Untitled Sermon

. Me: connect with the people introduce topic

We: creating tension if we are honest.

If we were honest with our selves do, we follow God with undoubted faith. Do we follow God when doubt arises? Do we know what to when we Doubt God, when we doubt ourselves, and when others doubt you? What is doubt and how often do we see it seeping into our lives. Doubt is uncertainty about the truth and reality of spiritual things, as seen especially in a lack of faith in and commitment to God. We have meet so many student’s peers and mentors who struggle with different kinds of doubt because doubt is something everyone deals with. As humans, we hate doubt, we want nothing to do with it. As men, we get proud when someone doubts us and we try to prove this doubt wrong whether it is I bet you can’t lift that car or I’m not sure the God you believe in is real.

God: scripture Mathew: illustration Mathew often recounted the danger of little faith.

Alright guys this is something everyone goes through even the men that walked with Jesus. let’s turn back to Matthew 14:22-33.

The New International Version Chapter 14

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Jesus needed his time to pray after these gatherings. He told the rest of them to move on once they did move on they got far by boat. Jesus being son of God could catch up. he spooked his men because this is still an absurd thought for even us to walk on water. Peter though always wanted to trust in the lord and his miracles. He asked for permission to test Jesus and his own faith. Then while he was in the thick of it he got scared. he was unsure what now. that’s when the lord stepped in and helped through this time. Even when perter doubted he was there for him. even when he was not sure what the next step was Jesus was there.

Also, have you guys ever had a dog. if so you know that even the smartest dog is kind of derpy. I have a beautiful mutt named kellia. She is half sheep dog and half bird dog. so, smart but even know she is only 2 her eyes are going. So, when I come home from break she is sitting by that front screen door just sitting there. when she sees, someone walking up she goes nuts and then backs away from the door to sit in the walkway. (I’m not sure if this is to trip up my mom or protect the family.) I go too the door and she still has no clue who I am. At this point kellia is doubting who the heck I am and why I am at her house. Even know she can’t see me she can smell me (probably because I’ve been in a car for 8 hours) then suddenly, she knows who I am and then gets even more looney.

I think this is a representative of what was going through peters brain. he is unsure if it is Jesus, his friends are unsure, then he takes a bold step of faith and called upon Jesus “Lord, if it’s you. Tell me to come to you on the water” Then Jesus said “come.” I don’t know about you guys but if I was peter I would probably really be hoping that Jesus was bluffing. Imagine being Peter. God, calling you out of your comfortable safe boat into the waters. Peter didn't have much to go on other than Jesus calling him into the water. there was no other reason to get out of the boat. //// I know I would be freaking out not knowing what was about to happen. he kept his eyes on the lord

police use cones and put them on either side of the road and say go between these.

kellia wanting to come to me but the moment she sees that squirrel and goes running.

Think of these men on the boat they have seen the power of God over and over.

23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.

24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

something interesting I see that God first rebuked his disciples before the waters and the waves.

He knew and even saw the power of the lord but he too was afraid.

Remember this happened only chapters before. Jesus calming this storm then he calls them. we can see that he has the power to calm the sea. the only thing that could be the one true thing.

You: application

what is that thing, that you feel like you can’t do. God, I have no clue if I can do what you are calling me to do. how can you not be like the rookies at the academy and that poor confused mutt? i feel like sometimes we lose sight of God or our hopes. we don't want to get distracted by the first thing in front of me. we can keep our eyes on the lord. if we keep our hopes and eyes on the lord we can get to where he wants us to be. If we are willing to follow the path he wants, we can get where he wants us to get. In some ways, it’s going to be very hard but we will be rewarded in other ways. we sometimes must go through this doubt to find honest ways to deal with the truth. If we can suffer through this doubt while we are in this bubble which is NC we can help in the fut. this doubt will keep us honest and accountable.

we: inspiration

imagine how different would your life be.

Knowing that we have doubts, we can change the way we do things. Expressing these doubts to the lord, while we are still in the battle. we can learn and grow stronger through our doubts. Express this to the lord and keep taking the next step. lean into him even through unserinty of future. unsurtinity of self and of others. When we have faith, and put this faith in the lord we can keep chugging forward. Able to have wisdom when you are in great need when our eyes are on the lord. We might not always understand the next step would be.

The unbeliever - first step find God.

The difficult believer. kaleidoscope Its good to express this frustration early and as soon as it happens. If anyone can handle it he can. we can pray for that wisdom. it’s natural to feel these feelings.

what next mature.

If we can all do this then we will be able to be strong men and woman of the lord

Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mt 8:23–27.