 Why don't we look at this passage in front of us John chapter 6 verses 15 through 21? I'll begin reading at verse 15 and read all the way up to verse 15 In other words, we'll start there and stay there verse 15 In John chapter 6 verse 15 John writes therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force To make him king He departed again to the mountain by himself Alone and so just prior to this in John's gospel Jesus fed 5,000 men not including women and children, but he had fed the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish Now as we looked at that passage as way of reminder that that feeding would not have happened But for the generosity of a young boy remember verse 9 how it says There's a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish But what are they? Among so many So this young boy gave up his lunch is what he did and it wasn't a large lunch by any means Five barley loaves two small fish and the right question was asked. What are they among so many? But what the Lord did is the Lord took that and multiplied it as we saw last time You see it's educational to consider that a small gift could be multiplied in such a way Undoubtedly that young boy later received a great blessing for his generosity Proverbs 11 25 reads the generous soul will be made rich and he who waters will also be watered himself and so in the Provocation of this young boy's heart to be generous with the little that he had Jesus was able to take that little multiply it and feed a Multitude and so that's what we were looking at last time we're together And now we get an opportunity to see the response of the crowd this multitude that was there And that's what we're looking at in verse 15 when it says Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force To make him a king So that's their response. They want to make him a king by force Now during this time, let me give you a historical context of this. There were very fierce Nationalistic longings among many Jews From around 63 BC the Romans ruled over Israel and the Jewish people hated it They saw Rome for what it was. It was a pagan nation and the religious Jews hated having pagans Ruling over them and what they were longing for was an anointed leader who would lead them and free them from Roman oppression Now to understand why they were longing in this way. We need to understand their times You see over the centuries Israel had been subjected to many foreign rulers when you read your Old Testament You see that they were invaded by Assyrians They were invaded by and ruled by Babylonians the Medo-Persians the Greeks and now the Romans And the people longed to be free from the yoke of foreign tyranny As they had heard their prophets and read the word of God God had made promises One of his most treasured promise to the nation was that they would one day have one who would deliver them One of those prophets Jeremiah wrote in chapter 23 verses 5 and 6 Behold the days come says the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a king shall reign and prosper And shall execute judgment and justice in the earth in his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness and so then we're looking forward during this time for this promised messiah this one who would rule So over the years by looking at the Old Testament. They had a basic set of expectations concerning messiah and Jesus seemed to fit those expectations They had said that before messiah would arrive There'd be a time of terrible tribulation and they felt that under the roller Roman rulership that they were under such pressure There would be a forerunner who would be sent who would be like Elijah And after this messiah would appear and establish his kingdom The unbelieving nations would ally to fight against messiah the nations opposing messiah Would be destroyed for their opposition Jerusalem would be restored and be the city of the great king The Jews would be scattered throughout the earth, but would be regathered to Israel Israel would become the center of the world all nations would be subject to messiah and After messiah began to rule the world would enter into eternal peace and joy and they're looking for this one Who's going to come and deliver and as far as they could see Jesus fit this messianic expectation and So as Jesus has done what he has done up to this point They wanted to use him to gain their liberty from Roman oppression Now on Jesus's part he recognized this as a hindrance to his mission of salvation He saw this really as a temptation From the enemy. He was being offered the kingdom without the cross Again notice verse 15. They wanted to take him by force to make him king And once again the kingdom is being offered to him without a cross and that's simply a variation of a temptation He'd already been faced with Remember in the Gospel of Luke in chapter 4 verses 5 through 8 Luke had recorded that the devil taking him up on a high mountain Showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time and the devil said to him all this authority I will give you and their glory for this has been delivered to me and I will give it to whomever I wish Therefore if you will worship before me all will be yours Jesus answered and said to him get behind me Satan For it is written you shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve If you're asking me to worship you you also know I have to serve you No, I will not do that. I will not take a kingdom without the cross And so his response to what's taking place at this time where they're wanting to take him and make him king According to verse 15 is he departed he departed again to the mountain by himself alone Now the other gospel writers give us insight into what was taking place and let me give to you a couple of things Matthew gives us insight in Matthew 14 22 and 23 It says immediately Jesus made his disciples