John 6:15-21 / Jesus Walks On The Water
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INTRO
Quick Greetings from Mission Bible Church
Honoring the house
Transition to Text
AXIS “LANGUAGE”
(SERIES) We’re continuing our series, “Light in the Darkness” as we journey through John’s Gospel.
(SCRIPTURE JOURNALS) While you’re settling in with your Bibles open…I hope you’ve received one of these fantastic SCRIPTURE JOURNALS. They’re an excellent way to take notes in the sermon, or journal YOUR application of the texts
(Pastor Jeremy’s 3 Questions)
Are you a Christian?
When did you become a Christian?
What does Jesus mean to you today?
(BIG PICTURE)
31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
That’s the big picture.
BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS WHO THE SCRIPTURES REVEAL HIM TO BE…AND HAVE LIFE THAT ONLY COMES IN HIS NAME…take on that name; become a Christian, LIVE / LOVE / SERVE as a Christian. And one day we will worship Him and rule and reign with Him in glorified bodies, forever!
(LAST WEEK)
Last week, Pastor Jeremy walked you through the first 15 verses of Chapter 6 as Jesus fed the thousands and thousands of people…
(TODAY)
This morning, as we look with eyes of faith, teachable minds, listening ears, and soft hearts to the next few verses, I believe the LORD wants to lead us to what matters most!
>>>What do you need most from Jesus right now?
>>>What would you like to hear from Jesus right now?
Let’s set the scene for this amazing walk on the water.
Right After the feeding of the 5,000 - Matthew gives us a bit of tone that’s helpful as we get from the hillside to the boat.
matt 14.22-23
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.
There are 2 really strong emotions in this passage…Discouragement & Delight
1. DISCOURAGEMENT IN THE STORM (16-19)
1. DISCOURAGEMENT IN THE STORM (16-19)
v 16-17: Mood of discouragement / Where is Jesus?
v 16-17: Mood of discouragement / Where is Jesus?
dark night
without Jesus
tired from serving all day
They had gone to that hillside to be with Jesus - not to see the crowds or get in the thick of ministry.
BUT the crowd found them.
They had to do (go to do) ministry - amazing, miraculous ministry.
Then Jesus heads to the mountains
He sends them away.
it’s the opposite of what the wanted / (needed?)
v 18: Where did “this” come from? Why is this happening?
v 18: Where did “this” come from? Why is this happening?
18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing.
3-4 miles into the journey
angry storm / strong wind = hurricane-style
Sea of Gallilee 700 ft below sea level - major storms
(Matthew) the boat was beaten by the waves / the wind is against them
they’ve seen storms before, they were fisherman…but this one was fierce /
they’d hoped for ENcouragement as Jesus was with them…but they’re tasting DIScouragement because all they see is sea
they’ve seen Jesus calm the storms before, BUT HE’S NOT WITH THEM THIS NIGHT
v19: We’re done…exhausted and disoriented!
v19: We’re done…exhausted and disoriented!
19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened.
WHY DIDN’T HE COME SOONER?
I mean, there are probably 50 or so moments in the course of that night when Jesus could have come AT THE PERFECT TIME from their perspective.
Why did He wait? They’ve been out there for a long time - 6 hours. He’s been away the whole time.
They’re out there pulling - straining at the oars.
Mark tells us that Jesus came in the fourth watch of the night (Mark 6:48). That’s between 3 and 6 a.m., the darkest hour.
Can you feel this sense of abandonment with me for them? For six long, agonizing hours they’re out there, and it seems that He has forgotten them.
IN THIS MOMENT, the storm is creating a FALSE NARRATIVE…based on what they can see.
There were so many miracles they had witnessed
They had just participated in a massive scale miracle
They had acknowledged that Jesus was the one they would follow
AND YET…as is often the case…
THOUGH THEIR THEOLOGY WAS IN TACT…THE BIOGRAPHY BEING WRITTEN IN REAL-TIME WAS TELLING A DIFFERENT STORY.
