see, let's be real, walking on water does not ultimately lead to spiritual growth. Listen to me. 20:36 There were 5,000 men, plus women and children, who were fed, but yet they failed to recognize Jesus as the Christ. 20:45 How often do we read of Jesus' miracles, the great number of people who follow Jesus, only to see a miracle happen, 20:52 but yet they never came in the faith because of the miracle, they just watched it. That's like us today. 20:59 We see the miracles of Jesus. Some of us have even experienced the miracles of Jesus. We witness the miracles of Jesus. 21:08 But we never come into the faith of Jesus. The miracle may bring people back to see and experience more, 21:16 but it's the experience of sinking, the experience of suffering, the experience of drowning 21:27 that causes them to cry out to Jesus like Peter did for salvation. 21:34 It is in those moments, friends of mine, it is in those moments when we cry out to Jesus, and I don't know if you've been there, 21:41 but I've cried out to Jesus, that when we cry out to Jesus that we grow. Because when all else fails, 21:49 when there is no hope except him, he comes in, lifts us up and saves us. 21:54 Now, as Peter began to sink, he cried, Lord, save me. As he began to drown, he cried, Lord, save me. 22:10 That was his prayer. Three simple words. Lord, save me. 22:18 Which then reminds us, it's not the length of your prayer but the strength of your prayer. 22:24 Some of us think that we've got to pray these long, big words, sermonize prayers to get God's attention. 22:33 But Peter didn't have time for prayer preliminaries. Peter didn't have time for a long prayer. 22:40 Peter didn't have time for a long discourse. Peter didn't have flowery words, all Peter had time for was, Lord, save me. 22:51 And I believe I've got a witness in this place that knows sometimes in life, when you're about to lose your mind, 22:59 all you can say is, Lord, save me. When the devil is messing with somebody, all you can say is, Lord, save me. 23:10 When you're stretched to the max, when you're pushed to the limit, all you can say is, Lord, save me. 23:18 I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, very deeply stained within, sinking to lies no more. 23:27 But, the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry and from the waters lifted me. Now safe am I. 23:36 But let me give you some shouting news and I'm going to sit down. The Bible says in verse 30. Look at verse 30. 23:43 The Bible says in verse number 30: "And Peter beginning to sink." Pastor, you got that. Somebody else missed it. 23:56 Let me try that one more time. Verse 30 says: "And Peter beginning to sink." Let me try that one more time. 24:07 The Bible says, Peter beginning to sink. Somebody they still don't get it, that's all right. 24:19 Let me tell you what this shouting news is. It's the fact that Peter didn't go under. 24:46 I had sickness in my body, but God didn't let me go under. I lost my job, I failed a class, but God didn't let me go under. 24:58 I lost my family, I lost my marriage, people were talking about me, but God didn't let me go under. 25:09 The good news is that when you exercise faith, when you get out of the boat, if you begin to sink there is a Savior. 25:20 If you begin to drown, there is a Deliverer. If you begin to go under, there is a Go-between. 25:28 His name is Jesus. Sweet Jesus. Rose of Sharon. Lily of the Valley. 25:36 He came from the bosom of the father to the bosom of a woman. He put on humanity in order that we might put on divinity. 25:42 He became the Son of Man that we might become the sons of God. He came from Heaven where the rivers never freeze, 25:49 winds never blow, flowers never fade, no one is sick. In infancy he startled a king. In boyhood he puzzled wise men. 25:58 In manhood he ruled the course of nature. Understand, Jesus never practiced psychiatry, 26:07 but he's healed more broken hearts than doctors have healed broken bodies. 26:12 He never marched in an army, never drafted a soldier, never fired a gun, yet no leader has made more volunteers, 26:18 who under his orders have made rebels stack arms of surrender without a shot being fired. He is the Star of Astronomy, 26:27 the Rock of Geology. He is the Lion and Lamb of zoology. His name is Jesus. And he won't let you go under. 26:41 But you'll never know this unless you get out of the boat. 26:49 Let me make this final point and then I'm going to sit down. I've got a holy hypothesis. 26:57 All right. So, Elder Melancon, this is eisegesis. Not exegesis,this is eisegesis That's my disclaimer. 27:38 Peter would never forget. He would never forget the experience of taking that step of faith, 27:48 of faith out of the boat, and walking on water. 27:50 He would never forget that fear in his soul as he began to sink. He would never forget his cry of salvation. 27:55 He would never forget the hands of Jesus lifting him up out of the water and the experience of walking back to the boat. 28:06 Look back at your life. Look back over your life. 28:13 Announcer: Thank you for joining us for another exciting broadcast. 28:16 Announcer: We'd like you to partner with us. 28:18 Announcer: As we offer the Breath of Life to a dying world. 28:22 All of our sermon titles and DVDs can be purchased at www.breathoflife.tv 28:29 Until next time, God loves you! |
Revised 2015-01-09