getting to the boat go before him to the other side while he sent the Multitudes away and when he had sent the multitudes away. He went up on the mountain by himself to pray Now when evening came he was alone there So Matthew tells us that he made his disciples get into the boat that word made Means to compel or to drive to strongly urge or constrain Jesus made them They they didn't want to but he made them to do this There are at least three reasons that he compelled them to leave one his apostles may have feared for his safety and wouldn't leave him alone Recently he had received death threats. They may have been concerned for him Jesus had healed a crippled man on the Sabbath And it said God is my father and according to John 5 18 for this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him Not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own father making himself equal with God So they may have feared for his safety. They didn't want to leave him alone. So he compelled them. He made them go Second Herod was growing more interested in Jesus and began to pose a threat to him You see this Herod governed over Galilee. This is the one who beheaded John This is the one who later will interview Jesus before his crucifixion and Herod was curious concerning who Jesus was according to Luke chapter 9 verses 7 through 9 It reads Herod the tetra occurred all about all that was going on and he was perplexed because Some were saying that John had been raised from the dead others that Elijah had appeared Still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life But Herod said I beheaded John who then is this I hear so here such things about and he tried to see him And so Herod was beginning to pose a threat and then third It is possible that they were in danger of being influenced by the multitude If there's anything that the church is it is influenced by the multitude The church will listen to the words of even the world to its own hurt They will there are Christians who Will listen to the words of the world and ignore the words of Scripture. I Have one friend in particular who who likes to post things on Facebook And I've known him since we were less than ten years old and he will post the dumbest things And he claims to be a believer. I have no reason to think he's not one But every once in a while just to get him irritated. I know it's not right, but I've known him a long time I I Will say I'll write something to him and oh he gets so mad and He's got a whole posse behind him then they get mad too and so it's rather fun To post things for him because he He is avid in his political beliefs to the point where I just enjoy upsetting the apple cart with him once in a while and But the whole thing is is he will make comments that Are just biblically untrue and he'll make comments that need to be corrected and and I will I will Kind of post some things for him to get him to think about it and all because He's a believer, but he has been influenced by the world and Listen very carefully to this. I'll say it briefly, but if you're not Reading the Word of God, I guarantee you you are being influenced by the world too You are Somebody once said you Christians are brainwashed And I agreed with that. I still do I am I'm brainwashed. You see my brains were dirty And they needed to be washed by the blood of Jesus Christ. So if you want to say I'm brainwashed I'm brainwashed. I'm I'm blood washed. That's what I am Again without taking too much time to say this, you know prior to coming to Christ I was I was an extremely what is today being referred to as a liberal. I Was extremely liberal Extremely liberal, you know hated hated the police hated government, you know, I was a hippie You know, I hated I hated I hated that the The conservatives I I thought they were they were just morons, you know, and and I really was extremely Extremely liberal and and I became conservative not as a political choice But as a believer I started reading the Bible and as I read the Bible, I started seeing My opinion about this. I think this is okay I started reading the Bible and then I started seeing so much for God said no, that's not okay So over time these dirty brains were washed by the blood of Christ and in reading the word of God my liberal persuasion was reduced to more of a biblical View biblical worldview. I don't like to refer to myself by Progressive liberal Conservative, I don't like to box myself in that way, but I do know this Compared to how I thought as a young person I don't think anything like that now and it isn't because I'm just an older man It's because I've been reading God's word for many years and in reading God's word his blood has washed my dirty brains and I've become somebody that holds fast to what I see scripture has to say Because you and I we can be influenced by the multitudes And what's interesting about that? I'll take a second point and move on is the multitudes sometimes can include your Friends who don't read the word don't attend a church fellowship Don't serve in any ministries just our Christians in name only and they very often are influencers of you, too And you can feel harsh and even judge mental and unloving Because you hold fast to some things that they refuse to hold fast to I'm not saying to judge them But I am saying be aware of that Because if you want to grow in your faith, you need to be you need to be evenly yoked With people who have the same desire so you can spur one another on to love and good works and move forward in the things of God And to begin to view your friends who are walking in a carnal fashion Not with a judgmental harsh heart, but to see them as ministry Because they can't be they can't be Experiencing the joy of the Lord the love of God the peace of God as long as they're in rebellion to him And that's why you love them. That's why you tell them the