A Stormy Picture - John 6:15-25

[0:00] Hey guys, thanks for listening to our Calvary Chapel Charlotte podcast. I will walk by faith and not by sight.

[0:48] Right, well good morning everyone. Welcome to Calvary Chapel Charlotte. If you want to turn to John chapter 6. John chapter 6.

[1:01] We have come as far as verse 15 where we left Jesus and the disciples and all the people who have come to the hillside at the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus is heading off alone to a mountaintop and the disciples are heading off into the Sea of Galilee in the ship to cross the sea.

[1:18] Last week we saw how Jesus is the one who meets our needs. That as we're going to get into the latter part of the chapter, we're going to see that Jesus meets a much deeper need than our temporal needs, than our material needs, but it is in no way unspiritual to confess that, hey, I have a need.

[1:36] I have a material need. I have temporal needs. I have needs. And God does not ignore them. He just simply puts them in their proper place and perspective. God uses our needs for what purpose?

[1:48] To test our faith. Will we place our needs and resources in Jesus's hands or will we try to figure out a way ourself? We saw last week that for Philip, the problem was way too big.

[2:01] This is way too big. How are we going to find food for all these people? And we saw that for Andrew, the solution was too small. Okay, Lord, we got a little bit of food, but what is this going to do? We place it in Jesus's hands.

[2:13] Jesus blesses our brokenness and uses it to meet the needs of other broken people. Amazingly, Jesus can take my limited resources, my limited broken life, and if I put it in his hands, he can meet the needs of others in a way that I couldn't with my limited resources.

[2:30] But only if I'm willing to place everything into his hands. Anything that I retain for myself, I'm going to end up in a position like Philip or Andrew, one or the other. So Jesus is our source, Jesus is our supply, and Jesus is our satisfaction.

[2:43] That's what we saw last week. Before we get into Jesus speaking to the people, to the disciples, and to the Pharisees on him being the bread of life, we now have one more picture that John's going to put in front of us.

[2:55] This is another account of Jesus's ministry in life that's in all of the Gospels, where Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee on the water, when he walks on the water, and the disciples cross in the storm.

[3:08] And so we're going to see that today. We're going to be looking at a very stormy picture today. We're going to see how God works in storms, works through storms, and Lord willing, how he works in our storms.

[3:22] All right, so God's word is many threads but one tapestry. There's a lot of threads to God's word. It just seems like every week as I study, I'm like, Lord, there's like three threads. Which one are we going to pull? He's like, let's just do all of them and we'll weave it together in one picture.

[3:34] And the hope is by the end, they're all tying together and we don't have anything kind of left out there. But God's word paints so many beautiful pictures for us. So many pictures that we see in God's word that overlap and they match up and they come together to make this beautiful tapestry of grace, of God's love for us, that he would send his only begotten son to this world, that whosoever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life.

[3:56] We're going to look at a picture today, a few pictures that we're going to see in the crossing of the disciples across the Sea of Galilee as Jesus then walks on the water. But how do we use the pictures in scripture?

[4:08] I don't know if you've heard the term typology. It just means a picture. It just means a type of something. Here's a quote, maybe a little small. I'll read it to you. We do not get our doctrine from typology.

[4:21] That is a path to doctrinal disaster, to like try and impose a picture on scripture and say, well, I think this is what this means from this picture. Sound doctrine comes first.

[4:32] We recognize a picture of the truth only after we have become familiar with the truth. We could apply that in a way to individuals. You could show me a picture of someone you know that I don't know.

[4:43] There they are, I guess. I don't know them. It's when we know them and then we see a picture of them. You go, I know who that guy is. I know who that is because I know him. But once we are grounded in the truth, once we know the truth, the types for the truth will present themselves in the pages of scripture.

[4:59] And those types will be corroborating proof that we are on the right path. They're like signposts on the way. An example of that is Abraham as he takes Isaac up onto Mount Moriah.

[5:10] And Isaac says to him, my father, here is the fire and here is the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice? And Abraham turns and says, my son, God shall supply himself the lamb for the sacrifice.

[5:23] And he's like, oh, well, that's a picture of Jesus. Now the father sent his son, the lamb, and he sacrificed him on the mountain. And well, why do we know that picture is true? And that picture is a picture of Jesus and his sacrifice because of the doctrine we already know, because of the truth we already know.

[5:39] We don't come to a picture of scripture and go, well, look at this. But Israel, Jacob had two wives. So that must be a picture of God's desire to have two separate bodies in the church.

[5:53] He wants that. We're not going to create a crazy doctrine off of that. Why? Because there's no truth that corroborates it. I cannot impose truth through a scripture. I mean, through a scripture, through a picture. Truth comes through the word.

[6:05] Our faith is through hearing and hearing by the word. But once we know the truth, once we see the truth, we just, you know, last year we went through Exodus. We ended with a tabernacle. Seeing Jesus in the tabernacle, the pictures that were there were amazing.

[6:19] But how do I know that that truth is true to that picture? Because we're told that Moses made the tabernacle according to the pattern that was given to him, based off the real thing, which was in heaven.

[6:29] And we know Jesus is our tabernacle, for he's tabernacled among us. So we see these pictures. And we're going to see some pictures today. But we don't get our doctrine from the pictures, from the typology.

[6:40] Doctrine comes first, and that's how we know our pictures are true. So let's jump in here. We'll back up and just read verse 14. It says, Then those men, when they had seen the miracles that Jesus did, or the miracle, said, this is a truth, that prophet that should come into the world.

