1
00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,960
Welcome to the Liberty Baptist 
Sermon Archives. 

2
00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,040
The message you're about to hear
was preached at Liberty Baptist 

3
00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,040
Church in Easton, MA. 
You can find out more about us 

4
00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,120
or contact us at 
mylibertybaptist.org or just 

5
00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:19,760
look us up on Facebook. 
And now we hope that this 

6
00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,080
message from God's Word will be 
a blessing to you. 

7
00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:29,160
Now the title of my message is 
to start off with good cheer. 

8
00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:33,600
They have they have a lot of 
titles at Southwest and I'm 

9
00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,680
trying to I'm trying to be like 
Pastor Gaddis in a sense, but 

10
00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,960
definitely not there. 
So we're we're going to start 

11
00:00:40,160 --> 00:00:45,160
off at verse 45 and the Bible 
says and straightway he 

12
00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:48,760
constrained his disciples to get
into the ship and to go to the 

13
00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:53,720
other side before unto Besada 
while he sent away the people. 

14
00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:55,520
Now this passage is very 
familiar. 

15
00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:00,480
There's a lot of stuff, a lot of
background, and we're getting it

16
00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,560
to the passage where Jesus 
performs this great miracle of 

17
00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,280
Him walking on the water. 
And so notice that He is sending

18
00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:12,480
out his disciples unto Peseta. 
And so he has planned this out 

19
00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:14,400
already so he knows what he's 
doing. 

20
00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,360
And then verse 46 or we'll 
finish 45 while he sent away the

21
00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,920
people, verse 46. 
And when He had sent them away, 

22
00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,480
he departed into a mountain to 
pray. 

23
00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,760
And when even was come, the ship
was in the midst of the sea, and

24
00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,760
He alone on the land. 
And He saw them toiling and 

25
00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,040
rowing, for the wind was 
contrary unto them. 

26
00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:40,160
And about the fourth watch of 
the night He cometh unto them 

27
00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,400
walking upon the sea, and would 
have passed by them. 

28
00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,360
But when they saw Him walking 
upon the sea, they supposed it 

29
00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:51,080
and had been a spirit, and cried
out, for they all saw him and 

30
00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:53,680
were troubled. 
And immediately he talked with 

31
00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,280
them and saith unto them, be of 
good cheer. 

32
00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:00,520
It is, I be not afraid. 
And he went up unto them and to 

33
00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,240
the ship, and the wind ceased, 
and they were sore amazed in 

34
00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:06,480
themselves beyond measure and 
wonder. 

35
00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,600
This is, I mean, if you just 
stop for a second, like this is 

36
00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:12,520
reality. 
Like imagine this, you're in the

37
00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:16,880
middle of the sea and Jesus is 
walking on water. 

38
00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:22,040
It's it's fascinating just to 
see the Bible in, in form and 

39
00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,840
words, but in the same sense, if
you go back to this time frame, 

40
00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:29,200
it, it actually happened. 
And so verse 52 for they 

41
00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,520
considered not the miracle of 
the loaves for their heart was 

42
00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,400
hardened. 
And when they had passed over, 

43
00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,720
they came into the land of 
Ganesarat and drew to the shore.

44
00:02:39,920 --> 00:02:43,000
And when they were come out of 
the ship straightway they knew 

45
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,600
him, and ran through the whole 
region roundabout, and began to 

46
00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,320
carry about in beds those that 
were sick where they heard he 

47
00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,840
was. 
And whithersoever he entered 

48
00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,600
into the villages of cities, or 
cities or country, they laid the

49
00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,440
sick in the streets, and 
besought him that they might 

50
00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:04,360
touch it, touch if it were but 
the border of His garment, and 

51
00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,480
as many as touched him were made
whole. 

52
00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:08,000
Let's pray and we'll get into 
the lesson. 

53
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:12,400
OK, Lord, thank you for today. 
God, thank you for everyone 

54
00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:15,320
being here. 
Lord, thank you for the weather.

55
00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,520
Thank you for being so good to 
us and for giving us a new new 

56
00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:21,600
day. 
Lord, a new year. 

