Sermon Questions – February 1, 2026

Series: Old Stories, New Stories
Text: Matthew 14:22-33
Title: Jesus is Powerfully Present in our Storms

Invited: Share storm stories – watching a storm, being stuck in a storm, when a storm changed your plans, experiencing damage from a storm, etc.

Shaped:

• Many of Jesus’ disciples were skilled fishermen. But they found themselves in a difficult battering storm. Talk about how they may have felt.
• When have you felt like the disciples in the storm, physically or emotionally or spiritually? Put another way, what is a storm (life challenge) that you’re facing or have faced recently? What sort of storm is the most challenging to our faith?
• Jesus performs three miracles in this story – walking on water, enabling Peter to do the same, and calming the storm. What do these miracles reveal about the kingdom of God?
• Talk about what Peter asks Jesus, and what happens. How are you like, or unlike, Peter? What might Jesus’ interaction with Peter teach us about the church?
• The OLD stories of Scripture remind us of the ways God continues to work in our lives. How have you seen Christ’s powerful presence in the storms of your life? (Consider the stories of Jesus’ current work in your life; the story of how you first came to trust and follow Jesus; the story of the “so what?” difference Jesus makes in your life.)
• Pastor Cara is inviting us to learn a summary of the gospel and is offering James Choung’s “True Story” as a model. (The two-part video can be found by searching on YouTube “James Choung True Story”, both 3-minute videos.) Who wants to practice telling part of it? Would someone be willing to give it a try in church on February 15?

Loved: How can you serve as the loving presence of Jesus for someone else in their storm this week?

Sent: As you prepare to leave, pray for one another to experience the powerful presence of Jesus – particularly for those experiencing difficult storms right now.