THE STORM AT SEA
#822 THE STORM AT SEA
Scripture John 6:15-24 (Mark 6:34-52) NIV Orig. 2/12/1984
Rewr. 3/27/1990
Passage: John 6:15-24: 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Jesus Walks on the Water
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[a] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
Mark 6:34-52: 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. 35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages[a]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” 39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Jesus Walks on the Water
45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
Purpose: Continuing the series from John, here depicting the events that took place following the feeding of the multitude.
Keywords: Bible Study Miracle Christ as Saviour
Timeline/Series: Series on John
Introduction
There is a story of a family with a small child visiting in the home of wealthy, and influential people. With the parents distracted, the child stuck his hand through the opening of a rare Chinese vase and then could not extract it. He began to cry, both out of fear for the stuck hand, and concern that he would be punished. His parents and the friends tried in every way to free the boy’s hand. The harder they tried, the louder were the cries from the lad.. boy’s hand was so hopelessly stuck. He had seen a penny in the bottom of the vase and had it clutched in a tightly balled fist. In his childish ignorance, he did not know that by releasing the penny his hand would have slipped free.
Helmut Thielicke has a sermon on prayer in which he refers to John 6:26 (20C/12/p234). “Ye seek me, ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat the loaves, and were filled.” He added, “He (Jesus) miraculously fed the multitude so that behind the event they might catch sight of the true Bread of Life; . . . But the significance of the event was lost on them. It was not ‘transparent’ to them. And so they overlooked this hand entirely, and only hungered after ‘the five barley loaves and two small fish.’ If they had caught sight of the Giver behind the gift, and the Saviour beyond the bread, then this experience would have really meant something to them, and it would have stayed with them all of their lives. . . . We might wander through waterless desert wastes, but God is with us. He can provide us with oases of fresh water. He can also surround us with his peace even when things are going to get worse—so that the thirst cannot do anything further to us. But this gift, which was extended to you in the hour of God’s miracle, you refused. When your cry for bread was answered, you did not say, ‘Glory to God alone!’ or ‘Praise be to God in the highest,’ but you only rubbed your hands across your well-filled stomach and murmured ‘Food!’ Then you rose up to play and forgot the whole thing.”
Too many of us are like the child mentioned earlier. We clutch selfishly the physical symbols of God’s gifts to us, ignoring the deeper meaning of the symbol behind the gift.
The Storm at Sea will address three things: (1) Christ alone at prayer; (2) The disciples at sea and afraid; (3) The multitude discounting the Saviour behind the symbol.
I. Jesus Alone at Prayer: A Sudden Change. V15 “When Jesus perceived that they would come and take him by force, . . . he departed again into a mountain himself alone.”
It is where He and His disciples had been just a few hours earlier. They had discussed the mission: Luke 9:10. They shared tribute for John: Matthew 14:13. Jesus saw a glimmer of His own death.
With the coming of the multitude, Jesus went to them, taught them, fed them. God’s concern is for worldly needs. But His principle concern is that we see Jesus as the “bread of life.” V33 bread of God; V35 bread of life; V51 living bread.
Suddenly, it is as if a different spirit fills the place. Jesus sends the disciples ahead to Capernaum; Matthew and Mark say “constrained”; by force of will He compels them. The multitude is dismissed; “They” v15 see visions of regal splendor, thoughts of Judas Maccabeus. Were the disciples the ring-leaders? Christ had this great power: they were His chief workers. Jesus resorts to the Father. Was He tempted by the crown? Hebrews 4:15: “. . . In all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
The prayer, the vision of the cross returns. The afternoon reveals His deity. Close of day, His humanity. Nothing would stay Him from His cross.
Hebrews 9:14 “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the Lord God?” Nought but prayer will bring us to that place of submission and surrender.
II. We Next Encounter the Disciples on the Boat, at Sea, and Afraid. V18 “And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.” We can safely assume somewhat of thoughts. They saw first hand the feeding. They heard and encouraged the talk of insurrection, not resurrection. Lithuania 4/1990.
They are sent on their way for Christ to recover His sense of mission. They were 4-5 miles from Capernaum. A storm swept in suddenly. By three a.m. had gone 25-30 stadia. “Stadia” provides our “stadium”—distance around a contained oval, or about 600 feet. Compute to 5,000 yards—2-1/2 to 3 miles.
They were confused—King or Messiah or what? Mark 6:48 “distressed”—vex, harass, toil. What they did not know was that Jesus knew their distress. Above 6:48. In the midst of this “storm” Christ appears. With four miles, probably a mile of shore. Dark, and wind disorient them. Some say Jesus was on the beach. If you don’t know a Jesus who can walk on water, you don’t know a Jesus who saves. The “stilling” of storm prior—Mark 4/Matthew 8.
They see Christ as an apparition or a ghost. Common belief of spirit visits. Welcoming them to abode of death. “Be of good cheer,” Matthew and Mark show confidence/courage. “Ego eimi”—“I am,” not “It is I.” Courage not in Jesus being thee. Rather in who Jesus was/is. “I am.” Moses: “I am hath sent thee” very similar in Hebrew to YHWH. Abraham: John 8:58 “Before Abraham was, I am.”
They welcome Jesus on board on His terms, not their own. Have we?
III. The Multitude Makes a Choice. V24 “When the people . . . saw that Jesus was not there, . . . they took shipping . . . and came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus.”
Remember, this is the same crowd from the day before. They had eaten of loaves and fishes. They had been prepared to enthrone. They would have taken up arms against Romans if He had chosen to accept. A day later they have sought Him out. Many apparently left the scene. Some did not, or returned. They saw disciples leave alone. Knowing Capernaum to be center for His activities, (Matthew 4:13f) came there. Following is in synagogue 6:59.
A distinction must be made about those who heard Jesus. The twelve 6:67 “the twelve.” Many “disciples” 6:66 turned away, “went back as before Christ.” Counting on Christ as teacher, provider; not as Saviour. Don’t confuse yourself about one losing their salvation. Not at issue with these “disciples.” V24 “came . . . seeking.” V26 “seek me . . . because . . . you did eat . . . and were filled.”
There were, also, earnest and sincere seekers. They would heed the message. V40 “This is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life.” Jesus, as the bread of life next.
Conclusion
A Texan named Kenneth Reedy went to Bahrain in early 1970 to take advantage of the oil boom. With the help of a local contractor he built an ice cream factory. A few years later, it went bankrupt. The contractor sued, and won. Reedy was forced to give up his passport until the $60,000 was paid. Without a passport, he can only find maintenance jobs. Nothing can help him until someone pays his debt, or the litigant withdraws the lien. It is human sin without Christ.