57
00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,320
Many of us have things we want 
to change, Lord, to draw closer 

58
00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:31,320
to you, many resolutions to make
an attempt to be more godly and 

59
00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,920
holy. 
And so, God, we thank you and we

60
00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,600
thank you for this church. 
We thank you for pastor's heart 

61
00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:39,920
be with him as he preaches 
today. 

62
00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,040
Lord, be with us as we try to 
apply this message into our 

63
00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,280
lives and thank you so much for 
all that you're doing in Jesus 

64
00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,280
name, Amen. 
I'm going to take a little sip 

65
00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:55,240
here. 
My throat is a little dry fancy,

66
00:03:55,240 --> 00:04:01,680
right? 
Like I said before, I've read 

67
00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,800
this about a month ago and I 
wanted to, I want to share it to

68
00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,680
us, you know, this year, 2026, I
mean, I'm sure there's so many 

69
00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:12,160
things that happened in 2025 in 
your lives. 

70
00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:16,200
I know you just went to New 
Zealand and a lot of, you know, 

71
00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:20,160
a lot of trips going on a lot of
different things last year. 

72
00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,120
And there's so many things that 
we want to carry over from last 

73
00:04:23,280 --> 00:04:25,600
year or maybe some things that 
we don't want to carry over, 

74
00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:27,520
right. 
Maybe you've made some 

75
00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:33,080
resolutions, you know, with 
health or, you know, you're 

76
00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,840
trying to be eating healthier. 
Like the guys told me they want 

77
00:04:35,840 --> 00:04:38,600
to eat healthy, but then they 
ate Donuts this morning. 

78
00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,480
So I'm trying to figure out 
what's going on, you know, and 

79
00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,960
so and so. 
Yeah, right. 

80
00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,320
And so many resolutions, you 
know, you want to eat healthy, 

81
00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,360
you want to draw closer to the 
Lord, be more spiritual, 

82
00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:53,280
whatever the need is. 
And so I think something that I 

83
00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:58,640
want to carry over in my life is
something that Jesus said here. 

84
00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,920
And it says in verse 50, if we 
can look back on it. 

85
00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,600
And it says, for they all saw 
him and were troubled. 

86
00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:10,360
And immediately he talked with 
them and saith unto them, notice

87
00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:15,560
this phrase be of good cheer. 
It is I be not afraid. 

88
00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:22,000
I love that, that that whole 
saying, but in the sense that it

89
00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:27,000
wasn't be not afraid, It is I be
of good cheer, but it was be of 

90
00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,480
good cheer. 
It is I be not afraid. 

91
00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:35,000
And So what I'm, what I'm trying
to say is that we should carry 

92
00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:38,000
over that phrase to, to be of 
good cheer. 

93
00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:44,000
What is that implying to, to 
live with hope to to not be 

94
00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:49,960
Let's see here to carry, carry 
hope with you to understand that

95
00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:53,440
even through trials you've been 
through difficulties, you can be

96
00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:57,240
of good cheer. 
And so if 2025 was a hard year 

97
00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,040
for you, understand that you can
be of good cheer. 

98
00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:04,120
Know that it is I right. 
It's it's Jesus, it's your 

99
00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:06,560
savior, it's your master, it's 
your Messiah. 

100
00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,040
He saved your soul. 
He changed your life. 

101
00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,240
He's given you kids, he's given 
you a family, he's given you 

102
00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,200
finances, he's given you health.
And there's so many things that 

103
00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,600
we can be thankful for and, and 
we should be of good cheer even 

104
00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:21,920
through those trials. 
And so that's something I want 

105
00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:26,720
to care carry over in my life. 
And I think that if I can share 

106
00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,440
with you properly that maybe you
can apply it to your life as 

107
00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:34,480
well. 
And so like I said, you know, a 

108
00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:38,680
lot of resolutions that we're 
trying to make this year for the

109
00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:41,600
guys, for I'm sure some of you 
as well. 

110
00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:43,440
And so we want to carry that 
over. 

