The Fifth Miracle of Jesus

The Setting of the Miracle in John 6

Now in the opening as we return to the gospel of John chapter 6, I'd like to say this. There's not a lot of scriptures here that we're looking at this morning. We'll be looking at from John's gospel chapter 6 verse 15 to 21 if you'd like to go ahead and turn there, please turn there.

This is a very timely message. For all of us, I believe here at redeeming grace Church. No matter who you are this morning I really believe if you're going through a storm in your life. And I believe there are storms that we don't know only God knows and you know How badly that storm is raging?

But as the storm rages in your life, this message is for you. There's a great comfort and great encouragement for all of us in this text. As we'll be looking at let me Start off by Asking you a question.

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a situation or a storm a trial that you cannot control? You cannot control it. If you're like me, this is hard for you. And it's very difficult because none of us are like Feeling we're not in control.

I don't know for Illustration. I have a very difficult time driving in the riding in the back seat of a car or a passenger seat. I Feel much safer if I'm on the driving with the steering wheel. I'm in the driver's seat.

I get very nervous even as my wife drives. I'm not saying she's a bad driver though. Please forgive me if I'm saying that but I do get somewhat panicky. So I feel like I need to have control the steering wheel.

Well today in our text we will see how Jesus's disciples find themselves in the middle of a difficult situation a very difficult situation that they're not in control of. They cannot control it. We will see that they're stuck in a boat in The middle of a dark night on the open sea a raging sea by the way a storm and in the midst of this.

Of the disciples is difficulty confusion and fear fear grips them. Then Jesus comes to them. He steps right in with His fifth miracle and you can actually say at the last of it. We could say a sixth miracle.

But we'll be looking at the fifth miracle of the Lord Jesus Christ and he demonstrates by the way His control. Keep this in mind beloved no matter what you face in the storm that you have no control over.

God has providentially Ordained that for your good and my good. All things Romans 8 28 all things we know we know. That all things work together for the good to those who love God and to those who are called according to his purpose.

Verse 29 that we may be conformed into the image of Christ. Basically, that's what it says. You may be conformed into his image and that's the reason what why God allows these storms to come into our life.

These trials these difficulties that we have no control over. So that we could call on God and that draw closer to the Lord and that he will build character in us. That's what he wants. That's what he desires.

That's what he's ordained and especially being a child of God his ultimate destination. His goal for you and me is that we'd be more like his son Jesus Christ. Folks I'm telling you it does not come easy.

It always comes difficult. It comes hard. It comes in the darkness. It comes through affliction. It comes through trials. It comes through the fire and the water and all these things in life that we have no control over but God has control In it great that our God is sovereign.

He's over this and we're going to see in the story today that Jesus is sovereign over the storm. And the disciples and the twelve disciples and he's going to teach them a lesson so together we're going to take this journey today as we look at this text and we're going to see how Jesus and By the way is in full control in our lives in the midst of our difficulties and the storms of life the trials and even over the fears that we have and Then saying that if you're not already there.

We go back to the gospel of John in chapter 6 and I'd like to begin by reading beginning at first 15 to verse 21. Verse 15 to verse 21. Hear the word of the Living God. The fifth miracle us is what's speaking of.

Jesus walks on the sea the Sea of Galilee. He walks on the water. Verse 15 therefore When Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force To make him King he departed again to the mountain by himself alone.

Now when evening came his disciples went down to the sea got into the boat and went over to the sea toward Capernaum and It was already dark and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because of a great wind was blowing.

So when they had rolled about three or four miles they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat and They were afraid. But he said to them it is I Do not be afraid. Then they willingly received him into the boat and Immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

Please bow with me in prayer our Father in heaven. Hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come that will be done and earth as it is in heaven father. We just praise you today. And we thank you for your word.

Your word is just as eternal as your character you inspired it. It's your breath. It goes forth and it does not return void and it has the power to change our lives. Lord, and I pray that you would do this for us this morning.

It's a sure word. It's a steadfast word. It's a eternal word. And it changes our hearts. It's a bulwark in the midst of difficulties and trials. Father we praise you for it and Lord our prayer is Lord speak.

For your servant here's open the eyes of our hearts today that we would see only Jesus and I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Well praise his name John chapter 6. Verse 15 to 21. The disciples here the 12 Experiences a very difficult storm.

By the very forces of nature, but that was it only the the only source of their fear. We're going to examine and see together the experiences of the disciples that evening long ago as.

They.

Were sent on the Sea of Galilee and their responses in the light of what preceded it and I'd like to do in closing we win an application we will see the lessons our Lord has for us as we to face the storms of life and The kind of responses and how we should respond to those storms in life.

