Deep Waters and Dark Nights - 29

Did you notice that the case is a very important thing? There are two hymns side by side there, both with the same Title, God Moves in a Mysterious Way. and they are virtually identical except the one we sang has an additional stanza. And it's stanza two. Deep in unfathomable minds of never.

failing skill He treasures up his bright designs. and works his sovereign will. And that's That's rich. This morning. Hmm.

Yeah. is Deep waters. and dark nights. Deep waters and dark nights. All of us.

Go through stormy weather. And we sometimes endure Hmm. Dark nights. Hmm. Pray for my boys.

Isaiah 43, 2 captures it well. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be consumed. For I am the Lord.

your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. The hymn we just sang echoes this same sentiment. He plants his footsteps In the sea. and rides upon the storm. And by doing so, he manifests His sovereign power in controlling all things, all storms, all trouble, all crises.

for our good and his glory. For the disciples of Christ. four of which were fishermen by trade, who made a living on the Sea of Galilee, This is the second time that they have been in a boat and caught In a life-threatening storm, at least two occasions that are recorded in the scriptures. I have to believe that they. We're not Unaccustomed to storms.

It's the nature of that particular lake, sea. The storms come up because of just where it is. It's the lowest freshwater lake in the world, 700 feet below sea level. And there are big canyons that funnel down and bring wind currents down. And almost without notice, those winds come, meet with the warm air coming off the water, and a storm comes.

and they were accustomed to the The turbulence and the unpredictability of that lake, no doubt these fishermen were. But here they are again. The second time, In a boat. and caught in a life-threatening storm. Mark 4, 35 to 41 tells us of the first occasion.

And that first time, Jesus was in the boat with them. And this time he comes to them walking on the water. You remember in that first occasion, He rebuked the wind and said to the seas, Peace be still. And we're told the wind ceased And there was A great calm. You remember they went to him, woke him up, and said, Do you not care?

that we are Perishing. Oh yes, he cares. He cares. They feared exceedingly, and said to one another, Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey him? And on this second occasion that we're going to look at this morning, when Jesus stepped off the water into the boat, The wind ceased and they crossed safely over to the other side.

And Mark tells us that their reaction was one of amazement and marvel. Matthew's account tells us that they came and worshipped him, saying, Truly, you are the Son of God. The first time we have a record of them worshiping Jesus. and verbally stating and confessing that they believed he was the Son of God.

Well, three of the four gospel writers record this event. Luke is the one who omits it. And each of them tells the story from their own perspective, adding details. That the other two do not. And we benefit greatly by harmonizing those three accounts and.

Learning what it is that God has preserved for us to know and learn about this encounter.

So here's what my plan is this morning. I want to walk through the passage in Mark. And bringing in the insight that we have from Matthew and the insight from John that are not recorded in Mark. and give you the full picture. And when we're done with that...

I'm going to spend, Lord willing, an extended time of application.

So when we come to the Word of God, this is a good pattern to follow. Number one, observation. Number two, interpretation and number three, application.

So that's what we're going to do. We're going to observe. What we have in the text, what God has given to us, We're going to interpret that. And then, by the help of God, bring some application that that will apply to our lives. There's five things of interest in the first couple of verses that I want to draw to your attention.

Both Matthew and Mark tell us that Jesus dismissed the crowd.

Well, what crowd? The crowd that had witnessed the miracle of the five loaves and the two fish. that crowd of 5,000 men plus women and children. Estimate anywhere between 15 and 20,000 people. were there, witnessed and benefited from that miracle of Jesus feeding the multitude.

Notice what it says. Immediately, this is verse 45. Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side to Bethsaida while he sent the multitude. Away. And when he had sent them away, he departed to the mountain to pray.

So, the first thing we want to note is Jesus is dismissing this crowd. Number two. Both Matthew and Mark tell us that Jesus made his disciples get into the boat. Notice, immediately he made his disciples get into the boat. I don't know what that looked like.

But those disciples got the message. This wasn't an option. This wasn't for something for them to have a powwow and consider. Jesus. made them get into the boat.

With instructions that he would meet them on the other side. Number three. Upon dismissing the crowd, Jesus went up on a mountain alone to pray. And as you study the Gospels, there are only three times that we're told about Jesus. Giving himself.

to prayer. The first is in Luke chapter 6. where Jesus spent all night in prayer. And the purpose of that was Selecting the twelve disciples. The second occasion is here.