111
00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:50,200
And so in verse in chapter 5, we
see many miracles that Jesus is 

112
00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:55,600
performing from the start of it.
In chapter 5, you can see that 

113
00:06:55,600 --> 00:07:01,720
there's this man and he's, he 
has an unclean spirit and 

114
00:07:01,840 --> 00:07:04,920
unclean spirit that he's crying 
out to the Lord because he is 

115
00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:10,160
tormented, the man of Ghadera 
and he is tormented and he's 

116
00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,080
cutting himself and he's going 
through all these, all these 

117
00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,880
things and he's crying out to 
the Lord And he's just saying, 

118
00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,720
Lord, I need you pretty much. 
Lord, there's, there's something

119
00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,560
in me. 
And clearly Jesus calls that 

120
00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,840
that unclean spirit out and he 
performs a miracle where he 

121
00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,600
delivers the spirit out of the 
man. 

122
00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:32,720
And so we see a miracle there. 
And then we follow up with this 

123
00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:36,080
woman with the issue of blood. 
And you know, she just touches 

124
00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,280
the hem of the garment, just the
hem of the garment. 

125
00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:42,560
Imagine that there's one touch 
of his hem and changes a whole 

126
00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,200
soul's life. 
And so it's powerful stuff. 

127
00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:49,760
And we we can see the background
in that and it keeps going on. 

128
00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:57,040
It talks about Gyrus's daughter 
and how she is almost presumed 

129
00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:01,200
dead. 
She's she's as seen as if she's 

130
00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,480
asleep. 
But Jairus wanted restoration 

131
00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:07,640
for his daughter and he's 
begging to the Lord and he does 

132
00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,840
another miracle and he's still 
working miracles, right? 

133
00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,320
And he does another miracle and 
he resurrects the daughter. 

134
00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:18,040
In a sense, he wanted 
restoration for his daughter, 

135
00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:21,600
but they got resurrection. 
And so it's powerful stuff that 

136
00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:25,360
Jesus is performing and and it 
continues on. 

137
00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,800
And then we go into chapter 6 
and it talks about how Jesus 

138
00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,360
encourages disciples to go forth
for the gospel sake. 

139
00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:37,559
And then further on, John is 
executed for the name of Jesus 

140
00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,720
Christ, completely beheaded, 
persecuted. 

141
00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:44,400
And then we see that Jesus 
performs this miracle of 

142
00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,640
multiplying the five loaves and 
the two fish to feed the 

143
00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:52,560
thousands. 
And so we see these miraculous 

144
00:08:52,560 --> 00:08:55,640
miracles and like I said before,
I mean, imagine just being there

145
00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:58,480
to see all of it. 
It's like imagine watching that 

146
00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,560
on live stream. 
Like honestly, just watching it 

147
00:09:01,560 --> 00:09:05,320
on live stream and seeing, you 
know, Jesus delivering this 

148
00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,280
person, healing this person, 
resurrecting this person, 

149
00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:12,160
whatever the case may be that 
he's performing that miracle in.

150
00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:16,440
But it's fascinating. 
And so we arrived to our text 

151
00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:22,560
here where he where he is 
sending out his disciples after 

152
00:09:22,560 --> 00:09:28,200
the feeding of the 5000. 
And so in verse 45, he says, and

153
00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,360
straightway he constrained his 
disciples to get into the ship 

154
00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:36,440
and go to the other side before 
unto Beseda, while he sent away 

155
00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:40,800
the people. 
And so we can see that Jesus 

156
00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:45,640
here is he is sending his 
disciples forth and he is, he's 

157
00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:47,880
sending them unto Beseda into 
the ship. 

158
00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:51,040
And so we understand that Jesus 
knows what's going to happen, 

159
00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,080
right? 
Jesus understands that there 

160
00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,760
there is going to be a storm. 
And we know that the disciples 

161
00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:58,160
don't know that. 
And so they're they're just 

162
00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:01,000
expecting that, hey, God has 
sent me on this mission. 

163
00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:02,480
I'm just going to do what he 
says. 

164
00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:04,600
And, and and they went, they 
went into the ship. 

165
00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,840
And so we see in verse 46. 
And when He had sent them away, 

166
00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,240
he departed into a mountain to 
pray. 

167
00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,160
Even though Jesus had many 
miracles in preaching work, He 

168
00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,400
still needed to set aside time 
to pray unto the Father. 

169
00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:21,960
We can see that. 
And when He had sent them away, 

170
00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:24,240
he departed into a mountain to 
pray. 