[6:56] They're referencing Moses. Moses said another would come like him. And they saw the miracle of Jesus turning the bread, or breaking the bread, and the fish, and the loaves, and supplying the people.

[7:08] You know what he didn't do? He didn't say, All right, everybody sit down. Close your eyes and hold your hands out. Boom. Oh, and we all had a meal. It's amazing. He didn't do that. He didn't go around and one by one hand them out to each people either.

[7:22] He handed them to his disciples. But every single piece of bread, every single fish, if you like fish, I guess it was a good thing for you. Every piece was personally broken and delivered by the hand of Jesus.

[7:37] It might have come through the disciples, but it had touched Jesus' hands. It wasn't just like, boom, there's a bunch, just pass it out. Every piece Jesus personally distributed. And we can see in that that everything that God gives to us, everything that he brings, it comes from his hands.

[7:52] There's nothing that is outside of his control. And Jesus then, in verse 15, it says, He perceives then that they would take him by force. We saw that that word was harpazo, to snatch away, to make him a king.

[8:04] And he departed again into a mountain himself alone. And again, from our natural perspective, it would seem like, that's a good idea. They want to make him king. Isn't this the point, Jesus? Isn't this what you wanted?

[8:14] Well, no. Because natural man's response to God's resources is always to seek God for the wrong reason. Yes, they wanted God, but they want him for the wrong reason. Natural man will respond to God's resources, and they will seek God, but always for the wrong reason.

[8:30] Jesus perceives that. He perceives that they just want a bread king. So Jesus' response to man's demands is to do what? He withdraws. He doesn't push back.

[8:41] He doesn't attempt to set these people straight. Does Jesus fear engagement? No. We know that. Jesus engages the Pharisees. Jesus engages anyone that he feels that engagement will be fruitful.

[8:57] Jesus does not hide himself from engagement, but he only engages when the engagement is fruitful. Man here is demanding a king, but they want a king in their way and in their time and for their purpose.

[9:09] And so Jesus withdraws. In John chapter 18, we'll get that eventually, when Jesus is standing before Pilate, and he answers Pilate and says, my kingdom is not of this world.

[9:21] If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now, now is my kingdom not from hence.

[9:31] There will be a day where his kingdom will be in this world. But he's saying now, currently, no, my kingdom is not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, are you a king then? What type of king are you?

[9:42] You don't have a kingdom. And Jesus answered, you say that I'm a king, and to this end was I born. And for this cause, I came into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth.

[9:53] Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice. These people, they wanted a king in their way and in their time for their purpose. But Jesus says, hey, I am a king to all those who enter my kingdom of truth.

[10:05] It's a kingdom of truth. And Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me. Yes, we can enter God's kingdom. But it's not a kingdom that can be grabbed a hold of.

[10:18] It's not a kingdom that is for my own satisfaction and to give me fulfillment in this life. It's a kingdom of truth. Now, it is very satisfying and very fulfilling. God does take care of us.

[10:29] But it is not something that we fight for. It's something we receive. Matthew gives us a little context about what's going on in this scene. Now, we're going to see John, the picture John's going to give us.

[10:40] And as we talked about, we could do a harmony of the Gospels and go through each event and look at how each Gospel gives a different, sheds a little different light on those events. What we want to do is we want to look at the Gospel of John as the Holy Spirit moved upon John to write it.

[10:53] Why did John write it this way? Why did he include this? Why did he leave this out? What is it he's trying to show us? But Matthew gives us a little insight into this moment. It says, straightway, Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship.

[11:07] They didn't want to go. He's like, get in the boat and go before me onto the other side. Well, he sends the multitudes away. And when he sent the multitudes away, he went up in a mountain apart to pray.

[11:18] So where John tells us he departed into a mountain alone, his purpose was to pray. When the evening was come, he was there alone. Jesus went, not just to be by himself, not just to do some hobbies.

[11:34] No, I just need some alone time. You know, I'm just a little people now. I just need alone time. Jesus sought alone time. Even Jesus when he was here. But he did it to be with his father.

[11:45] It wasn't that he didn't want to be with his disciples. Can't stand those guys. It was that he wanted to be with his father. And he sought restoration, refreshing, and relationship with his father. It wasn't just by being by himself.

[11:59] It was to be with his father. Jesus' response to pressure was to get alone with his father. It wasn't just to remove himself from the scene or to try and take care of the situation, relieve the pressure.

[12:10] It was, you know what? There's a lot of pressure. I need to get off with my father. I need to have that space I can go to. And we talked about that last week. Do you have a space? Do you have a mountaintop you can get to? Do you have somewhere?

[12:21] Do you have a desert place you can go? Do you have somewhere that you can go to be alone with your father? And when evening was now come, his disciples went down onto the sea.

[12:33] And here is a picture of the Sea of Galilee. Approximately the location-ish on the east side where the feeding of the 5,000 would have been at evening. It's not a great picture because there's nothing there.

[12:44] It's dark. You see a little bit of light reflecting off the sea. And then in Jesus' day, maybe you'd have one or two pinpricks of light where a fire or something was going. So it was evening.

[12:55] And his disciples went down onto the sea. John does not inform us of Jesus praying. He simply tells us the king ascends alone at evening to his father as the disciples are going into the sea.

[13:07] Now there's a typology in scripture where very often the sea, the sea, is a type of humanity. We see that in Revelation 13 where we're being told that the beast representing the man of lawlessness, what we'd call the Antichrist, the instead of Christ.

[13:22] And he sets up his kingdom. It says he comes out of the sea. He arises out of the sea. He comes from the sea of humanity, mankind. And our king, Jesus, has departed alone to his fathers and has sent us, his disciples, into the sea of darkness and humanity.

