Fear And Faith (Part Two)

Fear and Faith

Matt 14:27…But Jesus spoke to them at once. "It’s all right," he said. "I am here! Don’t be afraid." NLT

Review:

Last week we dealt with the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the water. The challenge was for all of us to take a step of faith.

1. Faith Recognizes God’s Presence

Peter recognized the glory of God as Jesus passed by.

2. True faith Discerns Foolishness

Matt 14:28…Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water." NLT

3. Faith takes a step

Matt 14:29 "All right, come," Jesus, said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. NLT

4. True faith Expects problems

Matt 14:30…But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted

Fear and faith part two:

Opening: Fear stops faith from working. When fear grips your heart, faith faints.

Yet faith in God can conquer fear. When we truly believe that God is able to assist, heal, bless, or keep us than we can conquer our fears.

Illustration: Otis on the 50-foot cliff and how fear conquered his life for a moment.

5. Faith recognizes fear as a price of growth

We will often come to times in our life where we are very uncomfortable. We will have to face some of our fears to enable us to follow Jesus where he wants us to go. When he wants us to get out of our boat in life and walk on some water, we will be uncertain of all the aspects involved.

The truth from this portion of scripture is. “The fear will never go away.” If you conquer one set of fears through faith in Jesus, then there will be another boat, another storm and another fear to conquer.

Real true faith recognizes fear as a price of growth

ILL Peter took a step of faith from this boat but would not take a step of faith after Jesus was taken captive and before the rooster crowed. Fear will never go away.

The fear will never go away as long as I continue to grow.

Fear and growth go together like cheese and macaroni. It is a packaged deal. The decision to grow always means a choice between risk and comfort.

To be a follower of Jesus means we must renounce comfort as the ultimate value of our life.

ILL Best selling chair in America:

La-Z-Boy

Not Risk – E – Boy

Not Work– R - Boy

We have a name for people who La-Z-Boy in front of the TV too much = Couch potatoes

The other eleven disciples who stayed in the boat could be called “boat potatoes.” They did not mind watching, but they did actually want to do anything.

New Term:

ILL Pew Potatoes: All want the comfort of spirituality, some assurance of heaven but they really don’t want the risk and challenge of doing anything when it comes to following Jesus.

Jesus is calling people to get out of the boat. He is walking by showing to all the boat people his Glory.

What is keeping you in your pew, oh I mean boat!

La-Z-Pews are very comfortable.

Every time someone conquers their fear and gets out of the boat, it makes it easier to get out of the boat the next time. Its not that fear goes away, we just get use to living with it.

On the other hand, each time we resist that voice on the water calling for us to get out of the boat, it becomes harder and harder to hear the call of God. Soon you hear no call at all.

6. Faith masters failure Management

As a result of seeing the wind and giving into fear Peter bean to sink. THEREFORE, the question come did Peter fail.

Def…Failure = It is not an event but rather a judgment about an event. Failure is not something that happens to us or a label attached to someone, “Failure”.

It is the way we think about the result of a situation.

Ill Heaven’s Gates and Hells flames in Colorado. We had raised the money, built the props, practiced the parts and preformed the first night. We concluded and the alter call taking place. At first, no one raised their hand for salvation, then finally one person. Eventually 30 people.

One board member said, I must admit, when I saw the low numbered response at first I was disappointed in my heart.

If we had had only one salvation the entire week instead of over 100, would we have failed?

Matt 14:30…But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted. NLT