He Walks to Us Across the Water
Month 7: The Miracle Worker · Family Worship
Today's Scripture
Read together: John 6:16-21
16 When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet gone out to them. 18 A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified. 20 But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
Memory Verse
“Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.”— John 6:35 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Proverbs 25-27
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. ("As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend" — Proverbs 27, the gift of good friends.)The Heart of It
Evening fell after the great feeding. The disciples got into a boat to cross the sea, while Jesus stayed behind. The wind rose. The water churned. They rowed and rowed, three or four miles out, in the dark, getting nowhere fast. Then they saw something that terrified them. A figure was walking on the sea, coming toward the boat. It was Jesus. Over the howling wind He called out the words they most needed to hear: "It is I; do not be afraid." The moment they welcomed Him into the boat, John says, "immediately the boat was at the land where they were going." The same Jesus who had just multiplied bread now walked across a storm-tossed lake like it was a sidewalk. He could, because the sea belongs to Him, just like the bread does.
Today we don't just study this story. We worship the One in it. Think about what this miracle tells us. Jesus is Lord over the wind and the waves. He is Lord over the dark. He is Lord over our fear. He didn't wait for the storm to pass before He came. He came right in the storm. He walked right over the very thing the disciples were afraid of. And His first words were not a scolding. They were a comfort: "It is I; do not be afraid." That is who we gather to praise tonight. Maybe your family is facing storms right now. Sickness. Worry. Hard changes. Fears in the dark. The Bread of Life is also the Lord of the waves, and He comes to us. Let's worship Him. He is the Mighty One, and at the very same time, the gentlest Friend.
Around the Table
Jesus walked right on top of the water! His friends were scared. But He said, "Don't be afraid. It's Me!"
Let's do it: Sing a happy worship song you know. Do little "walking" steps in place. Jesus walks right to us!
Jesus came to His friends in the storm, not after it was over. When are the times you most need to remember that He is near?
Let's talk: Let's each name one thing that scares us. Then thank Jesus out loud that He is Lord over it.
When Jesus says "It is I," He is using "I AM," the divine name, again. And the Bible says walking on the sea is something only God does. This is real proof of who Jesus is, and it makes us want to worship Him ().
Let's go deeper: Jesus is all-powerful, and yet He gently says, "do not be afraid." How does holding both of those together shape the way you bring your fears to Him?
💬 Conversation Starter
What's something in the dark that used to scare you when you were little? Jesus is Lord even over the dark, and over the things we can't see.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
The disciples didn't expect Jesus to walk on water. They were terrified, and they thought they saw a ghost. People making up a flattering legend don't write themselves as panicking cowards. The disciples' fear is the fingerprint of an honest memory, from people who were really there ().
For Dad · Go Deeper
Family worship doesn't require musical talent or a polished plan. It requires a father who is willing to lift his household's eyes to who Jesus actually is. This passage gives you rich material. The One who walks on the sea is the God of the Old Testament who "alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea" (). And He is also the Friend who says, "do not be afraid." Hold both together tonight. Worship that is all majesty turns cold. Worship that is all coziness turns shallow. The Gospel gives us a Savior who is great enough to silence storms, and tender enough to climb into a frightened crew's little boat. As you lead, let your kids see that you bring your fears to this Jesus too. Not as a man who has it all together, but as a worshiper of the One who does. That honesty will preach to them longer than any lesson.
Draws on: Donald Whitney, Family Worship.
Let's Pray Together
"Lord Jesus, You walk on the waves and rule the storm. And yet You come close and say, 'Do not be afraid.' We worship You as the Mighty One. We worship You as the gentle Friend. Climb into the boat with our family, and carry us safely home. We love You. In Jesus' name, amen."
The Lord of the waves comes to me right in the storm. He says, "It is I; do not be afraid."