Stop the Struggle

(00:01) Okay, I'm going to interrupt conversations and kids, you can head to your classes. That's exciting stuff. You can have a seat. And we have some important news. Ellie, I need you to come back out here for a minute. Thank you. Hey, Nate, could you come out here, too? Come out here this way a little bit further. Oh, he was already already out of the thing. (00:33) Nate, I first of all just want to say congratulations. Well done. Yeah. So, first loser. No, no, no, no. Nate came in second thi s year. So, they I How were things last night at home? Were they uh It was fine. But Nate took second, but Ellie was our champion again this year for Sticks and Stones. So, Yep. Well done, Ellie. That's two years in a row. So, that's good. Three years total for you. (01:07) So, yeah, the woman. Yeah. Aim for the stick and you'll probably get There you go. Aim for the stick. There you go. Now, you know, but thanks. Good job, guys. Appreciate it. Flatter rocks. flatter rocks. Okay. Flatter rocks. Aim for the stick. All right. Well, that was our seventh annual uh sticks and stones and Ellie's won three of them. So, she's doing well for herself. But uh it was really, really fun yesterday. Just put it in your mind. (01:37) If you weren't there, you missed out a lot of fun. And even if you're going, "Oh, I don't want to go and throw rocks." So, I don't know who wouldn't want to. Um, but you uh we had a lot of fun just hanging around together and laughing and having a good time. So, it was it was really really fun. (01:54) And so, just put a little bug in your ear for next year. Hope you can hope you can make it. All right. This morning, I want to continue our series, Life Unlocked. Um, we're going to look at an event that took place in the life of the disciples. It'll be chapter 14. Before I dive into that, I want to just kind of set our context to what we're talking about and what we have been talking about. (02:19) Not going to do a complete review, but I think it's worthwhile. B ut one question I do have is um have you been reading your believe book? I hope you have. Um sometimes when you get this far into things and we've been covering this for quite a few weeks, it's easy to go, I kind of missed it. Oh, now I'm three or four weeks behind. Oh, it won't matter. I no keep reading your believe book. (02:40) We still have a lot of important things to to get into and and to really build upon. So encourage you with that thought and again it's creating a habit for reading the Bible. So I want to encourage you in that uh probably more importantly. So we have talked about now in this second portion of this series that we're doing. (03:04) We are laying the foundation for uh a life that reflects the beliefs uh that we have set that God is the God of the Bible is the one true God that we he is interested in us personally that he uh made possible a relationship with him through Jesus Christ. Um that uh he is he's interested in the details of our lives that he's continuin g to work today through his church and that we who have put faith in him are his instruments for that. (03:32) We are continuing to show his love to the world as an expression of what we have received. We've walked through all of these things as the foundation for our belief. Now, we have turned to what does it start to look like for us to live it. And we started with the concept of worship. (03:49) And as I stated then, and I've said it a few times, worship is the foundation for expressing my b elief in God. Everything I do, I do it to God, not to those people around me. So, we need to keep that in in uh in our in our framework. Um worship is how I'm to live my life. So every thought, every word, every action flows for uh to an audience of one. I have an opportunity to worship or praise God with the things that I do on a daily basis. We move from worship. (04:15) Then we're building upon that that worship uh allows me to be transformed by God through prayer. that prayer becomes an aven ue by which um I can personally be before the throne of God asking him to make me aware of his will to surrender myself to his will to be able to communicate with God. (04:39) Last week then we moved into uh in worship we've got to know the one we worship so we need to be those who find ourselves in the Bible and so we need to be um yeah spending time here. There's no other way to put it. I was very encouraged last week. I heard from several people about just new challenges that they're trying t o take in reading the Bible that they uh there's a lot of you who have come to me and said they that last week's word was encouragement. (05:05) Encouraging because it challenged them to think specifically about how can I create a habit of reading the Bible? And so if you aren't habitually reading the Bible, I gave you examples of why it's important. It's that factor of four. If we avail ourselves to God's word at least four times a week, it will have tremendous impact on our lives. Been shown t o be true. (05:25) And so I'm going to encourage you um create the habit to spend time in God's word. And so now today though is to continue to recognize that in this pattern of worship through prayer, through reading the word, uh there is more that we need to understand. And that is what I want to start our next focus on. And that is today I'm going to talk about uh just the whole idea of being the chapter is 14 in the book uh being single-minded in what we do. (05:58) I'm going to maybe use a little different phrasiology than that but we need to be uh driven by one factor not multiple in our lives and that factor needs to be our belief in God. And that needs to determine everything we do. Now here's the reality of why that becomes important. Because every one of us sitting in here and every person who says that they're a follower of Jesus has a struggle. (06:15) And that struggle is what world do I live in? Do I live in this world and the influences of life here? And a lot of those t hings, they're not not everything in this world is evil, but they are a substitute for what is uh God's design for you. And God wants to be able to use the things of this life that you have and the circumstances you experience to bring out his very best in you. (06:42) And so today I want to talk about um this idea of becoming centrally focused that everything I do with my life has one purpose. Goes back to that