BE REVIVED IN '25: REVIVING COURAGE

We continue our series on Be Revived in ’25 with the sermon Reviving Courage. Anytime we experience a greater measure of courage, it is a good day. Courage is always an admirable quality, but it is not just an absence of fear.  It is our ability to confront fear and move beyond it toward positive action. It is the ability to experience fear without letting it dictate our actions.  Courage is dependent on so many other factors in our lives and the circumstances that we confront.  Many of us wish we could be more courageous; whether it is courage to change, to confront, to challenge, to connect, or to compel ourselves toward greater things!  Unfortunately, life instills fear and beats us down.  We are robbed by the circumstances, and we are left feeling hopeless and on the verge of giving up!  The early believers were courageous.  They were persecuted and mistreated but they did not give up.  God’s desire is for us to find this strength for our lives, but there are days when it seems far away.  We turn to Matthew 14:23-33, and Jesus walking on the water.  It is a moment in which the disciples have reached a breaking point because they had fought the wind and waves as they were trying to cross the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus came walking to them on the water around 3 am and they were terrified when they saw him. Jesus calls to them and the words echo throughout human history and the life of every believer: “Be of good courage!”  But why? This incident was not random, it was a transformative moment for the disciples and every believer who needs to find the good courage that only God can share with us.  It is not just a good story, but it also shares with us the path and possibility to revive our courage in our most fearful moment!  Our earnest and most courageous prayer for you is that you will be deeply encouraged by the presence of Jesus, and as you experience the power of fear, that you will hear his words filling you with an undeniable strength to be of good courage! 

Matthew 14:23-33:  After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. ²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. ²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” ²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” ²⁹ “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” ³¹Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” ³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God