Today on Fellowship in the Word, Pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. You are, since you are precious in my sight, since you are honored and I love you. That's an insight into the nature of God. When Jesus comes in and says, I am, I'm here.
That's what he's saying. I know you're in the storm. I've seen you straining at it.
I'm right here. Such an important thing for you and I to remember. Does that give you peace? See, it should. And it should if you really know him.
If you don't really know him, you just look at the waves. Thank you for joining us today on this edition of Fellowship in the Word with Pastor Bill Gebhardt. Fellowship in the Word is the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible Church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now as once again he shows us how God's word meets our world. Let's go back to John six. This time, verse 16. The stranger the sun and this great miracle. There are several miracles here. John gives us the Reader's Digest version. This is pretty short.
First time I read it, it's like, hey, they've got to be more than this. But Matthew and Mark also, Mark six and Matthew 14, they speak of the same thing that John does. Now, remember the context of this. The context is he just fed 15 to 20 thousand people miraculously. The people are so overwhelmed by it, they want to make him king. Now, we know the pretense of the disciples are the same way.
I think they would have got into the chant, make him king, make him king, just as they would have. But notice what it says here. It says in 16. Now, when the evening came, the disciples went down to the sea after getting into the boat. Now, that's nice. John wrote that.
But it wasn't exactly that way. Mark six tells you a little bit more. It says after this, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat. Get into the boat, guys. They're like, no, no, wait, we're going to make a king here.
We're going to be behind the people. He said, you get into the boat. So they get into the boat. That's what ends up happening. Right.
The way he tells them what he wants them to do. Now, when they get into the boat, you can tell by the other accounts, they first went. Remember, they're in the north east corner of the Sea of Galilee. Took a short row to Bethsaida and then a long row over to Capernaum on the northern shore. Now, please understand one thing of all the disciples, seven of them are fishermen. So they have a lot. And remember, they only fished in the Sea of Galilee.
They know it. Storms happen all the time on the Sea of Galilee. It's 700 feet below sea level and on three sides, ribbed by mountains. Cold air rising and falling down the mountains creates all kinds of turbulent on the sea. It is known for its terrible storms to put everything else in perspective. It's shallow. And, you know, from Lake Pontchartrain, you have water that's shallow and high winds.
You get great waves. So they're they're used to that. Now, what John writes here, which is kind of interesting, is that he says then. And after getting into the boat, they started across the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark. Jesus has not yet come to them. And the sea began to be stirred up because of the strong wind that was blowing.
Wow. It's about sunset. So they get in this boat. Jesus doesn't come. He tells them to get in the boat and go. And now the wind picks up. And the storm is coming. Now, what's interesting about that is that it says in 19 right in the beginning, then when they had rode about three to four miles.
Now, we know from Matthew and Mark, it's the last watch of the night. OK, it's three o'clock in the morning to six o'clock in the morning. So they started in the water at sunset.
So now it's 10 hours later or so. And they're getting nowhere. They can't get anywhere.
So this is an amazing thing when you think about it. These are fishermen and they can't make any headway at all. They've gone three or four miles.
They have an awful long distance to go and they're not making any headway. And now they find themselves in a storm. Now. It came up as suddenly as possible. And that's the truth of most storms.
Oh, and then. I mean, they come suddenly. Think, think of the storms in your life.
Sometimes they come slowly, but how often do they come suddenly? What do you what do you do about it when you're in a storm? I mean, we've all been in hurricanes, right? So what we knew it if a big hurricanes in the Gulf, we should get a committee together and figure out how we'll handle it. Right.
That's the way you handle a storm. Let's just get together and we can stop it. Can we?
No. What's our plan? Run. Just get out of the way. Run. There's nothing we can do with the storm. That's what these disciples in that sense are kind of facing in and of themselves. That's what they're facing. This idea. There's not much you can do. Hey, if they if you want to save your marriage, that's the storm you and you realize something right away. It takes two votes.
Takes two people that want to save their marriage if you're going to save it. How many want to be healthy? Well, I'm really into that.
I'm into fitness. You see, whatever you are, vegan, whatever matters, you eat the right food, you do all the right activity, get the right amount of risk and you go in and see your doctor and he said you have stage four cancer. That's a storm. Now, what are you going to do about because you're healthy?
Not much. You see, storms are like that. They just come into our life and it's like, whoa, what do we do at this particular stage? So then John says this. When they had rode three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drying near the boat, and they were frightened.
No kidding. Now, if you read Mark and Matthew, you find something else that's a miracle. Mark says that Jesus saw them straining at the oars. Now, there's no electricity. It's a storm in the middle of the night.
And they're probably six, eight miles out. Jesus saw them straining at the oars. What does that tell you about him? You go on a pitch black night, see someone eight miles out and rowing their little boat in a storm and see if you could see him on Pontchartrain.
