Be Bold Take a Step of Faith
Luke 1:26-38
Matthew 14:22-33
This morning we are looking at two Biblical examples of individuals that moved beyond their comfort zones. Mary the Mother of Jesus by faith was willing to accept God’s plan for her life and move beyond her comfort zone and waited patiently for God to go before her.
Peter, first class fisherman, followed Jesus and moved beyond his comfort zone and stepped out of a boat onto a tumultuous sea.
Luke gives the account of Mary’s encounter with the angel Gabriel sent from God. Gabriel gave Mary the promise from God that she would become pregnant as a virgin and have a child – Jesus – the Messiah – the Son of the Most High who’s Kingdom would never end.
Mary responded, “How can this be since I am a virgin?” The angel told her that the baby would be conceived of the Holy Spirit and her baby would be the Son of God. The angel assured her, “For nothing is impossible with God.” Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.” Mary was willing to move beyond her comfort zone and wait on the Lord.
From the commitment of Mary we learn the lesson that God is often our discomforter.
I. God is Your Discomforter
Mary’s life was fairly routine and normal until an angel of the Lord showed up. Mary was looking forward to a normal wedding and starting a family after marriage.
Having God’s child out of wedlock brought on many challenges she and Joseph otherwise would not have faced. They received ridicule from family and friends and were forced to flee to Egypt as fugitives.
From the very beginning the prophet Simeon foretold that she would not enjoy a peaceable life of comfort. When Mary and Joseph took Jesus into the temple on the eight day after his birth Simeon the prophet took the child in his arms and said:
“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” During their life both Jesus and Mary experienced deep anguish and suffering.
Following the Lord May bring both blessing and pain.
When Mary responded in obedience to God’s will she did experience many blessings, but she also experienced pain. Mary experienced blessings when she witnessed her son provide the fresh wine for the wedding feast. She was blessed by his help in the family business for 30 years. Then she witnessed his public ministry and was blessed by all his amazing miracles of healing and his words spoken with authority.
At the crucifixion scene we find Mary standing near the foot of the cross. John 19:25-27 “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple who he loved (Apostle John) standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman here is you son.’ And to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”
The first words of Jesus from the cross were addressed to his mother. At the crucifixion of Jesus there were precious few to give their support. Those present included the Apostle John and four women.
As Jesus was being crucified, Mary had the painful experience of watching her son hang and ultimately die on the cross. Normally parents die before their children. Mary gave birth to Jesus whom she thought was going to be the Savior of the world. But her dreams were shattered that day at the cross.
God May Use Times of Crisis to Motivate you to move out of your comfort zone.
We all want God to give us comfort but from time to time God calls us to follow Him and in following Him we go through times of crisis and discomfort.
Have you noticed in your Christian life that when you are getting comfortable in your work and in your family that events and circumstances come along to push you out of your comfort zone?
I read about three frogs hopping along a road. One frog wasn’t looking and jumped into a big muddy rut in the road. He got stuck and couldn’t move. He told the other two frogs to go ahead and he would rest for awhile in the rut. The two frogs hopped on ahead and in a few minutes they heard, kaathump, kaathump, kaathump, and the stuck frog was not longer in a rut as he leaps forged past them.
They said, “we through you were stuck in that deep rut.” “Yes I was, but I saw this big Mac Truck coming toward me.”
God’s calling is not always to a career of prosperity, power or status.
God called Moses: “Go to Pharaoh – the most powerful man on earth. Tell him to let his labor force leave without compensation to worship a God he doesn’t believe in. Then convince a timid, stiff-necked people to run away into the desert. That’s your calling.”
And Moses said: “Here I am. Send Aaron.”
A calling is something you do for God. A career is something you do for yourself. Pharaoh had a career, Moses had a calling, Potiphar had a career, and Joseph had a calling. Haman had a career, Esther had a calling. Ahab had a career, Elijah had a career. Pilate had a career, Jesus had a calling.
