Jesus Walks on Water | Follow | Sunday, October 26th, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: Waiting for the Lord: Faith in the Midst of Struggle

In seasons of uncertainty and struggle, believers are called to wait for the Lord with courage and strength, trusting that His goodness will be revealed even when circumstances seem overwhelming. The act of waiting is not passive but an active, faith-filled posture that leans into God’s promises, believing that He is present and at work even when His hand is not immediately visible. In the tension of waiting, God invites His people to take heart, to be strong, and to hold onto hope, knowing that He is sovereign over every situation and will ultimately bring about His purposes. [15:57]

Psalm 27:13-14 (ESV)
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Reflection: Where in your life are you struggling to wait for God’s goodness to be revealed, and how can you actively choose to trust Him in that area today?

Day 2: Jesus Prays and Intercedes for Us

Even when we feel alone in our struggles, Jesus is not distant or detached; He sees us, knows our fears, and continually intercedes for us before the Father. His prayers are not just for our comfort but for our faith to endure and grow, especially in moments of weakness or fear. The knowledge that Jesus is always living to intercede for His people brings deep assurance and hope, reminding us that we are never forgotten or abandoned in our journey of faith. [30:04]

Hebrews 7:25 (ESV)
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you most need to remember that Jesus is praying for you right now, and how might that change the way you approach your struggles?

Day 3: The Glory and Grace of Jesus in Our Chaos

When Jesus reveals His glory, it is both overwhelming and comforting—He is sovereign over all chaos, yet full of grace, entering into our lives to bring security and peace. The disciples’ fear in the storm was met not with condemnation but with the presence of Jesus, who stepped into their boat and calmed the wind, showing that God’s glory does not destroy but draws near in love. This encounter teaches that true security is found not in the absence of trouble, but in the presence of the One who is both transcendent and intimately involved in our lives. [37:08]

Mark 6:47-51 (ESV)
And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded.

Reflection: When have you experienced God’s presence in the midst of chaos, and how did His nearness change your perspective or response?

Day 4: Moving from Seeing to Trusting

Witnessing God’s work—through miracles, provision, or answered prayer—does not automatically produce deep faith; true transformation comes when we internalize the gospel and move from mere astonishment to genuine trust. The disciples saw Jesus’ power but struggled to grasp its meaning for their own lives, reminding us that knowledge about God must be accompanied by a heart that trusts Him, especially when circumstances are confusing or faith feels weak. This journey from seeing to trusting is ongoing, requiring honest self-examination and a willingness to bring our doubts and anxieties to Jesus, who meets us with patience and grace. [39:47]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Reflection: What is one area where you have seen God at work but still struggle to trust Him fully, and what step can you take today to move from seeing to trusting?

Day 5: Choosing Worship and Faith Amid Hardness of Heart

Even when our hearts feel hard or our faith is wavering, we are invited to choose worship and to fight to believe, trusting that God meets us in our weakness and transforms us as we turn to Him. Worship is not reserved for those who have it all together; it is a means by which our affections are stirred, our hearts are softened, and the truth of the gospel penetrates our doubts and fears. As we intentionally bring our struggles, confessions, and even our doubts before God in worship, we open ourselves to His renewing presence and the hope of eternal life secured in Christ. [46:40]

Psalm 103:1-4 (ESV)
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally choose to worship God today, even if your heart feels distant or your faith is weak?

Sermon Summary

In the journey of faith, there are seasons when believing is a struggle, when hope feels distant, and when love seems hard to embody. Yet, throughout history, God’s people have faced these same challenges, and the invitation remains: “Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart.” The heart of our life together is the gospel—Jesus’ death and resurrection—which not only saves us from sin but also shapes our daily living. Everything we do as a community is centered on this good news, and the Bible is our essential guide, containing God’s promises, plan, and priorities. These empower our faith, anchor our hope, and direct our love.

The stories in the gospels, especially the miracles of Jesus, are not just accounts of supernatural events but windows into the character and work of God. The feeding of the 5,000 points to God’s care for both physical and spiritual needs, reminding us that temporary provision is a signpost to eternal salvation. The story of Jesus walking on water, which parallels his resurrection, reveals his authority over chaos, nature, and even death itself. Jesus is not bound by the forces that overwhelm us; he is sovereign over them.

Yet, even those closest to Jesus—his disciples—struggled to internalize these truths. They witnessed miracles, but their hearts were often hardened, unable to move from astonishment to trust. This is a common human experience: seeing God at work but failing to let it transform our inner life. Jesus meets us in our fear, exhaustion, and doubt, praying for us, pursuing us, and revealing his glory. His presence is both overwhelming and safe, exposing us to the majesty of God while assuring us of his grace.

