John: WEEKEND RECHARGE!

July 19, 2025

Monday, July 14 —John 3:16-36
Tuesday, July 15—John 4:1-42
Wednesday, July 16—John 4:43-5:17
Thursday, July 17—John 5:18-47
Friday, July 18—John 6:1-21

THIS WEEK’S DAILY DEVO OVERVIEW: JOHN 3:16—JOHN 6:21

John 3:16-36: For God So Loved the World

• John 3:16 reveals the depth and breadth of God’s love.
• True belief goes beyond just believing; it’s a trust that results in a transformed life.
• John the Baptist demonstrated godly humility by focusing on his mission.

John 4:1-42: The Woman at the Well

• Jesus meets us in our brokenness with grace and truth.
• The living water that Jesus provides quenches our deepest thirst.
• The woman at the well became a strong witness for Jesus.

John 4:43-5:17: Down on the Mat

• Jesus healed a Roman official’s son from twenty miles away with only a word.
• “Do you want to be healed?” questions our tendency to accept sin.
• Grace addresses us on the mat and empowers us to get up. 

John 5:18-47: Learning the Scriptures. Missing the Savior.

• Jesus was more than just a teacher, prophet, or sage; he was God in the flesh.
• Trusting in Jesus moves us from spiritual death to eternal life.
• The Jewish leaders knew the Scriptures, but still missed the Savior.

John 6:1-21: On the Mountain and the Water

• Jesus, the ultimate Provider, fed more than 5,000 people with a boy’s lunch.
• To all those in the storm, Jesus comes and says, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
• Jesus proved his authority over nature, time, and space.

Peter Walking on the Water: Matthew 14:28-33
Matthew is the only gospel writer who tells the story of Peter walking on the water to Jesus. And what an amazing story it is!

The night was dark and stormy, and the disciples were barely making headway against a strong wind. Jesus had sent them across the sea (and into the storm). Somewhere between 3:00 and 6:00 in the morning, the disciples saw a figure walking on the water. They were terrified thinking it was a ghost. But “immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid’” (Matt. 14:27). 

Then Peter said: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water” (Matt. 14:28). What a bold request!

Jesus said, “Come,” and Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water! But then…he took his eyes off Jesus to look at the storm around him. As he began to sink, he prayed one of the shortest, most sincere prayers in Scripture, “Lord, save me” (Matt. 14:30). Jesus, who was immediately there, reaching out his hand to help Peter, then asked, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31). 

I love how Matthew wraps up his account:

Matthew 14:32-33
And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 

The main lesson of this story: Always keep your eyes on Jesus, especially in the storm. 

One more thing. No doubt, the disciples had their inside jokes as they spent time with Jesus. After this experience, I imagine this event was one of their favorites to recall, especially reminding Peter, “Hey, Pete, remember that time when you wanted to walk on water and had to have Jesus save you? I can still hear your panicked yell for help.” Then one of the disciples would imitate Peter’s cry, “Lord, save me,” in a shrill voice. But Peter would get the last laugh. “Yeah, well, have any of you ever walked one step on top of the water? Yep, didn’t think so.”  

One or two steps on top of water! That would be quite the experience! 

Tomorrow, I’ll send you a link to one of my favorite songs that I think fits well with this story.