 Let's begin reading together here in Mark chapter 6. We'll read verses 45 and 46 again I'll give you some introduction. We'll move into our study And then I'll be turning you to Matthew for a while bringing you back to Mark. So Mark chapter 6 Verses 45 and 46 Mark writes immediately. He made his disciples get into the boat and Go before him to the other side to that site where he sent the multitude away and when he had sent them away he departed to the mountain to pray as We've been seeing here in the gospel of Mark Jesus has been ministering in the region of Galilee for some time Galilee is the northern portion of Israel is really shaped very similarly to the state of California So in the south you have Judah in the center You have Samaria and to the north by the sea of Galilee in that region there just north of the border there of Samaria by Jericho going a little higher than that you have what is called the Galilee or the Galilee region and that's where Jesus has been ministering as we've been looking at this passage He's been in that area for a little over a year and he's been ministering there through teaching and performing miracles During that time we saw how he had extended his ministry because he had sent out the 12 Apostles and and we saw how they went out preaching repentance how they were casting out demons and that they were healing the sick and The result was that word about him had even reached the ears of a political official by the name of Herod antipas now Herod was a politician and history records that this man feared for his political power and So after Jesus had miraculously fed the huge multitude There were those who responded by wanting to make him their king They had hoped that he would overthrow Herod and the Romans and would bring in the the kingdom of God on earth and their hopes were not on eternity Their hopes were on the material the the temporary things and and that is pointed out in in John chapter 6 verse 26 because Jesus speaks to them and he says to them very truly I tell you you are looking for me not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and Had your fill so they were looking for the temporary not the eternal You see many of those who had eaten and were satisfied did not understand who Jesus was Even his own men had yet to understand what he was saying and what he was doing We'll see that in verse 52 Which speaks of them and says they had not understood about the loaves because their heart was hardened So even his own men were not completely aware of who Jesus is they didn't comprehend yet who he was We saw this in Mark chapter 4 verse 41 After Jesus had still the storm and they had said to one another who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey him Who can this one be? Well after what they see Jesus do in this passage they begin to realize who he is Matthew will tell us in chapter 14 verse 33 that those who were in the boat came and worshipped him saying Truly you are the Son of God and so who can this be is answered by truly? You are the Son of God and so as we look at this passage Let's begin at verse 45 in verse 45 It says immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side to Bethsaida While he sent the multitude away now we saw how that Jesus had just fed a great multitude There were up to 15 to 20,000 people when you include the women and the children But now he made his disciples get into the boat and leave When the scripture says he made them that word made is a strong word in the original language It means to compel it means to force to even drive to drive his disciples to get into the boat and leave So the question has to be asked why would he make his disciples leave the area and go to Bethsaida? Well, he did it to protect his disciples from being influenced by the political fervor in Such a charged environment even his disciples could be drawn into such a desire Remember after Jesus had fed the multitude many in the crowd wanted to force him to become their king John 6 15 says 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 You see Jesus didn't want his disciples to be influenced by the world system of rulership He didn't come to establish a system of rule that was patterned after the existing model He came to bring God's rule to human hearts where humility and service actually prevail In Matthew's gospel in chapter 20 verses 27 and 28 Jesus said whoever desires to be first among you Let him be your slave Just as the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a Ransom for many God's desire is to rule the human heart The kingdom of God is not like the kingdoms of men. The kingdom of God is spiritual in Romans 14 17 Paul said the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking But of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit the government cannot make us righteous The government cannot do anything other than to try and enforce peace It can't give us peace and the government cannot give us joy the Holy Spirit does that and the kingdom of God is a kingdom of righteousness and in that kingdom of righteousness You will have peace and you will have joy because Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace Then he by his spirit gives you the joy of the spirit you see and so These people are wanting to force him to be king and he doesn't want his people to be influenced in that way You see if the disciples are influenced by the crowd it's going to undermine his mission So to protect them from such an influence he compels him to go to the other side again in verse 45 He made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side Now John 6 17 says they got into the boat and went over the sea to toward Capernaum, which was on the center of the sea of Galilee a little to the west They were making their way in that direction So Jesus told his men to go away by way of Bethsaida, but they were going to make their way to the city of Capernaum And so as he sends them away verse 46 and he had sent them away. He departed notice to the mountain to pray and So he's praying because he was committed to fulfilling the will of his father Do you remember how the devil had tempted him the devil wanted him to wear a crown without a cross in Matthew 4 8 and 9 Matthew writes the devil took him up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory And he said to him all these things that will give you if you will fall down and worship me he wanted him to wear a crown without a cross and Jesus didn't want his men to be influenced in that way and so there he is praying and he's communing with his father and he's Revealing his dependence on him and that's a model that we ought to also follow ourselves You see he prayed and he focused on his purpose. He was remaining steadfast He was obedient to the father He was committed to completing the will of his father and he was 10 verse 7 then I said behold I have come in the volume of the book. It is written of me to do your will. Oh, God And so there he is praying well verse 47 says now when evening came The boat was in the middle of the sea and he was alone on the land Now when it says when evening came that is what is called the second evening The Jews divided time the evening into two sections. There was what was called early evening It was three o'clock to six then there was the second evening and that would have been six o'clock to nine o'clock This is the second evening. That's the time. So it's between six and nine when this is taking place The disciples are beginning to make their way towards Capernaum and as they do so they're in a little ship the storm arises in John 618 the sea rose because a great wind was blowing But Jesus remained behind on land And the small boat was proceeding In John 6 19 they had road three or four miles, but they were not making any headway and so In verse 48 it says So he saw them straining at rowing For the wind was against them Now about the fourth watch of the night he came to them walking on the sea and would have passed them and so He sees them notice verse 48 He they are straining It's about the fourth watch now the fourth watch of the night is the roman method of calculating time Romans divided the night into what are called four watches. There was six to nine There was nine to twelve a.m 12 to three a.m. And then three to six a.m. This is the fourth watch That means it's between three and six a.m. So by this time they've been battling the wind in the sea for up to nine hours They would have been incredibly tired. They would have been frustrated They would have been alone The bible in verse 48 says that the disciples were straining at rowing that word straining is a greek word That means they were being tormented or tortured They were doing everything they could to survive as the storm began to grow more fierce Matthew 14 24 says they're in the middle of the sea and they're being tossed by the waves It's very possible that they were calling on the lord for help It's a question that a lot of us will say within ourselves when we go through tough times Where's god? Where's god when you need him? Where's god when i'm in my need? It's like what it says in psalm 130 verse 2 lord hear my voice let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication Where are you? Listen to me What's happening here is they're continuing their training because they're becoming men of god They've had a long and difficult day. They need a simple time of rest But now they're straining at rowing And they're in a what would be called a pressing and frightening place They're in need Do you think that I love about this is this is very simple notice again in verse 48. He saw them straining He saw them Jesus was aware of their situation His eyes were upon them Even when they didn't know it Like a parent will watch their baby Even when the baby doesn't know it Mama might be there at the park with some friends and the baby decides to the little kid the toddler decides to go and play on a swing or climb up A ladder to slide down a slide And very often the mama those you may be visiting with her friends has her eye On that baby And the baby may think that they're in total control that everything's going fine But mama's watching them very closely To make sure that they don't hurt themselves and sometimes make sure that somebody else doesn't hurt them The mama's eyes are always on the baby That's the way it works. That's the way it's always worked And jesus is doing that now. He's watching those whom he loves They don't know it the way that the kid doesn't know that mama or daddy's watching them You don't know you're being watched But the eyes of that mama the eyes of