Message

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Last week we learned anew that Jesus fed the five thousand abundantly with Andrew’s five small barley loaves and two small fish. May God richly bless your five loaves and two fish offered to him with faith to feed U of T students. In today’s passage Jesus withdrew from the welcoming crowd to a mountain and then approached his disciples in the sea. Let’s see why he did so and learn what it means to us. First, Jesus’ withdrawing from the crowd (14-15). Look at verse 14 “After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, ‘Surely this is the prophet who is to come into the world.” The miracle of Jesus’ feeding the five thousand with five loaves and two fish was really a remarkable event uniquely written in all four gospels. After having eaten to the full, the crowd made a confession of faith, “Surely this is the prophet who is to come into the world.” Their confession seemed to be great. Yet, it was not. Their stomach satisfaction inspired them to say that that Jesus was the Prophet, the Christ whom God sent to solve their hunger problem, which was a serious problem to them. They thought that with Jesus among them the world would be paradise (Utopia) with no bread problem at all. So they intended to come and make Jesus king by force. To them Jesus did not need any election to be their king. They were convinced that Jesus should be their king by the absolute support of the people. The reason they wanted to have Jesus as their king was not to be ruled by him but to receive bread from him continually. Their understanding of Jesus was on a physical and materialistic level. Later, an ironical thing happened at the time of Jesus’ trial. Before Pilate, Jesus revealed himself as the king of truth, who came to this world to testify to the truth and take all those on the side of truth to his kingdom. Pilate tried to set Jesus free in fear of him. However, the crowd of people, manipulated by the religious leaders, shouted, “We have no king but Caesar…Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” (Jn 18:15) They rejected Jesus to be their spiritual king, king of salvation and truth. Look at verse 15. When the people tried to make him king by force, Jesus withdrew to a mountain by himself. This is the image of the true king. There is no compromise with the true king. He does need anyone’s support to be made a king. He is king sent by God. Worldly kings come and go. They change and compromise. New age seems to need a new king. However, Jesus is the king, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, for he is the king of truth. He is the king of all times. He never changes. He wants the people of the world to change their attitude according to the word of God’s truth and truly accept his kingship. Second, Jesus’ approaching his disciples (16-21). When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake. They got into the boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. According to Mark’s and Matthew’s gospel Jesus gave them the direction to go ahead of him to the other side of the lake. Then what happened in the sea? Verse 18 says, “A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.” According to New Living Translation, “Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough.” A gale is a strong wind with the speed of 14-28 m/sec. Though the disciples were veteran rowers, it was certain that they had a hard time in the sea. The disciples were straining at the oars, and the boat was buffeted by the waves. They had rowed three and a half miles (about 5 or 6 km) against the gale, probably for several hours. They must have been exhausted with much sweat on their backs and forehead. They were in the middle of the lake and it was in the fourth watch of the night (3-6 A.M.). Oh, poor disciples! What’s going on with them? With no doubt they were in great fear, even their lives were in danger. They seemed to be completely lost in the stormy sea with no one to help. What happened next? The disciples were in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was on the land. The distance was about 6 km. Yet, Jesus saw them straining at the oars. Wow! What good eye-sight! To ordinary eyes they must have looked like a dot. Jesus, however, saw vividly that they were striving intensely at the oars. Jesus’ eyes were probably like those of an eagle. More than that Jesus could see their desperate striving in the sea, because they were in his heart and mind. He must have prayed for them on the mountain. On seeing them Jesus walked on the water and approached his disciples fighting against the angry surges for rescue. With normal walking speed, it would definitely take more than an hour. With that speed a rescue mission would not be possible. Jesus must have walked very fast on the water and probably got there in a minute (6 km/min; 360 km/hr). What a sensational scene: Jesus’ walking on the water with fantastic speed! This amazing sight should have been made known to the world. However, Jesus did not do this fabulous action to show to the world but to help and rescue his disciples, who were striving desperately to survive the gale in the sea. What a wonderful Saviour! What a caring shepherd! When the crowd of people tried to make him king, he withdrew to a mountain. But when his disciples were in a great danger in the middle of the lake at dark night, he came to rescue them, walking on the water. His walking on the water was an unprecedented event in history and it surprises us. However, more surprising and moving thing was with that spectacular act he cared for his own swiftly without fail. The world was in deep sleep at the dark night but what happened was truly amazing. His people must know that indeed he cares for them in whatever situation. Third, Jesus’ revealing himself, speaking to the disciples (20-21). When the disciples saw Jesus’ approaching the boat walking on the water, they were terrified. It was because Jesus’ coming on the water was a totally unexpected thing to them. Then Jesus said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Jesus’ walking on the water and showing his presence to his disciples itself was his caring heart for them. Yet, when they were terrified because of his unpredicted appearance, he spoke to them, saying, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Not