Primary Text: John 6:16–20 Big Idea: The storms that interrupt your ordinary life are the very moments where Jesus reveals Himself in extraordinary ways — so don’t panic in the darkness; He is coming.
Introduction
You know, I want to talk to you this morning about something that every single one of us has experienced. We wake up. We go to work. We take care of the family. We serve in the church. We do the routine, the ordinary, the everyday. And then — out of nowhere — the storm hits. The diagnosis comes. The job ends. The relationship breaks. The darkness rolls in. And in that moment, everything changes.
And so we ask the question: what do you do when your ordinary life becomes extraordinary — not in a good way, but in a terrifying way?
Turn with me to John chapter 6, verses 16 through 20. And I want you to see something here. Because this passage is not just a story about fishermen on a boat. This is a story about you. This is a story about what happens when the routine of ministry meets the reality of spiritual warfare. This is a story about how Jesus shows up — right on time — even when it feels like He’s nowhere to be found.
The scripture reads like this:
When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea. They entered into the boat, and were going over the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them. The sea was tossed by a great wind blowing. When therefore they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid. But he said to them, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Y cuando era tarde, descendieron sus discípulos al mar. Y entrando en un barco, se fueron mar adentro hacia Capernaum. Y ya era oscuro, y aún no había venido Jesús a ellos. Y el mar se agitaba con un viento grande que soplaba. Habiendo remado pues como veinticinco o treinta estadios, vieron a Jesús andando sobre el mar y acercándose al barco; y tuvieron miedo. Pero él les dijo: Yo soy; no tengáis miedo.
Let’s pray. Señor, habla a nuestros corazones esta mañana. Open our ears, open our hearts. Let us receive your word. En el nombre de Jesús, amén.
I. The Ordinary Cannot Stay Ordinary Once Christ Enters Your Life
Now, let me set the scene for you.
These disciples had just finished serving five thousand people. Five thousand. Think about that for a moment. They had been part of one of the most incredible miracles recorded in Scripture — the feeding of five thousand with five loaves and two fish. They were first-hand witnesses. They saw it. They touched it. They distributed it. They were in the middle of the extraordinary.
And now? They’re getting into a boat. Going home. Heading to Capernaum. The ordinary routine.
But here’s what I want you to understand, hermano, hermana — once you come to Christ, the ordinary cannot stay ordinary. It just can’t. Second Corinthians 5:17 tells us that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. The moment you engaged with the kingdom of God, your life changed. And you have to expect that change. You have to receive it.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
De modo que si alguno está en Cristo, nueva criatura es; las cosas viejas pasaron; he aquí, todas son hechas nuevas.
You can’t walk with Jesus and expect everything to stay comfortable. You can’t follow the One who calms storms and then be surprised when the storm shows up. Because the truth is — the storm doesn’t come to destroy you. The storm comes because you’re in the boat. You’re moving. You’re going somewhere. And the enemy doesn’t like it.
So the ordinary life changes. And we need to be ready for it.
II. Darkness Comes After Ministry — Not During It
Now, watch this. Look at the text again.
“It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them.”
When did the darkness come? Not during the serving. Not during the miracle. Not while five thousand people were being fed and the kingdom of God was moving. The darkness came after. During the quiet time. When no one was on guard. When they were just… going home.
You know, that’s when the enemy loves to attack. Not when you’re on the platform. Not when you’re leading worship. Not when you’re preaching or teaching or serving. He comes after. When you’re tired. When you’re alone. When you’ve let your guard down.
The word “dark” here in the Greek is skotos (G4655) — and it means more than just the absence of sunlight. It means spiritual blindness. Confusion. The absence of light and clarity. That’s what the disciples were walking into. Not just a cloudy night — a spiritual darkness.
And then the wind comes. The sea rises. The storm hits.
And I want you to see the pattern here, because the Apostle Paul identifies the source of this attack. In Ephesians 2:2, he tells us that we once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air — archontos tēs exousias tou aeros (G757, G1849, G109) — the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. That storm on the sea? That wasn’t random weather. That was a spiritual attack.