that dad are on that baby And they even even as they grow older They may not know that they're being watched by someone who loves them when my my brother frank have a brother named frank who Married his high school sweetheart and then their marriage didn't last they divorced after After seven years of marriage. They had two sons and The sons didn't have anything to do very often if at all With my mom and my dad their grandparents and my mom told me one day. She said, you know, I know where they work Because I guess they were working together at a gas station and she says your dad and I will go and we'll park across the street And we'll watch them as they're working They don't know we're watching them but we are And I think that loving parents and even loving grandparents their eyes remain on the child, especially if that child has a need And though jesus is there and he's praying and he's communing with his father The bible makes it very clear that he saw them and he saw them straining And so what happens? Well at the right moment jesus came down To their rescue Like it says in psalm 34 15 the eyes of the lord are on the righteous his ears are inclined to their cry So they're tired. They're drained. They're at the end of the rope And verse 48 says he came to them walking on the sea and notice how it says and would have passed them by Mark writes from the perspective of the apostles. They thought that he was passing them by In the storm conditions dark. It's misty from the wind. They didn't recognize him verse 49 says they supposed it was a ghost And they cried out That was a common superstition during that day the the people believed that spirits Of the night would bring disaster But jesus immediately calms their frightened hearts notice what he says in verse 50 They all saw him And were troubled but immediately he talked with them and said to them Shut up. No, he didn't say that Cowards he said be of good cheer. It is I Do not be Afraid it is I When he says be of good cheer that means be courageous take courage be brave Don't be afraid In the midst of the storm They hear a voice and it's calming them. It's soothing them Your situation may be overwhelming But you could have peace You need to trust me He knew what he was about to do But he first had to bring comfort to them It was more important to still the storm of their hearts first In john 16 33 it says these things I have spoken into you That in me you might have peace in the world you shall have tribulation But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world And so jesus is bringing a word of calmness to them And now I want you to turn to chapter 14 of matthew with me So I can develop this with something matthew gives to us that mark didn't Matthew chapter 14. I want to show you something in verses 28 through 32 In verse 28 through 32 Matthew chapter 14 Jesus had just said be of good cheer. It is I Don't be afraid 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 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous He was afraid in beginning to sink He cried out saying lord save me And immediately jesus stretched out his hand and caught him And said to him no drown coward and shoved his head under the water He said to him oh you of little faith Why did you doubt? It's kind of obvious And when they got into the boat the wind ceased Think about that for a minute. Let me develop something with you We see how peter's overjoyed. He sees jesus Immediately he feels relief. He even has hope And he even asked jesus He says to him if it's you If it is you Command me to come to you on the water You see he knew that it was safer to be with jesus on the water Then for him to remain in the boat And so in verse 29 jesus had come and peter came out of the boat. He walked on the water Peter come to me Come to where it's safe Now obviously we don't get specifically asked to walk on water. Obviously None of us has ever literally become been commanded To walk on water when we go to israel We're on the sea of galilee Every time we've been on that sea The captain of the little boat that we take Will say if anybody feels like taking a walk feel free And we obviously all laugh ha ha ha never heard that before But obviously none of us ever get out of that boat because none of us could do that So we're not really ever specifically asked to walk on water. Are we? We've never been literally With a real demand We've never been literally been commanded to walk on water So I want to look at this and i'm going to find some application for us because what we need to see in this event Is that the walk that peter takes is a walk that is motivated by faith And the lesson Well when we pray and receive directions we need to step out It can be god's way of showing us that with god All things are possible So you see he's making his his way there. He's walking but Verses 30 and 31 tells us that he saw that the wind was boisterous. He was afraid He began to sink and then he prays the wisest prayer that can be prayed. Lord save me That's the prayer that that does get you saved It's when you when you realize that you can't do what you're doing And it's not just walking on water as a christian and it can be just life itself Lord this this life that i'm living is so difficult. It's actually impossible. I have no joy. I have no peace I have