[Music] we thank you for what you're going to do tonight in Jesus precious name everyone said amen thank you so much Evan ohen all right well if you turn with me to Mark chapter 6 we've been strolling rolling don't want to go there um I uh isn't it awesome that when we just go through a gospel how many Amazing Stories we get to to go through again comb through examine deeply tonight we get to talk about Jesus walking on the water and this is a story once again very similar to The Feeding of the 5000 last week it's a it's a very well-known story a story that's almost Transcendent to even just Christian it's a story that cross it cross sends culture it's it's widely known and if I had to give tonight A a title there was there's something in the Old Testament that just caused my heart to burn in a way when I read read this story that I won't be able to read it the same way ever again and I love it and if I had a title tonight I would call it who is walking on the water and though we all know who is walking on the water do we really know who's walking on the water in this story Jesus comes to the disciples on the water he comes to them in a way they were not expecting yet that's the way he desired to come and reveal himself can anybody relate to that in the their life that they desired God to come a certain way into their life and he came the way he desired to amen because the way you were Desiring would actually cap the way he wanted to reveal his glory to you he does exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think praise the Lord because if he only did what we asked we'd be in trouble he has to do above because we don't have the capacity to ask him in our own knowledge and our own finite wisdom he Graces us he that's why Paul cried out in Ephesians Lord give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation we need to we need to see beyond what we're seeing and this is why we have to be so close to the scriptures but not to get more legalistic or to get legalistic at all it's to it's to get close to his heart to lean on him in a way and when you think about this story sacred footprints on the water do you immediately see the cross reference and this isn't the one I'm alluding to right now but The Parting of the Red Sea Jesus has just fed the 15 to 20,000 upwards because it was 5,000 men not including women and children he's just he's just showed them all that I'm the one that Moses talked about but I'm greater than him he's showing them that the Mana that came from the sky to feed the Israelites that I just fed all these people he's making it clear and now to his disciples he's walking on the water showing them that I'm the one who parted the Red Sea and in this you're seeing that the one that parted the Red Sea is the one walking on the water to me from the disciples perspective you have to I don't know if we fully grasp what was going through the disciples Minds when the like following Christ for the and I know this is me being factious but following Christ for the disciples they had to regularly buy new underwear following Christ the way that he's revealing himself all the time even after he he's risen from the grave he walks through a wall in the middle of where they're at like Christ was constantly going to another level beyond their comprehension to just show he is Lord over even what they fear he's Lord over even the things that they have no control over I just I read stories and I just I I know sometimes I give maybe long- winded intros and I I just really sometimes when I sit down with the word I just I'm just really watchful to just jump right into the scriptures because I have to remember what I'm reading before I talk about Jesus I I don't want to just give you a a description of Jesus's biography tonight I don't want to give you Jesus's Wikipedia information tonight I want you to fall in love with a man that eternity eternity knows this man all creation loves this man this the cosmos that that Jesus came to this Earth as a man but he is God he's the I am we're g to stand before him one day and we're going to behold his glory when we read this tonight Saints can we can we have reverence can we can we use the imagination God's given us and when Jesus was walking on the water creation itself was washing its Creator's feet creation wouldn't let him drown creation prepares the way of the Lord who is walking on the water before we read the passage I want to share something because you've heard me say it a few times already I really want to talk about his glory tonight I feel like it's so important that we understand if you if you don't to just give a very simple definition of Glory Glory is so multifaceted in the Bible it's hard to just give a one siiz fits-all description but but it's it's the manifested presence of God it is it is God it's the evidence that God is here it is it is who he is it is that's why in John 1:14 it says the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth could you imagine Jesus walking around as a man and God saying behold my [Laughter] glory we think we got to climb a mountain or we got and Jesus is standing in their midst and some of them are familiar with them some of them are are the Pharisees are mocking him or want to get rid of him and his glory is standing there and now his glory is walking on the water in this story and the disciples are just from a human element they have to just be outside of them themselves what did we sign up for what who are we with who is this man and when we talk about Glory I want to I want to try to make this so simple but the only thing I could think about when it comes to God's mysterious relationship with mankind is that the way that we behold more of his glory and what I mean by that is the way we behold more of who he is the way we know more about who he is the way we come to a greater realization of who he is is it's through this simple word and it's trust and you can mix Faith with that but trust is something that is so important for relationship and when I think about trust I I I can only think of relationship in a sense that and I just want to give a quick example of my own life so Jackie is not in here at the moment so if I mess any details up I won't get hammered for it and I say that totally factiously she's she keep she knows the