​PINE GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH
 

We are going to have moments in our lives where the presence of Jesus calms our fears, and we don't want Him to let go. The amazing truth is that no matter what, Jesus is always there walking with us, no matter what we experience. 

 

In today's passage, we're going to see another powerful  and unique sign of the divinity of Jesus Christ. Many today try to focus only on the human side of Jesus to the point that they reduce Him to being just another good teacher who lived and died. However, in the passage we read today, we read about the power and authority of Jesus as the son of God. We see that even in the worst of our storms, Jesus' promises and His compassion don't waver. Jesus truly sees us through our doubts and fears.

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When Jesus dismissed the crowd, people continued to try and follow Him. Some people came to see a miracle. Some people came to try and make Him their king. There was so much for Jesus to reflect upon at this moment, such as the news of John the Baptist's death, the reports of the disciples from their time away, and the miracle that had just occurred. After the feeding of the five thousand, it was evening, and Jesus wasn't present with the disciples.

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When we look at Jesus' life, even after powerful moments, we can see how He prioritized prayer. Jesus knew that prayer was His lifeline to His relationship with God the Father. It was through prayer that He drew His strength and vision for His ministry. Therefore, we too, must be people of prayer who derive our strength from God alone. Prayer should also remind us that we can't do things on our own. 

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Not only do we see the priority of prayer, but we also see an example of submitting to authority in this story. It was later in the evening after Jesus had performed this amazing miracle of feeding the five thousand. Thus, when Jesus sent them in the boat to Capernaum (above five miles away from where they began), the disciples could have easily questioned Jesus for sending them at dark on the Sea of Galilee, which was known to be treacherous. Yet, we see they surrendered to Jesus' commands and obeyed, even when He sent them into the dark. 

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You can sense the frustration the disciples were experiencing as they had rowed the boat all night long, yet they were a little more than halfway across the sea with a storm raging. Today, we use cliches to try to get us to keep moving forward in the 'storms' we face. "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger." "Only the strong survive." Like the disciples we also try in our own strength to keep moving ahead in situations that may be beyond our abilities.

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Jesus was watching the disciples from the shore as the storms raged on around them. He had compassion on them. He walked on the water to the disciples. As Jesus approached the boat, the disciples were terrified and thought that Jesus was a ghost. Jesus didn't reveal His nature in this moment. He brought peace to the disciples. The words that they heard Jesus cry out were "It is I; be not afraid."  He was trying to reassure the disciples. 

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We can all have unsteady hearts through the storms we face. Sometimes we let doubts and fears creep in.  

>>> Sometimes storms teach us to trust.

>>>Sometimes storms teach us to find purpose.

>>>Sometimes storms teach us to surrender. 

>>>Sometimes storms teach us how to have courage. 

>>>Sometimes storms teach us to be prepared.

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Ultimately, the lesson Jesus teaches us in this moment is that He is the anchor in the storm who we should cling to, and He is the One who will see us through our storms. 

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John 6:16-18

 16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, 

17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.   

18  And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.

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John 6:19-20

19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship; and they were afraid. ​

20 But he saith unto them, it is I; be not afraid. 

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​​​​​​​​​​John 6:21

12  Then they willingly received him into the ship; and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. 

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