#DATENIGHTINBOX
FAITH DISCUSSION GUIDE
Discussion guide I t is God’s pr om is e to y o u th at as y o u co n ti n u e to l o ve e a c h o t he r a nd seek His wis dom in y o u r r e l ati o n sh i p , He w i l l r e v ea l hi ms e l f t o yo u i n b eautiful wa ys . Be su r e to h av e y o u r B i b l e h an d y. If yo u d o n’t ha ve a c c e s s t o one, che ck out the B i b l e G ate w ay ap p av ai l ab l e o n yo ur A p p l e o r A n d r oid de vice. Wh ethe r or not Ve g as i s o n y o u r b u ck e t l i st, th e re ’s s o me t hi ng a l l uri ng an d m ys ter ious a bou t th e ci ty . Al l th e b e st g am e s — p o k e r, c ra p s , b lac kja ck, a nd s lots — h av e o n e th i n g i n co m m o n : t he y i nvo l ve ri s k . Whe n t he pla ye r is mor e e xp e r i e n ce d , h e o r sh e i s ab l e t o t a k e mo re c a l c ul a t e d risks. U ltima tely, the r e ’ s n o w ay to kn o w h o w th e ga me w i l l e nd . On e common m is con ce p ti o n ab o u t h av i n g a r e l at i o ns hi p w i t h G o d i s t ha t it’ s only a bout follow i n g a ce r tai n se t o f r u l e s o r b e i ng “ go o d . ” S o me , esp e cia lly the youn g e r g e n e r ati o n , m i g h t e v e n fal s e l y b e l i e ve t ha t i t c o ul d b e b or ing. H owe ver , th o se w h o h av e b e e n fo l l o wi ng J e s us f o r a w hi l e c a n att est to the fa ct th at He o fte n cal l s u s o u t o f o u r c o mf o rt z o ne a nd in t o r is k.
P A U S E & DI S CU SS
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Ca n you r e cal l a ti m e w h e n G o d cal l e d y o u o ut s i d e o f yo ur com for t zone?
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How did follo w i n g G o d ’ s cal l affe ct y o u r fait h?
Take a moment to re ad th e v e r se s b e l o w to g e th er. . . “ Jesus m a de the disci p l e s g e t i n to th e b o at an d go o n a he a d o f hi m t o t he ot he r s ide, while he d i sm i sse d th e cr o w d . Afte r he ha d d i s mi s s e d t he m, he went up on a mo u n tai n si d e b y h i m se l f to p r ay . L a t e r t ha t ni ght , he w a s t here a lone , a nd th e b o at w as al r e ad y a co n si d e r a b l e d i s t a nc e f ro m l a nd , b uf f eted by the wa ve s b e cau se th e w i n d w as ag a i ns t i t . S ho rt l y b e f o re d awn Je s us went ou t to th e m , w al ki n g o n th e l ak e . Whe n t he d i s c i p l e s saw him wa lking on th e l ak e , th e y w e r e te r r i fi e d . ‘It ’s a gho s t ,’ t he y s a i d , an d cr ie d out in fe ar . B u t J e su s i m m e d i ate l y sai d t o t he m: ‘T a k e c o ura ge ! I t is I. Don’t be a fr ai d . ’ ‘ Lo r d , i f i t’ s y o u , ’ Pe te r r e p l i e d , ‘t e l l me t o c o me t o you on the wa te r . ’ ‘ C o m e , ’ h e sai d . Th e n Pe te r go t d o w n o ut o f t he b oat, wa lked on the w ate r an d cam e to w ar d J e su s . But w he n he s a w t he w in d, he wa s a fr a id an d , b e g i n n i n g to si n k , cr i e d o ut , ‘L o rd , s a ve me ! ’ I mmedia te ly Je s us re ach e d o u t h i s h an d an d cau ght hi m. ‘Y o u o f l i t t l e f ait h,’ he s a id, ‘why d i d y o u d o u b t? ’ An d w h e n th ey c l i mb e d i nt o t he b o a t , t he wind died down . Th e n th o se w h o w e r e i n th e b o a t w o rs hi p e d hi m, say ing, ‘Tr uly you a r e th e So n o f G o d . ’ ” M atth e w 1 4 : 2 2 -3 3 ( N IV )
T hi s p a s s a ge i s com m o nly us ed t o dem ons t r at e t he divinit y and po wer o f J e s us , w hi c h is c er t ainly im po r t ant but no t t oday’ s f oc us . To day, t ak e e x t ra c a re t o re ad and im ag ine f r o m P et er ’ s per s pec t ive. To r ec ap, P et er i s o n a b o a t w i t h his f r iends and f ellow dis c iples when an int ens e s t o r m a p p e a rs . T he d i sc iples s pot Jes us out on t he wat er , and P et er in dis belief t e l l s J e s us t ha t if it ’ s r eally H im , H e will c all P et er o ut ont o t he wat er . A nd J e s us s a ys , “ Co me.” C an yo u im ag ine being P et er ?! A t t his po int , you have t o f o l l o w t hro ugh and ac t ually at t em pt t o walk on wat er dur ing an i nt e ns e s t o rm. J e s us c a l l e d P e t er out ont o t he s t o r m y wat er , a hug e r is k , but Jes us was c a l l i ng P e t e r c l os er t o H im . B ec aus e of P et er ’ s f ait h, H e g o t t o exper ienc e t he mi ra c l e o f walk ing on wat er . A nd t hen his hum anit y k ic k ed in. H e t oo k hi s e ye s o f f o f J es us and not ic ed t he wind. F ear t o o k over , and he beg an t o s i nk , b ut J e s us was s t ill t her e and c aug ht him . No m at t er t he r is k , Jes us i s t he re t o c a t c h H is f o llo wer s as t hey walk in obedienc e wit h H im .
PAU SE & D IS CUS S
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H o w i s J e s us c ur r ent ly c alling yo u c lo s er t o H im ?
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Wha t d i s t r ac t io ns c aus e you t o t ak e yo ur eyes o f f of H im ?
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H o w c a n y o u enc o ur ag e and s uppor t one anot her as yo u follow Jesus?
REFL EC T & P RAY T a k e a f e w mi nu t es t o r ef lec t on your ans wer s above. Then, c los e out yo ur d i s c us s i o n wit h a t im e of pr ayer . I f you’ r e uns ur e wher e t o s t ar t , p ra y t he s e w o rds : “ Dear
God ,
Th a n k Y o u f o r ca l l i ng us outs i de of our comfor t z one s a nd i nto r i s k. Th a n k Y o u f o r how tha t tr a ns for ms our fa i th. R e mi nd us tha t no ma t t e r t h e r is k , You a r e a l w a ys the r e to r e a ch out a nd g r a b our h a n d . H e lp u s to ke e p our e ye s on You. R e mi nd us tha t e v e n w he n t h e s t o r m f e e ls bi g , You ha v e contr ol ov e r the w i nd a nd the w a v e s .” I n J e s u s ’ n a me ,
A men