MATTHEW 14:22-33 John the Baptist had been beheaded by Herod.  When Jesus hears of John’s death, He along with His disciples attempt to go to a place where they can get some  rest.  But that does not happen, when the multitudes hear that Jesus is in the area they follow after Him.  Jesus has compassion on them and heals their sick.   The day is almost over, these people have been out there with out any food, His disciples ask Jesus to send them away so they may go buy themselves some food to eat, but the Lord has other plans.  With five loaves and two fishes Jesus feeds five thousand men, not counting the women and children.  This takes place late in the day on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.                22-23. The Greek word for “constrained” means very strong.  This would imply that His disciples were reluctant to leave.  Jesus had to insist that they get in the boat and begin their journey across the Sea of Galilee, which they do.   Jesus also sends the multitude of people back to their homes.   He wanted to be alone, to be able to escape all attention and confusion that seemed follow Him.  Jesus wished to be able to pray to His Father when He saw that the people misunderstood the nature of His kingdom and would make Him a king over a material kingdom.  John 6:15 –When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.      He probably also wanted to meditate on the recent death of John the Baptist and His own death which would take place before too long.  On a number of occasions Jesus would go up into mountains to pray.  The mountains were a place where the Master could go off by Himself and have some private moments to speak to His Heavenly Father 24.        Storms on the Sea of Galilee were often very sudden and frightful.  The  disciples had sailed “about twenty five or thirty furlongs”     John 6:19 –   So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.      Twenty Five or Thirty furlongs would be about three or four miles.  A furlong is 1/8 of a mile.  The place where they were crossing was about six miles wide, so they had reached about the center of sea.  Then a severe storm begins to rage.  John 6:18 – And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.      The disciples were being tossed about at the mercy of the storm.  No doubt they became frightened and weary. 25-26. It was during the forth watch; a watch is a period of time during the night   which the soldiers keep awake to keep the enemy from attacking or guarding prisoners to prevent them from escaping.  The Jews according to the Law of Moses had the night divided into three watches with first one beginning at 6 o’clock in the evening.  Lamentations 2:19.         But Jews had recently adopted the Roman usage in which the night was divided four divisions with each watch being a period of three hours.  The first watch began at 6 P.M. and the fourth watch began at 3 A.M.  It was after 3 A.M. that Jesus came to His disciples.  It was at this time the disciples could see Jesus walking on the sea.        These men were fisherman and fisherman were and still are a superstitious lot. The wind and the waves and the way the sun and the moon reflect off of the water sometimes places tricks on one's imagination.  They had been battling against the storm for some time and now they see someone walking on the water ...that was enough to frighten them.   27.        The disciples had been asking among themselves what it was that they had seen; they were in terror.  Jesus speaks to them to take away their fear, He told them to “ be of good cheer.”    He assures them that it is Him do not be afraid.                28-30. Peter says “if that is you Lord, let me come to you on the water.”  The Lord’s reply to Peter was, “COME.”  When Peter heard the voice of the Lord say COME he obeyed it.  Peter had FAITH that there was no reason why he could not walk on the water toward the Lord.  Peter took off just like he was walking on dry land.  But when Peter realized what was going on all around him; he let his surroundings cause him to doubt.  He forgot that the Lord said COME and no matter what was happening if he kept the FAITH he could have walked to the Lord on the water.  Peter begins to sink and cries out for the Lord to save him.    31.        Peter was able to walk on the water because of his faith in Jesus; for some reason Peter doubted.  He had taken hold of the power to walk on the water by faith.  As doubt is the opposite of FAITH, Peter lost the power that sustained him, and he immediately began to sink.        Jesus stretches out His hand catches Peter and says to him, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”                 32-33. As soon as they were back in the boat the storm ceased.  There was no else in the boat but His disciples and they show reverence to the Lord by bowing down and worshiping Him.  They confess that He was the Son of God.  This was the confession that would be made in the near future when Jesus ask His disciples, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? ” Matthew 16:13.      Peter responds by saying, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” in Matthew 16:16.      What took place in the early morning hours on the Sea of Galilee strengthened the faith of the disciples.  It taught them to rely on Jesus, and assured them that Jesus was willing and able to save all who took Him at His word and obeyed.  That new strength and faith they gathered enabled Peter to make the confession that he made in Matthew 16:16. Lets see how  we can  apply what took place that night to our lives. For those who are weary, and heavily burdened with sin; for those that are spiritually weak Jesus says in Matthew 11:28 –   Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.        Jesus assures us all that He will give us rest; rest from all that burdens  us down.  If burdened with sin He gives us remission of sins, He will add us to His Kingdom, the Church.   For all those who are sighing for rest and have burdens that you cannot bear alone, Jesus says come to Me.  There is no other source that can provide what Jesus can; He gives us the positive assurance, “I WILL GIVE YOU REST.” We come by obeying the call of the gospel: When we hear the Word taught we Believe it; we Repent of our sins; we confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; we are Baptized for the remission of our sins. See ROMANS 6:3-7. Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 11:29 –  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. The yoke is a emblem of subjection and service, it could be one of pain and oppression, or it could be easy and pleasant.  For all those who will come to Jesus and live as Jesus teaches that one should live, that person shall have rest from all sins and a home in heaven.  