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Chapter One
What's Water-Walking?
SESSION ONE
Before You Lead
Synopsis
This six-session series focuses on events that took place during a
stormy night on the Sea of Galilee. The biblical account of these
events includes the disciples' struggling all night to sail through
a fierce storm, Jesus' walking through the stormy darkness to
meet his disciples, and Peter's accepting Jesus' invitation to step
out of the boat and walk on the water with him.
Today, just as it was for Jesus' disciples, it is often easier to trust
in things, people, or circumstances rather than God. We try to
create security in such comfortable "boats" as money, success,
relationships, and secret addictions. Our boats can appear to be
safe, secure, and comfortable compared with the seemingly risky
chaos outside them. Yet apart from God, even our best-built boats
cannot protect us.
In this session, you'll guide participants in realizing that they, like
Peter and the other disciples, face an important choice: to accept
Jesus' invitation to step into the adventure and risk of life outside
the boat or to cling to the safety of the boat and try to avoid fear
and risk.
As unlikely as it may seem, real security comes when we step out
of the boat and learn that God can be trusted fully. Stepping out
of the boat is the only way to real growth. It's the only way true
faith develops. It's part of discovering and obeying our calling. And
it's where we find Jesus.
Jesus used that eventful night to teach his disciples that he could
be trusted-and that they needed to get out of the boat and walk
with him! Today, just as he did that stormy night on the Sea of
Galilee, Jesus is still looking for people who will get out of the boat
and walk with him. If we do, we will face storms. We will have to
take risks. We may even fail. But we can trust Jesus to be there to
reach out and help us.
Key Points of This Session
1. God has given us a tremendous invitation to step out in faith
and walk with him. When we step out of the "boat"-the
comfort and security we cherish-we experience the unforgettable
thrill of doing something with God that we could never
accomplish on our own.
2. It's always risky to step out of the boat. It is always scary to leave
the security of the boat and face the churning waters of the
storm. The risk of failure can loom bigger than life. But facing
fear is the price we must pay for growth, and failure has less to
do with what happens to us than it does how we judge what has
happened.
3. Jesus is looking for those who love and trust him enough to step
out of the boat and walk with him.
Suggested Reading
Chapter 1 of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out
of the Boat
Materials
A television set, VCR player, video, pens and pencils, Bibles
SESSION OUTLINE
52 MINUTES
I. Introduction (5 minutes)
Welcome
What's to Come
Questions to Think About
II. Video Presentation: "What's Water-Walking?" (14 minutes)
III. Group Discovery (27 minutes)
Video Highlights (4 minutes)
Large Group Exploration (9 minutes)
Small Group Exploration (9 minutes)
Group Discussion (5 minutes)
IV. Personal Journey (5 minutes)
V. Closing Meditation (1 minute)
What's Water-Walking
SESSION ONE
There is something-Someone-inside us who tells us there is more to life
than sitting in the boat. You were made for something more.... There is
something inside you that wants to walk on the water-to leave the comfort of
routine existence and abandon yourself to the high adventure of following
God.
-John Ortberg
INTRODUCTION
5 MINUTES
Welcome
Participant's Guide page 9.
Welcome participants to If You Want to Walk on Water,
You've Got to Get Out of the Boat session 1, "What's Water-Walking?"
What's to Come
One night on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus' disciples struggled for
hours to sail their boat through a fierce storm. Suddenly Jesus
came into view, walking toward them through the stormy darkness.
During our time together today, we'll explore what happened
when Peter boldly accepted Jesus' invitation to step out
of the boat and join him on the water. We'll consider what it
means for us to accept Jesus' invitation to step out in faith and
walk with him. We'll look at the risk and the promise of being
a water-walker.
Let's begin by considering a few questions related to water-walking.
These questions are on page 10.
Questions to Think About
Participant's Guide page 10.
As time permits, ask two or more of the following questions
and solicit responses from group members.
1. What kinds of things do you trust in, especially when life gets
stormy, that help you feel comfortable and secure rather than
fearful? Be honest!
