With Jesus in the Storm

Well, if there's one thing we've learned about the book of John, it's that there is a lot of bread and a lot of water. It seems like every sign in John revolves around one of the two. It is true again this week a we look at the familiar passage about Jesus walking on water. Last week Josh preached about Jesus feeding the 5000 with miracle bread. Jesus was providing bread in the wilderness and, when it is over, he just walks off to the mountains to pray. He leaves his disciples to gather up all the extras, and then they get in a boat to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 

The disciples are rather ticked at this: Jesus let a captive audience just walk away. Is this what Messiahs do? Of course, they don’t know what Jesus knows, and so we come to this passage about walking on water. It is a calculated move on Jesus’ part, to teach the disciples something further in this school of discipleship. It is like Jesus is saying to his chosen, I am a king: I am King of the world—wind and wave bow to me—but not like you think. Jesus peels back the veil; and it is not the storm that terrifies them, it is Jesus. What kind of person controls the weather?

So, we are talking about storms this week: Jesus actually placed his disciples in this one. He really did? Does God really do that? If he will willingly introduce trouble into our lives, is he really good? We wrestle with these kinds of things when storms hit, and so this Sunday we will do so as well. Hope to see you there.

 

Blessings,

 

Jim