WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:06.799 So we are halfway through our study of the major miracles of Jesus in the book of John. 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:11.519 So we have talked about our issues with miracles, which we have, and I have, and you have. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:15.759 And then we've been learning from each miracle as we've been reading about it. 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:20.000 So we're in John chapter 6, and uh Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee. 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:21.199 Remember that really big lake? 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:26.000 Here's a picture of it, really big lake in northeast Israel, surrounded by hills and towns. 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:28.879 And last week we learned about the feeding of the 5,000. 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:36.960 But last week, in the middle of chapter 6, we did skip over one story that John places right in the middle of the feeding of the 5,000. 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.600 He places this story, this other story. 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:40.799 It's wedged in there. 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:46.560 And so I'll reread what Sam read so we can get it into ourselves, and then we'll break it down and talk about it. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:48.399 John 6, 16 through 21. 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:54.479 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:57.520 It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:00.799 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:07.599 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:11.040 But he said to them, It is I, do not be afraid. 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:16.640 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:24.400 So, like all the miracles that are documented for us, this validates Jesus as the Christ, creator, authority over creation. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:34.159 And then also the story itself teaches us something about humanity, teaches us something about ourselves and our issues, your issues and my issues, and about God. 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:40.719 In many ways, I do feel like this sermon is almost on repeat from last week, so forgive me for that. 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:42.879 But it's also John's point. 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:47.040 It's actually the reason why John wedges a story in the middle of another story. 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:50.159 He's really hammering home these points. 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:55.120 And point number one is this we are all afraid and overwhelmed. 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:56.079 Amen? 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:57.280 Maybe? 00:01:57.519 --> 00:01:59.519 Maybe you confess it now, confess it later, okay. 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:01.359 You will, you will confess it eventually, right? 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:02.719 Like because we all are. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:05.040 I'm afraid and overwhelmed. 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:08.719 You are, your cranky cousin is. 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:11.199 I mean, every everybody is. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:26.479 We've become very familiar with Taylor Swift's new album around our house the last couple weeks, and like every other good preacher in America quoting the song Anti-Hero this morning, I will join them because it's just perfect. 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:29.199 I should not be left to my own devices. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:31.360 They come with prices and vices. 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:32.719 I end up in crisis. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:34.560 Tale as old as time. 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:35.840 It's me. 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:36.479 Hi. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:37.759 I'm the problem. 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:38.639 It's me. 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:40.960 At tea time, everybody agrees. 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:44.000 I'll stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:48.639 It must be exhausting, always rooting for the anti-hero. 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:50.639 And that's not to shame us. 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:52.479 Like, we don't have to use that to shame us. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:54.800 Like, God loves you so much, why don't you have your act together? 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:56.400 We don't have to shame ourselves over that. 00:02:56.719 --> 00:03:06.719 It's actually a kind welcome to us to come into a greater awareness of what's actually true, which is we're more broken than we originally thought. 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:08.560 We're messier than we thought. 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:19.919 It's a huge relief to be honest about this, to come into the proper diagnosis of what's wrong with us on the inside of us, that we are actually sinners in need of God's grace. 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:23.120 Incredibly relieving to just embrace it. 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:27.280 This past Monday, our family celebrated Halloween. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:29.120 Maybe you did, maybe you didn't, don't know. 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:31.520 We did with our neighbors with a big street party. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:41.360 Here's some two of our kids with our neighbors out at the street party, and then we went from there, and we walked down church street just over there a few blocks, and we went house to house. 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:46.400 And my kids are getting older, which means I'm becoming the old parent, which means I don't have to pay attention. 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:47.599 It's wonderful. 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:48.639 It's incredible. 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:50.960 I'm just hanging out, just walking along, hanging out. 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:57.199 I don't have to worry about like, you know, them tripping over every step or wandering the street or hitting their head on every other mailbox, right? 00:03:57.360 --> 00:04:00.319 And I'm watching you young parents, I'm watching y'all do that. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:02.000 And I remember it's nauseating. 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:03.120 It was horrible. 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:05.759 Much better being the older guy. 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:10.400 And so I'm watching this, how overwhelming it is for these young parents. 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:14.400 And I see one mom in particular, it may have been you, may not, I'm not gonna say. 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:16.000 She had four kids. 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:19.680 She had one on one hip, and they're all perfectly dressed up. 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:20.639 Perfect. 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:22.480 One on one hip. 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:24.800 Tight gripping a little boy. 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:25.839 He must be a runner. 