And the third is Jesus is praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. for an extended period of time. You remember he left Peter, James, and John at the opening of the garden, came back to them several times, found them sleeping.

So what's going on here is significant in terms of Jesus is feeling the need to get alone to pray because of the demands that are upon him and because of misunderstanding. And we'll speak I'll speak to that in a little bit in a little bit later here. Observation number four. Only John Tells us what was going on with the large crowd and what prompted Jesus to send the disciples away. and for him to go to prayer.

John 6, verse 15 says, When Jesus perceived That they, that is the crowd, were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he departed. and sent the crowd away. His popularities exploded. The people have a misunderstanding of the purpose of Jesus. They want to seize him, make him king, so that he will liberate them from Roman.

Oppression. And I think, again, this is only speculation, but I think Jesus did not want. The disciples influenced any more along those lines because they were already thinking like that.

So he sent them away. Get them away. They don't need to get caught up in all this hype and misunderstanding. That's the fourth thing. And again, only John tells us that.

We're indebted to John to know that. And the fifth thing. of noticeable interest is the disciples got into the boat late afternoon, early evening.

Now John 6, verse 16 says, Now when Every hand had come to his disciples. They got into the boat. and went over the sea. Toward Capernaum, and it was. Already dark.

You remember the previous miracle? It was getting late in the afternoon. The disciples come to Jesus, send the people away. We don't have any food, there's no place to buy any food.

So it's late, late, late afternoon. and getting close to Early evening. John tells us they got into the boat and went over the sea toward Capernaum, and it was already dark. Mark 6, verse 47 says, Now, when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. That is, Jesus was.

Matthew 14, verse 24. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by waves. It's interesting how many different names of the same body of water. uh is given in the scriptures. It's the Sea of Galilee.

It's the Sea of Tiberias or the Lake of Tiberias. It is Lake Gennesaret, all talking about the Sea of Galilee. It's not a big body of water. It's about 16 miles north to south, and it's about 8 miles east to west. Cardin and I have had the privilege of Being there.

Swimming in the in the Sea of Galilee. We had the privilege of Being at this precipice where you could look out and see the entirety of. the Sea of Galilee. You could see how long it was north to south. how narrow it was.

East West. It was Something I'll never forget. When I started, I said We're talking ton today about dark nights and deep waters. The Sea of Galilee is at its deepest place 140 feet deep. He said, well, that's not very deep.

Well Relatively speaking, that's Deep enough if you don't know how to swim. Deep enough if your boat capsizes. As I've already mentioned, the lake had a reputation. For storms, just because of its geographical location, the uniqueness of it, the wind currents. Storms would come up.

Almost over just in a short period of time. Similar to what happened yesterday with us, where we were, the sun was out, it was 90 plus degrees. We heard some rumbling off in the distance, saw some clouds. They went around us. We've got a couple of sprinkles, but over in Graham, We got dumped on.

That's what's going on here. in our passage. John 6, verse 18 says, Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. Matthew 14, 24 says, The boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. John 6, verse 19 says, So when they had rowed.

With oars. three or four miles.

Well, why are we given that unique detail? that they rode three or four miles. But where they were, they weren't traveling north-south, they were traveling east-west. And if the lake's eight miles east. East-West, and they're three to four miles, they're in the middle.

They're in the middle of the sea. They're as far away from land as you could be. That was their situation. Mark six, verse forty-eight says. Then He, that is Jesus, saw them.

straining at rowing. For the wind was against them. He saw them. straining at the oars. How did he do that?

How did he see them? It's dark, it's night. They're four miles from shore. How did he see them? You say, well.

We're talking about Jesus here. Exactly. Exactly. He saw them. straining at the oars.

That word translated straining here could also be translated torture or torment. I don't know what picture you get of these men who are fishermen, but I get a picture of men whose shoulders are open and they look like Popeye. I mean, they've been rowing. I mean... You know what I'm saying?

They're not skinny. They're not wimps. They're men. Verse 48 says, Then he saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them.

