Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends on this Tuesday,
It’s interesting how things look and sound so different at night, isn’t it? I wonder what things frighten you in the dark of night, especially outdoors? I left you yesterday as Jesus was watching people go AWAY from Him, which didn’t happen all that often. Do you remember why?
All four Gospels give us the story of Jesus feeding a huge crowd of people with one little boy’s lunch and we witnessed that yesterday. After having all they wanted to eat, Jesus told them to go home, as He headed further up the hillside, stopping often to watch the crowd disperse. Matthew describes the size of the crowd with these words: “The number of those who ate was about 5000 men, besides women and children.” (Matt. 14:21)
So how many do you estimate Jesus watched flow off that hillside back to their homes in Capernaum, Tiberias, Bethsaida and other towns around the Sea of Galilee that day?
Matthew tells us Jesus then instructed His disciples to get into their boats and go on ahead of Him across the lake. This group included several experienced fishermen who often fished this lake late at night, so I’m sure the fact that it would soon be dark didn’t bother them. This Lake Galilee was where they felt most at home, most comfortable in all the world. Can you picture the scene?
Thousands of people on their way to their homes and disciples getting into their boats and Jesus hiking further up the mountainside. The hills on the west side of the Sea of Galilee rise up from Tiberias and are steep and very high. From up there Jesus would have a wonderful view of the entire Sea of Galilee and fire or torches visible in all the villages around the Lake. A magnificent place for Jesus to spend several hours with His heavenly Father as they had so much to talk about. These were active days with crowds growing larger by the day.
As Jesus prayed the disciples rowed their boats across the Lake. Perhaps they even dropped their nets in for a catch as they slowly rowed. They had so much to think about. Soon the wind picked up and before long the waves had white caps, the sails were probably taken down and secured, and the rain was pelting the disciples.
The Sea of Galilee is famous for such sudden storms sweeping down from the hills surrounding it. From the hillside Jesus had a perfect view of it all and perhaps with His God eyes, He could see both the look on their faces and the fear in their hearts. So, Jesus took action and He walked down the hillside to the shoreline, then Jesus walked on the waves out to His friends battling the storm. Pause and put yourself in their boat with them and imagine what you would be experiencing in the storm and what feeling in your heart as you see a distant figure walking on the waves toward your boat!!
As the figure got closer the men started shouting in fear. “It’s a ghost” some shouted as they pointed! But a familiar voice responded through the storm “It is I, don’t be afraid!” (Matt. 14:26,27) Have you ever been in a situation where your mind simply cannot comprehend what your eyes are seeing or ears are hearing? Oh, it’s happened to me several times in my life.
Once was about 8 years ago when my daughter and granddaughter appeared at my front door and yet little more than 24 hours before I had seen them in a video phone call in their home in Africa! They had made a secret, surprise trip from Africa to America and it was really true, they were standing at my door. I saw them. They spoke to me. I touched them, but my mind simply could not comprehend it was true!
That’s what the disciples were experiencing in that storm late that night. Then suddenly bold, brash Peter shouted at the figure standing on the waves: “Lord, if it’s really you, call me to come out on the waves to you.” (Matt. 14:28) I don’t know what Peter expected but, in a few seconds, he heard that familiar voice of Jesus shouting one, simple word: “Come!”
Oh my, Peter had a problem and so did the disciples! Can you see them? Their eyes darting back and forth between Peter and that figure actually standing on the waves in the driving rain and wind? What would you have done, my friends? Peter did the unthinkable, the unbelievable. Peter swung his legs over the boat and he did NOT sink, but he actually stood on the water and started walking toward Jesus!
How many steps did Peter take, when did he finally take his eyes off Jesus and look around at what he was doing, we don’t know. But what the record tells us is that when he did, he sank like a rock in the water! As he did, Peter cried out “Lord, save me!” (Matt. 14:30) I presume it was when Peter came up for his first breath that Jesus grabbed his hand and pulled him back up toward the boat. And Jesus asked Peter a question that would resound in Peter’s heart and mind many times: “You of little faith! Why did you doubt?”
I wonder my friends, how many times has that phrase been said of you and me? How often in our lives have we found ourselves facing situations in which we want to be filled with courageous faith in God, but we flounder, we are distracted, we doubt the things we have been confident about?
Matthew describes the scene with these words: “When Jesus and Peter climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him saying ‘truly You are the Son of God.” (Matt. 14:32) John gives us one more amazing aspect to this miraculous experience: “…and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” (John 6:21)
Friends, my guess is you’ve heard or read that story in the Bible many times. Has it grown old? Have you discounted the many miracles in that story? What can you imagine those men and Jesus talked about that night? How did those men explain this to their families and friends?
Now here’s an important question: what did this experience teach the disciples about Jesus that they did not know before? And when you consider all these miracles we’ve seen in the past several days with Jesus, what do you conclude about HIM? How do you describe Him? What is your relationship with Him and your commitment to Him?
Again, we have some powerful ‘lessons learned’ notes for your further reflection and a wonderful worship song inviting you to worship Jesus, and I’ll be here waiting for you tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: John 6:16-21; Matt. 14:22-33.
Choose below to read or listen.
John 6:16-21
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Matt. 14:22-33
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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