details more than me but I did call her today to rehearse a few of these things when she was on some errand but my relationship with Jackie you know I remember when we met and 2008 2009 it was right around then and I was hosting a Bible study at my house when I was still living my parents were graciously let me stay there a little longer when I was doing a few different things and I was hosting a Bible study there and it was it was growing sizeably in fact there's people in this room that even attended that Bible study back in the day and and it grew and grew but when it was at its very small beginning like four or five people Jackie shows up with a friend and funny little thing and I know that uh before I say this I got to give a cavey I know the Bible tells us not to make vows this was a long time ago so I did not know uh but the week before I made a vow to the Lord that I wouldn't date anybody for a whole year isn't the Lord got a sense of humor that Jackie walked into my life the next week yeah he's funny but I say that to say that when Jackie walked into my life I didn't know at that moment that she was going to be my wife but I definitely thought she was attractive and I was committed for a whole year to only be her friend and you know what's really precious about that is anybody in this room can relate to the glory of a friend that's a commitment that you make with somebody and there's different levels of friendship we all know but the fact of making a commitment in relationship allows you to see a glory in somebody because you're invested there's a commitment there to know them so Jackie and I started dating on the year because if the Lord had a sense of humor so did I and I remember on Christmas Day Jackie and I went to see I asked her out if she would if we could Court the Christian terminology and we began we saw Christmas lights and we began to date and and just so you all know we we dated for actually five years because I'm a very precautious decision maker and there's some guys in the room if you're if you're a Believer and uh by the grace of God we we we remain pure in our relationship um by the grace of God and we were friends we got engaged she knows the story but we got married in 2014 and I remember when we started dating that was a new Glory but then when we got engaged then we even got to see a deeper level of one another because you see each phase of our relationship revealed a new Glory I knew her as a friend then I knew her as a girlfriend then I knew her as a fiance because as the relationship grew so did my understanding of who she was in that then when we got married I got to behold her as a wife but you see as the commitment got deeper so did the revelation of who she was to me and then we had had children and then I got to see her and am seeing her as a mother and then if anybody's been married for any time it's not always fun and I and I say that because things in life come different tragedies one of my best friends died during our our marriage there was things we've had to walk out with family on both sides and your love gets tested but that reveals another side of Glory of who that person is and the reason I would share that is because if that's how it is in our relationship in this life how much more with God that as our commitment increases and following him and pursuing him how much does he desire to reveal a new facet of his glory to us as we go deeper in commitment with him and that's what I want to talk about tonight as we go through this text as a paradigm as a as a blueprint as an infrastructure of thought I know we've been asking everyone to stand I actually I I I want everybody to remain seated but I want you to keep your eyes on this text right now I want us to give our undivided attention to mark 6 starting in verse 45 I just don't want a lot of motion at the moment I just uh just really I want us to stay still in verse 45 it says immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side to Beth Sida while he sent the multitude away and when he had sent them away he departed to the mountain to pray now when evening came the boat was in the middle of the sea and he was alone on the land then he saw them straining at rowing for the wind was against them now about the Fourth Watch of the night he came to them walking on the sea and would have passed them by could everybody say that out loud would have passed them by and when they saw him walking on the sea they supposed it was a ghost and cried out for they all saw him and were troubled but immediately he talked with them and said said to them be of good cheer it is I do not be afraid then he went up into the boat to them and the wind ceased and they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure and marveled for they had not understood about the loaves because their heart was hardened we might tag those um verses at the end of this chapter we'll see where we go but there's a lot to unpack here and the Old Testament is so rich in this passage it is bursting at the seams I really want you to know I said this last week that sometimes we and this is just quick rule of thumbs sometimes we're reading the gospels or the New Testament specifically the gospels and we'll be looking at that we'll be like wow I see the Old Testament there and we don't realize that the actual gospel writer is actually trying to make sure we do because they're writing it in light of the Old Testament they're they're they're they're proclaiming what Christ did to tell us that he is him he is the one the prophets foretold he is the one that Moses met at the burning bush he is the one he's the fourth man that was in the fire with Shadrach Meshach and abedo he is the one that defeated Goliath when David was just there with a slingshot he is him and the gospel writers do such a great job and we're just catching up in America and it's important that we see this and I really want us to be a body of people that love the Old Testament because I said it last week the O the New Testament isn't just a less grouchy God he's the same yesterday today and forever it's just now Jesus has revealed the heart of God to us he is the radiance of his glory the brightness of his glory as the Hebrew writer tells us in chapter one I have five points tonight if I'm trying to be a a civilized