171
00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:29,400
Though we tend to get busy 
serving the Lord and ministry in

172
00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,960
our day-to-day lives and work 
and our schedules, there needs 

173
00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:36,640
to be time set aside for the 
believer to have a personal 

174
00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:41,800
conversation with the Father, to
set a sign to set, set aside 

175
00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,880
time with God and just talk to 
him and just have a personal 

176
00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:47,440
relationship. 
I think that's one of the 

177
00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:49,800
biggest things I want to strive 
for this year, to just be 

178
00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:53,440
personal with God to, to really,
to really talk to him. 

179
00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:57,640
I think sometimes our, our 
prayers can be so mechanic and 

180
00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:04,680
so, so wordy in a sense. 
You know, God is just there to 

181
00:11:04,680 --> 00:11:07,680
hear your heart and he 
understands where you're at. 

182
00:11:07,680 --> 00:11:11,400
He understands what you faced. 
He understands that, but he also

183
00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:14,120
wants you to set a time so you 
can talk to him about that. 

184
00:11:14,680 --> 00:11:18,280
And so Jesus said it's a time 
apart from him sent the 

185
00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:22,920
disciples away. 
And in verse 47, as the night 

186
00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:26,800
approached, Jesus was on the 
land alone while his disciples 

187
00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:30,720
were in the middle of the sea, a
time where Jesus set himself 

188
00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,000
apart from everyone to be with 
his father. 

189
00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:37,600
Matthew Henry said a good man is
never less alone than with God. 

190
00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:40,560
There's nothing wrong with being
alone. 

191
00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,720
At times, I think of times in 
the dorm, these guys are 

192
00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,720
slamming the door. 
These guys are having random 

193
00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:54,280
conversations, like, let's see, 
one guy, he asked me one time 

194
00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:56,000
when I was just reading a book 
or something. 

195
00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:58,920
And he was like, hey, and he 
pulls out his socks and he's 

196
00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:01,240
like, hey, do you think my 
girlfriend will like these? 

197
00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:03,120
And I'm like, brother, I don't 
know. 

198
00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:05,080
So I go back to reading the book
and such. 

199
00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:07,760
And I'm like, it's just random 
distractions. 

200
00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,080
And they're slamming the door. 
And, you know, I can do the 

201
00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:11,280
same. 
And so there's so many 

202
00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,480
distractions. 
But sometimes you got to just 

203
00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:16,680
set aside time and, you know, be
alone and pray and read your 

204
00:12:16,680 --> 00:12:20,240
Bible. 
And so, yeah, just just don't be

205
00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:21,240
in the dorm. 
How about that? 

206
00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,240
But yeah. 
And so then we can see that with

207
00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,400
Jesus here, he's setting aside 
time to be with his father. 

208
00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:34,440
And in verse 48, we see that 
Jesus sees that disciples were 

209
00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,720
fighting a harsh storm on the 
sea and approaches them by walk,

210
00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,800
walking on the water. 
And this is a familiar passage, 

211
00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:43,120
but let's not not like glaze 
over it. 

212
00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,600
It's just this is this is 
powerful. 

213
00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:47,920
I mean, it's it's real. 
It happened. 

214
00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:53,680
And these disciples are really 
struggling toiling a pain and 

215
00:12:53,680 --> 00:12:54,800
rowing. 
They're you know, they're 

216
00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:57,280
they're having a hard time 
rowing through the sea. 

217
00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,920
All of this whole battle, these 
big waves, a hard and difficult 

218
00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:04,280
time. 
The wind is contrary. 

219
00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:08,320
So it's going against them. 
And so in about the fourth watch

220
00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,840
of the night, he cometh unto 
them and walking upon the sea 

221
00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:14,280
and would have passed by them, 
right? 

222
00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,080
He sees them. 
He was alone on the land, but 

223
00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:19,000
now he sees them. 
So he starts walking on the 

224
00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:23,480
water and, and then but he would
have passed by them. 

225
00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,080
So don't, don't miss that 
phrase. 

226
00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,360
He would have passed by them in 
the sense that he, he would have

227
00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:30,280
just passed by them. 
He wouldn't have noticed them. 

228
00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,280
But the reason why he would have
just passed by them was because 

229
00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:35,600
he wanted the disciples to cry 
out to him. 

