WEBVTT

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 So, we're going to look back this morning for a little while at Mark's Gospel, chapter 6,

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 from verse 45, the story that's entitled, Jesus Walks on the Water.

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 And I wonder how many of us this morning, let's be honest, okay, I wonder how many of

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 us this morning actually came to church thinking, the opening of the Bible, praying and praising,

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 and the preached Word would actually change me. It would make any difference. I would go out here

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 different from how I came in. Did I think that? Did you think that as we came? Did we pray that?

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 Did we pray that God's living Word would transform us today and would change us and mold us and would

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 speak in our circumstances? I don't know how you've come today. I don't know your circumstances,

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 but God knows, and God wants us to know that His Word challenges and comforts and changes and

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 rebukes and brings us towards Himself more and more. And really, that's what Mark's Gospel is about,

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 and that's what Mark's intention is. His intention is to present Jesus to whoever will read this Gospel

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 and to learn about Him and be changed by Him and be molded by His glorious character and His redeeming

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 work on the cross. And it's a great book. Mark is a great Gospel. It's a Gospel in a hurry. Mark's

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 always moving quickly from one thing to another, and he's moving all the time towards the cross.

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 Most of the time he spends as he speaks, as he gives the story of Jesus, he spends it in the last week of

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 Jesus, the Passion Week, the cross, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. And it's almost like he's

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 moving quickly towards that throughout the Gospel. And so, you know, even in this verse, there's an urgency

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 about what he's saying. Immediately, he says, immediately, Jesus makes His disciples grow. There's this

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 a couple of paragraphs later, he says, immediately. And there's this sense of quickness, you know.

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 You don't linger around Mark's Gospel. You don't sit with your feet up around Mark's Gospel. You're in a

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 rush. You're rushing towards the cross with Jesus and with what Mark is saying. And he's wanting to show

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 Christ and discipleship, what it means to know Christ and what it means then to follow Christ.

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 Christ. He shows us that, and he's showing that to the early church and to every church since.

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 That's what he's wanting to do, to show Christ and discipleship. And that's foundational for us all.

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 And it continues to be and always should be foundational for us. So, we come to this great

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 miracle or this great revelation, as it were, of Jesus Christ walking on the water. Probably,

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 for us, the most caricatured of all his miracles, if you want to call it a miracle.

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 And it's often been mimicked or caricatured in one way or another, the Savior who walks on water.

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 It's a phrase that we use to speak about, you know, anyone who's kind of an amazing character. Oh,

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 they can walk on water. So, it's a well-known, even if people don't really know the story,

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 they'll know that phrase maybe in some way. But it's recorded here as cold fact. There's nothing

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 mythical about what is recorded here. Cold fact. And indeed, increasingly, as we read it,

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 Mark doesn't make a great deal, really, of the miracle itself of what he's done, but rather what it

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 speaks to us about the character of Jesus. Because I think it's very often misunderstood.

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 And it's important, both theologically and practically, to understand why Jesus did this,

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 why it was important. And the interaction between Jesus and the disciples here,

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 because he's teaching them about himself and his character. So, let's join the disciples.

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 We're disciples ourselves, most of us, I hope. Maybe all of you here, I don't know.

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 If you're not, I hope by the end of the day you will be. But we're disciples of Jesus. So,

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 let's join them. It was the end of a tiring day. Verse 30, I think, tells us that, that, yeah,

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 they had been hearing Jesus teaching all day. You're lucky you're only going to get me for an hour.

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 But Jesus had been teaching all day, and they were tired and hungry. All the crowd were tired and

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 hungry at the end of the day. And after, or just before the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000,

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 Jesus says, come with me by yourselves to a quiet place, get some rest. We're tired. It was exhausting

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 following and serving Jesus. And yet then they came to the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000.

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 Amazing! At the end of the day, it was well late. You know, the shops wouldn't have been open,

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 they wouldn't have got food. So, Jesus does this amazing miracle, and they've seen all the leftover

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 food, and they're amazed by what Jesus has done. So, they're tired, but they're probably buzzing.

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 What a great day! That's been an amazing day! What a feed we got in there! I didn't expect that!

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 I wasn't looking to get that kind of food at the end of the day. I'm thinking, this is going to be

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 great following Jesus. I'm going to love it! All these miracles, lots of food. Maybe we'll get cake

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 next time. And he's so popular, all these people around Jesus. And then we get the kind of, we bask

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 in the glory of being followers of Jesus, and we're popular as well. So many surprises. I love this!

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 I love being a follower of Jesus. Can you imagine them talking like that, and they're getting ready to,

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 oh, it's been a great day. I'm going to go to sleep now. Get bed down and get to sleep. Jesus says,

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 no, get in the boat late at night. You need to go ahead of me, and you need to go to Bethsaida,

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 and I'll catch you up. I'm not coming with you. I'm going up the mountainside to pray.

