Do Not Lose Hope In me

Introduction

Pastor Josh led us last week in looking at Jesus as the better Prophet, Priest, and King. We see in vs.15 that the crowd of over 5000 people wanted to gather together and make Jesus king.

What a moment! Have you ever been a part of something so large and something so exciting? Talk about short term missions trips.

There’s a thing about epic moments… when you reach these super high moments and pinnacles in life, you have to come down. Life doesn’t sustain itself at this feeling of a constant high. This expectation of living from high to high can create disillusionment which leads to disappointment which can lead to a depressive state.

In recent weeks I’ve had conversations with more than a few people who have an over realized eschatology. Meaning that they expect heaven now here on Earth beyond what God has promised. Heaven is entering Earth, we’re to pray that way, but we still struggle, suffer, and are in the presence of evil. There would be a move of God’s Spirit, by His grace setting people free, delivering people from addiction, despair, and even ailments. But rather than thanking God for that time and moment, there is a thought that what came by God’s grace could be sustained by their actions (which it can’t) so it leads to blame, accusations, sin hunting, and looking for a reason why it doesn’t continue. It’s not biblical, it’s not the way of Jesus, and it leads to dark nights of the soul.

This morning as we look at our text, the disciples will see themselves in a difficult moment shortly after seeing Jesus do something miraculous. They were a part of it, they saw the miracle, they were used of God to sustain a great number of people, but now they are struggling. The struggle isn’t the sin, it’s what we do in the struggle that matters.

If you have your Bible, please turn John 6:16-25. If you are willing and you are able, would stand with me as I read our text this morning.

This is the word of the Lord. Let us pray. Thank you, you may be seated.

The Despair

The disciples get into the boat after a long day of serving and meeting the needs of the crowd in whom Jesus wanted to minister too. Matthew and Marks account (in their gospel) has Jesus telling them to get into the boat and go to the other side.

On the sea of Galilee it is thought they are in the north of the sea on the East side of the Sea. They are getting into the boat to head Northwest to the city of Capernaum. This is thought to be their base of operations, where Peter, James, Andrew, and John were from. They had a long amazing day and they are just trying to get home.

A third of the 12 in the boat are fisherman but they all have lived around the sea. The Jewish people were not a seafaring people. In fact throughout Jewish scripture, the Sea represents evil, death, and destruction. In the middle of the night they begin to struggle because the strong and rough wind was blowing. They had rowed three to four miles and were in despair.

So they are in a boat, on the sea, where most if not all are despairing of life.

Much of what John is doing here, many commentaries and Bible scholars would suggest that John is bringing the reader back to the Exodus. You’ll remember if you were with us last week, Pastor Josh talked about Jesus being a better prophet than Moses. Moses was called of God to lead the Hebrew people out of captivity from Egypt and the Pharoah.

Just like Jesus fed more than 5000 people there on the countryside starting with a few loaves and couple fish, so Moses petitioned God for the manna and quail in the dessert.

So as the disciples are struggling in the boat, so we see that Moses led the Hebrew people through the waters of the Red Sea to escape from Pharaoh’s army. The relief they must have felt as Pharaoh’s army is closing in on them, they having no weapons or ability to defend themselves, and God opens a path of dry ground through the Red Sea. He then collapses the Red Sea on the incoming army as they are in the middle of the passage pursuing Moses and the people.

Again the disciples are on the boat and they see Jesus walking on the water. Can you imagine… they were thinking that Jesus is on the mountain in prayer, but he’s over there. They are glad (excited) to have Him in the boat… probably understated (ha). As Jesus enters the boat they found themselves immediately on the shores of Capernaum.

DA Carson (theologian and pastor) says, "unlike Mark 6:49, John does not tell us that the disciples were afraid because they thought they were seeing a ghost. He is less interested in dissecting their fear than in portraying its alleviation. Jesus calms their fears by identifying himself: It is I. The Greek behind this expression is egō eimi (lit. ‘I am’).”

Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (p. 275). Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.

We can look and see that John is being very intentional about what is taking place. The feeding, the safe passage through water, and calming the fears of the disciples in the boat.

