March 23, 2025

Pastor Brian McGuffin

 Matthew 14: 22 -32

Introduction

Can you think of a time in your life when someone in your family was lost? Describe what that was like, or how you felt at the time. How long did it take you to ask Jesus for help? What resolved the situation?

Scripture

Matthew 14: 22 - 32  ESV

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way[a] from the land,[b] beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night[c] he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind,[d] he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

Footnotes

1. Matthew 14:24 Greek many stadia, a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
2. Matthew 14:24 Some manuscripts was out on the sea
3. Matthew 14:25 That is, between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.
4. Matthew 14:30 Some manuscripts strong wind

Discussion Questions

1. Think back over the story:

    a) Pastor Brian told us the usual time crossing the lake was 2 hours. The 4th watch of the night is between 3 and 6 AM. What were the disciples experiencing that night? Think carefully about how you would react in that situation.

    b) What did Jesus say when the disciples cried out, "It's a ghost."

    c) What was Peter's response? Why do you think he asked Jesus that?

    d) Why did Peter start to sink?

    e) Did Jesus rescue him quickly?

2. Share about a time in your life when you were overwhelmed by your circumstances, or a particularly scary time in your life/family. Did you wonder in that moment if Jesus was really with you? How did you come to know that Jesus was truly holding you in the palm of His hand?

3. How often do you prioritize prayer when facing temptation or challenging situations (sometimes; often; hardly ever)     

            NO JUDGEMENT; JUST SEEKING CLARITY FOR YOURSELF

4. Can we ask Jesus for help when we are know we haven't been close to Him? Maybe we've been too busy, or we know we're doing something we suspect is wrong. What situations  in the Bible tell us Jesus is ready even we are feeling separated from him? 

            What are verses that assure us of God being present in our lives?

(Take some time to look them up. You could use gotquestions.org [ask a question] OR biblegateway.com [type in a phrase about God's care])

5. How would you explain how truly sovereign God is? What verses tell you what you believe?

6. Tell us about a time when you were facing a difficult situation. Did the situation turn out the way you hoped for? Did you still face some difficulty? In what way did God help you despite the outcome?