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 Oh, Jesus, can we not get some sleep first? Can we not do that in the morning? No, no,

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 do it now. But Jesus, the wind direction's not that great. I'm not sure if it's a good idea to be

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 going. Just do it. Go into the boat. I'll catch you up later. And after a few hours, it's been a

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 nightmare. It's been a nightmare on this boat. The wind has got up. It's going in the wrong direction.

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 The account in John's gospel of this tells us that they've been rowing for hours and hours,

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 and they're not getting anywhere. What was Jesus thinking about? You can imagine speaking among

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 themselves. What was the point of this? Could we not have waited till better weather until the

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 morning? Why isn't he here? Why has he left us on our own? Not again. They're on the water again,

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 and they're struggling again. They're worried about their life again on the water because they'd

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 already seen Jesus do a miracle, calming the waves. But at least he was in the boat with them last time,

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 even though he was asleep.

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 Does he think we can still the waves now because he's done it once? This is beyond a joke. It's

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 three or four in the morning. It's a nightmare. They've got these waves bashing over the boat,

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 aching limbs. It's dark. It's unknown what's going to happen. And then Jesus walks towards them

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 on the water. Unbelievable. What in the world is happening?

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 Is it a ghost, they say? Is it a sea monster? Is it death? You know, is it a grim reaper that's come?

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 They're terrified. They saw him, and they were terrified until he spoke and recognized his voice,

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 and he said, don't be afraid. Take courage. It is I. Fear went. Immediately, there's a great phrase

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 in verse 51. It says, they were completely amazed. It's a double superlative. They were exceedingly,

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 abundantly amazed by what happened. They really couldn't put it into words. They were speechless.

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 He didn't even command the wind and the waves to be silent this time. He just walked past them and

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 came into the boat, and everything went calm. Astonishing revelation of His power and of His glory

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 to them. And then interestingly, when they do get to land, they land in a different place.

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 They didn't land where they had intended to land or where they thought they were going to be. They

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 landed in Gennesaret, and the crowd still gathered. And that was before mobile phones. And yet, they all

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 seemed to know about Jesus. He was a phenomenon, and He was the healer, and He healed, and He let people

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 touch His cloak, and they were healed. Maybe sometimes we think if only we could see these miracles.

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 But it's interesting, actually, here, and in the feeding of the 5,000, because this is all part of a

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 wider section, which ends at the end of chapter 8. But in chapter 8 and verse 17, after Jesus does

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 another feeding, a feeding of the 4,000, we're told in verse 17 that they didn't understand.

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 Why are you still talking about having no bread, He said? Do you still not understand? Are your hearts

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 still hardened? And that was true so often of the disciples that they didn't understand Jesus. They

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 misunderstood Him and His mission. And we know when the time came, they all ran away, didn't they?

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 They didn't understand the gospel mission in all its clarity, even though in the next chapter,

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 Peter does acknowledge that Jesus is the Anointed One. So, you have the reaction of the disciples who saw

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 so much and yet didn't believe. We've got so much ourselves. And also, the crowds, interestingly, at this

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 point, the crowds, they flocked to see Jesus. But we do wonder why. Was it superstitious reverence? Was it because

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 He was a wonder worker? We see it later in the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where they all gathered

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 around Jesus and they worshiped the Christ of their own imagination. And days later, disappointed by Him,

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 they cry out for Him to be crucified. What's your reaction to Jesus? What do you think of Jesus? How do you

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 respond to Jesus? Because this is all about Jesus and discipleship, and how we respond, and how we act, and how we

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 worship, and how we follow, and how we learn from the living God through the Holy Spirit. So, who is this

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 Christ that we've come to worship today? We've sung about Him. We've prayed to Him. We've gathered in His

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 presence. We're dependent on His Holy Spirit. Who is this Christ that we worship? Mark wants us to

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 understand. He wants us to understand what the miracles mean, and He wants us to understand what

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 He's telling us about Himself. In John's account—I'm just slipping back slightly into the story of

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 the feeding of the 5,000—in John's account, Jesus explains why He does the feeding of the 5,000, to say

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 that He is the bread of life. He's saying that food is okay, it's fine, we need food, but He says He's the—it's

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 much more than Jesus providing food for a hungry group, and being the one who gives that. He's saying

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 that He is the bread of life. He is the one that we must find our nourishment, our strength from. And

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 just the same way here, it's not just about calming the wind and doing an amazing miracle over creation

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 and healing people. There's something beyond the calming of the storm. There's something beyond walking

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 on water. There's something beyond feeding of the 5,000. It's recognizing and knowing who Jesus is.