Now about the fourth watch of the night. The fourth watch of the night, he came to them. Let me give you the The time frame for the four watches. The first watch is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

That would have been the time that they would have embarked in the boat onto the sea. We don't know exactly, but it was during that first watch. It was... One of them says it was dark, others say it was evening. The first watch between 6 and 9.

The second watch is from 9 until midnight. The third watch is from 12 midnight to 3 in the morning. The fourth watch is from 3 in the morning till 6 in the morning. And we're told that Jesus came to them in the fourth watch of the night. We don't know exactly the time, but between 3 in the morning and 6 in the morning.

So I'm just doing some math here. Let's say The first watch between six and nine, let's say they got into the boat, into the sea at seven o'clock, seven o'clock in the evening. And let's say Jesus came to them in the fourth watch between 3 in the morning and 6 in the morning. Let's say it was 4 in the morning. Seven Twelve.

They've been on the Sea of Galilee fighting the waves for nine nine hours. Nine hours. Yeah, they were straining at the oars. Yes, it was torture. Yes, it was torment.

Because the wind was contrary to them. They were trying to navigate into the storm and into the wind. And no doubt they were exhausted and they were fatigued. Verse forty-eight says, Then he saw them straining at rowing. Isn't it good that he didn't just see them?

Later on in the verse, it says, Now about the fourth watch of the night, he came to them. He saw them, he came to them. Walking on the sea. and he would have passed them by, walking on the sea. Defying gravity.

It's one of those miracles I think we would love to have observed, right? Walking on the sea. Verse 49 says, And when they saw him.

So notice the sequence here. He saw them straining at the oars. He came to them walking on the sea. And when they saw him, walking on the sea, They supposed it was a ghost. and cried out It was Common thinking that when The winds brought tumultuous waves on the sea, that that was the result of demonic activity.

That's why they were afraid. Just that Superstition. Verse forty says, And when they saw him. Verse fifty. For they all saw him and were troubled, but immediately he talked with them and said to them, Be of good cheer, it is I.

Do not be afraid. Isn't it wonderful when the Spirit of God impresses those words upon your heart in the times of difficulty and storm and darkness? Be of good cheer. Be of good cheer. It is I.

Do not be Afraid. Mark tells us that in response to their fear. Immediately he talked with them.

Now, Matthew tells us something that Mark and John omit from their account. And before I tell you what that is. that's significant, I think. Let me tell you a little bit about the three synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It's customarily believed that Mark was the first gospel written.

And then Matthew drew on that. In Luke, somewhat, not near as much as Matthew. Mark drew on the eyewitness account of Peter. as one of his major sources in putting together his gospel. You hear that?

Listen to what Matthew says.

Well, let's turn there. Because I think it's significant. Matthew chapter 14. I brought you up to verse twenty-seven of Matthew 14. Immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I, do not be afraid.

And then verse 28, and Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. It's a bit spontaneous. Isn't it?

So he said, Are you sure that's what you want? Are you sure you're up for that? No, he He said, come. Come and when Peter had come out of the boat. He walked on the water to go to Jesus.

But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me.

Well, that's quite a picture, isn't it? One of those questions that in eternity when we have 10 million, 10 zillion years. We might run into Peter somewhere and say, What in the world were you thinking? Where were you going? Why did you get out of a Boat.

Well, I think because What what his heart beat for Jesus. And if Jesus is there and he's on the water, I'm going to him. He just wanted to be near Jesus. It was irrational. They're four miles from the coast.

But he stepped out in faith and he walked on the water until. He saw the wind and was afraid. And then he cried out, Lord, save me. It's kind of like us, isn't it? We step out in faith, and then we begin to look around and begin to think about all the things that are opposed to us, and the contrary winds that are blowing.

We become afraid and then We begin to sink. But for one of his children, we have enough sense to cry out to the Lord, Lord, save me. And he does, he rescues us.

Now, keep in mind. who Mark drew upon for his eye witness account to Compose his gospel. It was Peter.

Now I don't know what happened between Peter and Mark. Whether Peter said to Mark, That is not a very flattering thing about me. Do not include that in your gospel. You say, well, I thought that God superintended the scriptures. Yes, I absolutely are breathed out by God.

But there's this human factor as well, right? The personalities of the authors come through.

