Because Jesus is the Lord our God, we will never be destroyed
I. Introduction
As it turns out, the miraculous feeding of the five thousand ended in a bit of a tragedy. That event was an excellent illustration of how we as sinners are so capable of using God’s most precious gifts for our own sinful ambitions. And that was exactly what the crowd tried to do with Jesus. They tried to force him to be someone that he was not. And when they did that, Jesus simply removed his presence. And the important lesson there is that when we come to Jesus, we must not come to teach him what to do. When we come to Jesus, we need to let him be the one instructing us and forming us.
But that lesson is also good preparation for what we are going to see now in 6:16-21. When the people tried to force Jesus into their own imaginations, they really did not realize that Jesus is far more than what even their imaginations can contain.
II. John 6:16-21
A. The Storm at Sea (6:16-18)
And so we find ourselves now in John 6:16. Jesus had separated himself from the crowd and withdrawn to the mountains to avoid them (6:15). He has separated himself from his disciples. And verses 16 and 17 tell us that “when evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum.” Again, if we read Matthew 14:22, we see that it was Jesus himself who had told them to get into the boat and go ahead of him. This instruction must have seemed a little strange to the disciples because we are told later in John 6:22 that Jesus and his disciples had only had one boat. And so the disciples may have thought that Jesus would take the longer route and walk around the lake to the destination or that perhaps Jesus would simply find another boat and catch up with them. In any case, they do what they are told and they go.
However, the situation would eventually make a turn for the worse. First of all, it was getting dark. Verse 17 says that “It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.” And not only was it getting dark, things were also starting to get bad. If you know anything about the Sea of Galilee, you know that it is prone to many storms just because of its geography. The Sea (or Lake) of Galilee is located in a depression about 700 feet below sea level and is surrounded by hills. And when cold air descends from heights as high as 9,200 feet above sea level, this can cause sudden and violent storms.[1] And as it turns out, Jesus had actually asked the disciples to go out on a bad night for verse 18 tells us that “the sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing.”[2]
B. The Lord of the Storm and the Sea (6:19-20)
But things were actually about to get even worse. Remember: It was late at night; there was no sign of Jesus;[3] the wind was blowing and the sea was rough. And when the disciples “had rowed for about three or four miles,” they see something that completely frightened them. What they saw looked like someone approaching them from a distance. Upon closer inspection, what they saw looked like a man walking out to their boat on the water (v.19). And of course, if you are out at sea, late at night with the winds and waves threatening to flip your boat, it does not take much to cause your imagination to go wild. In such a situation, when you are already so tired and afraid for your safety, the last thing you expect to see—indeed, the last thing you want to see—is a mysterious, dark shape in the distance coming toward you on the water! And Matthew 14:26 tells us what the disciples were thinking: They actually thought that they had seen a ghost.
But as it turns out, it wasn’t a ghost. It was Jesus. The same Jesus who was their teacher and friend. The same Jesus who had a few hours ago created bread out of nothing. And that same Jesus is now coming toward them. And how is he coming toward them? Well, he is walking toward them on the water. And Jesus knew that they were afraid. He could see it in their faces. He could hear it in their cries. And so he does the most normal and friendly thing one will do at a time like this. He tries to calm his friends. “‘It is I,” he says, “do not be afraid’” (6:20).
Of course, we can wonder whether or not the disciples actually stopped being afraid entirely. I am sure that they were relieved to find that the man walking on water was not a ghost. So in a sense I suppose they did stop being afraid. But then again, what kind of a man walks on water? What kind of a man walks on the restless sea in the storm, seemingly invulnerable to its effects? What kind of a man is Jesus? Nonetheless, “they were glad to take him into the boat” (v.21). And interestingly enough, just as things got worse before Jesus showed up, things actually started getting better really quickly. In both Matthew’s and Mark’s report of this account, we see that when Jesus got into the boat, the wind stopped (Mt.14:32; Mk.6:51). And if that was not good enough, look at what else the Gospel of John reports: Not only did the wind stop; but we see that when the disciples took Jesus on the boat, “immediately,” we are told, “the boat was at the land to which they were going” (6:21b).
III. A Promise For Our Storms
A. A Promise
Now, it does not take long to see why this miracle is also one of the more well-remembered events from Jesus’
ministry: Because it is such a clear display of the power of our Savior. I am sure that many sermons have been preached from this miracle. Today’s sermon is not the first and it will certainly not be the last because the Holy Spirit has been encouraging God’s people from these words for generations and he will continue to do so. And the reason why God’s people will continually need to be reminded of our Lord walking on the sea and calming the storm is because this miracle is God’s powerful word for people who live in a very real world of unpredictable and threatening forces. We can say that this miracle functions as a promise from God to us for all time.
B. Who is Jesus Really?
But before we actually see what that promise is, there is something else that we must do first. You see, if Jesus is the central figure of the story, then ultimately speaking, whatever God’s word to us might be today, it must be first and foremost a word about who Jesus is.[4] Why is Jesus presented the way he is in this story? Or more precisely, why does Jesus choose to present himself this way to his disciples? As he comes to his disciples in the stormy sea; as he walks on the water toward them; as he speaks comfort to them, as he calms the storm so that the boat can reach the shore—are you beginning to realize who Jesus really is? Do Jesus’ actions look familiar? Well, this is what I want us to think about for a while.
1. Clues from the Old Testament
A miracle like the one we have just read would naturally remind us of some of the miracles that we see in the Old Testament—particularly those that involve some kind of journey through water. The most obvious one is of course the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14. When the Israelites were leaving Egypt, the king of Egypt pursued them and God sent a powerful wind to separate the Red Sea, creating a path for the Israelites to cross through the sea on dry land. And then there is also that incident in Joshua 3 where God stopped the river Jordan so that Joshua, who was Moses’ immediate successor, could lead Israel across it.
