TITLE: Stepping Out of the Boat

2. TITLE: Stepping Out of the Boat TEXT: Matthew 14:22-34 THEME: God rewards believers who take risks based on his promises.

4. Here were people who had the vision to see three thousand miles across an ocean and overcome great hardships to get there. But in just a few years they were not able to see even five miles out of town. They had lost their pioneering vision.

5. God has done a wonderful work at BBC over the years - we have crossed an ocean so to speak. In the coming years we want to “extenda road out into the wilderness” because we believe that Bonnyville will see more growth and that there are more people to be reached

7. How does taking measured a risk confirm the promises of God?

8. I. We cannot know God’s power by staying in the boat. (22-26)

9. Matthew 14:22-26 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.

10. Matthew 14:22-26 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

11. I. We cannot know God’s power by staying in the boat. (22-26) A. The boat is a place of relative safety.

12. I. We cannot know God’s power by staying in the boat. (22-26) A.The boat is a place of relative safety. B. The boat is a place of inactivity due to fear.

13. I. We cannot know God’s power by staying in the boat. (22-26) A. The boat is a place of relative safety. B. The boat is a place of inactivity due to fear. C. The boat is a place of confinement.

15. How does taking a measured risk confirm the promises of God?

16. II. We see God honour His promise if we stepout of the boat. (27-31)

17. Matthew 14:27-31 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.

18. Matthew 14:27-31 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?”

19. II. We see God honour His promise if we stepout of the boat. (27-31) A. Peter wanted confirmation from Christ.

20. II. We see God honour His promise if we stepout of the boat. (27-31) A. Peter wanted confirmation from Christ. • He is asking to do something he knows is impossible.

21. II. We see God honour His promise if we step out of the boat. (27-31) A. Peter wanted confirmation from Christ. • He is asking to do something he knows is impossible. • It seems that when people read this scripture they forget the request and the first step and they only remember that he sank. Instead we need to applaud Peter because, in this passage, Peter did something that the other 11 disciples didn’t do. Peter got out of the boat

22. Why the other 11 didn’t try to walk on water?

23. Why the other 11 didn’t try to walk on water? • They were fearful.

24. Why the other 11 didn’t try to walk on water? • They were fearful. • They preferred the safety and certainty of the floating boat to the uncertainty of the water

25. Why the other 11 didn’t try to walk on water? • They were fearful. • They preferred the safety and certainty of the floating boat to the uncertainty of the water • Look at what they were missing. A chance to walk on the water with Jesus!

26. When a church holds back and stays in the boat so to speak is it for the same reasons? Is it fear or comfort? Is it uncertainty as to the response?

27. When is the reward big enough for us to want to take a risk? When will the potential result be worth our efforts?

28. II. We see God honour His promise if we stepout of the boat. (27-31) A.Peter wanted confirmation from Christ. B. Peter acted on the promise of Christ.

29. II. We see God honour His promise if we stepout of the boat. (27-31) A.Peter wanted confirmation from Christ. B. Peter acted on the promise of Christ. • Peter took a risk getting out of a boat, but it wasn’t a rash decision, it was a calculated risk. God doesn’t want us to take unnecessary risk.

30. II. We see God honour His promise if we stepout of the boat. (27-31) A.Peter wanted confirmation from Christ. B. Peter acted on the promise of Christ. • Peter took a risk getting out of a boat, but it wasn’t a rash decision, it was a calculated risk. God doesn’t want us to take unnecessary risk. • Peter did is that he wasn’t going out there alone.

31. II. We see God honour His promise if we stepout of the boat. (27-31) A. Peter wanted confirmation from Christ. B. Peter acted on the promise of Christ. C. Peter took his eyes off Christ.

32. When you take a risk that you have prayed about and you know this is God’s will for you, and then you know that God will not leave you alone. He will be with you every step of the way.

34. How does taking a measured risked confirm the promises of God?

35. III.God reveals His power in risky situations (32-36)

36. Matthew 14:32-36 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

37. Matthew 14:32-36 34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

38. III. God reveals His power in risky situations (32-36) A. Jesus deliver’s Peter.

39. III. God reveals His power in risky situations (32-36) A. Jesus deliver’s Peter. B. Jesus calmed the wind

40. III. God reveals His power in risky situations (32-36) A. Jesus deliver’s Peter. B. Jesus calmed the wind. C. Jesus heals the sick.

42. APPLICATION: • Is God asking that you risk possible embarrassment of talking to that neighbor

43. APPLICATION: • Is God asking that you risk possible embarrassment of talking to that neighbor? • Is He asking you to risk rejection by telling your boyfriend or girlfriend that you are going to be faithful to God above all else no matter what

44. APPLICATION: • Is God asking that you risk possible embarrassment of talking to that neighbor? • Is He asking you to risk rejection by telling your boyfriend or girlfriend that you are going to be faithful to God above all else no matter what? • Is He calling you to volunteer for some form of ministry within the church?

45. APPLICATION: • Is God asking that you risk possible embarrassment of talking to that neighbor? • Is He asking you to risk rejection by telling your boyfriend or girlfriend that you are going to be faithful to God above all else no matter what? • Is He calling you to volunteer for some form of ministry within the church? • Is He calling you to give or to commit your life today?

46. APPLICATION • As a church what is God calling us to do? Next Friday join us as we look at what we believe He is calling us to risk.

47. APPLICATION Whatever He is calling us or you to do, remember that if you want to walk on the water, you have to get out of the boat. And you may sink, Peter did. But Christ picked him up and boy did he have a story to tell his grandchildren. The story of how with the Help of Jesus he did something impossible. What risk will you take this morning?

49. Julie Shimer “The real learning moment came when Motorola missed the coming of digital cellular technology in the mid mid-nineties, AT&T asked Motorola to develop a digital phone. Motorola thought that customers would not accept digit because of the poor voice quality. They had the attitude that they were the market leader, they were doing great, and if they refused, it would not happen.

50. Julie Shimer So, AT&T went to Nokia instead, and Nokia got it. They said, "We'll do it for you." Brand-new in the business, Nokia led the way, ending the era of analog and beginning the new digital era. Nokia took market leadership from Motorola. Missing the ending of analog in cell phones was a big mistake. I learned through that experience to pay attention when something is over and it is time to create urgency around the new.