Sermons on Matthew 14:31
The various sermons below interpret Matthew 14:31 by emphasizing the importance of faith amidst trials and distractions. They commonly highlight Peter's experience of walking on water and his subsequent sinking as a metaphor for the believer's spiritual journey. A recurring theme is the necessity of maintaining focus on Jesus to sustain faith, especially during life's storms and distractions. The sermons use vivid analogies, such as spiritual blinders and faith as a muscle, to illustrate how believers can grow spiritually by focusing on Jesus and exercising their faith. They also agree that faith is not static but can develop and mature through intentional action and challenges, suggesting that adversity can be a divine tool for spiritual growth.
While the sermons share common themes, they also present unique perspectives. One sermon emphasizes the role of storms as divine tools for spiritual growth, suggesting that adversity is not always a result of personal wrongdoing. Another sermon introduces the idea of distractions as spiritual warfare, emphasizing the need to overcome them to maintain an effective witness. A different sermon presents faith as a dynamic entity that must be nurtured and developed, akin to a mustard seed, while another argues that faith requires active engagement and application to specific life situations, drawing on insights from Martin Lloyd Jones. These contrasting approaches offer a multifaceted understanding of faith, highlighting its complexity and the various ways it can be cultivated and sustained.
Matthew 14:31 Interpretation:
Stepping Out in Faith: Embracing Spiritual Growth (Atlanta Berean Church) interprets Matthew 14:31 by emphasizing the importance of faith amidst trials. The sermon highlights Peter's desperation and the necessity of self-assessment in one's spiritual journey. It uses the analogy of Peter's experience to question whether individuals are truly praying or merely playing at faith. The sermon also discusses the concept of storms as a means for God to work through individuals, suggesting that sometimes God allows storms to bring believers closer to Him.
Focusing on Jesus Amidst Life's Distractions (Oak Grove Baptist Church) interprets Matthew 14:31 by focusing on the distractions that can lead believers to lose sight of Jesus, much like Peter did when he began to sink. The sermon uses the analogy of spiritual blinders, similar to those worn by racehorses, to emphasize the need for believers to focus on Jesus amidst life's distractions. It also highlights the importance of identifying personal distractions that prevent spiritual growth.
Understanding and Growing Faith in God's Power (calvaryokc) interprets Matthew 14:31 by focusing on Peter's loss of focus as the reason for his sinking. The sermon emphasizes that Peter was already doing the impossible by walking on water, but his doubt arose when he shifted his focus from Jesus to the surrounding chaos. This interpretation highlights the importance of maintaining focus on Jesus to sustain faith, even when performing miraculous acts.
Growing Faith Through Challenges and Intentional Action (Open the Bible) interprets Matthew 14:31 by emphasizing the varying degrees of faith among believers, as illustrated by Jesus' interactions with different individuals in the Gospels. The sermon highlights that faith is not static but can grow, as seen in the examples of Peter's "little faith" and the Canaanite woman's "great faith." The speaker uses the analogy of faith as a muscle that strengthens through exercise, particularly during challenging times, to illustrate how faith can develop and mature.
Matthew 14:31 Theological Themes:
Stepping Out in Faith: Embracing Spiritual Growth (Atlanta Berean Church) presents the theme that storms in life are not always a result of personal wrongdoing but can be a divine tool for spiritual growth. The sermon suggests that God uses adversity to draw believers closer to Him and to develop their faith.
Focusing on Jesus Amidst Life's Distractions (Oak Grove Baptist Church) introduces the theme of distractions as spiritual warfare. The sermon suggests that distractions are a tool used by the enemy to make believers ineffective in their witness and spiritual growth. It emphasizes the need for believers to focus on Jesus to overcome these distractions.
Understanding and Growing Faith in God's Power (calvaryokc) presents a theme of faith as a dynamic and growing entity, akin to a mustard seed. The sermon suggests that faith must be developed and nurtured, and it can grow to accomplish great things when planted in God. This theme is distinct in its emphasis on the growth and development of faith over time, rather than seeing faith as a static or one-time event.
Growing Faith Through Challenges and Intentional Action (Open the Bible) presents the theme that faith is manual, not automatic. The sermon draws on Martin Lloyd Jones' insights to argue that faith requires active engagement and application to specific life situations, rather than being a passive or automatic response. This perspective encourages believers to consciously apply their faith to overcome challenges and grow spiritually.
Matthew 14:31 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Stepping Out in Faith: Embracing Spiritual Growth (Atlanta Berean Church) provides historical context by explaining the cultural belief that spirits of those who drowned haunted the sea at night, which contributed to the disciples' fear when they saw Jesus walking on water. The sermon also discusses the historical context of Jesus' ministry and the disciples' expectations of Him as a political king.
