That Ain't No Ghost, Buster! Series

10 Amazing Miracles From Scripture Series (3 of 10)

“That Ain’t No Ghost, Buster!”

John 6.15-21

10/18/15 CFBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A John 6:15-21 (NASB)

15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. 16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.18 The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.19 Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they *saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He *said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." 21 So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

B I heard a story of a ship that was sinking in the middle of a storm, and the captain called out to the crew and said, "Does anyone here know how to pray?"

1 One man stepped forward and said, "Yes sir, I know how to pray."

a The captain said, "Wonderful, you pray while the rest of us put on life jackets--we're one short."

b We find our Savior/Disciples once again in a storm on the Sea of Galilee.

aa Jesus stayed on shore, praying & sends His disciples on ahead.

bb Storm kicks up that pushes them farther away.

2 Ghostly figure walking on the water to them.

a “That ain’t no ghost, Buster!”

b We’re going to learn today three assurances that this story gives us concerning storms.

aa He brought me here.

bb He will come to me.

cc He will see us through.

c Pray

I First Assurance: He brought me here.

A The crowd that Jesus had been ministering to were wanting to make Him their king (Jn. 6.15), no wanting His disciples to get caught up in the temptation of the crowd, He told them to leave Him. (Our Savior showed His humility, self-denial by declining the people’s offer of making Him king. Could/would you have let them make you king?)

1 The disciples got in their boat and started rowing toward Capernaum . . .doing exactly what Jesus had demanded they do (Mk. 6.15.)

Mark 6:45 (NASB)

45 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away.

a My heart tells me they wanted to wait for Jesus to come and go with them on their passage.

b Apparently Jesus was wanting to go alone and pray for them instead, possibly pray about their next place of ministry . . . I’m not 100% what He was praying about but I do know He was praying (Mk. 6.46.)

Mark 6:46 (NASB)

46 After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

2 The disciples were in the Will and doing the Word of God, how could anything go wrong?

a A storm came up that was off the chain, so powerful it was sending them further into the middle of the Galilee (Matt. 14.24; Mk. 6.47.)

Matthew 14:24 (NASB)

24 But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary.

Mark 6:47 (NASB)

47 When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land.

aa It was dark: More dangerous, uncomfortable, can’t see their way to safety, no hope was in sight...not scared.

bb Jesus wasn’t with them: A few days before when they were on the lake Jesus was on-board, tonight He wasn’t. I don’t know if Jesus absence is causing an even greater storm inside them (if so, it doesn’t show.)

cc The sea arose by reason of great wind that came from nowhere: It wasn’t storming when they got on-board: shows me that we must prepared for trouble because it will happen.

b Despite the bad weather, the disciples just kept rowing because that’s what Jesus told them to do (Mk 6.48.)

Mark 6:48 (NASB)

48 Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them.

B We can be doing the Will/Word of God and still not have smooth sailing. (“In the world you shall have tribulation,” Jesus promised John (John 16.33.)

John 16:33 (NASB)

33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."