So I don't know at what point and why. Mark doesn't include This account of Peter, and John doesn't either. It's interesting. But again, we're in the realm of speculation, so it's time to move on.

Now back to Mark. Verse 49: 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, and immediately he talked with them and 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.

Amazed. Marvelled, astounded, For they had not understood about the loaves because their heart was hardened. That's a bit puzzling right there, trying to figure out what are we to learn about that information. They had not understood about the loaves. Because their heart was hardened.

Let me address what I think is going on with the reference to their heart being hardened. We typically think of hard hearts as the consequence of repeated Committing of sin, and we move from a Um A troubled conscience, and we can move to where our hearts are. are hardened. But I don't think it has anything to do with sin per se. These men were very much like that multitude.

They saw in Jesus someone that was going to deliver them from Roman oppression. And you could not dislodge them from that. That's what they thought. The Messiah was here, the Messiah had come, we've hooked up our wagon to this, and we're going to be a part of the overthrow of the Roman government. That's what they'd hoped.

And they carried that. All through the Gospels. You remember the the two men on the road to Emmaus? Jesus walked up alongside them. What are you fellas talking about?

Are you the only one in Jerusalem that doesn't know what's going on? What things? You remember that account? And they said, we had hoped. Past tense that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.

Redeem Israel. Set Israel free from Roman oppression. They still fought that. Despite the fact that that Jesus continued to tell them What was going to happen?

So, I think it tells us something that we need to be careful. That we do not hold so strongly to something that we can't. That we are not open to changing our minds and our perspective on things. I'm thinking, if these guys were guilty of that and they'd walk with Jesus for three years, what in the world do I have a hard heart about? What do you have a hard heart about?

Some misunderstanding that you have believed this is the truth. I'm not letting go of this. I don't know what it is. They had not understood about the loaves. I made reference last Sunday night when I preached about the miracle, the feeding of the 5,000, that these men were instruments.

They were the ones who were passing the food, distributing the food, and how you could be a part of that and not be overwhelmed with, hey, we started with two fish and five loaves. I can't keep this assembly line moving fast enough. The text doesn't say anything about this. Again, I'm just speculating, but. What do you think was in the boat with these men that should have encouraged them that?

that there was some hope for them. How did that narrative end, the feeding of the 5,000? They gathered up Twelve basketfuls of fragments that was left over from the feeding. Do you think they just left him there? I think they took them with them.

I think that food was in the boat. They could look over and go. You remember that? You didn't have to have a A long memory that had just happened. Who's responsible for that?

Jesus is responsible for that. But it says They had not understood about the loaves. We're kind of like that, aren't we? Slow learners.

So what does Jesus do because they did not understand about the loaves?

Well, we're at the end of chapter 6. Look over at the top of chapter 8: the feeding of the 4,000. They're going to get this lesson again.

Well That's the observation, that's the interpretation.

Now let's think about application. And I've got 17 minutes to do this and that's good. Thank you for praying for my voice. Didn't leave me. I thought it was going to.

Six lessons. Let me give them to you and then we'll walk through them. Lesson number one: concerning the storms of life. Lesson number two, the nature of progress in the Christian life. Lesson number three, a lesson on prayer.

Number four, on the ways of God. Number five, on the compassion of God. And I've already given you the sixth one, a lesson on hardened hearts.

So Let's think number one concerning The storms of life. When the storms of life come, If we're not careful, we're going to misinterpret them. This is this is very subtle. But you've heard this, I've heard this. Obedience to God produces Smooth sailing.

I've heard it put this way. Obedience equals blessing. You obey God, you can expect to be blessed because you've obeyed. Obedience to God Produces smooth sailing?

Well, not always. How did they end up? in this boat. Was that their idea? No, Jesus made them get in a boat.

Into the sea. And he had a purpose for this for their life. Many professing Christians believe that if I'm in a storm, it must be because. Of my sin. It must be because of disobedience.

And if God really cared and loved me, He would have kept me from this storm. That's Bad reasoning. There are times that we're in a storm because of our sin. There are times we're in a storm because of disobedience. But there are two kinds of storms.

There's the storm of correction and then there's the storm of perfection. And this was a storm of perfection. God was in the business of perfecting their faith. It was weak. He deliberately.

sent them into a storm. His ways are beyond our ways. He had a purpose for this storm. I've said this numerous times, but I think it's worth repeating. A calm sea never made for a skilled sailor.