That as we navigate the things of this life, directed by Him, or if we find that there are things that are happening to us outside of our control, with the great I AM, with King Jesus in the boat, we will get to where we are supposed to be going. We can have peace, assurance, and hope because Jesus is with us. Because Jesus loves you and me and will work His good and perfect will through us.

Have Hope In Him

The struggle comes. The difficulty will happen by virtue of living life. John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.””

There is an unhelpful group of Christians that would have some believe that if you have enough faith that no sickness, trouble, or despair will affect you. That if it does, and God doesn’t resolve it, you don’t have enough faith. This is not what we read in the Bible, this is a perversion.

There are just a few observations that I think we can make about our scripture this morning.

The disciples are the closest to Jesus and they still are in situations that cause them fear, struggle, and difficulty. God’s favor extends beyond our circumstances.

The disciples are given tasks that they are unable to accomplish even in their own strength. This gives opportunity for God to show up and accomplish his purpose.

Even in their frightened state, Jesus comes to them. It is not our works that endear God to us, but because God is love, God loves you and me. We can not possibly have more of God’s love and favor, period.

Consider that in yielding our lives to God, everyday, He wants to reveal more of Himself to us through our circumstance. That in our weakness we see that strength is made perfect.

2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

If we have those dark night of the soul, if we feel empty and that God is not near, know that He sees you… know that He is with you… know that He is working His purpose in you.

I was struck the other week by a post that author/speaker Scott Erickson made on Instagram. A picture of an empty pot. Above it floating in space, a leafy tree, soil, and roots through out the soily base… he writes, “Beloved… do not feel ashamed of your emptiness. Instead, see that it is the perfect preparation in providing a home for something Holy.”

Do Not Lose Hope In Him

In the next portion of our scripture we are confronted with the crowds bewilderment. They saw the disciples get into the boat alone the day before. But now, they see Jesus with them. They ask innocently, “when did you come here?”.

Next week we will see the discourse that they have with Jesus. Jesus calls them out as to why they are seeking Him. Not for who He is, but for what He can do for them. Stay tuned and come next week to be challenged by Jesus’ words.

If we put ourselves in the life of the disciples, there was a whole mix of emotions… they had just gone out made their way up from Jerusalem. They were tired, a crowd amassed and they wanted to disperse them. Jesus had them feed the crowd, serve the crowd, provide the crowd from the provision that He gives them, then late in the evening Jesus sends them in a boat to cross the sea. They get a little more than halfway to where they need to go and are in despair. Jesus meets them on the water, comes in the boat, and they get to where they needed to go.

We can look and go, God we don’t have provision, God we don’t have energy, God we don’t have agency, God we can’t do this, but if God is leading us, there is nothing that can stop us.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

John 14:1 ““Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”

John 14:11-12 “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

There will be difficulty, but that is not the Kingdom. Jesus is bringing and setting things right. In His time He will accomplish His purpose. Hope in Him, in Him is life.

One of my seminary professors was recently diagnosed with two different types of cancer at the same time. He was diagnosed with bladder cancer and two spots of metastatic melanoma in his brain. They were two nodules and they caught them fairly early but still dangerous. It wasn’t the first time that he has dealt with melanoma. In the last bout he had dealt with, he developed four principles that guide him in dealing with difficult circumstances.

(1) When I go to the past look for lessons, not regrets. It is easy for me to shred myself for what I did/didn’t do; (2) in the present build plans based on what I actually know so I can act wisely and responsibly rather than feeling helpless; (3) the future is where the “what if’s” are. Satan dwells there. Don’t dwell with him; (4) Jesus is in the present, look for Him. Like the bush in Exodus 3, He is easy to miss.

If you find yourself in a difficult place… do not lose hope in Him. Look for Him. Invite Him into the hurt. Trust that He will bring you to shore.

If you know someone going through a difficult time. Pray for them. If God brings opportunity, share with them the hope of the presence of Jesus. Often times it is not telling them as much as it is waiting in them with it. Jesus will show up in you, through you, and bring them through it.