It's my pleasure to welcome to the pulpit this evening Reverend Joe Hall who is Minister in Bon Accord Free Church in Aberdeen.
! It's delighted to welcome him here with us this evening. He's been preaching in Kalanish already today this morning and now he's preaching with ourselves.
This evening he's been to the island before but just spending time visiting the place as a tourist.
So this is his first time coming over to preach here in the island.
So we're delighted to have him with us.
I know he'll be familiar to some of you here with either being in Aberdeen or relatives in Aberdeen or if you've been out in Aberdeen he's maybe familiar to you.
So we look forward to his ministry with us this evening and I'm delighted just to hand over to him at this point.
Well thank you Kalan and thank you all for your invitation.
It's a delight to be with you this evening to worship God with you.
Bring warm greetings from the congregation at Bon Accord.
Some of whom have been known to some of you.
But just delighted to be here to partner with you and to worship with you here this evening.
Hear these words of Jesus that come from John chapter 8.
Jesus said,
As we come to the risen Lord Jesus Christ this morning, this evening, let us believe in him and we will never hunger.
We will not thirst.
We will be satisfied in him.
Let us come to him then with our praise this evening.
We're going to stand together to sing from the Scottish shelter Psalm 100.
All people that on earth do dwell, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
Let us stand to sing God's praise.
Let us pray.
Why the Lord the God is good.
His mercy is forever sure.
His truth at all times turn thee to.
I shall promise to his vengeance.
Let's join our hearts in prayer to God.
Let us pray together.
Gracious God and loving Heavenly Father,
it's our joy and delight this evening
to join our hearts and our voices together
in praise of ye,
your goodness,
your glory,
your greatness.
Father, we delight to join our voices
with your church throughout the earth,
all peoples that on earth do dwell,
who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
and gather in your presence this Lord's day.
It's our joy and our delight, Father,
to join our voices,
even with the angels in heaven,
gathered around your throne
to be in your presence,
exalted and majestic,
the holy God.
we come to you with praise and adoration,
for truly you are over all.
And yet, Father, we praise you,
we glorify you,
that you have drawn near to us
through your Son,
by your Holy Spirit.
Our Father, we praise you,
that you, by your grace,
have called a people to yourself in Christ.
Christ,
we thank you that you have set
your everlasting love upon us,
that you have put your triune name upon us,
the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
And you give us strength
and you bless us.
And our Father,
as we gather to you this evening,
we confess that it is only in your strength
and it is only with your blessing
that we can come.
Our Father,
it is only because you have sought
and called us
that we are gathered here.
Lord, we confess that if
our coming before you
depended on our own strength
or will,
our merit,
our works,
our own desire,
oh Lord,
we would not be before you.
We could not stand.
Our Father,
we have proved in countless ways
this past week
how our love for you
has not been with all our heart,
soul, mind, and strength.
Lord, we have not loved
our neighbor as ourselves.
And yet, as we gather to you,
our Father,
we rejoice that you have loved us
from eternity past,
that you have shown your love for us
in this,
that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
And so, Father,
it is not for our own love
that we come,
but for yours.
Forgive us,
we pray,
for what we're not.
Lord,
make us like your Son.
And as we hear your word
and as your spirit
is at work in us tonight,
as we trust,
according to your promise,
that he will be,
that you would conform us
to his image
from one degree of glory
to the next.
Our Father,
be at work in us.
Renew our hearts
that we might love
and worship
and serve you
tonight
and as we go from here
into the coming week.
For we ask in the name
of the crucified
and risen Lord Jesus.
Amen.
Well, we are going to hear
the words of Jesus now
from Matthew's Gospel,
chapter 14,
and reading from page 13.
Matthew, chapter 14.
We're beginning from verse 13.
Just before this,
we hear of the death
of John the Baptist.
That is what Jesus
is hearing about
in verse 13.
Now, when Jesus heard this,
he withdrew from there
in a boat
to a desolate place
by himself.
But when the crowds heard it,
they followed him
on foot from the towns.
When he went ashore,
he saw a great crowd
and he had compassion on them
and healed their sick.
Now, when it was evening,
the disciples came to him
and said,
this is a desolate place
and the day is now over.
Send the crowds away
to go into the villages
and buy food for themselves.
But Jesus said,
they need not go away.
You give them something to eat.
They said to him,
we have only five loaves here
and two fish.
And he said,
bring them here to me.
Then he ordered the crowds
to sit down on the grass
and taking the five loaves
and the two fish,
he looked up to heaven
and said a blessing.
Then he broke the loaves
and gave them to the disciples
and the disciples
gave them to the crowds
and they all ate
and were satisfied.
And they took up 12 baskets
full of broken pieces left over
and those who ate
were about 5,000 men
besides women and children.