[13:43] That's where we are now. Our king has ascended and we are alone going to the sea. And it's at evening. And we go and it feels so alone. Jesus says, I must work the works of him that sent me.

[13:56] In John chapter 9. While it is day, the night comes when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Jesus declares that while he is here, it is day. But the night is coming.

[14:10] Paul tells us in Romans 13, the night is far spent. But we are in the night. The day is at hand. It's not here yet, guys. The day is at hand.

[14:21] But it's not here yet. Let us, therefore, cast off the works of darkness. Let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly as in the day. Not in rioting and drunkenness. Hope none of you were rioting this week.

[14:33] Not in chambering and wantonness. That's not good. Not in strife and envying. It doesn't say we walk in the day. It says let us put off the works of darkness. Why?

[14:44] Because we are people of the day. And even though we walk in the dark and we are in a dark world, we are to put on the armor of light. We are not to live as those that are in the dark. We are lights in the darkness. Behold, I send you forth as lights in the dark.

[14:57] Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. You know when your light won't shine very well? In the middle of the day, my light's not going to shine very well.

[15:11] But when it's dark, this puny little light has an opportunity to shine. Peter tells us, We have also a more sure word of prophecy. Whereunto do you do well that you take heed in your hearts?

[15:24] In parenthetical, and I put the parentheses because the way the Greek lays it out, is that you take heed unto this sure word of prophecy in your hearts, as unto a light that shines in a dark place.

[15:34] God's word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. In these dark days, his word is a light. It shines in a dark place. Until when? Until the day dawn and the day star arise.

[15:46] Anyone know what a day star is? The day star is a star that shines in the sky before dawn. It's what the ancients called the day star. You know dawn is coming.

[15:58] As dawn begins to begin to break, the day star will shine brighter. It's actually the planet Venus. It shines extremely bright right before the sun rises. And when you see that star shining, you know the sun is about to rise.

[16:08] Revelation 22, 16, Jesus says, I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and offspring of David and the bright and morning star.

[16:23] John is presenting Jesus as the departing king who will return to his faithful disciples, toiling in the dark sea of humanity. Before the dawn, before the day dawn, the day star will arise in the sky.

[16:36] These disciples have entered the sea, not because they wanted to be apart from Jesus. Not because they liked a good time on the dark sea of Galilee.

[16:48] But in response to Jesus' words. Carrying Jesus' words with them and in obedience to Jesus' words, they enter the sea. The disciples we see entered the ship together.

[17:00] They were in unity. For the same purpose, in the same direction. Can you imagine each one rowing in a different direction? I want to go this way. I want to go this way. Some churches are like that. We're going this way. We're going this way. Then we don't go anywhere.

[17:12] I'm good in how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Brethren endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit, the bond of peace. They entered together. They entered for the same purpose in the same direction.

[17:24] And they entered into a ship, verse 17, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. It was now dark and Jesus was not come to them. So if you remember our map from last time, we crossed probably from Magdala somewhere on that west side and crossed over to the east side to that wilderness area near Bethsaida.

[17:44] And it was where the feeding of the 5,000 took place. So now they're crossing back over. They're heading to Capernaum. The blue arrows just represent the direction of the wind because we're going to see the wind is contrary to them.

[17:56] So they're heading across. The wind would come down through that region out of the north or northwest and just rip across the Sea of Galilee. The disciples now are in the dark.

[18:07] It was evening and now it's dark and Jesus was not come to them. But the disciples are continuing faithfully on their course despite the darkness of their surroundings. They continue on.

[18:19] John is presenting this situation remarkably here as if Jesus was going to come to them. Look at the wording. And entered into a ship and went over the sea toward Capernaum and it was now dark.

[18:31] And Jesus was not come to them. Of course he's not come to them. They're in a boat and he's on land. But John is presenting this picture to us in his gospel as if Jesus was going to come to his disciples in the sea and as if they should have expected him.

[18:46] Will Jesus come to them? Yes. Would they have been wrong to expect him? No, they would not have been. The disciples continue faithfully on their course despite Jesus taking longer than expected.

[19:01] 2 Peter 3.9 says the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness. What promise is that? But is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

[19:17] That promise is the promise of his return. There are those who say, where is the promise of his coming? Peter tells us the Lord isn't slack. He is not slack concerning his promise, but he's longsuffering.

[19:28] He has a purpose in his delay. He has a purpose in his way. Expecting Jesus to show up in the middle of the sea is crazy, right? Just to show up out of nowhere?

[19:39] Who's going to expect that? I think we should expect Jesus to show up. John tells us that Jesus gave us this promise, I go and prepare a place for you.

[19:51] And if I go, I will come again and receive you unto myself. That where I am, there you may be also. First Thessalonians.

[20:02] Never can say that the first time. First Thessalonians 4.17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

[20:13] And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Expecting Jesus to show up out of the middle of nowhere? Kind of crazy, isn't it? It sure is. It's crazy good. You see, our hope is not just Jesus coming for us.

[20:29] But of us going to Jesus. That is our hope. The hope is not just, boy, if you're, maybe you're Bartholomew and you're sitting in the boat thinking, the last time we were in a storm, Jesus was with us and we kind of woke him up and he calmed it.

[20:43] I wish he would come to us now. That would be great. Man, how much better to go with Jesus out of the storm. Colossians 3.4 says, When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory.

[21:01] When he shall appear. When the day star appears in the sky, guys, we will be with him. We shall appear with him. It does not say when he who is our life shall appear, then he will be with us.

