In this sermon, we looked at how Jesus intentionally led His disciples into difficult situations in order to reveal Himself more deeply to them. In John 6:16-21, Jesus tells His disciples to get into a boat at night and travel to Bethsaida and, eventually, Capernaum. This led to a long and difficult time of rowing against the wind in rough seas and the dark of night. Walking on water in the midst of the raging sea, Jesus went out to the disciples and said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Through this event, Jesus shows us that part of God’s perfect and loving plan for His followers sometimes includes sending us into difficult, and even scary, situations. He does this not to show off His power, but to show us who He is and to lead us through the sanctification process to something better.