Suggested Response: Responses will vary but may include such
things as money, career path, investments, supportive relationships.
This question begins to introduce participants to the high
price we pay-and the risks we take-when we trust in things or
people rather than in God.
2. Explain why you do or do not believe that God calls everyone
who follows him to step out in faith and do something extra-ordinary.
What does "stepping out in faith" look like?
Suggested Response: Responses will vary, of course. But in
preparation for the next questions, it is important that participants
begin to define "stepping out in faith," knowing why it is
important, describing what it looks like, and identifying what
may be at risk.
3. How would you define failure?
Suggested Response: Responses will vary. Part of this session
deals with our perceptions regarding failure, so it will be helpful
for participants to begin thinking about their personal
definitions and perceptions of failure.
4. Thus far in life, what has been your experience with failure?
What has failure kept you from doing? What has failure done
for you?
Suggested Response: Experiences of failure may vary greatly.
Some participants may have very negative perceptions of failure
and may even be paralyzed by past failure. Other participants
may view failure as an opportunity, a stepping-stone to
something greater. What's important is that participants
express and listen to different perceptions and begin to connect
with the risks of water-walking.
Let's keep these ideas in mind as we view the video. There is space
to take notes on page 11.
VIDEO PRESENTATION: "WHAT'S WATER-WALKING?"
14 MINUTES
Participant's Guide page 11.
Video Observations
Images of a balloon ride
Following Jesus: choosing between comfort and growth
Did Peter fail-or succeed?
Discovering the power of Jesus
GROUP DISCOVERY
27 MINUTES
If your group has seven or more members, use the
Video Highlights with the entire group (4 minutes), then complete
the Large Group Exploration (9 minutes) and break into
small groups of three to five people for the Small Group
Exploration (9 minutes). At the end, bring everyone together
for the closing Group Discussion (5 minutes).
If your group has fewer than seven members, begin with the
Video Highlights (4 minutes), then complete both the Large
Group Exploration (9 minutes) and the Small Group
Exploration (9 minutes). Wrap up your discovery time with the
Group Discussion (5 minutes).
Please turn to page 12.
Video Highlights • 4 minutes
Participant's Guide page 12.
As time permits, ask one or more of the following questions,
which directly relate to the video the participants have just
seen.
1. When John Ortberg and his wife took their hot-air balloon
ride, the competence of their pilot became very important to
them. Why is it so important for us to know the competence
and trustworthiness of whoever pilots our lives?
Suggested Response: Whenever we allow someone else to take
control, we take a risk. If the pilot is experienced and trust-worthy,
we can relax and trust him to care for us. But if the pilot
is inexperienced or is not trustworthy, our welfare is at risk.
When we step out of the boat, we're counting on Jesus to come
through for us. We are counting on his character and strength
to lead us and rescue us if we fall.
2. Jesus invited Peter to step out of the boat and walk with him-to
do something Peter could not do on his own-and Peter
couldn't resist the opportunity. Jesus is still looking for people
who love and trust him enough to step out of the boat. What do
you find intriguing about stepping out of the boat?
Suggested Response: The specifics will vary, but people who love
Jesus enough and trust him enough to leave what is safe and
comfortable are drawn by a powerful calling. Ask participants
to share how they feel about following God's calling.
3. What are your thoughts on John Ortberg's comments about
failure, particularly that failure has more to do with the way
we view the outcome of an event than what actually happened?
Suggested Response: Participants may agree or disagree. The
point is that we can view our attempts as failures or as stepping-stones
that lead toward success and increased faith. So much
depends on our perspective.
Please turn to page 13 and we will take a closer look at what
happened to Jesus' disciples during that dark, stormy night.
Large Group Exploration • 9 minutes
Participant's Guide page 13.
