Peace in the Storm
Jesus, God in the Flesh | A Study through the Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 11 viewsThere is but one that calms the waves within the storms of life: Jesus the Christ.
Notes
Transcript
I have heard many times throughout my life that we all are in one of three places in life:
We are in a storm
We are coming out of a storm
We are going into a storm
Where are you? Do you know the ONLY TRUE SOURCE of peace in the midst of that storm?
Within our text, we read about the disciples facing a storm and the God of Creation bringing peace to the storm. As He brings calm to that storm, He can bring peace to the storms in your life.
Focus Passage: John 6:14-21
14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 So Jesus, aware that they intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself, alone. 16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 In addition, the sea began getting rough, because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 So they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
As we come to our text, let us be reminded be reminded of what has transpired. Jesus has healed a paralytic. Jesus has fed the five thousand men not counting women and children (seven to ten thousand people). Other miracles have taken place along the way. These miracles, or signs as John calls them, have a purpose. They are to reveal Who Jesus is. They are lead people to faith in Christ.
30 So then, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been 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.
The signs have worked well, but the people have a misconception of God’s plan. They want it their way not God’s way. However, as we will see, Jesus is about the will of the Father and not people.
The People (vv. 14-15)
14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 So Jesus, aware that they intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself, alone.
Jesus was WHO the people had searched for
The people had been looking for the promised ‘prophet’ spoken of since Moses’ address to his people in the wilderness. He promised of a prophet/savior to come.
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen; to him you shall listen.
The people believed that this ‘prophet’ would be the promised messiah and that he would come to usher in his kingdom here on earth. They looked at the kingship of this prophet and the benefits of this prophet, but they failed to see the salvation of the prophet. They saw the miracles of Jesus and said this must be the one we had been searching for. They had already approached John the Baptist asking if he was the promised prophet. His response was simple and clear.
21 And so they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
As they saw the signs of Jesus, they knew He was the One. He was the promised Prophet, This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world (v.14). They, looking the signs and the salvation, wanted Him to be king now. Jesus knew this. He knew this, because...
Jesus knew the heart of the people
Jesus knew that the people were trusting in the signs of the Savior and not the Savior. John records, Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, This is truly the prophet (v.14). They had been fed. He, Jesus, had fed 5000 men plus women and children on a hill side with five loaves of bread and two little fishes, and they said, this is Him. They were putting their faith in the signs and not One performing the signs. It was because of this misplaced faith that Jesus would not entrust Himself to the people. This was already previously drawn out by John for us.
24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people,
The people were not willing to wait on God’s plan. They had their own plan, their own preconceived ideas as how things should be. They were looking for a military coup de grace and not a spiritual transformation. Jesus did not come to overthrow the government, although that time is coming, but rather to save mankind from their sin. Jesus’ work was not about physical activity at all. It was about changing the inner man. It was about affording a perpetual sacrifice for the sins of mankind. It was about bring deliverance from death and sin. He knew the mind and heart of the people, and I believe He also knew the minds and heart of His disciples and protected them from themselves.
Jesus protected Himself and His disciples from the people
This story is recorded in two of the three synoptical gospels (Matthew and Mark). The recording of this sign within Matthew and Mark reveal to us that Jesus sent His disciples away and to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Matthew writes, Immediately afterward He compelled the disciples to get into the boat and to go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone (cf. Matthew 14:22-23).
Why does Jesus instantly dismiss the disciples and tell them to begin moving forward, dismiss the crowd, and then remove himself all at the same time? It simple really. Jesus knew the heart of the people, including His disciples. He knew that the people, intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king (v.15). He knew His disciples would not put up much of a fight, if any. They were more worried about who was going to set at His right and left Hand than they were His death, burial, and resurrection.
How many of us have found ourselves trying to please men in the past?
How many of us have allowed the influences of man to outweigh the influence of God and His Word on our lives in the past?
How did that work out for us?
So, the Lord sends them out into the sea, with knowledge of a storm coming, but to protect them from the storm that they were going to face if they stayed.
Who has ever seen a storm protect you? Are you willing to share a testimony of how God brought you through it?
Jesus knew that, like most of us, his disciples would fall to peer pressure. However, Jesus Himself, leave the crowds as well. Jesus is teaching us within our text what Paul would write as a warning later, we are not to be men pleasers. We are to be God pleasers.
6 not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
10 For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Jesus came to the will of the Father not man.
30 “I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.
As Jesus sends His disciples away, He goes up on top of the hill, away from everyone else, and does what we all need to do overcome pressures, temptations, and storms. He prayed. No doubt He prayed for Himself and no doubt He prayed for His disciples. He knew there was a storm coming in the immediate and the in the not so distant future. He prayed.
