Don't Go Through Your Storm Alone! John 6:16-24

 John 6:16-24

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, 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.

In Matthew and Mark's version of this story, Jesus told the disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. In those versions, then Jesus went up on a mountainside to pray. Since the disciples were fishermen this would not have been an odd request, especially since they had fished on the Sea of Galilee before. It also wasn't unusual for the wind to gust up quickly on this sea because of its location. 

“The Sea of Galilee is six hundred feet below sea level, in a cuplike depression among the hills. When the sun sets, the air cools; and as the cooler air from the west rushes down over the hillside, the resultant wind churns the lake. Since the disciples were rowing toward Capernaum, they were heading into the wind; consequently, they made little progress.” (Tenney)

But despite all of this, it still must have been quite a shock to see Jesus walking on the water towards them in the middle of the night, probably between 3 am and 6 am. In fact. the text says it frightened these burly fishermen. Mark tells us that it seemed as if Jesus were a ghost, and that he was going to walk right on past them. 

This is the second time Jesus had been in a boat with the disciples on the Sea of Galilee when a storm kicked up. In that story Jesus was sleeping and woke up and calmed the wind and the waves. In this scene Jesus was not with them, but instead called them to "receive" him. When Jesus greeted them he said, "Don't be afraid it is I!" .

Then something miraculous happened. Though they had rowed only about halfway across the lake, the text says, "Immediately they reached the other side." Without Jesus they were frustrated, frightened and straining at the oars. With Jesus in the boat their fears were allayed, and they reached the other side quickly and safely. 

"One could say that Jesus rescued His disciples from frustration and futility. Jesus wants us to work hard; but He never wants us to work in futility. Their work had not been a waste, but it waited for the touch of divine power and presence." (Guzik)

When has Jesus met you in the storms of your life? Were you able to receive his supernatural help, or did you try to keep rowing yourself? Is there a storm brewing on the horizon in your life, or are you in the middle of a storm? Can you visualize Jesus coming to you in the middle of your storm saying, "It is I, don't be afraid."? With Jesus by your side, you can get to the other side of your strom quickly!