teacher an orthodox teacher the first point is our faith will be tested can everybody say that out loud our faith will be tested okay so when we look at the first verse here verse 45 it says immediately he that's Mark's favorite word by the way immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side to Beth Sida while he sent the multitude away now this is really important I I have up on the screen a question what is God teaching me today do you think that that's an important question to ask in prayer when you wake up God what are you Desiring to teach me today isn't it amazing how simple language could actually change your whole day what if we approach the day that God was our teacher not just our Genie what if we really woke up and submitted to the the tutorship the the Shepherd shepher in love of God in a tender way and said God I'm excited to be taught by you today show me what I need lessons on and when you do that it'll become very quick you'll you'll be very attentive in your interactions with people and the things that happen throughout the day that God is very intimately involved in the details of your life and it's fun and sometimes it's ouch but either way he's for you and he's with you the quote up there is Christ is the only reward that will Grace the heart with a never quit attitude that's a very important statement there because Paul shows us that reality that he labored more than anyone but he said it it's it wasn't I but it was the grace of God and what Paul is saying is that there is something about beholding Christ there people in the world their reward is more money their reward is a a greater position more influence more power more drugs more sex just being real the world is after more self-indulgence in every Arena and if that's their reward does anybody like let's be real the world works hard some of the world works really hard how much more should a believer that does things unto the Lord that if we really recognize that Christ is the reward of our life it should produce a perseverance in us spiritual perseverance is through gospel persuasion you want spiritual perseverance you need gospel persuasion if you see the beauty of Christ you will be infused with a never quit attitude the days that you feel like giv up there will be the spirit of God rising up on the inside of you quickening your mortal body and you can say with all the saints that it's for the joy that is set before us and that Joy is Christ you see you can't this is why and there's a fake gospel that goes out that is just all about getting material blessings and get more get more and more you will run so Weary at some point because at some point you will be disappointed and left unsatisfied because there's only one reward that causes the heart to never stop burning there was a song I wrote a long time ago that how could I ever quit this race when the finish line is your face I press on to receive the prize of staring right into your eyes this is the reality of the Born Again believer this is why our faith can be tested in any way when we know the reward if you don't know the reward you'll fail the test because you'll give up so easy if your reward is just to feel better that's not a good enough reward feelings are fickle feelings change he never changes he is a reward the Bible says that there is treasure in heaven that moths cannot eat that can't be rotten there's a treasure waiting for us and yes I'm sure God's going to blow our minds with so much of what he has in store for us but I don't know about you I think I think he's going to be pretty amazing to see how many I can't wait to hear him sing do it another eternity God sing it's it's these realities that help us but this reality because we got to move that Jesus is making his disciples isn't it funny that we just saw in the previous chap or the previous Passage remember he we we read he made them sit down in green grass we saw in the psalm he makes us lie down I don't know about you but I'm fine if God makes me do something in fact I welcome it is anybody else because there's a lot of people that are like don't make me do something no if you want anybody to make you do something it is the Lord hence the name Lord he should have the right his lordship actually removes your ability to have rights you gave your opinion died the day you gave your life to Christ I have been crucified with Christ it's I who no longer live it's Christ who lives in me in the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Galatians 2:20 just to get a little we have to look at all the gospels John's gospel gives us a little detail of why Jesus was sending the disciples away if you're familiar with John chapter 6 Jesus gives an Oscar award-winning sermon on cannibalism that's me it's me being factious he talks about eating his flesh and drinking his blood but we know the whole context they were not able to fully grasp that in the moment and all those people 15 20,000 people began to walk away do you know how could you imagine all the air being sucked out of a room to have that many people hanging on every word you said and then to make that many people leave Jesus had no problem with shrinking a crowd no problem in fact he made it almost a habit it it's really I mean it's really I'm telling you it's really interesting when you really study that's why you have to be very you know a lot of times and and please hear my heart in this growth is good and I love even how our body is growing but not all growth is good ask a tumor not all growth is good and that's why we have to Be watchful that growth alone does not determine or dictate sign or or give a signature to God's being in it do you understand that and that's why we need discernment and we get discernment by loving truth not loving Trends not loving Rhymes or loving celebrities or idolizing things that aren't scriptural or or making main things out of minor things we have to be very watchful that's separate sermon but John 6:15 we get this little detail it says that therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force to make him King he departed again to the mountain by himself alone this gives us a little detail into the story here that that when Jesus provided all the bread for the people their bellies wanted to make Jesus king and Jesus refused