230
00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:40,040
And so notice this like he, he 
was going and walking on the 

231
00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:44,440
water, but he would have passed 
them if the disciples never 

232
00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:46,960
called unto them. 
And so that's another lesson for

233
00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:50,600
us to understand that we need a 
call unto Him even through those

234
00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,160
times, even through those 
difficulties, even through those

235
00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:56,640
trials and those big waves. 
And you know what it is, right? 

236
00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:59,040
Maybe 2025 was a really rough 
year. 

237
00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:01,920
And but you don't need to be 
discouraged in it. 

238
00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:06,200
You can be of good cheer, that 
you can be rejoicing in the Lord

239
00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:10,320
that you know you're here and 
that he's done a great work in 

240
00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:13,080
your life, and you just keep 
plugging along, keep moving 

241
00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,640
forward for him even through 
those hard times. 

242
00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:18,600
And so we see that the disciples
are trembling. 

243
00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:20,720
They're in fear because of this 
great wind. 

244
00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:25,000
Jesus starts walking on the sea 
and would have passed them right

245
00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:28,280
but in verse 49. 
But when they saw him walking 

246
00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:32,280
upon the sea, they suppose it 
had been a spirit and cried out.

247
00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:38,000
And so they see them walking on 
the sea, They see him walking on

248
00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:39,960
the sea. 
And they they they they, they 

249
00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:43,520
couldn't recognize him pretty 
much they couldn't see who it 

250
00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:46,000
was really. 
They they assumed that it was a 

251
00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:50,560
spirit, but they didn't know. 
And so for in verse 50, for they

252
00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:55,840
all saw him and were troubled 
and immediately he talked with 

253
00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:58,680
them and saith unto them, be of 
good cheer. 

254
00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:03,520
It is I and be not afraid. 
So it like going back to verse 

255
00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,320
49. 
But when they saw him walking 

256
00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,560
upon the sea, they suppose it 
had been a spirit and cried out 

257
00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,760
for they all saw him. 
So they cried out unto the 

258
00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:16,120
spirit, seeing that seeing him 
now and we're troubled. 

259
00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:19,040
They were anxious. 
They they didn't know what was 

260
00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:21,480
going on. 
But immediately he talked. 

261
00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,080
That's a big word right there. 
Immediately he talked. 

262
00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:26,440
That's comforting. 
That's that's powerful. 

263
00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:28,800
When Jesus talks, it's, it's 
powerful. 

264
00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,560
And so immediately he, he, he 
saw their need, he saw their 

265
00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:36,040
difficulty, he saw where they 
were at and immediately he 

266
00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:38,400
talked with them. 
And that's another thing, you 

267
00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:41,600
just cry out to God and maybe 
immediately he'll talk to you, 

268
00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:43,720
right? 
You know, that's not always the 

269
00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:45,960
case. 
It's a still small voice. 

270
00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:47,880
And sometimes you got to be 
patient even through those 

271
00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:51,200
trials. 
But there's times, there's times

272
00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:53,280
in my life where he just spoke 
to me immediately. 

273
00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:57,280
Obviously we don't hear through 
audible voice, but at times I 

274
00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:59,600
just know in my heart that God 
just spoke to me and I need to 

275
00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,040
do that thing. 
And that should be the same for 

276
00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:06,640
all of us said. 
And so they assumed that it had 

277
00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:08,800
been a spirit. 
And so they cried out. 

278
00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:13,000
And verse 50 For they all saw 
him and were troubled. 

279
00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:17,360
And immediately he talked with 
them and saith unto them, Be of 

280
00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:22,400
good cheer. 
It is I be not afraid. 

281
00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:26,240
I love that so much. 
I think we skimmed through these

282
00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:29,640
words and we kind of take it for
granted what Jesus said. 

283
00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,720
He says be of good cheer. 
It is I be not afraid. 

284
00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:38,320
Like I said, typically the human
response would be, hey, hey, be 

285
00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:40,120
not afraid. 
It's it's me, I'm here, I'm 

286
00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:42,240
here, you know, be of good 
cheer. 

287
00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,480
But no, no, Jesus completely 
flips the script. 

288
00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:48,600
He says be of good cheer. 
It is I be not afraid. 

