The Great Commission - Serving Beyond these Walls.
If you wanna walk on the water, you gotta get out of the boat!
Sunday, August 30, 2026
This Week’s Scriptures
Acts 1:8
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all of Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utmost part of the earth.”
Doctrine and Covenants 38:7c
“And there you shall be endowed with power from on high, and from thence, whosoever I will, shall go forth among all nations, and it shall be told them what they should do.”
Devotional Discussion
It is comfortable inside the walls of our churches and the safety of our homes. We have our routines, our friends, and our familiar spaces. But spiritual growth and true kingdom service rarely happen in the safety zones. As the old saying goes, “If you want to walk on water, you gotta get out of the boat.”
In Acts, we have a blueprint for a faith that expands outward. Jesus tells His disciples that they will receive power to be witnesses. But notice the geography of their assignment: He sent them to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost part of the Earth - their immediate hometown, the neighboring areas that were culturally uncomfortable or even hostile, and the unknown places beyond their horizons.
Jesus didn’t design the church to be an exclusive country club that stays inside four walls. He designed it to be a launching pad. Similarly, in the D&C, the Lord promises an endowment of power from on high for a very specific purpose: so that His servants can “go forth among all nations.”
The boat represents safety, predictability, and human control. The water represents the unknown, risk, and absolute dependence on God.
When Peter stepped out of the fishing boat onto the stormy Sea of Galilee, he didn’t do it because he was an expert swimmer or because the weather was perfect. He did it because Jesus called to him and said, “Come.” Serving beyond our comfort zones requires us to stop staring at the waves of our fears and trust the power of the One who commands the wind.
God doesn’t give us His Holy Spirit just to keep us warm and cozy; He gives us power so we have the courage to step over the edge of the boat and witness to a world that is sinking.
Put It Into Practice
Getting out of the boat and serving beyond your walls means intentionally looking past your personal comfort.
Is there a neighborhood, a school group, or a type of person you usually avoid because it feels uncomfortable? Look for ways to bring kindness, service, or a word of testimony into that specific space.
Look for Everyday Water-Walking Moments - something as simple as having a spiritual conversation with someone who doesn’t believe like you do, volunteering at a community shelter, or speaking up for someone who is being mistreated.
Trust the Lord to guide your day. Pray a simple prayer: “Lord, I am stepping out of my comfort zone today. Let the Holy Ghost give me the power and words to be Your witness.”
Music for Your Devotion
- “Are You Witnessing for Him?” (HR 237) - A reminder to check if our daily lives actually point others toward Christ’s love.
- “The Commission” by CAIN - A song written from the perspective of Jesus sending His followers out into the world with His authority and peace.
Discuss Together
Questions for Reflection
- Why is it so easy for us to get stuck inside “the boat” of our own comfort zones?
- Jesus moves the disciples from Jerusalem (close by) to the uttermost parts of the earth (far away). What is your personal “Jerusalem,” and what is your “uttermost part”?
- What is the specific “wave” or fear that makes you hesitate to step out of the boat when you feel God pulling at your heart to serve?
Kid’s Corner
Object Lesson: The Sealed Jar of Water
Items needed: A glass jar filled with water, blue food coloring, glitter, and a tight-fitting lid.
The Demonstration: Mix the blue food coloring and glitter into the water inside the jar. Screw the lid on tightly. Tell the kids: “This jar represents our church building or our cozy homes. The beautiful glitter inside represents the love of Jesus and the gifts He gives us.” Shake the jar up so the glitter swirls beautifully.
“Look how beautiful it is inside! But let me ask you a question: If someone outside needs these blessings, does the water and glitter inside help them?” No, because it’s trapped behind the glass!
The Lesson: Jesus doesn’t want us to keep His love trapped inside the walls of our church or our homes. He wants us to get out and help our neighbors, clean up our schools, or tell our friends about Jesus!
Story: Barnaby’s Great Splash
Barnaby the frog lived in the most perfect, beautiful, mossy bucket on the edge of a giant farm. The bucket was safe. No big birds flew inside it, the water was always calm. He was comfortable.
One morning, a wise old turtle named Timothy peered over the top edge of the bucket. “Barnaby! You’ve got to see the pond on the other side of the barn! It’s massive! There are millions of bugs to catch, lily pads to jump on, and other creatures who need our help!”
Barnaby looked down at his calm water. “No way. The pond is too big. What if I sink? What if I get lost? I’m staying right here where it’s safe.”
Timothy smiled gently. “Barnaby, frogs weren’t made to live inside plastic buckets. You were made for the deep water. To experience the big pond, you have to leap out of the bucket.”
Barnaby’s heart pounded. But he trusted Timothy, and he knew he wanted to help the other animals. He bent his powerful hind legs, took a deep breath, and jumped up into the air! He sailed over the edge of the bucket and landed with a giant SPLASH into the big, beautiful pond. He didn’t sink at all - he floated perfectly!
For the rest of the day, Barnaby used his strong legs to swim around, helping little minnows find their families and showing everyone how to catch bugs. He realized that the bucket might have been safe, but the pond was where he was truly meant to live.
The Moral: Sometimes staying inside our own little bubble feels safe and easy. But Jesus made us for a much bigger adventure!
Printable Coloring Page: Peter Walks on Water
Preview the coloring page below, or use the button to download a printer-friendly PDF for coloring by hand. Remember: Peter trusted Jesus and got out of the boat.
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