their motive for making him King so many of us would be like isn't it awesome this is why you came to the Earth Jesus they all want to make you King and Jesus said no their motives are impure and they don't really want me they just want selfish things they just want me to do things for them they don't really want me and he wouldn't he wouldn't abide and John lets us in on that so that's why we're we're getting this in Mark that he's sending them away but their faith is going to be tested now because Jesus makes the disciples get onto the water and Jesus goes up to the mountain to pray can I remind you of a detail remember when Jesus went away when John the Baptist got beheaded he brings the disciples and he says come away let us rest for a while and Jesus was on a mandate to get alone and pray so even after all of that serving he did not let that excuse from him getting alone to be with his father and that even after all that service he didn't say you know what now I can't go in the secret place cuz so much came up so I got to keep going Jesus said you guys can go away now I'm going to be alone with my father and it said the disciple he made the disciples go and I you would imagine the disciples have to be thinking why isn't he coming with us there has to be a few details there but Jesus goes up on a mountain to pray this is symbolic of Moses in the Old Testament that what Moses would go on the mountain to pray and the Israelites were tested when the Mana came so the disciples have just part took of the Mana and now they're going to be tested just like the Israelites were in the wilderness and he's going to test them by putting them out in the water are you following yes can I give you a few testing scriptures just so or biblical James 1 should be a familiar one James 1 2-4 my brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials everybody love that one put on the refrigerator jump up and down in the morning count it all joy Lord another trial knowing that the test in of your faith produces patience let patience have its perfect work in you that you may be perfect complete lacking nothing if you keep reading it says if any man lacks wisdom let him ask of God who gives liberally without reproach but when he asks make sure he ask in faith not being double-minded unstaple in all his ways so the next one is 1 Peter 1 6-7 in this you greatly Rejoice though now for a little while if need be you have been grieved by various trials that the genuiness of your faith being more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire may be found to praise honor and Glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ could anybody in this room come with me and can we get a little bit more joyful and excited about the trials that await us knowing that God is with us doing a great work in our hearts revealing himself to us a lot of people are rebuking the refined inment there's some people that are asking for deliverance when they should be asking for endurance now that's not everything please hear me out some things you have to know this is an attack of the enemy this is something that I'm going to stand on the word upon but I'm telling you when you know that he is with you you can find joy you can find peace you're stabilized by Grace our next Point everyone say our great intercessor great intercessor you know when when I am going through a really turbulent season and I begin to think of people that I want praying for me I don't think of just random people I think of people that love God there's fruit in their life they've stood by me in different things is anybody with me that when you ask for prayer you want to go to somebody have you considered has have you considered that Christ is constant conly praying for you does anybody think we should let our face know that sometimes that Christ is praying for us and if we could get that one slide up for the next Point our great intercessor it says that have you considered the seismic implication of Christ constantly praying for you as we were just saying and I did want to bring this this up this is something I was meditating on today it says when we pray we are not starting a conversation with god we are joining the Eternal conversation God has been having about us sometimes when we're about to pray we're thinking we're we're giving God the scoop like God I don't know if you know news report [Laughter] he's very aware and there's some people in the room let's be real some people actually that that's hurtful to them you mean God knows it doesn't seem like it or feel like he knows but this is this is important that when we engage with God he's already he's been talking about us ever since time began we are part of the plan we are the gospel is God revealed to mankind peace on Earth Good Will to man this is this is the Eternal story line but I want to remind you I want to give you these scriptures tonight Christ is our intercessor this is why we love the prayer room you see prayer is not just there's a lot of people that the only time they pray is before they eat maybe before they go to bed prayer we're told is to be unceasing because God is constantly talking to us he's just waiting for us to engage in the conversation he's already having this should make you excited to pray could you imagine just hearing Christ could you imagine if you were just still alone in your room and you said holy spirit could I hear what Christ is praying for me right now remember when Peter says I'll never deny you Lord in Luke 22 and Jesus says Satan has asked to sift you like wheat but I have prayed for you what about maybe one of the times Jesus was up on the mountain he's praying for Peter that Satan's asked to sift you like weat but I've prayed I pray that your faith would not fail you what does it have to do with that's the trust I pray that your faith would not fail you so you could see a new realm of my glory when you're tested that when Satan comes to test that you would see a new realm of my glory that I'm the great intercessor that I'm praying Hebrews 7:25 this one always gets me therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost how many were from the uttermost those who come to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them he always lives Christ you know we could look at what Christ did on the cross would everybody be okay with giving Christ eternity off like hey Christ you take a vacation what you did on the cross that was more than enough he ascends to the highest of highs and he's praying for us in Christ's darkest moment on the cross he's praying forgive them for they know what they forgive them for they know not what they do he's interceding in his darkest moment and in His Highest moment of Victory he's still interceding yet we get bored in prayer I love this I read this from actually uh this was a monk I I read this from a monastic uh practice just this past week he said that if you get distracted 10,000 times in 20 minutes of prayer that's 10,000 opportunities to return to God because distraction in this life is an inescapable reality but it's actually an opportunity to say Yes again to him and no again to the world every time there's some people that when you begin to pray you're just like I just can't pray I get so distracted so quickly you're not alone you know I hear some people when they pray they they're having visions and they're having this I feel like nothing happens join the club sometimes it's great sometimes it's just sharing presence sometimes my wife go on a date and we go somewhere really nice and it's amazing sometimes we have a ppj while the kids are screaming either way she's my wife and I love her company do you see we got to Be watchful to not make prayer this ultra big thing because then we actually can remove just the the discipline of daily interaction with God I'm getting a little ahead of myself because Romans 8:34 who is he who condemns it is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for US 1 John 2:1 my little children these things I write to you so that you may not sin and if anyone sins we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous do you see this that Christ is praying for us and why are we bringing this point up because in verse 46 of Mark it says when he had sent them away he departed to the mountain to pray I'll tell you what I'm so thankful that Jesus has ascended and he is praying for us can anybody rejoice in that tonight that when he returns he's coming straight from the secret place he's not coming from a big conference he's not coming from he's coming from intimacy with the father to bring in his reward he's coming to harvest the reward he's been praying for you know how excited we get when we get an answer to prayer imagine Jesus's face when he gets his answer oh the father is good our next Point everyone say our very present help where do you need the help of the Lord today if anybody in this room says you don't you can come to the altar now you need to get saved he's an everpresent help because you always need help he sent the Holy Spirit who is named the helper he actually there's a whole part of the godhead that is designated to help you walk around all day the reason Jesus trusted us isn't because of us it's because of the Holy Spirit news flesh he we trust the Holy Spirit leading us guiding us as we lean on him and God is so gracious this is a a little quote just for the reality here that knowing God sees you and is actively aware of the conflicting details Waring against your destiny should keep the eyes of your heart captivated and expectantly hopeful in prayer why would we read that and why would we ask this question well in verse 46 it says now when evening came the boat was in the middle of the sea and he was alone on the land then he saw them straining at rowing for the wind was against them now about the Fourth Watch of the night he came to them walking on the sea and would have passed them by there's a lot of details in this verse but Jesus is praying on the mountain and he sees them struggling this is giving us a picture of his intercession Ministry that while he's interceding for us he sees our struggle he sees what's against us he sees it but the scripture says that he begins to act on what he sees because he goes to them I don't know if that excites you but this is this would show me that Jesus's Prayer Ministry is not distant it's not cold it's not disengaged or disconnected but it's very involved it's very intimately involved and that brings rest to my heart that when I read this cuz the disciples once again remember we read in Mark chapter 4 probably about 2 months ago now that where is Jesus deciding to meet them again in a storm why remember they were you could argue they were traumatized the last time they didn't that they just said who is this man that the wind and the waves obey him they in Matthew's gospel in Matthew 14 at the end of his gospel which he brings up Peter walking on the water his is the only gospel that does that it says that they worshiped him when he got into the boat which we're going to get to in a little bit but they they had a graduation of heart the first time they just were trying to diagnose who he was but this time they begin to worship Him and there's only one who receives worship so that's what you can tell your Jehovah Witness friends and your Mormon friends that Jesus received worship and there's only one that receives worship Jesus Is God he's part of the Triune being the trinitarian God but what we see is he sees them here and Psalm 46 1-3 tells us God is our refuge and strength of very present help and trouble therefore we will not fear even though the Earth Earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea though its Waters Roar and be troubled though the mountain shake with its swelling say I just think it's so important that we remember in this place of prayer do you see what they're doing in this they are trained fishermen at least four of them we know and they are rowing have you ever been in a place in life where you have exhausted you're have you ever been emotionally physically exhausted to the point where you'll see here that not only are they exhausted but it's dark so their exhaustion and blindness are often friends in the spiritual realm they try to you get exhausted and you can't even see they're just they're at Sea they they need help Jesus sees this this is you could almost argue that this is this is eschatology that Jesus is showing that when the church is at this place that that Jesus is coming back for his bride in a dark place but he's rescuing and he's coming