Now, when we come to John 6, we have to admit of course that Jesus’ miracle here is not as large-scale as opening the sea and bringing people through. Yet, the size of the miracle is not necessarily the issue. The issue has to do with who is doing the miracle and why he is doing it. When the Israelites passed through the Red Sea, they were not the ones performing the miracle. They were simply humans walking on dry land. It was God who did it. But when we come to John 6, what do we see here? We see that Jesus is the one suspending the laws of gravity and overriding the laws that govern how solids and liquids should behave.
Now, keeping this in mind, I want us now to listen also to some other Scripture passages and let them further guide us in interpreting this miracle. Listen first of all to Job 9:4-8:
“4He who is wise in heart and mighty in strength—who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—5he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger, 6who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; 7who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars; 8who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea”
Job was speaking about God. But listen also to Psalm 77:19-20:
“19Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. 20You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”
That was an obvious reference to the miracle of the Red Sea. Look also at Psalm 107:28-30:
“28 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.”
Friends, if there is one thing that is clear from all these passages, it is this: The power to control water and the other forces of nature lies in the hand of God. And by walking on water and calming the storm, Jesus has done something that is said could only be done by God alone.
2. “It is I; Do Not Be Afraid”
But it gets better. Not only does Jesus walk on water to his disciples, he also comforts them with the words, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Now, these words may not sound like much, but they may actually be deeply profound and even shocking words. Now, what I am going to say next is somewhat of a debated issue among New Testament scholars. But since many good New Testament scholars will point this out, I think it is something to be taken seriously. They will point out that there is more to Jesus’ words than we might think. And here is why. The Greek words behind the English translation “It is I” are egō eimi. Depending on where and how it is used, egō eimi can be used as a form of self-introduction and it can be translated as “It is I” which is the translation that we find in 6:20. But then again, egō eimi can also be translated another way; it can be translated simply and more literally as “I am” (cf. 8:58). And we know what “I am” means, don’t we? If you read Exodus 3:14, God appears to Moses in a burning bush and introduces his name as “I Am Who I Am.” The name “I Am,” of course, is interesting. It is not a name anyone would use for himself. But it is an important name because it tells us that God is the self-existent one. It tells us that God already is everything that he is. Unlike us, God does not need to grow up, he does not need to decrease in any way. He has been and will always be the eternal and unchanging “I Am.” And now, Jesus is saying to his disciples, “I am; do not be afraid.”
Now, the question of course is whether or not we are reading too much into what Jesus is saying.[5] I mean, after all, isn’t Jesus simply reassuring his disciples that he is the one they saw? And of course, that is true because he is certainly doing that. But we should also realize that Jesus’ words in 6:20 sound very familiar. They sound very similar to words that God has used before in other parts of the Bible. In several places in the Old Testament, we find the use of the divine name or a divine self-introduction together with words of encouragement. In other words, we find places where God introduces himself and then gives his people encouragement. Take Genesis 26:24 for example: “And the LORD appeared to him [Isaac] the same night and said, ‘I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you.” Then there is Isaiah 41:13: “For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Or Isaiah 43:5: “Fear not, for I am with you.” Now, you take all these factors together—the nature of the miracle itself and the similarity of Jesus’ words with the words of God in the Old Testament—and we get the sense that Jesus could really be saying more than just “hey guys, it’s only me.” Jesus could be saying, “My dear friends, I am he who walks the waters. I am he who rules the storms. And I am coming to you now. Therefore, do not be afraid.”[6]
Friends, I believe that what we have in this miracle on the Sea of Galilee is nothing less than what we would call a theophany.[7] A theophany is an appearance, a manifestation of God himself. And even if you disagree with the interpretation of Jesus’ words, you still cannot escape the fact that Jesus has done something that not only calls attention to himself but also deliberately suggests that he can do what only God can do. You also cannot escape the fact that in Matthew 14:33, we are told that after the disciples took Jesus into the boat, what did they do? They worshiped him. And I think we know the reason why. It was because they understood who was with them. They realized that in Jesus Christ, the Lord God of Israel has appeared, and he has appeared to save his people from fear and destruction.
C. The Lord for Our Storms
All this leads us then to the promise that God wants us to have today. And what a promise it is. Just as Jesus came to his disciples so many years ago to save them from the storm and from their fears, so he will continue to save his disciples from their storms and their fears today. And the reason he can do this, the reason he will do this, is because he is the Lord our God. Or if I may put it even more simply and even more boldly: Because Jesus is the Lord our God, there is no force of nature and no power of Satan that can ever destroy us. If Jesus is our Lord, we cannot be destroyed. Now, by this I do not mean that we cannot ever be physically harmed. By this, I mean that there is nothing that can ever separate us and tear us from God and cause us to be lost to him.
1. The Storms We Face
Now, what then are some of the storms that we, as disciples of Jesus, have to face today? What are the forces today that try to destroy us?
Well, before we answer that question, let’s try answering an even more basic question: Why should we even expect to face storms? Well, I want to briefly give us two reasons for why we can expect to face such forces. Firstly, we can expect storms because God’s word tells us that there are intelligent spiritual forces that are actually seeking to destroy the disciples of Jesus. We have to remember that even though God is the Lord of all spiritual powers, this does not mean that he is the only spiritual power. Other spiritual powers exist. Many of them are evil. These are led by the one we call Satan (cf. Eph.6:12; Rev.12:7-9). But there is a second reason for why we can expect storms. And this is because Jesus himself will send us into the storms. Yes, you have heard me correctly: Jesus himself will put his people in harm’s way. There is a popular idea out there that if you just follow God’s perfect plan for your life, everything will be smooth, peaceful, happy, and successful. That is nonsense. Because if Jesus sent his disciples into the storm, and because if Jesus himself was sent into the darkness, then you can expect that we too who call ourselves disciples will indeed have to deal with darkness as well. As Jesus makes it clear in John 15:19, if the world hated Jesus, they will also hate his disciples.
