Jesus cares for ME.
- He PRAYS for Me. (Mk 6:46)
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25
- He WATCHES over me. (Mk 6:48a)
O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. Psalm 139:1-4
- He STAYS with me. (Mk 6:48b)
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20
- He COMFORTS me. (Mk 6:50)
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!
-
00:00-00:06
Grab your Bibles and open up to the Gospel of Mark, and chapter 6.
00:08-00:20
I don't know if you know this, but every March at the school here, they have an Irish jig dance group that meets down in the auditorium.
00:21-00:27
Did you know that? Some of you are shaking your heads yes, some of you are like no. True. Nobody get up and leave, okay?
00:28-00:29
I want to check that out.
00:29-00:31
I want to check it out too, but not right now.
00:32-00:38
But they have an Irish jig dance group that meets down in the auditorium, and I always have the same thought.
00:39-00:58
Like, how funny would it be for the person that comes to the school thinking they're going to Harvest Bible Chapel, and they show up at the Irish dance jig thing, and they're like, "This church is really weird." I'm going to be getting a call from Chicago, James McDonald.
00:58-01:00
"Yeah, what are you guys doing at your church again?
01:01-01:10
The Irish jig?" And I'm like, "Jealous?" All right, one point today in our message.
01:10-01:13
We have one point, and that is this.
01:13-01:14
Are you ready?
01:15-01:17
One point so we can't miss this.
01:18-01:22
Jesus cares for me.
01:24-01:24
Write that down.
01:25-01:27
Not like Jesus cares for Pastor Jeff.
01:27-01:28
He does.
01:29-01:31
But when I say me, I mean you.
01:32-01:33
When I say me, I mean me.
01:33-01:36
But when you say me, you say you.
01:40-01:41
One point today.
01:41-01:42
Jesus cares for me.
01:44-01:45
That's the point today.
01:46-01:50
Right now, several of you are like, "Oh, I see what's going on here.
01:51-01:53
Pastor Jeff took the week off.
01:54-01:56
That's what you got for us today.
01:56-01:58
You're phoning it in today.
02:00-02:02
That's your big point today.
02:02-02:25
Jesus cares for me." But listen, this is the message that gets missed more than any other message preached in any church when the church gathers. This is the message that gets missed. Do people know that Jesus cares for them?
02:28-02:46
The answer is yes. But in a detached and impersonal way, you know, in a few weeks, we're going to be celebrating Easter and what happens in Easter? All of the CEOs come out, right? You What CEO stands for?
02:47-02:48
Christmas and Easter only.
02:50-02:52
Churches all over are going to see a spike in attendance.
02:54-02:57
I'm sorry, do I need to give you a minute on that one?
02:59-03:00
Take another run at that.
03:01-03:03
Every Easter the CEOs come out.
03:04-03:06
They're like, "I know what that means.
03:07-03:17
Churches are going to see a spike in attendance." And the people that go, the CEOs that go, they know the message.
03:18-03:24
And they even like the message, but they seem largely unaffected by the message.
03:25-03:27
And the question is, what makes the difference?
03:28-03:39
What makes the difference between the people that are, the people that are sitting there fired up about the message and the people that agree with the message?
03:41-03:42
but it doesn't really seem to affect them.
03:43-03:44
What makes the difference?
03:45-03:46
What makes the difference here?
03:47-03:52
If you call harvest your home, that you come here every week, but you're not really fired up about the gospel.
03:53-03:54
Here's the point.
03:56-04:01
The gospel doesn't affect you until you make it personal.
04:03-04:09
The gospel doesn't affect you until you make it personal.
04:11-04:17
For me to say, "Jesus loves people," everybody's like, "Yeah, he does.
04:17-04:17
He does.
04:17-04:18
Jesus loves people." Yeah.
04:20-04:23
But to make it personal to say, "Jesus loves me.
04:23-04:40
He loves me." Not this general, over-encompassing, broad-stroke, detached idea, but making it so personal to say that Jesus personally cares for me.
04:41-04:47
Just as a review before we get into the text, you remember last week we talked about the granddaddy of miracles.
04:50-04:52
And how do we know it's the granddaddy of miracles?
04:52-04:58
Well did you know there are only two miracles in the Bible that are actually recorded in all four Gospels?
04:59-05:31
And one of them is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the other one, first person to answer the email questions Sean Ingram give him a round of applause you're like how do I get on that email list the answers in your bulletin but there were two miracles his resurrection and what feeding the multitude the feeding of the 5,000 men Matthew says plus women and children with he fed them with five biscuits and two fish, basically.