an absence of love. I'm concerned about everything all the time God I need your help. That's how I got saved. That's how we get saved Lord save me Help me and that was the wisest thing that he could do is to say god I need you lord save me song 40 verse 17. I'm poor and needy May the lord think of me you are my help and my deliverer. Oh my god do not delay Well when he says lord save me immediately jesus stretched out his hand and caught him But notice he speaks to him and he says oh you have little faith Why did you doubt? It's not that peter had an absence of faith It's that his trust didn't go far enough Peter your your faith is incomplete It didn't bring you all the way to the end You started out well You didn't finish well In hebrus 10 23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering For he who promised is faithful You started out well But you didn't finish well Notice how it says in verse 32 when they got into the boat the wind ceased verse 33 says Those in the boat worshiped him And so with that said as the backdrop I want to give to you Applications I've listed six basic applications to our own lives from this miracle And and this is what I'll be saying One jesus sent them into a storm Two he left them on their own Three he watched over them Four he came to their aid Five he gave them a teaching about faith And then sixth he provoked them to worship him. We'll look at those one at a time the first thing We see that in verse 22 how it had said in Matthew 14 jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side The first thing I want to point to is he made his disciples get into the boat What's that mean while he sent them into a storm He sent them into a storm In order that they might learn to trust in him Here's an application for us as christians Believers can actually be sent directly into storms To make us dependent upon him I know there's a lot of tv preachers I've heard many of them who seem to give us a guarantee that every day is a good day Once you give your heart to christ, you'll never have another problem never have another A situation that causes you concern. You'll never have another another bad day in your life And and that's just just not true And all of us know that if you've been walking with the lord for any given time You know that after giving your heart to the lord It's almost like there's that amazing piece that he gives you and and then it's one thing after another And and I discovered a long time ago that that the the lord will use the different circumstances and situations in my life In order to train me up to become a man of god And and sometimes he will actually send me some place that I didn't even want to go Peace and prosperity are often the greatest pitfalls a believer can experience because faith is best developed matured and refined In what has been called the furnace of adversity In psalm 66 10 through 12 for you. Oh god tested us you refined us like silver You brought us into the net you laid affliction on our backs. You've caused men to ride over our heads We went through fire and through water But you brought us out to rich fulfillment You led us into a place Where everything we depended upon was stripped away from us So that the only thing left that I could do was trust you do you want to grow do you want to be A mature Christian some of you are thinking not now If you put it that way Every one of you if you drive a car Every one of you drives a car that has had various stress tests Engines different parts they go through stress tests Why is that they want to see at what point they'll break? So they can improve it or at least let you know this is as far as you should go with this everything That you use goes through various tests. Why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't I? Why wouldn't I be put in a place where I am helpless and hopeless? And then finally I realize I should cast my care on the lord because It's at that place when I find my own weakness that I discover his incredible strength So jesus sent him into the storm. Maybe some of you were in a storm right now. I know some of you are Going through a real tough time a real tough time And you're thinking lord, I don't even know why celebrate christmas. I don't have joy in my heart. What's going on? It feels like so much has been stripped from me. I feel so alone. I feel Helpless I feel weak not every one of you. Thank god for those of us who aren't Perhaps in that but some of us are and somebody watching online is most definitely You ever stopped to think that the lord allowed you to go and actually sent you into that place So he could break you and make you more like him. Have you ever said god? I want to be like you How do you think that takes place? Remember, I say at 53. He is the wounded healer. He was he was wounded for us This is one who had sympathy for all of his brother and he knew what it was like to be tempted yet without sin This is one who went through affliction for us. What makes me think that I'm going to be avoiding that in my life And I've discovered that the deeper pain I've experienced has deepened me as a believer in him When I've been at my lowest he's always had his hand underneath me to raise me up I've discovered that and these men need to learn the same thing He made his disciples get into the boat. The