Trusting Jesus: Embracing Faith Amidst Life's Challenges
Summary
In today's gathering, we reflected on the profound significance of Easter Sunday, a day that marks the fulfillment of every promise Jesus made. As we continue our 21 days of prayer, we are reminded of the importance of reaching out to those who have yet to experience the transformative power of Jesus in their lives. Our mission is not just about growing our church in numbers but about ensuring that each person encounters Jesus and understands the depth of His love and sacrifice.
We delved into the stories of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and walking on water, both of which are more than just miraculous events; they are lessons in faith and trust. When Jesus fed the 5,000, He was not only addressing physical hunger but also teaching His disciples—and us—about the importance of recognizing and responding to the needs of others. Jesus challenges us to see beyond our limitations and trust in God's provision, even when the task seems impossible.
The story of Jesus walking on water further illustrates His call for us to trust Him amidst life's storms. The disciples, despite witnessing the miracle of the loaves, struggled to understand the full significance of Jesus' power and presence. This narrative serves as a reminder that Jesus sees us in our struggles and is always ready to calm the storms in our lives if we trust Him.
As we journey with Jesus, we are encouraged to embrace a personal relationship with Him, recognizing that He is always in control and has a plan for each of us. Our faith is not just for our benefit but is meant to be a testimony to others, showing them the difference that a relationship with Jesus can make.
Key Takeaways:
1. Easter's Significance: Easter Sunday is the culmination of Jesus' promises, a day when every word He spoke became reality. It reminds us of the power of His resurrection and the hope it brings to our lives. As we prepare for Easter, we are called to pray for those who have yet to experience this hope. [00:00]
2. Responding to Needs: The feeding of the 5,000 teaches us to see and respond to the needs of others. Jesus challenges us to look beyond our limitations and trust in God's provision, reminding us that our faith can have a ripple effect on those around us. [41:45]
3. Trusting in Storms: Jesus walking on water illustrates His call for us to trust Him amidst life's storms. Despite the disciples' fear, Jesus' presence calmed the storm, teaching us that He sees us in our struggles and is always ready to help. [51:13]
4. Personal Relationship with Jesus: Embracing a personal relationship with Jesus is crucial. He desires to walk with us through life's challenges, offering guidance and support. Our faith is not just for us but is meant to be a testimony to others. [58:57]
5. God's Provision and Plan: Jesus' miracles show that He always provides and has a plan for us. Even when we face impossible situations, we are reminded to trust in His control and believe that He will help us through. [01:02:38]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - The Significance of Easter
- [02:15] - 21 Days of Prayer
- [04:00] - Reaching Out to Others
- [06:45] - Introduction to Walk with Jesus Series
- [08:30] - Jesus Feeds the 5,000
- [12:00] - Lessons from the Miracle
- [15:45] - Trusting God's Provision
- [20:00] - Jesus Walks on Water
- [25:30] - Facing Life's Storms
- [30:00] - Personal Relationship with Jesus
- [35:00] - God's Plan and Provision
- [40:00] - Embracing Faith and Trust
- [45:00] - Closing Prayer and Reflection
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Mark 6:35-52
- Matthew 14:28-30
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Observation Questions:
1. In the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000, what was the initial reaction of the disciples when Jesus told them to feed the crowd? How did they express their concerns? [41:45]
2. What did Jesus do immediately after feeding the 5,000, and how did the disciples respond to His instructions? [45:48]
3. How did the disciples react when they saw Jesus walking on water, and what did Jesus say to them? [51:13]
4. What was Peter's request to Jesus when he saw Him walking on water, and what happened when Peter stepped out of the boat? [01:02:38]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does the feeding of the 5,000 teach about Jesus' approach to addressing both physical and spiritual needs? How does this reflect on His character and mission? [41:45]
2. How does the story of Jesus walking on water illustrate the importance of faith and trust in Jesus during life's storms? What does this reveal about the nature of faith? [51:13]
3. In what ways did the disciples' reactions to Jesus' miracles reveal their understanding or misunderstanding of His power and presence? [58:57]
4. How does Peter's experience of walking on water and then sinking serve as a metaphor for the challenges of maintaining faith amidst fear and doubt? [01:02:38]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed by a situation. How did you respond, and what role did faith play in your response? How might you respond differently in the future? [41:45]
2. Consider the needs of those around you. What is one practical step you can take this week to respond to a need you see, trusting in God's provision? [41:45]
3. Identify a "storm" in your life where you need to trust Jesus more. What specific action can you take to remind yourself of His presence and control in that situation? [51:13]
4. Like Peter, have you ever taken a step of faith only to find yourself doubting? How can you prepare yourself to maintain faith when fear arises? [01:02:38]
5. How can you cultivate a personal relationship with Jesus that impacts not only your life but also serves as a testimony to others? What specific changes can you make to deepen this relationship? [58:57]
6. Reflect on the concept of God's provision and plan. How can you remind yourself of this truth when facing seemingly impossible situations? [01:02:38]
7. What is one area of your life where you need to let go of control and trust in God's plan? How can you take a tangible step towards surrendering that area to Him this week? [58:57]
Devotional
Day 1: Easter's Promise Fulfilled
Easter Sunday is a profound reminder of the fulfillment of Jesus' promises, where His resurrection becomes the cornerstone of hope and faith for believers. It is a day that signifies the reality of His words and the power of His resurrection, offering a renewed sense of hope and purpose. As we prepare for Easter, we are encouraged to pray for those who have yet to experience this transformative hope, inviting them to encounter the depth of Jesus' love and sacrifice. [00:00]
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." (1 Peter 1:3-4, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear about the hope of Easter? How can you share this message with them today?
