Parallel verses: Mark 6: 45-52, John 6: 15-21
22 Immediately Jesus [a]made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now [b]in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, [c]“Be of good cheer! [d]It is I; do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw [e]that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 Then those who were in the boat [f]came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
After the feeding of the five thousand which was a great miracle that many people witnessed, Jesus sends the crowd away and went to the mountain alone while His disciples immediately got into the boat, but still many stayed and was determined to set him up as a king of the Jews that would liberate them from the Roman Empire.
John 6:14-15, Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
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.
God's plan is to set-up a spiritual kingdom in the heart of the believers and not a worldly (military and political) kingdom which the Jews expects of the Messiah.
Application:
1. Christians are not exempted with problems and sufferings. Verse 24.
Sometimes in our Christian Life we feel that God is far away or unwilling to help us in struggles (financial problems, pressures in life, and our weaknesses)with the people around us and even to ourselves.
We feel like we're isolated and God seems to be silent.
In fact, Christianity is a victorious life of many trials and sufferings, yet God allows these unpleasant things to come into our lives for different reasons. One reason is to test our faith in Him, resulting in the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore we should embrace our trials positively because of the good outcome it produces in our lives, no matter how hard or painful the experiences.
James 1:2-4, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
2. God's perfect timing is not the same as ours
Verse 25, That's why we should not loose our heart if our prayers are not answered right away or the way we expect it.
Sometimes we pray for immediate response from God because we need it urgently, and no response from God, no signs of our prayers being granted and we feel discouraged and loose hope.
Remember the story of Lazarus, He was informed about the condition of Lazarus, But Jesus waited 3 more days after Lazarus death because He has a great plan, making sure that Lazarus is really dead and stinky, because He would resurrect Lazarus that some of the people there would believe in Him to the Messiah.
Isaiah 55: 8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
3. Our God is the God of the impossible. Verse 25-27.
God is able to do great and mighty things in the life of the believer.
God is above all trials and difficulty, defying the natural laws that He establish just to full fill His plans
4. Have faith and focus in Jesus and not on our circumstances.
Hebrews 12:1,2Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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.
God's plan is to set-up a spiritual kingdom in the heart of the believers and not a worldly (military and political) kingdom which the Jews expects of the Messiah.
Application:
1. Christians are not exempted with problems and sufferings. Verse 24.
Sometimes in our Christian Life we feel that God is far away or unwilling to help us in struggles (financial problems, pressures in life, and our weaknesses)with the people around us and even to ourselves.
We feel like we're isolated and God seems to be silent.
In fact, Christianity is a victorious life of many trials and sufferings, yet God allows these unpleasant things to come into our lives for different reasons. One reason is to test our faith in Him, resulting in the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore we should embrace our trials positively because of the good outcome it produces in our lives, no matter how hard or painful the experiences.
James 1:2-4, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
2. God's perfect timing is not the same as ours
Verse 25, That's why we should not loose our heart if our prayers are not answered right away or the way we expect it.
Sometimes we pray for immediate response from God because we need it urgently, and no response from God, no signs of our prayers being granted and we feel discouraged and loose hope.
Remember the story of Lazarus, He was informed about the condition of Lazarus, But Jesus waited 3 more days after Lazarus death because He has a great plan, making sure that Lazarus is really dead and stinky, because He would resurrect Lazarus that some of the people there would believe in Him to the Messiah.
Isaiah 55: 8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
3. Our God is the God of the impossible. Verse 25-27.
God is able to do great and mighty things in the life of the believer.
God is above all trials and difficulty, defying the natural laws that He establish just to full fill His plans
4. Have faith and focus in Jesus and not on our circumstances.
Hebrews 12:1,2Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