DOES HE KNOW?
THEN WHERE IS HE?
CAN HE SEE?
THEN WHERE IS HE?
DOES HE CARE?
THEN WHERE IS HE?!
Why did He not come sooner - Was He cruel?
Was He just wanting them to suffer?
We can only imagine I can imagine them there with their backs aching, looking into the mouth of a watery grave there, asking, “Where’s Jesus? Where is Jesus? If He could feed five thousand, where is Jesus?”
He had His eye on them all the time.
He was praying for them all of the time.
He had not forgotten them.
So why would he wait?
Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.
He shows up where and when they needed Him most.
Then they see Him. They’re still frightened.
Mark: He saw them the whole time. (Mark 6:48) He saw that they were painfully making headway. He saw what was against them.
APP: He sees you.
APP: He sees the thing that is surrounding you.
the darkness
the loneliness
the grief
the toil
the sense of hopelessness
the loss of control
APP: He is WITH YOU
Matthew: between 3am - 6am, They see Jesus walking on the water
He’s walking on the very thing that has them terrified.
(Matthew) They were terrified. Someone yells “it’s a ghost!”
Look around, and we shall be disheartened. Look within, and we shall be discouraged. But look unto Him, and our fears will vanish.
-A.W. Pink
v20: Jesus Speaks
v20: Jesus Speaks
20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
He is walking on the water
He comes to the side of the boat
(Mark) IMMEDIATELY, once they see him…He speaks
HE DOESN’T SAY…
“Let’s get out of here!”
“Why are you in this mess?”
“I’ve come to rescue you!”
“This storm shall pass!”
“It’s always darkest before the dawn!”
“Hold on just a little while longer.”
WHAT DOES HE SAY?
It is I. Don’t be afraid.
DID YOU KNOW: God’s Word, gives us some form of “Don’t be afraid” 365x?
There have been seasons in my life, where I’ve needed that every day.
There have been storms in my life where I’ve needed one every hour.
It is I.
More than deliverance - you just need me!
More than a breakthrough - you need me, while you’re broken down.
More than a miracle - you just need to be with me!
Who is Jesus to you?
Yes, He is a burden-bearer, a heavy-load carrier, a heart-fixer, a mind-regulator, a way-maker…
BUT - HE IS IMMANUEL: GOD! WITH! US!
He is the treasure worth finding
He is our God
10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
He is our light and our salvation - not because of what He’s done…but because of who He is
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
The LORD is our strength…HE is our refuge
8 The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
I want to suggest to you that you need something greater in your life than
for the winds to die down…even though they are knocking you down.
YOU HAVE A GREATER NEED THAN the waves to stop crashing…even though they are about to tear up the very thing you’re trying to protect…
YOU HAVE A GREATER NEED THAN relief from the straining at the oars to try to hold this all together.
Jesus is greater than the storm…He can see through it! THE WINDS & WAVES DON’T HINDER HIS MOVEMENT AT ALL.
Jesus is greater than the waves…HE CAN WALK ON THEM!
The very thing that is threatening your world…doesn’t hinder Him in the slightest.
2. DELIGHT IN THE SAVIOR (20-21)
2. DELIGHT IN THE SAVIOR (20-21)
v21: They were glad BECAUSE OF JESUS
v21: They were glad BECAUSE OF JESUS
21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
JESUS SAYS, IT IS I…DON’T BE AFRAID!
But he is waiting on you to invite Him in.
To realize who He is…and let THAT ALONE gladden your heart.
“THEN” they were glad.
They may not have been sure of what they were seeing…but they knew His voice.
22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
(Mary in the Garden…thought he was a gardener UNTIL HE SPOKE HER NAME)
>>>I have sat where some of you are sitting.
Theologically - I get it. God loves me. He’s in charge.
Doctrinally - I understood. The Holy Spirit is in me as a Christian - He will never leave me nor forsake me.