05:32-05:36
Look at Mark 6, we're going to be picking up in verse 45.
05:37-05:47
It says, "Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida.
05:48-05:54
While he dismissed the crowd, and after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.
05:56-06:07
evening came the boat was out on the sea and he was alone on the land." Okay, so this is sort of giving you the setting here.
06:10-06:16
Jesus feeds the somewhere between 15 and 25,000 people total.
06:16-06:23
There are 5,000 men, who knows how many total, the Bible doesn't say, but the Bible does say there were more than just men there.
06:24-06:29
So immediately, the Bible says he made his disciples get into the boat.
06:30-06:40
Like, "We're not sticking around here, don't hang out, okay, we're not having a picnic here, get going, get in the boat." And it says he dismissed the crowd.
06:43-06:47
Verse 46 says that he went up on the mountain to pray.
06:47-07:05
Look at verse 48. It says, "And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against him." This is why it's great to slow down when you read your Bible.
07:06-07:17
What was the setting again? The disciples were where? Where were the disciples? Okay, So they're in like the boat.
07:18-07:19
And where was Jesus again?
07:21-07:22
Jesus was on the mountain.
07:24-07:27
And it says he saw, how far out were they?
07:27-07:33
Well, according to John 6, 19, the boat was about three or four miles out.
07:34-07:39
Okay, so it wasn't like they were 15 feet from shore and Jesus just happened to look over.
07:40-07:44
He was on the mountain and they were three or four miles out.
07:46-07:51
And it says, "And about the fourth watch of the night," like when is that?
07:51-07:54
That's like 3 to 6 a .m.
07:55-08:03
Okay, so about six or nine hours have passed since he dismissed them and he went up to pray and they made it out into the sea and ran into some problems again.
08:05-09:10
"And about the fourth watch of the night, he came to them walking on the sea." on the sea you know I read this goofy stuff throughout the week as I study and it's just it's silly all the explanations Jesus walking on the sea you know there was this out of Florida State University they said well here's what was really happening it's only happened a handful of times in history but the temperature can drop suddenly and form ice and Jesus was walking across on the ice. Or, Jesus wasn't really walking on the sea, the disciples saw him on the shore and got confused. Or my favorite, Jesus wasn't really walking on the sea, he was standing on the shore and he was projecting an image of himself to make it look like he was walking. That's what these scholars, and I use that term loosely, that's what these scholars say is going on here?
09:12-09:13
You know what I think is going on here?
09:14-09:16
I think Jesus was walking on the sea.
09:17-09:23
I think Jesus was literally walking on top of the water.
09:25-09:28
This next phrase just completely threw me for a loop.
09:29-09:31
Okay, so he came to them walking on the sea.
09:33-09:34
He meant to pass by them.
09:35-09:36
Is anybody like me?
09:37-09:40
And when you read that, I know when I first read that, here's the picture I had in mind.
09:41-09:52
Okay, there's like disciples in the boat, and they're like, you know, trying to get, no, we can't get, and like, here comes Jesus, and it says, "He meant to pass by them." You know the picture that I had?
09:52-09:55
It was like Jesus was walking in the sea, like, "Wanna race?"
09:56-09:57
(audience laughing)
09:58-10:04
Look how fast I am, I'm walking, and you can't make, like, "He meant to pass by them," like it was some kind of a race.
10:05-10:09
And then they like see him and Jesus is like, "Oh, you got me.
10:09-10:09
You found me.
10:10-10:17
Might as well get on the boat now because that trick's kind of over." Did anybody else think that when they read that?
10:19-10:19
Just me?
10:20-10:21
Just me?
10:22-10:24
All right, Amanda, you're up next week.
10:27-10:43
Amanda's been working on this great Justin Timberlake sermon because my pop culture references are too dated. You're older than you look, Pastor Jeff. I'm not bitter or anything.
10:46-10:56
But when I read that, I'm like, "What is going on there? He meant to pass by them?" Like if you're going to sneak around the boat, Jesus, like, this is why we study the Bible.
10:57-11:08
For the two of us here that maybe had that wrong picture, understand that when it says, "He meant to pass by them," that's not really what it says.
11:09-11:17
In fact, it could be better said this way, "He meant to pass by them." See the difference?
11:18-11:23
The Greek literally means to come alongside, meaning this.