289
00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:52,720
And so you got to understand the
wording here that he he wants us

290
00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,840
to I have it here. 
There's a there's a there's a 

291
00:16:55,840 --> 00:17:01,880
quote that's really good and it 
talks about how how this be of 

292
00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:08,160
good cheer is in the Greek. 
I'm learning this Darseo Darseo 

293
00:17:08,599 --> 00:17:11,680
and I'm still trying to 
pronounce my Greek, but Darseo 

294
00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,520
meaning to have courage, to be 
of good comfort, having hope, 

295
00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:19,160
not being discouraged, living 
life joyfully. 

296
00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:24,200
And this is a quote to live life
with joy and hope through faith 

297
00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:28,359
under circumstances. 
And so we can be of good cheer. 

298
00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:32,760
And I just want to encourage, 
you know, I, I haven't been here

299
00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:35,840
in a while and I know that 
brother Vince is going through 

300
00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,560
surgery and I know it can impact
the whole church. 

301
00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:43,040
And, you know, there's a lot of 
things going on right now just, 

302
00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,240
you know, maybe on pastor's 
heart, you know, with the 

303
00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,680
building and, you know, the heat
that just happened. 

304
00:17:50,120 --> 00:17:52,520
And, you know, there's a lot of 
things with the whole church and

305
00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,720
maybe some things that we don't 
even see ourselves. 

306
00:17:55,720 --> 00:18:00,240
But we can be of good cheer. 
We can, we can strive to have 

307
00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:04,440
hope, strive to have joy, strive
not to be discouraged, even 

308
00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,640
though, you know, it's freezing 
cold in the church maybe or 

309
00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:12,160
whatever the case may be, right?
That we can, we can be joyful, 

310
00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:16,000
you know, just a reminder, you 
know, if if something happened 

311
00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,800
last year, you know, you can, 
you can move forward and be of 

312
00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:20,920
good cheer. 
You don't need to sit in that. 

313
00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:22,200
God doesn't want you to sit in 
that. 

314
00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,160
He didn't want them to sit in 
this storm here. 

315
00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:27,440
Although he sent that storm 
beforehand, he knew what the 

316
00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:31,040
plan was ahead. 
And then afterward he also sent 

317
00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:33,480
that storm because it was 
preparing them. 

318
00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:37,040
It was a test for when they 
would be persecuted by their 

319
00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:40,120
enemies. 
And it was just a, a great test 

320
00:18:40,120 --> 00:18:42,840
of how they would be under 
circumstances, right? 

321
00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,280
And so as soon as they got on 
land. 

322
00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:49,680
But, but we can be of good cheer
in that we can be of good cheer 

323
00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:52,320
that God is going to take us 
through that storm. 

324
00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,800
And it's a, it's a, it's a 
message that we need to hear, 

325
00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:58,800
although we've heard it maybe 
our whole life, we can hear it 

326
00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:00,840
again and again and again, 
right? 

327
00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:05,320
To be of good cheer. 
So meaning to have the courage 

328
00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:09,320
to be of good comfort, having 
hope, not being discouraged, 

329
00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:13,080
living life joyfully. 
Often times we have lost our 

330
00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:20,720
cheer, our hope, our boldness, 
joy when life tends to throw 

331
00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:23,960
things at us. 
Believers, let us be reminded 

332
00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:28,800
today that the promise Jesus 
made for us in John 1633. 

333
00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,760
These things have ever written 
to you, that you might have 

334
00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,000
peace in the world. 
You shall have tribulation, but 

335
00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,000
be of good cheer. 
I have overcome the world. 

336
00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:41,520
Notice that phrase again. 
But be of good cheer. 

337
00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:45,520
I have overcome the world. 
I love how Jesus walked on the 

338
00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:50,800
water. 
It's almost, and it shows, it's 

339
00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:54,920
a, it's symbolic because it 
shows how Jesus is over all the 

340
00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:58,360
problems of life. 
You know, he's, he's over the 

341
00:19:58,360 --> 00:20:02,320
water and the waters, picturing 
all the trials and all the 

342
00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:05,680
difficulties that we all go 
through right as human beings, 

343
00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,080
you know, battling with sin or 
battling with other things like 

344
00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,640
that, conditions and stuff like 
that. 

345
00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:14,200
And so we can see that he is 
above all that, right? 