My outline is very simple. We're going to look at three major points in today's text. First of all number one, we will see the setting. Which you see in verse 15 to 17. The setting in verse 15 to 17. Second.

We will see the storm the setting the storm the storm in verse 18 to 19 a. And then third we will see the Savior Who saves. The Savior who saves in verse verse 19 be to verse 22. Well, let's begin our journey.

Let's look at the setting in verse 15 To verse 17. Let me read it again. Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and Taken by force to make him King. He departed again to the mountain by himself alone.

And now when evening would came His disciples went down to the sea got into the boat and went over to the sea Toward Capernaum and it was already dark and Jesus had not come to them. This is the setting.

That's the setting. As a result of Jesus's miracle, which we've already previously looked at the fourth miracle that the people wanted to make Jesus a bread King they wanted to take him by force, by the way.

That was their plan, but it wasn't God's plan and Jesus supplied the needs as in the miracles we net well know of of the people and He looked upon them as a shepherd.

Having.

Looking upon sheep as a shepherd having no Guidance. He was moved with compassion and What did he do? He multiplied the two fish and the five barley loaves and there was a miracle in this and it multiplied and it fed.

Literally 5 ,000 the scripture tells us 5 ,000 men, but there was more than just 5 ,000 men here there was women and You could probably say another close to 5 ,000. That would give it to up to 10 ,000 and if you were to multiply the children you can easily count up to pretty much probably a guesstimation of up to 20 ,000 people.

That's how many that was fed here and As he fed them and multiplied the two fish and the five barley loaves. They saw his power. They saw his authority. They saw his provision that only God Could provide in such a way through this wonderful miracle.

It met a physical need and Jesus's miracles always points not just to the physical but he would always point the truth to a spiritual need. Really? That was why the miracle takes place. Jesus always wanted to and desired to point them to the spiritual rather than just a mere physical.

But these people only wanted Jesus Christ only for one reason for their own benefit. They had no plans to follow him As the Messiah and as the master they wanted him just as a benefit their own selfish benefit to supply their own selfish needs.

Their own spirit of physical needs. John MacArthur notes this in his commentary. Quote. The reason Jesus dismissed the disciples here and withdrew from the crowd into a mountain. Alone was because of his supernatural knowledge of their intention to make him king.

Now listen to this in light of his healing and feeding of them the crowd incited by mob enthusiasm was ready to proceed with Crassly political intentions that would have jeopardized God's will in quote.

And how true this is? It would have jeopardized God's will but Jesus knew. And with that being said I want you to think of this. Jesus was not moved by such appeals of the flesh. He knew it was not God's will and Jesus did everything in his life according directly all by the will of the Father.

If the Father showed him he did it. He did it exactly What the Father said and he said that He was come to do the Father's business and God's will God's desires. And Again, he was not moved by such appeals of the flesh to vanity and to any pride whatsoever of the flesh.

He knew and realized that he had come into the world and he know he knew his mission. To seek and to save the lost. This is why he came was to be a Savior. He came to be a Savior.

And.

What was that? How was that to happen? He was to die as to substitute Lamb of God upon the cross of Calvary. That was his mission folks. That's why he came into the world. We should never lose sight of that.

Beware today there is a gospel and it's growing by the crowds and by the numbers that it is a it is a gospel and we talked about it this morning in Sunday school that it is a gospel of a crown without a cross.

But I'm here to tell you if there's missing the cross There's no crown. There must be a cross first and there's no bypassing the cross Jesus said and he made it very clear. He says if we were to follow him we're to deny ourselves take up our cross and Follow him.

That sounds very simple. But folks I'm telling you people do not want to have that Preached or taught or lived in their lives. They want to bypass that they want to have a crown. They want to have a millennium.

They want to have all the blessings. They want to have Jesus as Savior but not Lord. They want to have the benefits but they and the blessings but they don't want to have the Lord of the benefits and the Lord of the blessing and Jesus would not have it any other way.

His mission and his passion was to go to a cross and die as The Lamb of God and he would do nothing to interfere with that objective. This is why he came and this was the mission why the father sent him to this world.

You see this in John chapter 3 and this wonderful text is always Worthy of repeating as he speaks to Nicodemus and he says this no one has ascended to heaven. But he who came down from heaven that is the Son of Man who is in heaven and as Moses Lifted up the serpent in the wilderness Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.

And then he says this and whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. This is how it comes. It's always through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. He would not ascend to the throne.

Until first he has ascended to the altar of sacrifice on a cross. Think of that. He humbled himself. Even to the point of a death on a cross in his humility. Well, we're about to go into the Christmas season and our focus should be totally on the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But just not the Christmas season, right? It's all seasons in all seasons that he came and became he came into this world and took upon himself flesh and it became a man and He went to the cross and this is why he came he came to die as the substitute.