second thing is he left them alone He left them alone that he might teach them that they really are never alone You see we walk by faith and not by sight And though he has left them alone in reality, they're never out of his sight In job 36 verse 7 it says he does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous He was watching them And then a third thing we saw in mark 648 how he saw them straining at rowing Matthew 14 24 says that they were being tossed by the waves They're straining and being tossed While they were concentrated on rowing He was concentrated on them And they needed to learn that God is always vigilant and always concerned for them In Psalm 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 He knows what you're going through. He was watching them. They weren't out of his sight They needed to learn that he's there that he's concentrating on them Vigilant for them concerned about them and then fourth he came to their aid at the right time He didn't leave them in the midst of the struggle He came to their aid at the right moment. Psalm 18 verses 1 and 2. I love you. Oh lord my strength The lord is my rock my fortress my deliverer My god is my rock in whom I take refuge He is my shield and the horn of my salvation My stronghold he came to their aid He didn't leave them in their struggle And then a fifth thing he revealed to them how great he was It says in Matthew 14 32 when they got into the boat the wind ceased In John 6 21 they willingly received him into the boat and immediately the boat was at the land Where they were going The storm ceased and they saw that they were near land Psalm 107 verses 20 to 30 they cried out to the lord in their trouble He brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper The waves of the sea were hushed They were glad when it grew calm And he guided them to their desired Haven And then six he taught them That he was much more than they thought he was They received a deeper understanding of who he was they discovered This is the lord of creation Mark 6 651 they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure and they marveled Matthew 14 33 those who were in the boat came and they worshiped him Have you been in a storm? Have you been in a storm? Have you been in that place where you thought there's no hope? That everything that you thought Your life would be and end up Have you ever had somebody tell you it's not going to end that way? Have you ever been in the place where? Somebody said all the things that you think and thought and planned and prayed for and hoped for and expected Are those things aren't going to take place you've been there many of us have I don't remember exactly when it was some of you have heard this story before let me share it now because this Is one of those times where I was sent into a storm. I've been in many storms over the years this next week Next week I celebrate my 51st anniversary of coming to faith in Jesus Christ. I've been in a lot of storms A lot of storms if you haven't been in a storm you you aren't married. No, I I've And you don't have children. I've been in a lot of storms And so my wife Marie and I went to florida. I don't remember exactly when it was About 13 years or so ago And while we were there on our flight As we're flying I turned to Marie and I said there's something going on in my body I can feel something Something's going on inside of me And then I got quiet for a moment We arrived and we get to the Miami area And we go to the place that we're going to be Then I was going to teach I was going to teach a wednesday night bible study And then I was going to be teaching a friday saturday and sunday Married couples conference and so we were gone for a few days and all and and we'd been to miami before and We'd gone to a dunk in donuts For communion. No, we had gone to a dunk in donuts And uh, they had a particular coffee there that they sold at this Miami place That I thought they had called Cuban coffee I was wrong So I I like Cuban coffee this particular coffee So I tell my girl tell my wife honey. I'd like a Cuban coffee You know What she brings me to And they were Big cups of Cuban coffee. I'm looking at this. It's really a very strong espresso is what it is This isn't what I was expecting I was expecting something that they called Cuban which was a cappuccino These are two good size good size cups and when I drink espresso I'm not one of these guys who sip with my little pinky up like that. I don't do that I do bang It's over John. You've seen me do that boom That's how I drink it like boom Then you chew the coffee grounds, you know, that's what men do. Uh, but anyway So I I drank both of them Not realizing some Cubans. I have Cubans in this church. You know where I'm going with this It was so strong Well, I go out to teach I lost my memory I was hospitalized for four days because I didn't know I had high blood pressure And this coffee Brought me into a state where my blood pressure what happened is this I should tell you what happened I gave the study now Marie. I'd lost my memory before I'd I'd been Having trouble with it before I didn't know what it was So what had happened is I gave the study but Marie knew that I had lost my memory because what happened is I went directly to reading my notes And I read them a second time. She knew something