346
00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:17,280
He is sovereign, He is God. 
He's in control of all that. 

347
00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,480
And so we need to be reminded of
that as well. 

348
00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,440
And so that's that's the lesson 
that we all need to take in. 

349
00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:30,160
And I love when he says it is I 
how Matthew, Matthew Henry also 

350
00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:36,160
said it is I I your master, I 
your friend, I your Redeemer, I 

351
00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:39,880
your Savior is I who came to 
troublesome earth and now to 

352
00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:42,440
attempt to a sea to look after 
you. 

353
00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:48,920
It is I Jesus reminds us, don't 
you remember who I am the one 

354
00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:51,440
who just performed all those 
miracles beforehand? 

355
00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,160
You know, it talks about later 
on in the chapter how their 

356
00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,080
hearts were so hard. 
And don't you realize that I 

357
00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:01,680
just performed this miracle of 
feeding these thousands of 

358
00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:05,000
people, right? 
Not even counting the women and 

359
00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:06,840
the children. 
Don't you see that I just did 

360
00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,960
this for you and their hearts 
were hard into that. 

361
00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:14,880
And so remember, it is I, it is 
I the one that saved you. 

362
00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:18,440
It is I the one that gives you 
food on your at your table. 

363
00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:20,680
It is I who's giving you a 
church. 

364
00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:23,720
It is I who've given you 
salvation. 

365
00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,320
It is, I mean, you just fill in 
the blank honestly, right? 

366
00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:30,920
It is I who's giving you peace, 
giving you joy, giving you a 

367
00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:35,280
family, giving you a school to 
go to, giving you godly friends 

368
00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:39,800
and godly leaders. 
And it is I, right And so. 

369
00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:42,320
And then it goes on to say, be 
not afraid. 

370
00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:47,920
It's a common thing to hear this
phrase in our day-to-day lives. 

371
00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:51,320
Yet we tend to struggle when the
pressure arises around us. 

372
00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:55,280
We tend to struggle when fierce 
storms come our way. 

373
00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:58,760
We tend to struggle when things 
unexpected arise. 

374
00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:01,880
Notice the order in which Jesus 
speaks to them. 

375
00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,240
Be of good cheer. 
It is I be not afraid. 

376
00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,720
This order is significant 
because Jesus tells us to be 

377
00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:14,200
cheerful over being fearful. 
It would seem reasonable to us 

378
00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:18,320
for Jesus to speak unto them to 
not be afraid 1st and yet He 

379
00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:23,800
speaks hope and joy first. 
Jesus pumps, jumps on board and 

380
00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:26,000
the storm stopped and the 
disciples were amazed. 

381
00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:29,440
Once the disciples got into the 
presence of the Lord, not only 

382
00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,680
were they comforted but also 
astounded by what Jesus just 

383
00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:34,960
did. 
The disciples were with Jesus, 

384
00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,200
but they did remember that he 
performed the miracles of the 

385
00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:40,480
fishes and loaves because they 
had hard in their hearts. 

386
00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,640
Don't forget the miracles He 
already did in the past from the

387
00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,360
last year. 
Move forward and be of good 

388
00:22:46,360 --> 00:22:49,160
cheer. 
Don't don't sit and dwell on the

389
00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:51,120
past. 
Just move forward and be of good

390
00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:53,160
cheer. 
You know, these disciples went 

391
00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:56,640
on to Beseda and they didn't 
know what was going to happen, 

392
00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:58,320
right? 
We don't know what's going to 

393
00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,480
happen to us next semester. 
We might gain 50 lbs. 

394
00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:06,120
I mean, who knows, right? 
But, you know, be of good cheer.

395
00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:08,280
We don't know what lies ahead in
front of us. 

396
00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:14,040
And there's so much, so much, so
many things that God is doing 

397
00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:17,720
that we can learn from and we 
can grow in, we can apply 

398
00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,880
ourselves in. 
And so we just see disciples, 

399
00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,360
they're amazed, completely 
amazed from what Jesus has 

400
00:23:25,360 --> 00:23:29,840
already done in their lives. 
And I've, I've now recently done

401
00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,840
a mocking water and saving them 
and protecting them from the the

402
00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:37,120
fierce winds. 
And in verse 52, for they 

403
00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:39,920
considered not the miracle of 
the lows for their heart was 

404
00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:44,080
hardened. 
And if you have on it here on 

405
00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:49,160
the side, let our hearts not be 
hardened, dear God, Oh, I pray 

406
00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:51,960
that my heart's not hardened. 
I pray that all of our hearts 

407
00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:55,040
aren't hardened right? 
I love that verse for they 

408
00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:57,120
consider not the miracle of the 
loaves. 