[21:14] It says that when he shall appear, you also shall appear with him in glory. Man, my hope is not just Jesus coming to me in the midst of my storm, in the midst of this dark sea, in the midst of this life.

[21:26] My hope is that he's coming to me, that I can go to be with him. And what a beautiful picture we have of the disciples in the dark. The dawn is coming, but before it comes, the day star arises. And the scripture says that when it shall appear, we shall appear with it, with him.

[21:43] And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. So evening has passed. It is now dark. And they are out there just continuing to row. These men are experienced fishermen.

[21:55] This isn't the first storm they've been in. And we know they were in a really bad one with Jesus when he slept because they thought they were going to die. And so they woke him up. This one, they've learned. Just continue.

[22:06] Jesus says, go to the other side. We know we're going to make it. We're just going to continue. This is what a windstorm actually looks like on the Sea of Galilee. It's not quite as dramatic as that painting in the beginning where it's like 14-foot waves or whatever.

[22:18] They're like, whoa. The wind is whipping across. How do you make progress against them? You see, the disciples were not sent by Jesus into a calm sea on a beautifully clear sunny day.

[22:32] Wouldn't that be nice? If Jesus says, hey, I'm going to my Father. It's going to be beautiful down here. It's sunny. It's calm. You know, no problems. They were sent into a hostile sea in the dead of night.

[22:47] Isaiah 43-2 says, Man, that's a great verse.

[23:02] It's a great verse until you realize to experience that you've got to be in some pretty bad situations. Do you want to walk through the fire? I don't really want to walk through the fire. I'll send someone else through the fire, Lord, and I'll pray for them.

[23:15] Right? The Lord says, man, I'll be with you. The flame won't kindle upon you. To experience the flame not kindling upon me means that the flame is trying to kindle upon me. When you walk through the waters, you pass through the waters.

[23:27] I'll be with you. And the rivers won't overflow you because the river is overflowing and it's raging. And he wants me to go through that? We have another typology that we stumble across here.

[23:39] We want to understand what it is. You see, wind is often a type of the Holy Spirit in the scripture. In John 3, verse 8, we read that the wind blows where it will, and you hear the sound thereof.

[23:51] But you cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone that's born of the Spirit. Wind is often a picture of the Holy Spirit. But a type is a picture of the truth, right?

[24:02] The truth never changes even if the picture does. This picture doesn't fit with the truth of who the Holy Spirit is in our lives. Wind is not always a representative of the Holy Spirit. The wind is not a picture here of the Holy Spirit.

[24:16] Why? Because it doesn't fit with the truth of who the Holy Spirit is. The picture here is a wind contrary to the disciples' purpose and progress in their obedience to Jesus' words.

[24:27] The Holy Spirit never works against Jesus' words, against Jesus' purposes, and against our progress in his words and purpose. Jesus would tell us regarding the Holy Spirit, that when he has come, he'll guide you into all truth.

[24:43] He's the one guiding us. He's not pushing back on us. If he will not speak of himself, whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. He will show you things to come. He's the one guiding me.

[24:54] He's the one with us. No matter how things may look, no matter what the picture may appear in the storm in our life, no matter how contrary the wind may appear, and it may look like, God, you're against me, I wanted a sunny, smooth cruise, and you sent me into the sea in the storm in the dark.

[25:13] No matter how things may look, we do not base our faith on what we see, but on what we know. However, once we know what we're looking for, we will see the evidence of it.

[25:24] Once I know what I'm looking for, I will see that evidence all around me. I will see that the Holy Spirit is guiding me into truth. I'll find that he's speaking not of himself. He's pointing me to Jesus all the time, and he shows me things to come.

[25:39] He gives me understanding in the word based on what the word says, allows me to see the pictures and types and truths. The disciples in this situation, their circumstances were against their progress.

[25:52] Extremely uncircumstantial, or not good circumstances for them. The disciples' efforts were not sufficient to fulfill their task. Just sitting there rowing. I don't know if you've ever rowed in a wind.

[26:04] I grew up on a lake, and you're rowing in a wind, you can't stop, even if you're not making much progress. As soon as you stop, you've lost a ton of progress.

[26:16] Their efforts, but they were not sufficient to fulfill the task. But their faith was enough. Their faith was enough, in Jesus' words, to keep them going in the face of opposition and a lack of progress.

[26:30] Is my faith enough? Can I trust God? Can I trust his words? Can I trust his plans, his purposes? And even if I'm not making progress, even if there's opposition, I'm just going to keep going. I'm just going to keep going.

[26:43] There was no question of whether they would arrive at their destination or not. Jesus said, go across to Capernaum. Only of how long the toil. The question is, how long do I have to keep doing this?

[26:56] You know, Lord, are we going to do this for days, nights? Is it going to be morning by the time we're finished rowing? How long do we do this, Lord? So when they had rowed about five and 20 or 30 furlongs, anybody use furlongs today?

[27:09] Was it weak? No? No? Didn't furlong it very well, did you? It's just three to four miles. When they rode three to four miles and from where they were on the east side of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, it's about four miles or a little more.

[27:28] They saw Jesus. They see Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near into the ship, and they were afraid. In the dark and in the storm, their progress was not known to them.

[27:41] They had no way to know. They didn't have a GPS. They were like, where do you see us on that map right there? I think you Google Maps. They didn't have that. They couldn't know. It was dark. It's pitch black. They're rowing and rowing. They've gone three to four miles, it tells us.

[27:53] They had no idea where they were in the storm. They didn't know what their progress did, what progress was. But who did know right where they were? Who knew to get to them?

