Matthew 14:29-30 | Isaiah 26:3 | John 17:14,18 | Philippians 3:13-14
What does it mean when Christians say “Keep your eyes on Jesus”?
Baseball coaches often tell batters, “Keep your eye on the ball!” It’s good advice–effective, and easy to follow. But when your pastor says, “Keep your eyes on Jesus,” it’s…a bit more difficult. What does it even mean?
Often, this advice is accompanied by the story of Jesus walking across the water of the Sea of Galilee to meet his disciples’ boat in the middle of the night. The disciples were scared, thinking at first that he was a ghost. But then Peter recognized him for who he was and asked if he could do it, too.
“Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
Matthew 14:29-30 NLT
Peter stopped focusing on Jesus and his power, and started freaking out about all that was going on around him. When he did this, he sank deep into what he feared.
Does Peter’s situation sound familiar? You may have never literally walked on water, but haven’t you ever been sunk by your troubles?
If you would ask Jesus, “Can I come to you?” and wait for him to say, “Come,” then confidently focus on his power to keep you afloat…wouldn’t that carry you through the roughest waters?
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Isaiah 26:3 NLT
But focusing on Jesus doesn’t mean you ignore the world around you. We keep our focus on God, but we live in this world. Jesus said we are in the world, but not of the world.
I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
John 17:14 NLT
Do you ever feel out of place as a Christian? Maybe that’s not such a big deal. Maybe it’s because you follow Jesus, who was also out of place in the world.
By keeping your eyes on Jesus, you’ll have a better understanding of God’s heart for the world. He loved it so much that he gave his only son to save whoever would believe him. If that’s you, then he is sending you out to continue his mission.
Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.
John 17:18 NLT
And that means actively sharing God’s love with those around you–and telling them about Jesus. Keep your eyes focused on Him, then look around to see who He’s leading you to talk with.
Questions for Group Discussion
- What does ‘keeping your eyes on Jesus’ mean to you personally?
- Do you think there might be a better way to say “Keep your eyes on Jesus”? If not, how can you help clarify what it means?
- Can you share a time when you or someone you know had an experience like Peter’s, in which you needed to focus on Jesus to keep walking through an impossible situation? How did it go? Did it end with walking or sinking? What did you learn?
Challenge: Eyes on the Prize
Did you know the phrase “eyes on the prize” is biblical? And it just so happens to relate directly to our current subject: keeping your eyes on Jesus.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi about how to best follow Christ. Below is an excerpt.
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:13-14 NLT
Your challenge is this:
- Discover exactly WHAT is the heavenly prize toward which Paul is ‘racing.’
- You will need to read more of Phillipians 3 to determine it.
- It may be more than one thing.
- Discover HOW Paul raced toward his prize by examining Philippians 2.
What can you learn from Paul’s letter to the Philippians that can help you Keep Your Eyes on Jesus?
