John: The Wave Treader
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Exegetical Point: Jesus has power over creation, and can rescue his people.
Homiletic Point: Go with Jesus, Receive Jesus and Seek Jesus on His Terms.
Intro
Intro
Have you ever tried walking on water? It’s good fun to have a go. Maybe next time you’re swimming at Blue Pools you can give it a try!
What happens when you try to walk on water?
What happens if you try to go really really fast?
What if you are really really gentle, and just softly put your foot on the water?
Now imagine trying to walk on water while the wind is blowing hard and there are waves all over the place! Even if you could walk on water, trying to walk on waves that are constantly moving and chopping and changing would be really hard!
But, that’s what Jesus did. He did the Impossible! He walked across the Sea of Galilee. On his own two feet. There were a whole bunch of witnesses who saw him do it!
Jesus is the man who fed the 5000 with 5 loaves and two fish, and he is also the one who can walk on water, calm the waves and bring his disciples home to safe harbor.
Kids, Jesus can do amazing things to save you! He doesn’t promise there will never be tough times, but he does promise to be with us, and to bring us safely home to the place he has prepared for those who love him.
Now, we’re going to keep studying this passage, and I invite you to see if you can follow along. You can colour in the pictures, or draw pictures of some of the things we’re talking about. If you can write, see if you can write down the three applications I’m going to talk about!
3 Applications from this short passage. Sometimes when we come to look at the scriptures we want to make applications from texts that are a bit of a stretch, we see things that are not there. So I invite you to look at it with me at this amazing story, and if my application is fairly represented by the text. At the very least it will act as a launch pad for clear scriptural application.
Where are we up to in the story? (map!)
We’re well into the Body of John’s Gospel now. Written that you may believe and have eternal life!
John is unfolding a series of miraculous signs that Jesus did, and interspersed between them he records discussions or speeches from Jesus. All aimed at revealing to us (the reader/hearer) who Jesus is and why we should trust in him.
Last week we saw that Jesus and his disciples had been over on the eastern side in a remote place and the crowds had followed Jesus there because of the signs and wonders he performed.
Jesus used this as a teaching opportunity, asking the disciples to feed the 5000 men in the wilderness. They were utterly incapable!
So Jesus performed a miracle, taking 5 loaves & two fish and feeding them all. Like Moses who (through God’s power) fed the Israelites in the wilderness wanderings with bread and meat from heaven.
The people rightly understood that Jesus was the New Prophet promised of old, but they tried to take things into their own hands, as we see at the end of the previous passage:
After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
So Jesus disappears to God pray. Once again, he is like Moses who would commune with God on the mountain top.
Go where Jesus sends you
Go where Jesus sends you
This is the first application from our text.
Our story pick up as almost a little interlude from the rest of ch 6. Most of the chapter focuses on the the miracle of the Bread from Heaven - but this story out on the lake is a little side story.
Why is it here?
TBH IDK. I haven’t quite figured it out.
Maybe John felt the need to include it because the other Gospels record this as well.
Maybe it’s because it’s another teaching moment with the disciples, like the feeding of the 5000.
Maybe it’s because it sets up the rest of the chapter, explaining why half of it takes place on one side of the Lake, and half on the other.
The writers of the Bible were always making choices on what to include and what to leave out (after all John told us there was a lot he left out!). Sometimes it is worth asking why specific details are included, but at the end of the day, we remember that the HS was at work, and wanted these things included to teach and instruct us in the way of Life in Jesus Christ.
What do the disciples do?
When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 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.
We know that Jesus told them to go on ahead (Matthew 14:22). They weren’t deliberately leaving Jesus behind.
What did they expect? That he might walk around the lake? Or catch a ride on another boat?
While they were on their way...
A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.
Their going was rough. They were slowed and battered. They were straining against the power of the wind and waves.
Many of us won’t even get in the boat.
We won’t even do the simple thing required of us. Like the crowd we are camped out hoping to see Jesus do something amazing, but unwilling to heed to call of what he told us to do!
It is a great and wonderful thing to soak in the scriptures, but if they do not drive us to obey the Lord, what good is it to us?
Would we be like the man who eats all the food to nourish his body for a life of great exercises and exertion, yet we never actually go out and train? We grow fat and lazy on the rich food our Lord offers us here, without
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
GO forth in faith. Go forth in confidence! If Christ is for us who can be against us?
