They Willingly Receive Him

Introduction
Just prior to the third Passover, Jesus had received word that his cousin, John the Baptist had been beheaded by Herod. He crossed the Sea of Galilee from Capernaum to Bathsaida to be alone, but the multitudes followed. As he looked out on the people, he had compassion and healed their sick. As evening fell, the apostles asked Jesus to send them away to the cities so they could eat, but Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 of them. Afterwards he sent his apostles in a boat to Gennesaret. During the crossing, a storm arose on the sea, as the apostles looked out on the water; they saw the Savior walking there. The next day the multitudes caught up with Jesus and wanted to know how he arrived there. The Savior then confronted their true reason for following them. After their confrontation, many of the people no longer followed the Savior. He had raised the bar on discipleship.
Principle
Keeping our eyes on the Savior will allow us to reach our Celestial goal.
Analyze
Keeping Our Eyes On The Savior

• Readiness: Just as a batter has to keep the eye on the ball, so must we keep our eyes on the goal which is Christ and when we keep our attention on the Savior than we will be able to read our ultimate goal which is Exaltation.
• Block 1--Matt 14:1-2=John the Baptist is beheaded by Herod
• Block 2--Matt 14:13-21=Jesus feeds the 5,000
• Block 3--Matt 14:22-33=Jesus walks on the water
  

Howard W Hunter:"It is my firm belief that if as individual people, as families, communites, and nations we could, like Peter, fix our eyes on Jesus, we too might walk triumphantly over the swelling waves of disbelief and remain nterrified amid the rising winds of doubt. But if we turn away our eyes from him then we shall inevitable sink in a sea of conflict, sorrow and despair"

Jesus Will Continue To Raise the Bar on Discipleship

• What is your motivation for doing the things in the Church>(Celestial-Terrestial-Telestial?)
• If there is a goal that we desperately want to reach, which is worth our best efforts we will be able to reach it.
  
• This is what the Savior does with each of us, He is measuring our efforts to reach out to Him
• John 6:22-69=Jesus delivers the 'Bread of Life' sermon. He raises the bar on discipleship.
  
• Some people murmur when the bar is raised. How strong is our commitment to reach Christ?

Harold B Lee "We have some tight place to go before the Lord is through with this church. The power of Satan will increase; we see it in evidence on every hand. We will see those who profess membership but secretly plotting and trying to lead people not to follow leadership that th eLord has set up to preside in this church. Now the only safety we have as members is to do exactly what the Lord said. We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through his prophet. There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church, it may contradict your political views, it may contradict your social vies, it may interfere with your social life. but if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that the 'gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good' "