JOHN 6:16-21
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. 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.
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 (NASB).
INTRODUCTION
At the 1997 Brickyard 400 Auto
race, NASCAR driver Lake Speed learned a firsthand and amazing effect of
prayer. His car had been having mechanical problems. Sitting on the track in
preparation for a qualifying run, he waited in frustration because his car
wouldn't start. Meanwhile, he prayed. Finally, his crew chief Jeff Buice took a
wrench and hand-cranked the engine Model-A style. The car started, and Lake
Speed road unto the track and post the second fastest qualifying time of the
day.
Victor
Lee writes in Sports Spectrum:
Later,
when Speed returned to the pits to get ready for the final practice session, he
found his crew tearing out the engine. Shocked, he asked what was going on.
"Lake, that engine was blown before you qualified." Bruce said,
noticing that it had blown during NASCAR pre-race inspection. Lake looked more
closely. Oil was everywhere.
Bruce
continued, "I wasn't going to tell you anything, because time had run out.
But I was already trying to figure out how I was going to spend Saturday. Even
if it started, I surely didn't expect it to a lap, and surely not to run good
enough to make the race."
Lake's
assessment: "God did a major mechanical miracle." I always pray right
before the race. Sitting on that track, when it didn't start, I prayed,
"Lord, I don't know what's going on here, but if there is any way, I'd
like this thing to start." Driver Lake Speed went on to finish twelfth in
the race, his second best finish in 1997.
Skeptics,
cynics, and the anti-supernatural have raised objections in this particular
miracle of Jesus in recent times. Some of these critics say that when Jesus
walked on the water, it was winter time and the bottom of the lake had formed
sheets of ice that a person could walk on it. It takes more faith to believe in
that kind of explanation of this event. Dr. Darrell Bock of Dallas Theological
Seminary argues that Palestine does not get too cold in winter time that ice
can form in the sea or lake. It takes more faith to believe in the critics'
explanation of the miracle because it is impossible for any person to walk on
the water during a severe winter time when the surface of the sea had turned to
ice. Jesus would not have sent the disciples to an icy lake in the middle of
the night.
The
Apostle John includes this event because it forms part of the seven signs of
Jesus in his Gospel narrative. This miracle is also recorded in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 14:22-36, and Mark 6:45-54). However, John's account is a
brief or an abbreviated version. He does not provide all the details because of
the purpose of his Gospel narrative. If you want to get the details of the
miracle, you have to go to the Gospel of Matthew.
You
should not confuse this miracle with the one when Jesus was asleep in a boat
and was awakened by the disciples to calm the raging sea. In this miracle, we
have a familiar story of exquisite beauty, about which there are a few facts to
be explained.
I. THE STORM AT SEA VV. 16-18
After the miracle of the loaves
and the enthusiasm created by such a wonder, Jesus constrained His disciples to
go by boat to the other side of the lake. Why did He constrain them to go? Was
it because of their love and growing admiration of Him, they were reluctant to
leave Him even for a moment? Knowing the intention of the multitude to make
Jesus a king, were they unwilling to leave Him at the moment of His approaching
exaltation?
To
the disciples, no day had been so bright; now they must go before Him to the
other side and their bright day ended in a troubled night. They wanted to bask
in the sunshine of the Master's fame, but He knew that there was more danger in
the favor of the crowd than from the fury of the storm.
Therefore,
Jesus sent them ahead, and the storm had the effect of saving them from wrong
ambitions. The disciples had to learn that stormy night along with the bright
day worked together for their good. Life is a mixture of peaceful and stormy
days. Sometimes you are on top of the mountain; other times you are down in the
valley. That is what life is all about at this side of eternity. However, the
good news is that God who provides you with peace is the same who walks with
you in the storms. The God who takes you to the mountain top is the same God
who walks with you in the valley. The God who walks with you in the day time is
the same who walks with in the night. When Jesus sent the disciples ahead of
Him in the night under the stormy sea, He knew what He was doing.
The
disciples had to learn that He who fed them miraculously with loaves and fishes
was the same One who sent them to encounter the storms and waves of an angry and
tempestuous sea. The disciples had to learn that Jesus does not send His own to
warfare at their own expense. The strength of Jesus would be available to them
to endure and conquer the trials ahead. Sometimes when we go through the
crucibles of life, we behave like Christ does not know our troubles. We begin to
sing to ourselves the Lord does not know the troubles that I see. Who told you
that the Lord does not know the troubles that you see? He who knows the number
of hairs on your head knows everything that you are going through. He whose eye
is on the sparrow watches over you. Therefore, when Jesus sent the disciples to
the middle of the sea at night, He knew what He was doing. The question is,
"Are you perceptive to what the Lord is doing in your life?"
II. THE SAVIOR WALKS ON THE SEA VV.
19-21
As
for Jesus, after the frenzy of the people to make Him king, He went to the
mountain for rest, solace, and communion with the Father. Jesus perceived that
the people wanted to take Him by force and make Him king. Now at last they have
found someone who is powerful enough to rescue them from the tyranny of the
Romans, they might have said to themselves. However, the Omniscient One knew
what their intentions were. The ambition of the crowd was not part of Jesus'
earthly mission at this point of time. Yes, His kingdom will come but not as
these multitudes have envisaged. Jesus has shown us that it is not an act of
cowardice to run away from temptation and seek the counsel of God. Had Jesus
accepted the invitation to be their king, He would have forsaken the cross, and
had He forsaken the cross, you and I would have died in our sins. However,
solitude on a mountain on His knees gave Him the victory at the cross. Going to
the mountain to pray, Jesus shows us the combination of deity and humanity in
one person. As the Creator of the universe, we adore Christ, and as the Man at
prayer--solitary, continuous, and special prayer, He is our model and we must
emulate His example.
