Walking on Water / John 6:16-25
My name is Mike, and it’s a pleasure to be with you this evening. I invite you to turn to John chapter 6. Tonight, we are going to look at the fifth of seven miracles recorded in the Gospel of John.
Jesus, as best we can tell, performed 37 to 39 miracles in totality throughout His earthly ministry. John includes just seven, and he is very intentional about what he records. We are going to look at a miracle tonight that we all know very well. If I were to quiz you and say, “Give me a miracle of Christ that you know,” surely Jesus walking on water is familiar to all of us. But in the grand scheme of John’s narrative, it’s actually a minor sub-point.
This miracle fits right into the context of where we have been over the last few weeks. It comes on the heels of the feeding of the 5,000, and immediately after this event, Jesus delivers His “Bread of Life” discourse. This miracle is an illustration designed to teach the disciples a much bigger lesson.
Three of the four gospel authors recorded this event for us: Matthew, Mark, and John. We get to see this story through the eyes of men who were either there or received eyewitness accounts directly from Peter. When John writes this story, his account is the shortest of all three—just five verses. Matthew’s is significantly longer, and Mark includes rich details as well. John includes specific details the others omit, and he leaves out details you would think are essential to our understanding.
The Story Across the Gospels
To give us a running start, let’s look at the whole picture combined from Matthew, Mark, and John.
On the heels of feeding 5,000 men—upwards of 10,000 to 12,000 people including women and children—Jesus sends the Twelve out onto a small fishing boat into the Sea of Galilee. Meanwhile, He goes up into the hills on the east side of the sea, literally retreating up a mountain to pray and be alone.
By evening, the sun has set and the stars have appeared. The disciples have rowed about three miles offshore when a contrary wind begins pushing against them. From Matthew and Mark, we learn they are straining at the oars, having a difficult time reaching their destination. By the fourth watch of the night—somewhere between 3:00 and 6:00 AM—they have been rowing for hours since leaving after dark.
At this point, Jesus comes walking on the water toward the boat. Mark adds a fascinating detail: Jesus intended to pass them by. Both Matthew and Mark note that when the disciples look out and see a figure walking on the water, they are terrified and cry out, thinking it is a ghost. Immediately, Jesus speaks to them: “Take courage; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
Then Matthew records Peter’s response: “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Jesus says, “Come.” Peter steps out of the boat and begins walking on the water toward Jesus. But Matthew tells us that Peter saw the wind, took his eyes off Jesus, looked at the turmoil around him, and began to sink. He cried out three words: “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus reached out His hand, caught him, and said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
When Jesus and Peter get back into the boat, both Matthew and Mark record that the wind stopped immediately. The disciples were utterly astonished, and Matthew adds that they worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son.”
John’s Account: What Is Missing?
With that backdrop, let’s read John’s specific accounting in John chapter 6, verses 14 through 21. As we read, notice what John includes and what he leaves out.
John 6:14-21 (NASB)
Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.’ So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, and after getting into a boat, they [started to] cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea [began] to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. But He said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
John is writing with an agenda. Every gospel writer has a specific theological purpose. John is not concerned with chronological order or telling every story. At the end of his Gospel, he puts his cards on the table and tells us why he wrote.
John 20:30-31 (NASB)
Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
Everything John includes is designed so that you and I would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, we would have life in His name.
Second, John uses this walking on water account as an illustration—part two of the feeding of the 5,000. It is never mentioned again in the narrative. When they reach Capernaum on the other side, the crowds wonder how Jesus got there without a boat. Jesus doesn’t say, “Well, I took a shortcut across the water.” He doesn’t bring it up because this miracle was not for the crowds; it was an intentional lesson specifically for the Twelve.
Third, Jesus is reinforcing a lesson the disciples missed during the feeding of the 5,000. Mark gives us this critical insight regarding their reaction in the boat.
Mark 6:51-52 (NASB)
Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the [incident of] the loaves, but their heart was hardened.
They had just seen Jesus multiply loaves and fish for a massive crowd, yet they completely missed the point. So Jesus provides scene one, take two.