[28:05] Who wasn't going to miss them in that storm? You see, in the dark and in the storm, their progress was not known to them, but it was to Jesus. In my dark and stormy situations and circumstances, and when all my progress seems not to be going anywhere, and there's so much opposition against me, and it seems like I don't know where I am, Jesus says, oh, I know where you are.

[28:24] I know right where you are. Keep going. You're almost at the destination. Mark tells us, in verse 48, he saw them toiling and rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them, and about the fourth watch of the night he comes unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them, Mark tells.

[28:42] He's just like, hey guys, I'm going to the other side. I'll see you when you get there, because you're going to get there. The fourth watch is about 3 a.m., so if they go into the sea in the evening, it's now 3 a.m.

[28:53] How many hours have they just been rowing and rowing and rowing? Life in the storm, guys. This is one of those threads I wanted to pull out of this tapestry.

[29:06] Life in the storm. Look at 10 application points, 10 principles about life in the storm. The first is this. In the storm, don't quit. You never know how close you are to your destination.

[29:19] Keep going. Don't quit. Hebrews 2, 1 says, Therefore, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

[29:31] Slip means to release, to let it go by, to let go of the oars, to let it just blow on its way. We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard.

[29:42] Don't let them slip. You don't know how close you are. You see, the disciples did not choose this storm. They were simply obeying Jesus. It wasn't like, You know what? Let's go in a storm and try the Lord and see what he'll do.

[29:56] That wasn't the idea. I don't know anybody who dives into a storm. Anybody want uncomfortable circumstances in their life? Do you look for relationship problems just for a buzz this week?

[30:07] I don't know anybody who does that. They did not go at their own choosing. They were simply obeying Jesus, but better a storm due to faithfulness than a storm due to failure.

[30:18] Better to be in a storm because you said, Jesus, I have done everything you told me to. My life is falling apart. Everything's opposed to me. And I am just toiling and toiling. Better to be there because you've held to his word than to give up on his word than to let go and just blow with the wind in the storm.

[30:37] So much better to be in a storm due to faithfulness to Jesus' words than to fail following his words. These disciples, they were sent into the storm and they continued into the storm.

[30:51] Hebrews 13, 5 and 6 says, He has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

[31:02] You see that we have something better than what the disciples experienced in this moment. We're never without Jesus. We're never without his presence. There is no storm that we go into that we are sent into by the Lord that we go into in following his word.

[31:15] There's no storm we go into where we go, Lord, where are you? Why aren't you here? He is. He is there. We have the promise that the Lord will never leave us alone no matter how alone we may feel.

[31:29] We can feel very alone when it's dark and we can't see our progress and we don't know how close Jesus is. You see, what was a hindrance to them was no hindrance to Jesus.

[31:42] The storm and the wind. Jesus is just taking a walk. He's out on the greenway. Because there is no storm, principle number three, that can keep Jesus from coming.

[31:53] There's no storm that can keep Jesus from coming to you and there's no storm in this world that will keep Jesus from coming when he is ready to return. Jesus came suddenly.

[32:04] He came unexpectedly and he came in a manner unforeseen. He just appears. In our picture of Jesus' return for his church, that picture of this tapestry, that typology we're looking at, we see he comes suddenly to his disciples who are faithfully carrying on in the darkness and in the storm.

[32:24] Jesus comes suddenly, unexpectedly, in a manner unforeseen. For you and I, guys, the sea may get rougher.

[32:35] The night will get darker and the wind will be contrary, but Jesus is coming. The day star will arise. Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you, he will perform it.

[32:48] You don't have to worry, are my arms going to give out? Is my faith going to fail? He will perform it. Until when? Until the day of Jesus Christ. He will bring you safely to your harbor. Number four, in a storm, don't let fear keep you from drawing near to Jesus.

[33:03] Jesus is coming near to them and they're afraid. Now who jumps out of the boat? We're not going to cover that portion because John doesn't. And goes to Jesus. Peter. Can you imagine if all of them were like, we're all coming, Lord!

[33:15] They all pile out of the boat and are running across the water. That'd be awesome. In a storm, don't let your fear keep you from drawing near to Jesus. He's drawing near to you.

[33:26] He wants to come close to you. Don't let fear of circumstances or situation, don't apply that fear to how God is looking at you or how Jesus is appearing to you.

[33:39] Oh, this must be the Lord because I did something that caused Christian karma. It doesn't work that way. Why were they afraid? Did you ever think about that?

[33:50] Well, Jesus did appear on the Noah. Yeah, but it was Jesus. Were they afraid to see Jesus? We know one of the other Gospels will tell us they thought it was a spirit. But didn't they want to see Jesus?

[34:02] Didn't they welcome Jesus' help and comfort? Don't you want Jesus' help and comfort when you're in a storm? What's going to keep you from that?

[34:14] Well, the storm's going to... Isn't the storm's not going to keep Jesus from coming to you? I don't know if Jesus can find me. He'll find you. If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I descend into the depths, even there, you are with me.

[34:28] What are we afraid of? You see, it's the fear that will keep us from Jesus. It's the fear that says, I'm not getting out of the boat. Or if I do, I get halfway and then I take a dunk.

[34:39] It's the fear that keeps me from Jesus. They feared Jesus' arrival because they did not expect Jesus. They didn't expect him and so they're afraid of his arrival.

[34:51] You see, despite the darkness, the sea, and the storm, John presents this that they should have expected Jesus to come to them per verse 17. They feared because they didn't expect his arrival.