Let's
go back to the predicament of the disciples. Out on the lake, the disciples
were hard pressed, for one of the strongest storms common to the area had
given them the scare of their lives. I believe that this storm was an ordinary
one because some of the disciples, you recall were professional fishermen. They
had seen various kinds of storms. Therefore, for them to be terrified was not a
child's game at all. They were in no way closer to shore and the waves were
contrary. What made the conquest with the storm more distressing is that Jesus
was not with them as on the other occasion when He was asleep at the helm of
the boat. What do you do when you have a crisis and Jesus is nowhere in sight?
The disciples were tossed and tormented by the waves, for the winds were
contrary. They are tossed up and down because the Lord of the sea is not in
sight. The disciples felt lonely and scared at a time when they needed Christ
the most. Have you felt lonely and scared?
What
the disciples did not know was that in His time of solitude and communion with
His Father on the mountain, Jesus was praying for them. Jesus knew that the
torrential storm would beat and terrify them, therefore He pray for them. When
Jesus saw the extremity of the disciples, He came walking on the water to their
rescue. Our Lord is not indifferent to our circumstances in life. He is keenly
cognizant of every storm that you are going through and He will respond at the
appropriate time. Sometimes Christ delays in coming to your rescue in your
storms, because you are trying to fight the storm in your own puny strength.
Sometimes too, you are not calling on Him, but rather calling others to help
you in your struggle. In your fruitless efforts, He is waiting for you to call
on Him to help see you through the storms of life.
A
boy was trying to lift up a load and couldn't. Out of frustration, he blurted
out, "Would somebody help me?" The father said, now you are talking,
because you had not asked for help.
The
Gospel of Matthew states that when they saw the figure approaching them they
were more terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost. The Lord had
seen their plight and is coming to save them and yet they mistake Him for a
ghost. Fear and frustration can sometimes blur your vision. When Jesus draws
near, He tells them, "It is I; don't
be afraid." The phrase, "don't be afraid" is Jesus' most
used word of command in the New Testament. Jesus was saying to the disciples,
"Stop being afraid." Jesus is saying to you today, "Stop being
afraid." Jesus says it is "I." In Koine Greek it means, "I
AM." It is the statement of deity. It is the word that God used when He
was sending Moses to Egypt. He said if they ask you, who sent you tell them
that "I AM" sent you. If "I AM" is with you why should you
be afraid? If "I AM" is present in your life, why should you toss and
turn?
How
encouraging and assuring such an inspiring voice must have meant to the
disciples. The majesty of the approach was perfected in the tenderness of the
address, "It is I; don't be
afraid." You say, but I cannot pay my mortgage or rent this month, and
I may lose my house, Jesus says, "It is I, don't be afraid." You say,
my children are sick and I don't know what to do. Jesus says, "It is I,
don't be afraid." Whatever you are experiencing in life, please bring
Jesus to the equation and you will see that when He is present nothing is
impossible.
When
Jesus uttered such a word at such a time, peace flooded the heart of the
disciples. They realized that it was not an ordinary voice, but the voice of
the Master of the sea. What storms of life are you fighting today? Call on
Jesus and He will calm the storm for you. It was as if Jesus was saying to the
disciples, "It is alright." Don't be afraid. I am your Friend, your
Deliverer and I have come to rescue
you. Maybe today Jesus has come to the rescue of somebody who is reading this
message. I don't know what you may be going through today, but I can assure you
that Jesus is saying to you, "It is I, don't be afraid."
As
soon as Jesus uttered the words, "It is I, don't be afraid," their
fears were rebuked and scattered as they were brought face to face with the
Mighty One (see Genesis 16:11; Judges 6:13; Daniel 10:12, 19; Rev. 1:17).
III. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS MIRACLE
When
someone asks you what is the purpose or significance of this event what are you
going to say? What took place at the lake on that stormy night in the life of
the disciples was the demonstration of Christ's Omnipotence. As the Creator of
the seas and winds, He revealed His authority over them, and they being His, He
could see them as He desired. Such a supernatural feat was a further evidence
of Christ's sovereignty over His creation.
When
the human mind contemplates the works and ways of God, the question arises,
"How can these things be?" Such a query, however, is one of unbelief,
not of faith. No miracle should stagger the heart that has learned to trust God
and believe in His Word. That does not mean that you have to be naive and
believe everything. However, with God all things are possible.
The
precious lesson of the miracle is instructive and comforting. Faith is tested
by storms of life. If someone told you that you would not face any storm in
life when you became a Christian that person lied to you. Your faith like
precious stone would be tested (1 Peter 1:7). The second lesson is that when it
seems that the storm is about to drown you in the raging sea know that Jesus is
ever near. Tossed to and fro on the waves of a troublesome world, it may seem
as though He has forgotten you, but His eye is ever upon you, and suddenly in
your extremity He intervenes. If you are sinking into despair and doubt what
you need to do is cry out, "Lord
save me" and He will! The hard lessons of faith are only learned on
the open sea where the waves are rough, where the wind is relentless, and where
the risks are real.
The
miracles are pictures of what Jesus offers to do in your heart. Therefore, the
miracles of Jesus cannot be set aside as some skeptics want us to do. The
miracles are in fact, the key to what Jesus did. In the miracles of Jesus, we
are called to make a choice. The choice is yours to make. Should you assign it
to God? Or should you explain it away? However, one thing is certain; you
cannot sit on the fence. You cannot be neutral; you have to make up your mind.
Did Jesus come to bring God to us, or is He a fraud, or worse, an instrument of
evil? The choice is yours to make with its ramifications.
