Jesus at the Center of Transformation
Storms • Message 6
Bryan Jones
March 24, 2024
A. Introduction
That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for Him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but He called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” Then they were eager to let Him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!
John 6:16-21 (NLT)
B. Why do we have STORMS in life? (John 6:14-15. C/R: Mark 6:45; John 16:33; James 1:12-13)
When we walk through problems, one of the first things we ask is, why?
Not all storms are created equal…
- Your mistakes (cop, 90 miles in a 60… God is testing me).
- Other’s mistakes.
- Problems are a reality in life (John 16:33).
- Jesus leads you into.
When the people saw Him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, He is the Prophet we have been expecting!” When Jesus saw that they were ready to force Him to be their king, He slipped away into the hills by Himself.
John 6:14-15 (NLT)
King was a political title. The crowd was willing to support Jesus because they wanted to use Him to throw off Roman oppression.
So, the crowd is trying to crown Him king and maybe the disciples are liking the attention or the glory too much… but for whatever reason, Jesus wanted His disciples out of there.
In Mark's version of the account, listen to what it says…
Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that His disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while He sent the people home.
Mark 6:45 (NLT)
Now, right before this, Jesus’ disciples are celebrating a huge victory. Jesus had just fed the 5,000 people that I spoke about two weeks ago. And listen to how that moment ends… He leads them from the mountaintop into a storm… Undoubtedly, they took with them at least some of the twelve baskets of leftover bread (John 6:13), yet they were still shocked when the supernatural help came to them on the sea.
Let me ask you a question: does Jesus ever test our faith? Yes.
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else.
James 1:12-13 (NLT)
Temptation seeks to destroy our faith (Satan/our desires).
Testing seeks to develop our faith (God).
Listen, it’s good to know how you get into the storm… but what matters most is knowing what God is doing in the storm…
C. What is GOD doing in storms? (John 6:17-19. C/R: Mark 6:48)
There can be a variety of reasons you got into a storm, but what God does in the storm is always the same…
In the storms of life, He always creates our deepest spiritual life…
Part of what Jesus is trying to do is get us to put Him into the center of the storm…
Notice Jesus leads them into the storm…
But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. …
John 6:17-19 (NLT)
The disciples start rowing... and they are right in the middle. The Sea of Galilee is about 8.1 miles wide… so notice it says when they are 3-4 miles, or halfway, then the storm hits… … they are in the center of their problem, right in the middle of the lake and He shows up…
And He saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them,
Mark 6:48 (ESV)
Do you know when the 4th watch was? 3-6 am…
Think about this: they are in the middle of the lake, and in the darkest part of the night when Jesus shows up… When they probably felt alone and hopeless, He showed up!
They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified,
John 6:19 (NLT)
Notice that phrase suddenly… they were surprised to see Jesus there because sometimes, in a storm, we can lose sight of Jesus, can’t we? Sometimes, we don’t think He’s there, but remember, the purpose of the storm is always to create our deepest spiritual life when we keep Him at the center…
We sometimes lose sight of Jesus in the storms of life. But know, we have never once left His sight.
Think about it: you might suddenly see God, but He has constantly seen you… this brings great encouragement.
God isn’t blind to what you face… and He hasn’t abandoned you…
He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. …
Mark 6:48 (NLT)
He sees them… they had never once left His sight.
When Jesus Christ was in the garden of Gethsemane and the ultimate darkness was coming down on him and he knew it was coming, he didn’t abandon you; he died for you. If Jesus Christ didn’t abandon you in his darkness, the ultimate darkness, why would he abandon you now, in yours?
Tim Keller
Storms allow God to draw closer and become more real than the good times because there is a need, a desperation, a longing that causes us to put Him at the center.
D. What is OUR responsibility in storms? (John 6:20-21. C/R: Exodus 33:19; Mark 6:48)
When I worked in Chicago as a High School Pastor, we did something called House Groups every Sunday after church. We had different homes where the kids gathered for a meal and then met in small groups. We had about 18-20 different small groups. Each week, I tried to stop by different groups and say hello… One Sunday, I was asked to attend Jacobs’ High School house group, so I got the address. When I pulled into the neighborhood, I saw that there were about 40 cars or so. So, I walked into the house, and the owner, a mom, was upstairs in the kitchen with her two kids. They had some chips out and some light snacks… So, I started talking, and I was fairly friendly, and I was just thinking this woman isn’t very friendly… I was talking and talking. I walked up to her baby and said how cute she was. Meanwhile, this woman was giving me the oddest and strangest looks… Honestly, she looked terrified.
It was then that I noticed one major problem. Usually, there was a huge pile of shoes at the front door. When I walked in, I noticed none… So, I started looking around and thought it seemed too quiet for there to be 40 or 50 kids downstairs or in another room… and then I mentioned, Hey, is this the house where the Jacobs’ House Group meets? Suddenly, her fear turned to shock… she said, no, that’s actually across the street… And literally, at the moment, I was still eating their chips… and I slowly put the chip back in… I was so overwhelmed… I just looked at her and said, thank you for not calling the police, and then I said, your children are lovely, and I just backed up slowly…
Needless to say, guess what I’ve never done again, barged into a house… I always knock now…
I said this to say that most of the time, people fail to miss the miracle of Jesus showing up in the storms because they think He’s just going to barge in and make His presence known. And sometimes He does that… but often He waits to be invited in…
He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them,
Mark 6:48 (NLT)
He’s not trying to be rude… The same phraseology appears in Exodus 33:19, where Moses asks to see God’s glory, and God allows His goodness to pass before him.
but He called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” Then they were eager to let Him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!
John 6:20-21 (NLT)
Notice He doesn’t just jump in the boat. He waits to be invited in… He waits to be wanted.
They were eager for Jesus to come into the boat, so He did. God wants you to invite Him into the storms… He wants you to look for Him… and when you are faithful to do that, you will find Him…
Then they were eager to let Him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!
John 6:21 (NLT)
I want you to notice that the disciples don’t get very far in their own strength. They keep rowing and struggling. But notice what happens once they invite Jesus into the center, into their boat, and in their problem…
They arrive at their destination…
And once you invite Jesus into your problem, into the center of your life… you arrive at transformation. This is the invitation.
What are you trying to overcome in your own strength? You will get exhausted and worn out… but once you invite Him in… that’s where the deepest work can happen because you are fully surrendered to Him.
God’s deepest work only happens when we fully surrender…
Jesus can’t transform your life if He is only a part of it, only if He is at the center.
This is where breakthrough and life happens.
Years ago, when I struggled with anxiety for the first time, I would fall asleep and then wake up at around 3-4 am each morning… I couldn’t go to sleep, and everything in the house was quiet, and this fear would wash over me each morning… I remember for a week, I did the same thing. I woke up, and as best as I could, I read the Bible, but my mind was racing. I was afraid, and it was honestly almost impossible just to sit… I had never felt that kind of fear and worry before in my life… it was a living hell… so I did this for a week, and then around the 6th or 7th day of not sleeping… I was reading my Bible… and this is what I read…
When I woke up every other morning, it was like God was silent. I never felt Him or heard Him; then I started reading… and I noticed the term fourth watch… and I looked up a commentary to see when the fourth watch was… do you know when it was? Between 3-6 am…
I sat and felt God say, I have been here each morning even though you didn’t see Me, and I realized I would have missed this moment had I not kept showing up…
It's only when I invited Him in… when I put Him at the center of my problem, that He really transformed me….