Page 24 - Back to Bethlehem

multitude away.” Here was the command, “You go in the boat
and I’ll meet you at the other side. I’m going to meet you at
Bethsaida.” Now, these were fishermen. They may have made
that trip many times. It would be easy to obey the Lord. That’s
not difficult to go to the other side. But they were in a test; He
will send a storm.

John 6:18, “And the sea began to be stirred up because a
strong wind was blowing.” I’m going to let the Bible describe
how terrible this storm was. It said that a strong wind was
blowing. Matthew 14:24, “But the boat was already many stadia
away from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was
contrary.” They are being battered by the waves. Don’t confuse
this storm with the storm when Jesus fell asleep in the boat.
Those are two different storms. When He fell asleep in the boat
it was a matter of life and death. Their lives are not in danger in
this storm. This has to do with their sanity. This is not about
surviving. It’s about overcoming.

John 6:19, “When therefore they had rowed about three
or four miles, they beheld Jesus walking on the sea and drawing
near to the boat; and they were frightened.” They had already
rowed about three or four miles. Scholars tell us that they had to
go seven miles. They are about half way. Matthew 14:25, “And
in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the
sea.” It was the fourth watch of the night. They divided their
night into four different time periods; six to nine was the first one,
nine to twelve, twelve to three and three to six. Don’t read that
“la, la, la”. What that means practically is that these disciples are
tired.

They were awake all day with the feeding of the five
thousand. They left around sunset and they are in the third watch
of the night. That means that they had been rowing for about nine
hours and they aren’t even half way home. Think spiritually.
Have you ever tried to obey God and worn yourself out and you
aren’t half way home? Try to get that picture; the night is dark
and long, the Master is absent, the sea is boisterous, the men are