Immediately,
he made the disciples
get into the boat
and go before him
to the other side
while he dismissed the crowds.
And after he dismissed the crowds,
he went up on the mountain
by himself to pray.
When evening came,
he was there alone,
but the boat by this time
was a long way from the land,
beaten by the waves,
for the wind was against them.
And in the fourth watch of the night,
he came to them,
walking on the sea.
But when the disciples
saw him walking on the sea,
they were terrified
and said,
It is a ghost.
And they cried out in fear.
But immediately,
Jesus spoke to them,
saying,
Take heart.
It is I.
Do not be afraid.
And Peter answered him,
Lord, if it is you,
command me to come to you
on the water.
He said,
Come.
So Peter got out of the boat
and walked on the water
and came to Jesus.
But when he saw the wind,
he was afraid.
And beginning to sink,
he cried out,
Lord, save me.
Jesus immediately
reached out his hand
and took hold of him,
saying to him,
O you of little faith,
why did you doubt?
And when they got into the boat,
the wind ceased.
And those in the boat
worshipped him,
saying,
Truly,
you are the Son of God.
And when they crossed over,
they came to land
at Gennesaret.
And when the men of that place
recognized him,
they sent word around
to all that region
and brought to him
all who were sick
and implored him
that they might only touch
the fringe of his garment.
And as many as touched it
were made well.
Amen.
This is God's living
and holy word
and the words
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We'll come back to those verses
later in our service.
But now as we respond
to the reading of God's word,
we're going to sing
from Psalm 77
in Sing Psalms
and verses that speak
of a similar event
in the history of God's people
in the Exodus
and the crossing of the sea.
So we're singing
from Psalm 77
verses 13 to 16
and then 19 to 20.
That's on page 100
of the Psalter.
Sing Psalms
and the tune is Kilmarnock.
Let us stand
to sing together.
Amen.
singing singing
singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing singing, singing, singing singing, singing singing, singing singing, singing singing, singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing
Kikov's and Joseph's children
In the crown of mine
The waters of you, O my God
Is so unrightly pain
The Greatest, the King of the
The glass for the rain
The full earth's death of the land
The path of the sea
Your way to the mighty waters
And your good place now to see
Your people like God's long-doubts
Your guide in every day
My God's wisdom, my dear old son
You let them all go away
Let's come again in prayer to God together
Let us pray
Living God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
We bow before you as the God who alone saves
Lord, you are the God of miracles
Looked upon with awe by all the earth
And Lord, as we have just sung and reflected upon
Your mighty works of old
The history of your faithful love towards your people
The keeping of your promises
The rescuing of them
From sin and slavery and death
Our Father, we reflect on your great love for us
In the Lord Jesus Christ
Your Son, our Savior
Who has saved us from sin and darkness
And death through his cross
And his resurrection
Our Father, we thank you that in him
You have provided for us eternal life
The forgiveness of sins
The renewal of our hearts
And the hope of a new creation
Our Father, we thank you that you provide for us
All things that are needed for life and for godliness
Our Father, we thank you for every good gift that you have given us today
Lord, we thank you for every good thing that you grant to us in life
We thank you, Lord, for friendship and for family
For the food that you give us
For the homes that we live in
We thank you for the measure of health that you give us each day
Father, we pray for those among us this evening who are unwell
Perhaps, Lord, confined to their homes
Father, we continue to trust ye for health and wellness
We pray, Lord, that you would grant it to our brothers and sisters
Who struggle with ill health
But, Lord, above all, we pray, Lord, that their trust would be holy in ye
For your timing
To know that you are good
That you are kind
And that you are in control
Father, we thank you that you have provided for us a church on earth
Your people, your body here
We thank you, Lord, for this congregation in Stornoway
Lord, we pray that you would continue to uphold your saints here
Lord, continue to strengthen their faith
To grow their love for you and for one another
We pray, Lord, that their witness to the surrounding world would be bright and clear
Father, we pray that you would uphold them particularly in a time of vacancy
Father, we thank you for Callum
And, Lord, we pray that you would continue to minister to your people through him
Lord, we thank you for the Kirk session
Lord, we thank you for the Kirk session, for the vacancy committee
And, Lord, we pray that you would grant wisdom
Lord, we trust that you would call the right man to come to minister here alongside Callum
Lord, we continue to seek you for that
And, Lord, we pray across the island and across our church
That you would continue to raise up workers for the harvest field
Lord, you told us on earth that the harvest is plentiful
But the workers are few
And you instructed us to continue to pray to the Lord of the harvest
To send out workers
And so we do, Lord, we implore you
And we pray, Lord, that you would raise up godly men
For ordained pastoral ministry
Godly men and women, Lord, to engage in evangelism
And pastoral care
And good works
Strengthen and equip your church, we pray
