A Study of the Book of John

“That You May Believe”

Sermon # 19 

 “Where Is Jesus In the Storm?”

John 6:15-21

       Recently Paul Bradshaw interviewed Rick Warren (CNN Interview – April, 2005), author of the “The Purpose Driven Life” book and pastor of Saddleback Church in California.

       Rick Warren said, “… Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
       God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth,

but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
       This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer. I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
       Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.”
       In our text this morning Jesus has just finished a long day of ministry, of teaching amidst the press of immense crowds, and the Lord was now exhausted. So as the day drew to a close Jesus having obtained a boat to cross the lake, commanded His disciples to enter to the boat and cross to the other side. In obedience to his command they hoisted the sail and began the five mile trip across the lake.

        When very unexpectedly and seemingly without warning, they were in the midst of a terrible storm. Matthew uses the word (seismos -literally earthquake) to describe the storm. This was no ordinary breeze blowing - this was like a hurricane! Luke writes here that the storm was so bad that the ship was full of water. Mark wrote in his account of this story that the waves were beating the ship that it was full of water. Matthew in his account said that the waves covered the ship. So, you see that this was one serious storm that was going on. They had a crisis on their hands. The ship was full of water, the waves were as high as the boat and they felt that they were headed for the bottom of the sea..
       We pick up with the story in John 6:15, “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. (16) Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, (17) got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. (18) Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. (19) So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. (20) But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” (21) Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.”

        As one sits in an air conditioned and comfortable auditorium even on a cold and wet winter’s morning, it is easy to think good thoughts about the world outside. But you know how life is; there can be and probably will be darker, more difficult days than this.
       This story in the life of Jesus and His disciples, in the boat upon the sea, conveys that other world, a world where storms rise up out of nowhere and life itself is put at peril. If you have had something happen in your life that shook you to your very core, then you understand what I am talking about. When those storms come the once calm lake of our life becomes a storm tossed, angry, and raging sea. This is a story about that. When the physician comes back with a bad report or when you are startled in the night by a late telephone call and the voice on the other end says, “I am afraid I have some bad news!” Then the waves begin to beat and the boat seems as if it is sinking and you wonder “Where Is Jesus When Storms!” In answer to that question I want to share with you from this biblical story - Three Truths about the Storms of Life. 

First, Storms Come As A Part Of Every Life!

The whole point of the story and of the parable is that storms happen. The truth is that no one gets through life without experiencing storms, no one!!! In fact most lives contain more than one storm that threatens our sense of well-being. Storms come in many forms

·        The storm of illness – sudden or prolonged.

·        The storm of death – death of someone you love.

·        The storm of rejection – separation or divorce.

·        The storm of unjust criticism

·        The storm of family problems  

An analysis of the storms in our lives reveals that sometimes they are brought on by our own stupidity or our sin. Sometimes they are caused by one’s own bad decisions. But they may be caused by the actions of someone else. At times they just seem to happen and we have no idea why.

Not only Do Storms Come As A Part Of Every Life but ….. 

Second, Storms Come Even In the Center of God’s Will.

Are you in a storm right now? You may be thinking to yourself, “Lord, what have I done to deserve this?” It may be that you have not done anything wrong! The problem may be that perhaps you thought or have even been taught that life would be smooth sailing with Jesus in your life. You thought with Jesus in your life, there would be no storm, no unmanageable waves and certainly no cause for fear. But the problem is that is just not true. And if you have lived very long you know that it is not true, based on your own experience. But perhaps you thought, “Then there must be something wrong with me!” The truth is that Jesus does not teach this or promise this.
       “Even when believers follow Christ’s bidding, they may face hardships. For example, Jesus’ disciples were doing God’s will when they took Him across the lake, for he had commanded them to do so. Yet they were buffeted by a dreadful tempest, and they seemed to be in danger of drowning.” [Our Daily Bread, Feb. 16]

        You can find a storm and be right in the center of God’s will. The disciples did. Notice that the disciples were in the midst of a storm not because they had disobeyed, but because they had obeyed. I Matthew’s account of this story (Matt 14:22) he tell us that Jesus “made his disciples get into the boat.” The word “made” (or “constrained” in the KJV) means “compelled.” In other words the disciples were where they were, in the middle of a storm, in direct obedience to a command of the Lord. But how can that be?  

        Even though the disciples had no way of knowing it, during those terrible moments, that storm was divinely appointed vehicle to teach them about God and his power in their lives. Without difficulties, without trials, with-out stresses and even failures, we would never grow to be what the Lord wants us to become. Without adversity, we would be insufferably self-centered, one-dimensional, proud and empty people. Faith must be tested before it can be trusted.