happened So at the I gave an invitation people got saved it went down and prayed with people Marie came up the aisle to me put her arm in my arm and and I looked at her and I said I don't know where I am She was the only person I knew and I under I recognize I don't know where I'm at get me out of here I had completely lost my memory They took me into the back room called the paramedic He took my blood pressure. It was over 200 And they said he's going to have a stroke They put me in an ambulance I don't I remember kind of being in an ambulance Took me to a hospital dade county and They questioned me. I didn't know I didn't I couldn't answer questions. They put me in a hospital bed And I I woke up about three in the morning and I looked down Next to me in my bed They had brought a cot and my girl my wife was laying in that cot. She couldn't leave me She's laying there next to me for four days. I was hospitalized So I came home and I thought I don't know what's going on and so I have to go to these doctors appointments and They put me in In those little that little tube then I got a PET scan and And an MRI and so many different. I don't even remember what they all of them. There were so many And then I had to go to a neuropsychologist because they wanted to check my brain And the neuropsychologist and I were sitting and I said I was sitting across from her after going through all of these tests and And I said you need to tell me In very direct terms or I won't hear you What you think What is my prognosis according to your expertise? I'd like to know She says to me You're going to lose your memory in seven years You see the nurse had come in one of the nurses had come into the room and In front of me told my wife Oh, he's got dementia And when she said that Marie turned and looked at me because she knew what I would do with that and I looked at her The nurse walked out and I said put me in a home. I don't want you taking care of me I won't even recognize you Put me in a home. I don't want to burden you My life was gone It's gone A minister relies on its memory I rely on my memory Without a memory What am I going to do so the lady says You've got dementia. You've got you've got you have seven years I was 58 at the time You've got seven years So I look at my wife And I said take care of the bill, baby And I went and sat in the car put my hand 10 o'clock 2 o'clock some of you have done that 10 o'clock 2 o'clock and you just I held on to and he said jesus what i'm going to do I was hoping to be able to spend time with my girl Enjoy my grandchildren My life has just ended I had to go and have some pet scans some of you in the medical profession know what those are and so I spoke to the doctor the neurologist who did that And he said you have calcification on your left and right temporal lobe Not only that I found out I had glaucoma not only that I found out I had diabetes One thing after another at this it was just like a storm One after another after another So mary and I left for a week or so We had set up a Uh church get away to to mowie we used to take the church to mowie and I said i'm going to go i've got to get away i've got to just get my I gotta gotta come to grips with this because I don't know what I don't know what i'm going to do jesus you're gonna have to help me Brought my kids into the back room before he left and I told him I said you know Marie had said well he's going to and I said no mama don't do that I said this is what the doctor actually said And I told him the news I didn't tell the church anything Sometimes the church isn't very gracious to those who were sick So I didn't say anything And we took it to the lord which is what you do right And we started walking on water It was safer with jesus than it was in the boat And I said god if it's you Tell me to come and he said come So I did in the back of my mind I'm thinking I have to make plans how am I going to take care of my girl my kids The righteous man leaves an inheritance for his children and his children's children What am I going to do for my family because I won't leave them Without being cared for and I started making decisions and doing things And in preparing the doctor said I want to see you I didn't want to go see him, but I did And we went to see the doctor. I'll I'll never forget the neurologist as I sat there And I don't know why doctors like to make you wait when you have an eight o'clock, but Around nine o'clock were inside his office And this is what he says to me He's the one who had said I had calcification He kind of like looks at me and then shakes his head like this And this this is three or four weeks or so later I don't know he goes Sometimes we just make mistakes. There's nothing wrong with you So I hit him Something's wrong with you Why did I tell you that story I tell you that story because sometimes people Think that people like me just tell you hey, you can do it, but we don't go through things Sometimes people think that people like me play golf five days out of the week and then teach two days out of the week But I'm in the same boat you are in My life is the same as yours We go through the pains and the sorrows and the griefs and the losses The disappointments the rejections The judgment We go through it too I've been walking on water For many years And I can tell