Teaching summary
In this message, Leonard and Lori Rola explain that Jesus walking on the water was far more than a miracle. To the Jewish disciples and Gospel writers, it was a declaration that Jesus was Yahweh Himself, the God who rules over chaos and disorder. Throughout the Old Testament, the sea symbolized turmoil, evil, and opposition to God's order. By walking on the sea and bringing His disciples safely to shore, Jesus demonstrated His authority over every storm, every fear, and every chaotic circumstance believers face today.
Bible verses referenced
John 6:19-21- "And when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went."
Job 26:12-13- "He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent."
Psalm 89:9-14- "Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face."
Psalm 74:12-17- "For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers. The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter."
Isaiah 27:1- "In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea."
Revelation 21:1- "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea."
Daniel 7:1-8- "In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn…"
Daniel 7:9-12- "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit. I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame."
Daniel 7:13-14- "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him…"
Teaching notes
Table of Contents
- Encouragement for Life's Storms
- The Miracle on the Sea of Galilee
- Why Matthew, Mark, and John Included This Story
- The Sea as a Symbol of Chaos in the Old Testament
- Yahweh's Authority Over Disorder
- Jesus Walking on Water Reveals His Divinity
- Letting Jesus Into Your Boat
- Peace, Arrival, and Trusting Christ
Encouragement for Life's Storms
Pastor Leonard begins by encouraging viewers who may be facing difficulties, challenges, fears, or uncertainty. He reminds everyone that believers need encouragement and that God's Word provides a place of refuge during difficult times.
The focus of the teaching is John chapter 6, specifically the account of Jesus walking on the water. While many Christians have heard this story numerous times, Leonard explains that there is a deeper meaning behind the event that reveals something profound about the identity of Jesus. The purpose of the message is not simply to admire a miracle but to understand what the miracle was communicating to those who witnessed it.
The Miracle on the Sea of Galilee
Pastor Lori reads the account of Jesus walking on the water.
John 6:19-21- "And when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went."
The disciples had traveled several miles into the lake. Darkness had fallen. A fierce storm had developed. The winds and waves were violent. They were struggling against conditions beyond their control. Then, suddenly, Jesus appeared, walking on the water. The disciples were terrified at first, but Jesus immediately reassured them. Once they received Him into the boat, they arrived at their destination.
The pastors emphasize two miraculous elements of the story:
First, Jesus walked on the water in the midst of a violent storm.
Second, once Jesus entered the boat, they immediately reached the place they had been trying to get to.
Why Matthew, Mark, and John Included This Story
Leonard points out an interesting observation. The story appears in Matthew, Mark, and John, but not in Luke.
He explains that Matthew, Mark, and John were Jewish writers. Luke was a Gentile writer. The Jewish Gospel writers understood Old Testament imagery in ways that modern readers often miss. They intentionally included this account because it communicated something significant about Jesus. The event was not merely about a miracle worker displaying supernatural power.
It was a declaration that Jesus was Yahweh. The Gospel of John repeatedly emphasizes Jesus' divine identity. Leonard notes that John records multiple "I Am" statements, intentionally connecting Jesus with the divine name of God. For John, Jesus walking on the sea was evidence that Jesus was not merely a rabbi, teacher, prophet, or miracle worker. He was God Himself.
A major portion of the teaching focuses on how ancient Jewish people understood the sea. According to Leonard, the sea represented cosmic disorder, chaos, turmoil, and opposition to God's created order. To the Jewish mind, the raging sea symbolized forces that stood against God's purposes.
-The sea represented unpredictability.
-The sea represented danger.
-The sea represented disorder.
-The sea represented spiritual opposition.
This symbolism appears repeatedly throughout the Old Testament. The ancient world often portrayed evil and chaos through images of sea monsters and terrifying creatures emerging from turbulent waters. The Bible uses imagery such as Leviathan and Rahab to represent forces opposed to God's rule.
Yahweh's Authority Over Disorder
Leonard then walks through several Old Testament passages that demonstrate Yahweh's authority over chaos.
Job 26:12-13- "He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent."
|This passage depicts God exercising complete authority over the sea and the serpent-like forces associated with chaos.
Psalm 89:9-14- "Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain…"
This Psalm portrays Yahweh as the One who rules over the raging sea and crushes the powers opposed to Him.
Psalm 74:12-17-"For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces. Here God is shown defeating the forces symbolized by the sea and Leviathan.
Leonard explains that throughout Scripture God consistently demonstrates His authority over anything that threatens His people.
Isaiah 27:1- "In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish Leviathan the piercing serpent, even Leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea."
This prophecy points to God's final victory over all evil and disorder. The teaching emphasizes that Yahweh alone has authority to calm chaos and restore order.
Jesus Walking on Water Reveals His Divinity
With this Old Testament background established, Leonard returns to the Gospel account. The Jewish disciples understood the symbolism. When they saw Jesus walking on the sea, they were witnessing more than a miracle. They were witnessing God exercising authority over the very thing that symbolized chaos. The event connected directly with Daniel's vision of God's kingdom.
Daniel 7:1-8- "And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another." The sea again becomes a symbol of chaos and rebellious powers.
Daniel 7:9-12- "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit…"The beasts are judged and destroyed.
Daniel 7:13-14- "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven…And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom…"
Leonard explains that Jesus identified Himself as the Son of Man. Therefore, His authority over the sea was directly connected to Daniel's prophetic vision. The disciples eventually realized that the One walking on the water was Yahweh Himself. The One who ruled the sea in the Old Testament was now standing before them in human flesh.
Letting Jesus Into Your Boat
The practical application of the message centers on one simple truth. The disciples willingly received Jesus into the boat.
John 6:21- "Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went."
Leonard and Lori repeatedly emphasize the importance of letting Jesus into every area of life.
-Let Him into your circumstances.
-Let Him into your fears.
-Let Him into your struggles.
-Let Him into your confusion.
-Let Him into your battles.
The message teaches that Jesus remains the same Lord today who walked upon the waters centuries ago. Every storm may not disappear instantly, but Jesus remains greater than every storm. Every challenge may feel overwhelming, but Jesus remains above every challenge. Every circumstance may appear chaotic, but Jesus remains Lord over all chaos.
Peace, Arrival, and Trusting Christ
Pastor Lori highlights the beautiful conclusion of the story. The disciples struggled until Jesus arrived. Once Jesus entered the boat, the work was finished. The destination was reached. The storm no longer controlled the outcome. The emphasis is not on human effort but on Christ's presence.
Leonard concludes by reminding listeners that Jesus is supreme over every force, every challenge, every fear, and every situation.
He encourages believers to trust the One who stands above the storm. He reminds listeners that Jesus is not merely a teacher, prophet, or miracle worker.
Jesus is God Almighty. Just as He walked above the raging waters, He walks above every problem His people face today. When believers allow Him into their situation, He brings peace, confidence, direction, and hope.
Thank you for taking the time to read this teaching from Leonard and Lori Rola. We pray that this message encourages you to trust Jesus in every storm and every challenge you face. The One who walked upon the sea is still Lord over every circumstance today. We hope this article has blessed you. Please share this teaching with family, friends, and anyone who needs encouragement and a reminder that Jesus is greater than every storm.