The Son of God – Part 1 | Matthew 14:22-36

Scripture

• Matthew 14:22–36

About this sermon

Introduction: The wisdom of God is on display in the ways of God. The ways of God are on display in both Scripture and providence. This is why there’s often a symmetry on display in the way that God teaches lessons — the way that God makes Himself known. In the 8th chapter of Matthew, our Lord demonstrated His sovereignty over nature. The place of departure was from a great crowd. The scene of the miracle was the sea. The power on display was divine power over creation. The conclusion voiced by the disciples who witnessed it, was the voicing of wonder. The result on the other side of the miracle was an immediate need for Jesus that resulted in more ministry and more evidence of His identity. ESV Matthew 8:18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." 20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." 21 Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 22 And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." 23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." 26 And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?" 28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. When we arrive at the 22nd verse of Matthew 14, we meet with almost the exact same circumstances. The place of departure — the multitudes He has just fed. The scene of the miracle — the sea. The power on display — power over creation. The result on the other side of the miracle — an immediate need for Jesus that results in more ministry and more evidence of His identity. THE ONE ELEMENT THAT STANDS OUT AS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT — AND THAT IS AT THE CENTER OF MATTHEW’S PRESENTATION — IS THAT THE WONDER OF THE DISCIPLES IS REPLACED BY WORSHIP. There is a tremendous confession that comes because of what they witness. For the first time the disciples confess that Jesus is the Son of God. And that is what Matthew wants us to see. He wants us to see how Jesus is making Himself known to the disciples as the Son of God. Jesus is presented to us as the Son of God as this narrative is given in four parts. • A CHRIST ARRANGED TEST OF FAITH (vs.22-27) After our Lord feeds the multitude, He INSISTS that the disciples leave Him there. When you examine the other accounts (Mark and John) of this incident, you find at least 3 reasons why Jesus wanted the disciples and the crowds to disperse. He wanted to be alone to pray — This is obvious because that is what He did after they left. ESV Mark 6:46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. He wanted the disciples to get rest (Mark 6:31-32). ESV Mark 6:31 And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. He wanted to diffuse the desire the crowd had to make Him King by force. ESV John 6:15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. It seems plain that the disciples resisted this. • THE DISMISSAL “He made the disciples get into the boat” ἀναγκάζω ① to compel someone to act in a particular manner, compel, force, of inner and outer compulsion; w. inf. foll. (Ps.-Pla., Sisyphus 1 p. 387b ξυμβουλεύειν αὑτοῖς ἠνάγκαζόν με=they tried to compel me to make common cause with them; Jos., Ant. 12, 384f; Crates p. 56, 12 Malherbe) 1 Cl 4:10. ἠνάγκαζον βλασφημεῖν I tried to force them to blaspheme Ac 26:11. τὰ ἔθνη ἀ. ἰουδαΐζειν compel the Gentiles to live in the Judean manner Gal 2:14. οὐκ ἠναγκάσθη περιτμηθῆναι he was not compelled to be circumcised 2:3 (see Jos., Vi. 113); cp. 6:12, where mng. 2 is prob. ἠναγκάσθην ἐπικαλέσασθαι Καίσαρα I was obliged to appeal to Caesar Ac 28:19 (cp. Mel., P. 94, 720 λέγειν ἀναγκάζομαι; BGU 180, 16). ἀ. αὐτοὺς πεισθῆναι σοι I will compel them to obey you Hm 12, 3, 3. W. εἴς τι for the inf. ἀναγκάζομαι εἰς τοῦτο I am forced to do this B 1:4. W. inf. understood 2 Cor 12:11.

Topics

• Jesus Christ