Dharius Daniels - I'm Just Trying to Maintain

Matthew 14:28: «Lord, if it’s you,» Peter replied, «tell me to come to you on the water.» «Come,» he said. When Peter got down out of the boat, he walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, «Lord, save me!» Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. «You of little faith,» he said, «why did you doubt?» This is the reading of God’s Word. I want to talk today from the subject of the statement. The statement is simple. Here it is: I’m just trying to maintain. Hmm. I’m just trying. For some reason or another, I’ve developed this unique interest in eras. I have a desire to deeply explore trends of certain eras: fashion in certain eras, the music of certain eras, and the language of certain eras. It’s interesting how language can be an indicator of an era a person is a part of or exposed to. For example, if I ask an individual, «How you doing?» and they say, «Brother, I’m doing good. What’s up is down, and what’s down is all around. I’m digging the scene with the gangster lean,» then if he says that, I have an idea of what era he’s a part of or exposed to. If I say, «How are you?» and someone replies, «I’m blessed and highly favored,» that gives me an indication of an era they’re a part of or exposed to. If someone says to me, «I’m straight,» that indicates to me the era they’re a part of or exposed to. Or if I ask someone how they’re doing and they say, «I’m Gucci,» that is also an indication. Eras have unique expressions, but there seems to be an expression that is, and has been, transcending eras. Some of the words may be different, but the sentiment is the same, and the expression is, «I’m just trying to maintain.» When this expression is used, it generally indicates that someone is discouraged, depleted, and may be borderline dealing with despair. However, for the purpose of this preaching presentation this morning, I want to suggest that we reframe and redeem this phrase because maintaining isn’t always an indication that something’s going wrong. I want to argue for water walkers—did you hear me? For water walkers! I want to argue that maintaining is sometimes an expression that things are going right. A water walker has to learn the art of maintaining. The particular passage that is our Scripture of emphasis for our time together today indicates what I’m attempting to articulate. This is our foundational passage in this series of sermons that we’ve called «Water Walkers.» In this particular passage, we are exploring two persons who walked on water: Jesus and Peter. As we explore this story today, I don’t want us to sanitize a detail of it that is intended for our education. Listen to me: Peter only walked a few steps. His walking was temporary; it was not permanent. His walking was seasonal; it was not eternal. His walking was inconsistent; it was not consistent. Peter obtained the ability to walk on water, but he did not maintain the ability to walk on water, and when he ceased to maintain that ability, he began to sink. I think we can relate to Peter. Let’s not judge Peter; we can relate to him because I hear you. I hear you. I hear you. I understand that our life’s experiences affect the lenses through which we read stories in Scripture. I know some of you, based on your life experiences, are reading this story, and you’re thinking, «Pastor Darius, you’re going in on Peter. You need to give him a break, Pastor Darius, because at least he did get out of the boat. I mean, you had eleven other people who were just sitting in the boat. At least Peter got out of the boat! Why are you talking about Peter sinking? Why aren’t you addressing the eleven in the boat? Why do you have to be so negative? That’s why I’m like, 'Church, everybody’s so negative! '» When the truth of the matter is, I think it would be a disservice to Peter to measure his success by comparing him to the dysfunction of others. Did you hear what I just said? The goal of a water walker isn’t to be better than the disciples; the goal of a water walker is to be more like Jesus. So I can’t compare myself to them; I need to compare myself to Him. The Bible is clear that the Jesus we are attempting to follow, emulate, and learn from is a Jesus who didn’t just start; he finished. He didn’t just begin; he ended. He had every intention of leaving that place of prayer and getting to that boat in the middle of the sea by walking on water, and he got there because our God is a finisher. He does not do anything incompletely. He may do some things incrementally, but he does nothing incompletely. So if it is incomplete, he is not done, because when he is done, it will be finished. And if it’s not finished, he’s not done, because when he is done, it will be undeniably finished. It will be indisputably finished; it will be irrevocably finished. Once it’s finished, it can’t be unfinished, because once he does a thing, it can’t be undone. The Bible says when he blesses you, people may not like it, people may not understand it, people may not be able to articulate it, but when he blesses a person, no one can curse them. They can talk, but…