BIG IDEA:
THE PRESENCE OF THE MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE SHOULD CALM ALL FEARS AND ACCOMPLISH ALL OBJECTIVES
(:16-17a) INTRODUCTION: SOMETIMES JESUS ASKS US TO DO THINGS WE DON’T WANT TO DO
“Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum.”
Check out the Synoptic Gospel accounts – the disciples did not want to get into the boat without Jesus and set off without Him.
I. (:17b-19a) DIFFICULTIES CAN QUICKLY MULTIPLY OUT OF OUR CONTROL
A. (:17b) Difficulty of Darkness – Fighting Limited Vision
“And it had already become dark”
Not like modern times where you just turn on a bunch of powerful searchlights.
B. (:17c) Difficulty of Non-Arrival of Jesus – Fighting Decreasing Confidence
“and Jesus had not yet come to them”
Apparently they had been taking a course rowing close to shore, expecting at any time to meet up with Jesus and take Him on board. Was Jesus spending time in prayer interceding for the disciples?
C. (:18) Difficulty of Storm on the Waters – Fighting Natural Elements
“And the sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing”
Things were getting out of control in a hurry.
D. (:19a) Difficulty of Not Making Expected Progress – Fighting Frustrated Expectations
“When therefore they had rowed about three or four miles”
II. (:19b-21) ONLY THE PRESENCE OF JESUS CAN CALM THE STORMS OF LIFE, QUIET OUR FEARS AND TAKE US WHERE WE NEED TO GO
A. Vision Correction – no problem with darkness for some reason
“they beheld Jesus walking on the sea”
B. Arrival of Jesus – should be immediate confidence boost
“drawing near to the boat”
C. Overcoming Their Natural Fears
“and they were frightened. But He said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ they were willing therefore to receive Him into the boat”
Synoptics stress how He calmed the wind and the sea
Sounds like there might have been somewhat of an issue of whether or not they should receive Him into the boat? Did Jesus actually choose to get into the boat or did He just convey the boat to shore? Synoptics report He got into the boat.
D. Objective Instantly Realized
“and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.”