[35:04] But there's no natural barrier that can prevent Jesus' appearing. There's no natural barrier. There's no spiritual barrier. There is nothing that can prevent Jesus' appearing. Verse 5.

[35:15] I mean, verse 5. Point number 5. In a storm, expect Jesus to appear. Expect it. In your storms, expect that Jesus will appear. Look for him.

[35:26] Be ready for him. Hope for him. Be looking for that morning star. In a storm, expect Jesus to appear. Titus 2.13, looking for that blessed hope.

[35:39] And glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. And what have we read? The scripture tells us when his glorious appearing happens that we will appear with him in glory.

[35:51] Because our citizenship is in heaven. For whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to do what? To take us home to where we belong, to our citizenship. You see, the disciples' lack of expectancy caused them to view Jesus' appearing as something to be feared.

[36:10] Unfortunately, guys, into the church today, there's so much misinformation and misunderstanding of what the Bible says about Jesus' appearing for his church. That a lack of expectancy is causing people to fear something that should be their comfort.

[36:24] I don't know. Jesus comes. Man, what's he gonna do? You know, what if I'm in trouble? Or, what if he comes and, I gotta go through this time of God's wrath? I need to stock up some beans, you know, or something.

[36:42] But we don't understand the purpose of his coming. It's to comfort. It's to rescue. It's to bring us to our safe harbor. When I know that, then all I'm doing in the midst of that storm, I'm just looking.

[36:55] Lord, when are you coming? See, there's no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. Because fear has torment. And he that fears is not made perfect in love.

[37:06] When I allow fear to enter in to my relationship with Jesus, fear to enter in to my expectancy of Jesus' appearing, then all of a sudden I no longer am experiencing the comfort because I've allowed something to come in that displaces the love of God that he wants me to experience.

[37:23] And he said unto them, Guys, you should have known. Come on, get with it. No. He said unto them, It's I.

[37:34] Be not afraid. It is God's word that calms our fears and gives us the correct perspective. God's word alone gives us the correct perspective. God's word alone calms my fears.

[37:49] Again, in Hebrews 10, 35 through 37, Cast not away, therefore, your confidence, which has great recompense of reward. Good old King James, a recompense of reward.

[38:00] For you have need of patience that after you've done the will of God, you might receive the promise. And that is a general principle. I love that scripture. And we can apply that to our lives. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word.

[38:12] Faith always comes before sight. So we can know, yes, that we have need of patience. We do God's will and then we receive the promise. But the point of this passage, which promise?

[38:23] It's a specific promise he's talking about. For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry. You have need of patience. Don't cast away your confidence in Jesus' return.

[38:35] Don't cast it away. You have need of patience only a little while longer. And he that will come will come and not tarry. You see, the more time we spend in God's word, the greater the comfort.

[38:47] Number six, our principle in the storm. In a storm, draw comfort from God's word. The more time you spend in his word, the greater your comfort will be. You see, there's no storm outside of his control and there's no disciple outside of his care.

[39:02] There's no storm that's outside of his control. There's not one disciple outside of his care. How do I know that? Where am I going to find that truth? How am I going to build myself up in that? It's not by looking around at the storm.

[39:13] It's not my ducking my head down in the boat. It's by being in the word. It's the word that I draw comfort from. Jesus is the one we find from the word that sent the disciples into the storm.

[39:27] Jesus allowed them to continue in the storm. Jesus drew near to them in the storm. Jesus spoke to them in the storm. Jesus stayed with them in the storm. And Jesus brings them through the storm.

[39:39] How do I know all that? Because I read it. And I know it because I've read it. God's word. He will either calm the storm or he will calm the disciple.

[39:50] It's one or the other. But it is God's word that will do that. He will calm your storm or he will calm you. And then they willingly received him into the ship. Like, oh, Jesus, please.

[40:01] Yes. Remember the last time you were here, Lord? You calmed everything. They willingly received him in the ship. Willingly is to have in mind the intent, the purpose, to delight in. Immediately then, the ship was at the land where they went.

[40:16] Only after the word of God gave them the correct perspective on Jesus' appearing to them did they then delight in his arrival. After God's word corrected their perspective, they then delighted in his arrival.

[40:29] They willingly, with delight, received him. When the disciples saw Jesus, when they received Jesus, what happened? They immediately found themselves at their destination. Did I forget to tell you what the name Capernaum meant?

[40:43] Capernaum means village of comfort. Instantly, immediately, when they saw Jesus, when Jesus appeared and they received Jesus, they were instantly at the place of comfort, their safe harbor.

[40:56] Hebrews 9, 28. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. That's why we're here. I believe each one of you, I hope, are here for that reason. Because Christ has borne your sins.

[41:09] And if not, then today is a wonderful day for you because he has borne your sins. And your part is to receive him. Don't let circumstances of your life, don't let the darkness, the fear, the storm, don't let it keep you from going to Jesus.

[41:21] He's right outside your boat, just waiting for you to let him in. If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.

[41:34] And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin. It means not for the purpose of removing sin because it's already been done. But this time will be for deliverance.

[41:46] The deliverance of those who he has already borne their sin. Principle number seven is in a storm, man, be willing to grab hold of Jesus. The word receive, that willingly be received is to lay hold.

[42:00] Like Jesus, get in the boat. In a storm, be willing to grab hold of Jesus. To lay hold of Jesus meant they had to do something else, right? What are they doing continually, constantly?

[42:13] They're rowing. They're rowing. They're rowing. To lay hold of Jesus, they'd have to let go of the ship. Man, that ship represented their control. It represented something that they could lay their hands on and they could control their course.