11:23-11:37
Jesus, to stretch it out, to amplify it, What this is saying is Jesus' intention was to cross the sea, and his intention was to cross the sea beside the boat.
11:38-11:45
So he meant to pass by them, not pass by them.
11:45-11:49
He meant to pass by walking beside them.
11:51-12:00
And verse 49 says, "But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out.
12:02-12:11
For they all saw him and were terrified, but immediately he spoke to them and said, 'Take heart, it is I.
12:12-12:34
Do not be afraid.' And he got into the boat with them, And the wind ceased, and they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened." Okay, so get the picture here.
12:34-12:45
The disciples see Jesus walking on the water, and they think it's a ghost, and much like the Scooby-Doo characters, it says they cried out, okay?
12:45-12:48
Now literally that's screaming in terror.
12:49-12:50
Anybody want to illustrate that for us?
12:52-12:53
You get the picture, right?
12:55-13:07
It wasn't as if the disciples saw Jesus and they were like, "Oh golly." I'm slightly taken aback by the visage of a man walking upon the...
13:08-13:09
It was, "Ahh!
13:09-13:13
Look, there's a ghost out there!" They all saw that and that was the conclusion they all came up with.
13:14-13:16
What's going on out there?
13:17-13:20
We all definitely see a guy walking on the water.
13:22-13:33
And then Jesus shows up and says, "Do not be afraid." You know that phrase, "Do not be afraid," it shows up eight times in the New Testament and it's always said by Jesus.
13:35-13:36
And it literally means get a grip.
13:37-13:39
Get a hold of yourself, that's what he's saying.
13:40-13:41
Do not be afraid.
13:42-13:52
And verse 53 says, "When they had crossed over, they came to land at Genesaret, and they moored on the shore.
13:53-14:03
And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was.
14:04-14:17
And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment.
14:18-14:22
And as many as touched it were made well.
14:23-14:32
The word gets out and people are like, "Hey, if you can just touch the fringe of his garment, you'll be healed." Who do you think started that craze?
14:33-14:34
Any idea?
14:35-14:36
Right, exactly.
14:36-14:39
You remember the woman in chapter 5 verse 27?
14:40-14:49
"If I can just touch the fringe of his garment, I'll be healed." And you think she told people about it?
14:50-14:51
It like started the craze.
14:52-14:53
Jesus is in town.
14:54-14:55
All we've got to do is touch his clothes.
14:55-14:56
We'll be healed.
14:57-14:59
That is a crazy story.
14:59-15:01
And I'm gonna be honest with you.
15:02-15:09
I used to read over this thinking, "Is there any real purpose to this miracle?" Now hear me out.
15:10-15:11
Put your stones down and hear me out.
15:12-15:17
When I read the stories about Jesus feeding people, I'm there, right?
15:17-15:19
Like people were hungry and Jesus loved them and he fed them.
15:20-15:20
Like that makes sense.
15:21-15:25
And like, okay, here's a guy with a demon and Jesus cast the demon out and that makes sense.
15:26-15:28
Jesus was always doing things that benefited people, right?
15:29-15:42
And healing people, resurrecting the dead, even turning the water into wine was a miracle that really benefited people.
15:42-15:51
But this miracle seems unusual because, like, he calmed the storm before, right?
15:51-15:52
We saw that.
15:54-15:58
But this walking on water thing, I always just kind of glossed over that.
15:59-16:02
That's almost like, what was the purpose of that?
16:04-16:06
Why did he walk on the water?
16:06-16:09
Is this just some sort of an extra miracle?
16:11-16:17
After doing a little studying this week, I found that this is one of the most significant events in the entire New Testament.
16:20-16:25
Because this event changed the disciples.
16:27-16:35
You know these people that Jesus was pouring into and teaching and equipping that were going to turn the world upside down with the message about him?
16:37-16:38
This was the event that changed them.
16:40-16:41
Like where do you come up with that?
16:42-17:03
Well, you know, with the four gospel writers, each of them are telling the story about Jesus from different vantage points, and there's going to be some overlap, but you're also going to have some of the events that took place, you're going to find them in one place in the gospels, but not in another.
17:04-17:07
For example, do you know what is missing from this story?
17:08-17:11
You remember something else happened here in the middle of this.
17:12-17:13
Right, Peter.
17:14-17:20
The whole thing where Peter is like, "Hey, if it's you, command me to come out with you." Peter walks on water for a while.
17:20-17:20
You know that story.
17:20-17:22
He takes his eyes off Jesus and he sinks.