409
00:23:57,120 --> 00:24:00,680
I mean, Jesus just performed 
that he just did it in front of 

410
00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:02,400
them. 
And now their hearts are 

411
00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:05,360
hardened because they don't even
they don't even realize what 

412
00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:07,520
Jesus already done in their 
lives. 

413
00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:09,920
And so let that not be said of 
us. 

414
00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:13,440
Let's not harden our hearts. 
Verse 53. 

415
00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:17,040
And when they had Passover, they
came into the land of Ganesarat,

416
00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:19,960
and drew to the shore. 
And when they were come out of 

417
00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:23,760
the ship straightway, they knew 
him, and ran through that whole 

418
00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,480
region roundabout, and began to 
carry about in beds those that 

419
00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:29,600
were sick, where they heard he 
was. 

420
00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:32,960
And whether so ever he entered 
into villages or cities or 

421
00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,320
country, they laid the sick in 
the streets and besought him 

422
00:24:36,360 --> 00:24:40,800
that they might touch if it were
but the border of his garment. 

423
00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:43,680
And as many as touched him were 
made whole. 

424
00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,640
And so we see the end of their 
voyage into the land of 

425
00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:51,560
Ganesarat. 
The storm completely ceased. 

426
00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:54,280
The storm will come to end. 
Just keep holding on. 

427
00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:59,560
Just keep holding on. 2025 must 
might have been a rough year for

428
00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:01,960
you might have been a great 
year, but just keep holding on. 

429
00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:06,440
Understand that God is with you.
Be of good cheer, you know, be 

430
00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,840
of good cheer. 
I know that he's right there. 

431
00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:12,920
Understand that Jesus was right 
there with them. 

432
00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:17,040
He sent them out and he was, he 
walked on water to arrive with 

433
00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,160
them and then he also got on 
land with them as well. 

434
00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:21,240
So understand that God is always
with you. 

435
00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:22,760
I'll never leave you nor forsake
you. 

436
00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:24,760
And it was just an encouragement
to me. 

437
00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:29,040
I was going through a rough time
in my life and, and I 

438
00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:32,120
understand, I understood through
this passage that I need to be 

439
00:25:32,120 --> 00:25:34,320
of good cheer. 
All right, Just be of good 

440
00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:36,040
cheer. 
Understand that God is directing

441
00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:43,160
my life and noted that it is I 
that he has saved us, that he is

442
00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:45,040
our Savior, that He is our 
Master. 

443
00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:49,840
Be reminded of what he's done in
our past, what he is continuing 

444
00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,960
to do and to be not afraid. 
Understand that that phrase is 

445
00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:59,200
said often times as well, but to
understand that he, he's with us

446
00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:03,200
and that we don't need to be 
timid or afraid of anything 

447
00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:08,120
because he's with us. 
And so that storm will come 

448
00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:11,560
again. 
And it's up to you and I on how 

449
00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:15,960
we are going to respond. 
Be of good cheer or be of great 

450
00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:19,520
fear that we start as we start 
the new year. 

451
00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:23,320
There are many resolutions 
meant, many changes, many things

452
00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:26,960
that we don't know what is ahead
yet we can be comforted in 

453
00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:31,640
knowing that God is over, the 
water has overcome all of it and

454
00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:35,240
the trials we face and will 
face, and that He's with us 

455
00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:37,560
today. 
Thank you for listening to the 

456
00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:40,200
sermon from the pulpit of 
Liberty Baptist Church. 

457
00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,800
If this message was a blessing 
to you, or if there's any way we

458
00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,920
can serve you, please let us 
know by contacting us at 

459
00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:51,800
info@mylibertybaptist.org. 
Or you can visit us this Sunday 

460
00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,720
at 800 Washington St. in Easton,
MA. 

461
00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,760
May the Lord bless you as you 
grow in His Word.