truth That's why you encourage them because either you're influencing or you're being influenced and I made a choice I'm going to be the influencer and I want to influence to God's word by God's Holy Spirit And so these these people were in danger of being influenced by the multitude You see the crowd had decided that they wanted to crown Jesus their king And so what does Jesus do well? He orders them to leave saving them From the world's concept of rule You see Jesus didn't come to establish a system that was patterned after the world In Matthew 20 verse 25 Matthew records that Jesus called them to himself and said You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lorded over them and those who are great Exercise authority over them. You see Jesus didn't pattern his kingdom after the world It's been said that he rules an upside down kingdom where greatness is measured by service in Mark 1044 he said whoever wants to be first must be servant of all in Matthew 20 27 and 28 Whoever will be chief among you let him be your servant Even as the son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many Today we look sometimes and I'll say it I can speak of it as a pastor sometimes we We look at the pastor like he's the most important person in the group. He's the chief servant I don't mind being recognized at that I want to be looked at as being someone who's a servant of the Lord and the servant to you That's what I am as a pastor But sometimes pastors may forget what they're supposed to be and before you know it They're being treated like royalty when in fact they're servants and that's what Jesus taught us He said he didn't come to to be ministered unto but to minister and give his life a ransom for many You see man's kingdoms can only be material and carnal but not so with the kingdom of God in Romans 14 17 the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking But of righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit and so in Matthew 14 23 Matthew tells us that he sent the disciples in the multitude away and he prayed He prayed because he was committed to his father's will in John 5 19. Jesus said I tell you the truth The son can do nothing by himself He can do only what he sees his father doing because whatever the father does the son also does And it is most likely that he was praying for his disciples. That was his habit in John 17 9 He said I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom you have given me for they are yours And so he was praying now as this is taking place verse 16 When evening came his disciples went down to the sea and got into the boat and went over the sea toward Capernaum It was already dark and Jesus had not come to them Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing So when they had rode about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat And they were afraid But he said to them boo. No, he said to them It is I Don't be afraid They willingly received him into the boat and immediately the boat was at land where they were going So we'll pick up and continue this I'm going to piece together Some things to get a more full account of what is occurring Jesus has compelled his disciples to enter a boat And they've begun to cross the sea of Galilee It says in verses 16 and 17 When evening come came his disciples went to the sea So the disciples are in Bethsaida. It's a village that is to the northeast of the sea of Galilee If you were looking at a map they went into the sea they entered into a boat They're traveling now It would more than likely be from the east and now they're traveling to the west And they're on their way to a seaport called Capernaum According to verse 17. I'm piecing this together for you. It's evening It's what is really referred to as second evening And second evening is from six o'clock to nine o'clock in the evening. John tells us that it's already dark Now notice again verse 18 how it says the sea arose because a great wind was blowing So these are storm conditions that we're talking about here Verse 19 tells us that they had rode about three or four miles And they saw Jesus walking on the sea drawing near the boat and they were afraid So Matthew when you begin to piece together the various accounts The gospel of Matthew tells us what time it is when Jesus arrives on the scene According to Matthew 14 25 It is the fourth watch of the night That means when you're looking at the watches as they were broken down It's between three and six o'clock in the morning The wind had kept pushing them into the middle of the lake is what had taken place And at this time they had been battling the wind and the sea For around nine hours So you don't see that when you're reading this you have to piece together the various gospels So they've been going we've already seen that it was between three and six a.m We know that they had left earlier and when you begin to look at that It's close to nine hours that they've been battling the sea They're tired They're frustrated They're helpless They're alone And under those conditions all of us have the same propensity to begin to cry to God We'll cry out to the lord for help Psalm 38 verse 9 lord all my desires before you my groaning is not hit from you And you're here and you're having a tough time. I'm having a tough time I just pray and I said god help me God be with me. I don't know what to do And under these conditions and we have to put ourselves in that conditions They've been moving against the the wind for for hours And and they're concerned. They're not making really any headway They're it's only a few miles from one point to the other and it's been taking them hours And they haven't gotten there So all of this has taken place as windy conditions And it's it's causing them great concern as all of this is taking place It says in verse 19, they'd rode about three or four miles