As long as we live in a fallen world with human frailties we will experience challenges and God will call us from time to time to move out of our comfort zone.
God is often our discomforter. When God calls you to move out of your comfort zone He promises to walk with you.
II. God Calls You to Walk With Him.
There are a number of walks in the Bible. God walked in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day. Abraham walked with his son Isaac on the road to Mt. Moriah. Moses and the children of Israel waked across the Red Sea on dry land. Joshua and his army walked around Jericho seven times. Two disciples walked on the road to Emmaus and a stranger joined them. Jesus walked on the Via Dolorosa from the Praetorian to Golgotha. One of the most unforgettable walks was by Peter when he stepped out of the boat and walked on water.
Matthew 14 – John the Baptist was beheaded. Jesus fed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Then Jesus sent off his disciples in their boat and Jesus went off by himself to pray. The disciples get about half way across the sea and a storm comes up and is tossing their boat about in the sea. During the worst part of the storm the disciples look out and there see a person walking on the water. They are convinced it is a ghost and cry out because they were terrified. The person calls out: “Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid.”
Isn’t it just like Jesus when you face storms in life Jesus is near and says to you, “Do not be afraid!”
The disciples are in the boat hanging on for dear life. Impulsive risk taking Peter calls out, “If it is you Lord Let me come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. When he saw the waves, he began to sink and cried out, “Lord save me.” Immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught hold of him and lifted him up. Jesus helped Peter get back into the boat and immediately the storm stopped.
Before Peter stepped out of the boat he made sure it was Jesus calling him to come. There’s a difference between being a dare-devil and taking a step of faith.
#One man appeared before the pearly gates. “Have you ever done anything of particular merit?” St. Peter asks. “Well, I can think of one thing,” the man answers. “Once I came upon a gang of high energy bikers who were threatening a young woman. I directed them to leave her alone, but they wouldn’t listen. So I approached the largest and most muscled biker. I smacked him on the head, kicked his bike over, ripped out his nose ring and threw it on the ground, and told him, ‘Leave her alone now or you’ll answer to me.”
St. Peter was impressed. “When did this happen?” “A couple minutes ago.” There’s a big difference between faith and foolishness.
Peter’s comfort zone was the boat. Jesus called Peter to step out of his comfort zone. Note that Jesus didn’t call Peter to walk on a calm sea. Jesus was walking on a rocking and rolling sea with waves rising and falling – now you see Jesus and now you don’t.
Peter had never seen anyone walk on water before. When he stepped out of the boat he stepped out of his comfort zone. I wonder what he thought as he placed his foot on the water. His heart was probably pounding. He started out okay step by step.
When God calls you to do something great for him, it usually involves the supernatural. It usually involves taking steps of faith. It involves trusting God for the end result, even thought we don’t know all the answers or how things are going to work out.
Don’t focus on Peter’s sinking when he saw the wind and waves. After all he was the only one that stepped out of the boat. Before he stepped out he did wait for Jesus to invite him to “come” walk with Him. Peter’s walk was a walk of faith.
Do you remember at the end of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana has to pass three supreme tests to reach the Holy Grail and save his dying father. The first test is the “Breath of God.” As he walked down a corridor Indiana has to bow down at precisely the right moment to keep from having his head cut off by large, revolving metal blades.
The second test is “The Word of God.” Jones must walk on just the right stones – the ones that spell God’s name in Latin – to keep from falling through the floor to his death.
The third test is the real test of faith, “The Path of God.” Indiana comes to the edge of a large chasm – about a hundred feet across and a thousand feet deep. On the other side of the chasm is the doorway to the Holy Grail. The instructions say, “Only in the leap from the lion’s head, will he prove his worth.”
Indiana said to himself, “It’s impossible. Nobody can jump this.” Then he realizes that this test requires a leap of faith. His father says, “You must believe, boy, You must believe!” With all the faith he can muster Indiana walks to the edge of the cliff…lifts his foot…and then steps out into thin air---hopping he won’t end up like Wile E. Coyote in the “Roadrunner” cartoons.