only his presence but also his voice was there. What a relieving voice! The words of Jesus’ voice confirmed his presence and secured them completely. He said, “It is I.” Who is “I”? He was the one who walked on the water and now was standing on the waters of the sea before their eyes. He is the Creator God who made the heavens and the earth including the Sea of the Galilee and all the oceans. About 1500 years before he divided the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross the Sea as on dry land. He not only walked on the water but can walk on the cloud. He will come again in clouds with great power and glory to stand on the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. He will complete his salvation work and end all things as the Ruler of history. He will take his people into his kingdom. Now we cannot see him. But we can see him through the words of the Bible and put our faith in him. Jesus said to his terrifying disciples, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” They didn’t need to be afraid in the realization of who Jesus was. Jesus relieved them and let them take courage. He would guide them all along the way of their lives. With his living presence and his words, “It is I; don’t be afraid,” they would go anyplace in the world and confront any situation courageously. They would go into the vast sea of the world and be fearless gospel workers. Now we realize why they were put in such a life-threatening situation as the storms in the sea. Through this storm they could experience Jesus and know him personally as the Creator and the Ruler of the nature and the world and as their perfect carer. Without the storm their sailing would have been smooth with no troubles, but they would not have gotten into the secret and deeper knowing of Jesus. God puts his people in storm-like situations for his divine purpose. When God delivered the Israelites out of the land of slavery, he did not lead them directly to the promised land. He led them to Pi Hahiroh near the Red Sea, where they were chased by the Egyptian army and caught between the Red Sea in the front and the army of Egypt in the rear. When Moses and the people depended on God, they would experience God’s deliverance through the division of the Red Sea and drowning of the mighty Egyptian army into the Sea. Afterward God he led them into the Desert of Sin, where there was no food, not even grass. There God rained manna from heaven and they experienced God’s provision from above. Then God led them to Rephidim, where was no water. There God let the water come out of rock and quenched their thirst. At each unbearably difficult time they experienced God’s power and caring love. There is a story about birds in God’s creation. They complained that while animals had four legs, they had only two legs. On top of that they had heavy stuff on their backs. They questioned again and again, “Why this heavy stuff on my back?” They were bitter and despairing at their situation. However, an eagle did not agree with other birds. The eagle began to think that there must been God’s purpose in making them differently. One day the eagle started to move the heavy stuff on the back. Surprisingly its body began to move. As the eagle kept on moving the heavy things on the back, its body was lifted up in the air and finally the eagle began to fly. The eagle found that the heavy stuff on the back were its wings to fly in the sky. Since then all other birds learned this and enjoyed flying across the expanse of the sky above the earth. Burdens of life are real. I heard that about 10% of a college freshmen at U of T have nervous-break downs in the first and second month of the school year because of insurmountable amount of school study. Heavy school study, finance matter, loved ones’ illness, company work, unbelieving and hostile environment in school or work place, difficulties in serving God’s flock of sheep or unanswered prayers burdens us and presses upon us. But we learn that in God burdens of life do not mean to crush us but to lead us to a higher level of life. “It is I; don’t be afraid.” What can be more comforting and encouraging than this in the turbulent world? Amid our life problems fear creeps into our hearts with the wind blowing against us. However, nothing is greater than our Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus wants us to listen to him and withstand our given life situation and walk on it and even fly above it by faith. Once, Abram was in sudden fear because of his enemies’ possible attack and a sense of loss. Then God’s word came to him: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your great reward” (Ge 15:1). When Paul was surrounded by his gospel enemies in Corinth, he was fearful. Then one night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent” (Acts 18:9). The Lord Jesus speaks to us, and through his words we can take courage. He is our King and our commander in-chief, and the pilot of our life-boat in this sea of the world. In the end he controls. 19th century Russian Pianist, Anton Rubinstein said, “If I do not practice playing piano a day, I sense my fingers becoming clumsy. If I do not practice two days, my family knows it. If I do not practice three days, my audience finally knows it.” This tells us the sensitivity of the life of a pianist. How much more then in the life of a Christian! Our Christ Jesus wants each of his own to come to him and pray and listen to him sensitively. Look at verse 21. “Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” In this world no one can be sure of reaching his or her destination. But with the Lord in our boat we can reach the goal of life and in the end to the heavenly kingdom. When St. Paul was in prison, no one came to his support, but the Lord stood at his side and gave him strength. When he thought of his situation with the roaring lions to devour him, it looked that his destination was uncertain. But he said 2 Timothy 4:18, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.” We thank Jesus who came to his disciples walking on the water for rescue and spoke to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” May we have this Jesus as our King and commander-in-chief and sail with him on our life-voyage in this world.

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