Introduction

• Matthew 14:22-32; Mark 6:45-51; John 6:15-21
• Early in the morning, Jesus walks on the water in view of the disciples.
• Peter asks to join and Jesus allows is.
• Peter becomes afraid and begins to sink, but Jesus saves him.
• The storm stops.
  • John 9:8; Psalms 77:19; 89:8-9; 107:23-30

Faith

• “Little faith”
  • Means to be incredulous
  • Matthew 6:30; 8:26; 16:8; 17:20
• God calls us to have faith in:
  • John 3:36; Romans 6:8
• Can one’s faith be misplaced?
  • I Timothy 6:17

Doubt

• Matthew 28:17; 21:21; James 1:6
• Romans 4:18-22
• What can we be tempted to doubt but should not?
  • God’s promises and assurances – II Peter 1:3-4; 3:3-4
  • Veracity of the Bible – Psalms 19:7-11
  • James 1:6, 8
• When is it appropriate, if ever, to have second thoughts?
  • Re-evaluating our judgments based on applications of God’s word.

Fear

• “He was afraid”
  • Fear is a natural response and can be helpful.
  • Fear can paralyze – Matthew 25:25
  • Luke 5:10
  • Mark 4:40
  • Matthew 17:6
• Can fear be appropriate for a Christian?
  • Acts 10:1-2; I Peter 2:17
• Of what can we be wrongly afraid?
  • Fear of man’s mistreatment of us. Matthew 10:28; John 7:13; 9:22; 12:42-43; Hebrews 13:6; I Peter 3:14
  • Isaiah 29:13
• Do doubt and fear outweigh your faith?

A new creation

A Christian is a “new creation”

• Romans 6:4-5
• II Corinthians 5:17

A new creation made possible by virtue of a new birth

• James 1:18; I Peter 1:22-23
• John 3:3-5; Titus 3:5-7

This new creation embarks on a life of renewal …

• II Corinthians 4:16
• Romans 12:2

A new life

Having passed from death to life

• John 5:24-25
• Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 2:12-13
• I John 5:11-13

Having passed from darkness to light

• Acts 26:18
• I Peter 2:9-10
• Ephesians 5:8; I Thessalonians 5:5
• Ephesians 5:9

For which we should ever be thankful

• Colossians 1:12-13

A new loyalty

A Christian is a “converted person” …

• I Thessalonians 1:9
• Romans 6:16-18; I Thessalonians 1:9

A Christian is converted to Jesus Christ

• Acts 2:36; I Peter 3:15
• Matthew 10:37-39
• Galatians 2:20

Such loyalty to Christ results in a new life

• Philippians 4:6-7
• Philippians 4:13

A significant thing about a Christian, then

• Experiences a new creation
• Enjoys a new life
• Entertains a new loyalty
• … Such an individual is truly “A person reborn”

But not all professing Christians show evidence of this rebirth … Why is that?

They may not have yet truly experienced the new creation.

• Mark 16:16
• Colossians 2:12-13

Though they may have been reborn and entered the new life, they may have gone back into sin.

• Hebrews 3:12-13
• II Peter 2:20

Peace

• Matthew 5:9
• Hebrews 12:14
• Romans 14:19
• Psalms 133:1-3
• Matthew 5:23-24
• Romans 14:13; 12:17-21
• Philippians 4:2-5
• II Corinthians 13:11
• Proverbs 20:3
• II Timothy 2:24-26
• James 5:9
• Colossians 3:12-13
• Romans 15:5, 7

Love

• I John 4:19-21
• John 13:34
• Ephesians 4:2
• I John 4:7
• I Peter 4:8
• Matthew 5:43-48
• I Corinthians 13:7
• I Thessalonians 4:9; 3:12
• I John 3:11
• Romans 12:9-21
• II John 1:5
• I John 3:23
• I Peter 1:22

Humility

• I Peter 5:3-5
• Philippians 2:3-4
• Ephesians 5:21
• Matthew 7:12
• I Peter 5:5; 3:8
• Romans 12:10
• I Thessalonians 5:15
• I Peter 4:10

Forgiving

• Matthew 6:12-15
• Ephesians 4:32
• Colossians 3:13
• Ephesians 4:3

Encourage

• I Thessalonians 5:11
• Hebrews 3:13
• Romans 15:2

Pets

• Matthew 15:21-27; 7:6
• Philippians 3:1-2
• Proverbs 26:11, 17
• II Peter 2:22
• I Samuel 17:43
• II Kings 9:10
• Do you love your pets more than other people?
• The Bible says nothing about prioritizing a pet over people.
• If you see someone whose only friend is their pet, maybe you are the friend they need.

The Creator possesses all authority and deserves all worship.

• Genesis 1:1, 26-26 ➡ Revelation 4:11
• Nehemiah 9:6
• Isaiah 66:1-2
• Romans 1:20-25
• Psalms 148
• Colossians 1:13-17 – Jesus is the preeminent one of all Creation.
• II Peter 3:11 – All these things one day will be dissolved.

Sin entered the world and is still humanity’s greatest problem.

• Genesis 3:6; 4:6-8; 6:5-8
• I John 3:4
• Isaiah 59:1-4
• James 1:14-15
• Romans 5:12, 18-19, 8 – Adam brought sin, but Jesus brought salvation.

Numbers 31: God’s judgment on the Midianites

• Numbers 25:1-9 – The reason God commanded vengeance on the Midianites.
• Numbers 31:6 – Phineas was going with the men to war, which must have been a great encouragement.
• Numbers 31:8, 16 – Balaam was killed for his part.
• Numbers 31:15-18 – They were specifically to kill the women who had caused Israel to sin.
  • The morality of this killing
    • God is sovereign as Creator.
      • Isaiah 45:9
    • God killed for certain reasons, not arbitrarily.
      • Deuteronomy 9:4; 12:31
    • God’s first desire was for people to repent.
      • Jonah 3:4; 4:11
    • God knows what’s best for innocent children.
      • Numbers 31:17
• Numbers 31:25-47 – God instructs them on how to allocate the plunder.
• Numbers 31:49 – Not a man was missing after the battle.

Numbers 31: Reuben and Gad settle in the land

• Numbers 32:5-18 – Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh settle, but promise to carry on fighting with Israel until the fighting it completed.

Numbers 33: Israel’s journey recounted

• We no longer know precise locations for many of the places listed here.
• Numbers 33:38 – Aaron dies.