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But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.
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Today’s message
Sometimes, we only see the wind against us and the heavy oar. I remember the scene of the preacher: in an airport lobby, a young man leans in and pours out his heart. Outside, everything seems normal; inside, the boat has already taken on water. It is in this place, where the pain is hidden from the stories, that the phrase repeats: I can’t see any way out. The sermon begins there, not to romanticize the storm, but to say that the Word comes as a messenger: it is not the way out, it is the announcement that it is already coming your way.
Matthew's text shows the disciples leaving a fresh miracle and going straight into rowing against the wind. Jesus puts them in the boat, dismisses the crowd, and goes up the mountain. While they strain their arms, He sees. The wind grows stronger, the sea rises, and the solution does not come by another boat: it comes walking on the agitated water. The storm that frightens us becomes a path under His feet. Where we call it the end, He opens a trail over the waters. And the voice that cuts through the panic says: Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.
In the midst of the storm, only this matters
- Stay in the boat; do not anticipate the shipwreck that Jesus has already seen from afar.
- Keep rowing, even when tired; faith is also insisting one more minute.
- Believe: He comes to meet you, above what frightens you.
- Test the fear with His voice: Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.
Where you see an end, for Him it is a path opened over the waters.
The preacher diverted from Peter walking and took us to another shore: a few years later, John 21. Again, an empty net; again, a man on the shore. Now John recognizes first: it is Jesus. What changed? Intimacy. Those who walk with Him in secret learn to perceive His presence when no one else does. Fear robs memories and courage, but it cannot take away what is built in secret. In the next storm, you may not see Him at first, but you will recognize Him without shouting ghost.
After the wind calms
- Return with Him to the shore: restart close, talking and obeying simply.
- Cultivate daily intimacy; recognize Jesus before the next thunder.
- Share the good news; make the message reach those who have lost sight.
- Remain in the center of God's will; do not jump from what He entrusted to you.
In the end, the sermon does not point to an experience, a breath, or a technique. The way out has a name, and it is above every name: Jesus. He walks over what drowns you, speaks to what terrifies you, and sees you rowing when strength fades. Stay in the boat. Live what God has for you. Where you swear it is a dead end, He opens a passage over the waters. And when your eyes cannot reach, let your heart feel: it is Him, coming to meet you.
Did you know
- The expression fourth watch reflects the Roman division of the night into four shifts; the Gospels use it to situate events at sea.
- The Sea of Galilee experiences sudden wind changes due to the drop with the Jordan Valley, causing sudden storms.
- The command cheer up appears repeatedly in the Gospels as Jesus' direct encouragement in scenarios of fear.
Key phrases
- I can’t see any way out anymore.
- The storm that scares you is, for Him, an open path to walk on.
- Your way out is not an experience. Your way out is not a wind. Your way out is a name.
- Stay in the boat. Stay living what God has for you.
Translated from the Portuguese original.
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I Can't See a Way Out | Deive Leonardo
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