The Storm (vv. 16-19)
16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 In addition, the sea began getting rough, because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat; and they were frightened.
As we look at our text, we see as the disciples are in the boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, which was about seven to nine miles by twelve to sixteen miles, that they have traveled about 4.5 to 5.5 miles, twenty-five or thirty stadia. They are about half-way through the journey and then a storm hits. This is a common occurence on the Sea of Galilee. It lies between two mountain ranges and the winds come in flow east to west and cause great storm surges and large waves. Yet, despite how common this was, these fishermen stood frightened and scared. What a great picture of our own lives. We face storms all the time. Storms are a common occurence. Yet, we find ourselves frightened over-and-over. As we look at this sign story, we are reminded some truths about storms:
Storms are dark
This storm took place between three and six o’clock in the morning. Mark writes, at about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea (cf. Mark 6:48). As they struggled on the sea, being obedient to the Lord, they find themselves at the darkest point of the night, with no Jesus, struggling to go where He sent them. How dark storms can be at times. Not only can storms be dark, but they often make us feel alone.
Storms make us feel alone
The disciples struggled, feeling alone. Wondering what in the world is going on. We are here struggling to survive, in the pitch dark of night, and Jesus is up on a hillside doing who knows what. They felt alone. How many of us have been there during storms of life. We feel abandoned, Jesus had not yet come to them. However, they were not alone. Jesus was there. What is hard for us to realize is that Jesus, at times, may even seem to be a worse than the storm itself.
Storms may be overwhelming
This storm was overwhelming. The waves were crashing in. The wind was blowing crazy. The disciples are beside themselves and alone. It’s pitch black and so they have no way of seeing which end is up. Then as they look up, they see what is perceived to be a ghost, a phantom coming across the water. John records, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat; and they were frightened. However, he does not record, why they were frightened when they saw Jesus. When they saw Jesus, they perceived Him to be a phantom. Mark writes, But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought that it was a ghost, and they cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified (Mark 6:49-50). Is it not crazy how when we think that the storm could not get worse, it does? Even crazier, is sometimes the storm climaxing is actually Jesus showing up. One more thing about storms...
Storms grow our faith
Storms help our faith grow. Storms come into our life because of sin. Storms come into our life even when we are obedient (which is the case before us). Storms come and go, but each storm that we face is a lesson. It is a lesson in faith.
What is a storm that transpired in your life?
What did it teach you and how did it grow your faith?
As we face each and every storm in life, let us remember...
The Savior (vv. 20-21)
20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 So they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
The Savior is there - ‘...It is I; do not be afraid...’
The Savior saves
Jesus never promises to take us out of storms. Jesus never promises that storms will not happen. The opposite is true. He promises that storms will come. He also promises to save us within our storms not out of our storms. No matter the storm, Jesus is there to save you and I through it. Jesus intention to pass by the disciples, as pointed out within the Gospel of Mark, He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them (cf. Mark 6:48). Why was this? It was not be cause He did not care. Actually, it is a reminder of how God revealed Himself to Moses in Exodus. God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock to save him as He passed by. His full glory would have killed Moses. Jesus passing by them is a reminder that God still saves despite us not having a full picture of who He is. Jesus’ intent from the very beginning was to save His disciples in the midst of this storm, just as it is still today. May we truly grasp the fact that Jesus is here. Jesus save you during your storm not after the storm. Jesus wishes to save you in the midst of your storm. As He told His disciples, It is I; do not be afraid (v. 19). He knew their fear. He knew their circumstances and He was there to save them in the storm not from the storm. However, Jesus was waiting for them. He was waiting for the invite. Just as Jesus waited then. He still waits today.
The Savior is waiting
waiting to be invited - ‘...So they were willing to take Him into the boat...’
waiting to save and deliver - ‘…immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going...’
I close with this truth...
The disciples faced a storm that night. They will face another storm on a fishing trip. Within both storms their faith was tested. Within both storms their faith was found wanting. Jesus rebuked them in both storms by saying, You of little faith. In John, we do not see the statement, You of little faith. We just see that Jesus got in the boat and they were in Capernaum. Why? While Matthew and Mark focused on the disciples and their behavior, John was focusing on the God of Creation, Jesus Christ. His intent was not for his reader to learn about the disciples but rather to learn about the power of God, especially the power over our storms. We need not worry about any storms that we may face so long as Jesus is watching us!
As the old hymn goes...
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain:
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
