Walk on Water

Few points here-

1. Jesus is in the business of Sending

• So Jesus gets done doing the miracle of the loaves and fishes- and says to his disciples ‘get out there on your own- go over to Bethsaida, I’ll follow up’
• There’s a balance here in the NT where Jesus is empowering the disciples to go and preach the Kingdom of God on their own, but under his power and authority depending on him.
• An interdependence between the two- empowered yet physically alone
• ⁴⁵ Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.
• Jesus had recently sent out the disciples on their own “two by two” v7 under his authority
• Jesus sending people without him is to teach them that they have the same authority that he does and that they should walk and operate in his authority.
• The only way the Gospel is going to go forward is if the disciples are preaching it. Jesus cannot do it alone. “greater things shall you do”
• Jesus demonstrates this dependence to the disciples- John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
• Jesus is operating under the power of Father God while being a man- 100pct God 100pct Man
• Demonstrates to the disciples the role of the sent- to do The fathers will under his power

• What does it mean to you?
• Jesus is always sending you somewhere and you’re supposed to Go where he tells you
• Acts 13:47 For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,
• That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
• That’s our job. That’s what were supposed to be doing. We are supposed to be being a light
• It doesn’t matter your age, your education, your physical status. This is what you’re told to do
• The goal of following Jesus has never been for you to sit around and talk about how awesome you are- its to go around and tell people how awesome God is
• Romans 10:13-14 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
• Sometimes sending is going somewhere big but sometimes it somewhere small.
• He may just tell you to serve in the Church- change jobs- Stay at a church-
• When I was in the army- Doesn’t matter the order- they own you. Overseas- really only 1 patient but worth it for him. Doing what I was told- not worried about the details.
• Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

1. Jesus doesn’t always deliver right away
   • ⁴⁶ And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.
   • Understand this- Jesus knows exactly what he’s doing and exactly what’s going to happen, but he sees prayer as the plan in this situation. Going to the mountain to pray is a plan
   • Jesus knew that the disciples would be OK in the midst of the storm. He prayed them through
   • ⁴⁷ Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and Hewasalone on the land. ⁴⁸ Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.

• All night long these dudes were rowing against the waves. Jesus just let them row against it. Water crashing- water coming into the boat. Jesus was completely comfortable with letting them struggle.
• Romans 5:3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
• When these disciples had been struggling for a while- Jesus wasn’t worried. He wasn’t concerned about what was going to happen. He wasn’t struggling with the outcome.
• Here’s a interesting part of the story “and would have passed them by”

• Apparently Jesus original intention wasn’t even to save them in their distress but to just pass by them so they could see his glory and his diety
• Much like God passed by Moses READ Exodus 33:20-23
• Jesus intended to pass by them, not to sneak by, but so they would see him ‘pass by’ walking on the water and give them evidence of his deity. (In Mark 4:41 who then is this?”)
• The phrase “meant to” in the ESV and RSV is also translated “would have” in the KJV.
• Jesus was diverted by their evident distress from his purpose of following and overtaking the disciples in the morning on the other shore;
• It would seem Jesus wanted to pass them by, but their state of distress caused him to reconsider his plans.
• What does it mean to you?
• You may be going through something, but understand that Jesus intercedes for us in our struggles
• Just because you are going through something doesn’t mean that God has forgotten about you or that the struggle isn’t going to eventually end
• Every struggle eventually ends.

• 2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
• Jesus is fine with you going through something- you may have been rowing all night, thinking you are going to die, but you aren’t going to die. You just may feel like you’re doing to die
• Embrace the suck. You will learn through your rowing if you realize that Jesus is interceding for you
• Many times I see people that are going through something trying to get themselves out of it
• Instead of realizing that God may be teaching you something through your struggle
• This is why kids whose parents rescue them from every calamity are not well adjusted-
• I know a rich kid. Everytime he went through something either bailed out or got to quit
• Now in adult life, can’t even hold a job or provide for his family. Keeps waiting to bail out/quit
• Here’s the other part of it though-
• Notice that part of the story is that Jesus original intent wasn’t even to help them- just for them to see him. To Jesus- simply seeing his diety should have been enough to encourage them to continue on
• But they cried out to him! Even though they thought he was a Ghost- they still cried out to him
• Are you crying out to God in your distress or just rowing through the waves waiting for daybreak?
• From this story I think we can see that it is Gods power and our dependence that work in Concert- when we Cry out to God in our distress, he answers us! These guys redirected Jesus!

1. Jesus gets in the boat
   • ⁵¹ Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.⁵² For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.
   • Here’s where the story gets good- Notice- the original intent of Jesus was just to merely pass by them to show that he was God- that they could see his glory-
   • But now- he is redirected by the cries of his disciples- they WANT JESUS and he MOVES
   • The presence of Jesus originally was for them to see him- but he SAVES THEM
   • He comes directly into their situation- calms the storm- and gets in the boat WITH THEM
   • We serve a God that gets in the boat with his disciples that are afraid
   • Hebrews 4:15For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all pointstempted as we are, yet without sin.

• Jesus didn’t just merely show them that he was God and then leave them on their own- no he comes directly into their peril and save them from their circumstance- why? Because they called out to him!
• This is a picture of the cross- Philippians 2:7-8 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross
• Many a time people will be in the stormy boats of their life- see God- know he’s there and refuse to call out to him
• I can’t describe to you how many times I have seen people who know truth not appropriate it
• What does it mean to you?
• Call out to the God that gets into the boat with you! He will calm your storm and join with you!
• Isaiah 53: 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
• Don’t be the person who doesn’t call out to God in the midst of their trials
• When we call out to God- he hears us and he responds! But we must call out to him

• Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
• Here’s a real part about what was happening here- these are the same chuckleheads that just saw the miracle of the loaves and fishes
• They just got done seeing the miracle of miracles but they still couldn’t see that it was GOD why?
• Because their hearts were hardened. They had become spiritually dead to the things of God
• Do you sit in here and not see God? Do you spend more time thinking about the mechanics instead of the miracles?
• Ephesians 4:18 ¹⁸ having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
• Hebrews 3:8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness,
• Rebellion hardens hearts- quit being rebellious. Quit fighting God. Do what he says. Call out to him.
• Its very easy to get a hardened heart- to stop seeing God in the midst of him moving don’t do that