Faith in Chaos: Trusting Jesus Through Life's Storms (Virginia Beach Potter's House) provides historical context by explaining the ancient world's perception of the sea as a place of chaos and danger. Unlike modern views of the sea as a place of relaxation, the biblical narrative sees it as a symbol of uncontrolled chaos, which adds depth to the disciples' fear and the significance of Jesus walking on water.
Matthew 14:31 Cross-References in the Bible:
Being the Hands and Feet of Jesus (Alive Church) references Romans, where Paul writes about rejoicing in trials because they develop character and hope. This is used to support the idea that faith grows through enduring troubles, aligning with the message of Matthew 14:31 about faith amidst doubt.
Stepping Out in Faith: Embracing Spiritual Growth (Atlanta Berean Church) references 1 Corinthians 10:13 to emphasize that all temptations are common, calculated, and conquerable, reinforcing the message of faith and overcoming doubt in Matthew 14:31. The sermon also references the story of Job to illustrate the calculated nature of temptations and trials.
Focusing on Jesus Amidst Life's Distractions (Oak Grove Baptist Church) references Hebrews 12:1-2 to emphasize the need to lay aside distractions and focus on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. This supports the message of Matthew 14:31 about maintaining focus on Jesus amidst life's distractions.
Faith in Chaos: Trusting Jesus Through Life's Storms (Virginia Beach Potter's House) references Genesis 1:1-2, drawing a parallel between the chaotic state of the earth at creation and the chaos of the sea in Matthew 14. The sermon uses the Hebrew terms "tohu wabohu" to describe the formless and void state, linking it to the chaos the disciples faced on the sea. This cross-reference supports the idea of God bringing order out of chaos.
Understanding and Growing Faith in God's Power (calvaryokc) references Mark 11:24, where Jesus teaches about believing in prayer as if it has already been received. This passage is used to illustrate the concept of faith as believing in the unseen and trusting in God's power to bring it to fruition.
Growing Faith Through Challenges and Intentional Action (Open the Bible) references several Bible passages to support the interpretation of Matthew 14:31. These include:
Matthew 15:28, where Jesus commends the Canaanite woman for her great faith, contrasting it with Peter's little faith.
Matthew 8:10, where Jesus praises the Roman Centurion for his faith, highlighting the varying levels of faith among individuals.
Romans 4:20, which describes Abraham's growing faith as he glorified God, illustrating the potential for faith to develop over time.
2 Corinthians, where Paul expresses his distress over the absence of his friend Titus, demonstrating how faith can be challenged by personal loss.
Psalm 73, where Asaph struggles with the prosperity of the wicked, showing how faith can be tested by observing injustice.
Psalm 42, which questions the soul's despair, emphasizing the need for hope and trust in God during unexplained periods of discouragement.
Matthew 14:31 Christian References outside the Bible:
Understanding and Growing Faith in God's Power (calvaryokc) does not explicitly reference any non-biblical Christian authors or theologians in its discussion of Matthew 14:31.
Growing Faith Through Challenges and Intentional Action (Open the Bible) references several Christian authors and theologians:
C.H. Spurgeon is quoted to emphasize the importance of faith over ability in ministry, suggesting that success is proportional to faith.
Charles Bridges is cited to highlight the role of expectation in faith, arguing that failures often stem from a lack of faith.
Martin Lloyd Jones is referenced for his perspective on faith as an activity that must be exercised, not something that acts automatically.
Philip Ryken's personal testimony is shared to illustrate how faith can be exercised during times of darkness and discouragement, with practical advice on maintaining faith through routine, friendship, worship, and the Word.
Matthew 14:31 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Focusing on Jesus Amidst Life's Distractions (Oak Grove Baptist Church) uses a video awareness test featuring a moonwalking bear to illustrate how distractions can cause individuals to miss important details. This serves as a metaphor for how distractions in life can cause believers to lose focus on Jesus, similar to how Peter was distracted by the wind and waves.
Faith in Chaos: Trusting Jesus Through Life's Storms (Virginia Beach Potter's House) uses the analogy of a parent setting boundaries for children to illustrate the necessity of structure amidst chaos. The sermon compares God's guidance to parental boundaries, suggesting that just as children need limits to thrive, believers need divine guidance to navigate life's chaos.
Growing Faith Through Challenges and Intentional Action (Open the Bible) uses the analogy of driving a manual car to illustrate the concept of faith being manual, not automatic. The speaker describes the process of engaging gears to climb steep hills, likening it to the need to actively engage and apply faith in challenging situations. This metaphor helps convey the idea that faith requires intentional effort and action, rather than being a passive or automatic response.