If you're always on the water and there's never a storm and you don't have to figure out how to navigate, you're not going to become much of a sailor. You navigate a few storms, you learn some things about how to make it. And these men did.

So, what are we to do in the midst of the storm? Of life, whatever it looks like, whatever it is. Trust God. Look to him. Don't become disillusioned.

He hasn't abandoned you. Let's think about. what constitutes progress in the Christian life. What does it look like? You know, there are some hymns that we do not sing because of bad theology, and here's one of them.

Higher ground. I'm pressing on the upward way, new heights I am gaining every day. Still praying as I am onward bound, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground. My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise in fierce dismay. Though some may dwell With with these abound my prayer My aim is higher ground.

I want to live above the world. Though Satan's darts at me are hurled, For faith has caught a joyful sound. The Song of Saints on Higher Ground. I want to scale the utmost height, And catch a gleam of glory bright, But Still, I'll pray till heaven I'm found, Lord lead me. onto higher ground.

Is that the nature of the Christian life? Just Man, we're just stair-stepping it. Higher ground, higher ground, higher ground.

Well, what happens when Contrary winds of life hit you in the face. And you're You're thinking I thought this Christian life was higher ground, man, I. No. You've heard it said, you're either progressing or you're regressing. Are those the only two options we have?

What about these men in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, four miles from The coastline. Were they progressing or were they digressing?

Sometimes Because of the nature of the storm, if we're just maintaining and our ship hasn't capsized and we're not upside down. That's evidence of the grace of God at work in our life. They were still afloat, all twelve of them still in the boat. They hadn't capsized. Listen to this brilliance of.

Charles Spurgeon. I love this. He said, quote, the apostolic crew rowed and rowed and rowed, and it was no fault of theirs that they made no progress, for the wind was contrary to them. The Christian man may make little or no headway, and yet it may be no fault of his, for the wind is contrary.

Now, get this. This is what I love. Our good Lord will take the will. for the deed. And reckon our progress not by our apparent advance, but by the hearty intent with which we tug at the oars.

Isn't that good? Just staying with the stuff. Just persevering, just doing what you know you should do, just continuing to pray, continuing to read your Bible, continuing to avail yourselves of the means of grace. Regardless if there's any apparent Advancement or improvement. Don't abandon the means of grace.

No, that's progress. When we stay by the stuff, And don't throw our faith away. There's a lesson here on prayer. It'd been a long difficult day of ministry. For the Lord Jesus.

to the spiritual and physical needs of the multitude. No doubt it left him fatigued and exhausted. But what was the result of that? What are we told? It drove him to prayer, not from prayer.

Sometimes we get just just fatigued. Wore out. And one of the things that we sometimes abandon is prayer. No, that's the time to continue to pray.

So there's this lesson on prayer. Number four. A lesson on the ways of God. A lesson on the ways of God. We're trying to.

As we study our Bible, we're trying to understand The ways of God, how He works. Jesus came to them in the storm. on the Sea of Galilee, and he will come to us. In our storm, He may not come at the time we think he should come. Again, they'd been on the sea for nine hours.

All Jesus would have had to have done was spoke a word, and the sea would have been calm, and they'd have been delivered from. their travail. But he didn't do that. It seems to me that he deliberately waited until they were as far from the coast as they could be. They were in the middle of the sea.

The only resource they had was their ability to row. And it was getting them. Little headway. It was then that Jesus Came down off the mountain. came to the shore, walked out.

On the sea, And ministered to them. calmed the sea. He could have done it earlier, but he didn't. Jesus was testing their faith. Why did Jesus walk on the water?

Think was me. What were they the most fearful of? The wind. The tumultuous sea. The very thing they feared, the raging, seething sea.

Was merely a set of steps for Jesus to come to them in that storm. He came walking on the water. And often The things that we fear the most is the very means that God uses to come to us, to draw near to us. We don't sign up for that. I'm not a masochist.

I don't like pain. I don't like difficulty. And neither do you.

So if you had your choice, You'd say, I think I'll take uh I'll take um Now, just metaphorically speaking, I'll take a 75 to 78. Day, a little overcast, lots of sun, no wind. And I don't want that just today. I just like that. all the time.

