I grew up on the lake, Crab Orchard Lake to be exact. It’s a great place and I was blessed to get to spend my years from late grade school through High School living so close to the outdoors. That lake was literally my back, side, and front yard. You see my parents were caretakers of the local campground so we actually lived there. My twin brother and I would spend every waking moment doing something outside. Summer, Winter, Fall, Spring, it didn’t matter. Hot, cold, raining, sunny, whatever Mother Nature had to offer, we accepted and found something fun, exciting, and adventuresome to occupy our time. But my favorite thing to do was get in our boat and paddle around the lake. I would spend hours and hours exploring different parts of Crab Orchard. I felt at home in that boat. I felt like I could go anywhere, do anything and I answered only to the wind and the waves. Well, until I would hear that familiar voice off in the distance calling my name. It was my Dad. And I knew that the time had come to get out of the boat. I didn’t want to. I liked it in the boat. It was my safe place, my comfort zone, my fortress of solitude. It was one of the few places where I could just be me. But I knew at some point I would have to climb out. Peter must have felt like that when Jesus called him to get out of the boat. But as the story unfolds we see him do just that. We all know the story and what a great story it is. We get to learn about a loving and caring Jesus who will catch you at just the right time and save you from drowning. But there is so much more to the story taken from the gospel of Matthew chapter 14. When Peter left the comfort of that boat, when he left the company of his friends to walk out to Jesus, he had no idea what was about to happen. He was clueless as to how really life-changing his action would be. There were six things that happened because of what Peter did and when you and I get out of our boats, you know, those boats we’ve been in for way too long. Boats of comfort and compromise. Boats of fear and doubt and frustration. When we leave the boat and walk toward Jesus we can be sure that those six things will happen to us. Here is what happens when you leave the boat. The first thing. You get to get out of the boat. You get to walk away from what has you and your attention. The second thing. You get to do something spectacular! Peter defied logic and science! Are you ready for the spectacular? The third thing. You get to fail!!! Wait, what? Yep, Peter blew it and he blew it big time. He looked around at that roaring sea and realized who he was and took his eyes off of Jesus and sank like a rock. Remember though, failing isn’t always failure! You will at times blow it too. And you’ll sink in front of your friends and family, just like Peter. The fourth thing. You will be snatched up by the Master! Jesus will be there in the blink of the eye to pull you up into His arms. And believe me, there is no better place to be. The fifth thing. You get to go back to the boat. You see, Jesus doesn’t say that we can never go back. He just makes sure that we go back different than when we left. And finally and most importantly. You will be the means by which those around you will be moved to worship Jesus as Lord! When they got back to the boat those around Jesus and Peter fell to their knees and worshipped Jesus. So today I encourage you….GET OUT OF THE BOAT! I promise you will not regret it!
-Pastor Matt
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