17:23-17:25
Mark doesn't include that.
17:26-17:26
Why?
17:27-17:28
I don't know.
17:29-17:32
We know that Mark got his gospel material from Peter.
17:33-17:41
Maybe Peter was just like, "Hey, leave that part out." like, "And then Peter began to sink." And Peter's like, "What are you writing over there?
17:42-17:47
Leave that." No, "Inspired by the Holy Spirit." He left it out.
17:48-17:58
But there's something even bigger going on here that Mark sort of alludes to, but that Matthew says explicitly.
17:59-18:01
I've got this reference down, Matthew 14, 33.
18:03-18:39
After this event took place, Jesus walking on the water and coming into the boat with them, Matthew says, "And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'" So, church, it was this event that made the disciples see Jesus for who he is, because this was the first time that your Bible tells you that the disciples worshipped Jesus.
18:41-18:43
So this is huge.
18:46-18:54
This is the first time that they truly understood that Jesus is the Son of God, yes, but what does that mean to me?
18:56-19:01
And you're like, okay, they weren't convinced by the feeding of the 5,000 men.
19:02-19:03
That didn't convince them?
19:04-19:07
You mean they were sort of on the fence about the Son of God thing?
19:08-19:10
Even through the feeding of the 5,000 and that didn't convince them?
19:11-19:15
Actually, that's exactly what Mark said.
19:15-19:16
Do you see that?
19:16-19:21
It says, "For they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened." That's exactly what he's saying.
19:23-19:29
They didn't watch Jesus feed the multitudes and say, "We've got to worship him." That point their hearts were still hardened.
19:30-19:32
Their previously, yes, they were amazed at the miracle worker.
19:33-19:41
They were astonished at the teacher and they marveled at the one who evicts demons and they wowed at the healer.
19:42-19:48
But up to this point, they were, you could say, impressed at the supernatural power of the God-man.
19:49-19:56
But that wasn't enough, because church, it's not enough to be impressed with Jesus.
19:59-20:01
It's not enough to be impressed with Jesus.
20:03-20:04
"Wow, he was nice.
20:04-20:06
Wow, he was moral.
20:06-20:08
Wow, he told some great stories.
20:08-20:12
Wow, he did some powerful things." This is the point of this whole story.
20:13-20:15
It's not enough to be impressed.
20:17-20:21
finds its substance in the person and the work of Jesus Christ.
20:22-20:28
But there are people who don't deny the gospel.
20:29-20:31
They agree with the claims of Jesus.
20:32-20:33
They're not opposed to going to church.
20:34-20:40
They're okay with somebody having a prayer before a meal, but there's no vibrant relationship with Jesus.
20:40-20:41
Do you know people like that?
20:42-20:43
You know people like that?
20:45-21:16
like these people that are on fire for Jesus and talk about Jesus and love Jesus and worship, walk and work. Then you have these people that hate Jesus and don't want anything to do with Jesus. But you've got to admit, there's this whole big category in the middle of the spectrum of people that are like, "Yeah, Jesus was pretty cool." And they're not against Jesus. In fact, they would tell you that they're for him. You know, people like that. Or maybe are a person like that.
21:18-21:23
So getting back to where we started, the question here is what makes the difference?
21:24-21:25
What makes the difference?
21:26-21:35
What turns the corner from, I believe Jesus is God, to I believe Jesus is my God?
21:37-21:46
What turns the corner from Jesus is my Sunday morning hobby to Jesus Christ is the center of everything in my life?
21:48-21:54
What turns a corner from "Jesus is my religion" to "I have a relationship with Jesus Christ"?
21:54-22:01
What turns a corner from "I have an awareness of Jesus" to "a personal walk with Jesus"?
22:02-22:03
And here it is.
22:05-22:26
Faith becomes personal, appropriated ; faith becomes a reality; faith gets from your head to your heart when you get to the point where you say, "Jesus is God and he cares for me." Because you have to see, that was the difference.
22:27-22:28
Jesus calmed the storm before, right?
22:28-22:32
Didn't we see what was that Mark 4, verses 35 through 41?
22:32-22:33
Remember Jesus calmed the storm?
22:34-22:34
Do you remember that story?
22:36-22:38
I can preach that again if you don't, but remember?
22:40-22:41
You're like, "Now?" No, not now.
22:43-22:44
Ben has it on our website.
22:46-22:48
But do you remember what the disciples said to Jesus?
