Having concluded a miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, and a series of teaching on the parables of the Kingdom of God, Jesus directs his disciples to cross the sea while he sends the crowds away and spends time in prayer. However, a storm in the middle of the night overtake the disciples, and as they struggled against the storm, Jesus comes to them walking on the water. Jesus had just finished demonstrating his power in providing for the hungry masses, and teaching God's sovereign rule in the lives of the disciples yet now their belief is put to the test in this storm. The disciples initially do not recognize Jesus but think he is an evil spirit, until Jesus calls out to them in the night saying "It is I, be of good courage, do not be afraid." It is in times like those faced in the storm that what we believe is put to the test. It is easy to trust God when things are good, but much more difficult when we are in trouble. Storms tend to make us forget we know to be true, that God's presence is with us, even in suffering and difficulty, that God sovereignty and love always rules supreme. Jesus comes to his disciples, in the storm. This teaching is not meant to discount the severity of human suffering, but to give us the reminder of God's presence in the midst of troubling tumultuous waters.
Click here to listen to sermon "It is I, Be Not Afraid"
He Qi Art Gallery
Chinese folk artist He Qi beautifully depicts Jesus walking on the water in this painting, click on link to visit the Gallery and explore the art.
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