Faith is not a one-time achievement but a continual process of hearing, trusting, and responding. Miracles and answered prayers are not ends in themselves; they are invitations to deeper relationship and trust. The challenge is to move beyond knowledge to genuine faith, to let the reality of the gospel penetrate our anxieties and shape our priorities. Even when belief feels unnatural, choosing to worship and seek God opens us to his transforming presence. In Christ, we are given everything we need: faith that overcomes fear, hope that transcends shame, and love that overwhelms anger and injustice.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus is always interceding for us, even when we feel alone in our struggles. Just as he prayed for his disciples from the mountain while they strained at the oars, he is intimately aware of our challenges and is actively praying for our faith to endure. This unseen advocacy is a profound source of comfort and strength in times of weakness. [30:04]
2. God’s presence is not limited by our perception or circumstances. Jesus comes to us in the midst of chaos, not as a distant observer but as Jehovah Shema—the God who is present. Even when we cannot see or feel him, he is pursuing us, inviting us to recognize his nearness and trust his involvement in our lives. [32:42]
3. Exposure to God’s glory is both humbling and securing. The disciples’ terror at seeing Jesus walking on water reflects the appropriate awe before divine majesty, yet Jesus’ entry into the boat demonstrates that God’s glory is accompanied by grace. We are invited to live in the tension of being overwhelmed by God’s greatness while resting in his loving presence. [36:43]
4. Miracles and spiritual experiences do not automatically produce faith; transformation comes from internalizing the gospel. The disciples saw Jesus’ power but struggled to trust him, reminding us that seeing is not the same as believing. True faith grows as we meditate on the gospel, reflect on God’s work, and allow his truth to shape our hearts and responses. [39:18]
5. Faith matures through honest wrestling, repeated encounters, and intentional worship. The journey from knowledge to trust is marked by self-awareness, prayer, and the choice to worship even when it feels unnatural. In bringing our doubts, anxieties, and hopes to Jesus, we open ourselves to his renewing work and move from hardened hearts to restored souls. [44:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:57] - Praying for Faith in the Struggle
[17:44] - Generosity and Church Vision
[18:14] - The Centrality of the Gospel
[19:08] - The Bible: Promises, Plan, and Priorities
[21:26] - What Is the Gospel?
[22:58] - Miracles in Mark: Feeding the 5,000
[24:15] - Jesus Walks on Water: A Parallel to Resurrection
[25:19] - The Disciples’ Struggle with Faith
[29:40] - Jesus Prays and Intercedes for Us
[31:21] - Jesus’ Presence in Our Chaos
[33:18] - Jesus Reveals His Glory
[36:43] - Grace in the Midst of God’s Glory
[39:18] - From Seeing to Trusting: The Challenge of Faith
[44:26] - Faith, Self-Awareness, and Worship
[48:26] - Praying for Renewed Faith and Hope
[50:05] - Reflection and Response

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Mark 6:45-56 (ESV) — Jesus Walks on the Water
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

Psalm 27:13-14 (ESV) — 13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Observation Questions

What were the disciples doing when Jesus saw them from the mountain, and how did he respond to their situation? (Mark 6:47-48)
According to the passage, what was the disciples’ reaction when they saw Jesus walking on the water, and what did Jesus say to them? (Mark 6:49-50)
The sermon mentions that the disciples’ hearts were “hardened” because they did not understand about the loaves. What does this suggest about their response to Jesus’ miracles? [[38:26]]
In Psalm 27, what is David’s attitude while waiting for the Lord, and what does he encourage others to do?

Interpretation Questions

The sermon points out that Jesus was praying for the disciples while they struggled at the oars. What does this reveal about Jesus’ care and involvement in our struggles, even when he seems absent? [[30:04]]
The disciples saw Jesus perform miracles but still struggled to trust him. What does this say about the difference between witnessing God’s power and actually having faith? [[39:18]]
The sermon describes Jesus’ presence as both overwhelming (glory) and safe (grace). How can experiencing God’s greatness and his nearness at the same time shape our relationship with him? [[36:43]]
The passage and sermon both highlight the tension between knowledge and trust. Why is it sometimes hard to let what we know about God move from our heads to our hearts? [[42:50]]

Application Questions

The sermon says that Jesus is always interceding for us, even when we feel alone. When was a time you felt like you were “straining at the oars” in life? How does knowing Jesus is praying for you change how you face those moments? [[30:04]]
Jesus comes to the disciples in the middle of their chaos, not as a distant observer but as “the God who is present.” Is there a current situation in your life where you need to recognize God’s nearness? What would it look like to trust that he is with you right now? [[32:42]]
The disciples were terrified by Jesus’ glory but found safety when he got into the boat. Have you ever felt overwhelmed by God’s greatness or holiness? How did you experience his grace in that moment? [[36:43]]
The sermon warns that seeing miracles or answered prayers doesn’t automatically produce faith. What are some ways you can move from just “seeing” God at work to actually letting it transform your trust and priorities? [[39:18]]
Faith matures through honest wrestling, repeated encounters, and intentional worship. Is there a spiritual practice (like prayer, worship, or reflection) that you find hard or unnatural right now? What is one step you can take this week to engage with God in that area, even if it feels awkward? [[44:26]]
The sermon encourages us to bring our doubts, anxieties, and hopes to Jesus. What is one specific anxiety or doubt you are carrying that you can bring to him in prayer this week? [[43:47]]
The gospel gives us “faith that overcomes fear, hope that transcends shame, and love that overwhelms anger and injustice.” Which of these do you most need in your life right now, and what is one way you can open yourself to receive it from Jesus? [[49:38]]

