Review: Read John 13:12-17 and explain what we talked about last week.
Key Verses: Psalm 33:20-22, Isaiah 50:10-11, Matthew 14:22-36
Activity: Low Ropes Challenge. All individuals…but you can do whatever you need to do to get to the other side.
Activity Discussion:
-What were your feelings when you heard the task? Overwhelmed, impossible?
-How did you go about deciding what to do?
-What did you do? Did it work? Why or why not?
-Were there other options you decided against? What were they?
Twist
-What if I took away one of the planks? Could you do it?
-What if I took away two? Or all of them? What then?
Loophole:
-What if I told you that all you had to do was walk around?
-Would you have done it? Why or why not?
Main Point:
-Walking around seems like a good enough answer…but you do it alone and there’s a lot you miss out on by walking around.
-What did you learn by attempting the task? Or what would you have missed out on by simply walking around?
-missed out on community, missed out on seeing a miracle, being used by God. Walking around required nothing more than your own strength…see God’s strength when we really rely on him.
My Story:
Background Info:
-Told you that much of what I am teaching comes from what God has done in me over the past couple of years.
-One of the things God did during that time was he took everything I understood of him and removed it. And then he began to teach me all over.
-This is a reason why I talk a lot about the difference between religion and the gospel. Because I believe that Jesus took away my religion so that I could really experience him.
-One of the ways he did that was through my girlfriend at the time.
-Really respected her, trusted in what God was doing in and through her…but we experienced God in very different ways. The way she saw God was really powerful, and mysterious. It convicted me and made me feel like maybe I was doing it wrong. So I explored the idea of doing it her way…I talked with some pastors that were over charismatic congregations, I went to healing conferences with her, I spoke with her often and explored the gift of tongues among other things.
-It never seemed to click with me for whatever reason.
-When we broke up, the easy thing to do was to search for all the negatives in the way she experienced God. So I tried to convince myself that there was something wrong with her. And that my way was right. This was the only way to feel better about the whole situation.
-I was really starting to feel like I had no idea who God was.
The Dream:
-Then one night I had a dream that embodied pretty much everything I was dealing with.
-The story.
-The Interpretation.
-Isaiah 50:10-11
-Crabb Quote: p.112 “But behind…” -To- p.113 “Where is our confidence…”
“God dealt with one expression of my fire-lighting passion the way he often does, by deepening the darkness. He allowed my confusion to get so think that I was faced with only two options: Trust God or sink into despair.” P.114
Conclusion:
-I don’t want to be someone who relies on myself. I have seen where that leads and it leads to “despair” as Crabb puts it and “destruction” as Isaiah puts it.
-The lakes will get bigger and the darkness will get darker as God leads you to deeper and deeper places of questioning.
-If you don’t learn to trust in his name with the smaller lakes…the bigger lakes will destroy you.
-But if you place your trust in God, and just get into the water. You’ll see him move in enormous ways!
-As you see him move, your trust will grow, you’ll learn even more, and he’ll minister through you!
Small Group:
-Read Matthew 14:25-32
-Do you think that Peter was surprised when Jesus actually asked him to step out? Think he was joking?
-How would you feel if you were in Peter’s shoes and Jesus asked you to step out of the boat?
-How do you think Peter felt after obeying Jesus and walking on the water? Even if it was for just a short time?
-TOUGH QUESTION: How is God challenging you to get out of the boat?
-Leaders could provide some examples: and/or share an answer of their own.
(-i.e. talk to outcasts in your school, sit with someone new at lunch, share your
Faith, give up something…bad habit, surrender control.)
-Peter had enough faith to get out of the boat…you would think that would be the hard part. Even once Peter obeyed God’s call and got out of the boat…the waves and wind continued. It was easy to doubt that everything was going to be ok and that God had a plan.
-What are some key elements of staying on the water? To avoid turning back or sinking?
-(i.e. community…other disciples get out of the boat too!, trust in uncertainties, prayer,
Talking to someone about the difficulties, sharing your story.)
-Leaders: Pray for your group and make yourself available to pray for students individually.