They saw Jesus walking on the sea and dry near the boat and they were afraid and who wouldn't be I mean who here would expect to see somebody taking a walk on the sea? I mean Of course not When it says they saw the word saw there Speaks to look intently or to transfix they they were staring at him Now they might have been asking where is god when you need him? Have you ever done that? Have you ever wondered god? Where are you? How come you're not helping me? I have many times Psalm 13 verse 1 how long oh lord will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? Have you ever been there? You get in a in a situation you cannot extricate yourself from And you're tired and you're alone and you're upset Well, they're about to learn a lesson They're going to learn that they haven't been abandoned by him Mark makes it clear that Jesus was aware of their situation in mark 648 He saw them toiling in rowing the wind was contrary to them. He saw them He was aware of their toil Don't think that god is not aware of yours Because sometimes you do sometimes I do God, where are you? Don't you see this? God, where are you? Can't you hear me? Why don't you answer me? What have I done? Why is Why does it seem that the heavens are brass and my words? Are just falling to the earth With no effect Oh god How long How long How long are you gonna Allow my enemies to triumph over me How long am I going to have to cry to you for help? And it seems that you just don't hear How many times have you prayed for a loved one? Maybe a kid that's given you problems Maybe a neighborhood problem that you're having maybe Problem on the job. Maybe there's somebody you work with that is Such a difficult person to work with that. You've gotten to the point. You just don't want to work there anymore Or maybe your mom, maybe your dad, maybe your brother, a sister, maybe a husband or wife And and it feels like no matter what you do Nothing changes and And then you say well, you know, I've read the bible and the bible says call into me and I will answer The and show the great and mighty things which thou know is not God you told me to call into you and I am But it doesn't seem as if you're hearing me and as I'm going through this storm in my life as I'm battling These things with such intensity and such pain in such pathos lord. I don't know what to do anymore I don't have I don't know what to do And you put your face on the ground the carpet in your bedroom and you cry out to god and you say god Be merciful to me. I don't know what to do. I'm in the middle of a storm and I don't know what to do We had been renting a A church building on vine street in ontario We had started the church in a house and and It out the study outgrew the home So we found a little place called a church of god seventh day on vine street in ontario And we started to use that I think in I can september And uh, you know, we had 45 people or so went about 60 people and um And then the people who were renting this little building to us Kicked us out because they said that we were a cult because we worshiped on christmas day And uh, it turns out they were a cult. We didn't know it They were a cult So they kicked us out And I told us you need to find a place And you have until the end of january my then assistant whose name was dan and One who was helping in ministry Randy waltz who's now the pastor of upland and dan pastors in clay elham washington And I went looking through the entire city of ontario. I could tell you every empty vacant building Because we went through almost all of them through ontario looking for a place couldn't find one And it was in the middle of january And we only had two weeks and we were going to have to leave and I I was it was once a night and I I went into my bedroom and Marie my wife and and my kids were gone I don't know where they had gone, but I was alone and that gave me opportunity to go into my bedroom And I still remember it and I placed my face on the ground on the carpet. I just laid there And wept before God and said father We've only got 60 people, but they're the most dear 60 people in my life And I don't know what to do God I've looked and I can't find a place lord jesus in your name. I pray Help us and I remember going to the wednesday bible study at david and connie's sciences And I walked into the front room and and a woman named karen Looked at me and she said you look like death warm dover. That was her greeting as I walked in and You look like death warm dover and I said, well, thanks for the compliment. You're ugly, too. No, um She said we need to pray for you and I said Yes, please and so after the bible study Dan and I were we sat in a chair and the small group of people 30 people or so that were at the study Layed hands on us and prayed god do something and I went home that night Still carrying that burden. I put my head on my pillow And as I did so I heard the voice of the lord in an audible way say you will need Building large enough to seat 200 on Easter sunday And I remember it was a voice. I heard and And I said That's true and the next day it was a thursday I was preparing my bible study for sunday john 12 24 unless a grain of wheat fall into the ground die at a bites alone But if it dies It will bring forth much fruit And I remember closing my bible saying to the lord. I am dead I am dead Jesus And then the mailman came up carrying Our mail And the voice of the lord spoke a second time and said your letter is here Because I had written pastor chuck a week before I explained to him who I was explained to him what we were doing And I said I would like to be associated with calvary chapel And uh, he wrote us a letter. It's there in the hallway In the main sanctuary And it says welcome to calvary chapel and so The voice of the lord had said to me as I was there your letter is here And I went and got that and I read