Having said all that, we return to our question: What are the kinds of storms, what kind of powerful and destructive forces must we, as disciples of Jesus, confront today? Well, this is where I think we can come up with a pretty long list. One kind of storm that confronts Jesus’ disciples today is obviously government-sponsored persecution. Many of our brothers and sisters in other countries have to face this storm. Storms like that are caused when Satan himself influences human governments and starts using them as his agents to exterminate the Lord’s disciples. But what about those of us who do not suffer persecution? What about us who come from or live in countries, such as the U.S., that do not sponsor persecution of the Church? Are we then safe? Absolutely not. I believe that we just face other kinds of storms. Apart from persecution, one storm system that confronts disciples of Jesus today is secularism.[8] Secularism is the philosophy and attitude that religion should not interfere with the public affairs of society.[9] Now, secularism does not say that God does not exist, but it does say that God is not relevant. And today, we find ourselves in a society in which God, if not entirely absent, is becoming increasingly irrelevant. One manifestation of secularism is of course to be seen in the university. In his book, The Gagging of God, D.A. Carson, who is a New Testament scholar, points out that at one time, Christianity and its principles played a key role in the “founding, development, and maintenance of the principal schools of higher learning.”[10] Carson probably had in mind elite schools like Harvard, Yale, or Princeton that were all at one time self-consciously Christian institutions. But things have changed. Instead, Carson says, “We have arrived at a point at which virtually all forms of Christianity are commonly ignored or even despised in the academy, and especially those forms that insist that there are objective truths and standards.”[11] Make no mistake: Secularism is indeed one of the cultural forces that Satan is using to threaten the Church of Jesus Christ because secularism trains people to ignore what God has to say concerning the affairs of our world.
But if secularism can be compared to the thunder that threatens to make us deaf to God’s voice, then it is the fierce wind of hedonism that threatens to blow our love for God away. Well, what is hedonism? Simply put, hedonism is the idea that pleasure is the ultimate goal of life. Hedonism is the worship of pleasure. And societies that are prosperous and dwell in relative peace without military conflict will generally move toward the direction of hedonism. Now, to be sure, hedonism begins very innocently. It begins because we fear pain. Nobody wants to be in pain or difficulty. But hedonism goes much further: Hedonism goes further to say that we should protect ourselves from any kind of pain as much as possible and we do this by seeking as much pleasure as we can. How then does hedonism try to destroy us? Well, think of hedonism as a drug or a strong alcholic drink. If a soldier is on drugs or drunk, he loses his ability to fight. In the same way, hedonism destroys the disciples of Jesus by causing us to forget that there is a war that we are fighting. Hedonism tempts us to give up the rigorous discipline, the careful watchfulness, and the sacrifcial mentality that is needed to win our war against sin. In more concrete terms, hedonism teaches us that watching TV, listening to music, enjoying our hobbies are more important than pursuing the heart of God. Now, of course, the Bible does not ever teach us to inflict suffering upon ourselves nor does it tell us that we cannot engage in leisure activities. But then the Bible also does not command us to make pleasure the chief purpose of our hard-earned money. And 2 Timothy 3:4 does warn us that in the last days, people will be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” The hedonism of our culture is a sign that not only has the word of God been silenced; it is a sign that love for God is absent.
But just because the true God has been silenced by the thunder of secularism and blown away by the wind of hedonism does not mean that other kinds of gods will not come in. In fact, they do and they will come like a tsunami flood to fill the absence.[12] If the Lord is silenced, other gods will speak. And so we see that while secularism and hedonism are doing their work to usurp God, yet another storm facing Jesus’ disciples today is really the return of paganism.[13] Now, just so you know, “paganism” may have a more specialized definition, referring to religions that deal with spiritual powers that are said to dwell in nature. But for our purposes, I am using the term here to refer to any religious system that teaches people to control or use spiritual powers for their own benefit. And we can understand why paganism will return. Paganism will return because man cannot live without a conscious spiritual component in their lives. If mankind will not follow a religion that teaches them to submit to God, then they will create religions that will teach them how to make the powers of God submit to them. This is what paganism is. And we see paganism appearing in many forms. Paganism, of course, already exists in many Asian or African countries. There, paganism appears in the form of idol worship and the practice of magic. But in the post-Christian West, paganism has returned with renewed power. You find paganism in the so-called “New Age” religions that teach people how to use spiritual powers to attain personal health or wellbeing. You find paganism in the bold and outright worship of Satan himself where Satan is no longer treated as the enemy of God but as the one who teaches the human race to grow up and think for ourselves. But just in case you did not know, you will also find paganism in the obsession with sex which is so characteristic of prosperous societies through the ages. We often think that sexual immorality is primarily a problem with a lack of self-control and it is. But in our day, believe it or not, we are also seeing the merging of sexuality and spirituality where sex is now seen as a means to control spiritual power.[14] One example can be found in the world of homosexuality. Not all homosexuals are pagans. But a homosexual who is pagan might say that there are actually spiritual reasons to practice homosexuality. One of these reasons being that homosexuality is really the grand attempt to create the ideal sex-less human who is the embodiment of both male and female power.[15] Friends, could it be that this culture’s obsession with sex and with it, the obsession with physical beauty and strength, is becoming more of a religious phenomenon than we actually realize?
So these are but some of the major storm systems that our Lord Jesus has called us to engage with today—and believe me, there are more. I did not even address atheism, or false forms of Christianity, or false religions. I did not even address the more personal storms that we face: Terminal illness, poverty, social injustice, depression, and despair. But know that all these things are included. And if we are honest, it is no easy thing to face such storms especially when they are so much of your own culture; so much of the very cultural air that you breathe, and so much of the reality that you know.
2. The Reason We Will Survive
But this is where we now have to stop studying the storms, and we have to look up to the one who walks on the waves. In the end, what will keep us from losing our faith when we are persecuted? What will keep us from giving in to secularism, hedonism, and paganism? Well, there are many ways to answer that question. We can talk about the spiritual weapons that God has given to us. We can talk about the use of spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, and Christian fellowship. All these are the means that God uses to preserve us. (Or rather, I should say, all these are the means that God causes us to use to preserve us.) But in the end, the ultimate answer for why we will survive is not because we are strong and it is not because we are great disciples of Jesus Christ. After all, like the first disciples, we ourselves are often frightened and confused. In the end, the reason we will not be destroyed is ultimately because Jesus Christ is the Lord our God.