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 Because these disciples who were fishermen, had been fishermen, many of them, culturally and in their

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 Old Testament background, recognized that the sea very often in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament,

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 represented chaos and separation. And Jewish people generally didn't like the sea very much,

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 and they were afraid of it. It was unruly, and it spoke about opposition, and it spoke about—symbolically,

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 it highlighted kind of the antagonism and enmity towards God. And He reveals here His authority,

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 over creation, over creation, and His lordship over the sea, even the unruly sea.

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 In calming the wind, what we have here is Jesus revealing Himself as the Old Testament God.

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 That's what He's doing here. He is reminding them of His power over the waves at the crossing of the Red Sea.

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 He's pointing them towards the Psalms, which so often speak about God's power over the sea. We've sung some of them.

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 Who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength?

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 Who stilled the rolling of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the turmoil of the nations?

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 Psalm 65. Psalm 107, which we sung, He stilled the storm unto a whisper. The waves of the sea were hushed.

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 His mastery over the waves. Job 9, 8 and 9. He alone stretches out the heavens and treads the waves of the sea.

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 He makes a maker of the bear, and Orion, and Pleiades, and the constellations of the south.

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 Sea and sky. Sovereign King and Lord. And Mark is saying, look beyond Jesus simply walking on the water,

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 and see who is being revealed. There's God in the flesh. Very God, very man, yet one in Christ.

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 Incredible truth. When you read about Jesus, you're reading and seeing about God in the flesh.

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 So important for us to grasp that. If you have time, go home and read Westminster Confession of Faith,

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 chapter 8, paragraph 2. Tells us all about God being fully God and fully man.

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 And as He walks towards them, take courage, He says, it is I. Literally, many of you will know this,

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 He says, take courage, I am. Take courage, I am. He's taking that divine Redeemer's name,

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 name of the Old Testament, the great Yahweh name of the Old Testament, and taking it on Himself. He's

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 claiming to be God. Take courage, I am. His power over creation, and then the healing signs pointing

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 to what He's coming to do. And in that, so there's an Old Testament connection for these disciples,

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 both in His revelation of power and His speech. And by this interesting phrase that Mark uses in verse 48,

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 when he says, He was about to pass them by. Now, that phrase appears a couple of times in the Old

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 Testament in relation to God. It's the same word that's used for God being revealed on a couple of

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 occasions. In Exodus 33, Moses says to God, now show me your glory. And the Lord said, I will cause all

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 my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence.

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 And also, in 1 Kings 19, Elijah is looking for a revelation of God, and the Lord said,

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 go and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. It's the

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 same phrase that's used both times. It's a powerful recognition that the still, small voice of God,

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 the glory of God is revealed in both of these passing events. And it's similar here. I think

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 sometimes we read that, we think, well, Jesus was just kind of walking in the water and was going to

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 pass by the boat and miss them out. We go, wait a minute, stop. But it's not really that. It's not

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 that He was going to pass them by and ignore them. It's this recognition that He was revealing Himself

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 to them in this great moment. And of course, these two great Old Testament heroes, Moses and Elijah,

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 see Jesus again shortly in the Mount of Transfiguration.

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 So, we have a revelation of who Jesus is, which the disciples with their Old Testament knowledge

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 would have grasped at some point, maybe not immediately, but would have grasped and seen.

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 And Mark certainly does as he reveals it to us. And so, we have this New Testament reality of God

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 coming into our existence, coming into our lives yet without sin, and one who is utterly and completely

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 dependent on the Holy Spirit. It's not insignificant that before this walking on the water that He is

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 alone with His Father in prayer. Have you ever done anything powerful for Jesus Christ?

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 I guarantee if it did, it didn't come in your own strength. It came when you were relying on God in prayer.

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 That's what happens. You know, is anything happening in your life spiritually?

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 When was the last time you fell on your knees and prayed?

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 When was it we last depended on God for the impossibilities we faced? You face impossibilities today?

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 What are you trying to do? Are you working out a strategy? Am I?

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 Are we relying on ourselves, our gifts, our natural abilities? Are we looking, if Jesus, the infinite and

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 perfect Son of God, felt this great need to pray fervently to His Father, can we drift into worship

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 prayerless? Can you drift into your working week without calling on the name of God and entering the

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 throne of grace, this great and privileged place that we have? You've got greater privileges than

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 the leaders of Russia or America or UK or anyone else, you and me, ordinary punters, just people that

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 nobody really notices. We have freedom and privilege to enter the throne room of heaven

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 to make our requests.

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 So what's the Holy Spirit teaching us as we draw things to a conclusion

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 quickly?

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 Remember that Jesus

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 is God

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 and Jesus becoming one of us

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 to redeem us.

