Good morning everyone,
We’re heading to John 6 to pick up where we left off from last week– but I thought before that we could go through a few verses of a Psalm together first – so, if you are the type to follow with your Bibles – Psalm 107, but if not just listen and I‘ll read verses 23 to 31:
23 Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters.24 They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep.25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away.27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end.28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea[b] were hushed.30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Job 9 from verse 4:
5 He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger.6 He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
Signs and wonders, guys, signs and wonders. Last week I had a road sign with me – a one way sign – reminding you that Jesus is the only way, and that the signs and wonders that Jesus performs as we encounter all these stories about him in the Gospels points to himself.
I drive down the M3 twice a day during the week, and well, it’s election time, there sure are a number of signs lining all the poles – I’m sure you’ve noticed them.
I must maybe be careful here, because our church constitution says we can’t get political, so I’ll be as vague and general as possible. The tone, that many of the parties, teams, posters, have, have you noticed? Have you noticed the dire tone. The language.
The one team, says something like ‘Slegs aksie sal SA regruk’. Apologies for the Capetonian Afrikaans.
There’s an Aunty Pat who is pleading for you to help ‘Stop the suffering’.
The blue teams take on the situation – rescue South Africa. A dire picture, of a country in trouble needing help – needing relief from danger and suffering – needing rescue. I am going to vote, yes, not entirely sure that politicians are able to offer the saving that our nation needs – but I will vote. The one party poster literally just says Trust Us. Makes me think of the snake in the Jungle Book – with the hypnotic eyes- Trussssst in Me???
So these snakes… sorry, politicians, sorry, beloved democratically elected leaders, reckon they have what it takes to stop the suffering, to save us, to rescue South Africa.
Sjoe I hope and I pray for our leaders – that they will help our country. But there is only one Saviour, and we heard his name this morning didn’t we- thank you Ali for the leading – his name is Jesus.
This morning we look at a rescue story in the book of John. If you’ve been with us, we’re moving through Johns Gospel and as we go we’ve been encountering wondrous, miraculous things. Last week we had Jesus feeding the five thousand – the loaves and fish – and this week, he walks on water!
What is happening here. We thought about this a little bit last week. These things are written so that you may believe.
Jesus is showing us who he is, what he can do, he is teaching, he is revealing. What is the nature of Jesus – what is he capable of – He is eternal – He is all powerful – the supernatural is in his nature.
When the supernatural takes place – it isn’t out of character for Jesus the Carpenters son.
We sit here in the natural known world, trying to make Jesus fit – into our understanding, into our expectations, into our limitations. Explain him away. Turn the extraordinary into the ordinary. Ah, it was a sandbar, - ah, the water wasn’t that deep? Oh, they were actually by the shore. Oh they were hysterical and hallucinating?
But we’ve got it the wrong way round – Jesus is drawing us into the supernatural. The signs point to something – SOMEONE – who can work outside of nature. Who is greater than, more powerful than,
To an eternal home – outside of the known world. Where he prepares a room for us.
To forgiveness of sin – to the power over life and death.
The signs are pointing to Jesus – he is bearing witness, if you like, to himself. Yes there are great object lessons, and useful examples and analogies and things we like to draw out and contemplate. But at its heart, these miracles are Jesus verifying his deity. Certifying his authority. His power and his glory. His ability to work. The fulfilment even, of some of the prophetic language (thank you Psalm 107, thank you Job) used in the Old testament.
We’re on miracle number 5 this morning of the 7 usually identified in the book of John. He’s already done so much? Surely all those around him – surely his closest disciples now have unwavering faith – surely they of all people, having witnessed these things firsthand – surely they all believe. By now, he’s just adding to an already convincing CV.
Last week - in front of thousands, tens of thousands – now – just the small group. Why did they need extra lessons? How come they were so lucky?
Well, there’s a good argument to be said that since these guys would go on to found the church – it was mentioned a few weeks back that these disciples – would go on to hard lives – lives of trial and persecution for their faith. To the point of a martyrs death – their faith needed to be strong. Jesus would ascend and they would be tasked with the great commission.
This is really part of their preparation then, isn’t it. Lets come to the text afresh then – just a few short verses. John 6 from verse 16:
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,[b] 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.