it and chuck was was welcoming us in and That following saturday we had a saturday. We had a breakfast and at the breakfast. I said to the people You know, we're going to change our name from ontario christian chapel because that's what our incorporated name was We're changing our name from ontario christian chapel to calvary chapel of ontario And from that point on the lord began to add And so we got an extension. We were supposed to leave in january, but The church that we were renting from extended us for two months And then on easter sunday Pouring rain. That's when I went out there And I said you don't know this but I told 200 people I said you're here that the lord told me you would be here And that's how it works guys in the kingdom of god That's how it works You keep your eyes on the lord He hasn't forgotten you He knows what you need He knows what will glorify him And he will answer in his time And if it's something that brings him glory He's going to answer in a way that it does He hasn't abandoned you He hasn't forgotten you He's not leaving you behind He's not blessing other people and wanting to hurt you by blessing others It's in his time. He makes all things beautiful in his time And his time is always perfect And he always does the right thing And we need to understand that He does not abandon us Again mark 648 he saw them toiling and rowing the wind was contrary, but he hadn't forgotten them His eyes were upon them Even when they did not know it Verse 19 says they saw jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat They were afraid When it says they saw jesus that word saw and the greek speaks to look intently Again to transfix her to stare they saw him their eyes were locked on him But in storm conditions they weren't able to really recognize him Mark 648 gives us insight mark says that he was walking on the sea and would have passed them by So it seemed as if jesus was about to walk past them And that was already horrifying to them because when they saw this Well, matthew tells us they thought they were seeing a ghost In matthew 14 26 and 27 when the disciples saw him walking on the sea They were troubled as a ghost And they cried out for fear But immediately jesus spoke to them saying Boo no saying be of good cheer trick or treat be of good cheer It is I Do not be afraid Now their belief that it was a ghost was a common thing during that time You even see this again later on after jesus has been resurrected and appeared to them in luke 24 36 239 as they said these things jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said to them peace to you They were terrified and frightened and supposed that they had seen a spirit He said to them. Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet It is I myself Handle me see a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have Well, John 6 20 says he said to them it is I do not be afraid Now in matthew matthew gives more details of what jesus said Matthew 14 27 says immediately jesus spoke to them saying be of good cheer it is I Do not be afraid Someone said it was more important to still the storms of their hearts first And that's what he did he calmed them down And matthew adds details that were not revealed in john's gospel if you take notes matthew 14 28 and 29 Matthew says peter answered him and said lord If it is you Command me to come to you on the water So he said come And when peter had come down out of the boat he walked on the water to go to jesus peter was overjoyed His fears were overcome By jesus's presence Think about that Like I told you recently every time we go on the sea of galilee They will stop that boat And they will say anybody want to take a walk. They always do that Want to take a walk? And uh, I've lost three or four friends. No Command that I should walk out on that water The apostle peter is somebody that I admire a lot You got a picture it for a moment and we'll be looking at this in Some detail, but peter steps out of that boat And it's in in storm type conditions and he's walking And he climbs out and he he begins to walk and It's like when jesus's will will come here In a sense peter is saying it's safer to be with you than remain in this boat And so jesus's will come come to where it's safe come with me And he grants that request And and and and it reveals something about the apostle it reveals a strong faith And it could serve to bring humility to this bold apostle in him doing so But What we see is he steps out of the boat Now think about it It's hard to see I can't I can't paint this picture What would you feel like? if you stepped out on this troubled sea And discovered that the minute you put your foot On that water it was like concrete My mind reels at that I I can't I cannot Picture that I think that I can actually do dishonor to the passage if I don't at least Think aloud about that for a moment for us because sometimes you read the miracles of christ And you don't put yourself in that if I were in a boat the boat is rocking I'm concerned as I'm concerned. I see someone taking a walk on the water. And I it's a spirit. Oh my what's going on Um, jesus. Oh, peter says it's it's jesus and you got the other guys with him Oh, well if it is you Command that I should come to you You got almost here the guys Do it peter go for it, man. You can do it. I know you can do it Judas is saying you want a bet, you know You can do it, you know Let's face it the church is filled with people sitting in boats. Well once in a while somebody walks on water That's a fact You know, why didn't the other guys do that? Why didn't they all do it? Think about it. They could have why the apostle peter and nobody else Have you ever asked yourself that why him and not me why her and not me Lord, how come you use them and not me? Maybe we're just sitting in the boat Maybe we're better cheerleaders than waterwalkers Do you like sitting the bench? I never did I never did I never wanted to have my glove playing ball And sit on the bench I was not a good bench warmer I wasn't I wanted to put on my uniform and I wanted to dirty it I wanted to slide in the second. I wanted to slide against the grass. I wanted to play I have never been the guy who can sit the bench I don't want to just wear the uniform. I want to dirty it I want to play hard. I want to rip the knees. I want to knock somebody down That's how I played ball. That's how a lot of us do. I was a dirty player That's a fact I'm gonna knock somebody down I played ball for a long time My first ministry in church besides teaching bible studies was playing softball. I played softball into my 30s I played a lot and I was and I'll say it truthfully. I was good. I was a good ball player I was I liked it. That was something I I played ball all the time All the time I loved it I loved it But I never wanted to sit the bench I didn't want to wear a uniform that didn't get dirty Do you? Do you want to be the person who just wears the uniform since there gets a snow cone after the game? The only stains you ever get is from the cherry from the snow cone that Don't be a bench warmer The other 11 are sitting in there. You can do it. We know you can do it Peter's saying, you know get up there. He's saying can't yes. Come on. Follow me and Judas is saying I'm taking bets You know five to one, you know, that's what's taking place That's what's taking place And Peter steps out of the boat He had to have been amazed When his feet hit water and it was concrete Can you imagine that? His feet hit water and it was concrete And he starts to Put yourself there Nine hours of trying to get across Storm conditions you see what you think is an apparition. This is a ghost. It's a ghost. No, it's not it's Jesus If it is you then Command me that I should walk on water the others are Counties are sitting there. Well, there goes that big mouth Come Can you see him climbing over the side? Can you see him as he's putting his foot down? And Jesus is standing. Can you see him and Jesus is standing there? You can do it Peter you can do it And he walks and he walks He's doing the impossible But with God all things are possible He wasn't alone And neither are you And there are things in your life that you think are impossible. It's water walking. You just don't realize it yet And you're not walking alone You're walking towards someone Keep that in mind And he's got his eyes on you And he's not going to let you fall He's watching you You can sit in the boat if you want to But I never wanted to sit in a bench I wanted the dirty uniform I wanted to play I wanted to compete I wanted to be part of the team I didn't want to sit a bench And neither did the apostle Peter He wanted to take a walk with Jesus His amazement Gave way to reality He was walking on water and that caused him to look around and to see the conditions Matthew 14 30 and 31 says when he saw that the wind was boisterous. He was afraid and Beginning to sink. He cried out saying Lord save me And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him and said to him, oh you of little faith Why did you doubt? No Well, wait a minute. Jesus. Why are you why do you get him out of him? There are 11 chumps sitting in a boat They're not doing anything They're not doing anything You see somebody said his face his faith was enough to get him out of the boat But not enough to keep him from sinking Lord, he cries out save me And Jesus's response according to Matthew is a question. Why did you doubt? What is the answer my answer would be I doubted because I only believe what I can see and I just couldn't believe what I was seeing So with that said, let me give you four things if you take notes you might want to put these things down on paper four applications To our own lives from this miracle first Jesus sent them into the storm Jesus sent them into the storm He compelled them to get into the boat and to leave Jesus sent them into the storm There are storms that we will be sent into because in the storm our faith is refined And we learn to trust in the one who delivers us out of the storm He will send you sometimes into a place where all you're going to do is learn to trust him Are you there? Some of you are right now And you're saying why the storm it's so that you can see him and him alone You will be put into places my whole christian life has been a series of one storm after another One storm after another I've almost drowned on a few occasions and I know what it's like to have your head go into water And to panic with such a fear And you fight to get your head out of that water again And you take that breath only for a wave to knock you down and you go back down again And you get to the point where so exhausted you just don't know what to do I've been there have you and life can be that way too And there are times that the lord has actually led me into a storm So that my faith would be refined and I would learn to trust in him alone I couldn't get myself out But he delivered me And that's a lesson you will learn as a believer don't complain against god second As he had sent them into the storm. He was praying for them. He was watching over them. He was aware of their danger So god doesn't slumber nor does he sleep. He's always vigilant He's aware So i'm 121 3 and 4 he will not allow your foot to be moved He who keeps you will not slumber Behold he who keeps israel shall neither slumber nor sleep In matthew 6 verse 8 jesus simply said your father knows what you need before you ask him He's already aware So he pray he was praying for them watching over them was aware of them because he knows what you need And then He taught them to trust him And to have faith in him This was a lesson to teach all of them to put their trust in him isaac 41 10 