and I I want to bring up I just want to rewind for a moment about prayer and I know we talked about prayer a lot last week God is calling his body into deeper prayer this is so important Saints you this is not the time this is not the time time to disengage our engagement with God breaks our enslavement to the world we have to stay engaged you're going to be so tempted to fall for the political swirl that is Among Us it it's sad where our country is at it really is I know that it could seem like they there there may be perceived hope and I want to I want to believe I want to believe the best but I'm telling you the answer is not in what you're seeing on TV it's just not I'm telling you and I know that's not popular preaching sometimes but I hope you would see just by you show me Christlike character and what you're looking at and what you're seeing we vote biblical that'll be another topic later we vote biblical we stand on Godly principles we let God do what he does based off those things but I'm telling you if you are begin to get caught up in all the propaganda it's going to cause so much distress to your soul it'll wound your soul you weren't created to live off that you were created to contend for the promises of God who's a covenant keeping God that in the midst of so many people that can't even keep a promise there is one that has never let One Promise go unanswered there's not one promise he hasn't kept that's why he makes a bad politician he's a king he's a ruler he's a gentle savior the one thing about rewinding on prayer I encourage you to read Elijah First Kings 18 very popular passage of scripture but I was so reminded and I'm going to going to speedroll the final moments here but I just wanted to bring this up that remember when Elijah was praying for the rain to come back do you know when he prays he prays seven times it says that he stays did you know what's something so interesting that I was just examining about that text is he never changes his approach to prayer did you know that when soon as things don't work in our lives we immediately change everything and God doesn't get to change us because we won't stay in a place of discipline Elijah just stayed in a position of prayer knowing that God would keep his promise he KN he knew he didn't have to do theatrics he knew he didn't have to go all over he stayed faithful in prayer and he engaged this is why sometimes the best types of praying is just saying God I'm present and I am going I've been and I think I was sharing that with some of you all last week and a few I've been practicing way more Stillness in my life before the Lord and it has been so enriching I just it'll be like just a time in the day I'm just like I know I got to press pause on this traffic jam up here I need to be with the Lord can anybody say Amen to that so as we had said that he's our very present help our next Point our transformation everyone say our transformation now this is our Apex moment where we'll we'll kind of descend it says in verse let me read verse 48 through 50 here then he saw them straining and Rowing we were reading the wind was against them now about the Fourth Watch of the night he came to them walking on the sea and would have passed them by I made you repeat that earlier when it comes to our TR transformation there's a question up there that I'm pretty sure we could all relate to have you ever felt like you missed God that can be a heart branching moment to when you feel like you may have missed God and sometimes the best way to perceive God is just like anything else it's in hindsight when you look back on your life and you're able to see where God was in the details where God was at in so many different things in our life and what I want to share here is when we're reading it says he would have passed them by verse 49 it says when they saw him walking on the sea they supposed it was a ghost and they cried out for they all saw him and were troubled but immediately he talked with them and said to them be of good sheer it is I do not be afraid this is this is heaps and heaps of Revelation here Lord help us I I I want to just share a few things the first quote I want to share with you remember we were talking about Psalm 23 last week and David personalizes that God is a Shepherd when he says that even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me up to that point I want to remind you all that God does not lead us to the Valley of the shadow of death to abandon us he leads us there to reveal who he is and he is Lord over death he is Lord over this is why In this passage that they are at a place at Sea they are they are struggling they are they are they are Str strung out they are stressed they are full of anxiety they have no hope and Christ comes walking on the water as if he is going to pass by there are some theologians that believe that the reason he was going to pass them by was actually not to be cold or to be like see you later you bunch of disciples you know you're like uh haha like it wasn't like he was going by them in Mario Kart trying to win the race the reason some theologians believe he was passing them by was to go back to the psalm 23 shepherding that he was going to pass them by so he could lead them but when they got scared what would a Good Shepherd do he would remind them of his voice which is why he said be of good cheer it is I do not be afraid and if you know the Greek a little bit when he says it is I it is translated I am so when Jesus was walking on the water he has just performed the feeding of the 5,000 which could have been up to 20,000 and now he's walking on the water and he's showing the disciples I am oh to see him walking on the waters in that capacity now when we talk about our transformation 2 Corinthians 3:1 15-18 says but even to this day you guys good for just a moment but even to this day when Moses is read aail lies on their heart nevertheless when one turns to the Lord everyone say turns to the Lord the veil is taken away now the Lord is the spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty but we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory just as by the spirit of the Lord this is why when he's coming walking on the waters he's trying to say I want to reveal a part of my glory that you have not yet seen how