At church Sunday our sermon was from Matthew and included the story of Jesus walking on water. If you aren't familiar with it there was a huge storm and the fishermen (Jesus' disciples and maybe some others) were terrified that they wouldn't get back to shore because they were very far from it. Suddenly, they saw Jesus coming to them on the water. Of course they were amazed, thinking it must be a ghost but Jesus called out to them, identifying himself. Peter wanted proof and said "Lord, if you are really he then let me walk to you on the water" and Jesus said "come". You know what? Peter made it part of the way! Then he looked around him and fear set in; he began to sink and cried out "Lord save me!" Jesus caught his hand saying "oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" and the two got into the boat. The disciples declared that now they knew Jesus was truly to Son of God. The traditional take on this scripture would be that Peter did not have enough faith in Jesus to make it to him but what Pastor Dave suggested is that perhaps Peter did not have enough faith in HIMSELF. Now before you freak out that I am going the way of "I can be, or do enough to earn my own salvation" we are not going there. Jesus is the only way to God the Father, end of story. But, did you know that Jesus believes in you? In other words, he sees in you the possibility to be LIKE HIM. One of Dictionary.com's definitions of "believe" when speaking about an object "you" is this: to have a conviction that (a person or thing) is, has been, or will be engaged in a given action or involved in a given situation
Isn't that what our entire Christian walk is about? Jesus came to this earth, giving up his divine rights to lay down his life for us. When Jesus looked at Peter he probably knew that Peter had faith in him, but when Peter saw the waves and began to sink maybe Jesus simply saw a man who doubted himself. How often has the Lord gently nudged me to do something and I have come up with a thousand excuses not to? Do you want to know the ultimate why? Because I don't believe I can do it. Somehow that is different than believing God can do it don't you think? I don't have a problem believing God is capable to do more than we ask or imagine; I find him awe-inspiring, completely overwhelming, and for sure all-powerful. I am so thankful this sermon was preached. This is telling me that Jesus (my spiritual advocate) has faith ---again from dictionary.com = confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
that I can be like him, so I am encouraged. And of course we bear in mind that our ability is God-given and not of ourselves but IS spiritually available to us and indeed who we truly are in Christ. Whatever the boat represents to you, if God is calling you to something more (and remember Peter started it by asking Jesus to command him so watch out you earnestly seeking people! lol) have some faith in yourself like your Lord and Savior does. Has he not equipped us (the church) with all we need? Are we not already seated in the heavenly realms with Him? (Ephesians 2 and 4) The scriptures support this idea. It's time for us to BELIEVE in the body of Christ again. We, the church, are the hands and feet of Christ himself! He did not give us that charge lightly, he is counting on us and he is enabling us as much as we are willing to allow him. Love. Serve. Bring in the harvest. It's all for him, to him, and through him.
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