Resources for Discussion Class Hour on October 3, 2018

Sermon Title: Courage to Walk on the Spiritual Waters of Faith

Text: Matthew 14:26-33  (ESV)

Resources:

• Click here to listen to or watch the sermon
• Download tonight’s printable study guide

Brief summary (what’s the point of this text/sermon?)

For anyone to Walk on the Spiritual Waters of Faith, they must have courage . . .

Courage is the mental or mortal strength to venture, persevere, withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

In a world full of Hypocrisy, with so many engulfed and pressed into compromising virtues to obtain material wealth; while many others are pressured into compromising their morals and obligations in order to “go along to get along,” spiritual courage is one of the most important character traits we can have. Why, you ask? Because without courage you can’t practice walking on the spiritual waters of faith consistently. You can’t be consistently honorable . . . You can’t be consistently kind . . . You can’t be consistently fair . . . You can’t be consistently just . . . You can’t be consistently loving; without courage. You can’t consistently stand up for what you believe in, without courage. You can’t consistently be supportive … You can’t consistently have somebody’s back . . . You can’t even be consistently consistent, without the courage we all need to Walk on the Spiritual Waters of Faith!

How do I live out the implications of this passage? (Discussion starters to help with applying the sermon to our lives)

1. Jeff used an illustration in the sermon in which he asked us to consider four questions. Please reflect on each of these questions:
   1. Can you tell me your name? (Do you have a church name and a different name that the world sees outside of the building’s four walls?)
   2. Do you know where you are? (Are you walking on the Spiritual Waters of Faith or are you still in the boat or on the shore watching?)
   3. Do you know why you are here? (Please add your thoughts and scripture here to answer this question)
   4. Can you give me a “thumbs up”? (Since today is October 3, please use Proverbs 3 to answer this question)
2. How would you define spiritual courage?
3. What kind of storms does God send/allow? What purposes might he have in these storms?
4. In his sermon, Jeff said: “Many of us have done things which we’re ashamed of, but we’re still here. God has not allowed us to sink.” Reflect on those statements. How have you seen God’s hand in your life in the past, particularly during those times when your faith was weak and your life was not what it should have been?
5. John Ortberg wrote a book called, If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat.In what ways is God leading you to “get out of the boat”?