Does that sound good to you?

Well, we don't get to choose. The menu. of the Christian life. God knows that Trials are necessary, storms of life are necessary for the development of our faith. Regardless of how skilled these men were and how strong they were, all their rowing.

All their collective knowledge wasn't going to get them out of this storm. They were either going to drown right there Or Jesus would rescue them, and that's exactly what he did.

So, think with me.

Some of you would like to impose a timeline on Jesus. But he may not come at the time you think he should come. Because he knows When we need him the most. And Jesus waited until the boat was as far from land as possible, when all their hope was gone, Before He came to them. There's a lesson here on the compassion of God.

We're told there in verse forty-eight, then he saw them. And too often we think of compassion as simply an emotion. But biblical compassion is a is a is an emotion that motivates us to action. Then he saw them Straining at the rose, he came to them walking on the sea. He spoke Or he talked with them.

And again, I want to, I'm raising the question. He saw them. I think we would draw the conclusion that Jesus is manifesting himself here, that he's not just a man. He's a God man. Right?

He is the Son of God. They drew the right conclusion, according to John. Listen to what the psalmist says about God in darkness. Where can I go from your spirit, or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there.

If I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me. And your right hand shall hold me. If I say surely the darkness Shall fall on me. If I say, surely the darkness shall fall on me, even the night.

shall be light about me. Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness and the light are both alike to you. You and I can't see four miles in the dark. But the God-man can.

because he knows nothing of darkness. The compassion of our Lord. When we cannot see Jesus. Jesus sees us. And we got better news than these disciples did.

He might have been up on the mountain praying. And he was praying in reference to them, But we have A high priest in heaven who's praying for us. He's watching us. He's concerned about us. And he's never going to leave us nor forsake us.

So, when you can't see Jesus through the darkness, be assured he's got his eyes on you. And when you can't get to Jesus, they could not get to Jesus where they were. Jesus eventually gets to them. He leaves the mountain, walks down to the lake, steps onto the waves, and walks on the water to get to them. How does that translate to us?

Well, he comes to us. He comes to us by praying for us in heaven, and He comes to us by comforting us on earth by His Spirit. And when I don't know what to speak to Jesus, Hmm. He speaks to me. And what is the word that he gives to us?

When we are in long nights and deep waters. Take courage. Take courage, it's I. Don't be afraid.

So, we have so much. Reason to be encouraged. Hymn writers are masters, aren't they? Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come?

Why should my heart feel lonely and long for heaven and home? When Jesus is my portion. A constant friend is he. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches over me. His eye is on the sparrow.

And I know he watches me. I sing. Because I'm happy. I sing because I'm free. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he.

Watches may. This is a beautiful passage, I think, very encouraging. They are in the school of Christ. The day That particular day. They heard him.

ministering. They heard him teaching. Then there was a field assignment. They saw him performing miracles, healing sick people. casting out demons, feeding a multitude.

And what happened in the middle of the night? A pub quiz. I hated those in school. Pop quiz. What have you learning?

Well, I don't know what grade we'd give them. But the point of this isn't about them, it's about Jesus, isn't it? Don't miss this point. The point, we've got four gospels. The Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

What are these four Gospels? They tell us the life. and the story and the ministry of Jesus Christ. That's why we study the Gospels.

So that we might know Christ, know his ways. Draw near to him. Learn of him. And that's what we've tried to do this morning. Let's pray together.

Father, we thank you for this occasion that we've been able to consider This event it took place on the Sea of Galilee Several thousand years ago, And how thankful we are that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is that compassionate Savior. He is that one who comes to us in the storms of life, in those times of darkness, in deep waters. to encourage us, to strengthen us. And to help us.

Lord, would you by your Spirit draw nigh to everyone in this room? and meet us at our point of need, Encourage us. That the Savior that was precious to these disciples He's precious to us. He went to the cross of Calvary, laid his life down, on behalf of his own, And he's made a promise to the Father that he would Keep every single one. Until the end of the day.

Father, thank you for The promises we have, thank you for the confidence we have that you hear us. and that you will cause your word to bear fruit in our lives. We pray in Christ's name. Amen.

Okay.