So, Lake of Gallilee, picture the scene, where do we, ahem, dive in. Events that follow hours after last week’s story. The group of disciples have just wrapped up events – remember Jesus had left the scene at the end of last week – the people wanted to turn him into a military forceful ruler, assumably, to overthrow the Romans, He knew exactly what their intentions were – so He heads off – withdraws, alone. The disciples are not with Christ as they head off into the lake.
Evening has come, and they are setting off for Capernaum? Why? Dunno? Why without Christ? Not too sure from this passage, but what you should really do to get a fuller picture, in your own time, is to go through the accounts of the same events recorded in Matthew and Mark. Certain little details, added, paints a slightly fuller picture. In Marks version it says Jesus MAKES them get into the boat – and go ahead of him without him. That’s kind of similar to what we noted last week with the bread – He is testing them, teaching them.
Evening has come, it is dark, it is stormy, they are sailing – rowing into a strong headwind. This is not the easy journey that had maybe expected. Its hours later, middle of the dark night, they’ve only gone a few miles – the Sea of Gallilee I’m told is apparently only 7 or 8 miles wide, which means they are literally in the middle of the sea.
State of mind, they are experienced sailors, they’ve been through a storm before, they knew what they were getting into when they got into the boat – NO – they are tired, they are losing hope, they are fearful, they are lost in the dark, they are not confident, and assured, and brave, and fearless people full of faith. They are sinking sailors full of doubt, no doubt regretting ever setting foot in the boat. Alone, in the storm..
And to these vulnerable stricken lost as sea bunch, appears who – they see Jesus approaching the boat. They are even more frightened. Marks version, its says they thought he was a Ghost.
Spooked, scared, terrified in the dark night, a human like figure appears – is this the grim reaper comes to take us down to Davy Jones locker…
No, it is their literal and metaphorical rescuer – walking on the waves – supernatural miraculous power – sure, why not – not the first miracle, not the last – true to His powerful nature as Fully man Fully God – of course the waves are subject to him? Of course he can see into their hearts and minds – of course he senses their thoughts- their fear, their confusion.
And in his might and fury at their unbelief he rebukes them – NO, in his Grace, and in his compassion – he just says – It is I. The great I am is here. Do not be frightened. Why should they not be frightened? They’re about to drown, they’re in the middle of a storm for goodness sake, they’ve been rowing and rowing for hours and gotten nowhere – they‘ve got every reason to be afraid – but here comes the best reason of all to NOT be afraid – I am here. I am with you – you do not need to fear? Because I’ve seen the future and good news you make it? Not sure. Because I can control the waves and I’ll make sure they don’t really put you in any danger? Not so sure either – you’ll note that this version doesn’t actually mention the waves being calmed – and I quite like that. It’s always taken that Jesus calms the storm and smooths out the path and its plain sailing – sorry literal sailing from then on, but maybe its not.
Maybe it’s not so much that Jesus was going to make things easier for them
But instead, that because He was with them – that was enough. His mere presence was the reason not to be afraid. Whether the storms subsides or not, is not evidently an important detail – what’s more important is whether Jesus is in your boat or not.
They take him into their boat. They recognise who he is – he’s not a ghost, he’s not a apparition, not a figure of their imagination – he is who he says he is, he is with them, and he is now, in their boat.
A cool detail in the story that for some reason gets missed often – immediately, it says, the boat reaches the shore where they were heading. A miracle within a miracle? How did that happen? They rowed the whole night and got this far, and now, snap – they arrive. More wonder, more amazement, more unexplainable testimony of the hand of the Living God. Delivering them safely through the storm, through the night, safely to shore.
The Matthew accounts add the part with Peter getting out of the boat, becoming afraid and starting to sink again. You of little faith says Jesus, why did you doubt?
There's another little tidbit in the Mark account – in all this wonder and miraculous events, even for his own disciples who had been following, witnessing, seeing him work right in front of them:
They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
You see they were still on a faith journey – some of them still did not believe. Jesus was still delivering his practical masterclass in Faith. Not in how to perform miracles and remove obstacles in your path – take away hunger, take away storms – but what happens when you believe and trust in Him.
Some had not understood - Has Jesus FAILED in his witness? Has his will not been accomplished? Maybe he needed a bigger spectacle? Something more dramatic. More convincing, in front of more people?
Nope, it was perfect, it was sufficient – in his wisdom, in his power, he reveals himself to the right people at the right time.
Why did he wait? Why couldn’t he have just stopped them getting into the boat? Or maybe just after an hour, not the whole night, these guys probably thought they were going to die.