BUT EXPERIENTIALLY - I WAS STRUGGLING. “It is SO DARK. The WINDS ARE SO LOUD. The WAVES ARE TOO HIGH. EVERYTHING IS FREAKING ME OUT…I JUST WANT THIS TO BE OVER - I WANT TO GET THROUGH THIS TODAY!
And God’s Word shows us here…our greatest need / my greatest need / your greatest need is to BE SATISFIED WITH WHO JESUS IS.
HE IS IMMANUEL - God with us!
That’s the scandal of the gospel to the Pharisees was the fact that Immanuel had come!
God with us - the WORD became flesh (John said)
The LORD says,
Isaiah 43:1–2 (ESV)
1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
God was merciful in sending Jesus to save…
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
Jesus with us means the LORD’S GOODNESS AND KINDNESS HAS APPEARED TO US.
in the midst of the storm
Jesus made no promise to the disciples about the Storm.
You and I can come up with a list of things we’d like to hear Jesus say while we are struggling…
…
but the lesson from John 6 is…
“It is I. Don’t be Afraid!” That’s what we need!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
I LONG TO BE THAT KIND OF CHRISTIAN…
…The one who, while the struggle is real…catches a glimpse of Jesus - RECALIBRATES AND BECOMES GLAD THAT HE IS WITH ME.
even if the storm rages on
even if the dark lasts longer than I think it should
even if…
But I confess, for much of my Christian life, I have liked the 2nd half of verse 21 way better…
“and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.”
We can’t make that happen.
That’s NOT the main point of this text OR any miraculous promise of the Bible that we cling to today.
As Christians, we will face storms.
As Christians, we will face darkness.
(Brace yourself) Sometimes, Jesus will point us toward the storm and send us directly into its path…our obedience will run us headlong into a hurricane.
2 types of storms: Correcting / Perfecting
Correcting: Think Jonah
Perfecting: Right here in front of us…maybe right here in this room!
As Christians, JESUS IS ENOUGH! HE’S MORE THAN ENOUGH!
We can be glad, when all else is failing…because Jesus is right there with us!
We can be glad BECAUSE OUR DELIGHT IS IN THE LOVER OF OUR SOULS - THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! Not WHAT he does, but WHO IS HE IS AND WHAT HE’S ALREADY DONE!
We need MORE than miracles to live on!
Your spiritual temperature should NOT be based on ANSWERS TO PRAYERS…BUT ON THE ALL CONSUMING FIRE THAT GOD IS!
MORE THAN A MIRACLE, They needed the miracle worker, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
YOU NEED THE BAKER MORE THAN THE BREAD
YOU NEED THE SEA WALKER MORE THAN THE SEA STILLED!
You and I need the Jesus…and we will NEVER BE SATISFIED or TRULY gladdened until we cast ourselves on Him.
CONCLUSION:
CONCLUSION:
You are loved.
You are cherished.
You have been empowered by the LIVING GOD to live for HIM as He lives through you.
You are adopted by God!
Jesus is looking out for you.
He sees you.
He knows you.
He knows how much you can bear.
Jesus is nearby.
You are NOT alone.
You are NOT abandoned.
Right now, would you describe yourself as “in a storm”?
Do you feel like you’re in the dark?
When you have moment to yourself, are your thoughts filled with uncertainty?
Are you insecure?
INVITE HIM INTO YOUR BOAT - RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF YOUR STORM…LET HIM BE THE LIGHT IN YOUR DARKNESS!
HE IS HERE!
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
THE STORM MAY PERSIST…BUT THAT’S OKAY IF YOU ARE GLAD BY HIS PRESENCE?
ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?
WHO IS JESUS TO YOU TODAY?…MAYBE…WHERE IS JESUS IN THE MIDST OF THIS STORM?
HE’S WAITING FOR SOME OF US TO BRING HIM IN CLOSER TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE, EXHAUSTED SPACES…SO WE CAN BE GLADDENED BY HIS NEARNESS!
>>>TRANSITION TO COMMUNION