22:49-22:56
Storm, Jesus sleeping, do you remember? Bonus points. Who remembers what they said to Jesus? Yes, Pam.
22:57-23:01
Don't you care. Remember that? Don't you care?
23:02-23:05
Don't you care? And what did Jesus say? Oh, you of little faith.
23:07-23:18
And we spent some time talking about that. The accusation made that obviously they knew he was powerful, but at this point in their minds they weren't really sold on the fact that he cared about them.
23:20-23:40
But we see something quite different in this passage. And the truth is for you that your faith is not going to be a vibrant walk until you get to the place where you understand that Jesus cares for you personally.
23:41-23:42
Not generically.
23:45-23:48
Well, Jesus loves people, and I'm a person, so I guess it follows.
23:50-23:51
He cares for you personally.
23:53-23:54
So what made the difference?
23:55-23:57
Here it is, jot these things down as we wrap up.
23:58-23:59
What made the difference?
23:59-24:00
You see it right in the text.
24:00-24:01
Write these things down.
24:02-24:03
all, he prays for me.
24:05-24:08
It says that Jesus, verse 46, went up to the mountain to pray.
24:09-24:10
What was he praying for?
24:12-24:22
We don't have the prayer recorded for us, but we do see a steady pattern throughout the life of Jesus, of him praying for his people.
24:22-24:24
And I really believe that's what Jesus was praying for here.
24:25-24:29
You look at John 17, Jesus' high priestly prayer, praying for his people.
24:29-24:31
Before he chose the twelve, What was he doing?
24:32-24:33
Up all night praying.
24:36-24:38
"Peter, Satan has asked to stiff you as wheat, but I have" what?
24:39-24:44
"I have prayed for you." Did you know that Jesus is praying for you?
24:44-24:45
Did you know that?
24:46-24:48
Not just that, but Jesus is praying for you always.
24:50-24:52
I brought my prayer book here with me this morning.
24:52-24:56
And when you fill out your friendship register and put a prayer request, it goes in here.
24:58-25:04
You know, when we talk or email back and forth and you're concerned about something, you're in here.
25:06-25:14
And I can look around the room, you know, so many of you, your names are in here, because I'm praying for you.
25:15-25:25
Whether it's a health issue or a marriage issue or a relationship issue of some type, you have to know that I'm praying for you.
25:26-25:31
But infinitely greater, you have to know this, Jesus is praying for you.
25:32-25:37
I don't know about you, but to me that's like the best thing anybody can say to me.
25:37-25:49
I have people come up to me, like my brother Mark for example, he's just like, "Hey man, I'm praying for you." I feel like an inch taller, like somebody is seeking the Lord on my behalf.
25:50-25:53
Here's a reminder, Jesus is praying for you.
25:55-25:57
Hebrews 7.25, I have it on your outline.
25:59-26:06
"Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him." Look at this next phrase.
26:06-26:07
This will blow your mind.
26:07-26:16
It says, "Since he always lives to make intercession for them." You're like, "Well, isn't it like Jesus' seed to throw him to the Father?
26:17-26:26
What does prayer look like?" Well, this word for intercession means somebody who takes a petition before a king on behalf of someone else.
26:26-26:27
That's what that literally means.
26:28-26:30
And that's what Jesus is doing for you right now.
26:30-26:31
Did you know that?
26:31-26:37
Jesus is going before his Father, bringing petitions on your behalf.
26:39-26:43
According to Hebrews 7.25, he's always doing this.
26:43-26:45
He always lives for what purpose?
26:46-26:48
Many purposes, but here's one.
26:48-26:50
He is making intercession.
26:51-26:54
Secondly, you have to personalize this.
26:54-26:55
Do you know that Jesus is praying for you?
26:57-27:00
How much would it shake you to your core if He spoke that to you?
27:01-27:03
This afternoon, He just spoke that to you.
27:04-27:06
He's like, "Jeff, I'm praying for you." Wow!
27:07-27:09
Secondly, He watches over me.
27:10-27:11
He watches over me.
27:11-27:13
That's another miracle here.
27:14-27:17
How many miles away was Jesus from the boat praying?
27:19-27:21
But what was He doing while He was praying?
27:22-27:22
He was watching.
27:24-27:25
Parents confession.
27:25-27:35
How many times, parents, did you sneak a peek at your children and watch them play or whatever when they didn't know you were watching?
27:35-27:36
Anybody else do that?
27:38-27:43
Bob Brown's like, "I still do that." And Taylor's like, "He does."