Well, the lesson wouldn’t have been the same, the sign would have been smaller, less impactful, less powerful.
You see what has happened here – Jesus has used that storm – he has intentionally used that dark place, full of fear, full of doubt, full of dismay - to show himself to his followers – so that they would know better than to get into dangerous boats – no so that they would know HIM – Who He is, what He is capable, of, that they would experience what it is like with him in their boat.
Jesus get us out of this storm – He sent the jolly storm in the first place! That angry sea that you face, those waves that keep and coming and coming, that dark night that surrounds you and tests your belief and grows your faith. Jesus commands the wind and the waves remember. He is in control here. And he is greater than any storm – that’s the point.
What follows next – we touched on last week – verse 26 onwards to the end of the chapter– the miracle is over, and Jesus is preaching. He is engaging with the people – calling out their motives – exposing their unbelief. He refers to Moses – he addresses their understanding of the Old testament, and Moses gave you bread from heaven – I am the bread of life – That was just a foreshadowing of what was to come, what is fulfilled in ME – My fathers will, and yes, he is my father, check out the divine power on display through all these miracles… but my Fathers will isn’t for you to be entertained by shows of miraculous power and then carry on your daily life – my Fathers will
40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Goes down like a lead balloon, it seems – at this the Jews began to grumble – his fathers will – the bread come down from heaven – what crazy talk - this is Jesus son of Joseph and Mary – there’s nothing special about him – we know his family – grew up in Nazareth… he’s just a good Nazareth Jewish boy – and now he’s spouting off all this crazy stuff about being God.
And there’s this interesting thing - this argument you hear quite often – well, Jesus didn’t actually claim to be the Son of God – he’s just a teacher. Ordinary human like you or me.
NO, read the text, see what is happening here – that’s the whole source of the offense – this is why people are grumbling, this is why (like we said last week), people are finding it hard to follow him.
A miracle worker – draws a crowd – Is easy to follow – surely. Feeds me bread and fish from nothing – sweet deal. Able to walk on water – rescue me in my storm – fantastic – Wise teacher, with quotable sayings – Love your neighbour, do Good, be kind, live good lives full of generosity and warmth – man, I can get behind that.
But this man, who grew up in front of us round the corner in Galillee – that’s just too much.
Verse 41 they are grumbling, by verse 52 they are argue sharply by verse 60 they’ve - even some of his disciples! Full on rejected the claims. Who can accept this? Not only, nah, this is not for me – stronger – more like how could ANYONE believe this stuff…?
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
That, to me, is the most harrowing part of this whole passage – even his disciples? Closest to him – first hand witnesses. Wow. Consider what we remember this morning with our emblems on the table – Jesus on the cross, suffering, along, depside rejected, Abandoned. Forsaken. Obedient to a lonely death in the will of his father.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
To close – and to underline John 6 over the last two weeks – so Stuart here doesn’t have to come up just now and try and remember something that was said, or sound profound and deep – let’s make it plain as daylight.
This Jesus, this supernatural wave walker bread multiplier sign displaying wonder-working Fully God made flesh – the focus of all these accounts, the thread behind all of John 6, John the Gospels, read on the thread behind all of scripture – the one to whom Peter rightly says, were else shall I we go – you have to words of eternal life.
Is He in your boat?
Are you trying to row alone – face into the headwinds – in the middle of your storm, strain through the night, through the darkness, through all the fear and confusion, getting nowhere, making no progress – on your own? Or is he with you – have your eyes been opened to his near presence have you noticed the signs – his power over any situation – his closeness, his face before you – and his instruction to not be afraid – it is I – I am – the great I am is here, is with you, and will take you safely to shore.
Let’s pray – With Jesus in my boat I can smile at the storm, we used to sing as kids.
Thank you Jesus that you came to us, in our need, in our storm, in the middle of the dark night – in our lostness and in our despair. You came to us. You left your home – broke through the supernatural, become flesh, and walked up to our boat. Thank you that you are with us, always – thank you that you know us, that you see us, that you care for us, that you reveal yourself to us – that in whatever storm is blowing our way, your presence with us is enough. We need not be afraid – because you are near. Help us to know you more. Help us to see you in scripture – to see you in our lives. To see all the signs. And to help us grow in our belief and in our faith. We say with Peter – where else shall we go – you alone can rescue, you alone can save. Amen.
