Lesson 6 - Jesus the Divine I AM

In studying John's Gospel we find that his main purpose and intent for writing and that no doubt is due to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is in his own words, "John 20:31 (KJV) 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. "

We have been studying seven signs of the Savior, miracles and wonders that Jesus did to show and to prove that He was the Messiah. John pays special attention to these seven events.

John 2:1-11 Turning the water into wine - we see that John portrays Jesus as the source of all blessing John 4:43-54 Healing the nobleman's sin points to Jesus as the giver of life John 5:1-18 Jesus heals the cripple of 38 years points to Jesus as the coworker of the Father John 6:1-15 Mulitpling the loves and fish for over 5000 people Jesus is shown as the Life-Giving Bread from Heaven Supplies our need, sustains our life Tonight we are looking at Jesus the Divine I AM as John give us the story in John 6:16-21

After Jesus feeds the thousands of people with five loaves and two fish showing himself as the Life-giving bread from heaven, we see him doing another miraculous thing in this passage. Walking on not wading in water.

I used to like the song by the Cathedrals, looking back now I'm not sure where the Biblical foundation was but they used to sing, "Step into the water, wade out a little deeper, wet your feet in in the water of His love…."

There was no stepping in the water this night Jesus was stepping on the water.

This incident is recounted also in Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52. In both cases the account is somewhat fuller than here John Chrysostom 349 – 407 ad one of the Early Church Fathers teaches there were two different miracles. There really is no evidence to firmly back this up.

Matthew adds the incident of Peter attempting to walk on the water, a detail not found in either of the other two accounts.

After Jesus had fed the multitude with two fish and five loaves of bread, as we studied last week, He realized the people were going to force him into a role that he did not come to fill, he came to be a deliverer but not for political purposes. Jesus seems to have disappeared and John tells us he leaves for the mountains of upper Galilee.

Whether Jesus and the disciples coordinated or not, The disciples at dusk go ahead and set sail for the lake's northeast shore which is Capernaum.

They row out three or four miles Matthew says they were in the midst of the sea, when a storm blows up.

Now the Sea of Galilee is seven and a half miles wide and seventeen miles long, with a maximum depth of one hundred fifty-seven feet.

John is careful to note that the disciples had rowed 25 to 30 furlongs or a little more than three and a half miles out from shore. The importance of this is that they were several miles from the shore - they were not in the shallow end but out in the deep part. Can I say this is where most of the miracles happen, away from the safety of the shore,

So here they are out in the Sea of Galilee when the storm blows in. I like what Mark Batterson wrote in his book, "The Grave Robber."

We use reinforced concrete to protect ourselves against earthquakes and storm shutters to safeguard against hurricanes, but we still cannot control the weather. All we can do is talk about it when there is nothing else to talk about. But there is One who commands the wind and rebukes the waves. The One who turned water into wine also turned the Sea of Galilee into a sea of glass. The One who created the heavens and the earth with four words can quell any squall with just three words: “Peace, be still.”1

Mark Batterson (2014-09-02T00:00:00+00:00). The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible (Kindle Locations 2121-2125). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Now just for the sake of controversy - John does not tell us that it was a storm, nor does he talk like the wind was a threat. One commentator asks, "What significance, then, did the storm hold for the Gospel writer?

Their answer is so interesting I simply had to share it. The writer says,"Rather than threatening the disciples and providing an opportunity for Jesus to demonstrate His power to save, the storm may have instead demonstrated the majesty of Jesus by responding violently to His mighty presence. According to the Psalms, "The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. ... Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen" (Ps. 77:16-19).

Wesleyan Bible Commentary - Wesleyan Bible Commentary – John.

Whether or not this is true, I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

That being said,

The density of water is one gram per cubic centimeter at 4 degrees Celsius, this means that we mere mortals sink in water.

The surface tension of water can support the superhydrophobic water strider, also known as the pond skater.

Then there’s the basilisk lizard, that can move fast enough and with webbed feet walk on the water.

But when it comes to the human species, we’re not well equipped for water walking. If you could sprint 67 mph you could actually run on water, but the fastest recorded foot speed is 27.79 mph by Jamaican Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt. Reaching 67 mph would require fifteen times more energy than the human body is capable of expending.

We also need to remember that the disciples were three miles from shore, at an average walking pace of three miles per hour, this miracle could have lasted up to at least seventy minutes, but we do not serve an average God. I am not sure how Jesus did it but he did.

Some scientist once came to the conclusion that specific atmospheric and oceanic conditions could have been such that ice patches were formed and Jesus simply walked on or surfed on those patches of ice, I would think that would almost be more miraculous, It's hard enough to stand on ice on the solid ground, can you imagine a turbulent sea.

But Jesus didn't surf on the ice, or step into the water, he turned the whitecaps into a red carpet, and walked on the water.

Another amazing facet of this miracle is that it was dark, it was storming, they would have been out of visual range of the shore, and yet Jesus knew where they were, he could still see them.

Another aspect of this miracle I want to point out is what Jesus tells the disciples as he nears them. "It is I be not afraid."

Three quick things

Excitement - Can you imagine being out in the middle of the sea, at least three miles from shore, and this person come walking by. I don't know about you but I would find that exciting. Encouragement - The original languge suggest that these men were frightened in fact the other Gospels tells us they thought he was a spirit or ghost.

Enlightenment - When Jesus says "it is I" he is saying more than just identifying himself as Jesus, their teacher. He is saying "I am who I claim to be" and that was, "I AM" he is again equating himself with the I AM.

One commentator finds in 6:20 an allusion to Ps 77:19-20 where God is depicted as coming to aid his people (Psalm 77: 15) “through the sea . . . through mighty waters,” and to the divine name in Exod 3: 14.

Psalm 77:19-20 (KJV)

19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.

20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Harris, Murray J. (2015-10-15). John (Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament) (Kindle Locations 4488-4489). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

I empathize a little with verse 17 where it says, "For Jesus was not come to them."

Sometimes it seems your are out in the middle of things, the storm raising fast, its dark, and Jesus hasn't come yet. You row and row work and work, fret worry and stew and Jesus hasn't come yet.

This is where the disciples found themselves. It is interesting to see John's tone and language change when they see and hear Jesus.

Can I share a word with you? Hold on, Jesus will come. I like how Penny Ford of the Victory Trio wrote,

"He'll Come walking on the water of life's troubled sea,

For He knows we need His presence, so calm we can be

Tho the Billows round me roll, and the boustrous winds do blow,

In the hallow of His hand, I am resting in His plan What a comfort just to know,

That my Lord is in control

In the midst of it all.