Father, we pray and thank you for the youth conference that has taken place, Lord, over these past few days
Lord, we thank you for the blessing that they have known
And pray that the teaching that the young people have received from Andy
And from others, Lord, would bear fruit in their young lives
Father, we pray that friendships would be formed and strengthened as a result of this past weekend
Among them that would support them in their walk with you through their lives
Father, we pray that you would raise up and strengthen a generation of Christians, Lord, in our land
Who are bold in their testimony
And in their living for you, Lord
In a world
That is so hostile to you and your Christ and your word
Lord, we pray for those who attended, Lord
And all those who didn't
Who were young
And that you would help them, Lord
To remember their Creator
In the days of their youth
Our Father, further afield, we pray for your people in parts of the world where they suffer
At persecution and hardship that we can barely imagine
Lord, we pray for your church this evening in Myanmar
Lord, we pray that you would strengthen your people there
Lord, we pray that in your infinite wisdom and justice and mercy
That you would bring an end to the conflict that is there
Father, we pray that you would relieve all the people of that land from war
But Lord, particularly we pray that you would keep your church and guard and protect your people
Lord, we pray that in a divided country that their unity and peace would shine
That their witness to the gospel would remain pure
And that your church there would grow in number and in maturity
Lord, keep your people there, we pray
Father, as your word instructs us to do, we remember this evening
Kings and all those in high places
Lord, we are so aware that our world is unstable
Lord, your word also tells us that the heart of a king is like water in your hands
That you turn whichever way you would
And so, our Father, we pray that you would turn the hearts of those whom you have set in authority over us
To wisdom and peace and justice
Father, we pray that as world leaders take great decisions
Great decisions
That they would be conscious of the importance, Lord, that they have and their standing before you
That they are accountable to you, the God of heaven
Lord, we trust that even in an uncertain time that you are unfolding your eternal plan
For the good of your people and for your glory
Lord, we pray that you would help us to set our hope on the coming again of Jesus
Lord, in your mercy, we pray that there would be peace in our time
But more than that, Lord, we know that there will be peace and renewal
And an end of sickness and suffering and death with the return of the Lord Jesus
And so we pray with your people throughout the ages and across the world
Come, Lord Jesus
Come soon
For we pray and ask in your name
Amen
Well, as we prepare to come back to Matthew's Gospel
We're going to sing from Psalm 93
From Sing Psalms
And the whole psalm
Again, reflecting in God's almighty power over the chaotic waters of darkness
And the power of his voice
It's on page 123
In Sing Psalms
Let us stand again to sing God's praise
Let us pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray pray and pray and pray pray and pray pray and pray and pray pray and pray pray and pray pray and pray pray and pray pray and pray
CHOIR SINGS
To royal statues, Lord, stand firm, and changing is your word.
And holiness adores your love, our endless creation, Lord.
Wonderful. Well, if you would please have that passage of Matthew's Gospel open, that would be most helpful as we work our way through it this evening.
And more helpful even than that will be to pray for the Lord's help and that he would speak to us. Let's do that together.
Our Father, we thank you for your precious word. It is unchanging, it is sure, the very word by which you created the earth and the stars and the heavens.
Lord, humble our hearts this evening, we pray, as we bow before you and listen to your word.
Speak, O Lord, for your servants are listening. In Jesus' name, amen.
Well, I wonder, what kind of rescue do you think we need?
What comes to mind when I say the word rescue?
Now, at home, we have toddlers, a three-year-old and a two-year-old.
So, I won't lie, what comes to mind when I say the word rescue?
For me, in our house is Paw Patrol.
Perhaps some of you have watched an episode or two or three or four or five of Paw Patrol.
If you haven't seen it, no worries.
Every episode is exactly the same.
All is well in Adventure Bay.
And then mild peril strikes.
Ryder summons the pups to the pup tower.
They get a breakdown of what has gone wrong.
And once they have worked out what kind of problem it is that they have to solve,
they then need to work out which pups with which special skills, special tools will be needed
to save the day.
Who will do the rescue?
Now, I won't spoil it.
Every episode is the same.
They succeed in the rescue.
But what do we think of when we think of the word rescue?
What kind of rescue do you think that we need?
Of course, we face far more serious situations in life than ever visit the people of Adventure Bay.
Wars.
Terminal illness.
Natural disasters.
Relationship breakdown.
Sexual violence.
We could go on.
What kind of rescue do you think we need?
And what do we need to do about it?
We're coming to a section of Matthew's Gospel this evening where Matthew wants us as learners of Jesus
to learn what kind of rescue King Jesus came to bring and how we need to respond.
So far in the Gospel, if we'd read up to this point, we have seen something of what King Jesus came to do.
He has been bringing God's kingdom into the world.