In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience —
En los cuales anduvisteis en otro tiempo, siguiendo la corriente de este mundo, según el príncipe de la potestad del aire, el espíritu que ahora opera en los hijos de desobediencia;
Peter tells us the same thing. Be sober. Be vigilant. Because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. He’s looking for the moment after ministry. He’s looking for the moment when you’re exhausted.
Here’s the pattern: ministry leads to exhaustion. Exhaustion leads to darkness. Darkness leads to the wind. The wind leads to fear. And fear leads to the perceived absence of God.
That’s what happened to the disciples. They had just witnessed the miraculous. And now they were terrified. Because the increase of faith they received from the miracle of the five thousand was in jeopardy — in the storm.
And maybe that’s where you are today. Maybe you just came out of a season of incredible blessing. God moved. You saw it. You felt it. And now? The storm. The darkness. The confusion. And it feels like Jesus isn’t in the boat.
But I need you to hear me today — He is coming.
III. Jesus Is Coming — Wait for the Vision
Look at the text again. “Jesus had not come to them.”
He hadn’t arrived yet. But He was coming.
The disciples were used to Christ always being there. Walking with them. Teaching them. Right there, beside them. And now they were alone. And they had to wait.
And I know waiting is hard. I know the darkness feels long. I know the wind is loud and the waves are high and you can’t see the shore. But the prophet Habakkuk tells us something powerful. In Habakkuk 2:3, the Lord says: “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
Porque la visión aún tiene su tiempo determinado, y hablará al fin, y no mentirá; si tarda, espérala; porque sin duda se cumplirá, no tardará.
Though it tarry — wait for it. Because it will surely come.
The vision hasn’t died. The promise hasn’t expired. The fact that you can’t see Jesus right now doesn’t mean He’s not on His way. He is coming. And when He comes, He’s not coming the way you expect.
Look at verse 19. They had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia — that’s roughly three to three and a half miles. They had been fighting this storm for a long time. And then — they see Him. Walking on the sea. Not swimming. Not in another boat. Walking on top of the very thing that was trying to kill them.
And what was their response? Fear. They were afraid.
Sometimes when God shows up, it scares you. Because He doesn’t show up the way you planned. He shows up in a way that defies everything you thought you knew. He walks on your storm. He steps on top of your crisis. He approaches your impossibility and He doesn’t even get His feet wet.
And then He speaks. “It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Egō eimi (G1473, G1510). I AM. The same God who spoke to Moses from the burning bush. The same God who created the seas. The same God who fed five thousand. I AM here. Don’t be afraid.
Yo soy; no tengáis miedo.
And the Psalmist said it beautifully in Psalm 107, verses 23 and 24: “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.”
Los que descienden a la mar en barcos, que hacen su ejercicio en aguas profundas; ellos han visto las obras de Jehová, y sus maravillas en el profundo.
You have to go down to the sea to see the wonders in the deep. You have to be in the storm to witness the miracle of walking on water. The ordinary had to become extraordinary so that the disciples could see something they had never seen before — Jesus, glorified, sovereign, walking above the chaos.
Application
So what does this mean for you today?
First, be vigilant. Colossians 4:2 tells us to continue steadfastly in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving. Don’t let your guard down after the victory. The enemy looks for the moment after the miracle. Stay in prayer. Stay alert. Stay thankful.
Perseverad en la oración, velando en ella con acción de gracias;
Second, expect the storm, but don’t let it define you. The darkness came. The wind came. The fear came. But Jesus also came. Your storm is not the end of your story. It’s the setup for your miracle.
Third, wait for the vision. Habakkuk 2:3 — it will surely come, it will not tarry. Maybe you’re rowing right now. Maybe you’re exhausted. Maybe you can’t see Him. But He is coming. And when He arrives, He will walk right over the thing that’s been trying to drown you.
Conclusion
Hermano, hermana — the ordinary cannot stay ordinary once Christ enters your life. The storm will come. The darkness will come. The enemy will attack. But Jesus — Egō eimi — He is coming. And when He shows up, He doesn’t just calm the storm. He walks on it.
So don’t be afraid. Don’t panic in the darkness. Keep rowing. Keep praying. Keep watching. Because the One who fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish — the One who walked on water — He is coming for you.
And when He arrives, you will see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep.
We’ll be praying for you. Amén.