Why Did you Doubt?
Notes
Transcript
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
WHY DID YOU DOUBT?
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE LIVES OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST, WE SEE THAT THESE WERE MEN WHO HAD THERE UPS AND DOWNS…..AND EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS……OFTEN TIMES…..THEY DID NOT GET IT RIGHT.
IT MAY BE COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FIRST DISCIPLES EXPERIENCED FIRST-HAND …..AND WITNESSED SUPERNATURAL …..DIVINE…..HEALINGS AND MIRACLES……OF JESUS CHRIST…… THEY RECEIVED HIS TEACHINGS AND COMMANDMENTS DIRECTLY FROM THE MASTER’S MOUTH…….THEY STILL STRUGGLED AND WRESTLED IN THEIR FOLLOWING AND FAITH. TO PUT IT BLUNTLY – THEY WERE JACKED UP.
THE DISCIPLES WITNESSED…… JESUS’ HEALING THOSE WHO WERE AFFLICTED WITH VARIOUS DISEASES…..CASTING OUT OF DEMONS……CLEANSING OF A LEPER…..HEALING OF A CENTURION’S SERVANT…..HEALING OF PETER’S MOTHER-IN-LAW…..GIVING SIGHT TO TWO BLIND MEN….
THE DISCIPLES WERE GIVEN THE AUTHORITY AND POWER OVER UNCLEAN SPIRITS….TO CAST OUT DEMONS….TO CURE EVERY DISEASE AND SICKNESS…..
OVER AND OVER AGAIN….. THE FIRST DISCIPLES… WITNESSED JESUS……DO
YET……WE SEE IN OUR TEXT TODAY THAT THE DISCIPLES (NAMELY PETER) WAS A DISCIPLE OF DISBELIEF AND DOUBT. HE LOST FOCUS ON JESUS.
I BELIEVE THAT JUST LIKE PETER…..SOMETIMES DOUBT CAN CREEP IN OUR LIVES……AND BEGIN TO PIGGYBACK ON FEAR….AND MAY CAUSE US TO STRUGGLE IN OUR FAITH.
BUT I BELIEVE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS….THAT THIS TEXT GIVES US ENCOURAGEMENT …..WE CAN GLEAN FROM WHEN DOUBT REARS IT’S UGLY HEAD.
JESUS HAD A POWERFUL LESSON TO TEACH HIS DISCIPLES THAT NIGHT ON THE SEA OF GALILEE.
YOUR FAITH, LIKE EVERY OTHER COMPONENT OF YOUR LIFE, NEEDS FOCUS.
• WITHOUT FOCUS, THERE IS NO FAITH
• FAITH’S MOST BASIC DEFINITION IS TRUST
• BUT IF YOUR TRUST IS SCATTERED ALL OVER THE PLACE, IT DOESN’T ACTUALLY TRUST IN ANYONE OR ANYTHING
• JESUS URGES US, THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US KEEP OUR FAITH’S TRUE FOCUS
SO FOR US TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF OUR TEXT……
LET ME BRING YOU UP TO SPEED FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS BIBLICAL TEXT.
THE BACKGROUND OF THE STORY WE SEE THAT JESUS IS ON THE NORTHWESTERN SHORE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE.
IT IS LATE IN THE DAY AND JESUS HAS JUST PERFORMED THE GREAT MIRACLE OF FEEDING 5000 MEN WITH FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH.
AFTER DISMISSING THE CROWD, HE SENDS THE DISCIPLES ON AHEAD TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE, TELLING THEM THAT HE WOULD MEET THEM LATER.
MATTHEW IN HIS WRITING TELLS THE STORY THIS WAY -- “IMMEDIATELY JESUS MADE THE DISCIPLES GET INTO THE BOAT AND GO ON AHEAD OF HIM TO THE OTHER SIDE, WHILE HE DISMISSED THE CROWD. AFTER HE DISMISSED THEM, HE WENT UP ON THE MOUNTAINSIDE BY HIMSELF TO PRAY.”
