Are your eyes upon Jesus?

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Mt 14:22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24 But the ship (containing the disciples) was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night (between 3am – 6am) Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 BUT when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Now as we begin our lesson today – I want to point out that there are ‘many questions’ that we could ask - about different things that are

revealed to us throughout God’s Word . . . In the Genesis account of creation – God does not explain the specifics of HOW – but He does tell us WHO did it . . . in the beginning GOD

The story of Jonah and the whale – God does not tell us the specifics of HOW a whale was able to swallow a man – and HOW someone could

survive for three days inside of a whales belly . . . but again it is not necessary for us to be told how it was done – because we are told WHO

did it . . . the story of Daniel in the lion’s den is another story that lacks details explaining HOW it is possible to avoid being eaten by

these wild animals . . . but again we need no scientific explanation when we are told the WHO behind the story  . . .

Many of ‘the specifics’ of various things that are found in The Bible – are things that we just have no way of knowing – Now I totally

understand that it is scientifically impossible for any man to walk on water . . . according to the laws of physics it is simply not possible – but

God tells us here in His Word that it actually happened . . . and we either believe it – or we doubt it . . . If we believe it – we do so in spite of never having seen something like this

happen ourselves . . . and if we do believe it – then we do so in spite of every scientific principle that we know and understand – telling

us that it is simply not possible . . . However if on the other hand we doubt this scripture – then we doubt it because we can say that we have

never seen anything like this happen ourselves – OR we can doubt it because we have more confidence in science – than we have in God’s Word . . .

You will notice in this opening passage – that as long as Peter kept his eyes upon Jesus – everything was OK . . . but when Peter took his

eyes off of Jesus – and based upon his own knowledge of the sea and of storms – began to look at the waves – he became afraid and

started to sink . . . Everyone here today – does exactly what Peter did  – When we read The Bible through eyes of faith – everything is OK  

BUT when we approach God’s Word with the eye of a skeptic – with our eyes upon science – with our eyes upon what WE understand in our

flesh – it is then that like Peter we sense fear – and we begin to sink into doubt and our lives become afraid . . . For example if we look at Gen 3: 1 we read the following . . .

Ge 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he (the serpent) said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

We read here about how ‘a serpent’ was able to “talk” to Eve – The Bible says that the serpent communicated with Eve – through speech and

that he even quoted scripture . . . God offers no explanation – He just tells us what happened . . . God could have explained this further – but

He didn’t – so all we know about this particular incident is that God tells us that the serpent talked to Eve . . . so when we read “things like

this” that according to science can’t be explained – we just have to be content with what God has told us about it . . . Another thing that we have

no way of knowing - is whether or not “the serpent” was actually Satan himself in disguise – or whether the serpent simply gave Satan permission to control him . . . once again – God

just tells us what happened without any detailed explanation . . . God didn’t  elaborate about it – He just said that the serpent was more “subtle”

than ANY beast of the field and then He tells us what the serpent did to ‘trick Eve’ into disobeying God’s commandment

Remember – that all of this took place long before the flood – and things as they physically exist today – were totally different than they existed

back before flood . . . so we can’t apply “the way” things are today – to “the way” things were so early in our history . . . For instance - the earth

existed for 2000 years before it finally rained in the days of Noah and ark . . . we can use our knowledge of science and speculate on how

everything was able to survive without rain by way of underground springs – or by way of heavy dew in the mornings . . . but even so – it is not possible to know for sure

The lifespan of humans was 8 to 9 hundred years but – we have no idea how long a tomato plant lived – or how long a dog or cat lived . . . or where dinosaurs came from . . . we only know

for sure ‘what God determined’ that we should know . . . so as we study the scriptures – it is important that we make sure that we are

satisfied with the type of things that God ‘in His wisdom’ has chosen to reveal to us and to avoid using too much of our time trying to

figure out things that are “just not intended” for us to know with any type of certainty – our faith in God should NEVER be dependent upon the

level or upon the degree of own personal understanding . . . And we commit a sin when we say in our heart – well I don’t believe Gen 3:1 because I can’t understand how serpents

could possibly talk or be smart enough to quote scripture . . . OR we sin when we say that - I ‘would’ believe it if I had ever seen ‘another  

serpent’ who could ‘think and reason’ in order to solve problems - like how best to deceive Eve into eating the forbidden fruit.

