follow along

They say that a sign of a mature preacher/teacher is to not “over present”, or attempt to offer more in one lesson that can be received and digested by the average listener. If this is true, I guess I am just a “punk” preacher. I pretty much continually have more material on a Sunday than can possibly be presented or received.

So I will give you the basics of what I am teaching tomorrow, because I am pretty sure that I won’t get through it.

We are concluding our series, “A Batter Year“, tomorrow’s theme is “Better Destinations”.

3 leading questions:
-Where are you headed?
-What are you hoping for?
-How do you get there?

Series texts:
Hebrews 6:9b “We are confident that you are meant for better things…“
I Peter 1: 3 “Now we live with great expectation.”

Today’s text:
John 6:16-21 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. (NIV)

1. What we can expect (in life)
John 6:18 “A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.”

Life will be very challenging and sometimes difficult, but we hold on to hope.

G. K. Chesterton said, “There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.”

Expectation is the operation of our faith!
Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”

2. Jesus approaches
John 6:19 “they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water.”

We should not be surprised:
-That He appeared: John 14:18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
-Or that He walked on the water: Job 9:8 “He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.”

3. Take him into the boat
John 6:20 “he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat.”

We may expect that the storm would now be over…
Lloyd John Ogilvie, “Sometimes the Lord rides out the storm with us and other times He calms the restless sea around us. Most of all, He calms the storm inside us in our deepest inner soul.”

3 reason why some won’t/don’t let Jesus into the boat:
They don’t know He wants to (no one ever told them).
They are self-sufficient.
They are angry about the storm.

My most compassionate answer: get over it and let Jesus steer your life!

4. Desired destination
John 6:21 “immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.”

Where do you want to go?
You realize that it won’t be easy getting there, right?
We desperately need Jesus on board if we are going to get where we want to go.
If we are going to ha A Better Year, He is the only way!

For further study:
Psalms 107:23-31