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 That's what Mark is speaking about in the gospel.

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 That's our greatest need.

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 And in many ways, this event

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 is a picture of our need.

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 Without Christ, we're in the middle of the sea.

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 We're

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 flapping around, trying to make

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 sense of the world and trying to get somewhere.

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 And we're lost, and we're in the dark

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 without Christ.

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 And even as Christians,

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 we return to that

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 worthless place

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 when we stop

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 growing and relying on Him.

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 And

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 the constant, I think,

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 reminder of

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 gospel

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 preaching and the Word of God

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 is that the gospel reminds us

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 that we're more sinful and flawed

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 than we ever dared believe,

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 but more accepted and loved

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 than we ever dared hope.

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 That's the gospel message.

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 It'll take us down into the depths

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 in order to

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 let us hear His voice saying,

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 is I? Do not be afraid.

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 God

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 Himself

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 went into the depths

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 in Christ,

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 into the darkness of hell,

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 because that's where

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 you and I should have been going.

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 And that's where we deserve to be

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 separated

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 and apart

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 from the living God.

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 And that's where

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 our friends and neighbors are heading

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 who don't know Jesus.

00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:37.440
 And He has gone there.

00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:38.360
 And, you know,

00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:39.940
 the whole of Mark is,

00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:40.660
 you know,

00:21:40.680 --> 00:21:41.160
 Jesus says,

00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:42.580
 I must go to the cross.

00:21:42.700 --> 00:21:43.059
 He's not saying,

00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:44.720
 well, I think I'll head along to the cross.

00:21:44.820 --> 00:21:46.440
 It's a decent way to save people.

00:21:46.660 --> 00:21:46.799
 He says,

00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:48.140
 I must go to the cross.

00:21:49.140 --> 00:21:50.559
 I have to die.

00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:53.779
 Any parents here?

00:21:54.460 --> 00:21:54.700
 Parents,

00:21:54.759 --> 00:21:55.140
 do you know what?

00:21:55.180 --> 00:21:55.840
 You would do anything

00:21:55.840 --> 00:21:56.559
 for your children.

00:21:57.900 --> 00:21:59.299
 Well, that's exactly what God

00:21:59.299 --> 00:22:00.860
 has done that for His children.

00:22:01.539 --> 00:22:01.740
 He said,

00:22:01.840 --> 00:22:03.660
 this is what I had to do.

00:22:03.660 --> 00:22:06.600
 It wasn't an optional extra.

00:22:07.300 --> 00:22:08.480
 We can't sit here

00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:10.080
 as an optional extra

00:22:10.080 --> 00:22:11.860
 thinking it's a nice thing to do

00:22:11.860 --> 00:22:13.540
 for Jesus to do.

00:22:14.100 --> 00:22:14.620
 He went

00:22:14.620 --> 00:22:16.360
 because it was

00:22:16.360 --> 00:22:17.560
 what He had to do

00:22:17.560 --> 00:22:18.880
 to set us free

00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:20.700
 so that we can sit here

00:22:20.700 --> 00:22:21.779
 and rejoice

00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:23.200
 and be glad

00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:25.240
 that He has given us salvation.

00:22:28.500 --> 00:22:29.680
 And He had to come

00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:30.400
 just as Jesus

00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:32.700
 had to walk in the water

00:22:32.700 --> 00:22:33.500
 towards them

00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:34.819
 and He didn't row

00:22:34.819 --> 00:22:35.299
 to the shore

00:22:35.299 --> 00:22:35.920
 to meet Him

00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:37.460
 and meet halfway

00:22:37.460 --> 00:22:38.119
 and compromise

00:22:38.119 --> 00:22:38.559
 and say,

00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:39.380
 I'll do so much you do.

00:22:39.640 --> 00:22:40.400
 They were helpless

00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:42.440
 and He walked towards them

00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:43.980
 and Christ is the one

00:22:43.980 --> 00:22:45.819
 who reaches out to us.

00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:46.480
 We're helpless

00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:48.240
 and we must continue

00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:49.980
 having that mentality

00:22:49.980 --> 00:22:50.799
 as Christians.

00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:52.579
 We're helpless without Him

00:22:52.579 --> 00:22:54.160
 and He brings us

00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:55.880
 wholeness and energy.

00:22:56.740 --> 00:22:58.380
 But like the disciples,

00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:00.099
 I think we can also learn

00:23:00.099 --> 00:23:00.740
 that we too

00:23:00.740 --> 00:23:02.200
 have hard hearts.

00:23:02.200 --> 00:23:06.519
 I think the older

00:23:06.519 --> 00:23:07.460
 I get as a Christian,

00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:08.660
 the more I recognize that.

