Faith Over Fear

Reading: Matthew chapter 14 verses 22-36:

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). God Has A Plan For Me And Its Good (vs 22)

(2). God Sees Everything I am Going Through (vs 23-24)

(3). Gods Help Is Always On Time (vs 25-27)

(4). Gods Purpose Is Always For Our Growth (vs 28-32)

(5). God’s Word Never Fails (vs 34).

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• Desert Island Discs is a Radio 4 programme,

• That was first broadcast in 1942.

• The format of the show is simple,

• Each week a guest, called a "castaway,"

• Is asked to choose eight audio recordings (usually music),

• They can also choose a book and a luxury item,

• That they would like to take with them,

• If they were to be cast away on a desert island.

• And the host chats with the guest about their choices,

• Of music, their book, and their luxury item.

• TRANSITION:

• Question: If you were a guest, marooned on a desert island,

• What would luxury item would you ask for/take?

Ill:

• I was reminded of two missionaries.

• Robert and Mary Moffat.

• Who in the 1800’s spent ten years,

• Faithfully serving God in Bechuanaland (now called Botswana).

• (Bech-u-wana-land)

• In ten years, they saw very little response to the gospel,

• In fact, not a single convert.

• 10 years of hard work and nothing visible to show for it!

One day a friend in England sent word a letter to the Moffat’s,

• That she wanted to mail them a gift.

• (note: This was their Desert Island luxury moment).

• Their friend asked them,

• To choose whatever they would like.

• And they would do their best to get it to them.

To everyone’s surprise, Mrs. Moffat replied,

• “Send us a communion set; I am sure it will soon be needed.”

• God honoured that dear woman’s faith.

• Soon after the letter was sent the Holy Spirit,

• Moved upon the hearts of the villagers,

• And soon 6 people came to faith and made up the first Church.

• Now, in the 1800’s everything took a long time,

• The communion set was sent from England,

• But got delayed in the transport,

• But amazingly,

• On the very day before the first planned Communion service,

• The set arrived.

• TRANSITION:

• Robert and Mary Moffat were people of faith,

• God called them to the mission field, they obeyed,

• And, in his time, God would save!

• Their job was to work hard and keep trusting!

• To have faith!

Ill:

• Faith is like a bridge,

• Imagine standing at the edge of a deep canyon.

• There’s no way across on your own.

• But there is a bridge, stretching across to the other side.

• It’s narrow. It’s old and you are unsure of its condition.

• You have two choices.

• You can stay where it feels safe and make no forward progress.

• That’s what fear, apprehension, uncertainty feels like.

• Or you can take that first step onto the bridge.

• That’s what faith often feels like.

• i.e. You can’t see the whole path.

• i.e. You don’t know how everything is going to work out.

• i.e. You may even hear the creak of the boards,

• i.e. Beneath your feet as you step.

• i.e. But you move forward anyway.

• Why? Because you trust the bridge.

• Not because you’ve seen every bolt or tested every beam,

• But because others have passed that way,

• And you believe it was built to hold people like you.

• TRANSITION:

• Faith is like stepping onto the bridge,

• We have the word, the promise of God.

• But we have no guarantee the bridge will hold.

• But faith says, “I believe it’s there. And I’m walking toward it.”

• In this passage today,

• Jesus wants the disciples to step out and exhibit faith.

• That is the test, but will they pass it,

• And what about me? How is my faith?

FIVE key THINGS from this story

(1). God Has A Plan For Me And Its Good (vs 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.”

If you have been with us for the past few studies,

• You will have noted that,

• The disciples have been on an emotional rollercoaster.

• A series of highs and lows.

• An emotional low was,

• When they had to deal with the murder of John the Baptist.

• (verses 1-13)

• Then they experienced an emotional high,

• They witnessed an incredible miracle (verses 14-21)