Sermon Clips

The gospel is a message. It is one transformative truth that says this through Jesus' death and resurrection, humanity can be saved from past sin and given eternal life. That this truth and this grace is something that guides and directs, our, our lives. It's what unites us with him. It's what causes the spirit to move in our lives. That that's the gospel. [00:21:38] (24 seconds) #PowerOfTheGospel

The second story that we're going to read today is of Jesus walking on water. And I want to see us see it as a parallel to Jesus resurrection. That in Jesus resurrection, he demonstrates his authority over all natural forces. That Jesus is not bound by the chaos of life, nor is he controlled by laws that we often are. The greatest law that works against humanity is the law of death. That everybody, everybody will one day die. But Jesus at his resurrection points to his transcendence over all powers, over all laws, over all of creation. That he can bring death, dead things, even back to life. [00:24:15] (48 seconds) #JesusOverChaos

We can't believe that God is detached from reality. Agnostics believe that God created everything and then gave up on it. The gospel tells us something totally different. That Jesus pursues us. That even before we can think a right thought about God, he is revealing himself to us. That while we were still sinners, Christ still loved us. That Jesus in representing God shows us that he is always pursuing us. He is always before us. It is easy for us to conclude that God doesn't have any idea what's going on in our lives or he must not care. That's the tension of waiting, right? How long must I wait for you? I do believe I'll see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord. Well, for how long? And yet what we see here is that Jesus comes to them in the middle of the struggle. He's not detached from it. He pursues them. He reaches out to them. He comes to them. Why? Because he is Jehovah Shema, the God who is present with us. [00:31:37] (70 seconds) #GodIsPresentWithUs

This is grace. This is the grace of Jesus. That when we are exposed to the glory of God, we need not fear, because by his grace, he enters into our lives to show us that God is transcendent, but he is also loving. That Jesus is full of truth, of God's sovereignty, and the grace of God's nearness. He exposes them to the glory of God, but they know that they are safe when he gets in the boat with them. It is to be overwhelmed, but also secure. This is the power of the gospel in our lives. This is the power of the truth of who Jesus really is. That if we live our lives in such a way that we are looking for the glory of God, we will receive the security necessary in order to live our lives without fear. [00:36:48] (50 seconds) #GraceInTheStorm

``And what does it tell us? That miracles don't automatically produce spiritual insight. That seeing is not the same as believing. And believing is not the same as trusting. Their fear and amazement, they kind of identify a partial recognition. They know something extraordinary is happening, but they don't know what it means for their situation. The disciples saw Jesus' power, struggled to trust him. And it reminds us that we might have the same problem. See, we can see God at work, yet remain spiritually dull. We can see God and believe God is working, but miss his patterns of provision and guidance. That hardness can often settle in, especially when we become maybe even spiritually jealous. I see God, or I hear God working in other places. How is he working in me? We have to move from astonishment to faith. [00:38:41] (61 seconds) #FromSeeingToBelieving

The greatest miracle, which is Jesus' death and resurrection, implanted into our hearts to give us a hope, is something that we have to fight to believe on an ongoing basis. Seeing God at work through miracles, provision, or answered prayer, it's only the beginning. True transformation occurs when we connect what we see in the gospel and internalize it. That the death and resurrection of Jesus invite us to experience the power of God through a relationship with him in our lives each and every day. [00:39:46] (36 seconds) #HopeInTheResurrection

This passage shows us the weakness of demanding external proof in order to strengthen faith. You've heard it. You've heard everybody say that. Many people say that. God, if you do this thing for me, then I will follow you the rest of my life. I've heard people say it over and over and over in their lives. Which defies logic of that statement. But what's that telling us? Is that faith is something that needs to be encouraged, needs to be exercised, needs to be examined. [00:40:41] (34 seconds) #FaithNeedsExercise

Faith often grows through repeated encounters and reflection. The disciples' faith did not just snap into place. It grew gradually. It was shaped by repeated experiences with Jesus. Similarly, we need to be meditating on this. On Jesus. On the gospel. Thinking about it. Understanding ourselves so that we might understand Him. [00:44:10] (25 seconds) #SelfAwarenessInFaith

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