That is God's good and loving rule to bear on people's lives.
We've seen that through the countless healings that he's performed.
Our reading tonight is topped and tailed with even more as King Jesus brings, restores something of the wholeness to people
that God created us for in the beginning.
But he has brought God's kingdom all the more through his word, through his teaching.
And so in this Gospel, we have had up to this point three big sermons, three teaching blocks,
where Jesus has set his people, and to some extent the wider crowd, straight on what God's kingdom is and how we live in it.
And we've seen different responses.
Some have heard Jesus' message of God's kingdom, and they have bowed before him.
They've taken the crown off their own heads.
They've given it to him.
They have recognized him as Lord and Christ and Savior.
And they have turned and begun to live in God's kingdom.
They have followed King Jesus.
Many, though, have heard him and have either misunderstood what he has said,
or they've only partly got what he has said.
And of those who have only got part of what he said, some even then haven't liked what Jesus has said.
So the religious leaders, the Pharisees, the scribes, have called him, no less, the prince of demons,
and begun already to plot his death.
So now we've had a chance to see and to respond to something of what King Jesus has come to do.
It's time to see more.
This is a new chapter in the gospel, a new chapter in Jesus' ministry,
because now Jesus decides it's the time to reveal the rescue plan to his people.
Jesus to the rescue.
So what kind of rescue is it?
And what do we need to do about it?
Two points this evening.
Firstly, then, let us see that King Jesus has come to Exodus rescue us.
Now, our reading from Matthew, it's one of these chapters, isn't it,
that shows that we know our Bibles both too well and not well enough.
Right?
We heard that chapter, didn't we?
And we thought together, we know this.
I reckon we could go out on the street this evening,
we could ask people about Jesus walking on the water, feeding the 5,000,
and they would know what we were talking about.
We know these chapters of the Bible, don't we, too well.
But like so many things in the Bible, we think we don't need to hear again.
It turns out that's because actually, perhaps, perhaps,
we don't know our Bibles well enough.
See, how many of us, I wonder, as we read, thought,
well, this is a big chapter.
Why don't we break it down?
Right?
Can't he see the headings?
It says, doesn't it, Jesus feeds the 5,000,
Jesus walks on the water.
Slow down!
Why are we going so quickly?
But it's only when we put it together
that we begin to see what is going on.
So, let me tell you this story
in a different way
and see if we can see.
Let me tell you from the end,
working backwards,
and tell me what you see.
The Lord's people worship him.
They cry out to him to save them.
They are terrified,
but he brings them safely through the sea.
He goes up on a mountain.
In the wilderness, they are hungry.
In his compassion,
he feeds them with bread from heaven.
Now, if I asked you,
what part of the Bible does that come from,
what would you say?
Where would you take me?
Through the sea,
up a mountain,
in the wilderness,
where they eat miracle bread.
That is the Exodus, isn't it?
It's the Exodus.
Specifically, it's the Exodus rescue.
God hits Egypt with 10 plagues,
10 strikes.
After the tent,
his people are set free.
He brings them safely out.
Across the sea,
he gathers them to himself,
makes them his own,
and lovingly feeds them
with bread from heaven on the way.
Now, what Jesus does here,
and what Matthew wants us to see,
is that Jesus is recreating
the Exodus rescue.
Just see that with me in the text.
Verse 13,
Jesus goes out to the wilderness,
and a crowd comes to him.
Soon, the question of food comes up.
His disciples say,
literally, the word they use,
this is a wilderness.
Send the crowds away
to go and buy food for themselves.
What are we going to eat, Lord?
Now, the target audience here
is the disciples.
Okay, we've seen this before
in Matthew,
the Sermon on the Mount.
For example,
the crowds are all around him,
but before him,
close up,
he's got the 12,
the disciples.
Jesus wants them,
particularly,
to see what he's going to do.
So he says to the disciples,
verse 16,
they need not go away,
you give them something to eat.
And straight away,
this has all become
a lot more personal,
hasn't it?
It's a bit like,
perhaps,
you've said,
oh, so-and-so's here,
they need a lift.
And somebody said,
well, can't you take them?
Right, suddenly,
the problem has become
your problem.
Jesus does that
to the disciples,
I think not because
he's really expecting them
to feed the crowds,
but so that they'll recognize
that he is going to do something
that they have no power to do.
Hence,
when they say,
when we have five loaves
and two fish,
Jesus says not,
he doesn't say,
does he just start
giving them out?
He says,
bring them here
to me.
Significantly,
he looks up
to heaven,
where the manna came from,
the bread from heaven.
He says a blessing
and gives it back
to the disciples
to distribute.
Then we read,
the disciples gave it
to the crowds
and they all ate
and were satisfied.