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:27.600 You know, you see the runner, he's he was a runner. 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:30.959 I'm like, that kid's a runner because she is tight-gripped on that boy. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:32.639 One here, one here. 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:41.279 She's giving orders to like a five-year-old in front of her, and giving orders to her husband who's a stroller, and another kid in there. 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:45.920 Uh just drowning in kids. 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:47.680 And responsibility. 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:49.439 Drowning in responsibility. 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:50.720 Overwhelmed. 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:52.560 Drowning with something. 00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:56.319 We we all know this feeling, just covered up with something. 00:04:56.639 --> 00:05:01.360 Maybe it's not kids, your job or family, or your emotions, or finances. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:04.319 You can be overwhelmed with your loneliness or your boredom. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:09.680 There's all sorts of things we can be overwhelmed with, even our sin or our guilt or our shame. 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:13.759 To be overwhelmed is to be knocked over, to be submerged. 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:17.519 You see, we we all want life to feel like this. 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:19.920 This is what we want life to feel like. 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:20.879 Right? 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:23.439 You know, it's kind of like Georgia fans today. 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:24.480 Like, that's what we feel like. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:26.399 We're like, yeah, that's right. 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:27.360 That's who we are. 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:29.040 You you thought you're number one? 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:30.800 No, you're not, okay? 00:05:31.199 --> 00:05:31.519 Okay? 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:33.920 That's how we feel, Georgia fans today. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:37.040 But often life, we feel like this. 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:38.720 That's more what we feel like. 00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:40.639 Or an Alabama fan this morning. 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:43.199 You feel kind of like that, just submerged. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:48.639 And we don't feel we don't feel bad for you because you have like a million championships. 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:50.319 So we don't feel bad. 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:58.560 I don't even feel bad making comments about it because you've been winning for so long that it's so wonderful when it stops. 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:02.079 You know it's true. 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:08.560 This week I read a list of questions in a in a leadership book uh that I'm reading. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:12.879 Here's a list of questions, maybe it connects with you, certainly connects with me. 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:15.279 Why am I always in a hurry? 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:17.920 Why am I so anxious? 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:21.519 Why am I overly concerned? 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:24.480 Why do I need that one person's approval? 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:27.600 Why do I avoid that conflict? 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:30.079 Why am I so devastated? 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:33.120 Why do I dread that one thing? 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:36.160 Why am I exhausted? 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:44.879 See, when it comes to the heart, we need a secure love and power from outside of ourselves. 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:46.560 We need something that's not earned. 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:48.000 We need something that's that's given. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:49.120 We need grace. 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:53.040 In Mark chapter 6, we actually learn more details about this story. 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:58.959 Because Jesus, there in Mark 6, we learned the detail that Jesus actually ordered his disciples to get in the boat and row across the sea. 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:11.360 There in the middle of the day, which was a bad move, because late in the afternoon the high winds came off those hills, they went across that sea, the temperature heated up, and storms came on the water. 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:24.000 But Jesus is step by step leading his disciples and teaching them and teaching us about their condition, about their need, and about his sufficiency. 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:30.399 So they are rowing and rowing with all their might, and it's not enough. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:32.079 It's just not enough. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:38.319 The disciples set off across the sea, they're rowing and rowing and rowing late into the evening, they're still rowing. 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:44.959 They had to move at some point from like I can do this, to oh no. 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:48.319 Or something else. 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:49.920 I don't know, I wasn't there. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:54.720 Probably other words came out because it would have been very fearful. 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:58.240 Will I ever make it through this? 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:01.040 Will I ever know peace or calm? 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:02.000 Again. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:04.000 9 p.m. 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:06.560 midnight, 3 a.m., they're just rowing and rowing. 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:08.560 A strong wind came upon them. 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:11.439 I mean, they're never gonna, they're never gonna make it. 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:17.279 That would be scary to be out on the water in a storm like that. 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:28.160 It's an image for us of all of our attempts to solve all of our problems with self-reliance, without God, without his help. 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:31.199 Of course, the Sea of Galilee is blowing against you. 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:32.080 Of course. 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:33.919 Of course, you feel like that. 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:40.000 And yet Jesus shows up in our weakness and insufficiency and all that fear. 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:45.519 Point number two is this Jesus pursues and cares for us in our fear and burden. 00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:50.559 See, Jesus on the sea represents God's care of us in our fear and burden. 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:51.919 That's what it represents. 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:55.440 To these ancient people, the sea was a very scary place. 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:57.279 Ancient people feared the deep. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:08:59.759 The deep was filled with terrifying creatures. 00:08:59.919 --> 00:09:06.000 To them, the sea was a place of chaos and death, not of peace and calm. 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:12.879 Jesus walking on the water is a foreshadowing of what he has come to do for these people, their need and his provision. 00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:17.919 To trample over death and darkness and scary creatures, Jesus is pointing toward the cross. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:20.159 The story point us toward the cross. 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:24.320 Where he does walk over, he tramples death and chaos. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:26.159 Takes on our sin. 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:26.879 Right? 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:32.559 Our sin put upon him on the cross, and his righteousness is given to us, so we are forever his beloved. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:41.120 Point number three is this Jesus is sufficient for our incapability, weakness, and sin. 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:49.759 A few years ago, our family was visiting my sister and her family in Virginia, and we decided to go one afternoon to an escape room. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:10:03.120 You've been to an escape room, they lock you in a room, you pay to be locked in a room to uh like solve a series of problems within the room, and then you free yourself from the room. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:07.200 And so we picked a 1980s-themed room, you know, had E.T. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:08.399 and Back to the Future. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:10.559 And this is us at the end of it. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:16.080 We made it out, we're smiling, we're pretending because it was quite an hour. 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:20.320 We're kind of my brother-in-law there on the left, he doesn't look as excited as the rest of us. 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:31.279 So, right before the guy locks us in, he says, Hey, by the way, just want to let y'all know, I'll be watching over the camera and I can hear you. 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:37.039 And if you ever need help, just ask for help. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:39.679 I think we got it, buddy. 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:40.799 Like, just head on. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:41.840 You don't know. 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:43.919 Like, we got five smart kids. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:47.679 We're like way overeducated in this family. 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:52.799 Just head on back to your front desk, lock the door, we'll be out in about 15 minutes. 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:54.240 Like, we got this. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.799 Forty minutes later, we are pulling our hair out. 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:02.559 We are stumped, we can't figure it out, we are frustrated. 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:06.159 My brother-in-law's fancy PhD is not helping us at all. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:14.720 The little ones are now creeped out and scared because the creepy music's just building over the course of the hour. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:18.639 We are capable only so far. 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:23.039 We're rowing and rowing and rowing into a strong wind. 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:25.840 Hey. 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:33.519 Um, yeah, the the family who acted like we would never need you, um, like we need some help. 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:36.159 Can you can you help us? 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:44.720 We did make it out, and as soon as we made it out, we just walked next door to the counseling office to solve, which is a great business model. 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:45.360 Just counsel. 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:47.200 I know we have some counselors in here. 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:52.960 Just open an escape room for families next door to your counseling office. 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:54.639 And so they go there and just walk next door. 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:58.559 All the issues that come up, you can just walk next door and solve them. 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:09.919 As we said last week, for many of us, the great transformation that we'll go through is as simple as saying, I got this to I need help. 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:14.639 The disciples are worn out, they're at the end of themselves, they are afraid. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:17.039 Something's out on the water, that's scary. 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:21.519 Um who's there? 00:12:23.759 --> 00:12:24.720 It is I. 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:26.879 So some versions say I am. 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:39.039 And then Jesus says this amazing thing where he connects I am, his identity, his pursuit of us, to do not be afraid. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:43.840 I am, therefore, do not be afraid. 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:56.639 So again, John, just like he did in the feeding of the 5,000, he's taking us back to God's people, Israel, when they were enslaved in Egypt, and they become free. 00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:59.039 They become free of the enslavement. 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:04.879 And yet in the story of their freedom, they're stuck up against the Red Sea. 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:09.200 And yet, God provides a way through. 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:15.279 I am, so you don't have to be enslaved to your fear. 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:19.600 Now, maybe you are here, and maybe you are afraid of something. 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:20.559 We all are. 00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:22.240 That was point number one. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:24.879 We can be afraid of losing control. 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:27.519 We can be afraid of not having approval. 00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:30.480 We can be afraid of losing comfort or security. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:33.440 We can be afraid of conflict or failure. 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:38.720 We can be afraid of the guilt or the shame we feel might actually destroy us. 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:41.440 We're going to have fear. 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:42.799 You're gonna have fear. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:45.759 I'm gonna be afraid of something or losing something, not getting something. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:48.720 But we don't have to fear fear. 00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:50.720 And we don't have to fear God. 00:13:51.039 --> 00:14:00.879 Because what we see in this story, what we see in the gospel, we see the story of the scriptures is that he is endeared to you and your weakness. 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:07.919 And he's leading us on a path of less fear, more freedom. 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:11.519 Here's what I think this might mean for us in our hearts and our lives. 