“What Is It Going to Take?”

Pastor David Moore

Old Testament reading: Isaiah 43:1‐10 

But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, 

O Israel:  Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, 

you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire
you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.  

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  I give Egypt 

as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.  Because you are precious in my sight,
and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.  
Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south,
“Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth,
everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” 

Bring forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears!  
Let all the nations gather together, and let the peoples assemble.  
Who among them declared this, and foretold to us the former things?  
Let them bring their witnesses to justify them, and let them hear and say: 

“It is true.”  You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He.  
Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. 

New Testament reading: Matthew 14:22‐33 

Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side,
while He dismissed the crowds.  And after He had dismissed the crowds,
He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  When evening came, He was there alone,
but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves,

for the wind was against them.  And in the fourth watch of the night

He came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea,

they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!”  And they cried out in fear.  

But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I.  Do not be afraid.”    

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  

He said, “Come.”  
So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.  
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out,
“Lord, save me!”  Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of Him,
saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”  And when they got into the boat,