But you might ask, “How is that even a reason? What has the fact that Jesus is God have anything to do with our spiritual survival in an evil culture?” Well, the reason does not simply lie in the fact that Jesus is God—it lies in what kind of God Jesus is. And we have already seen what kind of God he is. Jesus is not some generic, nonspecific, nameless supreme being that all religions worship. No. Remember what Jesus said to his disciples: He said “It is I.” He uses the name of Israel’s God for himself. In so doing, Jesus is showing us that even though he may be the God of creation in general, he is especially the God of his people. He is the God especially of those who trust in him. And if this is so, we can be assured of one thing: We can be assured that Jesus will devote, and direct, and project all his good will, all his love, all his protection, all his kindness, and all his power toward us. This does not mean that we will never ever fall into sin. But this does mean that in the end, no evil power can finally steal us away from Jesus. And it is precisely because he is this kind of God that the forces we have named will never overcome us. In fact, if Jesus is Lord, then these destructive forces can even be used for our good. After all, Romans 8:28 does say, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Do you remember what Jesus said to his disciples before he leaves them to go to the cross? He says to his disciples, “Because I live, you also will live” (Jn.14:19). Friends, this is the kind of promise that we are talking about today—it is a promise that is born out of God and carried out supremely by his sovereign will and power, not by us.
But you might be asking, “Why are you talking so much about the Lord himself and not on what we must do?” Well, I am talking so much about the Lord because this passage of Scripture calls me to do so. The emphasis of this passage is not on the power of the disciples. In fact, the disciples are not powerful people at all. It is Jesus who walks on water like the great ruler and master of creation that he is. It is Jesus who comforts the disciples. It is Jesus who silences the storm. It is Jesus who brings the boat to its destination. It is Jesus, the Son of God, who places the stormy sea and all the threat and the danger that it poses, under his feet. That is why I am focusing on Jesus. Because in the end, our trust is not in our own obedience to God, important as it is. In the end, we will get to heaven; we will love holiness, and we will attain perfect obedience to God, because Jesus himself will make it happen. He is the Ultimate Cause of our goodness. He is the Final Reason for our salvation. And the most basic thing that we as Christian must learn to do is to start depending on outside help; we have to start talking less about our own spiritual state, about our own spiritual gifts, and more of the glories, and excellencies, and perfections, and powers of the Son of God.
In light of this, I can think of no more fitting way to conclude this sermon than by reading another passage that speaks of this promise, though with different words. You see, long before Jesus walked on water to his frightened disciples, the prophet Isaiah knew about that God will never abandon his people. For Isaiah, the reason why God’s people will survive is supremely because the Lord is their God. So open your hearts and receive these powerful words from Isaiah 43:1-3:
“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.’”
Bibliography
Ball, David Mark. ‘I Am’ in John’s Gospel: Literary Function, Background and Theological Implications. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Aacdemic Press, 1996.
Beasley-Murray, George R. John. Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 36. Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987.
Burge, Gary. John. NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000.
Carson, D.A. The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.
__________. The Gospel According to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1991.
Hagner, Donald A. Matthew 14-28. Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 33A. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995.
Heimbach, Daniel R. True Sexual Morality. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2004.
Henderson, David. Culture Shift. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1998.
Horton, Michael. Beyond Culture Wars. Chicago, Illinois: Moody, 1994.
____________. Made In America. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1991.
Jones, Peter. Spirit Wars. Escondido, California: Winepress Publishing, 1997.
Köstenberger, Andreas. John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2004.
Milne, Bruce. The Message of John. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, 1971.
Niehaus, Jeffrey J. God at Sinai. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995.
Phillips, Richard D. Mighty to Save. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2001.
Ridderbos, Herman. The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary. Trans. John Vriend. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 1997. Twelftree, Graham H. Jesus: The Miracle Worker. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999.
[1] Richard D. Phillips, Mighty to Save (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2001), 86.
[2] Matthew 14:24 adds that the boat was “beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.”
[3] They had seen Jesus still the storm before but he was with them then. I would imagine that they might still be afraid now precisely because Jesus was not with them.
[4] In John 20:31, we see the purpose of the signs of Jesus: “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
[5] Scholars like D.A. Carson seem to think that we need not read this meaning in. He writes, “But the expression bears no necessary theological baggage: it is the perfectly normal way to say ‘It is I’” cf. D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, 275.
[6] For the view that “It is I” is a divine self-introduction, see the following. David Mark Ball, ‘I Am’ in John’s Gospel: Literary Function, Background and Theological Implications (Sheffield, England: Sheffield Aacdemic Press, 1996), 181; Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 14-28 (WBC; Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), 423; George R. Beasley-Murray, John (WBC 36; Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987), 89-90; Bruce Milne, The Message of John (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 108.
[7] See the discussion in Jeffrey J. Niehaus, God at Sinai (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995), 362.
[8] See discussion in D.A. Carson, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 38
[9] David Henderson writes, “To be secular is to be concerned only with the flesh-and-blood life on this planet. Secularism means dismissing God and disregarding a spiritual dimension of any sort.” cf. David Henderson, Culture Shift (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1998), 123. Michael Horton holds that secularism is really the product of modernity, which rejected supernaturalism, and postmodernity, which reacts against modernity “by emphasizing experience over reason and the inner realities of the soul over the external realities of the objective world.” cf. Michael Horton, Beyond Culture Wars (Chicago, Illinois: Moody, 1994), 131-132.
[10] Carson, The Gagging of God, 40.
[11] Ibid., 40.
[12] Michael Horton, Made In America (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1991), 115.
[13] See discussion in Michael Horton’s Made In America (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1991), 115-140. This is more properly called Neopaganism.
[14] Daniel R. Heimbach, True Sexual Morality (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2004), 51.
[15] Peter Jones, Spirit Wars (Escondido, California: Winepress Publishing, 1997), 188.