says fear not for i'm with you Be not dismayed I am your god I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand So trust in me And then He evoked worship from them Because ultimately what they said to him was truly you are the son of god Mark tells us in chapter 6 verse 52 They did not consider the miracle of the loaves their heart was hardened. In other words, they had missed the point of the feeding Jesus does abundantly above all we ask or think I started a bible study. I started a bible study in september of 1973 I was one month past my 23rd birthday my first bible study victims were my mom and my dad Sisters and a couple of neighbors And I sat them in the Front room and actually the den at my parents house 1973 Is that for me? 1973 They were my victims In 1974 I started a home bible study in Ontario at my brother's house Just past mission in san antonio by the park My brother had some friends from work and they came to work and they came from work to the bible study John john who usually does our bulletin john john His parents came to my bible study I met john john when he was six years old His mother baked Marie and my wedding cake They were very close to us very dear to us And john his daddy john And annie came to our bible study And it was a handful of people 10 people 11 people And over the over the years Started a bible study and another in a church calvary chopper claremont Never had more than 40 people in that bible study, and it was a church bible study And we started a home study at david and connie sciences 20 people 15 20 30 people started a church the 25 adults About five to ten kids Do you think that I thought that the lord one day would give us what we have If you are faithful in that which is least you will also be faithful in that which is much If you put your hand to the plow and you just go straight and let god do the work as you stay faithful to him You'll be surprised at what he'll do with the willing life Sometimes I wonder how many blessings I didn't even cash that god had given me checks for Sometimes I wonder where I've made mistakes And not been in the center of his will to receive his blessings the way he wanted to bless because he wants to Do more he wants to do things abundantly above all you can ask or think He wants to bless your life He wants to he wants to change he wants to provide he wants to care And he wrestles with us so much to convince us of that doesn't he And he says you know you can do the impossible if I'm with you Don't take your eyes off me See the apostle peter took his eyes off jesus and saw the waves in the wind When you take your eyes off the one who keeps you stable and you look at the things that make you unstable You will be unstable But when you keep your eyes on him when you're locked on him when you're trusting him when you know He will not he didn't raise you up to let you down He didn't save you to hurt you He saved you because he loves you And he'll care for you and provide for you. I can't tell you the stories. There's so many Of how god has in the last moment Just made a way So we would ask why did you doubt? You were walking on water Because I made it so You saw the waves in you felt the wind And you trusted in that more than you trusted in me And all that was was a distraction Natural things that draw your attention from me How many natural things do we have that draw our attention from him? He says keep your eyes on me And you can do the impossible You will blow your Mind at what he can do And he can do things so beyond so beyond Which you would ever imagine So beyond that God is good God loves us And he wanted the apostle to know that trust in him. I am with you. He says And then when you do call him the son of god, we worship him Mark six six fifty two says they considered not the miracle of the loaves their heart were the heart was Harden they had missed the point of the feeding Jesus provides Well finally we'll close with verse 21 They willingly received him into the boat immediately the boat was At the land where they were going When he entered into the boat they arrived at the destination It would seem that even in the midst of the storm they had been being drawn near to the shore You see when you are when you are with him You will definitely arrive At safe harbor Psalm 107 28 through 30 They cry out to the lord in their trouble He brings them out of their distresses He calms the storm So that its waves are still Then they are glad Because they're quiet And he guides them to their desired haven The things that you're going through If you begin to realize that those are certain things That are in your way that are going to help you to arrive at where you want to be You'll begin to look at your circumstances differently All things work together for the good to those who love god to those who are the called according to his purpose The things that i've gone through Are the things that made me into the man that i am today somebody asked me once If there was anything you could change in your christian life What is it that you would change and my answer was quick and it was simple i wouldn't change a thing Because everything i've gone through up to this point has made me who i am And i want to be A man who has learned his lessons and has become someone Who trusts god So even in the things that i've gone through that at that time Brought great pain or disappointment or whatever Were necessary Because god takes the bitter and he mixes it with the sweet And he produces who you are And you can look back over your life as i can now after all of these years of walking with him and i can say he's good He is good He has oh abundantly above all i can ask or think He has never left me. He has never forsaken me. He has always been faithful to me because i have finally Began to realize He loves me and he loves you too Don't ever forget that