The Next Step Series

The Journey of Life – The Next Step

Taking steps of Faith Requires

Courage (14:27)

Desire (14:28)

Obedience (14:29)

Dependence on Jesus appears Risky

Dependence on ourselves actually is Risky

Perseverance (14:30-31)

Good morning,

Last week we were going to show a video of some of the transformation and the volunteers that put their heart and soul into this building expansion.

They did it not so we could just have a nice facility. The real legacy of all the work that went into this building is the people whom we will be able to minister to.

While we had a General contractor do most of our work, we did the remodel of our old “Sanctuary, the demolition of the foyer, and all the painting ourselves.

We had a number of people who put in a great deal of hours helping this and we are so grateful for their help.

Video.

After video 1st slide

Well, we are in our new building and besides a few minor things to take care of, we now have a fresh start in the journey of this church and the ministry ahead of us.

Last week, we began a new series called the Journey of Life and talked about how sometimes a fresh start in our lives would be great and that we have been given the opportunity to have a fresh start through entering into relationship with Jesus Christ by receiving Him as our Savior.

We do that by

recognizing that we are sinners and

believing that Jesus is the Savior, the Christ, the Messiah, God in the flesh,

who came and died for your sins and rose again 3 days later.

It is at that point that the Holy Spirit comes and indwells us and we are a new creation with a Fresh start.

But what next?

What is the next step we need to take?

Slide

So often when we have been given a fresh start in our circumstances,

we do nothing and it leads no where.

This fresh start leads to eternal life. We have that eternal life the moment we enter into relationship with Jesus Christ.

But to live the full and abundant life that Jesus came to give in addition to the eternal life we receive, is obtained through a series of next steps that make up the journey of life.

There is a next step for everyone in this room today, no matter where you are on the journey of life.

Maybe you just received a Fresh start last week by receiving Jesus as your Savior.

Baptism

Then your next step might be baptism.

We have a girl today, Kara Bouck, after the service will be taking that next step as she gets baptized.

Maybe you have been a Christian for a while and your next step is some step of faith that the Lord has placed in front of you.

TIthing

Perhaps it is in the area of giving. Maybe you need to take a step of faith and start tithing.

Trust

Perhaps it is in an area of trust. You need to step out in trusting the Lord in a particular area in your life.

Now, while the next step may be different for everyone in this room, there are certain things that enable us to take the next step that are the same for all of us.

That is what we are going to look at today.

How can we take the next step on this journey of life so that we experience the full and abundant life that Christ desires for us?

Turn with me to Matthew 14:22-33(p. 692)

Slide

We are going to take a look at Peter and some amazing steps that he took and see what we can learn from the Scriptures that helps each of us here take our next step on this journey of life.

In this passage we are about to read, Jesus has just finished performing the miracle of the feeding of the 5000. He fed 5000 men, not even including the women and children with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Everyone had finished eating and the disciples picked up 12 basketfuls of leftovers.

Matthew 14:22-33

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. When evening came, he was there alone,

24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 During the fourth watch of the night 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.