Not only that,
they took up
twelve baskets
full of broken pieces
left over,
that is,
the number of tribes
in the wilderness,
and those who ate
were about five thousand men
besides women
and children.
So,
the heading in your Bible,
which is not inspired,
says Jesus feeds
the five thousand,
which is wrong,
isn't it?
Jesus feeds
the fifteen to twenty thousand,
five thousand men plus,
women and children.
Now,
if you were those disciples,
what would you be thinking
at this point?
Who can do stuff like this?
Feed thousands of people
in a desert
where there is no food?
food.
And this wasn't just like
passing around the loaf
at communion
or taking the wee
bits of bread.
No,
these people
ate to the full.
They were satisfied.
They were filled
and then some.
With our own hands,
we gave him
five loaves
and two fish.
And with our own hands,
we gave out
enough food
to feed
five thousand
men plus
women and children
and then some.
What happened
in between?
Well,
he did.
Jesus happened.
We tell the story
of the bread from heaven
every year,
they would say,
but now we're living it
because of Jesus.
Then once everyone's eaten,
Jesus sends them away
on a boat
while the crowds
trickle away.
And at verse 23,
after he's dismissed
the crowds,
he went up on a mountain
by himself
to pray.
Now,
given the disciples
aren't there
at this point,
this is for Jesus
and for us,
isn't it?
It's for Jesus.
That's why he went
into the wilderness
in the first place,
to have that time
by himself
with his father.
Only at this point
does he actually
get that time.
But it's written here
for us
so that we get
another piece
of the big picture
because after they've
been fed in the wilderness,
where do the people go?
Well,
to the mountain
where Moses goes up
by himself
to pray to God
and meet with him
on the mountain
before coming down
and Jesus crosses
the sea
to meet his disciples
in the boats,
which was a long way
from the land
beaten by the waves
so the wind
was against them.
Now,
perhaps you're thinking
the sea does not,
does it,
at this point,
split open for him
to walk through
on dry land,
okay?
But when Moses
raised his staff
over the sea,
it says,
all that night
the Lord drove
the sea back
with a strong
east wind
and turned it
into dry land
and the people
walked through the sea.
Well,
now,
on another windy night,
Jesus walks
through the sea,
across the water,
as if on dry land,
he came to them
walking
on the sea.
and then his people
do too.
Lord,
if it is you,
asks Peter,
command me
to come to you
on the water.
Come on,
Peter.
So Peter
got out of the boat
and walked on the water
and came to Jesus.
I take it like
giving them the bread
and the fish.
This is because
Jesus wants
the disciples
to experience
his power
up close
and personal.
Their need,
his power
at work.
And right on key,
as he begins
to sing,
Peter cried out,
verse 30,
Lord,
save me.
Lord,
save me.
Immediately,
we read,
the Lord Jesus
reached out his hand,
took hold of Peter,
and when they got
into the boat,
the wind ceased.
The Lord
saves his people
by bringing them
safely through
the sea.
And the final
piece of the puzzle,
if we need it,
is there in verse 33,
those in the boat
worshipped him,
saying,
truly you are
the Son of God.
Again,
who can do this?
Right?
Only one who's
worthy of praise
and worship,
the Lord,
Jesus,
the Son of God,
the Christ,
the Son of God.
Now,
each bit of that story
is an amazing miracle
in its own right,
isn't it?
But I think,
put it together,
and the point
is simply incredible.
That Jesus is the God
of the Exodus,
and,
still better,
that he has come
to do another
Exodus rescue.
I take it that
these miracles
are not recorded
for us in this
chapter of Matthew
simply to reinforce
that Jesus is God.
He is God.
But Matthew
has made that point
before.
He's shown us that.
We know that.
Why show us
that Jesus
can recreate
the Exodus
rescue?
well,
because,
friends,
that is the kind
of rescue
that we need,
and so it is
the kind of rescue
that he has come
to bring.
Think about it.
What would be the problem
with Jesus
simply bringing
God's kingdom
into the world
and calling us
into it?
What would still
not happen?
What could we
not do?
Why would we
not come?
Well,
what's holding
us back?
It's that we
are captives
in a kingdom
of darkness.
It's that we
are slaves
of sin
and death.
We live out
our days
under the shadow
of death,
and like the
Israelites in
Egypt,
we cannot just
go when we
please.
The kingdom
of darkness
will fight
tooth and nail
to hold
onto us.
The devil
will work
us to death
in his service,
and like
Pharaoh,
the actual
prince of
this world
will not
let his
people go.
So what
point would
there be
in Jesus
calling us
into his
kingdom
if we
can't
come?
Friends,
this chapter
of Matthew
reminds us
that Jesus
is not
a helpless
salesman
pitching us
his wares,
selling us
his stuff,
hoping
that we
will buy.
And we
are not
smart
consumers
weighing
up our
options.
