"Jesus Comes Not Only in Storms"
Notes
Transcript
Have you ever had a friend who only texts you when they need something? A ride, help with homework, a loan, a favor.
They never ask how you are. They never want to just hang out. You start to feel like you are a tool and not a friend.
Now think about this: it is possible to treat Jesus that way. We want His help on the test, His comfort when life falls apart, His blessing on the game, and yet not really want Him.
That is exactly what is happening in John 6. A huge crowd has just watched Jesus turn a boy's lunch into dinner for over five thousand people. They are fired up, and they want to make Him king. But Jesus walks away. Then He sends His disciples into a storm, and then He walks across the water to them. And the next day, the crowd chases Him down, only to ask the wrong question.
This passage teaches us who Jesus is, and what it really means to come to Him.
Proposition - Jesus refuses to be King on our terms, rather, He meets His people in the middle of the storm, and calls us (believers) to seek Him.
Interrogative question -
The MacArthur Study Bible (Chapter 6)
6:16–21 The story of Jesus’ walking on the water constituted the fifth sign in John’s gospel designed to demonstrate the writer’s purpose that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God (20:30, 31). The miracle demonstrates Jesus’ deity by His sovereignty over the laws of nature.
Jesus Does Not Work on Terms - vs. 15
Jesus Does Not Work on Terms - vs. 15
15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
They wanted a king who would meet their physical and political needs: free food, free healthcare, freedom from Rome. Nothing in itself was evil about wanting these things, but they wanted a Jesus who served .The crowd's plan was sincere but wrong.
John says Jesus "perceived" what they intended. He sees our motives too (John 2:24-25).Jesus knew their hearts.
He would be crowned with thorns first. He would reign over a kingdom of forgiven sinners, not a kingdom of full stomachs. The path to His throne was the cross (Phil. 2:5-11).Jesus refused the crown because He came to be King the right way.
Today we are tempted to make Jesus into a life coach, a good-luck charm, a cosmic vending machine, or a Jesus who agrees with everything we already believe. The real Jesus is Lord, and He calls us to repent and follow Him on His terms.A false Jesus is easy to create.
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’ ”
34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Illustration (the vending machine). Picture a vending machine. You put in a prayer, push a button, and out drops a good grade, a win, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a smooth week. When it does not work, you shake the machine and get angry. Many people treat God this way. But Jesus is not a machine. He is the Lord of the universe, and He is a person to be known, loved, and obeyed. (Hypothetical illustration.)
Illustration (the friend who only texts when he needs something). Someone like that would not be a real friend. In the same way, Jesus is not satisfied with people who want His gifts but not Him.
Application: Ask yourself honestly: Do I follow Jesus because of who He is, or only because of what I think I can get from Him? If Jesus said "no" to something you wanted, would you still follow Him?
Following Jesus Does Not Avoid Storms - vs.16-19
Following Jesus Does Not Avoid Storms - vs.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 The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened.
According to Mark 6:45, Jesus "made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side." They did what He said, and they ended up in a storm in the dark.The disciples were exactly where Jesus told them to be.
"It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them." Notice that Jesus was not with them in the boat. They felt alone. Hours of rowing, aching arms, fear, and no sign of Jesus.The darkness and the distance were real.
Jesus was not absent or uncaring. Mark 6:48 says He "saw that they were making headway painfully," and He was praying for them on the mountain. He would come, in His time and in His way, and He would teach them something about Himself that they could not have learned on a calm sea.God had a purpose in the storm.
He allows His people to experience hardship, not because He has forgotten them, but because trials shape our faith and show us who He is (James 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 1:6-7).This is how God often works.
33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters; 24 They have seen the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep. 25 For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind, Which lifted up the waves of the sea. 26 They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths; Their soul melted away in their misery. 27 They reeled and staggered like a drunken man, And were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, And He brought them out of their distresses. 29 He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad because they were quiet, So He guided them to their desired haven.
Illustration (the GPS and the thunderstorm). Imagine following your GPS exactly, but driving into a violent thunderstorm. The GPS was not wrong. You were on the right road. The storm does not mean you were disobedient. Sometimes the storm is on the path God has chosen for you. (Hypothetical illustration.)
Illustration (the team practice). A coach who puts his athletes through brutal conditioning is not being cruel. He is preparing them for something they cannot yet see. God uses hard seasons the same way, but He does it out of love.
Application: Some of you are in a storm right now: a family breakup, anxiety, loneliness, a friend who betrayed you, pressure at school, a struggle with sin. Do not conclude that God has abandoned you. The disciples were in the storm because they were obeying Him, and He knew exactly where they were.
Jesus Is Present In Storms - vs. 19-21
Jesus Is Present In Storms - vs. 19-21
19 Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to 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 receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
He does not wait for the storm to be over. He walks to them on the very waves that terrify them. The thing they fear is under His feet. Jesus comes to them.
Even when Jesus shows up, the disciples are "frightened." Mark 6:49 tells us they thought He was a ghost. We often fail to recognize Jesus' presence in the middle of our trouble. Their first reaction is fear.