That's the gospel the Lamb of God the altar of sacrifice on a cross he must suffer and bleed and Die first before he would be exalted as King and God has now exalted him. Because he's risen from the dead.

He's now at the right hand of the father make an intercession for us. He's exalted as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He's alive and that assures us something. It assures us many things we are getting our salvation is guaranteed.

It's paid in full and It also tells us as a great high priest at the right hand of the father make an intercession for each and every one of you. That's going through a storm in that wonderful Jesus realized that the intent Of these people was to take him by force and make him a king.

But again, no one makes him King. He is King. No one makes him Lord he is Lord. John 2 verse 24 25 basically summarizes what they're trying to do here. Reminds us once again, but Jesus did not commit himself to them because he knew all men and Had no need that anyone should testify of man for he knew what was in man.

What's in man? Depravity. What's in man?

Wickedness.

Heart of wickedness. We need to know this when we give the gospel. We need to tell people their heart is corrupt. It's depraved. It's desperately wicked and they need God and then lead them to the cross and tell them the good news.

So as.

The latter part of this verse Says he departed again into the mountain by himself alone. That's very important because we see that Jesus has a plan here. No one's going to take him by force. Jesus went alone to the mountaintop.

Now I want to flip to Mark's gospel a little bit here. Mark's gospel fills in a few details in Mark chapter 6 verse 45 and 46 and I'd like you to hear this. Another perspective, but don't you love the four Gospels you could take these harmonies of the gospel and Let scripture interpret scripture and give us details where one evangelist Does it give and the other evangelist gives it and they give it from there.

It's the same story. They just tell it from their perspective. Mark says this and immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side to Bethsaida while he himself was sending the multitude away and after bidding them farewell.

He departed to the mountain to pray. Now now Mark tells us why he went to the mountain to pray. So the Lord basically told his disciples to get into the boat. To leave immediately because he didn't want them to get caught up in the frenzy of the crowd and think of it.

It's a big crowd. This is the height of his popularity. All a whole city was basically following the Lord and he and he wanted to protect the disciples from falling into this temptation. I want you to think of this.

He didn't want them to get caught up into this Excitement and this frenzy that the crowd was to make tried to force Christ into making him king. So Jesus knew he knew exactly in perfect wisdom how to deal with this Problem that would seem to be massive and complicated but the Lord knew exactly he's in control here folks.

Jesus is in full control. So he sends his disciples away. Jesus goes to the mountaintop to pray. How and he deals with it and then he as he sends the disciples away to the other side to the other side.

He departs to the mountain. To pray to pray why you think he's who you think he's praying for. Scripture really does it gives us details there, but would you say the disciples I? Would think that disciples.

Ain't it wonderful to know that Jesus is on the mountaintop. It's like now he's he's in heaven. He's exalted and he sees he knows all things. He sees all things and He knows how to deal with the all things and no matter what you and I are going through and here's the disciples.

He sends them way and he knows Jesus knows that a storm a violent raging storm is about to come. The disciples didn't know this and they were seasoned fishermen, but we will see in the story what happens.

Jesus was truly a man of prayer folks. His whole life was encompassed and saturated with praying and and Speaking with God the Father and should not that if we're going to be like Jesus and like our master should not we as children of the Living God be Saturating ourselves not only with the Word of God, but in prayer.

You know why because believe brother Keith mentioned this this morning what prayer is. It's basically our dependence upon God and When we're not praying we're saying we're independent of God. We can handle it ourself.

We don't need God's help and in this situation We will see what the disciples do. Let's look at the story. So as as we read through the Gospels, we will find that Jesus spent his time in communion with the Father in much prayer.

And by the way, I won't go to the scriptures this morning. But you will see as you read that there are times that Jesus even spent Whole night in prayer even in choosing the disciples. He spent all night in prayer.

Jesus.

The Son of the Living God that's so convicting to me because when I see Jesus praying I'm thinking how much more should I be praying. If Jesus spent all night praying for his disciples folks. And then when important decisions come about in our lives and no matter what it is.

Should not we be.

Prayed up should not we be in prayer to God the Father and being in tune with God and knowing what the will of God is.

And.

Then God speaks to us through the Word of God and he tells us and and I love the way do y 'all movie says in prayer God we speak to God and Then the war in opening the Word of God God speaks to us. That's ABC's one two threes folks.

But how important? Is saturating ourselves with prayer and in the Word of God. Folks there is no power in the Christian life if we are Depleting ourselves of that. It's like let me ask anyone here. How long can any of us here go a day or two without eating.