Day 2: Seeing Beyond Limitations
The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is not just about a miraculous provision of food but a lesson in recognizing and responding to the needs of others. Jesus challenges us to look beyond our limitations and trust in God's provision, reminding us that our faith can have a ripple effect on those around us. By stepping out in faith, we can become conduits of God's love and provision to those in need. [41:45]
"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8, ESV)
Reflection: What is one need you see around you that seems overwhelming? How can you trust God to use you to meet that need today?
Day 3: Trusting Jesus in Life's Storms
The narrative of Jesus walking on water serves as a powerful illustration of His call for us to trust Him amidst life's storms. Despite the disciples' fear and uncertainty, Jesus' presence calmed the storm, teaching us that He sees us in our struggles and is always ready to help. This story encourages us to place our trust in Jesus, knowing that He is with us even in the most turbulent times. [51:13]
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." (Isaiah 43:2, ESV)
Reflection: What storm are you currently facing in your life? How can you invite Jesus to calm this storm and guide you through it?
Day 4: Embracing a Personal Relationship with Jesus
A personal relationship with Jesus is essential for navigating life's challenges. He desires to walk with us, offering guidance and support as we face various trials. Our faith is not just for our benefit but is meant to be a testimony to others, demonstrating the transformative power of a relationship with Jesus. By embracing this relationship, we can experience His peace and direction in our lives. [58:57]
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." (John 15:4, ESV)
Reflection: How can you deepen your personal relationship with Jesus today? What specific steps can you take to abide in Him more fully?
Day 5: Trusting in God's Provision and Plan
The miracles of Jesus reveal that He always provides and has a plan for us, even in seemingly impossible situations. We are reminded to trust in His control and believe that He will help us through whatever challenges we face. By placing our trust in God's provision and plan, we can find peace and assurance in His faithfulness. [01:02:38]
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's provision? How can you surrender this area to Him and trust in His plan today?
Quotes
"Hey, stay standing for me for just a second. Man, he's good, amen? And I'll tell you what, in two weeks, we get to celebrate the greatest day in all of history. In two weeks, it's Easter Sunday. And what makes Easter Sunday the greatest day in history? Some of you may be wondering, because it is the day that Jesus accomplished everything. Somebody say everything. Everything he said he was going to do. Every word, every declaration, every promise he said came true on Easter Sunday. It became a reality on Resurrection Sunday." [00:30:53] (38 seconds)
"Jesus has already come and gone. He's already declared and done everything he said he was going to do, amen? But here's the thing. It doesn't mean that the work stops. We've got people that we want to continue to reach for Jesus. We've got people, friends, family, co-workers that we know that you are praying for. That you've written on our prayer walls. Whether it's here in person or online, we've got hundreds and hundreds of names. And as a church, we are expecting those people to walk through our doors. Not for some hype service. Worship's amazing. We love what we do here at Granite. But we want them to encounter Jesus." [00:31:44] (33 seconds)
"We want them to experience what Jesus can do in and through their lives. And that's why we do what we do. And so, as a church, we know that those names, they matter to Jesus. That's why he gave up his life. We know that they matter to you. You're writing those names down for a reason. And so, they matter to us as well. And so, right now, I just want to pray. I want to pray for those names. I want to continue in these 21 days of prayer to pray for these names. And to pray in expectation of all that God is going to do. So, would you bow your heads and close your eyes with me and let's pray. God, I just want to thank you for today. Thank you for the privilege and opportunity that we get to worship you. Because, man, you are good. So, so good. And we know that you have something amazing to do here today. You're going to do something amazing here in and through our lives." [00:32:32] (44 seconds)
"And in Mark chapter six, there's a very well-known story that a lot of you may have heard before. And it's when Jesus walks on water. Anybody ever hear that story before? Survey says, if you're watching online, hand emoji in the chat. But here's the thing, we're not gonna jump right to that part of the story just yet. We'll get there. We're gonna actually pick up at another part of the story right before Jesus walks on water. It's another very well-known story. How many of you, again, survey says, have ever heard of when Jesus fed the 5,000? Anybody, anybody, anybody? If you're here like, I haven't heard of either one of these stories, well, hey, welcome to Granite. We're gonna teach you these stories. We're gonna dive through these stories because I'll tell you what, these aren't just stories. These are pages in God's word that we can learn from, we can take, and then we can apply to our everyday lives. Amen? So that's what we're gonna do here today. We're gonna take these stories and we're gonna apply them to our life." [00:36:03] (55 seconds)
