Kingdom Incarnate Part 7
At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Incarnate,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.
We continue in our series ‘Kingdom Incarnate,’ which endeavors to teach us to ‘see’ and ‘know’ Jesus in the gospels. This week, we will look again at John Chapter 6, discussing Jesus walking on the water.
John 6:16–20 (NIV)
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”
The disciples were no strangers to storms. As fishermen, they had spent years navigating the Sea of Galilee, braving sudden squalls that turned calm waters into violent waves. But on this particular night, fear overtook them as they struggled against the wind and darkness. They had set out across the sea without Jesus, and now, exhausted and afraid, they were battling the storm alone—at least, that’s how it seemed.
Then, through the mist and the raging waters, they saw Him. Jesus came, walking on the waves. But instead of relief, terror gripped their hearts. Was this a ghost? Was the storm a sign of impending disaster? Their fear only deepened—until He spoke.
“It is I; don’t be afraid.”
Jesus didn’t rebuke them for their fear. He didn’t demand perfect faith. Instead, He reassured them with His presence. This simple, gentle statement reveals the heart of Christ. He is not just a display of divine power; He is a Savior who meets us in our distress.
How often do we feel like the disciples—struggling against life’s storms, feeling like we’ve been left to row alone? We face grief that threatens to pull us under, illness that weakens our strength, financial hardships that shake our security, or betrayal that wounds the soul. In these moments, we may wonder if God sees us and if He cares.
But just as Jesus saw His disciples battling the waves, He sees us. He never abandons us in the storm. Though we may not always recognize Him through the fog of our fear, He is near.
Our prayers in hardship often sound like cries for rescue: “Lord, take this away!” We long for the storm to end, for the waves to calm. And sometimes, God does exactly that. But at other times, He chooses a different response—not to remove the storm, but to walk with us through it.
The miracle wasn’t just that Jesus walked on water and that His presence changed everything. The wind blew and the waves churned, but fear had no power where Jesus was.
Life is unpredictable. Storms will come, and waves will rise. But in every moment, our greatest security is not found in peaceful circumstances but in Christ. He is our unshakable foundation, the One who speaks peace to our fearful hearts.
This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we will discuss all this and more, so be sure to join us in person or online.
Steve Lawes is a pastor at Keys Vineyard Church and also the founder of the Online Bible Institute Network.
