Where Is Jesus In The Difficult Times?

John 6 (3)

Where is Jesus when times are tough?

When I was in high school, my parents bought a boat. I guess it was because my dad’s parents had boats when he was young and he wanted us to share some of the same experiences.

Any of you who have ever owned a boat, know that if you have one, you are going to make memories. I remember for instance, the day we were pulling the boat down to the Enterprise boat ramp, and boat and trailer came loose from the truck and passed us on the right hand side. That made a memory.

Or, the time we went scalloping in the gulf, just as a storm blew Jellyfish from a 1000 miles into the gulf. Every time you came to the surface you had to look up to make sure you weren’t coming up underneath one. Travis forgot one time.

I’ll never forget the time we put the boat in at the Enterprise boat ramp, where our parents met us after work to go skiing. We often did that. On this particular night we ran out of gas on the other side of Lake Monroe, after dark, and had to cross the lake manually. We had 1 short paddle. We used a ski as a paddle on the other side of the boat, and we had one person in the front of the boat throwing out the anchor and pulling it in. Throw out the anchor and pull it in. I didn’t think we’d ever get back to the ramp.

I think that’s what the disciples must have felt like during the night recorded in John 6 when they crossed the Sea of Galilee in the middle of the night, in the middle of a wind storm.

Turn with me please to John chapter 6, John chapter 6 and verse 16, as this morning we examine the account of the disciples’ memorable trip in their boat. John chapter 6 and beginning in verse 16.

- Read John 6:16-21

As we continue our study of John, you may remember 2 weeks ago, we saw how Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish to feed more than 5,000 people. It was a crowd and a memorable day. The teaching and the miracle performed that day so impressed the people attending that last week we saw that the people wanted to forcibly make Jesus king.

He will be King one day, and that day is getting closer every moment, but that was not the time nor the place. He will not be the kind of king they wanted, so He sent the people away. Matthew 14 and Mark 6 tell us that Jesus also sent the disciples away. I imagine He sent the disciples away to get them away from temptation.

Remember, Jesus had to keep in mind the ambition of Judas Iscariot, the impulsiveness of Simon Peter, the zeal of Simon the Canaanite, and the tempers of James and John. Also, Jesus had already taught the disciples to be praying that God’s kingdom would come. It would not be a good idea for these disciples to start mingling too much with a group of people who wanted to force a crown on Jesus He did not want. So He sent them away.

In their self-confidence, they had no concern about disaster. Peter could do it, after all, he had his fishing buddies with him. This would be a swift and easy passage to the other side. But, they were about to head into a storm they knew nothing about. There was stormy weather ahead.

- Read vvs 16-17

Darkness had set in.

Sadly, most of the world lives in darkness everyday. One impression that comes to mind again and again as I talk to the boys as they travel in Southeast Asia, and from my mother and cousin during their trip there, is the great number of temples they have in that part of the world. My word, they have almost as many temples there as they do Baptist churches in the South. There are temples everywhere.

While visiting in Indonesia, they were told that the Hindu folks in that area do not travel very much or very often because it is important that they make offerings in their temple each day.

How sad, people so enthusiastically pursuing religion, so energetically pursuing their gods, but who have no knowledge of the truth. Lord, please open their eyes to their darkness, let them see the light, see the truth.

Oh, but there are so many people in darkness in the West, and in this country as well. People who chase one thing or another trying to find peace, and hope, and joy, trying to find something meaningful and important in life; but who have no time or concern for the Lord. People blind to the truth. Blind to the light, and with no knowledge of the Lord.