Magnify Jesus: #097 Jesus Walks on Water (Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:16-21) - Life of Christ = Week 20

Jesus Walks on Water

Kingship Avoided
Matthew 14:22-23a
Mark 6:45,46
John 6:15-17a

Jesus Walks On Water
Matthew 14:23b-27
Mark 6:47-50
John 6:17b-21

Peter Walks on Water (Sea of Galilee)
Matthew 14:28-33
Mark 6:51,52

Intro Questions

Text Graphic

God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

OPEN:

What was one of your greatest childhood fears: Bugs? High places? Darkness? Water?

DIG:

How. would you have reacted if you saw Jesus on the water? When he climbed aboard?

What did the disciples fail to see in the feeding of the 5,000 that could have helped them here?

REFLECT:

Has Jesus ever frightened you? How?

Where in your life do you need Jesus to say "It is l, don't be afraid?

Jesus walks on water. (John 6:16–24)

1. The stormy sea (6:16–18): The disciples’ boat is threatened by a sudden squall.

2. The sovereign Savior (6:19–21): A twofold miracle now occurs.

a. He walks on the water (6:19–20).

b. He brings the boat to land immediately (6:21).

3. The seeking sinners (6:22–24): A large crowd assembles to meet him.

DON'T BE AFRAID

January 3 , 2019

Dr. Joe Pettigrew

“When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The lake became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going.” John 6:15-21

Whenever I study this text, I am struck by two things. First, I always stop at the phrase “take him by force to make him king.” While we claim that Jesus is our King, He has always refused to be our Ruler the way we might wish He would be. We might wish He would take the world by force and make everyone act with justice, generosity, and kindness. That He would stop all the abortions, senseless killings, leaving babies in trash cans, etc...

And yet even in the beginning of His ministry with His disciples, He has always resisted our efforts to make Him follow the job description of King that you or I might write.

I am also struck by the first words out of Jesus’ mouth when the disciples see him walking on the lake. “It is I, do not be afraid,” He says immediately. Those might not be the first words we would expect. Perhaps we would expect something like, “Do you not get it yet? Do you not know who I am after all this time?”

But that is not how He responds to their wondering and doubt. That is also not the way He responds to our desire for Him to control the details of our lives.

Rather, He responds with gentleness because of who He is, and because of the way He has chosen to be our King, our Savior, our God.

Thought of the Day: Instead of trying to make God be who we want Him to be, maybe we should just sit back and celebrate who He is.