See JOHN 14:1-4. We find in Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.   Faith in the promises of God concerning the future leads man to walk after the things of God.  We do not and cannot see these things with the natural eye; it is by faith that we see and know them.  It is the confidence in God and in His Word.   Paul said in Galatians 2:20 –  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Paul says the difference between the old life of sin and the new life after one obeys the gospel of Christ is that the Christian's life is being regulated and sustained by the faith of the Son of God.   II Corinthians 5:17 –   Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.   II Corinthians 5:7 – For we walk by faith, not by sight: Faith in the promises of God concerning the future leads man to walk after the things of God. By Faith Abraham “looked for a city whose builder and maker was God.”  Hebrews 11:10. It was by Faith that Moses chose not be called the grandson of Pharaoh, but he chose to be with the people of God.  Moses understood that God was far more powerful and had more to offer than Pharaoh.  Because the things Pharaoh offered were only for short time, but God things eternal.  Hebrews 11:24-27.   We are as those great examples of Faith mentioned in Hebrews 11.   We are strangers and pilgrims here on the earth. Faith is the means that let us see things that a far off.  Romans 10:17 –  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Faith is believing fully and obeying whatever God says in regard to anything.  Walking by faith is taking every step we make according to God’s directions.  We cannot hope for anything which God has not promised, or hope for that which He has promised without complying with the conditions upon which His promises are based.  We cannot do by faith anything which God has not commanded. To walk by sight is to walk after the things of this world.   Colossians 3:1-2 – If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.     Seek means to strive for, to aim for. We are to have our priorities in order.  Nothing else is to matter to the Christian.  Let those things above direct our actions. Philippians 3:16 – Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. No matter where we are in our spiritual walk, or we could say race, no matter what the level our spiritual maturity is, we must continue to press on.    The word walk means to stand in line.  It can be used in the sense of “to be in line with “ or “to follow in someone’s steps.”   Unity and cooperation must exist if the Church is to move forward and if we are to successful in the Christian race.  We must live in accordance with the inspired Word of God.  If our lives are not lined up with the Word of God then we are in trouble. Revelation 22:18-19 –   For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.   Hebrews 10:38 says, “now the just shall life by faith.” Our faith should direct our lives, it is the way we live.  It will provide strength and we will give God the glory for all things. Matthew 21:21-22 –  Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Jesus was traveling from Bethany to Jerusalem when He came upon this fig tree that gave the appearance of being a tree that had fruit on it, but it did not, it deceived the eye.  Jesus caused this fig tree to die.  There was a purpose for doing this as there was with everything Jesus did.   Jesus uses this tree to strengthen the faith of His disciples because of the great events that were to occur within a short time. His death, burial and resurrection; they establishment of the Church and the gospel being spread throughout the world, to every race of man.   Jesus is teaching the importance of faith.  Jesus would soon leave the apostles they would need the strength that faith can provide.  He told them they would have all the things they would need to confirm the Father’s will.  The lesson taught by Jesus also means that God will furnish everything to His people today that they need to live faithful Christian lives.    It is not a promise that God will satisfy all of the wants of people, nor answer every prayer that is made to Him in the way we think it should be answered.  God will not grant blessings to those who are in rebellion to His will, neither to those who do not believe in Him, nor to those who will not honor His Son by praying in His name. Philippians 3:13-14 –  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul says he has not yet reached his goal and neither have we.  Paul’s mind was focused on one thing only, and nothing will divert his attention from his course.  Just as a runner must concentrate on the finish line, forgetting the part of the race he has already ran, he focuses on what lies ahead. The idea of forgetting the past  means simply to be unconcerned about it.  To dwell either on the sins one committed before becoming a Christian, or ones successes or ones failures as a Christian does nothing but hinder ones efforts to continue the race for the prize.  So many Christians allow their past to impede their efforts to run the race, sometimes to the point of leaving the race. Paul says he reaches forth, or stretches forward to the things that lie ahead.  One must run with a purpose.  Not aimlessly, but on toward the goal.  The prize is a home in heaven, eternal salvation.  We must never lose sight of that goal, nor slack off in our efforts attain that prize. READ MATTHEW 20:1-16. In this parable Jesus teaches that everyone who will accept the invitation of the gospel and do what they agree too, that is to put off the old life of sin and begin a new life in His service, they will be rewarded.  It does not matter at what stage in life one heeds the gospels invitation; what does matter is that one does obey it and will life a faithful life from that point forward.  Revelation 2: 10 says, “be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.”    The reward is the same for all; everyone must obey the same things.   Revelation 22:18 – And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.     The Lord is still extending the invitation to COME to HIM.  Will you accept His invitation?  It is an open invitation as long as time continues.  But we must COME on His terms and we must live according to His terms. We cannot let what is going on around us cause us to lose focus on what we have started out to do.  That is to be with the Lord.  Peter started out to be with the Lord, but he  began to doubt and he started to sink.  But, the Lord was there to pull him up.  He is there to pull each of us up, if we will cry out for His help.      Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God  must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Matthew 7:13-14 –  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,QJ Questions or Comments?