HE TELLS THEM TO GET INTO A BOAT AND GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE.
HE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO SPEND SOME TIME ALONE AND IN PRAYER. THE DISCIPLES, HOWEVER, EXPERIENCED A STORM DURING THE NIGHT.
• A STORM CAME UP AND KEPT THEM FROM REACHING LAND
• FIGHTING ALL NIGHT LONG AGAINST THE WIND AND THE WAVES
• THEY COULDN’T GET TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SEA
• EVEN THOUGH JESUS TOLD THEM TO GO, THE STORM KEPT THEM FROM OBEYING HIM
THE DISCIPLES WERE MORE THAN LIKELY HESITANT TO LEAVE JESUS IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT THE FORCE OF THE WORDS WRITTEN DEMONSTRATES THAT JESUS MADE THEM GET INTO THE BOAT AND GO. LOOK AT VERSE 22……
22 IMMEDIATELY HE MADE THE DISCIPLES GET INTO THE BOAT AND GO ON AHEAD TO THE OTHER SIDE
HERE’S SOMETHING THAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND……LOOK AT THIS……..THEY WERE IN GOD’S WILL AND YET THEY FACED TROUBLES THAT LED TO EXHAUSTION AND FEAR.
IN OTHER WORDS – JESUS LED THEM INTO THE STORM. HE WAS NOT SURPRISED BY IT, HE KNEW IT WAS COMING, YET SENT THE DISCIPLES ANYHOW.
• STORMS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO DESTROY US
• STORMS ARE DESIGNED TO PERFECT US
• DON’T STOP ATTENDING CHURCH IN THE MIDST OF YOUR STORM
• DON’T STOP GIVING IN THE MIDST OF YOUR STORM
• DON’T SHUT PEOPLE OUT IN THE MIDST OF YOUR STORM
• IT HAS COME TO MAKE YOU BETTER NOT BITTER
THESE WERE EXPERIENCED FISHERMEN WHO WERE STRUGGLING TO KEEP THE BOAT HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WITH ALL THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND ALL OF THEIR EXPERIENCE AT SAILING THEY WERE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE.
THE DISCIPLES ARE IN THE BOAT STRUGGLING AGAINST THE WIND AND THE RAIN. 9 P.M -- 10 P.M -- 11 P.M -- 12 MIDNIGHT -- 1 A.M -- 2 A.M -- 3 A.M.
STILL THE STORM CONTINUES WITH NO SIGN OF LETTING UP. AFTER EIGHT OR NINE EXHAUSTING HOURS, THE DISCIPLES WERE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE
- DRENCHED - CHILLED TO THE BONE - WEARY TO THE POINT THAT THEY BEGAN TO WONDER IF THEY WOULD EVER MAKE IT TO SHORE ALIVE.
• ANY ONE EVER BEEN THERE BEFORE
• IN A SITUATION AND YOU WOULD NOT SURE IF YOU COME THROUGH…..
• MAYBE YOU HAD A HEALTH SCARE
• MAYBE YOU EXPERIENCED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT
• YOU WERE NOT SURE IF YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE IT AT ALL
HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS.
IN MARK’S ACCOUNT OF THIS …….. HE SAYS IN ST. MARK 6:48 “48 WHEN HE SAW THAT THEY WERE STRAINING AT THE OARS AGAINST AN ADVERSE WIND, HE CAME TOWARDS THEM EARLY IN THE MORNING, WALKING ON THE SEA. HE INTENDED TO PASS THEM BY.
YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS…….
• WHILE JESUS WAS PRAYING, HE STILL HAD HIS EYES ON THE DISCIPLES
• WHILE JESUS WAS SPENDING SOME ALONE TIME WITH THE FATHER, HE STILL WATCHED OVER HIS DISCIPLES WHILE THEY WERE IN THE STORM
AFTER PRAYING FOR HIS DISCIPLES, JESUS CAME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN AND HE COULD SEE THE DIFFICULTY THEY FACED.
