Matthew 14:22-33
- Your Faith Grows as You Do What God Says.
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. Matthew 14:22
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 NIV
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 NIV
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us”… Ephesians 3:20 NKJV
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 NIV
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV
- Your Faith Grows Through Storms
After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Matthew 14:23-24
“buffeted,” “basavizomenon” means: tossed around with great force.
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Matthew 14:25-27
- Your Faith Grows through Action
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” Matthew 14:28
This Week’s Power Verse: But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:6
“Come,” he said. Matthew 14:29a
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:29b
- You have to step out to find out!
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Matthew 14:30
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31
- Your Faith Grows Through Relationships
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:32-33
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Prayer Request
- Connect One
Have you been coming to The Connection Church for a while? Are you wondering how to officially join the TCC Family? Then you’re invited to attend our Connect One Membership Dinner TODAY, Sunday, August 25th at our Buda Campus. You are going to hear the The Connection Church story from our lead pastors, Cole and Pam Phillips and discover how you can partner with us to make a difference. It starts at 5:30pm & childcare is provided. RSVP Here to let us know you’re coming.
- Birthday and Baptism
The Connection Church is turning 20 and we want to invite you to celebrate with us. At Birthday and Baptism we will celebrate life change and everything God has done in the past 20 years and look forward to what He continues to do. Join us Sunday, September 8th from 3-5:30 at Twin Oaks Ranch in Buda. We will have food trucks, swimming, water slides, jumpies and of course baptisms at the river. So grab your swimsuits, towels and lawn chairs and we’ll see everyone there!!
If you have made a personal decision to begin a relationship with Christ and have not yet been baptized, we invite you to sign-up for RIVER baptism Sunday, September 8th during any of our Celebration Services. If you have questions or would like to “Take The Plunge” CLICK HERE.
- Freedom Rally
Find freedom from fears, anxiety, self-destructive behaviors, addictions or anything else, you are invited to attend our “Freedom Rally” on Monday, September 9th at 6:30pm at our Buda Campus. You’ll hear powerful testimonies from people in the church who have graduated from this amazing program & learn what real recovery looks like. Get started on your road to recovery today! RSVP HERE TODAY!
Connection Group Discussion Questions:
Open It Up
1. Personal Storms: What is a “storm” you are currently facing in your life? How does it impact your faith and daily walk with God?
2. Identifying God’s Presence: Have you experienced moments where you felt God was silent or distant during difficult times? How did you navigate those feelings?
Getting in the Word
3. Read Mark 4:35-41 together. How do you relate to the disciples’ fear and reaction to the storm? What do you think Jesus was trying to teach them—and us—through this experience?
4. Faith and Obedience: The sermon discusses how obedience can lead us into storms. How do you reconcile following God’s will with encountering difficulties? How can obedience in the face of challenges strengthen your faith?
Work It Out
5. Trusting God During the Storm: What practical steps can you take to trust God more in your personal storms? How can the group support each other in this?
6. Dealing with Doubt: When you doubt God’s presence or power in your life, what helps you regain your faith? How can you use those strategies when facing new challenges?
Get it Together
7. The Role of Community: How important is it to have a faith community, like a small group, during life’s storms? Share an experience where the support of others helped you through a difficult time.
8. Encouraging Others: How can you be a source of encouragement and faith for someone else who is going through a storm? What specific actions can you take this week to help someone in need?
Live It Out
9. Personal Takeaway: What is the most important lesson you learned from this sermon about facing life’s storms? How will you apply it in your life this week?
10. Prayer Focus: How can we pray for each other as we navigate the storms in our lives? What specific areas of your life would you like the group to lift up in prayer?