27:44-27:45
[ laughter ]
27:47-27:49
Okay, it's usually cuter when your kids are smaller than Taylor.
27:52-27:54
You're always going to be his little boy.
27:55-27:59
And it's okay. He loves you. Your mom loves you.
27:59-28:01
It's okay. He knows that.
28:03-28:24
He knows that. I need to record when I do it, because there will be times he'll be playing with his superhero action figures inside the Batcave, and some of these scenarios and stuff he comes up with are just absolutely funnier than anything you'll see on TV.
28:24-28:32
But the point is, if you're a parent, you know what it's like to kinda watch your kids when they don't know that you're watching them.
28:33-28:36
You know Jesus is doing that to you all the time?
28:36-28:37
You know that?
28:38-28:47
Or like, "Yo, I know Jesus is watching me." And there are times when we don't actively realize that He is intently watching over you.
28:49-28:56
Jesus is like that parent, you know, head around the bedroom door watching you go about your business.
28:57-28:59
He's watching over you.
29:00-29:05
Psalm 139 talks about the Lord's attentive care.
29:05-29:07
"O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
29:08-29:16
You know when I sit down, when I rise up, you discern my thoughts from afar, you search out my path, my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
29:16-29:19
Even before word is on my tongue, behold it, Lord, you know it all together.
29:21-29:24
He loves you, that he is constantly watching over you.
29:25-29:28
Thirdly, even deeper, he stays with me.
29:29-29:30
He stays with me.
29:31-29:36
To me, that's the whole beautiful portrait of Jesus walking on water.
29:37-29:38
He meant that.
29:38-30:07
to pass by them. What does that mean? Jesus said, not only am I going to calm the storm eventually, I'm going to walk beside them. Did Jesus have the power to just calm the storm from the mountain? Like I'm praying, the storm comes up and he's like, "Shh, quiet, pray." And it would have worked. Trust me, it would have worked. But what did Jesus do Instead, he wanted to show them how much he cared.
30:07-30:10
That's why your Bible says he meant to pass by them.
30:10-30:19
I'm going to walk beside the boat, kind of like a parent walking beside their child on a two-wheeled bike for the first time.
30:20-30:22
I'm going to make sure that you don't hurt yourself.
30:24-30:30
Jesus never promised life would be easy, but he did promise to never leave you, even when it's hard.
30:30-30:32
You know the 23rd Psalm?
30:32-30:36
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
30:36-30:36
Why?
30:38-30:39
For you are with me.
30:40-30:41
You're with me.
30:42-30:44
And finally, he comforts me.
30:45-30:46
He comforts me.
30:47-30:48
Just love the words.
30:49-30:51
Not a rebuke.
30:51-30:52
He of little faith.
30:52-30:56
Not a chewing the mouth for not connecting the dots sooner.
30:56-30:57
Do you see what Jesus says?
30:57-30:58
Just these words of comfort.
30:59-31:00
Take heart of his eye.
31:00-31:01
Do not be afraid.
31:02-31:03
He comforts me.
31:03-31:15
Philippians 4, 7 says, "The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." And I mean, it follows, doesn't it?
31:15-31:25
When you know that Jesus is praying for you, when you know that he's watching over you, and when you know that he's actively walking with you, you're going to have comfort and peace.
31:28-31:28
So do you know?
31:30-31:31
Do you know that Jesus cares?
31:33-31:34
Do you know that Jesus cares?
31:36-31:41
What's going to make the difference is knowing that He cares for you.
31:43-31:45
I know that was what changed my life.
31:45-31:46
I grew up in the church.
31:47-31:49
I heard these stories all the time.
31:50-31:52
Jesus did this, Jesus did that.
31:52-31:54
Jesus was pretty incredible.
31:55-31:59
But it wasn't until somebody said these words to me changed my life forever.
31:59-32:07
said, "Do you have any idea how much God loves you?" Because it brought it home.
32:08-32:10
Do you have any idea how much God loves you?
32:12-32:15
He's praying for you, he's watching over you, he's staying with you.
32:17-32:17
Don't come to me.
32:19-32:19
Bow your heads.
Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Mark 6:45-56
Jesus walking on water was the event that made the “lights come on” for the disciples that Jesus was not only God, but He loved them and cared for them. (Mark 6:35-41) What was it that made the “lights come on” for you? What made you realize that Jesus has a personal love for you? Take turns sharing!
Breakout Questions:
Pray for the love of Christ to control you, your Small Group, and your church! (2 Cor 5:14)