IN OTHER WORDS……..
• THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE UPON YOU WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER ONE OF LIFE’S STORMS
• IT MAY SEEM NO ONE NOTICES WHAT YOU GO THROUGH, BUT REST ASSURED JESUS SEES
• HE SEES AND HE KNOWS AND HE CARES
WHILE THE DISCIPLES ARE FIGHTING THE WIND AND THE WAVES, THEY SEE SOMETHING OUT ON THE WATER. NOT SOMETHING, BUT SOMEONE.
• THEIR INITIAL REACTION IS THAT THEY’RE SEEING A GHOST
• FOR WHAT ELSE COULD STAND ON TOP OF STORMY WATERS BUT A SPIRIT?
• IF THEY WEREN’T SCARED BY THE STORM, THIS SIGHT ROCKS THEIR CORE
THE BIBLE SAYS -- “25 AND EARLY IN THE MORNING HE CAME WALKING TOWARD THEM ON THE SEA. 26 BUT WHEN THE DISCIPLES SAW HIM WALKING ON THE SEA, THEY WERE TERRIFIED, SAYING, “IT IS A GHOST!” AND THEY CRIED OUT IN FEAR.
THE KJV SAYS…..IT WAS DURING THE FOURTH WATCH ….THAT THEY SEE JESUS WALKING ON THE WATER….
ACCORDING TO THE ROMANS AND THE “FOURTH WATCH” OCCURRED BETWEEN 3 A.M. AND 6 A.M.
IT WAS SOMETIME DURING THAT THREE-HOUR PERIOD THAT JESUS BEGAN WALKING ON THE WATER.
• I DON’T KNOW HOW HE DID IT
• BUT I KNOW THAT HE DID IT
• I HAVE NO DOUBT
• AFTER ALL, HE IS THE LORD OF EARTH AND HEAVEN
• THE LORD OF THE NATURAL AND THE SUPERNATURAL
• WALKING ON WATER WOULD NOT BE DIFFICULT FOR THE SON OF GOD
AS THE DISCIPLES ARE BEING KNOCKED AROUND BY THE STORM, AS THEY’RE SHAKING WITH FEAR AT THIS THING THEY SEE OUT ON THE WATER, JESUS BRINGS COMFORT BY FOCUSING THEIR FAITH. IT’S JESUS, BUT IT SHOULDN’T SURPRISE THEM TO SEE JESUS OUT ON THE WATER, BECAUSE HE IS GOD. WHEN THE DISCIPLES SAW HIM WALKING ON THE WATER, THEY WERE TERRIFIED.
• SOMEONE CRIED OUT, “IT’S A GHOST”
• THEY WERE WRONG, BUT IT’S WASN’T A BAD GUESS
• AFTER ALL, IT’S NOT EVERY DAY THAT YOU SEE SOMEONE TAKING A MIDNIGHT STROLL ACROSS A LAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM
WE CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR FEAR, CAN’T WE? THEY’VE BEEN ROWING AND ROWING AND ROWING AND GETTING NOWHERE. AND THEY CAN’T SEEM TO MAKE IT TO SHORE.
SUDDENLY SOMEONE SEES A FIGURE WALKING ACROSS THE WATER. I THINK IN THAT SITUATION I WOULD SAY EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAID, “IT’S A GHOST.”
IF TRUTH BE TOLD………..
• MY FIRST THOUGHT WOULD NOT BE, “HERE COMES JESUS. HE’S DECIDED TO WALK ON THE WATER IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS STORM”
BUT LOOK AT WHAT JESUS SAYS………
“TAKE HEART, IT IS I; DO NOT BE AFRAID.”