"It is I; do not be afraid." He does not give a lecture. He gives Himself. The cure for fear is not primarily a changed situation, but the presence of the God who rules the situation. The Greek reminds us that the One who is with them is the great "I AM." His words are simple and powerful.
"Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going." When Jesus is in the boat, the destination is secure. They receive Him willingly, and the journey ends.
1 But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, 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 will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.
10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, And He brought them out of their distresses. 29 He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad because they were quiet, So He guided them to their desired haven.
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” 6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
Illustration (the nightmare). When you were a small child and woke from a nightmare, what made you stop being afraid? It was probably not an explanation of why nightmares happen. It was your parent walking in and saying, "I'm here." Jesus' words to the disciples work like that, except He actually has all power over the storm. (Hypothetical illustration.)
Illustration (the lifeguard). A drowning person does not need a lecture on swimming. He needs someone who can reach him. Jesus is the One who reaches us in the water.
Application: When you are afraid, what do you run to first: your phone, your friends, distractions, or Jesus? Take a moment this week when you feel anxious and say out loud, "Jesus, You are here. You are Lord of this." Open your Bible. Read Psalm 46. Pray.
Caution: Jesus' presence does not promise that every storm will disappear on our timetable. It promises something better: that He is with us, that He is in control, and that He will bring us safely home (John 10:28-29; Phil. 1:6).
Seek the King and Make Him Master - vs. 22-25
Seek the King and Make Him Master - vs. 22-25
22 The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. 23 There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
They crossed a lake. Many people today still seem religious, interested, even enthusiastic about Jesus. The crowd put real effort into finding Jesus.
"When did you come here?" It is a curiosity question, a logistics question. They had found Jesus and had nothing more important to say. They did not ask, "Who are You?" or "What must we do to be saved?" They asked a shallow question.
"You are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves." They wanted more free bread. They wanted the benefits without the Benefactor. Jesus exposes their real motive in verse 26.
Jesus goes on to say, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" (6:35). By the end of the chapter, many disciples turn back (6:66), but Peter answers rightly: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (6:68).True seeking aims at Christ Himself.
26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.
66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 “We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”
13 ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
1 “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. 2 “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance. 3 “Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David.
6 Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.
1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Illustration (the celebrity fan versus the friend). A fan can know your favorite singer's songs, quote their interviews, and wear their merch, but that is not the same as knowing them. Many people know about Jesus without knowing Him. Some of you grew up in church. You know the stories, the songs, the verses. The question is not whether you know about Him, but whether you have actually come to Him in repentance and faith. (Hypothetical illustration.)
Illustration (the wrong question). Imagine meeting someone who could cure your fatal disease and asking, "What time did you get into town?" The crowd found the Bread of Life and wanted to talk about travel arrangements.
Application: Ask yourself: Why do I come to church, youth group, or my Bible? To be with friends? To please my parents? To look good? Or because I want Jesus? Be honest. If you realize you have been seeking benefits instead of Christ, tell Him so. Ask Him to give you a heart that wants Him.
SO WHAT?
The heart of this passage is not "try harder to seek Jesus." The heart of it is the Person who is worth seeking.
Who is He? He is the eternal Son of God, the great "I AM," who walks on water, feeds multitudes, and calms fears. And He refused the crowd's crown because He came to do something far greater than fix their circumstances. He came to deal with their sin.
What did He do? He went from the mountain of prayer to the cross. He was crowned with thorns, mocked as "King of the Jews," and killed for the sins of people who rejected Him. Then He rose from the dead on the third day (1 Cor. 15:3-4). He is the true bread from heaven who gave His flesh "for the life of the world" (John 6:51).
What must you do? The Bible's answer is simple: turn from your sin and trust in Jesus alone as your Savior and Lord. "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom. 10:9). You cannot earn this. Your good grades, church attendance, or family background will not save you. Salvation is a gift of grace received by faith (Eph. 2:8-9).
And for believers: you are not saved from the storm; you are saved through it, by the One who walks beside you. He will never leave you.
Applications at a Glance
Do I want Jesus, or just what He gives? Check your motives.
Is He actually Lord of my friendships, my phone, my dating life, my attitude, and my secret life, or only the part I am comfortable with?Bow to the real Jesus.
Pray, read Scripture, and talk to a trusted Christian adult when you are afraid, instead of hiding or numbing. Run to Him in the storm.
Be someone who knows Christ, not someone who just knows facts about Him. Do not settle for religion.
If you are in a hard season, remember that Jesus is praying for you (Heb. 7:25) and will come at the right time. Trust Him with what you cannot see.
The crowd wanted a king who would feed them. The disciples needed a Savior who would find them in the dark. And Jesus was both, but not the way anyone expected.
He refuses to be reduced to our wish list. He enters our storms with the words, "It is I; do not be afraid." And He invites us to quit chasing the loaves and come to Him, the Bread of Life.
So let me ask you: when you find Jesus, what will you ask Him? "When did You come here?" Or, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life"?
