Sermon Tone Analysis

*Get Out of the Boat*

*John 6:16-24*

* *

*Introduction*

* Where did we leave off?  Jesus has just done one of the most amazing miracles in the Bible.

Feed over 10,000 people with a 2 fish and 5 [питки] pieces of bread

* And what happened as a result?

Jesus had to run away from the crowd because they were forcibly going to make him king [John 6:15   15 И тъй, Исус като разбра, че ще дойдат да Го вземат на сила, за да Го направят цар, пак се оттегли сам на хълма.]

* Some of you wonder why in the Bible Jesus does a miracle, but tells people not to tell other people about it?

Here we see one reason why.

People are often so focused on their own desires that they were trying to force Jesus to do something that was not in God’s plan.

* The great news is that God meets our needs!

Like Craig said last week… He knows our needs, He wants to meet our needs, and He is powerful enough to meet them

* But God does not meet our needs simply so that we can have a comfortable life – otherwise we would all be living in Denmark.

He meets our needs for two reasons:

* We can know more about Him and have confidence in Him

* We can tell others about His greatness.

* The crowds try to make Jesus king by force, so he gets away form them so that he can spend time with people that really want to know him deeply – His disciples.

* Read two passages: John 6:16-21 and Matthew 14:22-33.

They are the same story, but with a little different detail between the two.

* *

*Look at the Story*

* How many disciples were there?

What are their names?

* Peter, Andrew, James (Peter’s Brother), John Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (son of Alpheus), Thaddeus, Simon (the Zealot), Judas Iscariot.

* Matthew 10:2-4   ето имената на дванадесетте апостоли: първият, Симон, който се нарича Петър, и Андрей, неговият брат; Яков Заведеев, и Иоан, неговият брат;  3 Филип и Вартоломей; Тома и Матей бирникът; Яков Алфеев и Тадей;  4 Симон Зилот и Юда Искариотски, който Го предаде.

* We remember Peter, because he got out of the boat.

He took a risk.

* The crowds knew something about Jesus.

They saw His miracle and heard His teaching.

But they did not know Him like the disciples, because the disciples spent everyday with Jesus.

* The disciples knew Jesus, but Peter, James and John knew Jesus even better.

Why?

Because we see these three as disciples who, in spite of their failings, took risks in their walk with Jesus.

* All these disciples knew Jesus, but only one got out of the boat.

* There are many people in Svishtov that know something about Jesus.

They were baptized in the church or maybe have gone to church to light a candle or come to our worship services here.

But they know Jesus like the crowds know Jesus.

Why?

Because they are not with Him on a daily basis.

They do not attempt to read the Bible.

* If we want to be more than just a member of the crowd we must read the Bible daily.

* John 8:31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.

32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

* John 8:31-32   31 Тогава Исус каза на повярвалите в Него юдеи: Ако пребъдвате в Моето учение, наистина сте Мои ученици;  32 и ще познаете истината и истината ще ви направи свободни.

* True disciples of Jesus are those who spend time with Him – spend time in God’s Word.

* There were 12 disciples, but only 1 got out of the boat.

Not only must we spend time in His Word, but we must also take risks.

We must get out of the boat.

*The Safety of the Boat*

* We all have our boat, our safety net, but a real life of faith requires us to get out of the boat

* For some the pew is your boat, date church but will not commit

* Lydia and I its Bulgaria

* Wonderful church, school, health care, etc.

* Everyone of us has a boat, what we think is safe, what keeps us at a distance from Jesus.

* 12 guys only one got out

* Very few, even people of faith, get out of the boat

* What is your boat?

What stops you from walking on water?

* *

*Ride the Waves*

·         Let me tell you about getting out of the boat

o       Leave some people behind, friends you thought you had, anyway some of you need some new friends

o       Vs.

30 Risk…Keep eyes on Jesus

o       Scary... God will never call you to the easy

 

*Where Jesus Is*

·         If you walk on the water Jesus will always be there to catch you

·         If you stay in the boat, you’re on your own

·         What is your boat?

Your finances?

The relationship you’re in?  Know you will lose friends?

·         What I know about the boat.. sooner or later it will sink… but you don’t need the boat… you only need Jesus.

·         Even today there is not a boat that cannot sink.

o       Tanker in the Black Sea.

 

*How can I be more than just part of the crowd?*

* /Begin to be in the Bible daily./

* /Take a risk./