You would you know it yeah three days four days a Week I pray that no one goes a week here without human in prayer and in the Word of God you'll be depleting your body your your just not your body, but your spiritual body and The scripture says renew it day by day day by day.

We renew our mind. By the Word of God we commune with God in prayer and God Speaks to us through his word and we speak to God in prayer. That's fundamentals of Christianity. So Jesus we see him praying his disciples recognized This in his prayer life and there's even one time We don't know which disciple said this but one came and to the Lord and said Lord teach us to pray.

I love that. Doesn't say teach us to sing even though singing to the Lord's wonderful. It doesn't say teach us to preach even though preaching is God's method to preach and hear God's Word like I'm doing at the moment.

But teach us to pray. Teach us to pray Lord. That should be our hearts desire every day folks. Lord teach teach us to pray. Now going back to John's gospel chapter 6. Verse 16 says. And when the evening came His disciples went down to the sea.

Got into the boat went over to the sea toward Capernaum and it was already dark and Jesus had not come to them. It was evening Jesus had gone to the mountain along to pray and the crowd doubtless returned to their homes.

Leaving the disciples by themselves. So the disciples go down to the Sea of Galilee. To go across and as the second text says They went over the sea toward Capernaum. It was already dark the evening had come and Jesus had not come to them.

So, where was he? Where was he? He was on the mountaintop praying. Can I tell you what else this gives us a picture of? That Christ for Christ and for your encouragement for my encouragement. That they are on a raging stormy sea of life like you and I are it's pitch-black dark.

Sometimes it's hard to see where we're going, but the Lord knows. Actually in Psalm 139 there's a verse of Scripture there. It says the darkness and the light is a light to him. But see in the dark the dark is dark to us and that's when we get afraid.

Because we don't know where we're going. Lord, we can't see it, but God sees. So this is where faith comes in and Lord I may not see where I'm going. But I'm going to trust your guidance and I'm going to my ears should be attentive to hearing your voice.

God sheep knows his voice of the Shepherd. So here they are they're gonna be on the raging stormy sea of life and it's pitch-black dark. And this is where faith is made. This is where faith comes in not the panic but the trust in God and the Lord Jesus is nowhere to be seen.

But that does not mean that he's unaware of your situation. Beloved Peter says we love him because even though we have not seen him we love him. He's in heaven. And by the way again a good reminder. He's at the father's right hand and as I've already mentioned he's making intercession for his own.

He is praying for those whom he loves. Romans 8 34. Who is he? Who condemns? Listen to this it is Christ who died and Furthermore it is is also risen who is even at the right hand of God. Who also makes intercession for us.

This reminds me of Robert Murray McShane as you well know that godly man McShane. Put it this way if I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room. I Would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference.

He is praying for me.

I.

Mean I would not fear a million enemies Because I know Christ is praying for me praise God Hebrews 7 25. Therefore He's able also to save forever those who draw dear to God Through him since he always lives.

See he's living. He always lives to make what intercession.

For us.

He's pleading your case the great high priest The Savior the king of glory the king of kings the Lord of Lords all powers given unto him. He's in full control folks. Have your eyes fixed on Jesus even though it may be dark.

But know that he's there. We'll find out how the disciples dealt with that. So our first point is there there's this there's the setting. Let's go to the next. We've seen the setting. Now we're going to come on the storm Verse 18 and 19.

The Storm on the Sea of Galilee

Let's look at the storm. Verse 18 says then the sea arose because of a great wind was blowing. We stop right there. Let me tell you a little bit about the Sea of Galilee. Since Is situated below sea level by the way.

It's below sea level it's like a bowl and Hills surround it. What does that cause it causes winds can travel up the valley of the Jordan River in that part of Israel at great speeds. Get that it's like in a bowl and and the when the winds come great speeds come through there of the wind.

It's boisterous. It's powerful and not only that I've read that even cold air can suddenly come rushing down from the mountains. Surrounding the Sea of Galilee and collide with warm moist air rising from the surface of the water.

So, what does that cause that causes like a turbulence a Typhoon a bolster is powerful raging storm. So the get the Sea of Galilee was also relatively shallow. It's not very deep. So the waters can become stirred up very quickly because of the shallowness.

It's interesting in it those details geographically kind of Helps us out a little bit about how these storms would come on the Sea of Galilee and this kind of gives us an idea what kind of storm these disciples were in.

So trouble with a capital T was definitely there. This storm must have taken the disciples by surprise, even though these men were not novice fishermen. They were very seasoned fishermen. Jesus sends them away.