[42:28] It represented their comfort being in that ship. It represented their certainty. They knew this ship. They understood this ship. But to lay hold of Jesus, they'd have to let go of the ship.

[42:39] We know Peter did. He leaps over the edge. And you know the rest of them were like, ah! The ship is just doing its thing. And this is a disaster, guys.

[42:52] To an experienced fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, to an experienced sailor, this is a disaster. You don't let go of the helm. You don't just let it go. This is a disaster. But what feels like a disaster may in fact be the end of all of our toil if we'll only let go.

[43:06] Letting go of control and laying hold of Jesus seems really foolish in a storm until we realize who it is that we are laying hold of. The one who stands above all storms.

[43:19] This storm's not affecting Jesus. He stands above the storm. I'm in the storm. And Jesus is above the storm. Every storm is under Jesus' feet. Ephesians 1.22 And has put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.

[43:38] Christ is the what of the church? The head. Does it say we're under his feet? No. He's our head. We're his body. Everything is under his feet.

[43:50] The church partakes of his body. As his body then, as Jesus stands above every storm, we can, with Jesus, ride out the storms. We can stand above the storms. He's put all things under his feet.

[44:02] He's given him to be the head over all things to the church. And then I found this really cool verse in Psalm 29. Verse 3. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. Jesus is the word who is in the beginning with God and was God.

[44:17] The voice of the Lord is upon the waters, David would write. The God of glory thunders. There's no storm that can drown out that voice. The Lord is upon many waters.

[44:28] It doesn't matter what sea. It doesn't matter how great the storm. It doesn't matter what your situation. The Lord is upon that water. The Lord stands above every storm.

[44:38] Every storm's under his feet. Number 8. Jesus brings every storm to an end in his time. Every storm comes to an end. When Jesus appeared to the disciples, unlooked for, unforeseen, unexpectedly, the disciples' toil ceased.

[44:58] Their opposition ended. Their destination was reached. And they left that old ship behind. And that's number 9. After a storm, do not be afraid to leave behind your old source of comfort and safety to follow Jesus.

[45:13] Don't be afraid to leave it behind. Can you imagine the disciples following Jesus? Hang on, Lord. I'm trying to pull the ship with us in case there's another storm as they traverse the hills of Galilee. Leave it. You don't need it.

[45:24] You're with Jesus. He's got you to your safe harbor. You're through the storm. Don't be afraid to leave that old source of comfort and safety. Ah, but it's so familiar. It's so comfortable. I feel like I can control it.

[45:37] Following Jesus is like, there's no way to control that. None at all. Well, verse 22. What does it say?

[45:48] Those first three words. So beautiful. The day following. Number 10. Dark and stormy nights do not last forever. A new day will dawn.

[46:00] The night is far spent. The day is at hand. The day following. There will be a day after every storm. Whether it's in this life, praise God, that storm's ended.

[46:12] Or whether it is when we see the morning star appear and we appear with him. We will reach our harbor of comfort. Our safe harbor. The day following.

[46:23] When the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there except the one where the disciples were entered into. And that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat.

[46:37] Excuse me. But that his disciples were gone away alone. Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias near unto the place where they did eat bread and that the Lord had given thanks. When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there neither his disciples they also took shipping and came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus.

[46:57] What does that mean? It means they woke up and Jesus was gone. Because they were still over on that side of the Sea of Galilee. They said okay Jesus is in here but we know only one boat left yesterday evening that was the disciples.

[47:08] In the meantime it tells us other boats had come. Probably their family. Like we need to go find them. You know my son went out with these loaves and fishes and he hasn't come home. And so it's probably all the family or whatever.

[47:19] There's other ships that had come now to where they're at. And they're hopping on board those and they're going across the sea. When the people saw therefore that Jesus was not with them neither his disciples they also took ships and they came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus.

[47:33] So we see when the day dawns neither Jesus nor his disciples were to be found. The people were left behind on the other side of the sea. Which side of the sea would you rather be on?

[47:46] Would you rather be on that side where Jesus and his disciples go? Or would you rather be on the side of Jesus in the place of comfort? Man well I want to be with Jesus. Who wouldn't want to be with Jesus?

[47:58] I want to be there. Well that means enduring the night. To be with Jesus on the side of the sea that's comfort means enduring the storm enduring the sea enduring the toil and experiencing Jesus' return.

[48:16] You see for the people seeking Jesus that is a good thing. It is always a good thing to seek Jesus. But when you find him listen to what he says. Listen to what he has to say when you find him.

[48:28] These people all through the gospels they seek Jesus but they don't listen to what he says. Well Lord I know that's what you're saying but I got this other idea. I need you to give me some more bread. He's like but you need redemption.

[48:41] Sure but I'm hungry. It's always a good idea to seek Jesus but when you find him listen to what he has to say. And our last verse for today.

[48:54] And when they had found him on the other side of the sea they said unto him Master where did you come from? How did you get here? What happened? Rabbi when camest thou hither?

[49:08] How did you get here? We may not know the timing of Jesus' arrival but we can assure that when he we can be assured that when he arrives we are with him.

[49:23] I don't know when he's going to arrive. I don't know when the day star will appear but I can assure you that when he arrives you can be with him. Peter tells us 1 Peter 4 12-13 Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trials which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you but don't we?

[49:46] I do. What is going on? Why am I suffering? Why am I having a difficult week this week? I've checked all the boxes that God wants me to check. It's not a strange thing but rejoice.

