John 6:16-21
16But when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea. 17And having stepped into the boat, they began going over the sea to Capernaum. And it had already become dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18And the sea was being stirred up by a strong blowing. 19Then having rowed about three or four miles, they watched Jesus walking about on the sea and coming near the boat. And they were afraid. 20But He says to them, “I Am! Stop being afraid!” 21So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat came to be on the land to which they were going.
Good Day Child of God! "Father? Your Will Be Done!" This group of verses is so familiar that it would be a safe bet to say that nearly everyone in the western world has heard the story of the man that walked on water.
This remarkable scene is repeated by Believers and unbelievers alike to point out that someone thinks they are maybe just a little bit more important than they really are. Yet, as many sermons and comments as you have heard about walking on water, the reason these verses are here are different than you may be aware. Let's see what the Spirit has in mind.
Today's easy lesson: This is one of very few cases where reading just the paragraph is an exception to the rule. What is the most important rule when reading your Bible? NEVER take it out of context. Sure; pray, read, think, repeat is a staple as well, but not as important as context. We have Jesus purposely leaving His Apostles, sending them ahead of Him in a boat. Later that evening, in the dark, most likely after a discussion with the Father, Jesus shows up not far from the boat, and the Apostles are so upset at what they think they see, Jesus says something to calm them down. He invoked the name of His Father. The name given to the Israelites by God was Elohim, which translated can mean either "I AM" or simply "AM". There is no way anything dark or devilish is going to utter God's Name, so they calmed down.
What is the message? You would think that it's simple, and it is, but not about the fact that Jesus could walk on water. To understand what is actually going on, you have to know this about Jesus; that He spent a good deal of time talking to His Father. That, so He only did and said what He was told. Why? Because Jesus could not see what was coming, but the Father could, and the Father also has a plan in mind, of which Jesus has to complete. What they most likely discussed is what is coming, and what is coming are several confrontations concerning Jesus' standing as it pertains to God. Reading the verses above proves how uneasy everyone is at this point, not knowing Who or what to expect next, or what the overall plan is. They want a King, He walks away. He shouldn't break the Law or the rules, yet He says these things are for our good, not for God. Jesus needs to get everyone on the right track, and this is the beginning of solidifying what the plan is, and the direction it must go. This is the start, but continues for the next several paragraphs, and at the end, you will be more in tune with Jesus, the Father, and your role as a Christian. In the mean while don't stop talking to your Father, don't stop reading at least one paragraph a day, (you won't be able to easily stop there I promise you), and keep in mind that your Father Loves you more than any other ever could. Have a Grace Day!
Brother Glenn
This blog link: http://askgodsword.blogspot.com/
Complete New Testament Grace Studies link: http://gracehouseministry.blogspot.com/
16But when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea. 17And having stepped into the boat, they began going over the sea to Capernaum. And it had already become dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18And the sea was being stirred up by a strong blowing. 19Then having rowed about three or four miles, they watched Jesus walking about on the sea and coming near the boat. And they were afraid. 20But He says to them, “I Am! Stop being afraid!” 21So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat came to be on the land to which they were going.
Good Day Child of God! "Father? Your Will Be Done!" This group of verses is so familiar that it would be a safe bet to say that nearly everyone in the western world has heard the story of the man that walked on water.
This remarkable scene is repeated by Believers and unbelievers alike to point out that someone thinks they are maybe just a little bit more important than they really are. Yet, as many sermons and comments as you have heard about walking on water, the reason these verses are here are different than you may be aware. Let's see what the Spirit has in mind.
Today's easy lesson: This is one of very few cases where reading just the paragraph is an exception to the rule. What is the most important rule when reading your Bible? NEVER take it out of context. Sure; pray, read, think, repeat is a staple as well, but not as important as context. We have Jesus purposely leaving His Apostles, sending them ahead of Him in a boat. Later that evening, in the dark, most likely after a discussion with the Father, Jesus shows up not far from the boat, and the Apostles are so upset at what they think they see, Jesus says something to calm them down. He invoked the name of His Father. The name given to the Israelites by God was Elohim, which translated can mean either "I AM" or simply "AM". There is no way anything dark or devilish is going to utter God's Name, so they calmed down.
What is the message? You would think that it's simple, and it is, but not about the fact that Jesus could walk on water. To understand what is actually going on, you have to know this about Jesus; that He spent a good deal of time talking to His Father. That, so He only did and said what He was told. Why? Because Jesus could not see what was coming, but the Father could, and the Father also has a plan in mind, of which Jesus has to complete. What they most likely discussed is what is coming, and what is coming are several confrontations concerning Jesus' standing as it pertains to God. Reading the verses above proves how uneasy everyone is at this point, not knowing Who or what to expect next, or what the overall plan is. They want a King, He walks away. He shouldn't break the Law or the rules, yet He says these things are for our good, not for God. Jesus needs to get everyone on the right track, and this is the beginning of solidifying what the plan is, and the direction it must go. This is the start, but continues for the next several paragraphs, and at the end, you will be more in tune with Jesus, the Father, and your role as a Christian. In the mean while don't stop talking to your Father, don't stop reading at least one paragraph a day, (you won't be able to easily stop there I promise you), and keep in mind that your Father Loves you more than any other ever could. Have a Grace Day!
Brother Glenn
This blog link: http://askgodsword.blogspot.com/
Complete New Testament Grace Studies link: http://gracehouseministry.blogspot.com/
