This miracle of Jesus walking on the water had been truly remarkable. No one had ever done the things that Jesus could do in real time. Only through some of the magic that you might see today on tv or elsewhere, where what is happening isn't real but illusions. But that wasn't how it was when Jesus was doing the things he was doing. What he was doing, was the real thing.
One question from yesterdays blog is this: Why did Jesus send the disciples off so he could be alone? We have to remember that first and foremost, Jesus was God's Son. This alone trumped any earthly thing we think his life should have been like. For example in Mark 2:41-49, even as a twelve-year-old boy, Jesus had gone off somewhere (while at the Feast of Passover) without his parents so that they had gotten worried and had to look for him. When they finally found him he was in Jerusalem sitting with the teachers in the temple. When his mother saw him, she asked him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have looked for you anxiously." Jesus replied, "Why do you seek me? Don't you know I would be about my Father's business?" (verse 49)
Jesus was sent into this world to first do his heavenly Father's business. And after preaching and feeding of the 5000 that day, he needed time to do some praying. He was after all human as well as being God's Son. The human side of him probably needed this time to get re-charged physically as well. Was he being selfish? Perhaps a little. But not in the context that we would think of it as. He needed to have time with his Father and it was better for his disciples to be doing something without him.
Did he realize the danger he was putting them in by sending them off in a boat that would soon be caught up in a storm and was he testing them by this? Sure, he knew about the storm. How could he have not, since he was God's Son? And no doubt it could have been a test of their faith. God does test our faith at times. James 1:2-4. Not because he needs to see if we are passing them. He already knows that we will pass them or fail. But he does test us to show us where we are at in our own faith. If we pass them, we can rejoice. If we fail them, we know that we have some work to do so that the next time, we can pass the test that comes our way.
His disciples still needed to work on their faith, that indeed this was God's Son who had the very best interest and love for them. Not only that but that he would keep them safe in the deadliest storms of their life. And that if they would just step out like Peter had done, they could even surpass those storms to victory in Christ.
What had Peter done? No less than what you and I have done many times over. In trying to grow our faith in some trials we have gone through, we have begun to doubt that God could and would do what we needed and asked of him. And when that happens, all we have to do is cry out, "Lord, save me!" And thank God, he does.
I like the term 'growing our faith.' Because, when we have begun to sink because of our doubt, and then Jesus comes to our rescue, how can our faith not grow at least a little if not much more? And with it, comes faith for the next time that God looks down and sees that it is time for it to grow some more. Because we have seen that he got us through the last one.
This miracle, Jesus walking on water was not intended to be just a bible story for Sunday School. No, it was a lesson to you and me. For our every day lives. An event for Peter and his friends to see Jesus's work in action. Jesus was not just here to teach things and do miracles for no good reason. Everything he did and said had a purpose. And it was meant not only for the people in his day on earth but for those that have come after. All the way down to you and me.
I find that in this teaching, there are two final questions. They are: Has your boat been rocked? And are you drowning? I hope you will come back tomorrow for part 3 of Jesus the Miracle Working/ Jesus Walks on the Water.
February 18, 2019 Promise: When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. Isaiah 43:2
Thanks for your visit today Friends. Have a blessed new week!
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