[49:59] It's not a strange thing to be sent into the sea in the night in a storm and toil. Right? But I think it is. Why am I toiling so much and not making progress? Well it's night.

[50:09] The wind's against you. It's dark and stormy. We shouldn't think it's a strange thing but rejoice inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings.

[50:20] It doesn't mean we suffered with him. It means that we are suffering for his sake. Is there toil? Yes. But you know why I'm rowing? Because Jesus sent me here and I'm going to keep going. That when his glory shall be revealed you may be glad also with exceeding joy.

[50:38] When his glory shall be revealed is when he shall be revealed. And then lastly for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

[50:53] The glory that shall be revealed in us will be when he when his glory shall be revealed. When he shall appear we shall appear with him for we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.

[51:06] Life in the storm will not last forever whether it is our own particular storm or whether it is just this lifetime. Life in the storm does not last forever. But life in the storm gives us a unique opportunity that when we're not in a storm we don't have.

[51:22] There's a unique opportunity when we are in a storm that we can draw near to Jesus in a way that we don't have that opportunity in other times and ways. Our stormy picture that we looked at today that allows us to draw near to Jesus we don't quit in storms.

[51:42] We don't give up in storms. It's better a storm due to our faithfulness than a storm of failure because there's no storm that can keep Jesus from coming. In a storm I do not need to let fear keep me from Jesus.

[52:02] In a storm I can always expect Jesus to appear. Jesus draws near in a special way in storms. I can draw comfort from God's word in a storm.

[52:15] And I can be willing to grab hold of Jesus. You know, I tell you there's no time where you're more willing to grab hold of Jesus than a storm. If it was a bright and sunny day and it's clear and they've got the sail up and in this typology it'd be the Holy Spirit blowing them along.

[52:33] And they're just like, ah, and Jesus comes walking by they'd be like, that is amazing. Jesus walks on water. Did you know that? I'm gonna write that down. Jesus walks on water. Lord, hi, how you doing?

[52:43] We're doing good. We'll see you on the other side. But when you're in a storm, when you don't know where you are, when you don't know how close you are to your destination and you want to give up because you've been toiling for hours and hours and Jesus makes a point to pinpoint you and come to you in that storm, you're gonna grab hold of him like you've never grabbed hold of him before.

[53:03] You're not gonna let him go by. Well, Lord, I know you're busy. You've got something to do so just go on your way. You're gonna grab hold of him. Jesus brings every storm to an end in his time.

[53:16] It's not to overwhelm you. It's not to drown you. It's not to bring you under. It's not to destroy your ship. He brings it to an end in his time. And after a storm, man, leave behind that old source of comfort.

[53:29] Whatever it is that God says, hey, that was appropriate until I appeared. That was appropriate. And guys, there will be a day when he will appear and we shall be like him because in a moment and a twinkling of an eye, it tells us that we shall be changed.

[53:46] We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed. And we will leave behind the old carcass, the old me, the old means of comfort, and we will be with him.

[53:59] Stormy nights do not last forever. A new day will dawn. And I pray that this morning, whatever storm you're in, whatever place you're at on these points, you remind yourself of that.

[54:14] Let me remind you of that. Let the Lord remind you of that. Let his word remind you of that. A new day will dawn. It will. There's nothing that will prevent it. Nothing. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, they're not worthy.

[54:29] They're not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Can you imagine one of those apostles standing there on the day of ascension as Jesus heads back up into heaven going, I don't think this is worth it.

[54:44] I wish I was still a fisherman. Can you imagine as they experienced walking in this dark world, having the light of the world through the book of Acts?

[54:56] I don't know if this was really worth it. Paul, on all of his missionary journeys, being beaten, being whipped, being stoned and left for dead, he gets to the end of his life.

[55:22] And the only thing he has in view is Jesus. He says, now, if I might know him. He said, Paul, you just spent your adult life doing all this.

[55:33] He said, now if I might know him. For there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness that fades not away. And there is for all those that love his appearing.

[55:47] Father, thank you so much. Thank you for the tapestry of grace. Thank you for the word of God. Thank you for all the threads. Lord, I can pull on any single one and I find everyone leads me back to Jesus.

[56:01] Every thread leads back to the heart of the Father. Father, everyone pulls me back to this picture of your love, of your grace, of your redemption. Lord, we are not of this world, but we are in this world.

[56:14] And there will be a day where you will take us out of this world. Lord, we're in the storm right now. This world is so dark. It's so stormy. It's so topsy-turvy.

[56:26] Lord, am I going to go under? Am I going to make it? Thank you, Lord, that the destination is just around the corner. Thank you, Lord, that you are with us.

[56:38] And I pray that this morning, Lord, whatever storm, my brothers and sisters find themselves in, Lord, that they would lay hold of you, that they would lift their eyes and they would see that you are right there, that you are right outside their boat.

[56:49] And Lord, I pray that in the dark, they'd lift their eyes a little higher and they would live with expectancy, waiting for the day star to arise. When the day star arises, so shall we.

[57:02] Thank you, Father. Amen. One last thought and one last encouragement. The disciples did not expect Jesus. They were not looking for Jesus.

[57:13] They were unprepared for Jesus. But he still came. And maybe you realize that the situation you're in and the circumstances you're in, man, I haven't been looking for him. I haven't expected him.

[57:24] I've just been trying to do this my own. He's still come. He's still right there. Today is an opportunity, a new day, to let God's word give you a perspective on your circumstance, on your storm, and on the one who walks above the waves.

[57:40] Amen. And now may the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you. The Lord be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you peace.

[57:51] God bless you. Have some fellowship. Thank you.