John 6 – A Tough Chapter for Jesus• Starts with 10,000-15,000 following

Him• Ends with only twelve (including Judas)

What happened?!!

When evening came, His disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a

boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. But now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the

boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified.

John 6:16-19

“It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them,

“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s You,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to You on the water.” “Come,” He said. Then Peter got down out of the

boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind,

he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Matthew 14:26-30

Immediately, Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” He

said. “Why did you doubt?” Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood

about the loaves, and they worshipped Him, saying, “Truly, You are the Son of

God.”

Matthe 14:31-33, Mark 6:51-52

Lesson 1:

Believe that miracles are possible.

What strikes us as a possible sign of cultural dilemma is the gulf between technological optimism and literary pessimism. Amidst great scientific

achievements of which the human person should be proud, we hear some of the most passionate indictments against the human person as well as laments for the human

condition among literary artists.

Carver Yu

Technocism:

The belief that any problem in society can be fixed

through advancements in science and technology.

Technicity• World hunger? We just need better technology to help us grow higher quantities of more nutritional food and better technology to distribute it.

• Crime? We just need to implement the technologies of security cameras and alarm systems, which will make us safer.

“The heart desires wonder and magic … technology is what man uses to supplant

the desire for wonder.”

Ravi Zacharias

“Miracles represent the common ground on which religion and science seem to make

rival claims … any belief in miracles if flatly contradictory not just to the facts of

science but also to the spirit of science.”

Richard Dawkins

“Science and religion can comfortably coexist

as long as they operate in separate realms.”

Stephen Jay Gould

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Your accomplishments for the Kingdomwill rise in proportion to your faith in

miracles.

Kingdom productivi

ty

belief in miracles

Why Not to Believe in Miracles1. A miracle is a violation of the known

laws of nature2. We know these laws through repeated

and constant experience3. The testimony of those who report

miracles contradicts the operation of known laws

4. Consequently, no one can rationally believe in miracles.

David Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

“If it might happen one day, then it could have happened before … if it happened in

the past, we call it a miracle, but if it happens in the future, we call it scientific

progress. Either way, it’s possible, not because nature’s laws are necessarily overthrown, but because we have no

complete knowledge of what those laws are.”

Dinesh D’souza

Why Not to Believe in Miracles1. A miracle is a violation of the known

laws of nature2. We know these laws through repeated

and constant experience3. The testimony of those who report

miracles contradicts the operation of known laws

4. Consequently, no one can rationally believe in miracles.

David Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

Why You Must Believe in Miracles1. A miracle is a violation of the known

laws of nature.2. Scientific laws are empirically

unverifiable.3. Thus, violations of the known laws of

nature are quite possible.4. Therefore, miracles are possible.

Dinesh D’souza, What So Great About Christianity

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,the Author and Perfecter of our faith…

Hebrews 12:2

Lesson 1:

Believe that miracles are possible.

“Lord, if it’s You,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to You on the water.” “Come,” He

said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward

Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out,

“Lord, save me!”

Matthew 14:28-30

Lesson 2:

Falling isn’t failing.

“Lord, if it’s You,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to You on the water.” “Come,” He

said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward

Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out,

“Lord, save me!”

Matthew 14:28-30

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is

no other name by which we can be saved.

Acts 4:12

Disciples are afraid

Jesus climbs into the boat

Disciples aren’t afraid anymore

Why?• God is love (1 John 4:8)• God is perfect (Matthew 5:48)• Perfect love casts out fear (1 John

4:18)

Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were

completely amazed.

Mark 6:51

Jesus So Far…• Cast an evil spirit out of a man (Mark

1)• Healed Peter’s mother-in-law and

others (Mark 1)• Drove out a lot of demons (Luke 4)• Healed a man with leprosy (Matthew

8)• Healed a paralyzed man (Mark 2)• Healed a man’s hand on the Sabbath

(Matt 12)• Healed so many people that

everybody with diseases was pursuing Him (Mark 3)

Jesus So Far…• Healed the son of a government

official (John 4)• Healed a bleeding woman (Mark 5)• Healed the lame man by the pool (John

5)• Raised a little girl from the dead (Luke

8)• Just finished feeding 15,000 people

with five loaves and two fish (John 6)

Lesson 3:

Believe the storm is under Jesus’ feet.

About the fourth watch of the night He went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they

saw Him walking on the lake…

Mark 6:48

Parerchomai

verb: to pass by

Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory.“

And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will

proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion

on whom I will have compassion. But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one

may see me and live.“

Exodus 33:18-20

Then the Lord said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft

in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but

my face must not be seen.”

Exodus 33:21-22

He alone stretches out the heavensand treads on the waves of the sea.

Job 9:8

Three Questions1. Do I really believe that God can do

miracles today?2. Do I believe that God desires to do

miracles in my life?3. What is my response when I feel like

I’m falling?