many people want to wake up every day and say God I want to see a new glimpse of your glory any way you want to show me now that can get dangerous but it's not if you realize how gentle he is and how amazing he is I remember when I first heard things like this I remember when I was first serving the lord and I remember people say if you pray for that Be watchful and I remember being like what's going to happen like so I Just Want To Be watchful he's gentle he's amazing ple please engage with him I hope I don't put any thoughts in your head that God's going to be like like a he wants to reveal his glory to you in a way now this is our Apex moment I told you there was something in Job that we're going to circle around here when Jesus was walking on the water there's only one that walks on the water and we find it in job 9 and this is we're only dipping our toe in right now and I know I'm running late we're dipping our toe John 98 it says he alone spreads out the heavens and Treads on the waves of the sea do you see when the disciples see Jesus walking on the water saying I am you could you imagine what is going through their mind they're like burning bush Red Sea parting that's why Peter was like if it's you tell me to come maybe he's thinking about Moses taking his shoes off in the presence of God and he's like I'm just gonna I'm G to step because this is Holy Ground and Peter's like I bet I can stand on this is this beautiful now remember we said passed by passed by Jesus would have passed them by I know I gave you one angle can I show you a few from the Old Testament that'll make your heart burn Exodus 331 18-23 this is when Moses asked to see the glory of God watch he said please show me your glory and then God said I will make my goodness pass before you and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion but he said you cannot see my face for no man shall see me and live and the Lord said here is a place by me and you shall stand on the Rock so shall be while my glory passes by that I will put you in the Cliff of The Rock and I will cover you with my hand while I pass by so when Jesus is passing by he's asking them behold my glory you can see my face now we're not done First Kings 19 remember we talked about last week with Moses and the prophets the law and the prophets there's a little story about Elijah First Kings 19 when Elijah is in despair in the cave God said go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord and behold the Lord passed by and a great strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks and the pieces before the Lord but the Lord was not in the wind and after the wind and earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake and after the earthquake a fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire a still Small Voice behold it is I be of good cheer I am do not be afraid do you see the glory of God remember on the road to EMAs that Jesus would have kept walking would have passed them by until they said will you stay with us and then we're going to take communion and that's what they did I want to show you that the Bible is so rich with this remember we just read it in Mark 5 the woman with the issue of blood Jesus is passing by and the woman touches him because she doesn't want the glory to go by without her beholding it in a way she didn't even know fully but this is the truth in the word that every day God is wanting to reveal his glory he's passing by to lead us and we're sometimes too busy to behold this Glory this this amazing moment moment that we can cross over and Heaven kisses Earth and we transcend out of the this busy mindset and we find ourselves in the middle of the throne room of God realizing that we are a part of an eternal storyline that this is way more than it is in our final point tonight everyone say our God is for us God for us are you aware that what you are afraid to confront you simply cannot conquer you see this is why Jesus wants to reveal himself again in the middle of a storm because the first time they didn't fully see him they still it says that they were they were fearful it says that everyone feared but Jesus is coming back and he's revealing himself it is I be of good cheer do not be afraid and this quote I want to just share as a challenge that to radically open up to God daily is the Wellspring to the purest quality of life did you know so many people sometimes they're waiting for the next conference like we said earlier they're waiting for this seismic moment this crazy moment where God marks them not realizing that every day you have access to radically open yourself up to God and let him meet you this is why I really think we have to Be watchful that we um uh actually let me can I read you something real quick this is something I read out of a book yesterday it was so good it says there is no such thing as being professionals at prayer we are always beginners there are instances when I spend time with God in silence and can sense his love and mercy but then there are occasions when I feel that it was time wasted anybody else but like with most of our closest relationships even the ordinary moments are shared presence that is the gift silent prayer is often uneventful it's what I refer to as holy boredom in a society driven by sensory stimulation distraction and activity silent prayer is an alien practice it's not from this world I hope that encourages you I'm often in conversation with people who lament that nothing Earth shattering happens when they are still in silent think of boredom during silent prayer as an act of purification in this uneventful moment God purifies us of the false god of Good Feelings while good feelings are gifts they can easily become ends in themselves we can move from worshiping the Living God to worshiping our spiritual experiences oh that's good this is a fine line we must be mindful of the ever urgent need for people growing in relationship with God is the willingness to endure moments that are far from inspirational that'll preach because we live in a moment where everybody needs to be constantly entertained constantly stimulated something has to constantly help them get to this level I need a word brother I need this this is so pre this is so holy so our final moments we're going to take communion