Mark 6:45-52. Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
Who was this Jesus who walked on water? When the disciples saw Him, they were terrified, thinking He was a ghost. Scripture says, “their hearts were hardened.” Though they had just witnessed an incredible miracle—Jesus feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish—they failed to recognize who He truly was. They saw the miracle but missed the Person—the Bread of Life from heaven. They did not see Jesus as God, the Creator of the very lake they were struggling to cross, the One who transcends time and space.
Who is Jesus to you? Today, about 32% of the world’s population identifies as Christian. Many profess belief in Jesus, yet few understand why He is the only way to God. Some see Him merely as a savior who died for their personal sins, hoping to reach heaven by repenting of their wrongdoings. Others view Him as the founder of a religion, someone to pray to for help with finances, health, family, or success. As a result, many believers approach God no differently than unbelievers or religious people—focused on worldly gain, not eternal truth. Without knowing the true purpose of life, they live like spiritual orphans and beggars, unknowingly running errands for the devil all their lives.
But Scripture declares, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1–2). Jesus is the Word. All things were made through Him (John 1:3). In Him was life (John 1:4). And the Word became flesh (John 1:14). Jesus and God the Father are one (John 10:30). To meet Jesus is to meet God. To know Jesus is to know the Father (John 14:7). Even those in the Old Testament were saved by faith in Him (John 8:56).
Jesus came to solve the root of our problems. As the True King, He destroyed the work of the devil (1 John 3:8). As the True Priest, He paid the ransom for our sins by His death (Mark 10:45). As the True Prophet, He delivered us from the destiny of hell (John 14:6). Jesus is not the founder of a religion; He is the Christ—the Anointed One!
Many have founded religions, but none fulfilled the prophecies of the Messiah. Scripture foretold the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the Christ in detail—prophecies only Jesus fulfilled. Unlike other religious leaders who remain in their graves, Jesus’ tomb is empty. He rose again, conquering death and declaring victory over the devil, who held the power of death (Hebrews 2:14). His resurrection proves He is the true and living Savior.
So again—who is Jesus to you? He asked His disciples the same question (Matthew 16:15). It is not enough to believe in Jesus intellectually. Only Jesus must remain at the center of your life (Matthew 17:8). Only then will the powers of Satan, sin, and hell be broken. Only then will the kingdom of God be established within you. Only then will the Holy Spirit begin to work in and through your life.
If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, then you are born of God (1 John 5:1). You possess all the rights and privileges of a child of the Most High. No weapon formed against you will prevail (Isaiah 54:17). To encounter the Word is to encounter Christ. Through prayer, you can move the armies of heaven and release the power of God’s kingdom. Strengthened by the Holy Spirit, you will stand as Christ’s witness to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
Stop struggling through the storms of life alone. Don’t let your heart remain hardened. Hear Jesus say to you, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Invite Him into your boat—not just as a helper, but as your Lord and your God. Walk with Him, sail with Him, and your life will never be the same.
Prayer. Father, I thank You for being with me in the midst of life’s storms. Soften my heart so I may truly believe and trust in You. Help me experience the power and presence of Christ each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.