Calvary Church
The Decision to Step Out - Josh Douglas
‘We see a growing church, meeting in many locations around the world, helping people to know Jesus, find community and make a difference.’
Locations & Times
Calvary Sunshine Coast
212 Crosby Hill Rd, Tanawha QLD 4556, Australia
Sunday 8:00 AM
Sunday 10:00 AM
The Decision to Step Out
Andre Olivier
“You are just one decision away from a completely different life.”
There are so many options and decisions today that sometimes there is uncertainty and hesitation in making wise and sound decisions.
Andre Olivier
“We have so many choices of what to eat, where to travel, where to live, what to wear, where to go, churches to attend, movies to watch, that we end up not knowing what we want or what God wants for our lives anymore! Where does he want me to be? What does he want me to do? Who does he want me to marry? What church does he want me to attend? How does anyone know what to do? Is life luck or chance, or is God involved? I think as a culture we suffer from the paralysis of analysis and fear of making decisions.”
We can’t expect to live meaningful and intentional lives if we are undecided.
Maimonides – Jewish Philosopher
“The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision.”
Many of us suffer from analysis paralysis — overthinking to the point of inaction.
But faith doesn’t work that way. Faith isn’t the absence of uncertainty — it’s trust in God in the midst of it.
Throughout Scripture, God rarely gives people the full picture before asking them to move.
Faith always requires movement before certainty.
Matthew 14:22-33
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and 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!”
31 Immediately 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.”
There have always been people of different temperaments, however becoming too comfortable must never become our default.
Matthew 16:25
"Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
The key to a fulfilling life is not amassing comfort, it’s following God by stepping out in faith.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God
•Joseph took a risk when he dared interpret Pharoah’s dream. Had he got it wrong, probably his head would have been cut off.
•Moses took a risk when he confronted Pharaoh, the most powerful world leader of the day, and demanded that he let God’s people go free.
•David took a risk when he ran at the giant Goliath
•Peter took a risk when he stepped out of the boat and walked on water on that stormy night
Five truths about deciding to step out from the story of Peter in Matthew 14:
1. Stepping Out Is Never Forced
Matthew 14:28-29
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Jesus didn’t say to Peter, “You better walk on water or else!!!!”
God will never hijack your freewill.
Jesus invites Peter to take a step of faith, but the ultimately the decision is up to Peter.
2. Stepping Out Reveal What’s Possible
Matthew 14:29
…Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
The only way to discover what you’re truly capable of in life and faith, is by taking a risk.
3. Stepping Out Draws Us Closer to Jesus
Matthew 14:29-30
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Nothing will make you draw close to God like a step of faith.
4. Stepping Out Brings God’s Provision
Matthew 14:29
…Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
The only way you can learn that God is good to His word, is when you take Him at His word.
Christianity doesn’t work if you try to experience it as a spectator.
5. Stepping Out Reveals Jesus Anew
Matthew 14:33
33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
It was through Peter’s step of faith that the disciples receive a new revelation of who Jesus was.
Your steps of faith can be the catalyst for others knowing Jesus.
What’s that thing you’ve been sitting on?
•An idea.
•A dream.
•A conviction.
Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Don’t wait until the water looks safe.
•Turn intention into action.
•Turn ideas into movement.
Andre Olivier
“You are just one decision away from a completely different life.”
There are so many options and decisions today that sometimes there is uncertainty and hesitation in making wise and sound decisions.
Andre Olivier
“We have so many choices of what to eat, where to travel, where to live, what to wear, where to go, churches to attend, movies to watch, that we end up not knowing what we want or what God wants for our lives anymore! Where does he want me to be? What does he want me to do? Who does he want me to marry? What church does he want me to attend? How does anyone know what to do? Is life luck or chance, or is God involved? I think as a culture we suffer from the paralysis of analysis and fear of making decisions.”
We can’t expect to live meaningful and intentional lives if we are undecided.
Maimonides – Jewish Philosopher
“The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision.”
Many of us suffer from analysis paralysis — overthinking to the point of inaction.
But faith doesn’t work that way. Faith isn’t the absence of uncertainty — it’s trust in God in the midst of it.
Throughout Scripture, God rarely gives people the full picture before asking them to move.
Faith always requires movement before certainty.
Matthew 14:22-33
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and 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!”
31 Immediately 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.”
There have always been people of different temperaments, however becoming too comfortable must never become our default.
Matthew 16:25
"Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
The key to a fulfilling life is not amassing comfort, it’s following God by stepping out in faith.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God
•Joseph took a risk when he dared interpret Pharoah’s dream. Had he got it wrong, probably his head would have been cut off.
•Moses took a risk when he confronted Pharaoh, the most powerful world leader of the day, and demanded that he let God’s people go free.
•David took a risk when he ran at the giant Goliath
•Peter took a risk when he stepped out of the boat and walked on water on that stormy night
Five truths about deciding to step out from the story of Peter in Matthew 14:
1. Stepping Out Is Never Forced
Matthew 14:28-29
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Jesus didn’t say to Peter, “You better walk on water or else!!!!”
God will never hijack your freewill.
Jesus invites Peter to take a step of faith, but the ultimately the decision is up to Peter.
2. Stepping Out Reveal What’s Possible
Matthew 14:29
…Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
The only way to discover what you’re truly capable of in life and faith, is by taking a risk.
3. Stepping Out Draws Us Closer to Jesus
Matthew 14:29-30
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Nothing will make you draw close to God like a step of faith.
4. Stepping Out Brings God’s Provision
Matthew 14:29
…Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
The only way you can learn that God is good to His word, is when you take Him at His word.
Christianity doesn’t work if you try to experience it as a spectator.
5. Stepping Out Reveals Jesus Anew
Matthew 14:33
33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
It was through Peter’s step of faith that the disciples receive a new revelation of who Jesus was.
Your steps of faith can be the catalyst for others knowing Jesus.
What’s that thing you’ve been sitting on?
•An idea.
•A dream.
•A conviction.
Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Don’t wait until the water looks safe.
•Turn intention into action.
•Turn ideas into movement.
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