worship idea that everything I do is to live in the kingdom of God. Everything is to live before uh the the uh watchfulness of God on my life. (07:04) I mentioned earlier there was an event that took place in Matthew chapter 14 is where we read about it um in the life of the disciples. And it's a it's something that I think we look at and we'll go, "Hey, that's pretty cool." But we're kind of quick to move on because we think, "Well, that that's not really not going to happen to me. So, I well, I'm going to maybe try to change your perspective today. (07:22) " Is that the same thing that was happening in what we're going to read about really is being offered to you. And so, and it's being offered to me. And I want to see if we can discover what that looks like. Matthew chapter 14. (07:39) I'm going to guess that uh even if you don't know your Bible really well, you've probably heard of uh when Jesus fed the 5000. And uh he actually there was a couple of times he did it. In this particular case, it's recorded as uh there were 5,000 men who were there present. So that m eans you're going to triple that as far as easily triple that as far as the number of people there. So it's probably 15,000 people that he fed. (07:59) Let's The reason I say that is to feed 5,000 would be huge. To feed 15,000 or more is really beyond our ability to comprehend. And yet it took place. He did it out of nothing really. Five loaves, two fish. Uh he fed a mass of people. Okay. Now I want that as your backdrop and we move into the next thing that unfolds. (08:25) It tells us there uh 't given an option. No, Jesus, we're going to help you clean up after the meal. (09:32) No, we want to really we want to be here with you. I'm sure that they had reasons they would have wanted to stay, but Jesus insisted they get in the boat. Keep that in mind too now as we go further into the story because it sets a context that is really a context for you and I to learn from. (09:54) So we get a little bit further out there into the story and it tells us that after Jesus had sent the crowd awa d. It says winds come up, waves are what are we going to do? Things are a little bit dicey at this point. So maybe if you can in your mind put yourself in the boat. You're getting wet. There's a lot of spray coming off the water. There's probably water coming into the boat. And all of these guys, some of them are seasoned fishermen, been on the water a lot. (11:27) They probably given orders of what to do. And somebody's going, "We didn't bring enough ores and we don't have enough life jackets a it's pitch dark out there. (12:48) The wind is howling. The waves are crashing over the boat. They're in a state of panic. And all of a sudden, they see some guy walking by him on the water. What's your response going to be? It's going to be you're going to freak out. Okay, we're let's let's be honest. (13:11) Now, it says where verse 27, but Jesus spoke to them, don't be afraid. He said, take courage. I am here. Okay, Jesus is here, but you're not in the boat. You're out there. What was it Jesu winds at sea were teaching the same lesson and Jesus was making it personal. We read them as two different stories. They're one story for the benefit of the disciples to learn to give life to Jesus. It all belongs to him. Let me ask you this question. (15:05) If Jesus was able to feed f I'll I'll say the answer 15,000 or more people with five loaves and two fish, can he do anything else? Or is he kind of limited to to the culinary arts? I don't think so. part of the purpose and the very I want ics of food production. And now he turns to them and he's looking and I and I can almost sense with Jesus a I think Jesus had a sense of humor number one. (17:00) And I thought I honestly you look this is not scriptural but here's what I I feel as I read this. Jesus is chuckling to himself as he goes get in the boat guys. get in the boat because it's real safe to be here on land and see me take care of feeding all of these people. And he had given you the opportunity. (17:24) They gave him the f e on out. (18:36) You see, he's got to recognize that it's Jesus. And even Peter in his answer is still he I love Peter. I want to be Peter in this situation. However, Peter's not perfect. I'm going to tell you that right now. But I at least appreciate that his faith allowed him to throw his legs over the edge of the boat. The storm is still raging. But Peter is still uncertain, but he is wanting to if Jesus said you, I want to be with you. So I commend that. That is awesome. (19:11) He at least you don't walk away with anything else today, it's this. God doesn't need your boat. He's never needed your boat. (20:38) Your boat is what you've become comfortable with. Your boat is what you can do. Your boat is where you feel safest. And that's why I know that Jesus with a sense of of love and compassion for his disciples, but there had to be a sense of this is going to be good, put them in the boat of where they were feeling comfortable to get in and to cross. (21:04) My guess is they were tely reached out and grabbed him. Now, catch what Jesus says. "You have so little faith. Why do you doubt me?" Now, think about in this context. (22:24) Peter, I just fed thousands of people from nothing, and I am standing out here on the water myself. Why are you doubting this? Don't you understand that the water is as solid to me as you think that boat is to you? You see, the one that can defy physics is the one that we need to put our faith in. (22:48) But we reverse that and say, if we can b standing out on the water. Here's what would have been really cool and what could have happened. (24:09) When Jesus was seen out there on the water, if they had truly seen him and recognized him, and in the context of everything that was going on, every one of them should have been jumping out of the water or out of the boat. They should have been leaping out of the boat. Hey gee, this is awesome out here. (24:26) Let's dance on the waves. This is so cool out here. Because in such confidence and t we're secure with and then we're I'll step out a little bit. (25:48) You can't do that. Many of us go through life life trying to develop a a um things that make us comfortable. I'll put it that way. I've used that word a bunch today, but that's the reality of it. We live in a world that's interested in comfort. (26:08) And so we will spend a lot of our