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"How to Walk on Water" | Pastor Ben Kellert

Sunday, May 25th, 2025

 

Matthew 14:22-33  

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

How to Walk on Water:

#1 - Realize that God wants to use You!

  • Ezekiel 22:30 “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one."
  • Isaiah 6:5-8 

    “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

    6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

    8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

    And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

  • Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
  • God wants to use us for His purpose
  • You are more that you think you are!

*It's our choice whether we walk on water or sit in the boat!

  • Don't listen to the lie that God can't use you!

We each have different gifts...

  • He will give us what we need
  • He will equip us...
  • Take the step and walk on water...

#2 - We must enlist in God’s training course

  • Proverbs 19:8 

    “The one who gets wisdom loves life;

    the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.”

  • Ecclesiastes 10:10 

    “If the ax is dull

    and its edge unsharpened,

    more strength is needed,

    but skill will bring success.”

  • "The Bible is the only book that when you read it, the author shows up!"
  • 2 Timothy 2:15 "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
  • Hebrews 5:14 "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

#3 - We must make ourselves available

  • God demands an account of what we do with what He has given us!
  • Don't bury your talents!
  • Matthew 25:24-30  “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
  • God is looking for faithfulness and expects a good return
  • Use your talents for God
  • Matthew 6:19-21  

    "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,

    where moths and vermin destroy,

    and where thieves break in and steal.

    20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

    where moths and vermin do not destroy,

    and where thieves do not break in and steal.

    21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

  • "My availability gives God the opportunity to work a Miracle through Me!"
  • What has God place in our hands that when given back to Him could do so much good?

#4 - Climb out of the boat in Faith

  • The reason most people stay in the boat is fear!
  • "Fear is a thief; it robbed Peter of a perfectly good walk on the water and kept the other 11 in the boat."
  • Matthew 17:20  "He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
  • Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
  • Where God calls, God provides!
  • Joshua 6:2-5  “Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”
  • Look at the situation with the eyes of faith
  • The God who asked you to do it will give you the power to succeed!

#5 - Hand over all areas of our lives

  • We need to live a life full of surrender to God
  • 2 Timothy 3:5  

    "having a form of godliness but denying its power.

    Have nothing to do with such people."

  • Revelation 3:15-16   "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

  • Jeremiah 29:11  

    "For I know the plans I have for you,”

    declares the Lord,

    “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

    plans to give you hope and a future."

  • Psalm 37:4-5  

    "Take delight in the Lord,

    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

    5 Commit your way to the Lord;

    trust in him and he will do this"

  • God has Great things planned for you life!
  • He has things He desires to do in and through your life!

Don't be satisfied or content with being in the boat... obey his voice and word...accept His invitation...There is more...so much more!  Come to Him, He sees you!

*Time to get out of the boat  --  You were made for More!!

 

*Next, click here to watch the full replay of this sermon, "How to Walk on Water"