Seven Miracles - Pt 16

When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. (John 6:16-21 ESV).

Jesus did not come into the world mainly to deliver us from the sufferings of this present age, but to deliver us from the wrath to come (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:10). He came not to give us an easy life now, but an eternal life later. So, when the crowd wanted to make him their king (v. 15), Jesus left them and went into the mountain. Our reading tells us what happened that evening. It was quite revealing. It takes us to our fifth miracle in John’s Gospel. Jesus walks on the water. This miracle actually clarifies the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this miracle of Jesus, and the disciples being rescued from the wind and landing strangely safe at their desired haven, is that nothing is made of it in the rest of the Gospel. We are in the middle of chapter 6, and the entire chapter is devoted to unfolding the implications of the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. So that miracle gets a whole chapter of attention and explanation. This miracle gets none. John is not telling this miracle as a way of setting the stage for a long dialogue about Jesus’ ability to walk on water. Instead this miracle is embedded in the story of the feeding of the five thousand. This miracle in John’s mind served that story. John is telling the short and amazing incident of Jesus’ walking on the water to clarify or underline something in the story about the loaves and fish. Jesus is showing something to the disciples, and to us, that underlines the point of the feeding of the five thousand. Remember what Jesus told the disciples when the five thousand had eaten their “fill.” Jesus told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost” (v. 12). John then says they gathered up “twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten” (v. 13). It’s no mere coincidence that there are twelve. Jesus calls his disciples “the Twelve” (vv 67-70). Jesus was showing them that when you serve him and all you have to give is given he will take care of you. When it seems you have no strength left, no reserve to call upon, he will always be enough for you. The more you satisfy others, the more he will be your satisfaction. The more you give life to others, the more he will be life to you. That is certainly a message I need more and more!