By the Rev. J. S. SINCLAIR.
(Taken down by a hearer.)
“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, etc.” (Matt. xiv. 22-33).
WHILE Jesus was on earth He gave many infallible proofs that He was Lord of all. He exercised a supreme control over all earthly things. In the incidents recorded in this portion of the Word His power is seen in the way in which even the winds and the waves obeyed His command. Many useful lessons may be drawn from such incidents for the comfort and encouragement of His people in their times of need. Let us take this incident step by step as recorded here and briefly consider each one.
I. Jesus constrains His disciples to get into a ship.
II. He departs Himself into a mountain to pray.
III. The ship in the midst of the sea and tossed with the waves.
IV. Christ’s appearance on the waves.
V. The impression produced on the disciples as a result of these things.
First then Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship. They were evidently reluctant to go for we are told He constrained them, and it was by the exercise of His constraining power that they were induced to go. Thus it is always. It is He who constrains us in a day of mercy to forsake the world, the flesh, and the devil and to enter in to God’s salvation. The Apostle Paul bears this testimony,—“the love of Christ constraineth us.” Sinners do not pass naturally and freely from a state of nature into a state of grace. As fallen sinners we prefer following the world in its fellowship and ways, and only by the constraining power of the love of Christ can we be induced to enter the ship of salvation. He constrained them to go unto the other side, with a promise that they should arrive safely. Christ knew the end from the beginning. He knew all that they would pass through in going across the sea, but His word was “unto the other side.” In that word there was a promise that they would arrive, and His giving them that word sealed the promise to them. Now the promise of the Gospel is Eternal Life—“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John, X, 27-28.) Whether the disciples apprehended this truth or not, the reality of it remained just the same. In the measure in which they did not apprehend it was their fear that they would never reach the other side. Such fear and dread is always the effect of unbelief.
At the same time as His disciples were constrained to enter into the ship, He sent the multitudes away. The disciples and the multitudes were separated one from the other and each went their different ways. Such separation is required “Come ye out from amongst them, and be ye separate,” is a gospel injunction which cannot be neglected. Grace makes a separation. The Lord does not take His people out of the world, but He separates them from it; it is impossible to serve God and Mammon, we cannot take the world with us when we obey His call. The Lord does not call us to leave the world altogether. If we are His people we must be separated first while we are in the world. He sent the multitudes away. If you are brought to the knowledge of the “Truth as it is in Jesus,” you do not find your fellowship in the world although it may be necessary for you in your calling to be much with them, yet you are not of them; your delight is with those who fear God.
In the Second place I observe—Jesus went up into a mountain apart to pray. Here we have Jesus holding communion with the Father. Although Jesus was indeed the Son of God, we must remember that He was very man. He is the Head of His body the Church. As man He was continually upheld by divine power and light and He never ceased to be God, the eternal Son of the Father. He was anointed by the Spirit and His fellowship with God was constant, His confidence in God was perfect. There was a continual outflowing of infinite strength into His humanity. He prayed for Himself and for His disciples. Their needs were ever present to Him and He did not forget them. He carried them and their concerns in His spirit before the Father. Though they might be in darkness He dwelt in the light and enjoyed perfect peace before the Father.
Now He is gone up into the Mount of His Intercession. “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous,” and this fact is of the greatest encouragement to the Lord’s people. Sin does not stop the intercession before the eternal throne. Even when the believer feels his lips to be closed the intercession on high prevails. As the Great High Priest within the veil Christ gathers up the disordered petitions of His people, purges them from all imperfections and cleanses them from all sin. Do not fail to make known all your wants, even your want of the spirit of prayer, for He hears the cry of the destitute.
In the Third place we observe that the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed among the waves. This circumstance must have surprised as well as frightened the disciples. They probably thought that as He had constrained them to go they would have enjoyed a calm and peaceful crossing, but how soon the waves became contrary. How true this circumstance is in the course of Providence, those who enter upon a spiritual course often find themselves in trials and difficulties they had never foreseen, and the wind and waves are contrary in respect of their circumstances. Jacob was forced to cry out “All these things are against me.” The winds of providence often appear to blow contrary to the Lord’s people. Temptations, trials, sufferings and sorrows often have to be faced. Christ Himself was tempted. He was “a man of sorrows.” Thus does the Lord try His children. He has wise and good reasons for sending these contrary winds.
Fourthly, let us notice Jesus walking on the sea. It was night-time—the waves were threatening to come into the ship—the disciples were out in darkness and in great depths.
“At the noise of thy water-spouts
Deep unto deep doth call;
Thy breaking waves pass over me,
Yea and thy billows all.”
