Untitled Sermon (14)

Believe #3

Jamey Mills

Northside Church

3/14/21

Testimony by…. Summer Wood

Intro:

Thank you Summer, if you haven’t had the opportunity to meet the wood family you should invite them over for a steak dinner or something… wonderful people!

My name is Jamey Mills, I am one of the pastors here at Northside, It’s always a blessing to be with you guys.

We are in our 3rd week of a sermon series we are calling “Why I believe”... where we are looking at what the bible means when it uses the word belief as well as what the impact Jesus had on the belief of those who had face to face interactions with Him.

So far, I think it's been good. The first week we talked about how belief is more than simply agreeing or accepting that God exists. The Bible most often infers a belief that is applied well, meaning… a belief that informs and impacts the way we see and do life. We don't just believe God exists, but that belief causes us to live differently.

Last week we talked about how one of the major obstacles for many when it comes to belief is the fact that Jesus isn’t “normal”. That crazy things often happened when He was around. That we often want to “Tame” Jesus… making Him easier for us to accept or easier for those around us to accept… but in doing that, we’re no longer accepting the reality of Jesus and in that, belief and even Christianity loses its power and meaning.

We looked at two people in Mark 5 who had likely never interacted with Jesus face to face… but who had heard enough and seen enough to believe enough… to come to Him with life’s most cherished things… and it would be something they’d never regret.

INTRO:

Have you ever noticed how some of life's greatest lessons come with failure. I don’t like it… but it's certainly true in my life and I am sure I am not alone… those moments when you have good intentions… you really want to do well, but it sort of backfires in your face…

Not sure if you have ever been around someone who sees or experiences failure in ways that don’t lead to growth… I have. Make excuses, blame others, or lie… the dodge… and really it's a shame because… that learning opportunity comes and goes and nothing changes and sometimes it feels like they go on to perpetually struggle.

Reminds me of our passage today.

Matthew 14:22–36 NLT

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “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. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Matthew 14:22–23 NLT

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

Jesus had just found out that John the baptist had died for his belief. Jesus and John were close… John played a really unique role in Jesus’ ministry. It says that Jesus went out to be alone, and the crowds from many towns heard where He was and found Him there.

And Jesus didn’t get angry or demand his space… it says He had compassion on them. As evening came the disciples asked Jesus to let the people go so they could go get food, it says they were in a remote place… and that day Jesus fed 5k men and their families from 5 lovers and 2 fish.

Immediately after that, Jesus sent His disciples back across the lake while He went away to pray alone… and if you study the Gospels at all… you realize that this is something Jesus did often. Prayer was a big part of His life and while he was praying, night fell.

Matthew 14:24–27 NLT

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

They were in trouble… far from land. Fighting for their lives in the wind and waves… and now… at 3AM they had been for a long time. Already afraid, it got worse.

They saw something out on the water... and their reaction is telling… it's exactly what you’d expect. They were terrified… Frozen in fear.

Why, why would they react that way? The same reason you would. This isn’t normal. And even though these guys literally just witnessed Jesus feeding the 5k, it was outside what they knew… they didn't know how to process it.

It’s almost commercial to me when Jesus says “don’t be afraid”. Oh, okay… the actual language is… Take heart or have courage. It’s like Jesus is not only acknowledging their fear, but even the reason for it. Yep, I get it… this isn't normal.

And that's when it happened. One of them… well…

Matthew 14:28 NLT

Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

In my head I see the flailing efforts of survival mixed with the terror of what's happening… They are wet, cold and afraid. I assume they just want to go home. Can you imagine what they must have been thinking when Peter blurted it out.

Matthew 14:29–30 NLT

“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.

29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

Try to put yourself in the shoes of the other disciples. What would you be thinking as Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water? It’s hard to believe. Frankly, probably hard to believe even if you saw it with your own eyes.

Peter believed enough to step out… and almost as soon as he did it says the chaos around him became overwhelming… and at the moment, all that had given him confidence to ask in the first palace sort of melted away and he began to sink. Some might say he fell, fell short, or even failed.

For Peter, the chaos was wind and waves… it was fear. But there is no doubt that you and I fight this too. If I were to describe what’s happening all around is… in government, in our schools, in our communities, in our cities… it’s chaos. And a lot of it is driven by fear.

Chaos can encroach on, paralyze, confuse and even blind our belief.

Chaos that encroaches on, paralyzes, confuses and maybe even blinds or faith. Sometimes for a moment, sometimes for a season, and for some I think the condition is permanent.

In the chaos Peter cried out… not hey man, hey buddy, hey good moral man, good teacher, good prophet… He didn't tame Jesus so the people around him might feel better about it… but in that moment, he cried out to the one He knew and experienced as Lord.; who fed the 5k, who walked on water… It was his gut reaction.

Matthew 14:31–32 NLT

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

Little faith? I get it and I don't. He was the only one that got out of the boat. The only one that even asked. Yea, he sank… but in sinking he showed more belief than the rest of them, which brought me to this really hard question…

It’s an honest question and I don’t know that I have the answer.

Is this sort of stepping out a sign of, evidence of true belief?

Or, if we live our lives never stepping out of the boat does that communicate something about where we are with our belief?