I. Introduction
As it turns out, the miraculous feeding of the five thousand ended in a bit of a tragedy. That event was an excellent illustration of how we as sinners are so capable of using God’s most precious gifts for our own sinful ambitions. And that was exactly what the crowd tried to do with Jesus. They tried to force him to be someone that he was not. And when they did that, Jesus simply removed his presence. And the important lesson there is that when we come to Jesus, we must not come to teach him what to do. When we come to Jesus, we need to let him be the one instructing us and forming us.
But that lesson is also good preparation for what we are going to see now in 6:16-21. When the people tried to force Jesus into their own imaginations, they really did not realize that Jesus is far more than what even their imaginations can contain.
II. John 6:16-21
A. The Storm at Sea (6:16-18)
And so we find ourselves now in John 6:16. Jesus had separated himself from the crowd and withdrawn to the mountains to avoid them (6:15). He has separated himself from his disciples. And verses 16 and 17 tell us that “when evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum.” Again, if we read Matthew 14:22, we see that it was Jesus himself who had told them to get into the boat and go ahead of him. This instruction must have seemed a little strange to the disciples because we are told later in John 6:22 that Jesus and his disciples had only had one boat. And so the disciples may have thought that Jesus would take the longer route and walk around the lake to the destination or that perhaps Jesus would simply find another boat and catch up with them. In any case, they do what they are told and they go.
However, the situation would eventually make a turn for the worse. First of all, it was getting dark. Verse 17 says that “It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.” And not only was it getting dark, things were also starting to get bad. If you know anything about the Sea of Galilee, you know that it is prone to many storms just because of its geography. The Sea (or Lake) of Galilee is located in a depression about 700 feet below sea level and is surrounded by hills. And when cold air descends from heights as high as 9,200 feet above sea level, this can cause sudden and violent storms.[1] And as it turns out, Jesus had actually asked the disciples to go out on a bad night for verse 18 tells us that “the sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing.”[2]
B. The Lord of the Storm and the Sea (6:19-20)
But things were actually about to get even worse. Remember: It was late at night; there was no sign of Jesus;[3] the wind was blowing and the sea was rough. And when the disciples “had rowed for about three or four miles,” they see something that completely frightened them. What they saw looked like someone approaching them from a distance. Upon closer inspection, what they saw looked like a man walking out to their boat on the water (v.19). And of course, if you are out at sea, late at night with the winds and waves threatening to flip your boat, it does not take much to cause your imagination to go wild. In such a situation, when you are already so tired and afraid for your safety, the last thing you expect to see—indeed, the last thing you want to see—is a mysterious, dark shape in the distance coming toward you on the water! And Matthew 14:26 tells us what the disciples were thinking: They actually thought that they had seen a ghost.
But as it turns out, it wasn’t a ghost. It was Jesus. The same Jesus who was their teacher and friend. The same Jesus who had a few hours ago created bread out of nothing. And that same Jesus is now coming toward them. And how is he coming toward them? Well, he is walking toward them on the water. And Jesus knew that they were afraid. He could see it in their faces. He could hear it in their cries. And so he does the most normal and friendly thing one will do at a time like this. He tries to calm his friends. “‘It is I,” he says, “do not be afraid’” (6:20).
Of course, we can wonder whether or not the disciples actually stopped being afraid entirely. I am sure that they were relieved to find that the man walking on water was not a ghost. So in a sense I suppose they did stop being afraid. But then again, what kind of a man walks on water? What kind of a man walks on the restless sea in the storm, seemingly invulnerable to its effects? What kind of a man is Jesus? Nonetheless, “they were glad to take him into the boat” (v.21). And interestingly enough, just as things got worse before Jesus showed up, things actually started getting better really quickly. In both Matthew’s and Mark’s report of this account, we see that when Jesus got into the boat, the wind stopped (Mt.14:32; Mk.6:51). And if that was not good enough, look at what else the Gospel of John reports: Not only did the wind stop; but we see that when the disciples took Jesus on the boat, “immediately,” we are told, “the boat was at the land to which they were going” (6:21b).
III. A Promise For Our Storms
A. A Promise
Now, it does not take long to see why this miracle is also one of the more well-remembered events from Jesus’
ministry: Because it is such a clear display of the power of our Savior. I am sure that many sermons have been preached from this miracle. Today’s sermon is not the first and it will certainly not be the last because the Holy Spirit has been encouraging God’s people from these words for generations and he will continue to do so. And the reason why God’s people will continually need to be reminded of our Lord walking on the sea and calming the storm is because this miracle is God’s powerful word for people who live in a very real world of unpredictable and threatening forces. We can say that this miracle functions as a promise from God to us for all time.
B. Who is Jesus Really?
But before we actually see what that promise is, there is something else that we must do first. You see, if Jesus is the central figure of the story, then ultimately speaking, whatever God’s word to us might be today, it must be first and foremost a word about who Jesus is.[4] Why is Jesus presented the way he is in this story? Or more precisely, why does Jesus choose to present himself this way to his disciples? As he comes to his disciples in the stormy sea; as he walks on the water toward them; as he speaks comfort to them, as he calms the storm so that the boat can reach the shore—are you beginning to realize who Jesus really is? Do Jesus’ actions look familiar? Well, this is what I want us to think about for a while.
1. Clues from the Old Testament
A miracle like the one we have just read would naturally remind us of some of the miracles that we see in the Old Testament—particularly those that involve some kind of journey through water. The most obvious one is of course the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14. When the Israelites were leaving Egypt, the king of Egypt pursued them and God sent a powerful wind to separate the Red Sea, creating a path for the Israelites to cross through the sea on dry land. And then there is also that incident in Joshua 3 where God stopped the river Jordan so that Joshua, who was Moses’ immediate successor, could lead Israel across it.