Faith is not based upon sight – but faith is based upon something that we CANNOT see . . .

Statement: Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Illustrate: The phrase “now faith is the substance of things hoped for . . .” refers to how faith is the reality – or how that faith is the foundation of  “the things” that we all hope for in our lives

Faith ‘or hope in Jesus’ is the central anchor of our lives – which means that faith is the only ‘certainty’ that any of us has in our lives . . .

Think about what it means for the very foundation of our lives – for the only sure thing in our lives – to be something that no man can see

“the evidence of things not seen” refers to how that faith is the PROOF of  “things” that cannot

be seen with the eyes or understood with the educated intellect of the human mind . . .

If we go back to Gen 3: 1 . . . faith in God’s Word is the only proof that we have regarding how the serpent spoke with Eve and actually quoted

Scripture . . . our faith in God’s Word regarding this – is the only evidence that exists – that it is in fact the real truth and actually happened . . .

Applicate: So the lesson for us here is this . . . science may be able to explain many things to us – but there are some things like serpents

intelligent enough to quote scripture that science cannot explain . . . So the point is – we should never use our own understanding of science to

prove The Bible – but we should instead use The Bible to prove science . . . and if it can’t be proven in accordance to our understanding –

then just accept what it says . . . we all believe that Jesus was resurrected from the dead – so why doubt God about something that is much more

simple ‘like a serpent that is really – really smart’- lions who aren’t hungry . . . or whales that can actually swallow a man . . .

Statement: John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Illustrate: I will not believe Gen 3: 1 until I see a serpent talk with my own two eyes . . . I will not believe in the ‘worldwide flood’ of Noah –

unless I can figure out to my own understanding how the whole world could literally be submerged under water . . . when science tells

us that enough water to do this does not even exist on our planet . . . either God is wrong – or the science that we are depending  on to strengthen our faith is wrong . . .

I will not believe in the resurrection of the dead – unless I see with my own eyes a body that I know is dead – come back to life . . .

Applicate: What goes through our mind when we read John 3:16 . . . which tells us of Jesus’ resurrection – do we doubt – or do we believe?

Statement: John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Illustrate: To believe – is defined for us here as the eternal salvation of our soul . . . while to doubt is defined for us as eternal damnation in hell

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not (the man who doubts concerning the resurrection of Jesus – that man) is condemned already, BECAUSE he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

I will remind you – that God is under no obligation to EXPLAIN anything that He says . . . He begins The Bible with no explanation at all about The Beginning . . . He simply says

In The Beginning GOD . . . and He then leaves it up to the individual person – to base their belief upon ‘the substance’ of what they can

understand about the creation using their own reasoning . . . OR whether or not they base their belief upon ‘the substance’ of what

CANNOT be seen and whether or not they base their belief upon ‘the substance’ of what CANNOT be understood by their mind . . .

Applicate: So the lesson for us here is this . . . In John 3: 16 – God does not try to explain the resurrection of Jesus . . . He merely says that

God so loved the world – that He gave . . . this of course referring to the giving of Jesus as a sacrifice on the cross . . .  God then simply

leaves it up to you and I on an individual basis – to just take Him at His word regarding the resurrection . . . or to doubt what He has told us

to doubt because of how the same science which tells us that serpents can’t talk - also tells us that it is impossible for anyone to be raised from the dead . . .

I have no explanation for how Jesus was raised from the dead – except that The Bible says that He was raised by the POWER of God.

I have no scientific explanation about Jonah and the whale – all I have is the WHO in God’s Word . . .

I have no scientific explanation about Daniel and the lion’s den . . . all I have is the WHO in God’s Word . . .

Heb 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 a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

We have learned from John 3: 18 that without faith it is impossible to be saved . . .

And here in Heb 11: 6 we learn that without faith – it is impossible for those of us who have already been saved – to please the God that has saved us . . .

Jesus invited Peter to step out onto the water . . . the water that Peter walked on represents all of the bad things that are out in the world . . . and

To walk on top of the water – represents how FAITH is able to keep us from sinking down into the depths of sin . . .

Jesus also invites you and I to step where Peter once walked . . . Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink . . .

Have we made the same mistake that Peter made?

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