Indiana steps out and a nearly invisible path holds him up. It takes a step of faith to move beyond your comfort zone.
One person may say, “I’m game for extreme sports: sky diving, deep sea diving, black zone snow skiing and bungee jumping, but I’m not ready for extreme discipleship.”
There those who are totally risk adverse. “I’m not going to risk getting hurt so I’ll stay at home in bed.” But research shows that 500,000 Americans require emergency room treatment each year for injuries sustained while falling out of bed.
Do you know the name of the best selling chair? It’s La-Z-boy, not risk-e-boy or work-r-boy, but La-Z-boy.
Peter had his faults, impulsive, brash, but there were 11 even bigger failures sitting in the boat. Peter put himself in a position to fail but also to grow. Remember, Jesus is in the water, not in the boat.
What are your comfort zones? Do you make all kings of excuses to stay in the boat? When was the last time you got out of your boat? When you get out of the boat, you may fail, but Jesus is there to fail with you. You will not fail alone.
You have a choice: Stay in the boat with life jacket on, Have one leg in the boat and one leg out of the boat, or step out of the boat unto unknown territory.
#Eight years ago I tried skiing for the first time at Copper Mountain west of Denver. We met our children and grandchildren there for a week of skiing. The first afternoon there I put on skis and decided to go down a small slope. I had water skied before so how hard could skiing on a mountain be? After inching down the mountain and falling several times I was ready for lessons. The next day I spent all morning taking lessons. I learned the fundamentals and began to enjoy the slopes. I did stay on the green level slopes. My kids couldn’t convince me to go with them on the red or black slopes. I was happy to take the scenic routes.
God is Your discomforter and God calls you to walk with Him.
III. God is Your Sustainer.
When God calls you he promises to be your helper, supporter and encourager. Peter began to sink and Jesus reached out and lifted him up.
Jesus understands your weaknesses and doubts. Your weaknesses and doubts don’t keep Jesus from helping you.
What does it take to move the hand of God? Only as much strength to call out: “Lord help me!”
It doesn’t take a perfect life. It doesn’t take education or wealth or poverty, or great works, or popularity. To move the hand of God takes simple confession. “I need you Lord. I cannot help myself. “Lord help me.”
When God calls us to follow Him we respond and say, “I will do what I can and I will trust you dear Lord to help me along the way.”
At the end of my first year at Central College I needed a summer job to help pay for my college expenses. The opportunity opened for me to work on a combine crew cutting wheat during the summer from Texas to Montana. My first day on the job we loaded the monstrous combine on the truck. I had passed the test for a license to drive a truck so my boss told me to follow him. I climbed up on the truck and started out. I soon learned that I don’t know how to shift a multiple speed axle. I prayed: “Dear Jesus, you helped me get this job, now I need your help.” After limping along for several miles the boss stopped and came back and asked me if I needed help. I asked him for instructions on shifting a dual speed axle. With his coaching and prayer I got the hang of shifting a dual speed axle.
Is God calling you to a new adventure? Are you willing to move out of your comfort zone? One way to step out is to get involved in our Alpha training for outreach. You can become part of a team to reach your friends and neighbors for the Lord. Come this evening for the first lesson, “Who is Jesus?”
You may choose the way of comfort and you may live longer, you may mass more money, you may see more television, and live a stress free life. But you will miss an adventure filled with pain as well as rewards. When you step out of your boat, and comfort zone, you will make a greater impact for God.
Mary moved beyond her comfort zone and had the privilege of being the Mother of Jesus.
Peter stepped out of the boat and did walk on water for a short period of time. He did walk with Jesus and Jesus said, “You are Peter, a rock, and on your foundation of faith I will build my church.”
As individuals and as a church let’s step out of our comfort zones and walk forward to the glory of God.
My comfort zones ______________________________
My Action Initiative ____________________________