Straining. That's a miracle in and of itself. He said, I see they're in a storm.
That's extremely important for him, as we'll see in just a moment. And then it says he came walking on the sea. Nobody walks on water. People don't walk on water.
You walk on dirt, rocks, sand, but you don't walk on water. And he's come walking. And you ever wonder what it was like when he came walking? If it's a tremendous wind, was he leaning into the wind, you know, sort of trying to get, you think? Was he a couple inches under the surface? Remember, the wave actions like this, is he going up and down?
We don't know. But it doesn't seem like he's too excited about this. He's pretty calm about this. He just comes walking in the water because he saw them straining at the oars. The point of that is he sees you in the storm. Always. And he comes to us in the storm.
Always. Now watch. He said, it is I.
Do not be afraid. Doesn't exactly say that. It is, is ego, I me in the Greek ego, I me. You can translate it is it is I. I don't think he said it in Greek. Because the rest of John, I think he said it in Hebrew. He said, Yahweh. Yahweh.
Remember the burning bush of Moses? Moses said, who am I going to say is sending me back to Egypt? He said, you tell them Yahweh. I am that I am.
You tell them I am sent you. If God had a business card, it would say I am on it. That's his name. You see, that's what God says. My name.
I am. And John uses this term often in the same chapter near the end. You'll say, I am the good shepherd.
OK. And you say, well, it still could mean it just is that it is I. But he also says this in John. Before Abraham was. I am not before Abraham was, I was. Before Abraham was, I am. That's extremely important, showing the eternality of the son of God. He says, I am.
Interesting when you think about it. That's what God says to you and me in the storms of our life. He sees the storm, he comes to you and says, I am. What's that mean? It means he is the all powerful covenant keeping God.
That's what it means. Now, if he is the all powerful covenant keeping God who, as he says, loves you and he comes to you in your storm. Tell me why you would be afraid. You see, why would you what are you afraid of? That's a very important point to make here.
What what is it that you're afraid of? In this case. Turn with me back to Isaiah, 43, for a moment. Isaiah, 43. We see a little bit more into this principle right here.
More about the nature of God. Isaiah, 43, beginning in verse one. It says, But now, thus says the Lord, Yahweh, your creator, O Jacob, and he who formed you over Israel. Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I'll be with you. And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not get scorched.
Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God. Verse four, Since you are precious in my sight, since you are honored and I love you. That's an insight into the nature of God. When Jesus comes in and says, I am, I'm here.
That's what he's saying. I know you're in the storm. I've seen you straining at it.
I'm right here. Such an important thing for you and I to remember. Does that give you peace? See, it should. And it should if you really know him. But if you don't really know him, you just look at the waves. You see, you just look at the waves.
You might have a little faith. Remember, Matthew is the only one that says about Peter. Remember, Peter got out of the boat.
He got out. Now, what did Matthew say beforehand? Matthew said the disciples thought he might be a ghost, which in and of itself is kind of funny to me. I mean, did you know ghosts walked on water?
I mean, somehow they made that leap. It could have been a ghost. Really, whoever saw a ghost walking water. But think of Peter. Peter said, if it's you, Lord, tell me to come.
All right. And he said, come. Now, what if it's not the Lord and he told him to come? I mean, he says, if it's you, Lord, tell me to come. OK, come.
OK, I'm coming over the side. If it wasn't the Lord and he told him to come, he's at the bottom. You see, it's an interesting thought when you think about it from that point of view. But the whole point is Peter's faith wavered.
The other guys didn't have it. But what God is saying here is the fact that I've seen you straining in a storm and the fact that I'm here should be enough. If you know me.
If you know me, you have everything you need. Because if I knew him, I trust them. All you are Christians, you trust Jesus Christ to do what you know you can't do for yourself. You put your trust in him.
Jesus did on the cross what I can never do for myself. I put my trust in him. Now you get in a storm. It's like, I don't know if I want to put my trust in him.
I don't know if I can really trust them with this. You see how that is, what we do, do we see him coming and listen to him saying I am or do you see the storm? And then you start wondering things. People say to me in this way all the time, I know I'm not God. But if I were, this would be handled differently. What do you see when you make that statement?
What are you saying? I don't trust them. I can't trust them.
I see the circumstances, I can't trust them. See that's how dangerous this part really is. Now I know all of us would rather be spared the storm. And sometimes the storm is over quickly.
But sometimes it's not. But remember what Mary said with the wedding at Cana? Whatever he says, just do it. That's what happens in a storm. You see, whatever he says in the storm, just do it. That's where the peace comes from. The Bible allows you and I to pray our humanity. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane said, let this cup pass from me.
But then he said, nevertheless what? Not my will be done, but yours. So we're allowed to pray our humanity and we can. But it should always have attached to it, nevertheless Lord, not my will be done, but yours. And I have peace in that.