00:23:09.160 --> 00:23:09.920
 If you're young

00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:11.580
 and you're a young Christian,

00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:13.039
 it's a great place to be.

00:23:13.700 --> 00:23:14.700
 But the older you get,

00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:16.200
 the more the darkness

00:23:16.200 --> 00:23:17.059
 of your heart

00:23:17.059 --> 00:23:17.940
 is exposed

00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:18.799
 by the likeness

00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:21.600
 of Jesus' own gaze.

00:23:22.900 --> 00:23:23.860
 And so often

00:23:23.860 --> 00:23:25.120
 we struggle on our own

00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:27.179
 and we moan about

00:23:27.179 --> 00:23:28.239
 how tough it is

00:23:28.239 --> 00:23:29.899
 doing God's will

00:23:29.899 --> 00:23:31.639
 and we wonder,

00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:32.639
 where is He?

00:23:33.379 --> 00:23:34.179
 And why is He making

00:23:34.179 --> 00:23:35.419
 these demands of us?

00:23:36.039 --> 00:23:37.339
 And why I can't feel

00:23:37.339 --> 00:23:38.639
 that He's beside me here

00:23:38.639 --> 00:23:39.379
 in the struggles?

00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:41.359
 And like the disciples,

00:23:41.579 --> 00:23:43.059
 we love the idea of life

00:23:43.059 --> 00:23:43.799
 being exciting

00:23:43.799 --> 00:23:45.500
 and full of miracles

00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:47.399
 and feeding

00:23:47.399 --> 00:23:48.879
 and nourishment

00:23:48.879 --> 00:23:49.500
 and provision

00:23:49.500 --> 00:23:50.539
 from this great

00:23:50.539 --> 00:23:51.959
 miracle-working God.

00:23:51.960 --> 00:23:54.600
 But we get overwhelmed

00:23:54.600 --> 00:23:55.640
 when we're in the dark

00:23:55.640 --> 00:23:57.539
 and we think He's left us

00:23:57.539 --> 00:23:59.220
 and He doesn't care anymore.

00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:00.960
 And if this is a Christian walk,

00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:02.120
 well, I'd rather just

00:24:02.120 --> 00:24:03.039
 YOLO

00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:04.519
 and just, you know,

00:24:04.579 --> 00:24:05.380
 live for the day.

00:24:05.940 --> 00:24:07.019
 You only live once.

00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:08.079
 And forget about

00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:08.740
 the challenges

00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:10.500
 of discipleship.

00:24:10.759 --> 00:24:11.039
 And yet,

00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:12.740
 much of what Jesus is doing

00:24:12.740 --> 00:24:13.559
 or Mark is doing

00:24:13.559 --> 00:24:14.700
 is revealing to us

00:24:14.700 --> 00:24:16.019
 because the next chapter

00:24:16.019 --> 00:24:16.779
 He goes on to speak

00:24:16.779 --> 00:24:17.440
 about the cost

00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:18.279
 of discipleship.

00:24:19.180 --> 00:24:20.220
 Taking up our cross

00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:21.080
 and following Him.

00:24:22.120 --> 00:24:23.319
 Walking in the darkness.

00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:25.860
 Rowing and not getting anywhere.

00:24:27.460 --> 00:24:28.880
 Recognizing our constant need

00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:30.259
 in the spiritual battles.

00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:33.759
 Have any of you

00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:35.000
 had physical heart surgery?

00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:37.500
 Well, that's no walk in the park.

00:24:39.740 --> 00:24:41.340
 Well, spiritual heart surgery

00:24:41.340 --> 00:24:42.140
 is no different.

00:24:42.900 --> 00:24:44.279
 It's much, much deeper.

00:24:45.380 --> 00:24:46.960
 So, it's important

00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:48.440
 that we don't sit before God

00:24:48.440 --> 00:24:49.500
 and play the victim

00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:53.240
 and rub ourselves in the back

00:24:53.240 --> 00:24:54.600
 and say the poor me's.

00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:57.720
 Because we need to recognize

00:24:57.720 --> 00:24:58.819
 the cost

00:24:58.819 --> 00:25:01.480
 and the love

00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:02.160
 and the commitment

00:25:02.160 --> 00:25:03.580
 that drove Him

00:25:03.580 --> 00:25:04.640
 already

00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:06.440
 to set us free

00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:08.080
 so that we can know life

00:25:08.080 --> 00:25:09.660
 and ultimately healing,

00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:10.259
 of course.

00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:13.340
 And maybe healings

00:25:13.339 --> 00:25:15.199
 often in this life too.

00:25:16.419 --> 00:25:17.659
 But the great thing is as well,

00:25:18.359 --> 00:25:19.019
 thirdly,

00:25:19.439 --> 00:25:20.179
 nearly lastly,

00:25:20.879 --> 00:25:22.220
 Jesus gets us.