Even in the storm… even though it was likely a doomed and sinking boat… there was comfort there. And i can’t help but wonder if I… and the vast majority of other christians in the world have gotten too comfortable in the sinking boat that is our culture. That stepping out just seems to be a step we cannot or will not take. That somehow… flailing and fighting as we sit within it is preferable somehow.

I will say that every story I know of… both in scripture and in life… where I feel like the fruit of profound belief seems to exist… There have been very clear stepping out of the boat moments.

It says as soon as they were in the boat, the wind stopped. What? It's almost like this whole thing could have been avoided.

If Jesus could have stopped it sooner, why didn’t He?

Personally,

I don't think Jesus was testing Peter’s belief. I think He was forming it.

building it and this would have been an opportunity lost had he sat there in fear.

It wasn’t on the safety of the shore… but in the middle of the storm, in the middle of chaos that Peter would learn a little more about what it means to rise above it. What it means to look beyond the chaos itself… what it means to trust more… a deeper understanding, a greater belief…

Tim Keller is a pastor and one of the greater theological minds of our time… he wrote and article that talks about how he has had the privilege of walking with people through all kinds of chaos… even through the doorway of death.

He talked about one particular person who was diagnosed with cancer… she went on to say that she couldn't believe in a good and loving God that would do something like this to her. Keller said that cancer killed her God…

It’s crazy how sideways life, belief, and our view of God gets when we allow our own well being to be the center of eternity. When everything rises and falls with… me and what I get.

It really had me thinking of all the opportunities lost, had her perspective been different. Those who would have seen belief in the middle of chaos. Hope in the dark. Been encouraged by her willingness to get out of the boat and see chaos as opportunity instead of a death sentence. Doctors, family, friends… who draw nearer… seeing belief and grace in motion.

My hope and prayer is that God would do the miracle of helping you and I begin to see the chaos in our lives and in the world around us not simply as something we endure, but as an opportunity to get out of the boat. To trust… to express our belief… even if we sink in it sometimes.

Matthew 14:33–36 NLT

Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. 34 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. 36 They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Do you see the impact of Peter’s imperfect belief? It isn’t little. He often got it wrong, but with very few exceptions, even when it got it wrong he was leaning hard into belief. Peter’s “failure” inspired other believers around him to draw closer, to know Jesus in a deeper way… to worship the reality of Jesus. It challenged and formed their belief too.

It also got the attention of those who didn't know Jesus in that way yet.

They walked away asking hard questions… had they seen enough, heard enough, to believe enough to bring life's most sacred things to the feet of Jesus.

And NONE of it… would have happened without Peter’s imperfect attempt at belief.

I hope you hear that.

Who are the ones your imperfect attempts at belief and faith are inspiring? Who is impacted by your step out of the boat moments?

What are the ways that God is asking you… leading you… molding your belief in stepping out of the comfort of a ship that is sinking?

Last week we talked about 2 people who likely had their first face to face encounter with Jesus, but not today. Today it was those who had already made that choice and in that we see that belief is not a one and done thing.

Everyday that we wake up is an opportunity to put down the roots of belief in the midst of the chaos around us.

To allow God to use our often imperfect attempts to mold and shape us… doing the work that only He can do.

It was all heading somewhere… and yea, it was driven by the Holy Spirit, but I believe it was years in the making. Peter’s imperfect attempts, the molding God was doing… there came a time…

Right after the resurrection of Jesus, the people were really having a hard time understanding… and God was about to make a big statement to the world. We call in pentecost. You can read about it in Acts 2. In the midst of this big statement, God chose who? Peter… to articulate the beauty of the gospel, the power of forgiveness, the need to save themselves from the chaos of their culture and find real life and freedom which is found in Christ alone.

It says that around 3k people… came to know Jesus the same way that Peter knew Him the day he sank… not buddy, not good teacher, not simply friend… but Lord.

I don't like to use myself as an example like this very often… but planting a church has been the biggest get out of the boat moment in my life so far. Who am I? It's messy, it's hard, and you better believe at times I am flat out sinking.

But God is on the move at and through Northside. We have the opportunity to draw near to God in starting a church that will be around long after we are. THat will impact the eternity of many. He has brought you here for a reason.

Opportunity is waiting… we live in a day and age where the inspiration that comes from getting out of the boat… is so needed. May the Lord save us from being a people that feel comfortable sitting in chaos of a sinking ship. May he allow us to see the chaos around us as opportunities for faith and not paralysis from it.

It’s not one and done… Belief… is a conviction we live out everyday.

Lord… if it's you… call us out to you. What does getting out of the boat look like for you?

COMMUNION

Every week we provide the opportunity to express our believe through communion.

With easter a few weeks away… Its a great reminder for us to consider the first communion ever.

As Jesus knew the cross was coming… he gathered the disciples together…

Matthew 26:26–30 (NIV)

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

The bread and the cup… were given to them and to us… and symbols to hold on to, to reflect on…

That in the chaos around us… draws us back to the reality of His love, His grace, and His forgiveness over us… Jesus knew… He knew how important it was and how prone we are to get caught up in the chaos of it all…

And so… my hope is that as we take communion today, we can pause… and reflect… and declare our belief… and pray that God would give us the courage to step out of the boat.

On table… over the next few songs… spread out…

Take it when ready

Pray