you he will not let you drown I can tell you he'll say come with me. I can tell you that because he does Because he does And you may right now be sinking saying god save me And jesus is pulling you back out even right now and he's saying oh you of little faith Why are you doubted? What makes you think I will not save you What makes you think I will not care for you? Don't you know how much I love you? Don't you know That's what keeps me going I'm sorry for the emotion This is real to me I've been there I live there That's where I live. That's my address Walk on water lane That's my life Because jesus I can't do this without you I can't be a good man Without you I can't be a good dad without you. I can't be a good father I can't be a good husband. I can't be a good grandfather. I can't be a good friend I can't be anything for without you I can do nothing but with you I can do all things and that's what jesus teaches us So how does it work? You worship him That's what the men did he There's p I can almost picture though. This is my imagination and not scripture But I wonder if perhaps jesus might have placed his hand on on the apostle peter shoulder And brought him back with his strength walked him back to that boat He had these other guys who were thinking oh man. He almost drowned. Yeah, but he got out of the boat and took a walk There are always people who will tell you what you're doing wrong when you're walking on water And they're in a boat They're not stepping out They're not doing anything. They're just sitting there eating their french fries saying you don't do it right Take the chance step out walk on water. Watch what god will do and when jesus walks him back to the boat They worshiped him. They said What man or man is this? And that's why I worship him because he's the one who pulls me out He's the one who makes water as as hard as concrete and walks me back to a place of safety That's what the god that we worship does for us And that's the god that I worship now. Let me close real quickly I told you I was going to take you to the end of the chapter. You may be saying oh really? Yes Let's go back to chapter six And we'll close with just a few closing words here In verse 52 it said they had not understood about the loaves because their heart was hardened He had multiplied fish and he had multiplied the bread. He had walked on water But now they're beginning to see who he is So verse 53 when they had crossed over they came to the land of gnessaret and anchored there And when they came out of the boat immediately the people recognized him Ran through that whole surrounding region And began to carry about on beds those who were sick To wherever they heard he was Wherever he entered into villages cities or the country they laid the sick in the market places and begged him That they might just touch the hem of his garment and as many as touched him were made well We'll close very quickly by just saying this They arrive in a place called gnessaret, which if you were looking at a map, it's the sea of gellerly It's a little northwest of Capernaum and they're making their way to the city of Capernaum There's no synagogue or building large enough to contain these multitudes and because of this He's ministering to the people in an open-air meeting And so they become they begin to come they're bringing people And all it and a pattern has been established. They're they're coming to jesus and droves And they carried the sick to him and others just tried to touch the hem of his garment Like the the men who had carried their friend to jesus and it opened up that roof and dropped him before him Or the woman who had the issue of blood. This is taking place. They're seizing an unexpected opportunity They're not about to let this moment pass by without receiving from him like it says on a isai of 556 Seek the lord while he may be found call upon him while he's near Now why are they bringing these people what what is drawing them what's drawing them to him is his compassion and his love That's a beautiful and very attractive thing Somebody once said a man's intelligence may win a person's mind His force of will may compel their obedience His personality may win their affection. His eloquence may gain their admiration His courage may inspire their loyalty, but only love will win their souls And they could see that jesus loved them They brought those that they loved To jesus that he might touch them And we ought to do the same We had to bring those whom we love To hear of jesus That he might touch their lives You see the invitation is still open in this season. We have great opportunity America still hasn't forgotten that there's such a thing as christmas And a lot of americans still will go to a church service Because that's what you do around christmas invite your friends invite your family Perhaps they'll come to know jesus Revelation 22 17 says the spirit and the bride say come And let him who hears say come Whoever is thirsty Let him come Whoever wishes Let him take the free gift of the water of life People can still come And take of that free life free water of life that comes through jesus christ Why did they bring their friends and family? Because jesus is loving compassionate and available He was then and he still is today Our father we ask that you would work in our hearts