Memory Text: Matthew 14:27 KJV “But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”

Sunday – Lessons at Sea
Mark 4:36-41 CEV “35 ¶ That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let’s cross to the east side." 36 So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. 37 Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink. 38 Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, "Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?" 39 Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm. 40 Jesus asked his disciples, "Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?" 41 Now they were more afraid than ever and said to each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"”
Mark 4:40 COMMENTARY BY JAMIESON, FAUSSET, AND BROWN There is a natural apprehension under danger; but there was unbelief in their fear. It is worthy of notice how considerately the Lord defers this rebuke till He had first removed the danger, in the midst of which they would not have been in a state to listen to anything.

Monday – Lessons at Sea
Matthew 14:22-23 Holman “22 ¶ Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. 23 After dismissing the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone.”
Mark 6:45-52 God’s Word to the Nations “45 ¶ Jesus quickly made his disciples get into a boat and cross to Bethsaida ahead of him while he sent the people away. 46 After saying goodbye to them, he went up a mountain to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 Jesus saw that they were in a lot of trouble as they rowed, because they were going against the wind. Between three and six o’clock in the morning, he came to them. He was walking on the sea. He wanted to pass by them. 49 When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought, "It’s a ghost!" and they began to scream. 50 All of them saw him and were terrified. Immediately, he said, "Calm down! It’s me. Don’t be afraid!" 51 He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped blowing. The disciples were astounded. 52 (They didn’t understand what had happened with the loaves of bread. Instead, their minds were closed.)”
Mark 6:51-52 Moffatt NT “51 And he got into the boat beside them, and the wind dropped. They were utterly astounded, 52 for they had not understood the lesson of the loaves; their minds were dull.”
Ellen White, Desire of Ages, pp. 334-335 – Again they call, but there is no answer except the shrieking of the angry blast. Already their boat is sinking. A moment, and apparently they will be swallowed up by the hungry waters.
Suddenly a flash of lightning pierces the darkness, and they see Jesus lying asleep, undisturbed by the tumult. In amazement and despair they exclaim, "Master, carest Thou not that we perish?" How can He rest so peacefully, while they are in danger and battling with death?
Their cry arouses Jesus. As the lightning’s glare reveals Him, they see the peace of heaven in His face; they read in His glance self-forgetful, tender love, and, their hearts turning to Him, cry, "Lord, save us: we perish."
Never did a soul utter that cry unheeded. As the disciples grasp their oars to make a last effort, Jesus rises. He stands in the midst of His disciples, while the tempest rages, the waves break over them, and the lightning illuminates His countenance. He lifts His hand, so often employed in deeds of mercy, and says to the angry sea, "Peace, be still."
The storm ceases. The billows sink to rest. The clouds roll away, and the stars shine forth. The boat rests upon a quiet sea. Then turning to His disciples, Jesus asks sorrowfully, "Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith?" Mark 4:40, R.V.

Tuesday – The Leaven of the Pharisees
Matthew 16:1-12 NRSV “1 ¶ The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah." Then he left them and went away. 5 ¶ When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, "Watch out, and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 7 They said to one another, "It is because we have brought no bread." 8 And becoming aware of it, Jesus said, "You of little faith, why are you talking about having no bread? 9 Do you still not perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How could you fail to perceive that I was not speaking about bread? Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!" 12 Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Matthew 16:12 COMMENTARY THE FOURFOLD GOSPEL Jesus had resorted to metaphor because the word "leaven" better expressed his idea than did the word "teaching." The formulated dogmas of the Pharisees were not so bad, but the subtle influence of their spirit and example corrupted without warning, like a concealed grave. There are those today who are too skillful to be openly convicted of heterodox statements, but whose teaching, nevertheless, in its very essence and spirit, tends to infidelity.

Wednesday – Lessons from Fear
1 John 4:18 20th Century NT “There is no fear in love. No! Love, when perfect, drives out fear, for fear implies punishment, and the man who feels fear has not attained to perfect love.”
1 John 4:18 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE The man who feels that he loves God with all his heart can never dread him as his Judge. As he is now made a partaker of his Spirit, and carries a sense of the Divine approbation in his conscience, he has nothing of that fear that produces terror or brings torment. The perfect love-that fulness of love, which he has received, casteth out fear-removes all terror relative to this day of judgment, for it is of this that the apostle particularly speaks. And as it is inconsistent with the gracious design of God to have his followers miserable, and as he cannot be unhappy whose heart is full of the love of his God, this love must necessarily exclude this fear or terror; because that brings torment, and hence is inconsistent with that happiness which a man must have who continually enjoys the approbation of his God.
What caused the disciples to fear in these situations?
Jesus is walking on water - Matthew 14:27 NLT “But Jesus spoke to them at once. "It’s all right," he said. "I am here! Don’t be afraid."”
Matthew 14:27 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE Nothing but this voice of Christ could, in such circumstances, have given courage and comfort to his disciples: those who are grievously tossed with difficulties and temptations require a similar manifestation of his power and goodness. When he proclaims himself in the soul, all sorrow, and fear, and sin are at an end.
Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah - Matthew 17:6-7 NLT “6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. 7 Jesus came over and touched them. "Get up," he said, "don’t be afraid."”
Rich young ruler just left - Mark 10:32 NLT “They were now on the way to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with dread and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him in Jerusalem.”
Mark 10:32 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY They began now to consider what imminent danger they ran themselves into, when they went to Jerusalem; how very malicious the Sanhedrim which sat there was against their Master and them; and they were ready to tremble at the thought of it. To hearten them, therefore, Christ went before them.
Disciples rescued from a storm - Luke 8:25 NLT “Then he asked them, "Where is your faith?" And they were filled with awe and amazement. They said to one another, "Who is this man, that even the winds and waves obey him?"”
Jesus appears after crucifixion - Luke 24:37 NLT “But the whole group was terribly frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!”
Luke 24:37 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY The disciples had secluded themselves in the upper room for fear of the Jews, and were apparently already at a high pitch of emotional tension. They had been intimate companions of One who had been executed for sedition. Might they not soon suffer the same fate? They probably feared arrest at any moment. In addition to all this, the reports of a risen Christ must have made them tense with excitement. However, in spite of these reports they were apparently unprepared for a personal encounter with the risen Christ.
Jesus is walking on water - John 6:19 NLT “They were three or four miles out when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified,”
John 6:19 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY An ancient Jewish commentary quotes Ps. 86:8 and then asks, “Why does it say, ‘There is none like unto Thee among the gods, O Lord’? … Because there is none who can do according to Thy works. For example, a man can carve out for himself a way on a road, but he is not able to do so on the sea, but God carves out for Himself a path in the midst of the sea” (Midrash Rabbah, on Ex. 16:4, Soncino ed., p. 306).

Thursday – Discipleship and Witness
Thomas Nagel – “I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that”
Texts That Come to My Mind in Response:
John 3:16 Holman ““For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10 CEV “Work hard at whatever you do. You will soon go to the world of the dead, where no one works or thinks or reasons or knows anything.”
Romans 5:21 God’s Word to the Nations “As sin ruled by bringing death, God’s kindness would rule by bringing us his approval. This results in our living forever because of Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 8:28 CEV “We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose,”