together but the reason I said our God is for us that Jesus is confronting them in this moment and the thing that made my heart burn the most about this that I wanted to share with you all is you know how I brought up job nine before can I read job n this one section to you and then we'll take communion together is anybody familiar with the Book of Job in the house so in Job chapter 9 do you know that is where it said that he walks on the waves did you know what job 9 is all about it's about Job crying out for a mediator before him and God do you know why that's so important is because when the disciples are on this boat and they're out at Sea that what they really need is they don't only need to see God they need to see that there is someone that represents them before the holy God that they're afraid to stand before one day and there's only one that Jesus walking on the water is actually showing them that not only is he the prophet he's not only the Messiah that the prophets foretold he's not only the I am that was revealing himself as the great I am at the burning bush with Moses but he's the mediator that job cried out for in the midst of his Darkest Day what you all need to know tonight is that our great intercessor the mediator this is what makes Christianity so precious did you know that there the gospel gives a verdict to your case before you do anything the verdict is you are innocent the gospel declares that you are innocent because of the grace of God you are pure because of the grace of God we have a mediator that prays for us that loves us that in job 9 I just want to read this real quick to you it says in verse 8 again he alone spreads out the heavens treads on the waves of the sea he made bear he made Orion the pleades and the chambers of the South he does great things past finding out yes wonders without number if he goes by me I do not see him if he moves past I do not perceive him if he takes away who can hinder him who can say to him what are you doing God will not withdraw his anger the alleys of The Proud lie prostrate beneath him remember job is wondering why is all this happening to me I need a mediator I need someone to stand before God and plea my case he then says how then can I answer him who chooses my words to reason with him for though I were righteous I could not answer him I would beg mercy of my judge if I called and he answered me I would not believe that he was listening to my voice for he crushes me with the Tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause he will not allow me to catch my breath but fills me with bitterness if a matter of strength inde deed he is strong and if of Justice who will appoint my day in court though I were righteous my own mouth would condemn me though I were blameless it would prove me perverse I want to go down to verse 32 it says for he is not a man as I am though I may answer him and that we should go to court together nor is there any mediator between us who may lay his hand on both of us let him take his Rod away from me and do not let dread of him terrify me then I would speak and not fear him but it is not so with me I don't know if you are aware of this but job is the oldest writing it's the oldest manuscript in the Bible it's not the first book of the Bible but it is the oldest dated and the fact that in job 9 it says that he walks on the waves and that job would be crying out for a mediator from so long ago and that when Jesus is walking on the waters he's saying I am the Messiah I am the I am and I'm the one that's going to represent you on the day of judgment I want you to know that tonight when we take communion that we talked about it that when Jesus broke the bread for the 5,000 he broke it and there was more more than enough and everyone was satisfied when we break this bread we've been breaking this bread as followers of Christ for for for millenniums now and it still multiplies Grace it multiplies this message that he loves us and that he mediates before us and if the uh ushers would make themselves available up here I just want to read these scriptures to you 1 Timothy 25-6 says for there is one God and one mediator between God and Men the man Christ Jesus everyone say Amen Titus 34-7 says but when the kindness and the love of God our savior toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ Our Savior that having been justified by his grace we should become HS according to the hope of the eternal life finally Hebrew 44-16 which has gotten me through so many Dark Nights capture the weight of this moment Hebrews 4:1 14-16 seeing then that we have a high priest who is p pass through the heavens Jesus the son of God let us hold fast our confession for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin Let Us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and Grace in a time of need I don't know if there's an amen loud enough to what we just read but this is the gospel as we take communion tonight I shared this with Nick and Dave the other day this there's a story that has melted my heart there was a there was a pastor in New York he was a father of three young boys at the time in their early teenage years his wife and their mother passed away tragically and as they're driving home from the funeral the father is just trying to find any way he can encourage his boys who are crying and don't know how to deal with the loss of their mother in that moment and the father sees a a Big Mac Truck tractor trailer at a red light and he he sees the shadow that it's casting and in that moment the father says to his sons he said do you see that shadow that's being overarched by that truck and they all said yes he said would you rather be hit by the truck going 120 mph would you rather be hit by its shadow and the Sun said the shadow he said I want you to know that Jesus Took the hit of that truck so you would only have to face the Shadow and that your mother that death has lost its thing because we have a mediator we have a high priest Saints don't wait for another breakthrough to praise him don't wait for another need to pray we stand on a Holy Ground he's passing by tonight his body his blood if we could take the final moments tonight could you find healing in the in the Eucharist than this ancient path that we've been brought into to share his body