Now, when we come to John 6, we have to admit of course that Jesus’ miracle here is not as large-scale as opening the sea and bringing people through. Yet, the size of the miracle is not necessarily the issue. The issue has to do with who is doing the miracle and why he is doing it. When the Israelites passed through the Red Sea, they were not the ones performing the miracle. They were simply humans walking on dry land. It was God who did it. But when we come to John 6, what do we see here? We see that Jesus is the one suspending the laws of gravity and overriding the laws that govern how solids and liquids should behave.
Now, keeping this in mind, I want us now to listen also to some other Scripture passages and let them further guide us in interpreting this miracle. Listen first of all to Job 9:4-8:
“4He who is wise in heart and mighty in strength—who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—5he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger, 6who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; 7who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars; 8who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea”
Job was speaking about God. But listen also to Psalm 77:19-20:
“19Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. 20You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”
That was an obvious reference to the miracle of the Red Sea. Look also at Psalm 107:28-30:
“28 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.”
Friends, if there is one thing that is clear from all these passages, it is this: The power to control water and the other forces of nature lies in the hand of God. And by walking on water and calming the storm, Jesus has done something that is said could only be done by God alone.
2. “It is I; Do Not Be Afraid”
But it gets better. Not only does Jesus walk on water to his disciples, he also comforts them with the words, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Now, these words may not sound like much, but they may actually be deeply profound and even shocking words. Now, what I am going to say next is somewhat of a debated issue among New Testament scholars. But since many good New Testament scholars will point this out, I think it is something to be taken seriously. They will point out that there is more to Jesus’ words than we might think. And here is why. The Greek words behind the English translation “It is I” are egō eimi. Depending on where and how it is used, egō eimi can be used as a form of self-introduction and it can be translated as “It is I” which is the translation that we find in 6:20. But then again, egō eimi can also be translated another way; it can be translated simply and more literally as “I am” (cf. 8:58). And we know what “I am” means, don’t we? If you read Exodus 3:14, God appears to Moses in a burning bush and introduces his name as “I Am Who I Am.” The name “I Am,” of course, is interesting. It is not a name anyone would use for himself. But it is an important name because it tells us that God is the self-existent one. It tells us that God already is everything that he is. Unlike us, God does not need to grow up, he does not need to decrease in any way. He has been and will always be the eternal and unchanging “I Am.” And now, Jesus is saying to his disciples, “I am; do not be afraid.”
Now, the question of course is whether or not we are reading too much into what Jesus is saying.[5] I mean, after all, isn’t Jesus simply reassuring his disciples that he is the one they saw? And of course, that is true because he is certainly doing that. But we should also realize that Jesus’ words in 6:20 sound very familiar. They sound very similar to words that God has used before in other parts of the Bible. In several places in the Old Testament, we find the use of the divine name or a divine self-introduction together with words of encouragement. In other words, we find places where God introduces himself and then gives his people encouragement. Take Genesis 26:24 for example: “And the LORD appeared to him [Isaac] the same night and said, ‘I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you.” Then there is Isaiah 41:13: “For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Or Isaiah 43:5: “Fear not, for I am with you.” Now, you take all these factors together—the nature of the miracle itself and the similarity of Jesus’ words with the words of God in the Old Testament—and we get the sense that Jesus could really be saying more than just “hey guys, it’s only me.” Jesus could be saying, “My dear friends, I am he who walks the waters. I am he who rules the storms. And I am coming to you now. Therefore, do not be afraid.”[6]
Friends, I believe that what we have in this miracle on the Sea of Galilee is nothing less than what we would call a theophany.[7] A theophany is an appearance, a manifestation of God himself. And even if you disagree with the interpretation of Jesus’ words, you still cannot escape the fact that Jesus has done something that not only calls attention to himself but also deliberately suggests that he can do what only God can do. You also cannot escape the fact that in Matthew 14:33, we are told that after the disciples took Jesus into the boat, what did they do? They worshiped him. And I think we know the reason why. It was because they understood who was with them. They realized that in Jesus Christ, the Lord God of Israel has appeared, and he has appeared to save his people from fear and destruction.
C. The Lord for Our Storms
All this leads us then to the promise that God wants us to have today. And what a promise it is. Just as Jesus came to his disciples so many years ago to save them from the storm and from their fears, so he will continue to save his disciples from their storms and their fears today. And the reason he can do this, the reason he will do this, is because he is the Lord our God. Or if I may put it even more simply and even more boldly: Because Jesus is the Lord our God, there is no force of nature and no power of Satan that can ever destroy us. If Jesus is our Lord, we cannot be destroyed. Now, by this I do not mean that we cannot ever be physically harmed. By this, I mean that there is nothing that can ever separate us and tear us from God and cause us to be lost to him.
1. The Storms We Face
Now, what then are some of the storms that we, as disciples of Jesus, have to face today? What are the forces today that try to destroy us?
Well, before we answer that question, let’s try answering an even more basic question: Why should we even expect to face storms? Well, I want to briefly give us two reasons for why we can expect to face such forces. Firstly, we can expect storms because God’s word tells us that there are intelligent spiritual forces that are actually seeking to destroy the disciples of Jesus. We have to remember that even though God is the Lord of all spiritual powers, this does not mean that he is the only spiritual power. Other spiritual powers exist. Many of them are evil. These are led by the one we call Satan (cf. Eph.6:12; Rev.12:7-9). But there is a second reason for why we can expect storms. And this is because Jesus himself will send us into the storms. Yes, you have heard me correctly: Jesus himself will put his people in harm’s way. There is a popular idea out there that if you just follow God’s perfect plan for your life, everything will be smooth, peaceful, happy, and successful. That is nonsense. Because if Jesus sent his disciples into the storm, and because if Jesus himself was sent into the darkness, then you can expect that we too who call ourselves disciples will indeed have to deal with darkness as well. As Jesus makes it clear in John 15:19, if the world hated Jesus, they will also hate his disciples.