What's
best for
me?
What's
the best
deal
in life?
No,
we are
slaves in
a kingdom
of darkness.
darkness.
And here
is the
good news
of the
gospel,
that King
Jesus
has come
to pound
the kingdom
of darkness
until it
lets us
go,
to set
our hearts
free,
to live
under his
wise and
loving and
compassionate
rule in
his kingdom.
In other
words,
he has come
to exodus,
rescue us,
because that
is the rescue
that we
need.
there are
lots of
things wrong
in the
world,
aren't
there?
In the
news this
week,
wars,
diplomatic
breakdown,
corruption,
rescues
are needed.
But what
is the
problem behind
those problems?
Well,
it is the
fact that by
nature we
belong to a
kingdom of
darkness,
and we
serve its
interests,
and we
obey its
rules.
We are
born as
slaves in
an empire
of evil.
Friends,
we suffer
from the
mother of
all problems.
But the
gospel tells
us that
Jesus came
to rescue
us from
the mother
of all
problems.
He's come
to break
us out of
slavery to
darkness,
set our
hearts free
to serve a
better master,
the God who
created us,
who knows
us,
who loves
us.
That is the
rescue that
we desperately
need, and
is what he
came to
do.
He has
come to
exodus,
rescue us.
what kind of
rescue do you
think you
need?
What kind of
rescue do you
think our
world needs?
The story of
the Bible is
so much bigger
than we think,
isn't it?
Jesus' work,
God's rescue,
it is so much
deeper,
better,
longer lasting
than we dare
even to
imagine.
And so what
do we need to
do about it?
Friends, this is
the rescue Jesus
has come to
do.
So secondly,
trust him with
your rescue.
This is the
second of our
two points
tonight.
Trust him
with your
rescue.
And now we're
not told what
the disciples
talked about
after Jesus
had fed us
a small town
with bread
and fish,
but over the
page in
chapter 16,
we find out
they didn't
really get
it.
In another
boat,
they find
they haven't
bought any
bread.
Jesus says
to them,
oh, you
of little
faith,
why are you
discussing
among yourselves
the fact
that you
have no
bread?
Do you
not yet
perceive?
Do you
not remember
the five
loaves for
the 5,000
and how many
baskets you
gathered?
The miracle
has gone
straight over
their heads.
But the
drumbeat
of these
chapters
is not,
oh, you
of little
intelligence,
you of
little
IQ,
it is
you of
little
faith.
He's going
to say that
three times
in the next
four chapters
because their
problem is
not up here
that they're
not clever
enough to
piece the
pieces together,
it is in
here that
they do
not trust
him to
properly be
their
rescuer.
that's
what the
scene with
Peter nearly
drowning
is about.
Again, it's
so well
known it's
lost its
impact on
many of
us.
We think
coming to
this passage
that Jesus
perhaps is
being a bit
harsh on
Peter.
How many
of us have
walked on
water?
It was a
stormy
night.
Peter
probably
couldn't
swim.
Is Jesus
just being
the strict
teacher
with a
standard
that's
impossible
to meet?
Well, no.
Think about
the rescue
Peter is
part of.
It's as if
he and the
other disciples
have been
taken back
in time.
They're
reliving
the greatest
rescue story
in the
world.
The Exodus
rescue was
their history
and heritage,
but that
day it
became their
lived
experience.
They'd
put a
small
lunch
into
Jesus'
hands
and they
have
given
back
out
supermarkets
worth of
food to
people.
They've
been
struggling
across the
sea.
Jesus
simply
walked up
to them
on the
water.
And
Peter
gets
something,
doesn't
he?
Something
of what's
going on.
Lord,
if it
is you,
he says,
command me
to come
to you
on the
water.
He
wants
to live
it.
He
wants
to grasp
it for
it all
to be
true
and real
for
him.
And
so he
gets out
of the
boat.
And he
rests his
feet on
the water
trusting that
it will
hold his
weight simply
because Jesus
has said
it will.
There is
real faith
there,
isn't there?
But what
kind of
faith is
it?
We asked
before,
what kind
of rescue?
Not all
rescues are
equal,
are they?
we
not only
have two
small
children,
we also
have a
small
dog.
One
very
stormy
night,
we took
the dog
for a
walk,
and a
different
dog
actually
followed
us
home
that
had
lost
its
owner.
And
thankfully,
the dog
had a
tag,
we phoned
the number
on it,
the owner
came 20
minutes
later,
he was
very
grateful,
he took
his dog
home,
but you
know what,
we've never
seen him
again,
we didn't
get a
card or
flowers or
anything,
because it's
not like
we performed
CPR on
somebody in
his family,
or saved
one of his
children from
being run
over,
the response
is proportionate
to the
rescue,
isn't it?