"So when it comes to these stories, it's real easy to just look at these as miracles and like, oh, that's cool, that really happened. But what was the purpose behind it? What can I learn from this? What can I do with this? And so Mark chapter 6 verses 35 to 37 says this. This is when Jesus fed the 5,000. It's kind of setting it up. It said, late in the afternoon, his disciples came to him and said, this is a remote place and it's already getting late. Verse 36 says, send the crowds away so that they can go to nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat. If you track with the Bible or watch the chosen or read the gospels, you can see that the disciples did a lot of great things, but they also complained a lot. They also whined a lot. And I'll tell you what, after a long work day, after a long just serving people and serving with Jesus, they looked around and said, this place looks pretty good. Take a nap. Kind of shut it down for the night. You know what I'm saying? Like how many of you are looking forward to your afternoon Sunday nap? Okay. You're with me. All right. And they're just looking around. So Jesus, we, we, we've been, we've been serving all day. We've been doing things all day. How about we just send these people? There's some villages, there's some farms where they can be taken care of. Well, if you read the gospels and you read the Bible, you can see that the disciples all had an agenda a lot of times, but then Jesus had his agenda. And let's see what Jesus said in verse 37. He says, but Jesus said, he said, you feed them. The disciples were like, no, I thought the day was over." [00:37:10] (90 seconds)
"Even when we don't have all the answers, the disciples said, with what, Jesus? What are we going to feed all these people with? There's 5,000 people. Can't we just send them away? Can't they just go to the farms and the villages and the markets and do their thing? Why do we have to do this? And even if we want to, how are we going to do it? They're wrestling with this. And here's the thing too. I get it. We all have real needs in our own lives. Sometimes it's really hard to look at the needs of other people when you've got a laundry list of needs yourself. Who's with me? You know what I'm saying? It's like, I can think of all the things that I need, all the things that I don't have, let alone focus on the needs of the other people. The disciples wanted to rest. They were tired. They just wanted to chill out. They just needed a night to themselves. You know what I'm saying? We've all been there." [00:40:55] (47 seconds)
"But Jesus was teaching again, a point and a purpose. He was teaching the disciples then, and he's teaching us now that, hey, here's the thing. This wasn't about you just seeing a need that people have. This wasn't about just acknowledging what you can do. Here's what the purpose was about when it came to the feeding of the 5,000. It was to trust and believe and remember that you and I, we do worship a good, good father. We do worship the God Almighty. And you may not have all the answers. You may not know what to do, but God always provides. God always shows up. The purpose of the feeding of the 5,000 wasn't simply just to feed the 5,000. It was so that the disciples and that these people would see their need for God. And that when they saw that need for God, that he always shows up." [00:41:56] (58 seconds)
"Many estimate, honestly, we hear 5,000 men, but a lot of us don't understand that it was actually about 20,000 people because that 5,000 didn't include the women and children. And I got kids and they can eat. All right. So when you start including the women and children and then the men and all that, that's a lot of food, but this showed the heart of Jesus, his heart to take care of people and to make sure, just to make sure, as you know, the end of the story that the disciples and that you and I didn't miss the point, there were 12 baskets of food left over, not only for the disciples to take and not only for the disciples to distribute. There was plenty left over because God always shows up and God always provides. Amen." [00:44:00] (48 seconds)
"At this point, Jesus probably like, Oh boy, disciples going to be mad at me. I just made them keep working. I sent them across this lake. Now there's a storm. Weatherman got it wrong again. Thanks God. You could have helped me out with that one. You know what I mean? And so he's strong. He's like, he's like, I'm like, man, he's probably really wrestling. My, my, my, uh, disciples are in trouble. And I'll be honest with you. Some of us, we've probably been not, no, you know what? Actually our church is perfect. Not you. We've never, we've never said yes to Jesus. We've never left church taking a step of commitment, ready to just do everything for Jesus. And then when something goes wrong, we've never decommitted from that. You know what I'm saying? Like we've never committed to giving. And then like me, you know, you leave church, you take a commitment step. And last week, my entire ignition system faith." [00:48:29] (52 seconds)
"Jesus is going to help you get to the other side of the storm that you're going through in your life. He just is. But just as I said earlier, Jesus, one of his disciples, he wants you and I, he wants us to learn and understand a couple of things from these miracles. On this journey with Jesus, as we walk through his ministry, there's two different situations that Jesus had to show up. And not just with his words, he showed up in action. And here's what he did by feeding the 5,000 and calming that storm. He showed that he always cares for people. And if he cares for these people, I promise you he cares for you. He gave up his life for you. He's always in complete control. Even when the storms are going on, he's always got a plan." [00:58:39] (46 seconds)
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