When You're Sinking - Pastor Stacey Shiflett
- Pastor Shiflett
- Apr 6
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 8
When You’re Sinking
Matthew 14:30
Intro: Several things about this story that I want to look at. Peter did a lot of things right in this story.
Let’s give credit where credit is due.
1. Peter sought the Lord’s approval.
· 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
2. Peter was close enough to the Lord to hear his voice.
· 29 And he said, Come.
3. Peter did not delay or doubt or change his mind, or second-guess the Lord.
· 29 …And when Peter was come down out of the ship
4. Peter did what nobody else has ever done; before or since.
· 29 … he walked on the water
5. Peter set his course to go to Jesus.
· 29 … to go to Jesus.
What happened? Peter started sinking.
He didn’t feel like he was sinking. He WAS sinking.
How do you know when you’re sinking?
Your circumstances drown out the voice of God. - Vs. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous,
When fear of the unknown causes you to lose confidence in God’s will. - Vs.30 … he was afraid;
You’re going in the wrong direction. SINK: to go down
Your progress toward Jesus has come to a standstill. - Vs. 29 … to go to Jesus.
There’s a lot more uncertainty about your position than there is supposed to be.
· Heb. 11:1 Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
When You’re Sinking…
1. Don’t wait for someone else to tell you that you’re sinking.
· 30 …and beginning to sink, he cried…
The other disciples didn’t inform him of his situation.
The Lord didn’t even break the news to him.
He knew he was starting to sink just as soon as he started to sink.
You know when your Christian life has hit a snag.
You know when your prayer life is dead.
You know when your passion is cold, and your fire is gone out.
You know when you’re not where you are supposed to be.
Don’t make somebody else have to ask you about it.
2. Don’t delay doing something about it.
· 30 …and beginning to sink, he cried…
He didn’t wait until he was completely underwater.
He didn’t swim for half an hour until he was about to drown.
He started responding to his situation AT THE BEGINNING!!
The very minute you realize something is wrong, do something!
As soon as you mess up, deal with it!
Do you know how many people die because they didn’t go to the hospital right away?
Do you know how many people’s engine blows up because they didn’t respond to the check engine light?
Do you have any idea how many people are out of church because they started sinking and did nothing about it??
3. Don’t have too much pride to cry over your condition.
30 …he cried,
David said this after his sin with Bathsheba:
Psalm 51
· 16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
· 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
When Peter looked at Jesus after denying him three times, the rooster crowed and he went out and wept.
· Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
4. Don’t call people that can’t help you.
· 30 …he cried, saying, Lord…
Don’t call people to help you walk on water that ain’t never walked on water!
There were eleven other disciples in the boat.
Peter didn’t call any of them.
They weren’t interested in getting out of the boat before he started sinking.
Why would they do it now?
Young people, don’t go to other young people for advice about how to turn out for God.
They haven’t turned out yet!
Ma’am, don’t go to a woman with marriage problems for marriage advice.
Sir, don’t go to a carnal man for counsel on how to walk with God.
Why do people that are sinking call for help from people that are either sinking or already sunk?
Don’t grab hands with people that will stand there and talk to you while you drown.
Don’t hold hands with people that will defend you and take up for you and console you when you’re sinking.
There wasn’t but one person around to help Peter – it was the Lord Jesus Christ.
So who did he call on? He cried unto THE LORD!!!
5. Don’t try to spin the situation.
· 30 …he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Imagine how foolish Peter would have looked asking for a towel because he accidentally got his feet wet.
Peter! What’s happening!! “Oh, I just needed to rinse the dirt off my feet. I’m fine.”
Imagine the insanity of pretending to be out for a refreshing swim.
How foolish we look when we are sinking, but we pretend that everything is fine.
There’s nothing more pathetic than a person that is sinking posting Bible verses on their social media.
Peter didn’t need a towel.
Peter didn’t need a new follower or a like or a repost.
Peter needed saving!! He needed Supernatural intervention!
SAVE: to rescue from danger or destruction
Stop pretending you’re OK when you’re sinking, and get real with God!
6. Don’t disregard a helping hand.
· 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand,
If you are sinking, find someone to help you GET BACK UP!
And if a hand is extended, GRAB IT!
If God puts someone in your life that cares enough to reach out when you’re sinking, THANK GOD!!
And while I’m at it, we need to set the record straight.
I’m so tired of hearing this: “Well, I don’t agree with my friend’s sin, but I need to be there for them.”
You don’t need someone to hold your hand while you sink!
You need someone to grab your hand and PULL YOU BACK UP!!
You need someone to help reverse your course!
Jesus wasn’t supportive of his sinking; Jesus grabbed his hand and pulled him in the opposite direction!.
You don’t need a shoulder to cry on. You need someone to pull you out of harm’s way!
You don’t need a friend to sympathize with you and agree with you.
7. Don’t fight the one that caught you.
· 31 …and caught him,
Allow me to make a play on words with this word “caught”.
The One that caught him cared about him.
The One that caught him didn’t want to see his life destroyed.
The One that caught him was the one that helped him get back in the boat.
“I can’t believe you told on me.” But – you were sinking!
“Promise you won’t tell anyone.” But – you’re sinking!
“If you are my friend, you’ll pretend this never happened.” But – you’re sinking!
8. Don’t get angry at the preaching.
· 31 …and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
How many times have I heard it?
Preacher, now is not the time!
Jesus didn’t wait until they were back in the boat.
Jesus didn’t wait until they were off by themselves away from the other disciples.
Jesus didn’t wait until he had time to dry off.
Jesus laid into him while he was half submerged.
“O thou of little faith!! Wherefore didst thou doubt??”
If you are sinking, you need preaching.
If you are sinking, you need someone to help you get to the root of the problem.
Jesus was addressing what caused him to sink in the first place.
· 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink,
Do you have a friend that is sinking?
You need to preach to them.
You need to talk some sense into them.
You need to help them fix the problem; not cope with their new situation.
Conclusion: Tonight, you might be sinking.
Don’t blame everybody else.
Don’t get defensive.
Don’t make excuses.
Don’t try to spin the narrative.
You’re sinking.
Now cry to the Lord to save you. He will!
Amen