The bigger
the rescue,
the deeper
the response.
Jesus didn't
just tell
Peter to
walk on
the water,
did he?
He also
said as he
stood on
the water,
verse 27,
take heart,
it is I,
don't be
afraid,
don't be
afraid,
but what
happens?
Peter got
out of the
boat,
walked on
the water
and came
to Jesus,
but when
he saw
the wind,
he was
afraid.
Is that
a proportionate
response to
the rescue
that Jesus
is doing?
What kind
of faith
does Peter
have here?
Half a
faith.
Faith in
some of
what Jesus
has said
and done,
not faith
in the
rest.
And that
is not
a proportionate
response,
is it,
to someone
who is
doing what
Jesus is
doing.
It's not
a big enough
response to
the biggest
rescue that
Jesus is
showing that
he has come
to do.
of course,
the point of
the original
Exodus rescue
is that
God's
people did
cross the
sea to
safety,
but Peter
very nearly
suffers the
fate of
the Egyptians
being swallowed
by the
waves.
Why?
Well,
because he
didn't trust
Jesus not
to be afraid
when Jesus
told him
there was
nothing to
be afraid
of.
He trusted
Jesus enough,
didn't he,
to obey some
of his words,
come to me,
but not the
rest of his
words,
have no fear.
And friends,
the rest of
these chapters
in this section,
they're here to
show us that
more than
anything,
that is what
we need to be
rescued from.
little faith,
unbelief,
a heart that
has one foot
in the kingdom
of heaven,
but one foot
still trapped
in the kingdom
of darkness,
a heart that
on its own
cannot trust
Jesus all the
way,
even if we
wanted to,
which is why
Peter is
an uncomfortably
unclear mirror,
isn't he,
for us to
look into.
In some ways,
we should want
to be more
like him,
in other
ways,
we are far
too much
like him.
But when
he's really
pushed,
as he's
sinking and
he's going
to drown,
he cries
out,
doesn't he,
the most
important words
that anyone
could ever
say to
the Lord
Jesus,
Lord,
save me,
Lord,
save me.
If his
first stumbling
steps of
faith were
weak,
what he
says when
he stumbles
shows a
faith that
is big
enough for
the rescue
that Jesus
is bringing.
And that
can be true
for us as
well,
can't it?
Perhaps you
can relate to
Peter here.
If things
feel like
they're getting
harder for
you,
like temptation
is getting
worse,
doubts,
or doubts
are growing
stronger,
or perhaps
just the
pressure to
conform to
a worldly
lifestyle,
a way of
thinking,
is getting
tougher,
or just
generally
situations in
life that
are getting
harder,
or just not
getting better,
and the longer
we have to
carry it,
the tougher
it gets,
and you feel
like you're
sinking and
you're going
to drown,
well,
it's at that
point,
isn't it,
that our
need becomes
clearest,
and therefore
our faith in
Jesus grows
deepest.
Before we
could walk
on water,
now we're
sinking and
we can't
help but
cry out to
Jesus,
Lord,
save me.
Well,
friends,
let me say
that that is
where Jesus
would rather
have us
than going
through life
only half
trusting in
him,
but half
relying on
us.
A full-throated,
whole-hearted,
desperate trust
in him to
save us
rather than
a halfway
faith that
secretly fears
that we
won't make
it.
If you're
here tonight
and you
feel like
you're sinking
or going
to drown,
you only
need cry
to Jesus
to save
you,
and what
will he
do?
Just see
in verse
31,
Jesus
immediately
reached out
his hand
and took
hold of
him.
He was
waiting for
Peter to
say the
words,
but no
longer than
that,
right?
Immediately
he reached
out his
hand and
saved him.
Friends,
you say
the word
and Jesus
will immediately
reach out
and take
hold of
you in
all his
compassion
and power
to save
you from
sinking
and drowning
in fear,
judgment,
and death.
And perhaps
for some
of you,
you've
never done
that in
your life,
you've
never prayed
that prayer
in your
heart or
said those
words with
your mouth
to the
Lord Jesus.
Let me
say with all
the tenderness
in the world
that if that
is you,
this is where
you are
tonight,
sinking and
drowning,
not only in
life,
in busyness
and stress,
but one
day into
death and
condemnation
and hell.
Friend,
you need
only say
the word
to Jesus,
cry out
to him,
these three
simple words,
Lord,
save me,
and immediately
he will.
Immediately
he will.
Not before
you ask,
but at the
very moment
that you
ask,
he will
immediately
save you.
If that's
you,
don't hold
back,
cry out
to him,
pray that
prayer,
speak to
somebody
after the
service,
Lord,
save me.
