IT IS I! DON'T BE AFRAID

Passage: John 6:14-21

Key verse: 20

NIV

14 After the people saw the sign(A) Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”(B) 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king(C) by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.(D)

Jesus Walks on the Water(E)

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,[a] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water;(F) and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”(G) 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

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Footnotes
  1. John 6:19 Or about 5 or 6 kilometers
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, (A)“This is indeed (B)the Prophet (C)who is to come into the world!”

15 (D)Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus (E)withdrew again to (F)the mountain by himself.

Jesus Walks on Water

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[a] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 (G)But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

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Footnotes
  1. John 6:19 Greek twenty-five or thirty stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Jesus withdrew (14-19)

The crowd ate the bread and believed. But they had their own agenda for a Messiah. Jesus withdrew to pray. Perhaps Jesus' disciples were disappointed when he refused the crowd's demand that he become a worldly king. They waited with the crowd for his return, but when he didn't come back by evening, they decided to leave. They got into a boat and started across the sea. Then a wind storm struck. When they saw Jesus walking toward them on the water, they were terrified because they didn't recognize him. They had left the shore, not with faith and a clear direction, but with a vague, let-down feeling. Fear and human thinking kept them from recognizing Jesus.

2. It is I; don't be afraid (2

-21)

Even when Jesus doesn't do what we want him to do, his almighty power and his shepherd heart are the same. When he is there, there is no need to fear--or to be disappointed. Jesus got into the boat and the problems disappeared. Immediately the boat reached shore.

Prayer: Lord, come and get into the boat of my life; forgive my faithless fear.

One Word: 'It is I; don't be afraid.'