Fielder Church Ignite 2014
Week One: John 16:33 (large group memory verse)
Small Group memory verse: Psalm 56:3-4
“When I am afraid I will TRUST in YOU, in God’s whose Word I praise. In God I TRUST, I will NOT be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” [Psalm 56:3 is a childhood song from a Bible videotape for younger children. Perhaps 1st-2nd could learn the tune?:) It helped me memorize it!]
Small Group Bible Story:
Matthew 14:23-33
Matthew 14:23-33
Questions to ask before the Bible story:
~Have y’all ever been pulled by a boat in a tube or on water skis?
~What’s the best part about being pulled by the boat? (Hopefully someone answers: THE WAVES).
It’s always fun to go over the waves when tubing or skiing! It’s what makes the ride fun!
~However, what happens when you get knocked down by the waves?
(Various answers… You sit in the water waiting for the boat to come get you.)
As you wait for the boat the waves are big but not so big that the life jacket can’t hold you above the water. It’s not so scary to be treading water in the lake because the waves are not that big. Also, the life jacket keeps you from drowning as you wait for the boat to rescue you. But how scary would it be to be trying to stay afloat in the middle of an ocean during a storm? Or even trying to WALK on the HUGE waves?! Try to picture how big those waves might be. It would take A LOT of faith and trust in the driver of the boat to come get you in the water.
~Have y’all ever been pulled by a boat in a tube or on water skis?
~What’s the best part about being pulled by the boat? (Hopefully someone answers: THE WAVES).
It’s always fun to go over the waves when tubing or skiing! It’s what makes the ride fun!
~However, what happens when you get knocked down by the waves?
(Various answers… You sit in the water waiting for the boat to come get you.)
As you wait for the boat the waves are big but not so big that the life jacket can’t hold you above the water. It’s not so scary to be treading water in the lake because the waves are not that big. Also, the life jacket keeps you from drowning as you wait for the boat to rescue you. But how scary would it be to be trying to stay afloat in the middle of an ocean during a storm? Or even trying to WALK on the HUGE waves?! Try to picture how big those waves might be. It would take A LOT of faith and trust in the driver of the boat to come get you in the water.
I have never been able to fully grasp how big the waves were
in the story of Jesus walking on water until recently when I went on a cruise
with my family. It was great on the way to our destination, but still very
bumpy. However, on the way back to Texas we sailed right through a cold front.
The captain announced that we would be “experiencing rough waters for the next
18 hours…” My room was on Deck 1, which was closer to the water. When I looked
through the small portholes in my room, the waves would splash above our
windows, causing me to believe that the waves were splashing over the ship. I
thought the ship was like a rubber ducky tossing around in a bathtub. However,
then my mom came into my room the next morning and enlightened me with an
amazing and reassuring news! After praying all night she woke up early in the
morning and went out onto her balcony. Out in the distance she saw another, but
smaller, cruise ship! The cruise ship didn’t look like it was being tossed and
turned by the waves. It was only moving up and down by the huge waves I saw
through my tiny porthole. From my perspective at the bottom of the ship the
waves seemed much bigger than the ship, but in reality they were small compared
to the size of the ship! The waves were not big enough to turn the ship over,
but when I changed my perspective and saw that other ship sailing just fine and
when I flipped the TV channel to “captain’s vision” and saw that the waves were
not even big enough to splash over the sides of the ship, I had a peace that I
would make it home. Remember this boys and girls: “Don’t tell God how big your problems are. Tell your problems how big
your God is!”
Peter had FAITH to step out onto the water, believing that Jesus is there with him. As soon as he became frightened from the wind and the waves he let fear overcome his faith. Then it was easier for doubt to creep into his mind. Peter wouldn’t have started to sink if he didn’t let his fear become bigger than his faith in Jesus. Remember this boys and girls, never let your fear become bigger than your faith. If you find fear creeping up in your mind starting singing the Veggie Tales song, “God is bigger than the boogie man! He is bigger than Godzilla and the monsters of TV! Oh God is bigger than the boogie man, and He is watching out for you and me!”
Peter had FAITH to step out onto the water, believing that Jesus is there with him. As soon as he became frightened from the wind and the waves he let fear overcome his faith. Then it was easier for doubt to creep into his mind. Peter wouldn’t have started to sink if he didn’t let his fear become bigger than his faith in Jesus. Remember this boys and girls, never let your fear become bigger than your faith. If you find fear creeping up in your mind starting singing the Veggie Tales song, “God is bigger than the boogie man! He is bigger than Godzilla and the monsters of TV! Oh God is bigger than the boogie man, and He is watching out for you and me!”
Even though Peter lost faith for a moment, Jesus was still
there to reach out his hand to rescue Peter when he cried out for help. Boys
and girls, God hears even our smallest cries to Him. God the Father WANTS to
rescue His precious, dearly LOVED sons and daughters!
Martin Luther King Jr. said this once, “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have
to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” –Martin Luther King
Jr. To add on to MLK Jr.’s wise words; we will only know what step to take if we
have chosen to put God as the Captain of our lives.
The crew members and the cruise guests have to trust the
captain to direct them safely to their destination. They have to trust in the
captains training and experience on the ocean. However, where people change and
fail in this world, we can TRUST that God is the same forever and will ALWAYS
come through for us as long as we call out to Him in faith to rescue us.
Hebrews 12:1-3 says:
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
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