00:25:23.339 --> 00:25:24.220
 He understands us.

00:25:24.220 --> 00:25:24.759
 Isn't that good?

00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:27.019
 He understands us

00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:28.099
 so much more

00:25:28.099 --> 00:25:28.980
 than we ever appreciate.

00:25:29.819 --> 00:25:30.740
 We think He's distant.

00:25:31.339 --> 00:25:32.359
 We think He doesn't care.

00:25:32.459 --> 00:25:33.319
 We think He's not necessarily

00:25:33.319 --> 00:25:34.240
 interested in our small

00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:35.199
 insignificant lives.

00:25:35.200 --> 00:25:37.160
 but He sees our struggles

00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:38.700
 and He knows them.

00:25:42.620 --> 00:25:43.559
 Take courage.

00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:45.100
 It's I.

00:25:45.779 --> 00:25:46.319
 Don't be afraid.

00:25:46.380 --> 00:25:47.259
 He doesn't chide them.

00:25:47.880 --> 00:25:48.980
 He doesn't give them a row

00:25:48.980 --> 00:25:51.059
 for their moans

00:25:51.059 --> 00:25:51.720
 and their grumbles

00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:52.480
 and their complaints

00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:53.100
 and their struggles.

00:25:53.840 --> 00:25:54.299
 He says,

00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:54.960
 I am.

00:25:55.799 --> 00:25:56.319
 I know.

00:25:57.100 --> 00:25:57.640
 I know.

00:25:58.279 --> 00:25:59.340
 I know exactly

00:25:59.340 --> 00:26:00.100
 what you're going through.

00:26:00.360 --> 00:26:01.400
 Nobody else might today.

00:26:01.400 --> 00:26:02.600
 But I know.

00:26:03.800 --> 00:26:04.620
 He's gentle,

00:26:05.780 --> 00:26:06.380
 strong,

00:26:07.480 --> 00:26:07.960
 patient.

00:26:09.320 --> 00:26:10.400
 And He loves us.

00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:12.440
 He's always there for us.

00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:13.940
 These are great words

00:26:13.940 --> 00:26:14.460
 of assurance.

00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:16.120
 You should be listening

00:26:16.120 --> 00:26:17.080
 for these words today.

00:26:17.140 --> 00:26:17.980
 Maybe you need to hear

00:26:17.980 --> 00:26:18.860
 these words today

00:26:18.860 --> 00:26:20.440
 more than anything else.

00:26:20.860 --> 00:26:21.400
 I know.

00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:22.900
 I love you.

00:26:24.019 --> 00:26:24.780
 Take courage.

00:26:25.700 --> 00:26:26.300
 I am.

00:26:27.800 --> 00:26:29.540
 Nobody else can say that to us.

00:26:29.540 --> 00:26:30.880
 I am.

00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:35.380
 And I think lastly,

00:26:36.080 --> 00:26:36.920
 His presence

00:26:36.920 --> 00:26:38.240
 is everything

00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:39.120
 for us.

00:26:39.900 --> 00:26:40.560
 His presence

00:26:40.560 --> 00:26:41.140
 is everything

00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:41.840
 in our lives.

00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:43.200
 As it was

00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:43.980
 for the disciples.

00:26:44.800 --> 00:26:46.020
 Maybe physically

00:26:46.020 --> 00:26:46.660
 in ways

00:26:46.660 --> 00:26:47.500
 they didn't understand.

00:26:50.060 --> 00:26:51.300
 But His presence,

00:26:51.420 --> 00:26:51.840
 the knowledge

00:26:51.840 --> 00:26:52.480
 of His presence

00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:53.040
 is everything.

00:26:54.080 --> 00:26:54.900
 And His voice.

00:26:55.780 --> 00:26:56.440
 His voice.

00:26:57.520 --> 00:26:57.720
 You know,

00:26:57.720 --> 00:26:58.760
 they were terrified.

00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:02.040
 Until they heard His voice.

00:27:02.540 --> 00:27:02.680
 You know,

00:27:03.080 --> 00:27:04.440
 My sheep know my voice.

00:27:05.380 --> 00:27:06.120
 They were terrified.

00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:07.640
 You might be terrified

00:27:07.640 --> 00:27:08.620
 of Jesus Christ

00:27:08.620 --> 00:27:10.420
 as a

00:27:10.420 --> 00:27:11.940
 philosophical

00:27:11.940 --> 00:27:15.960
 revelation

00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:16.620
 or whatever.

00:27:16.619 --> 00:27:19.459
 but as you know Him,

00:27:19.779 --> 00:27:20.639
 you hear His voice.