But where are we going? What are we doing?
Christ has not left us wondering about what he requires of us.
Many of us find ourselves making difficult life choices and we wonder what God would have us do, this is a good reflex. We should ask which way Christ would call us to go!
But then we obsess over the wrong questions: Should I take this Job or that job? Should I buy this house or that house? Should I date that person or not?
We start asking questions that Jesus has not given answers for! Jesus has not promised to provide answers to each of our life choices, but he has told us what to do.
We have pages and pages and pages of direction from our Lord. Here is revealed the God of all the world, the awful state of humanity and the plan to save His people. Here God tells us what he requires of us. Here we are shown how we should live!
To be sure, sometimes God providentially provides answers to the life questions we ask, but it is much better is we ask the right questions, with answers he has already privided!
Will this new job enable me to honor Jesus, love my family and serve the church?
Hardships will come. The Going is not smooth. You may feel as though Jesus has abandoned you out in the darkness. In the storm. Overcome by the overwhelming forces that we face!
Receive the Saviour
Receive the Saviour
Next minute, Jesus is just walking past!
When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened.
Walking on the waves - wave treader!
He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
Greater than Moses, who parted the seas, Christ walks atop the waves. God incarnate treading down chaos.
This was terror-inspiring! They were afraid, thinking they saw a spirit!
When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”
They were out in the middle of the lake. No solid ground to be found. Their fear was rising!
And Jesus spoke to them. His voice was enough.
He revealed himself to them and their terror could flee. They knew him, and loved him. And so they could reach out to receive him.
Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
“Then” Once they heard Jesus voice, then the were willing to receive him.
The terror of meeting the Lord, and the Joy of Receiving him.
As if by teleportation, they are on the other side. This could mean that the rest of the trip just breezed past quite easily when Jesus arrived. But most people think it was miraculous.
When we are far off from God, his coming is a terror for us. Like we are being stalked as prey. If you do not believe in Jesus, you should be terrified.
Yet when Jesus comes for His people, he allays their fears. He speaks to his people and comforts them.
The Church is the flock of Jesus Christ the Shepherd. He comes with both Rod and Staff. The rod is a terror to the wild beast, and the wolf in sheep’s clothing. But it is a comfort to the sheep, that they are protected and cared. The sheep know the voice of their shepherd! Jesus says:
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.
Christ died for His sheep. He made atonement for them on the cross. He took their punishment and secured victory over the grave.
He asks his sheep to receive him. He speaks, and we listen. Nothing we must do except receive him into the metaphorical boat of our lives.
He is making all things new. He is bringing in his Kingdom. While the victory is sure, there’s still ground to take back - the going will be tough before the end. Persecution, ridicule, trials and temptations.
If you are in Christ - do not be afraid when the going gets tough. When you walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Seek Jesus on His terms
Seek Jesus on His terms
The crowd goes looking for Jesus. He didn’t leave with the disciples, perhaps he got a head start on foot?
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. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 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.
Can't find Jesus, his disciples already left.
Some more folks came from Tierias, perhaps they had heard the news. and came to investigate? Let’s go find Jesus! Pile in the boats!
Good action - poor heart. They sought Jesus, but we latter find out it is only for selfish reasons. To see signs, to eat the food and to make him an earthly king.
It is vain to set our lives in search of earthly things.
Instead we are called to search for things that do not fade!
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
So What?
So What?
Go with Jesus into the storm
Receive Jesus as Rescuer
Seek Jesus on His Terms and find a great King!
References:
Carson’s Pillar Commentary on John.
Hutcheson’s commentary on John
Sermons by Richard D. Philips,
Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version. Orlando, FL; Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 2005.
Phillips, Richard D. John. Edited by Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani. 1st ed. Vol. 1 & 2 of Reformed Expository Commentary. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2014.
John Chrysostom. “Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, on the Gospel of St. John.” Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and Epistle to the Hebrews. Edited by Philip Schaff, Translated by G. T. Stupart. Vol. 14 of A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, First Series. New York: Christian Literature Company, 1889.
Hendriksen, William, and Simon J. Kistemaker. Exposition of the Gospel According to John. Vol. 1–2 of New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001.
Calvin, John, and William Pringle. Commentary on the Gospel according to John. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.