But really
as we come
into close,
the challenge
of these
verses is
for those
of us
who are
Jesus'
disciples,
who are
Christians,
because even
if Jesus
were rather
that we
were at
the end
of ourselves
rather than
half trusting
in him,
he would
still rather,
wouldn't he,
that we
didn't have
to get to
that point
before we
trusted fully
in him.
Hence,
here's the
twist,
Jesus doesn't
commend Peter
for his
faith,
does he?
But actually
says,
verse 31,
oh you
of little
faith,
why did
you doubt?
think about
it,
it's a bit
of a
functional
faith,
isn't it?
That we
need to
sink before
we're ready
to cry out
to him.
Wouldn't
Jesus rather
that Peter
had kept
his eyes
upon him
the whole
way,
not let
him go,
not feared
the wind
and waves,
but stuck
to him
and got
across to
him?
Isn't
that the
doubt that
Jesus is
speaking about,
the little
faith?
The faith
that Jesus
is looking
for,
the proportionate
response to
his saving
work is a
trust that
doesn't let
go of him
on any
part of the
journey,
a trust that
when he
tells us
not to
fear,
therefore
doesn't
fear,
but keeps
its eyes
firmly fixed
upon him.
I trust
that most
of us in
this room
have seen
who this
man is,
and we
don't need
to be
convinced
that he
is the
son of
God,
he is
the
Christ.
We've
seen what
he can
do,
we've
seen the
rescue
that he
brings
from sin
and death
and unbelief,
what more
does he
need to
do to
convince
us
that we
therefore
do not
need to
fear
when he
tells us
we don't
need to
fear,
that he
is
trustworthy
and
reliable
to save,
to redeem,
to deliver.
Brothers and
sisters,
we still
need him
don't we
to save
us from
our
faithless
fears,
to pray
with that
man at
the bottom
of the
mountain,
Lord I
believe,
help my
unbelief,
that he
would free
us from
the stubborn,
the hard
parts of
us that
still resist
trusting him
with our
lives,
from the
bits of
us that
run back
to the
chains
that he's
freed us
from in
the past,
to put
them back
on
ourselves.
Friends,
when we
cry out
to him,
he has
proved that
he will
rescue,
that he
will deliver
us,
not only by
stretching out
his hand to
Peter to
pull him out
of the sea,
but by
stretching out
his hands
on a
cross
to pull
us out
of sin
and darkness
and death.
That is
where the
rescue of
Jesus took
him to
the cross
to suffer,
to die in
our place,
to set our
hearts free
from sin
and fear
and death,
so that as
we trust him
for that
rescue,
Lord,
save me,
we are
saved,
we are
rescued.
Friends,
Jesus has
come and he
has accomplished
his rescue.
He is mighty
to save,
so let us
trust him
fully with
that full
and free
rescue that
he holds
out to us
tonight.
And let's
pray as we
do that.
Let us
pray.
Lord,
we believe.
Help our
unbelief,
we pray.
Lord,
we have
seen that
you are
the Son
of God,
that you
are mighty
to save,
that you
are the
God of
miracles,
that you
give life
to the
dead,
and we
simply ask,
Lord Jesus,
that by your
Holy Spirit
you would set
our hearts
free from
fear,
that you
would fix
our eyes
firmly upon
you,
that we
would not
take our
eyes away
from you,
Lord,
when we
are battered
by winds
and waves
of life,
or indeed,
Lord,
the winds
and waves
that are in
our own
hearts,
the chaos
of our
own doubts
and sin.
Oh,
Lord,
hold us
close,
we pray.
We thank
you,
Lord,
that you
immediately
saved Peter,
and immediately,
Lord,
you do
deliver,
you do
rescue.
And so,
from our
hearts,
we pray,
Lord,
save us.
And,
Father,
we ask
particularly for
those who have
never said
that in
their heart,
and that by
your Holy Spirit
you would grant
them that
faith that
leads to
repentance and
eternal life,
that they
would pray to
you,
Lord,
save me.
This we ask
in Jesus'
name.
Amen.
As we
respond to
God's word,
we're going to
sing together
from Psalm
116,
from Sing
Psalms,
words that
echo
Peter's cry
to Jesus,
Lord,
save me.
We're singing
from verses
1 to 6,
and the tune
is
even tied.
Let's stand
to sing
God's praise.
I love
the Lord
because
he
heard
my
heart.
voice
he
listened
and
I
cried
to him
for
me.
I'll
call him
as
for
us
I
shall
live
because
he
turned
to hear
me
when
I
force
of
death
the
manage
and
will
lead
upon
me
give
thee
and
wish
of
the
grave
with
Grief and trouble I was overcome.
Then on the name of what I called, Lord, sing.
The Lord, our God, is high and full of praise.
O Christ, and come, God, sure is He.
The Lord protects all those of childlike faith.
When I was in great, He rescued me.
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be yours both now and forever.
Amen.