00:27:21.539 --> 00:27:22.619
 That changes everything

00:27:22.619 --> 00:27:23.639
 for us.

00:27:24.219 --> 00:27:24.579
 And that,

00:27:24.759 --> 00:27:25.839
 along with His presence,

00:27:28.239 --> 00:27:29.179
 I guess in a sense,

00:27:29.439 --> 00:27:32.879
 maybe this is stretching things

00:27:32.879 --> 00:27:33.399
 theologically,

00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:36.320
 but this speaks of union

00:27:36.320 --> 00:27:37.040
 with Christ.

00:27:37.540 --> 00:27:37.720
 You know,

00:27:37.800 --> 00:27:39.180
 when Christ comes to them,

00:27:40.140 --> 00:27:41.440
 that's when things change.

00:27:41.540 --> 00:27:42.519
 There's that picture

00:27:42.519 --> 00:27:44.259
 of the importance

00:27:44.259 --> 00:27:45.540
 of union with Christ

00:27:45.540 --> 00:27:47.560
 and being in Christ's presence.

00:27:47.780 --> 00:27:49.460
 That's what transforms you

00:27:49.460 --> 00:27:50.480
 and changes you

00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:52.120
 and changes your perspective.

00:27:52.119 --> 00:27:54.079
 knowing Him,

00:27:54.599 --> 00:27:55.899
 listening to Him,

00:27:56.139 --> 00:27:57.359
 being in prayer with Him.

00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:57.979
 You know,

00:27:58.119 --> 00:27:59.839
 He is always coming to us,

00:28:00.239 --> 00:28:01.179
 but where are we?

00:28:02.579 --> 00:28:03.739
 Do we turn our backs from?

00:28:03.799 --> 00:28:04.619
 Do we run away?

00:28:04.859 --> 00:28:05.039
 Oh,

00:28:05.139 --> 00:28:06.019
 too busy today,

00:28:06.119 --> 00:28:06.339
 Lord.

00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:07.619
 I'll do it on an easy,

00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:08.219
 quiet day.

00:28:08.639 --> 00:28:10.079
 I'll do my prayer times

00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:10.799
 once a month

00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:12.419
 when things are easier.

00:28:13.379 --> 00:28:14.279
 And He's coming

00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:14.859
 and He's knocking

00:28:14.859 --> 00:28:15.899
 at the door of our lives

00:28:15.899 --> 00:28:16.500
 all the time.

00:28:17.419 --> 00:28:18.519
 And we don't value

00:28:18.519 --> 00:28:19.139
 His presence.

00:28:19.919 --> 00:28:20.039
 Oh,

00:28:20.039 --> 00:28:20.799
 we like Netflix,

00:28:21.059 --> 00:28:22.579
 but we don't value His presence.

00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:24.200
 His presence is not

00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:25.220
 that important to us.

00:28:25.819 --> 00:28:26.879
 I'll do church once a week.

00:28:26.920 --> 00:28:27.579
 I'll give Him an hour.

00:28:28.119 --> 00:28:28.539
 It's good.

00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:29.379
 It's important.

00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:31.519
 But conversation,

00:28:32.379 --> 00:28:32.819
 company,

00:28:33.399 --> 00:28:34.079
 dependence,

00:28:35.159 --> 00:28:36.019
 we like the Christ

00:28:36.019 --> 00:28:37.059
 who's revealed here,

00:28:37.619 --> 00:28:38.159
 who needs to,

00:28:38.339 --> 00:28:39.059
 wants to be

00:28:39.059 --> 00:28:40.139
 in His Father's presence,

00:28:40.759 --> 00:28:41.920
 in the throne room.

00:28:44.500 --> 00:28:44.819
 My,

00:28:44.899 --> 00:28:45.700
 as a pastor,

00:28:46.299 --> 00:28:46.859
 too busy.

00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:48.480
 What a paradoxical,

00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:50.180
 ridiculous position

00:28:50.180 --> 00:28:50.660
 to be in.

00:28:51.180 --> 00:28:52.599
 Someone representing

00:28:52.599 --> 00:28:53.860
 and sharing God's Word.

00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:55.059
 No time for Him.

00:28:55.500 --> 00:28:56.319
 Life too busy.

00:28:56.440 --> 00:28:56.559
 Oh,

00:28:56.579 --> 00:28:57.480
 it's the Lord's work.

00:28:58.160 --> 00:28:58.940
 Big deal.

00:28:59.799 --> 00:29:00.539
 It's the Lord's work

00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:01.259
 and we've no time

00:29:01.259 --> 00:29:01.799
 for the Lord.

00:29:01.900 --> 00:29:02.640
 What good is it?