(ps. 42, 7, metrical psalms).
But Christ appears for their deliverance. He allowed them for a season to struggle on, but He was always well aware of their position and He did not leave them in their sore predicament. He came in the night at the darkest hour, appearing for their help at the very moment when they were in all likelihood giving up hope. We have no other instance of Christ walking on the sea. He came forth in this altogether extraordinary manner, showing His mighty power on the sea and on the land—power over wind and wave. “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hands.” He is able to come to your rescue in all circumstances, even those the most threatening.
When the disciples saw Him they were afraid for they thought He was a spirit and cried out for fear. These men were still sinners—their consciences still carried a burden of sin and guilt, and when faced with circumstances which tried and tempted them they were liable to fall. Though there are times when they can say “God is our refuge and our strength,” yet at other times their courage fails and they become the prey of fear and dread. The infinite majesty of God overawes them and they fear destruction at His hand. But just then Jesus speaks, in compassion and pity, He speaks, “Be not afraid, it is I.” Thus He brings them to depend more absolutely upon Himself. He alone can make a way of escape through the mighty waters.
We are all by nature on the sea of time. Christ has called, how often has He called? Have we heard from His lips “Be not afraid?” or are we like stones—hardened, unmoved? That is a solemn thing to contemplate. Such thoughts have either an awakening effect upon the mind or else they leave it more hardened than ever.
The next point in the narrative is, when Peter heard the voice of Jesus, he said, “Bid me come to thee on the water.” Here is Peter in a characteristic attitude—bold and impetuous. Still he had such respect for the authority of Christ that he dare not venture without permission, “bid me come unto Thee on the water.” Permission was granted and Peter stepped out on to the water. All went well until Peter, fascinated by the angry waves, allowed his eye to wander from Jesus, then he began to sink and fear gripped his heart. “Lord save me,” he cried. Peter had asked liberty to walk on the waves, but not from the highest motives. The Lord often sees it fit to answer His people’s prayers with chastisements, “He gave Israel what they asked, but sent leanness to their soul.” Christ shows Peter, and each one of us how dangerous it is to lean upon an arm of flesh. He would have sunk beneath the mighty waters had not Christ put forth His arm—His almighty arm—to save him. In his alarm he cries, “Save me!” and immediately Christ lays hold of him, and draws him up to safety. But Christ takes advantage of the circumstances to administer a merited rebuke, “O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt. Is this the man who once said boldly, “Thou art Christ?” And now he is sharply rebuked, “O thou of little faith.” Peter, like each one of us, must learn that apart from the arm of Christ he and we are but as weakness itself.
Now in the last place let us notice the impression made upon the minds of the disciples, or rather the effects of the experiences they had just passed through. When the blessed Saviour came into the ship there was a great calm, for the wind ceased. Jesus had left them for a time in darkness; and He may leave you in darkness too, but it is in order that this great truth may be learned, “Without Me ye can do nothing.” Now, when those in the ship, had seen and felt all that had passed they were constrained to worship Him, “Of a truth, Thou art the Son of God.” Previously their Master had wrought a wonderful miracle on the land, but their hearts had not been rightly affected, so now He sends them out to the sea’s devouring depths, but His mind, his heart, his prayer goes with them; and when they are all but engulfed He Himself comes to them.
“God said, My people I will bring again from Bashan hill;
Yea, from the sea’s devouring depths them bring again I will.”
(Metrical Psalms: 68, 22.)
From the depths he calls forth His people’s dependence upon Himself. No doubt the disciples believed before, but there was something weak and wanting in their faith, Jesus was not honoured as He should have been. Now they had unmistakable proof of their own weakness and of His strength.
Let us now examine ourselves. Paul says by the Spirit, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates.” II. Cor. 13, 5.
If you continue with the multitude there will be nothing for you at last but weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. O, how sad to be a sinner on the way to an endless eternity without Christ! Seek the teaching of the Holy Spirit, that you may be brought to a saving knowledge of Christ. If you are to be saved it must be by your being brought as a debtor to Jesus.
How happy are the Lord’s people. Many a trial and temptation they may have to go through; yet can they say, “the Lord is my helper.” By their own folly they may bring much sorrow of heart upon themselves, but the promise stands firm, “I will heal their backslidings.” Yes, my friend, you may be cast down in soul as David often was, yet he could say to his own soul, “trust God for I shall praise Him yet.”
In conclusion a word to those still without Christ. How do you think to meet God at death? Death cannot always be avoided and after death there is the Judgment. Think of this, dear friends, for we know not what a day may bring forth. Let this be your cry, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”