Provision in the Grind
In the feeding of the 5,000, the disciples participated in ministry. They brought what little they had, Jesus blessed it, and they distributed it. Afterward, Jesus instructed them to gather the leftovers.
John 6:12-13 (NASB)
When they were filled, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
They gathered twelve large baskets of bread. Growing up, I was told this represented the twelve tribes of Israel. While there may be symbolic truth to that, the most obvious contextual point is practical: there were twelve disciples, and there were twelve baskets of bread leftover. After an exhausting day of giving themselves away in ministry, Jesus made sure there was a full basket of provision for every single one of them. He was saying, “In the grinding of your ministry, when you pour yourselves out, I will meet your needs.”
Following that miracle, the crowds wanted a political ruler.
John 6:14-15 (NASB)
Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.’ So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
The people recognized Him as the prophet promised in Deuteronomy 18, but they had a flawed concept of His mission. They wanted a conquering king with twenty-two-inch biceps to overthrow Rome and solve their physical problems. They were ready for a reigning monarch, but not for a suffering servant who came to deal with their spiritual condition. Knowing this, Jesus withdrew to the mountain alone.
Into the Storm
Jesus compelled His disciples to get into the boat and cross toward Capernaum while He went to pray.
In ancient Jewish culture, people were not naturally seafaring. The sea often carried dark, chaotic connotations throughout Scripture. The flood in Genesis destroyed the earth; the Red Sea swallowed the Egyptian army; Jonah was thrown into the deep. Navigating the waters in the pitch dark was an intimidating reality.
Four of the twelve disciples were professional fishermen—Peter, Andrew, James, and John—so they had water experience, but this was a small boat. When I visited Israel, I saw the preserved first-century fishing boat uncovered near Capernaum. It measured roughly twenty-seven feet long, seven-and-a-half feet wide, and four-and-a-half feet deep. It would tightly fit fifteen men at most.
As they rowed into the night, a contrary wind picked up. This was not the sudden hurricane-like tempest of Mark 4 where waves crashed over the boat; this was a relentless, grinding headwind coming down from the north, pushing them south when they needed to head northwest. They were straining at the oars for six to nine hours, completely exhausted and making almost no progress.
I used to look at the Sea of Galilee and think, “How bad could it be? It’s just a lake.” Growing up in Texas, we had lakes where you couldn’t see the other side. But in 2014, I was on a boat on the Sea of Galilee with a group from our church. Out of nowhere, storm clouds rolled over the cliffs, the wind began howling, and rain poured down. The boat captain was completely locked in with serious concern, water was splashing over the deck, and one of our staff members was violently seasick off the back. I realized very quickly that storms on this body of water are legitimate and terrifying.
Now imagine being in a tiny wooden boat, in the middle of the night, having poured out all your energy in ministry all day, physically spent, and facing a relentless storm.
The “I AM” in the Darkness
Between 3:00 and 6:00 AM, Jesus approached them walking on the water. In their physical exhaustion and terror, they cried out, thinking they were seeing an apparition. Jesus responded immediately to their fear.
John 6:20 (NASB)
But He said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’
In the Greek text, Jesus literally says, “Ego eimi”—“I AM. Do not be afraid.”
On one hand, He is reassuring them in everyday terms: “It’s me, guys, don’t panic.” But on a deeper level, He is invoking the divine name revealed to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3. He is declaring, “The Lord of creation, the God who rules the seas, is right here with you.”
Growing up in Texas, I was terrified of severe thunderstorms. We had tornado sirens going off and hail the size of baseballs. If a storm hit at night, I would get so afraid that I would leave my room and sleep on the floor at the foot of my parents’ bed. Just knowing my parents were in the room brought peace.
That is what Jesus offers His terrified disciples: His divine presence.
Then John gives us his conclusion of the story:
John 6:21 (NASB)
So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
Did you notice what John leaves out? Matthew and Mark highlight that Jesus calmed the wind and the waves. John does not even mention the storm stopping. Why? Because to John, the climax of the story is not the calming of the storm; the climax of the story is Jesus Himself. Receiving Him into the boat was all they needed.