00:29:04.380 --> 00:29:05.360
 Remarkably important

00:29:05.360 --> 00:29:05.799
 for us

00:29:05.799 --> 00:29:07.000
 to recognize

00:29:07.000 --> 00:29:07.700
 the power

00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:09.079
 and the significance

00:29:09.079 --> 00:29:10.440
 and the relevance

00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:12.059
 of being in His presence

00:29:12.059 --> 00:29:13.460
 and of knowing

00:29:13.460 --> 00:29:14.900
 the presence of God

00:29:14.900 --> 00:29:16.140
 in our lives.

00:29:16.140 --> 00:29:18.920
 I think presence

00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:19.759
 is very important.

00:29:20.620 --> 00:29:21.540
 I think your presence

00:29:21.540 --> 00:29:22.360
 in the workplace,

00:29:23.100 --> 00:29:24.200
 even without saying anything,

00:29:24.360 --> 00:29:26.020
 your Christ-like presence

00:29:26.020 --> 00:29:26.700
 as a Christian

00:29:26.700 --> 00:29:27.740
 is important.

00:29:27.840 --> 00:29:28.720
 Someone said that to me

00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:29.180
 not that,

00:29:30.220 --> 00:29:31.160
 maybe a year or two ago

00:29:31.160 --> 00:29:32.020
 when I took on

00:29:32.020 --> 00:29:33.160
 the chaplaincy at Hibbs.

00:29:34.180 --> 00:29:34.680
 They said,

00:29:34.980 --> 00:29:36.100
 your presence there

00:29:36.100 --> 00:29:37.520
 is going to be important.

00:29:38.360 --> 00:29:38.880
 Just your presence.

00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:39.980
 Not only your presence,

00:29:40.100 --> 00:29:40.600
 it's not just,

00:29:40.680 --> 00:29:40.920
 you know,

00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:43.160
 that words don't matter.

00:29:43.160 --> 00:29:43.620
 Of course,

00:29:43.720 --> 00:29:44.160
 they do.

00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:46.160
 But our presence

00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:46.920
 is important

00:29:46.920 --> 00:29:48.140
 as those who are filled

00:29:48.140 --> 00:29:48.820
 with the Holy Spirit,

00:29:48.900 --> 00:29:49.519
 whatever we are.

00:29:49.880 --> 00:29:50.340
 Presence,

00:29:51.160 --> 00:29:51.880
 decision-making,

00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:53.320
 response,

00:29:54.560 --> 00:29:56.060
 your words.

00:29:56.580 --> 00:29:57.900
 And that can only come

00:29:57.900 --> 00:29:59.580
 when His presence

00:29:59.580 --> 00:30:01.320
 is everything to us.

00:30:03.060 --> 00:30:04.360
 We can't row

00:30:04.360 --> 00:30:06.019
 in the boat of life

00:30:06.019 --> 00:30:07.620
 without Him.

00:30:08.820 --> 00:30:09.620
 Take courage.

00:30:10.600 --> 00:30:11.180
 I am.

00:30:11.980 --> 00:30:12.880
 Don't be afraid.

00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:15.100
 Let's pray.

00:30:16.560 --> 00:30:17.360
 Father God,

00:30:17.460 --> 00:30:17.900
 help us

00:30:17.900 --> 00:30:18.740
 and hear us

00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:19.580
 and guide us.

00:30:19.579 --> 00:30:23.299
 in the boat.

00:30:24.339 --> 00:30:24.819
ective,

00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:25.399
 and

00:30:25.500 --> 00:30:25.740
 Joseph

00:30:25.879 --> 00:30:27.179
 and

00:30:27.500 --> 00:30:27.519
 change us

00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:27.699
 and

00:30:27.699 --> 00:30:28.159
 get out of the series.

00:30:28.359 --> 00:30:31.500
 Inge

00:30:31.779 --> 00:30:32.439
 and

00:30:32.439 --> 00:30:32.899
 Jeff are

00:30:32.899 --> 00:30:34.240
 in the Bible.

00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:34.339
 Even the Bible says,

00:30:34.339 --> 00:30:34.839
 you know,

00:30:35.179 --> 00:30:36.679
 when his voice is

00:30:36.679 --> 00:30:37.099
 bad about him,

00:30:37.319 --> 00:30:37.879
 he was

00:30:39.299 --> 00:30:39.599
 trying to

00:30:39.619 --> 00:30:40.639
 marry us

00:30:41.179 --> 00:30:41.519
 and

00:30:41.659 --> 00:30:42.699
손

00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:43.859
 say,

00:30:44.359 --> 00:30:44.759
 hey,

00:30:44.980 --> 00:30:45.059
 somebody

00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:46.679
 needs çok

00:30:46.679 --> 00:30:47.279
 for

00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:47.379
 his

00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:48.439
�ris