The Only Offer of Help

1 AT THE AGE OF 30 I REALIZED I WAS A MESS • I KNEW I NEEDED HELP, SO I WENT LOOKING FOR GOD • OUT OF PRIDE I REJECTED CHRISTIANITY • I THOUGHT I NEEDED SOMETHING HARDER, MORE COMPLEX, MORE DIFFICULT • I SPENT 12 YEARS CHASING EVERY OTHER RELIGION I COULD FIND • I READ ALL THEIR BOOKS AND TRIED TO FOLLOW WHAT THEY TAUGHT • THEN MY MOTHER IN-LAW INVITED MY WIFE TO CHURCH • SHE DID NOT INVITE ME, SO I INVITED MY SELF • WE WENT A FEW TIMES AND THEN ONE SUNDAY • THE FELLA SINGING THE SONGS SAID; • “EVEN IF ALL THOSE OTHER GODS WERE REAL • NONE OF THEM OFFERS ANY HELP.” • I GOT ANGRY CAUSE I KNEW I KNEW MORE • ABOUT THOSE OTHER RELIGIONS THAN HE DID • I WAS GONNA GO UP AND TELL HIM HOW WRONG HE WAS • I SAT DOWN AND STARTED GOING OVER ALL THE THINGS I HAD READ • LOOKING FOR SOME OFFER OF HELP • AFTER 45 MINS OF LOOKING FOR SOME OFFER OF HELP • I REALIZED NONE OF THOSE RELIGIONS OFFERS HELP • THEY TELL YOU OVER AND OVER HOW YOU • CAN FIX YOUR SELF, HOW YOU CAN BALANCE YOUR KARMA • OR BECOME ENLIGHTENED • BUT THEY NEVER OFFER TO HELP YOU • RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME I FIGURED THIS OUT • THE PASTOR FINISHED HIS SERMON • BY SAYING; “IF ANYONE NEEDS ANY HELP, JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY SOURCE OF HELP” • I GOT UP AND WALKED FORWARD… THAT WAS 13 YEARS AGO…. • IN THIS LIFE WE WILL ALL NEED HELP • THINGS HAPPEN, PROBLEMS COME UP, WE ALL FACE TRIALS AND DIFFICULTY • THERE IS ONLY ONE SOURCE OF HELP • WE NEED TO KNOW THERE IS NOT OTHER SOURCE OF HELP • JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY SOURCE OF HELP IN THIS WORLD • I NEED TO LOOK TO CHRIST FOR HELP IN TIMES OF TROUBLE • WE NEED NOT SEARCH FOR HELP FROM SOME OTHER SOURCE • MAYBE YOU FACE SOME TROUBLE TODAY • THAT YOU NEED CHRIST TO HELP YOU WITH • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME FOLKS IN A DIRE SITUATION • WE WILL SEE JESUS CHRIST HELP THEM • AND WE WILL SEE HOW THIS HELPS THEM • TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHO CHRIST IS • THE ONLY SOURCE OF REAL HELP • TURN TO JOHN 6:16 • JESUS HAD JUST FEED THE LARGE CROWD • WHO HAD FOLLOWED HIM BECAUSE THEY HAD SEEN HIS MIRACLES • THE CROWD HAD INTENDED TO MAKE HIM KING • AND JESUS HAD GONE OFF THE MOUNTAIN ALONE JOHN 6:16–18 NOW WHEN EVENING CAME, HIS DISCIPLES WENT DOWN TO THE SEA, 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. THE SEA BEGAN TO BE STIRRED UP BECAUSE A STRONG WIND WAS BLOWING. THEY WERE HEADING BACK • THESE DISCIPLES HAD JUST BEEN A PART OF FEEDING THE 5000 • THEY HAD HANDED OUT THE FISH AND BREAD • AND THEY HAD GATHERED THE LEFTOVER PIECES • THIS HAD HAPPENED OUT THE MIDDLE OF NO-WHERE • NOW THESE MEN WERE HEADED BACK TO TOWN • WHEN EVENING CAME, HIS DISCIPLES WENT DOWN TO THE SEA, • NOW, MANY OF THESE MEN WERE VERY FAMILIAR • WITH SETTING OUT ON THE SEA OF GALILEE AT NIGHT • THEY HAD BEEN FISHERMEN ON THIS VERY SEA • MUCH OF THE FISHING DONE ON THIS SEA WAS DONE AT NIGHT • WE ARE TOLD IN MATHEWS ACCOUNT • THAT JESUS HAD INSTRUCTED THEM TO GO AHEAD OF HIM TO THE OTHER SIDE • THEY HAD STARTED BACK TO THE BOAT AS EVENING CAME • BUT ONCE THEY GOT ON THE WATER • IT DID NOT TAKE LONG FOR NIGHT TO FALL IT WAS GETTING LATE • THE PLAN WAS TO GET ACROSS THE NORTH END OF THE SEA OF GALILEE • JOHN SAYS THEY STARTED TO CROSS THE SEA TO CAPERNAUM. • THIS IS NOT REALLY A VERY LONG JOURNEY • THERE IS KIND OF A BAY AT THAT END OF THE SEA • AND THEY ONLY NEEDED TO CROSS THIS BAY TO GET TO CAPERNAUM • BUT, SOMETHING UNEXPECTED IS GOING TO CHANGE THIS PLAN… • JOHN POINTS OUT THAT • IT HAD ALREADY BECOME DARK, • NOW, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS MEANS IT GOT DARK • EARLIER THAN THEY EXPECTED • AND THAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN A STORM COMES UP • SOME FOLKS WANT TO ASSIGN SOME THEOLOGICAL MEANING • DARKNESS DOES POINT TO SIN • JOHN’S WRITING • BUT AM NOT SURE IF THAT IS JOHN’S POINT HERE • I THINK HIS POINT IS THAT THESE FELLAS • ARE ABOUT TO BE IN A TIGHT SPOT…. • AND THEN WE SEE THIS PHRASE • AND JESUS HAD NOT YET COME TO THEM. • NOW, THERE ARE A COUPLA WAYS WE COULD • UNDERSTAND THIS PHRASE • ONE OPTION IS THAT JESUS HAD PLANNED TO • MEET THE DISCIPLES SOMEWHERE ALONG THE SHORE • AS THEY WENT BACK TO CAPERNAUM • AND AS THEY WERE LOOKING FOR HIM IT GOT DARK • BEFORE HE CAME TO THEM • THE OTHER OPTION IS THAT • JOHN IS SAYING JESUS HAD NOT YET COME • WALKING ON THE WATER • JOHN MIGHT POINT THAT OUT • BECAUSE THE OTHER GOSPELS WHICH WERE WRITTEN BEFORE JOHN • HAD ALREADY DESCRIBED THIS EVENT • AND MANY WHO WOULD READ THIS ALREADY • KNEW JESUS WAS GOING TO COME WALKING ON THE WATER • EITHER OPTION IS POSSIBLE AND • NEITHER ONE EFFECTS THE POINT OF THE MIRACLE… • SO, ITS DARK AND JESUS HAD NOT COME YET • AND THEN THE STORM CAME UP • THE SEA OF GALILEE IS KNOWN FOR IT SUDDEN STORMS • STRONG WEST WINDS OFTEN ACROSS THE WATER AS THE SUN SETS • THE SEA BEGAN TO BE STIRRED UP BECAUSE A STRONG WIND WAS BLOWING. • THE WAY THIS IS WORDED MEANS • THE SEA WAS RISING UP GREATER AND GREATER • AND THE WIND WAS THE CAUSE OF THIS RAGING SEA • THIS MEANS THESE MEN WERE HEADING INTO THE WIND • THEY MAY HAVE BEEN UNDER POWER OF THE SAIL WHEN THEY STARTED • BUT THEY WOULD BE STRAINING AT THE OARS • TRYING TO MAKE HEADWAY IN THIS WIND • IN MARKS ACCOUNT JOHN STATES THAT JESUS WAS • SEEING THEM STRAINING AT THE OARS, FOR THE WIND WAS AGAINST THEM, • ANYONE WHO WONDERS HOW JESUS SAW THEM STRAINING • AT THE OARS MILES FROM SHORE IN THE DARK….. • HAS UTTERLY MISUNDERSTOOD JUST WHO JESUS IS • BUT THIS JESUS WHO SEES THEIR TROUBLES EVEN IN THE DARK • WILL NOT SIT BY AND DO NOTHING JOHN 6:19 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. THEY WERE FAR OUT TO SEA • SO THAT WE WOULD UNDERSTAND • THE DANGER OF THE SITUATION JOHN WRITES • THEN, WHEN THEY HAD ROWED ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MILES, • IT IS DARK, THE WIND IS BLOWING HARD • THE SEAS ARE CONTINUING TO GET ROUGHER • AND THEY ARE 3-4 MILES FROM SHORE • THEY ARE IN BAD SITUATION • AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT CHANGES • THEIR SITUATION TOTALLY JESUS CAME WALKING ON THE WATER • JOHN DOES NOT REALLY GIVE US A LOTTA DETAIL ABOUT THIS • HE JUST SAYS; • THEY SAW JESUS WALKING ON THE SEA AND DRAWING NEAR TO THE BOAT; • NOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DO NOT BELIEVE IN MIRACLES… • THEY TRY TO EXPLAIN AWAY EVERY MIRACLE IN THE BIBLE • THEY LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT IN THIS VERSE • THE WORD JOHN USES WHEN HE SAYS WALKING ON THE SEA • CAN ALSO BE TRANSLATED WALKING BY THE SEA • BUT THERE ARE A COUPLA HUGE PROBLEMS WITH THAT • FIRST IT JUST STATED THEY HAD ROWED ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MILES • SO, THEY ARE NO WHERE NEAR THE SHORE • SECOND, JOHN IS ABOUT TO TELL US THEY WERE FRIGHTENED • IT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER FOR THEM TO BE • FRIGHTENED IF THEY SAW JESUS WALKING BY THE SEA • THEY WOULD CERTAINLY BE FRIGHTENED BY SEEING • SOMEONE WALKING ON STORM TOSSED WAVES • 3-4 MILES OFF SHORE • THE CLEAR INTENT OF THE AUTHOR IN THIS TEXT • IS THAT A MIRACLE OCCURRED…. • TO TRY TO TWIST THE TEXT TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE IS DISHONEST • TO REJECT THE MIRACLES FOUND IN THE BIBLE • IS TO REJECT THE TESTIMONY OF GOD FROM START TO FINISH • TO REJECT THIS MIRACLE • IS TO UTTERLY FAIL TO UNDERSTAND WHO JESUS CHRIST IS • THE FELLAS IN THE BOAT SAW CHRIST WALKING ON THE SEA…. AND THEY WERE FRIGHTENED • IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THEY WOULD BE SCARED • THEY ARE IN A STORM FAR FROM SHORE • AND FROM MATTHEWS ACCOUNT OF THIS EVENT • WE LEARN THAT THEY DID NOT RECOGNIZE JESUS MATTHEW 14:26 WHEN THE DISCIPLES SAW HIM WALKING ON THE SEA, THEY WERE TERRIFIED, AND SAID, “IT IS A GHOST!” AND THEY CRIED OUT IN FEAR. • WE KNOW IT IS DARK, WE KNOW THE STORM • WAS WHIPPING THE WATER AROUND • IT MAY HAVE BEEN RAINING • AND THEY SEE SOMEONE WALKING ON THE SEA • AND THEY WERE FRIGHTENED. • I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE SCARED • THEY GREW UP ON THIS SEA • CHANCE ARE THEY HAD KNOWN PEOPLE WHO DIED IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS • IT MUST HAVE BEEN PRETTY OBVIOUS THEY WERE FRIGHTENED JOHN 6:20–21 BUT HE SAID TO THEM, “IT IS I; DO NOT BE AFRAID.” SO THEY WERE WILLING TO RECEIVE HIM INTO THE BOAT, AND IMMEDIATELY THE BOAT WAS AT THE LAND TO WHICH THEY WERE GOING. JESUS GIVES A COMMAND • I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW FREQUENTLY SEE • COMMANDS CONNECTED TO MIRACLES • WELL HERE IS THE COMMAND IN THIS MIRACLE • BUT HE SAID TO THEM, “IT IS I; DO NOT BE AFRAID.” • THE COMMAND IS TO NOT BE AFRAID • BUT THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING ELSE • IN THIS STATEMENT….. • BEFORE HE COMMANDS THEM TO NOT BE AFRAID HE SAYS IT IS I • IT IS POSSIBLE THAT JESUS IS SIMPLY TELLING THEM WHO HE IS • BUT, THE WAY HE CHOOSES TO SAY IT IS VERY INTERESTING • HE LITERALLY SAYS “I AM” • HE DID NOT SAY, IT’S ME JESUS, HE SAID I AM • THERE ARE 7 DIFFERENT TIMES IN THE BOOK OF JOHN • THAT JESUS SAYS THE PHRASE I AM… • IN HEBREW THE WORDS I AM ARE PRONOUNCED YHWH • WHEN MOSES ASKED GOD WHO SHALL I SAY HAS SENT ME • GOD REPLIED THUS YOU SHALL SAY TO THE SONS OF ISRAEL, ‘I AM HAS SENT ME TO YOU.’ ” • ALL SIX OF THE OTHER TIMES HE USES THIS PHRASE • IT HAS THE THEOLOGICAL MEANING • THAT JESUS CHRIST IS GOD • IN THIS CASE I THINK JESUS STATES I AM RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE • OF DISPLAYING THE FACT THAT HE IS GOD • AND THE DISCIPLES OBEYED HIS COMMAND TO NOT BE FRIGHTENED.. THEY DESIRED TO RECEIVE HIM • ONCE THEY KNEW WHO IT WAS • THEY WERE NO LONGER FRIGHTENED • AND THEY RECEIVED HIM IN THE BOAT • WHEN IT SAYS • SO THEY WERE WILLING TO RECEIVE HIM INTO THE BOAT, • IT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE THEY DID NOT REALLY • WANT HIM IN THE BOAT BUT THEY WERE WILLING • TO RECEIVE HIM • THE WORD WILLING REALLY MEANS MORE LIKE • DESIRING OR WISHING, WANTING • THEY WANTED HIM IN THE BOAT • THEY WENT FROM FEARFUL OF HIM • TO DESIRING HIM TO BE IN THE BOAT WITH THEM • AND AS A RESULT OF HIM BEING RECEIVED IN THE BOAT THEY WERE RELOCATED TO THEIR DESTINATION • THE DISCIPLES HAD BEEN ROWING HARD AND NOT GETTING VERY FAR • JESUS SHOWS UP WALKING ON THE WATER • DISPLAYING HIS DIVINE POWER • THE MOMENT THEY DESIRE THAT JESUS ENTER THE BOAT • THEY ARE AT THEIR DESTINATION • JOHN SAYS; AND IMMEDIATELY THE BOAT WAS AT THE LAND TO WHICH THEY WERE GOING. • THE FOLKS THAT WANT TO GET RID OF ALL THE MIRACLES • SAY THAT… THIS JUST MEANS THEY GOT THERE QUICKLY • BUT THAT WORD THAT JOHN USED FOR IMMEDIATELY • THAT WORD MEANS IMMEDIATELY… NOT QUICKLY • THE IMPLICATION OF THIS STATEMENT IS THAT • A DIVINE INTERVENTION OCCURRED • AND THE DISCIPLES, THE BOAT, AND CHRIST WERE ALL • RELOCATED TO THEIR DESTINATION • JESUS JUST WALKED ON WATER • AND MOVED A BOAT FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE • TO THE SHORE AT CAPERNAUM • NOW THE QUESTION IS.. • WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS MIRACLE? • WHY DID JOHN INCLUDE THESE MIRACLES IN HIS GOSPEL? • HE STATES JOHN 20:30–31 THEREFORE MANY OTHER SIGNS JESUS ALSO PERFORMED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE DISCIPLES, WHICH ARE NOT WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK; BUT THESE HAVE BEEN WRITTEN SO THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD; AND THAT BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME. • SOMETIMES… WHEN YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY • SOMETHING IS IN THE BIBLE YOU HAVE TO LOOK AROUND • IN THE CONTEXT BEFORE OR AFTER IT • TO FIND WHY IT IS THERE • JOHN HAD JUST TOLD US THE ACCOUNT OF THE FEEDING OF THE 5000 • AND HOW THE CROWD WANTED TO TAKE JESUS BY FORCE • AND MAKE HIM KING • THEN WE SEE THESE MIRACLES ON THE SEA OF GALILEE • THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JESUS PROCLAIMING • I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE • AND THE CROWD AND EVEN SOME OF HIS DISCIPLES • LEAVE HIM… STOP FOLLOWING HIM… • REJECT HIM… • THEN AT THE END OF THIS WE SEE JOHN 6:67–69 SO JESUS SAID TO THE TWELVE, “YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO AWAY ALSO, DO YOU?” SIMON PETER ANSWERED HIM, “LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? YOU HAVE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE. “WE HAVE BELIEVED AND HAVE COME TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE HOLY ONE OF GOD.” • I COULD BE WRONG HERE… BUT I THINK THIS IS THE POINT OF THE • MIRACLES OF WALKING ON THE WATER AND RELOCATING THE BOAT • THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MINUTE • THE ONLY ONES THAT SAW THESE MIRACLES • WERE THE DISCIPLES THAT WERE ON THE BOAT • SO THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE MIRACLE • IS LOOKING AT THE REACTION.. THE RESPONSE.. • OF THOSE THAT SAW THE MIRACLE. • IF WE GO THROUGH THE TEXT THE NEXT MAJOR RESPONSE • OF THOSE WHO WERE PRESENT AT THESE MIRACLES IS • “LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? YOU HAVE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE. “WE HAVE BELIEVED AND HAVE COME TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE HOLY ONE OF GOD.” • SO, HOW DID THEY COME TO BELIEVE.. HOW DID THEY COME TO KNOW • THAT JESUS IS THE HOLY ONE OF GOD? • THEY SAW HIM WALK ON WATER • THEY WERE INSTANTLY RELOCATED • FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE TO THE SHORE • THEY HAD BEEN IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION • THEY FACED A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE • AND THEY HAD BEEN AFRAID • AND CHRIST HAD SAID TO THEM • I AM AND INSTRUCTED THEM TO NOT BE AFRAID • AND THEY HAD OBEYED THE COMMAND OF I AM • AND HAD WILLING… WANTING TO DO SO.. • WELCOMED CHRIST.. RECEIVED CHRIST. • TO ME… THIS KINDA SOUNDS LIKE THE GOSPEL • I WAS FLOATING IN A SEA OF SIN • ROWING AS HARD AS I COULD TO GET OUTTA THAT SIN • CHRIST CAME ALONG • AND I DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM • I WAS FRIGHTENED BY THE WRECK MY LIFE HAD BECOME • I WENT LOOKING FOR HELP ANY PLACE BUT CHRIST • AND I FOUND NONE • THEN ON THAT DAY IN 2006 • I HEARD CHRIST SAY I AM • I AM THE ONLY SOURCE OF HELP • I AM THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE LOST • I AM THE ONE AND ONLY GOD • CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE • DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED ANYMORE • AND I DESIRED FOR HIM TO COME INTO MY LIFE • I WAS WILLING TO RECEIVE HIM • AND INSTANTLY I WAS SAFE • I WAS A CHILD OF GOD… A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN • I DID NOT HAVE TO ROW MY WAY TO HEAVEN • I WAS IMMEDIATELY SAFE AND SECURE… • THIS OFFER IS AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE • THIS IS THE OFFER OF THE GOSPEL • THE GOOD NEWS • THAT THERE IS A GOD WHO LOVES US AND • WANTS AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH US • BUT WE ALL SIN… 85