James tells us the purpose of trials is to test and deepen our faith. James 1:2-3, tells us in (1:2-3) “Dear Brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything” (NLT).

Not only Do Storms Come Even In the Center of God’s Will but….. 

Third, Storms Are Not A Sign Of The Absence Of The Lord. (6:16-21)

“His disciples went down to the sea (17) got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. (18) Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.”

 Perhaps to the disciples, the fact that the Lord was not with them seemed to indicate that he was either unconcerned or unaware of their plight. Does Jesus know? Does He care? We sometimes mistakenly conclude that we are alone, that no one, not even God, knows what is happening in our lives and how we are feeling.

Isn’t it true that we feel like that at times? When we are in the midst of a crisis of one form or another it sometimes seems that Jesus doesn’t care, He just does not seem to be interested or concerned with what we are going through.        

Dazed the disciples looked around trying to understand what was happening. 

·        Jesus Sees.

            Storms do not escape the Savior’s notice. As Jesus sat on the mountainside over-looking the sea, He saw His disciples laboring franticly in the storm tossed waters. He saw not only their physical battle with the elements but He also saw their inner battle with fear. He had not forgotten them. He was not too busily engaged in prayer to think of them. Jesus was lovingly looking on. He knew what they were up against, and He was watching. But He did not make things easy for them and He does not make things easy for us. He let’s us row our own boat and fight our own battles but he is always aware of what we are going through. 

·        Jesus Cares.

       Beyond the fact that Jesus saw what His disciples were going through He also cared deeply about what they were going through. His compassion caused Him to come to where they were and reassure them. 

      As Jesus sat on the mountainside He could see His disciples toiling and rowing helplessly, yet he delayed coming to them. He knew their thoughts, he even knew they were wondering where he was and why He chose to let the storm batter them for a while. Finally he did come to them. But why did He delay? We of course cannot say for sure but we see a similar occasion in John 11. This is the story of Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary. Lazarus was sick and his sisters sent for Jesus but Jesus delayed and allowed him to die. When he finally came Lazarus’ sisters pleaded with Jesus, “Lord if you had been here this would not have happened.” (John 11:21) When the Lord delays coming to us, it is always so that so greater purpose can be worked out in our lives.

But as we have already seen, God has never promised our lives would be empty of pain, disappointment, or storms. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not teaching the truth of the Bible. What God does promise is resources to journey through the raging waters. Soaked and no doubt shivering, terrified to the core, the men had strained to keep the boat headed into the wind. They just knew that the next wave would take them to the bottom. Faith was being paralyzed by fear. They were afraid that all of them, would die. There were of course, wrong, but so are we when we panic during difficult times. In reality their problem was not the storm around them but the unbelief within them.  

·        Jesus Comes.  (6:19-21)

“So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. (20) But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” (21) Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.”

       Jesus came to His disciples during the darkest part of the night, when the disciples were exhausted, miserable and tired, and wondering if they were going to survive or not! Only then did the Lord come.

“We should also reflect that Jesus comes to us in ways we do not expect. When the disciples were tossed about on that boat there is little doubt that some of them at any rate thought, ‘If only Jesus were with us!’ That would be just what was needed. He would find some way of seeing them through. But when he came in a way that they did not expect, and instead of welcoming his appearance they were frightened. And is that not sometimes our experience as well….. One thing is certain. The Christian way is full of surprises, and Christ constantly comes to us in ways that we do not anticipate. Unless we welcome him, however he comes, our spiritual experience will always be the poorer.” [Leon Morris. Reflections on the Gospel of John. (Peabody, Mass.:Hendrickson Pub., 1988) p. 219]

       You may know the Lord but you will never know him deeply until He has come to you in middle of one of the storms of life.

        In the lives of the disciple’s the absence or presence of faith was revealed in the traumas of life. So it is with us as well. It is the storms of life that our faith is revealed. It is the crises of life which reveals our faith.  It is at such times that we face a three-fold challenge, to worry, to work or to trust.

When difficulties come we can choose to worry, but we all know deep down that changes nothing. When faced with adversity we can try harder, and harder until we see that there is nothing more we can do and we are forced to conclude that it is absolutely out of our control. Or we can call to the Lord and ask for His help.

Peter invites us in (1 Peter 5:7) “Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking of you and watching everything that concerns you.” (The Living Bible). Jesus longs for us to put or trust in Him – the only One who can take us through the storm - not around, not over, but through. People say, “God doesn’t care about me, he doesn’t care that I am going through such a hard time, he doesn’t care.” But that is just not true.         

Conclusion

Are you going through a storm in you life right now? If so, then understand this, He sees what you are going through. You can believe that, you can rely on that. He not only sees, but he cares and if you will call, help is on the way!       

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