Two Truths for Our Storms
What is John communicating to us through this account?
1. Christ Does Not Promise to Calm Every Storm; He Promises to Be With Us In It
Jesus cares deeply about our physical lives, our health, and our circumstances, but He is far more concerned with our spiritual lives. He does not exist simply to eliminate our earthly discomforts; He comes to deliver us from our spiritual apathy. He does not just give bread; He is the Bread of Life.
When difficult seasons hit, we must understand that He is sovereign and present. Does He heal physical ailments and calm storms at times? Absolutely. But how many sick people in Jesus’ day were not healed? How many lame individuals at the pools of Bethesda did Jesus pass by without restoring?
Many of us are walking through profound suffering. We are praying for a loved one with cancer, walking through the deep grief of infertility, or carrying the scars of past abuse. If we treat Jesus like a genie in a bottle whose only job is to fix our problems on our terms, we will build a brittle, insufficient theology.
I struggle with this just like anyone else. When life is easy, my car has gas, my bank account is fine, and my family is healthy, I can easily slip into self-reliance. But the moment something goes wrong, my default reaction is, “Lord, fix this!” Just today, while writing this message on loving the Giver more than the gifts, my wife walked into my office and said our website had been hacked. Instantly, my heart reacted: “Lord, fix my website!” I didn’t want His presence; I wanted Him to make my headache go away.
Jesus reminds us that He is not just our problem-solver. He is our Emmanuel—God with us.
Consider David in Psalm 13. He begins by crying out in raw agony.
Psalms 13:1-2 (NASB)
For the choir director. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, [Having] sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
David’s circumstances did not immediately change, but look at how he finishes the psalm:
Psalms 13:5-6 (NASB)
But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
David’s confidence shifted from his circumstances to God’s character. Hannah did the same in 1 Samuel when facing infertility, worshiping God before her womb was ever opened. Joseph remained faithful in an Egyptian prison for years without knowing when he would be released. Their anchor was not the removal of the trial, but the presence of God in the midst of it.
2. Even When Christ Feels Absent, He Is Intimately Present
While the disciples were in the middle of the sea, Jesus was on the mountain praying. He saw them straining at the oars. He was intimately aware of their exhaustion and fear the entire night.
Jesus was preparing them for the day when He would physically ascend to the Father. He was teaching them: “I am leaving physically, but I will never truly leave you.”
John 16:7 (NASB)
’But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
Every believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit lives inside of us to comfort, guide, and empower us. Even when we cannot physically see Him, He knows our exact location and condition.
Is He Enough?
A few chapters later, in Mark 8, Jesus feeds 4,000 people. Immediately afterward, the disciples get into the boat and start arguing because they forgot to bring bread.
Mark 8:17-21 (NASB)
And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ’Why do you discuss [the fact] that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? ‘HAVING EYES, DO YOU NOT SEE? AND HAVING EARS, DO YOU NOT HEAR? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?’ They said to Him, ‘Twelve.’ ‘When [I broke] the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?’ And they said to Him, ‘Seven.’ And He was saying to them, ‘Do you not yet understand?’
They had witnessed multiple miraculous feedings and Jesus walking on the water, yet they still panicked over a lack of lunch.
The question John leaves us with is simple: Is Jesus enough for you?
If God chooses not to remove the storm in your life, is He enough? If the cancer is not cured, is He enough? If the longing of your heart is not realized, is He enough? If you never receive an apology or reconciliation from the person who hurt you deeply, is His presence sufficient to sustain your soul?
Pastoral Prayer
Father, we thank You for preserving stories like this in Your Word. We see the weakness and fragility of the disciples’ faith, and we are comforted knowing that You are patient with flawed people like us. It takes time for our hearts to understand Your goodness when Your plans look different than ours.
Lord, when we find ourselves in the middle of the sea, exhausted and straining at the oars, anchor us in the reality of Your presence. Remind us that You are sovereign, good, and near. When You choose not to calm the storm around us, give us the grace to know that having You in the boat is more than enough.
We love You, and we rest in Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.