Having said all that, we return to our question: What are the kinds of storms, what kind of powerful and destructive forces must we, as disciples of Jesus, confront today? Well, this is where I think we can come up with a pretty long list. One kind of storm that confronts Jesus’ disciples today is obviously government-sponsored persecution. Many of our brothers and sisters in other countries have to face this storm. Storms like that are caused when Satan himself influences human governments and starts using them as his agents to exterminate the Lord’s disciples. But what about those of us who do not suffer persecution? What about us who come from or live in countries, such as the U.S., that do not sponsor persecution of the Church? Are we then safe? Absolutely not. I believe that we just face other kinds of storms. Apart from persecution, one storm system that confronts disciples of Jesus today is secularism.[8] Secularism is the philosophy and attitude that religion should not interfere with the public affairs of society.[9] Now, secularism does not say that God does not exist, but it does say that God is not relevant. And today, we find ourselves in a society in which God, if not entirely absent, is becoming increasingly irrelevant. One manifestation of secularism is of course to be seen in the university. In his book, The Gagging of God, D.A. Carson, who is a New Testament scholar, points out that at one time, Christianity and its principles played a key role in the “founding, development, and maintenance of the principal schools of higher learning.”[10] Carson probably had in mind elite schools like Harvard, Yale, or Princeton that were all at one time self-consciously Christian institutions. But things have changed. Instead, Carson says, “We have arrived at a point at which virtually all forms of Christianity are commonly ignored or even despised in the academy, and especially those forms that insist that there are objective truths and standards.”[11] Make no mistake: Secularism is indeed one of the cultural forces that Satan is using to threaten the Church of Jesus Christ because secularism trains people to ignore what God has to say concerning the affairs of our world.
But if secularism can be compared to the thunder that threatens to make us deaf to God’s voice, then it is the fierce wind of hedonism that threatens to blow our love for God away. Well, what is hedonism? Simply put, hedonism is the idea that pleasure is the ultimate goal of life. Hedonism is the worship of pleasure. And societies that are prosperous and dwell in relative peace without military conflict will generally move toward the direction of hedonism. Now, to be sure, hedonism begins very innocently. It begins because we fear pain. Nobody wants to be in pain or difficulty. But hedonism goes much further: Hedonism goes further to say that we should protect ourselves from any kind of pain as much as possible and we do this by seeking as much pleasure as we can. How then does hedonism try to destroy us? Well, think of hedonism as a drug or a strong alcholic drink. If a soldier is on drugs or drunk, he loses his ability to fight. In the same way, hedonism destroys the disciples of Jesus by causing us to forget that there is a war that we are fighting. Hedonism tempts us to give up the rigorous discipline, the careful watchfulness, and the sacrifcial mentality that is needed to win our war against sin. In more concrete terms, hedonism teaches us that watching TV, listening to music, enjoying our hobbies are more important than pursuing the heart of God. Now, of course, the Bible does not ever teach us to inflict suffering upon ourselves nor does it tell us that we cannot engage in leisure activities. But then the Bible also does not command us to make pleasure the chief purpose of our hard-earned money. And 2 Timothy 3:4 does warn us that in the last days, people will be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” The hedonism of our culture is a sign that not only has the word of God been silenced; it is a sign that love for God is absent.
But just because the true God has been silenced by the thunder of secularism and blown away by the wind of hedonism does not mean that other kinds of gods will not come in. In fact, they do and they will come like a tsunami flood to fill the absence.[12] If the Lord is silenced, other gods will speak. And so we see that while secularism and hedonism are doing their work to usurp God, yet another storm facing Jesus’ disciples today is really the return of paganism.[13] Now, just so you know, “paganism” may have a more specialized definition, referring to religions that deal with spiritual powers that are said to dwell in nature. But for our purposes, I am using the term here to refer to any religious system that teaches people to control or use spiritual powers for their own benefit. And we can understand why paganism will return. Paganism will return because man cannot live without a conscious spiritual component in their lives. If mankind will not follow a religion that teaches them to submit to God, then they will create religions that will teach them how to make the powers of God submit to them. This is what paganism is. And we see paganism appearing in many forms. Paganism, of course, already exists in many Asian or African countries. There, paganism appears in the form of idol worship and the practice of magic. But in the post-Christian West, paganism has returned with renewed power. You find paganism in the so-called “New Age” religions that teach people how to use spiritual powers to attain personal health or wellbeing. You find paganism in the bold and outright worship of Satan himself where Satan is no longer treated as the enemy of God but as the one who teaches the human race to grow up and think for ourselves. But just in case you did not know, you will also find paganism in the obsession with sex which is so characteristic of prosperous societies through the ages. We often think that sexual immorality is primarily a problem with a lack of self-control and it is. But in our day, believe it or not, we are also seeing the merging of sexuality and spirituality where sex is now seen as a means to control spiritual power.[14] One example can be found in the world of homosexuality. Not all homosexuals are pagans. But a homosexual who is pagan might say that there are actually spiritual reasons to practice homosexuality. One of these reasons being that homosexuality is really the grand attempt to create the ideal sex-less human who is the embodiment of both male and female power.[15] Friends, could it be that this culture’s obsession with sex and with it, the obsession with physical beauty and strength, is becoming more of a religious phenomenon than we actually realize?
So these are but some of the major storm systems that our Lord Jesus has called us to engage with today—and believe me, there are more. I did not even address atheism, or false forms of Christianity, or false religions. I did not even address the more personal storms that we face: Terminal illness, poverty, social injustice, depression, and despair. But know that all these things are included. And if we are honest, it is no easy thing to face such storms especially when they are so much of your own culture; so much of the very cultural air that you breathe, and so much of the reality that you know.
2. The Reason We Will Survive
But this is where we now have to stop studying the storms, and we have to look up to the one who walks on the waves. In the end, what will keep us from losing our faith when we are persecuted? What will keep us from giving in to secularism, hedonism, and paganism? Well, there are many ways to answer that question. We can talk about the spiritual weapons that God has given to us. We can talk about the use of spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, and Christian fellowship. All these are the means that God uses to preserve us. (Or rather, I should say, all these are the means that God causes us to use to preserve us.) But in the end, the ultimate answer for why we will survive is not because we are strong and it is not because we are great disciples of Jesus Christ. After all, like the first disciples, we ourselves are often frightened and confused. In the end, the reason we will not be destroyed is ultimately because Jesus Christ is the Lord our God.
