MissION GROUP QUESTIONS JOHN: 7 WORDS & 7 SIGNS - 17/01/10

Picture the scene: Jesus has headed off after feeding at least 5000 people, and the disciples have collected the crumbs left behind by the crowd – a bit like a Glastonbury clear up operation - and are recovering from seeing what was truly an amazing miracle. But their minds are on the journey ahead of them, the journey to Capernaum over the sea of Galilee - a journey that requires taking a boat accross a very large lake at the end of a very busy, back breaking day! The day is drawing to a close as they row 3 miles out into the lake when the rain and winds pick up and they battle a storm in their slightly fatigued state - they must have been drenched and seriously tired.

At that point, everyone on the boat was trusting in something: a more experienced fisherman who understands boats, their previous experience of making it out alive, everyone had a life raft – something they were clinging to in order to help them get through the storm.

Just then, Jesus comes out of the darkness strolling on top of the water through the raging storm, cloak billowing and hair all over the place, heading towards the boat, it was such a bizarre thing to see that some of them think they are seeing a ghost.  But then Jesus walks up to the boat and steps in!  “It is I” he states and tells them not to be afraid, speaking not only to their fear of the storm, but the fear in their hearts of seeing the one who has just walked on water (echoing Moses’ walk through the red see) and that he just said he is the “I am” (the same words said by God to Moses before he led the people to freedom out of Egypt).

Immediately the boat is transported to safety and they step out of the boat completely dumbfounded by what they’ve just seen.

This was the story Matt shared with us today as he helped us to see that:

1. As part of being a disciple of Jesus, He often sends us into danger without his tangible presence.

2. When we embrace the storms of life we get to see the slime at the bottom of your hearts - that is the stuff that Jesus wants to heal!  Everyone trusts in something, something that is our life raft – will we trust in Jesus.  Jesus makes the same point when he says in Matthew 7:24-27 to build your house on a solid foundation so when a storm comes we’ll not be shaken.

3. If you hold onto the rudder: you’ll make it to your destination!  Holding onto Jesus will make sure we get to where he wants us to go.

4. Jesus doesn’t minimise the storm, he maximises himself - God may not take you out of your storm but he promises to bring you to safe harbour eventually.

5. When we see Jesus in all his power we are so drawn to him and yet can’t quite look at him because of the depth of our sin.  When the disciples saw Jesus they realised how sinful they were.  The story helps us to see that Christ takes our sinfullness and exchanges it for his holiness through the cross – Christ is our safety and help through the storms of life.

Mission Group Questions:
1. Read through the story above and the story as it appears in scripture.  Try telling the story back to each other in your own words.
2. Matt encouraged us to think about the part of the story that strikes a chord with us.  Which part makes you think?  Why?
3. Break into 2;s or 3’s and share the storms that are currently battering you.  Talk about how you can bring Jesus into the storm and focus on him, how you can build on his foundation.  Pray for each other
4. Pray for your friends and colleagues, that they would know Christ as their saviour in their storms.