times time looking at retirement at uh what house we live in in the cars that we drive in the education that we have things that will give us God will bless me if I tithe and if I uh recognize him, you know, from time to time, God's going to bless me. No, you know what it really is? You're working the circumstances to find your own blessings because I'll guarantee you, you are evaluating blessing based on how well it helps to secure what's in the boat. And I'll put it another way. (27:55) I honestly believe that there are times when God wants to sink your boat because he knows how much it's harming you. But you have a choice. I have a is you're needing wisdom, ask for wisdom. And if that wisdom leads you out on the waves, go out on the waves. Ask God for wisdom, but say, "I'm going to stay right here until you meet what the way I need you to do it. (29:27) " I wonder if in the next thing that he says, if James wasn't thinking about this, the event we read about in Matthew. Now, he wasn't in the boat. James becomes a follower later of Jesus. But I'm guarantee you he knew about this event. (29:45) It was one that I am sure got t inventory of what determines your sense of security, your sense of value, your sense of purpose, your sense of existence, and finding joy in this world. (31:01) And if it's only to make your boat bigger and stronger and better looking, you're missing the boat. And don't expect God to respond. And he says in there, he um uh do not waver for a person whose divided loyalty is unsettled as a wave on the sea. Okay, we've already had that picture in there. It's being tossed around. There's no sense d to God. And then it changes my appetites. So everything that is driving me is for what? Hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Then as he comes out of that he says blessed are the pure in heart for there for they will see God. (32:32) When we were there before when we did our study in Matthew pure in heart means to be undivided in your loyalty. Don't ha not having two motivations. Your heart is singular and pure in your pursuit of God. And guess what the blessing is? you will see God. You stand up. In fact, they're probably falling down some. They're trying to get back up and and they can't control anything. That's what happens when you think you can ask God to bless your boat. You're a stumbling drunk in the world and you're very happy and satisfied with it, but you are far from God. (34:22) Far from God. We have to be single-minded in all that we do. Matthew chapter 6, we read this. Jesus says, "No one can serve two masters." Told you this is a theme that runs through the whol ive righteously, and you uh he will give you everything you need. If you know the rest of what he says there in in Matthew chapter 6, he had given a context of, you know, look at the rest of the world. God provides everything for the birds and for the grass. Everything's under his control. Aren't you more important than them? Then seek first the kingdom of God. Don't be divided in your heart. (35:59) You can't serve two masters. I'll tell you this. Culturally, we become really good, at least we Or will you argue physics with him and says say you know it's just not possible for me to walk on water. Oh ye of little faith. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice. So that that is your life surrendered to God. (37:40) And again he uses very clear and distinct terms and would have been understood in that culture even better than ours. A sacrifice doesn't get to determine what's going to happen to it. A sacrifice gives up everything for it to go as praise and glory to God. Now, it's unique he cused on Jesus and we can dance on the waves like we never thought we could in this life. That's what we're being told. goes on here to say um the kind of sacrifice that that he will find acceptable that is true uh truly the way to worship him don't copy the behavior and customs of this world that's not just talking about behaviors and customs in the clothes that I wear or the accent on my way I speak or that no it's talking about a mindset in fact he'll tell us this in just a second it's a mind lse images but God will give you life and we need to live in relationship to that life. (40:46) So he says don't copy the behavior and customs of this world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. I have to literally uh as it says be transformed by the renewing of my mind. I have to see the world differently because the one who created physics rules physics and I have to fit my faith in him not in the physics themselves. And that can apply to economics. It can t is simply just a God-provided means of transportation in this world. And if he wants it, he can have it. But I'd rather have the wind and the waves and walk with Jesus. You see, that's where we have to get to. Where we can abandon and change what sets priority and perspective, what gives us life. I have a rope hanging here. (42:49) Maybe it's bugged you the whole time I've been talking. It's fairly long. I wanted to get a real long one. I was going to run it clear out here and out the hallway ome up with the right word I want right now. um you know, hey, I've got to make sure I have a good retirement and I got to make sure I have lots of friends and I've got to make sure that I'm comfortable and I got to make sure I don't go hungry and I've got to make sure and I'm building things and God, I'll weave you in in the pieces in between. (44:29) Kind of looks foolish though, doesn't it? Because if you're an eternal being, that's a blip on the radar. If I am, it's passing quick. And so, wh esson if you're willing to learn. and you desire to learn. And then I'm going to tell you this. We've been surrounded with example after example after example all through history of the power and presence of God. (46:18) And now it's your turn. He asks you when you're out there and the waves get hard, are you going to ask God, "Why God? Is this happening to me?" Or you going to go, "Oh, God, where's Jesus? I need him. I'm ready to get out. In other words, you don't care if the boat sinks because hen everyone else is angry. I can give you a solid, secure foundation that when everybody else sees waves, you see me. (48:10) I want us to get there. I want us to be those who see Jesus on the waves. who live for eternity today. So we'll know him when we transition and we meet him face to face.