THE FOURTH WATCH OF THE NIGHT
INTRODUCTION.
We’re going to take a little trip with Jesus across the sea of Galilee. Actually, calling it a “Sea” is a bit of a overstatement. It’s a lake. A big lake, but a lake all the same, 15 mi. long and 8 miles wide.
TEXT. Matthew 14.22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat was already a considerable distance from land [Mark’s version says that at the time in question, they were in the middle of the sea, at least four miles from shore.], buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. [--Mark adds here the interesting observation that somehow, in the middle of the night from a great distance, Jesus saw the “toiling in rowing, rowing hard and struggling against the wind--] 25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It’s a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. 27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid."
I. BACKGROUND. Let’s take a close look at some important details in this account of Jesus walking on the water, sort of squeeze all the nectar we can out of it.
A. In particular …..
1. Remember: A third of the disciple’s were professional fishermen. They understood their job. So it is interesting that the word “made” is used in vs.22. Jesus “made” them get in the boat. Jesus compelled (forced the against their will).
a. Why would have to do that?
i. Perhaps they were tired, after a long day of ministry (feeding the 5,000).
ii. But, maybe, they noticed the storm brewing and fishermen don’t go out on open waters during a storm.
b. APPLY. Sometimes the will of God leads us INTO storms.
2. The account says “when evening came ... fourth watch of the night“
a. John Gill comments on this passage: “The first watch began at six o’clock in the evening, and lasted till nine; the second began at nine, and ended at twelve, which was midnight; the third began at twelve, and closed at three; the fourth began at three, and ended at six in the morning.”
i. This gives us a time frame to work with.
ii. Feeding 5,000 people took all day!
iii. By evening (6:/7:00 pm) disciples were dispatched, crowd dismissed, Jesus begins climbing slope of a mountain to find a place to pray.
iv. Storm arises while they are in “the middle of the sea” [Mark 6.47] – i.e.,about four miles from shore. How long does it take to row four miles? Puts the time near midnight (10pm/12:00am), say around 11pm.
B. This begs some questions: Why did Jesus wait until the fourth watch of the night (after 3:00 am) to respond to their prayers? Why didn’t he go to them immediately? Surely, they were praying. Surely he knew that they were in the storm.
1. Apparently, Jesus’ delay in coming to them was intentional.
2. APPLY: Why does the Lord often delay in answering prayer? I once read this verse, penned by Ophelia Adams, which answers some of questions about prayer: “Unanswered yet? Nay, do not say ungranted; / Perhaps your part is not yet wholly done; / The work began when first your prayer was uttered, / And God will finish what He has begun. / Though years have passed since then, do not despair; / His glory you shall see, sometime, somewhere.”
3. This was the case in this instance. The Lord had a lesson he wanted to teach them.
C. But they were not ready. They had abandoned hope. Their faith had crashed. When they saw something coming toward them on the water, they had by then given up on the possibility that Christ would save the.
1. the timing was wrong. It was “too late.” He would have answered before now. Surely he would not have left them in this scary place.
2. But Jesus had sent them into the storm in the first place.
3. Do not feel abandoned when your prayers seem unanswered. Jesus prayer that the cup of suffering be removed was not answered. Paul’s prayer that his thorn in the flesh be eased was not answered. Remember their words, “Not my will but your’s be done” and “My grace is sufficient.” Unanswered or delayed prayer are for a reason and we must discover that reason.
ILLUS. Ted Turner, who claims that religion is for losers, once said that his decision to turn his back on Christianity happened after a sister died with a terminal illness despite his fervent prayers that she be healed. In 1990 he told a reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “I was saved seven or eight times,” But he said he became disenchanted with Christianity after his sister died, despite his prayers. Turner said the more he strayed from his faith, “the better I felt.” Turner only allowed God one response to his prayer … his own personal desire.
D. There is an overriding message in this narrative. Very often you can expect Jesus to come to your rescue only after all other means of rescue are gone. The Fourth Watch represents those times of hopelessness and helplessness we all feel from time to time. The Disciples on the storm-ravaged Sea that night, by the fourth watch, were exhausted.
1. They were physically exhausted. They had fought the storm for, maybe, six hours.
2. Their prayers were exhausted. Surely, they had fervently prayed throughout their ordeal.
3. Their expectations were exhausted. Certainly, they had expected a more prompt response to their emergency.
4. Their hope was exhausted. If Christ was coming he would have come before now.
5. Their faith was exhausted. When Christ finally appeared they thought he was a ghost, a hallucination.
II. APPLICATION. We all face our Fourth Watches. These are times of despair when Jesus often comes to us.
A. Fourth Watch of Illness.
1. The woman with the issue of blood had exhausted all means of healing when Jesus came to her.
2. Luke 8.43As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45"Who touched me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you." 46But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me." 47Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace." 49While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don’t bother the teacher any more." 50Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed." 51When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep."
53They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" 55Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
B. Fourth Watch of Death.
1. Jairus was desperate when his daughter lay at the point of death.
2. Luke 8.40Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. . . . .49While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don’t bother the teacher any more." 50Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed."
51When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep." 53They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" 55Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
C. Fourth Watch of Sin.
1. The penitent thief on the cross was certainly in a hopeless situation when Christ forgave him.
2. Luke 23. 36The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." 38There was a written notice above him, which read:|sc THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
D. Fourth Watch of Christ’s Coming.
1. When Christ comes mens hearts will be failing them for fear for looking at the things coming on the world
2. Luke 21.26, (The Message) talks about a time when the world will be “in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking.”
CONCLUSION.
Are you in a Fourth Watch today? I want to help you restore your hope in Christ.
Pray this prayer with me:
Lord, I am feeling helpless right now. You know my storm. You see me toiling in rowing. You know my confusion and my questions. Please help me to hold tight until you come through. Even in this fourth watch of the night for me, help me not to despair. Help me to know when you come to me. Help me not to see you as an hallucination. Help me not to see your answer, whatever it may be, as a coincidence or a happenstance. Help me to be patient and hopeful and trusting and faithful. Amen