• WE MAY WELL FEEL LIKE OUR LIVES ARE A STORMY SEA, BOA
• WE MAY WELL BE IN GREAT DANGER OR TROUBLE, FILLED WITH SADNESS AND DESPAIR
• BUT JESUS COMES TO US IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THAT TORMENT AND SAYS, TAKE HEART, IT IS I; DO NOT BE AFRAID.”
• AND NO MATTER WHAT DISASTER HAS COME OUR WAY……OUR FOCUS SHOULD BE ON JESUS
• NO MATTER WHAT DISASTER HAS COME YOUR WAY, HE IS ABLE TO HELP, WITH HIS POWER, THROUGH HIS WORD, AND HIS POWERFUL REMINDERS OF HIS LOVE AND FORGIVENESS THAT ARE OURS
HERE IS WHERE THE TEXT GETS REALLY INTERESTING AND TAKES ANOTHER INTERESTING AND EXCITING TURN.
YOU THINK JESUS WALKING ON THE WATER WAS THE HIGHLIGHT…….
PETER, ALWAYS THE ADVENTUROUS DISCIPLE, TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO FOCUS ON JESUS AND HE REASONED WITHIN HIMSELF, THAT IF JESUS WAS ABLE TO WALK ON THE WATER HIMSELF, SURELY JESUS COULD LET HIM WALK ON THE WATER TOO. LORD, IF IT IS YOU, COMMAND ME TO COME TO YOU ON THE WATER.”
NOW FBC…..YOU KNOW WHEN I READ SCRIPTURE…..I LIKE TO VISUALIZE ALL THAT IS HAPPENING…..I TRY TO PUT MYSELF IN THAT SITUATION…….AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS PART OF THE TEXT………….
• I CAN JUST HEAR JESUS THINKING TO HIMSELF, “PETER, JUST STAY IN BOAT MAN, WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?”
• I CAN JUST HEAR JESUS THINKING TO HIMSELF “JUST DO WHAT I ASKED YOU TO DO AND STAY IN THE BOAT TO THE OTHER SIDE WITH THE OTHER BOYS LIKE I TOLD YOU”
• BUT I ENVISION JESUS GIVING A BIG SIGH AND SAYING, “ALRIGHT, PETER. GO AHEAD……
• BUT I CAN ENVISION JESUS SHAKING HIS HEAD………
BECAUSE HE ALREADY KNEW THIS WOULD NOT END WELL FOR PETER
WE SEE IN THIS TEXT……..
• MATTHEW IS VERY CLEAR THAT PETER ASKS FOR PERMISSION FIRST
• IF JESUS SAYS NO, THEN PETER STAYS IN THE BOAT
• BUT JESUS DIDN’T SAY NO
• HE SAID, “COME”
• SO, PETER CAME OUT OF THE BOAT
• I BELIEVE IN THE BEGINNING…..THAT PETER CAME OUT OF THAT BOAT…..FOCUSED….AND WITH FAITH THAT HE COULD WALK ON WATER TOO……
YOU SEE……
WHEN JESUS SAYS, “COME,” YOU’D BETTER OBEY
• WHEN HE SAYS, “WALK,” YOU’D BETTER WALK
• WHEN HE SAYS, “STOP,” YOU HAD BETTER STOP
• WHEN HE SAYS, “HUSH,” YOU HAD BETTER HUSH
• IN PETER’S CASE, HE WAS SAFER OUT ON THE WATER THAN IN THE BOAT
• AT THAT MOMENT, THE SMARTEST THING PETER COULD DO WAS TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT AND GET AS CLOSE TO JESUS AS HE COULD…..
YOU SEE…..I CAN UNDERSTAND
PETER WANTING TO BE NEAR JESUS.
BUT I’M NOT SURE WHY PETER WOULD THINK WALKING ON THE WATER WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH HIS FEAR.
• WHY NOT JUST ASK JESUS TO STOP THE STORM?
• WHY NOT JUST ASK JESUS TO TRANSPORT THEM TO LAND?
