Lessons from Jesus walking on the water

The Sea of Galilee is not like Big Lake! The Sea of Galilee is 13 miles long by 7 miles wide. It is the second lowest lake in the world at 685 feet below sea level. The lake is not very deep. It is about 160 to 200 feet deep. It is surrounded by mountains- to the north is Mount Hermon, to the west are the cliffs of Arbel and to the east is the Golan Heights. The eastern and western sides are cut with deep canyons and ravines.

The sun heats the surrounding hills. The warm, dry air of the mountains collides with the cool, moist air of the lake and great storms are produced. In 1992 a wind storm produced waves 10 feet tall! The Sea of Galilee is a perfect place to teach spiritual lessons. In Mark 6:45-52 Jesus walked on the water and taught four great spiritual lessons.

The first lesson is that our faith is often tested. Verse 45 says, “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side…” Very quickly the disciples found themselves in a hopeless situation. They left at sunset (verse 47). It was dark. A great wind began blowing. John described it as a “mega wind” (John 6:18). It was the fourth watch of the night (verse 48). The fourth watch was between 3 and 6 AM. The disciples had been in the storm nine hours!

The disciples rowed all night. They covered only 3.5 miles and found themselves in the middle of the lake. Verse 48 describes them as “straining at the ours.” Straining means tortured.

Do you find yourself in the midst of a storm today? God is testing your faith. A faith that cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted. Faith is like a muscle. The more we exercise faith the stronger our trust in God becomes.

The second lesson is that Jesus came to die. Earlier that day Jesus fed 25,000 people with five biscuits and two sardines. The people were so amazed they wanted to make Him king (John 6:15). Jesus responded strangely. He immediately put the disciples in the boat. Verses 45 and 46 record, “…He Himself was sending the crowd away. After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.”

Jesus prayed for Himself and His disciples. The devil offered Jesus a crown without the cross. Jesus Christ will one day reign on this earth but first He came to die. He had to suffer for our sins. Jesus laid down His life in order to pay for our sins.

The third lesson is that Jesus is God. Jesus did not simply perform one miracle in this event. He performed three miracles! He walked on the water. Verse 51 says, “Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished.” The moment He stepped into the boat the mega wind ceased. The disciples were out of their minds in amazement. John 6:21 records, “So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.”

Jesus walked on the water. He immediately calmed the wind. He then transported the boat and the twelve disciples and all of their gear the 3.5 miles to the shore! Jesus is not an ordinary person. He is the Son of God.

The fourth lessons is that Jesus is the Great Shepherd. The disciples had no expectation of rescue by Jesus. Verses 49 and 50 state, “But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified.” The word ghost means phantom. They thought He was the angel of death and they were about to die. Cried out means “to scream in terror.” Jesus rescued them.

Jesus is the good Shepherd. Sheep need a shepherd. We need a shepherd. King David came to the end of his life and concluded, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). God provides green grass, quiet waters, courage in the valley, a table, a cup running over, goodness and loyal love! Our God is an amazing God. He is a faithful Shepherd to everyone who follows Him.

In the busyness of a hectic Alaskan summer let’s remember these lessons. Storms are part of life. Jesus came to die. He is God and He is our magnificent Shepherd!

Ethan Hansen is a pastor at Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake.