Here are a few follow-up thoughts from Sunday morning’s teaching on John 6:16-21 when Jesus walked on water…

• Here are the verses that I had on the flip chart dealing with facing fear (remember that if you view this post on the website you can simply hold your mouse pointer over the the text reference and a small window will open so you can read the verses): Deuteronomy 31:6; Psalm 27:1; Psalm 118:6; Proverbs 3:25-26; Proverbs 29:25; Isaiah 41:10; Romans 8:35-39.

• It doesn’t make a difference in the context or to the interpretation, like the “if” does in Matthew 4 (but since we talked about it) in Matthew 14:28 when we read that Peter said “if it is you” he did use the one that means “since it is you.”

Vines Expository Word Dictionary says this “denotes “if therefore,” “if accordingly”…not “if perchance,” but marking a correspondence in point of fact.”

David Guzik’s Enduring Word commentary references this: “Peter’s protasis (‘if it’s you’) is a real condition, almost ‘since it’s you.'”

• The instantaneous transfer of the boat and apostles to the shore, 3-4 miles in a nano immeasurable fraction of a second, reminds us that in Christ we are also able to go beyond the confines of earthly time and the limits of the laws of nature.

After Jesus spent time in prayer, He was able to go beyond the confines of earthly time and the limits of the laws of nature. There was no saving the apostles in the boat without Jesus in prayer on the mountain. There was no saving Lazarus from death without Jesus in prayer before the tomb (John 11:41-42). There was no saving a world at Calvary without Jesus in prayer in Gethsemane.

When the storms of life are battering against all hope, you can take heart in Jesus and know that the solution from your Lord can be beyond the confines of earthly time and the limits of the laws of nature (Mark 10:27).

2 Corinthians 5:8 reminds us that in Christ, you and I will also go beyond the confines of earthly time and the limits of the laws of nature on the day of redemption, the rapture, and the resurrection.