NOW, DON’T GET ME WRONG THIS MORNING SAINTS. I’M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN’T TURN TO JESUS WHEN WE’RE AFRAID.
BUT I AM SAYING THAT SOMETIMES “FAITH” MEANS STICKING IT OUT WITH THE OTHER DISCIPLES IN THE BOAT.
• SOMETIMES “FAITH” MEANS HOLDING TO WHAT JESUS TELLS US TO DO EVEN IF THAT MEANS HEADING INTO THE STORM
• SOMETIMES “FAITH” MEANS SUPPORTING EACH OTHER WHEN WE’RE AFRAID AND TRUSTING THAT JESUS WILL MEET US THERE
• SOMETIMES “FAITH” MEANS RECOGNIZING THAT GOD IS GOD, JESUS IS JESUS, AND WE ARE NOT
• SOMETIMES “FAITH” MEANS STAYING IN THE BOAT TOGETHER, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS WHERE JESUS TOLD PETER TO BE IN THE FIRST PLACE
I CAN SEE IN MY MIND ……. THIS PICTURE OF PETER STEPPING OUT OF THE BOAT AND WALKING ON WATER, FIRM AS GROUND, TOWARD JESUS.
I DON’T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED, BUT THE WATER HELD HIM UP. HE WALKED RIGHT UP TO HIM, FOCUSED ON JESUS, ALL IS WELL.
• HE TRUSTS JESUS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN
• HIS FAITH IS FOCUSED ON JESUS AND ON HIM ONLY
• WHAT DOES PETER HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF WHEN JESUS IS WITH HIM?
BUT THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS…….LOOK AT VERSE 30……
30 BUT WHEN HE NOTICED THE STRONG WIND, HE BECAME FRIGHTENED, AND BEGINNING TO SINK, HE CRIED OUT, “LORD, SAVE ME!”
WE’RE TOLD THAT PETER SAW THE WIND. HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF HIS SAVIOR, HE LET’S DOUBT CREEP IN, AND HE LOOKED AROUND HIM.
• THE WIND WAS TOO STRONG!
• THESE WAVES WERE TOO MUCH
• HE BEGAN TO SINK
• HE COULD HAVE DROWNED
EVERYTHING GOES FINE UNTIL PETER NOTICES THE STORM ALL AROUND HIM …….DOUBT AND FEAR…..CREPT IN
• REMEMBER, THE STORM HAS NEVER STOPPED
• DURING ALL THIS COMMOTION, THE RAIN HAS BEEN COMING DOWN …..LIKE CATS AND DOGS
• THE WIND WAS THERE ALL ALONG
• THE STORM HAS BEEN RAGING FOR HOURS
• IT’S NOT AS IF IT LET UP WHEN THEY SAW JESUS WALKING ON THE WATER
• JESUS COMES TO THEM IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM
• ACCORDING TO VS. 32 - THE WIND DOESN’T DIE DOWN UNTIL JESUS AND PETER GET IN THE BOAT
WE ALL CAN GET DISTRACTED AND LOSE OUR FOCUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE STORMS OF LIFE RAGE AROUND US.
MANY OF US ARE CONCERNED……AND WORRIED ABOUT THIS PANDEMIC AND IF WE WILL BE THE NEXT CASE TO TEST POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS.
SOME OF US ARE DOWNRIGHT AFRAID AND TERRIFIED OF GETTING INFECTED…
FOR SOME …..IT’S NOT EASY TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS WHEN FEAR THREATENS TO OVERWHELM YOU.
THIS TEXT REMINDS US THAT NOT ONLY DOES CHRIST CONTROL THE STORM, HE REVEALS HIMSELF IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM.
• LET US KEEP OUR FAITH……AND NOT DOUBT
• FOCUS ON JESUS
• FIX YOUR EYES ON THE SON OF GOD
WHAT HAPPENED TO PETER CAN HAPPEN TO ANY OF US.
• FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, HE FORGETS ABOUT JESUS AND REMEMBERS WHO HE IS AND WHERE HE IS
• HE IS PETER, A GALILEAN FISHERMAN WHO BELONGS BACK IN THE BOAT
• IN THAT INSTANT HE LOOKS DOWN AT HIS FEET AND SEES NOTHING BUT WATER UNDERNEATH
• HIS MIND COMES TO A QUICK CONCLUSION -- I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE WALKING ON WATER
• THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE
• WHEN HE LOST HIS FOCUS ON JESUS, HE BEGAN TO SINK
AS HE GOES DOWN INTO THE WATER, HE PRAYS ONE OF THE SHORTEST PRAYERS IN ALL THE BIBLE: “LORD, SAVE ME!”
• WHEN YOU ARE SINKING YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO PRAY A LONG PRAYER
• YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO USE BIG WORDS TO IMPRESS AND TRYING TO BE CUTE
• IF YOU AREN’T QUICK ABOUT IT, YOU’LL DROWN BEFORE YOU GET TO THE POINT
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT IMMEDIATELY JESUS REACHED OUT HIS HAND AND CAUGHT HIM. HIS WORDS TO PETER ARE VERY IMPORTANT. “YOU OF LITTLE FAITH, WHY DID YOU DOUBT?” WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING WAS NOT A REBUKE BUT A TEACHING MOMENT AND HE IS ASKING PETER -
• WHAT HAPPENED?
• WHY DID YOU GET DISTRACTED?
• WHY DID YOU LOSE YOUR FOCUS?
JESUS KNEW PETER HAD THE FAITH TO WALK ON WATER, TO TREAD OVER HIS PROBLEMS- JUST LIKE HE AND THE OTHER DISCIPLES HAD TO ABILITY AND POWER TO FEED THE FIVE THOUSAND.
• BUT HE GOT THROWN OFF BY WHAT WAS HAPPENING AROUND HIM
• HE BELIEVED WHAT THE WORLD TOLD HIM WAS POSSIBLE AND NOT WHAT GOD HAD TOLD HIM WAS POSSIBLE
• EVEN THOUGH HE HAD BEEN WITH JESUS AND SEEN THE MIRACLES
• SOMEHOW EVEN PETER GOT DISTRACTED AND LOST HIS FOCUS AND BEGAN TO DOUBT
HERE IS THE INTERESTING AND FINAL POINT IN CLOSING THIS MORNING. HOW DID PETER GET BACK TO THE BOAT?
THE TEXT SAYS, JESUS TOOK HIM BY THE HAND. LET ME SUGGEST…….. ALTHOUGH PETER LOST HIS FOCUS, AS HE HELD ONTO THE HAND OF JESUS THAT PETER ROSE …….WALKED ON THE WATER BACK TO THE BOAT.
--WE OFTEN LOSE THE FOCUS OF OUR FAITH, WHEN WE’RE MORE FOCUSED ON THE PROBLEMS THEN THE SOLUTION
--AT TIMES PERHAPS WE’RE MORE INTERESTED IN SHOWING OFF OUR FAITH RATHER THAN SHOWING OFF THE ONE WE BELIEVE IN
--BUT AS WE SINK INTO OUR OWN SEAS, JESUS GRABS US BY THE HAND
--AS HE PULLS US UP WE ARE REMINDED THAT WHILE WE HAVE LOST FOCUS, HE HAS NOT
--AND AS HE PULLS US OUT OF THE WATER WE ARE REMINDED THAT THERE IS FORGIVENESS
--I’VE BEEN FORGIVEN FOR THOSE TIMES I’VE NOT TRUSTED HIM
--YOU’VE BEEN FORGIVEN FOR THE TIMES YOU’VE BEEN MORE FOCUSED ON YOUR PROBLEMS THAN HIS SOLUTIONS
--AND JESUS WALKS US BACK TO THE BOAT
[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (Mt 14:22–33). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.