An Adventure in the Dark
Let's take a closer look at what happened when Jesus revealed
himself to his disciples as they sailed across the stormy Sea of
Galilee, because that event matters a great deal to us today. We too
have the opportunity to walk with Jesus in places we wouldn't
dream of going on our own. Like each of the disciples, we must
choose how we will respond to God. Will we sit in the boat, like the
eleven disciples? Or will we, like Peter, leave the security of the boat
and give God the opportunity to use us in extraordinary ways?
1. When Jesus told the disciples to sail to the other side of the Sea
of Galilee without him, they obeyed. But what happened as
they sailed? (See Matthew 14:22-26; Mark 6:45-50.)
Suggested Response: A terrible storm with gale-force winds came
up. While they strained at the oars against the wind, they saw
Jesus walking toward them on the water. Thinking he was a
ghost, they were so terrified that they cried out.
2. What did Jesus say to them, and why is this significant today?
(See Matthew 14:27.)
Suggested Response: Jesus told them to have courage, told them
who he was, and then told them not to be afraid. The "take
courage, do not fear, I am with you" theme recurs throughout
Scripture, especially when those who obey God face difficulties.
It is no less true or important today than during biblical times.
3. From Peter's perspective, recap what happened after Jesus told
the disciples who he was. What is significant about Peter's
response to Jesus? (See Matthew 14:28-32.)
Suggested Response: Peter didn't risk everything and jump into
the water right away. First, he acted wisely by wanting to know
whether Jesus thought getting out of the boat was a good idea.
When Jesus told Peter to come to him, Peter got out and started
walking toward Jesus. Then he saw the wind, became scared,
and began to sink. So he called out to Jesus, who caught Peter
by the hand and then asked him why he doubted. When Jesus
and Peter climbed into the boat, the wind immediately died
down. As impulsive as we know Peter was, it's interesting to note
that he kept directing his attention toward Jesus to learn what
to do.
4. What impact did this event have on the disciples? (See Matthew
14:33; Mark 6:51.)
Suggested Response: They saw Jesus in a way they had never
seen him before. They were amazed. They recognized him for
who he truly was-the Son of God-and responded in worship.
5. What impact do you think this event had on Peter?
Suggested Response: Peter abandoned himself completely to
Jesus, something the other disciples did not do. He risked everything
and experienced firsthand the glory of walking on the
water. Because of his faithful steps, he succeeded in doing, in
God's power, what he could never have done on his own. No
doubt he remembered that miracle and the lessons learned for
the rest of his life.
Let's break into small groups of three to five people for our Small
Group Exploration, which begins on page 17. I will give you a one-minute
warning before we rejoin for our Group Discussion.
Small Group Exploration • 9 minutes
Participant's Guide page 17.
Please note there are two topics to explore in this session.
Assign one topic to half of the small groups, the other topic
to the other half. You may want to have a representative from
each group share their discoveries at the beginning of the
Group Discussion that follows.
Topic A
Where Do We Place Our Trust When We Are Afraid?
God knows how fearful we are, and he sometimes uses uncomfortable,
real-world challenges to cause us to choose where we
will place our trust. John Ortberg explains it this way: "The decision
to grow [spiritually] always involves a choice between risk
and comfort. This means that to be a follower of Jesus you must
renounce comfort as the ultimate value of your life." Let's explore
what God says about fear and choosing where we place our trust.
1. What happens when we place our trust in "boats" of our own
making instead of placing our trust in God? (See Psalm 49:1-13.)
Suggested Response: We all will die one day. We can't take the
money we've made with us, nor can it buy eternal life. Trusting
in ourselves and our perishable riches or relationships isn't the
answer. God alone gives eternal life.
2. What did David realize about finding security in God rather
than in things? (See Psalm 20:6-7; 118:6-9.)
Suggested Response: David realized that God was all the protection
he needed and that it was far better to trust in God's
saving power than in people, chariots, and horses (symbols of
security and power in those days).
3. What do the following verses reveal about God?
a. Psalm 18:1-5
Suggested Response: God is our strength, our protector, and our
deliver. We can find refuge in him.
b. Psalm 56:5-4
Suggested Response: We can trust in God when we are afraid.
c.
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