But Jesus knew exactly what he was doing and he knew a storm was coming and he ordained that storm. It might have taken the disciples by surprise, but it did it take Jesus by surprise. I Don't think so.

I don't think so. Not at all. Actually again, Jesus knew all along the situation. I Want you to keep that in mind? No matter what storm you in at this present what trial that you're in how? How the storm is blasting hard on your life.

Jesus is in full control of that. He knows exactly he's ordained it. He's ordained it. This is a test. For the disciples, this is a test for us. This is a test. This is an exam. This is an examination.

He was testing their faith. That's what he's testing. He's testing their faith to see if they would learn the lessons and what what is he testing for if they have learned the lessons? He was teaching them and had come to a true understanding of who he was and it was the lesson of the multiplying of the fish and the loaves.

That's the purpose of the exam and for the disciples and so it is. For us who follow the Lord Jesus Christ as well. Well, let's go to the third point. The Savior who saves. The Savior who saves. We see this in verse 19 to verse 21.

First of all, let me read verse 19 and when they had rolled about three or four miles. It's very specific. How many miles they rolled. I would say if you roll with oars. That many miles is possibility those blisters on their hands.

I'm sure that they were pretty worn out and tired. The disciples has rolled about three or four miles from a human standpoint they were in a really great danger, but. But at the right moment God's always on time.

God's time is always perfect, isn't it in. In the midst of the storm and they looked up and look what's the text saying they saw Jesus Walking on the sea and drawing near the boat and They were afraid.

Well, here's the miracle. He comes to them walking on the water. Arthur again says the Son of God who made the world was in control of its forces and in this case He suspended the law of gravity. No one's ever done that except for Peter and he allowed Peter to do that.

And you know the story of that. What happened? What happened in that situation. Peter was actually walking on the water and then he began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus. And he got his eyes on what the storm.

That's a lesson for us, isn't it? We should never ever take our eyes off Jesus if you get your eyes on your Circumstances and on the storm you're going to sink folks. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. The author and finisher for your faith he'll see you through it.

He'll see you through every storm. That's the miracle. Jesus comes walking on the water. The Son of the Living God was walking on the water. Just like we walk on this floor.

With ease.

Walking on the Sea of Galilee. And the scripture tells us they were afraid now. Why were they were afraid they were frightened? Again, Mark's gospel gives us these details folks. Mark says this. He came to them walking on the sea and he intended to pass them by them.

He intended to pass by them, but when they saw him Walking on the sea they supposed that it was a ghost a phantom and they cried out they were afraid they thought it was a ghost. For they all they all saw him and they were frightened.

Now, I don't know about you at times. I'm pretty afraid of the dark. If I can't see where I'm going, but I'm tell would you be afraid if you thought something coming toward you like a ghost or a phantom?

It would make the hair stand up on my head.

I.

Mean honestly, come on. Am I alone? That would be scary and pitch-black dark. Amen. Well again Jesus his timings perfect, isn't he? As always he comes to them. And you know what? I love about this. He comes to them at the darkest hour.

This was the fourth watch of the night. That was between 3 a .m. To 6 a .m. Our time. That's the darkest hour folks. You may be in a dark hour. But Jesus will come walking on the water at the fourth hour of the night and he's right on time.

And if they couldn't see him and they thought it was a phantom the next Thing that is said here Is something absolutely? Perfectly time and now I want to notice how simply the story is told. I love the way John tells that the most amazing facts are being told to us and John did not use big fancy words folks To impress us with the greatness of what was taking place.

Don't you love that about the Gospels?

Don't you love that about the Word of God?

So why did the disciples respond in such a way they did they were frightened to almost to death? And for one they were not expecting him. They didn't expect Jesus really and they failed to pray. I really believe that was the case here.

They failed to pray to trust in God and the power and the authority of The Son of God to meet their needs to rescue him in a second. I believe and This is interesting. You see this in Mark 6 52. This is not me.

Which says their hearts were hardened. I want you to think of that for a second. Their hearts were hardened. So in other words there was unbelief here. They were not believing they were not praying they were not trusting.

Is that is it that what happens when we're in the storm and out of all times for us to harden our hearts? That's when we should be soft on our hearts and submitting to God and saying Oh Lord. It is you Oh Lord that can rescue you me only you can rescue me only you I call upon.

You are the Lord God and you I can trust you are my shield. You're my buckler. You are my all-in-all no one else. The arm of flesh will let you down. We don't trust in chariots and horses as David says, but we will trust in the name of the Lord our God.

I'm telling you folks God is the source of all of it. He has all authority. He is all-powerful. He's all-knowing and is through the Lord Jesus Christ. He always knows where we are and he loves us. He cares.