But you might ask, “How is that even a reason? What has the fact that Jesus is God have anything to do with our spiritual survival in an evil culture?” Well, the reason does not simply lie in the fact that Jesus is God—it lies in what kind of God Jesus is. And we have already seen what kind of God he is. Jesus is not some generic, nonspecific, nameless supreme being that all religions worship. No. Remember what Jesus said to his disciples: He said “It is I.” He uses the name of Israel’s God for himself. In so doing, Jesus is showing us that even though he may be the God of creation in general, he is especially the God of his people. He is the God especially of those who trust in him. And if this is so, we can be assured of one thing: We can be assured that Jesus will devote, and direct, and project all his good will, all his love, all his protection, all his kindness, and all his power toward us. This does not mean that we will never ever fall into sin. But this does mean that in the end, no evil power can finally steal us away from Jesus. And it is precisely because he is this kind of God that the forces we have named will never overcome us. In fact, if Jesus is Lord, then these destructive forces can even be used for our good. After all, Romans 8:28 does say, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Do you remember what Jesus said to his disciples before he leaves them to go to the cross? He says to his disciples, “Because I live, you also will live” (Jn.14:19). Friends, this is the kind of promise that we are talking about today—it is a promise that is born out of God and carried out supremely by his sovereign will and power, not by us.
But you might be asking, “Why are you talking so much about the Lord himself and not on what we must do?” Well, I am talking so much about the Lord because this passage of Scripture calls me to do so. The emphasis of this passage is not on the power of the disciples. In fact, the disciples are not powerful people at all. It is Jesus who walks on water like the great ruler and master of creation that he is. It is Jesus who comforts the disciples. It is Jesus who silences the storm. It is Jesus who brings the boat to its destination. It is Jesus, the Son of God, who places the stormy sea and all the threat and the danger that it poses, under his feet. That is why I am focusing on Jesus. Because in the end, our trust is not in our own obedience to God, important as it is. In the end, we will get to heaven; we will love holiness, and we will attain perfect obedience to God, because Jesus himself will make it happen. He is the Ultimate Cause of our goodness. He is the Final Reason for our salvation. And the most basic thing that we as Christian must learn to do is to start depending on outside help; we have to start talking less about our own spiritual state, about our own spiritual gifts, and more of the glories, and excellencies, and perfections, and powers of the Son of God.
In light of this, I can think of no more fitting way to conclude this sermon than by reading another passage that speaks of this promise, though with different words. You see, long before Jesus walked on water to his frightened disciples, the prophet Isaiah knew about that God will never abandon his people. For Isaiah, the reason why God’s people will survive is supremely because the Lord is their God. So open your hearts and receive these powerful words from Isaiah 43:1-3:
“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.’”
Bibliography
Ball, David Mark. ‘I Am’ in John’s Gospel: Literary Function, Background and Theological Implications. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Aacdemic Press, 1996.
Beasley-Murray, George R. John. Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 36. Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987.
Burge, Gary. John. NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000.
Carson, D.A. The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.
__________. The Gospel According to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1991.
Hagner, Donald A. Matthew 14-28. Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 33A. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995.
Heimbach, Daniel R. True Sexual Morality. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2004.
Henderson, David. Culture Shift. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1998.
Horton, Michael. Beyond Culture Wars. Chicago, Illinois: Moody, 1994.
____________. Made In America. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1991.
Jones, Peter. Spirit Wars. Escondido, California: Winepress Publishing, 1997.
Köstenberger, Andreas. John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2004.
Milne, Bruce. The Message of John. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, 1971.
Niehaus, Jeffrey J. God at Sinai. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995.
Phillips, Richard D. Mighty to Save. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2001.
Ridderbos, Herman. The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary. Trans. John Vriend. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 1997. Twelftree, Graham H. Jesus: The Miracle Worker. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999.
[1] Richard D. Phillips, Mighty to Save (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2001), 86.
[2] Matthew 14:24 adds that the boat was “beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.”
[3] They had seen Jesus still the storm before but he was with them then. I would imagine that they might still be afraid now precisely because Jesus was not with them.
[4] In John 20:31, we see the purpose of the signs of Jesus: “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
[5] Scholars like D.A. Carson seem to think that we need not read this meaning in. He writes, “But the expression bears no necessary theological baggage: it is the perfectly normal way to say ‘It is I’” cf. D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, 275.
[6] For the view that “It is I” is a divine self-introduction, see the following. David Mark Ball, ‘I Am’ in John’s Gospel: Literary Function, Background and Theological Implications (Sheffield, England: Sheffield Aacdemic Press, 1996), 181; Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 14-28 (WBC; Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), 423; George R. Beasley-Murray, John (WBC 36; Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987), 89-90; Bruce Milne, The Message of John (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 108.
[7] See the discussion in Jeffrey J. Niehaus, God at Sinai (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995), 362.
[8] See discussion in D.A. Carson, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 38
[9] David Henderson writes, “To be secular is to be concerned only with the flesh-and-blood life on this planet. Secularism means dismissing God and disregarding a spiritual dimension of any sort.” cf. David Henderson, Culture Shift (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1998), 123. Michael Horton holds that secularism is really the product of modernity, which rejected supernaturalism, and postmodernity, which reacts against modernity “by emphasizing experience over reason and the inner realities of the soul over the external realities of the objective world.” cf. Michael Horton, Beyond Culture Wars (Chicago, Illinois: Moody, 1994), 131-132.
[10] Carson, The Gagging of God, 40.
[11] Ibid., 40.
[12] Michael Horton, Made In America (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1991), 115.
[13] See discussion in Michael Horton’s Made In America (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1991), 115-140. This is more properly called Neopaganism.
[14] Daniel R. Heimbach, True Sexual Morality (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2004), 51.
[15] Peter Jones, Spirit Wars (Escondido, California: Winepress Publishing, 1997), 188.