You see, I have peace in that. Why? Because I can trust him. Why? Because I know him. I know who he is and what he's like. That's what is said in this storm.
It's an amazing thing. So some final thoughts here. One is, he always has a purpose in our trials. Every single storm that happens in my life or yours, he has a purpose in it. He sees the end from the beginning. He tells us, I'll work all things together for good. He said, if you know me better and trust me more. He said, this would be a blessing in your life.
Secondly, he is always sovereign in our trials. Think of these guys, 15 to 20,000 people supernaturally fed. The crowd wants to make a messiah. They're all pumped up. Then they're out in the storm at night and say, I think we're all going to die.
And by the way, you say, well, how many storms do we go through? Well, think of this one. Have the disciples ever been on that lake before?
Yes. Jesus was sleeping in the hall. Remember?
They woke him up and what they say to him? We trust you, Lord. Don't you care we're dying? Don't you care we're going to perish here?
We're all going to drown. He stills the storm and says, you men of little faith. See, if you really knew Jesus and Jesus said, we're going to the other side, where are you going? If Jesus is God and he says you're going to the other side, you're going to the other side. But they didn't think about that.
They just thought about the storm. So he gave him the same kind of lesson again. Also, he always has the power to deal with our trials. It's important as he sees fit. That's the important part, as he sees fit.
And that's the part we don't like. I want him to handle my trial and my storm the way I see it. Who is the most righteous man in the Old Testament? Job. How do you know? God said so.
God said Job was the most righteous man on earth. He go through a storm. Yeah. Long. Yes.
Big cat 10. You know, I mean, unbelievable what he went through. He just questioned God. So I need to talk to you.
God never told him the reason for the storm, by the way, ever comes out of the whirlwind and basically says to Job. Who do you think you are? Why would you question me? Don't you know who I am? Where were you when I created the earth? Tell me, how can you question me?
Well, you and I would say, well, think about it. He lost 10 kids. He lost all his servants. He lost all his wealth.
He and his wife are on the rocks. He lost his health. He's on a city dump and he has some pot church scraping the source of his body. That's why.
I said, why would you question me? Job got it, repented in sackcloth and ashes. Then what happened? God blessed him, didn't he? He got everything back storm over. He got everything back. He got his wife back. He got 10 more kids. He got all his wealth back. He got all the respect from the nation.
Everything came back. Okay, now, who is the most righteous man in the New Testament apart from Jesus? John the Baptist.
How do you know? Jesus said so. He said there's no man born of a woman greater than John. And he went through a storm.
How did that work out? He was beheaded. Oh, he must have loved Job more than John as he sees fit.
You see, that's where the comfort comes from, as he sees fit. Peter went into prison. They prayed. What happened?
Doors opened. Out he goes. James, another apostle, goes into prison.
How did it work out? He didn't get out. He was executed as he sees fit. God is sovereign over this.
You see, it's okay as he sees fit should give you comfort because of who he is. And lastly, he's always present in our trials, always. The writer of Hebrews says he tells us he'll never leave us nor forsake us, no matter what. That's important for us. You remember the Great Commission. It said, go and make disciples. You know the thing. At the end of the Great Commission, it says, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
That doesn't mean too much to us. But there was a missionary in Central Africa. His name was David Livingston.
Remember Dr. Livingston, I suppose, when they were trying to find Dr. Livingston? He spent mostly his adult life in Africa. When you read his biography, what he went through was horrific, just horrific. I think most of us would have left Africa 20 times because of what he went through. He stayed. And he said the reason that he stayed was the end of the Great Commission. He said, the reason I stayed is he told me, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
I'm right here with you. You see, it gave Livingston tremendous comfort. Why? Because he knew God. He knows Jesus Christ.
And so that gave him comfort through the tremendously difficult storm. So he always has a purpose in your trials. He's always sovereign over your trials. He always has the power to deal with your trials as he sees fit. And he's always present in your trials. That's what this miracle teaches us. He uses the trials and storms of our lives so that we can know him better so that we will trust him more.
Let's pray. Father, this is one of those lessons, at least for me, that is easy to understand and very hard to apply. On a certain level, it makes sense to me, Father. But on another level, when I find myself in the storm, I become preoccupied with all of the elements of the storm. And I find myself fearful, frightened, discouraged.
And Father, I must admit to you and confess to you it must be because I just don't know the Lord well enough to trust him completely in my life. He sees us straining at the oars. He tells us he's right here with us. And that alone, Father, should give us the comfort and the peace that we can endure these storms. When he tells us this will be good for you in the long run, we must believe him.
Father, this is such an important lesson in all of our lives. I pray that your spirit will convict us of its truth. For your glory and for our good. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-12-01 11:35:16 / 2023-12-01 11:44:23 / 9