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:18.320 Number one is this we can bring our sin, weakness, fears, and wounds to God. 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:29.279 Because he is this for us, this provision, this lavish welcome of grace and love, because he is this, we can actually bring this stuff to him. 00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:36.639 We don't have to pretend or perform, which is incredibly good news because we just get so tired of rowing against a strong wind. 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:42.320 His love is not hesitant because you have failure or weakness. 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:49.679 And this also means that we can open ourselves up to the Holy Spirit on a day-to-day basis to say, Holy Spirit, search me, know me, have your way in me. 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:52.080 Help me to find myself in you more. 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:55.759 This deepening of our identity for healing and maturity. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:56.720 Number two is this. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:59.360 Number one, we can bring our sin, weakness, fears, and wounds to God. 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:12.960 Number two, because of Christ's work and presence, his objective work in the past, his constant presence with us, because of Christ's work and presence, we can live in calm confidence with God. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:15.120 Now that's easier said than done. 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:16.639 I'm pretty good at looking confident. 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:19.600 I've kind of mastered that over the course of my life. 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:21.200 We're pretty good at that. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:23.919 Calm is something else, isn't it? 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:28.559 Because usually I can look confident, but I'm not really calm on the inside. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:31.200 Actually, a little bit anxious or a mess. 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:36.320 But to be calm and confident, what a gift that we're called to. 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:44.399 And I'm learning what it means for him to guide me through storms to a safe harbor. 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:49.120 Now I am like the ancients. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:50.320 I feared the deep. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:51.120 I don't like the sea. 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:53.279 I don't want to be out in a big boat. 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:55.440 Out, don't give me a free cruise trip. 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:58.240 Don't do it, because I'll give it right back to you. 00:15:58.480 --> 00:15:59.679 You couldn't pay me. 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.879 I'm not interested. 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:02.879 I need options, I need land. 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:06.720 I prefer a car with roads so I can escape. 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:08.960 I can get out of there if something happens. 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:11.039 So I don't want to be out on the sea. 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:12.320 I'm not a sailor. 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:22.240 But I did learn this week that some sailors consider Hatchet Bay in the Bahamas to be the safest harbor in the world. 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:25.600 They consider that to be the safest harbor in the world. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:28.720 Because the wind and the current can be ripping outside of this harbor. 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:29.840 Here's a picture of that. 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:40.960 It can be ripping, and as soon as you enter that narrow passage, you are in this incredibly calm, safe harbor. 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:46.720 So you can be in a storm and yet not controlled by the storm. 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:50.399 Psychologists actually call this differentiation. 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:58.879 So differentiation is where we find freedom as we differentiate our core selves from difficult problems and people. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:03.840 So we are in the problem, but the problem doesn't define us. 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:08.400 We're in the problem, but we don't have to abreact to the problem. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:17.200 Because we understand our true selves to be something else, more deeper, than the problem. 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:25.599 So there may be a storm, you may be rowing fiercely, yet you know you're loved, accepted, grounded, cared for. 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:30.160 So for Christians, this differentiation would be our identity in Christ. 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:33.279 We have a source and a home, a harbor. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:37.759 We have a safe harbor for our hearts and ourselves. 00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:47.920 And this safety comes to us, the forgiveness of Christ, because we are sinners, and through his free forgiveness earned on the cross, we have safe harbor from even our guilt and shame. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:51.599 We also have safe harbor from our sufferings. 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:56.559 That will journey through our sufferings, and yet at the same time, that suffering doesn't have to define us. 00:17:57.599 --> 00:17:59.119 We can differentiate. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:10.640 What a beautiful picture for us. 00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:13.359 Can we put that picture back up of the island? 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:16.000 What a beautiful picture for us. 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:18.319 Of freedom. 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:26.400 Safety and freedom come together in this lavish welcome of the safe harbor that we have in Christ. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:35.440 We are differentiated because of him, because of his pursuit of us, forgiveness, the wealth of the identity we have in him. 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:38.000 Let's pray together. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:50.400 God, I thank you for your grace and mercy to us, that you pursue us in our storms and all the ways that we feel overwhelmed. 00:18:51.920 --> 00:19:00.960 We want to constantly feel like that Titanic at the beginning of the trip, but so often and we end up feeling overwhelmed and submerged. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:11.279 Thank you that you pursue us as our lives are a mess, as our hearts are a mess, and that your grace is actually enough. 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:22.000 Thank you that you provide safe harbor, not because we are enough or we have earned it or we're strong enough, but because we are found in your in our weakness, we are found by your strength. 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:27.519 Help us to root more deeply into your goodness for us. 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:34.799 And may we find increased joy, increased freedom, and a way to walk with you day to day. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:36.079 Thank you for your grace to us. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:37.200 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:37.759 Amen.