Jesus walking on the water – a neat party trick or is there something deeply revealing about this miracle. Firstly we need to understand that Jesus never does anything just for the sake of doing it. We need to look deeply under the surface of this miracle to understand that this wasn’t just a case of Jesus choosing this method to get from A to B – just as the feeding of the 5000 was not just about providing enough food for everyone.
There are several teachings that come from this very brief miracle that is often underplayed because it is simply considered only for the fact that Jesus can walk on water.
What does the water represent?
The sea in biblical writings represented the underworld where the demons hid. Remember the pigs when the legion of demons requested to enter into the pigs and they all ran into the water and drowned. Or in Revelation when John saw a vision of Heaven and the first thing he noticed was that there was no longer any sea there. Jesus walking on the water’s greatest message was that he was Lord of heaven and earth and under the earth as Paul speaks about in Philippians chapter 2.
To Jesus was given the name that is above all names so that every knee in heaven and on earth and under the earth would bow and confess Jesus as Lord. And here Jesus shows that the underworld – the sea and all its evil cannot overcome him – in fact they must submit to him.
Jesus comes to us:
Notice that in their distress it is Jesus who comes to the disciples. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing and then they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat,
They didn’t cry out to him – they didn’t need to – he knew their distress. This is Jesus fulfilling his promise to us – I am with you always. In our times of distress – in our times of fear – we don’t always go looking for Jesus – we try our own ways first – but it is Jesus who comes to them without them even crying out to him. He knows their distress – he knows he needs them – he knows you need him.
They thought he was a ghost and were terrified.
This part intrigues me that they didn’t recognise him at first. Do we always recognise Jesus with us? Remember Mary, who thought he was the gardener. Remember the 2 disciples walking to Emmaus – they were tell Jesus about Jesus because they didn’t recognise him. And sometimes it is at the most terrifying times when all of a sudden Jesus makes his presence known. Like when Peter began to sink when he tried to walk on the water and Jesus immediately puts out his hand and saves him. He didn’t prevent Peter from sinking but reached out in the nick of time to save him.
Sometimes as we struggle it seems like we are at our last moment. We are frightened and at the point of terror and then out of the shadows comes Jesus. We might not recognise him at first. It might be in the appearance of someone we least expect. But Jesus is there for us. And even if the ultimate end should come, Jesus is still there. He promised – I am with you until the end of the age. And then, in John 14 he says I will come to take you to be with me where I am – so don’t let your hearts be troubled.
It is I – do not be afraid.
John’s Gospel is known for the great – “I AM” statements. I am the Good Shepherd, I am the true vine, I am the gate for the sheep – I am the way, the truth and the life, I am the light of the world, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the bread of life – Seven of them in all.
Remember that I AM is the name of God revealed to Moses in Exodus chapter 3 when Moses asked God’s name – tell them “I AM” has sent you.
But here is the first of the statements which we don’t get to fully see because of how it is translated in English. When Jesus approaches the boat and sees the terrified disciples he calls out to them – It is I; do not be afraid. When in fact in the original reading in the Greek it says – “I AM, do not be afraid” In other words – I am God – do not be afraid.
I can’t tell you how many times I have had to refer to this statement. In recent times as we journey through the pandemic I have been frightened – terrified. Not of catching Covid. But of the future of so many people whose lives have been affected by lockdowns and fear. The economic impact.
The spiritual impact. The mental health impact. The impact on our elderly who are locked away from family. The impact on children locked away from schools. The impact of the widows and widowers, the singles, the friendless – who have no one to be with. I worry about the church and the impact it is having on those smaller, and not so small churches that are struggling to stay open at the best of times. And then I hear a small whisper – a little bit like the voice that Elijah heard in the sheer silence – saying to me – don’t be afraid – I am God.
I can’t tell you how comforting that is especially in these times when we cannot gather – when we cannot come to the Lord’s Table – to know that it is not we who come to God but it is God who comes to us. Who when the world’s problems seem so overwhelming that there seems little that even God can do – that I am reminded of our God who fed 5000 men, not counting women and children with 5 meagre loaves of bread and 2 fish. Barely enough to feed a family of 5 let alone 5,000. This is our God who created the heavens and the earth – out of nothing. Who created us in his own image. Who died for us. This is our God whom the wind and the waves must obey, who walks on water, whom not even the grave can hold – who comes to us to remove our fear.
And so, I would like to finish by reading again from St Paul in our 2nd reading – I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.
I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.
I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
This is our God who comes to us and is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.
This is our God and to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.
This is our God who calls out to you – do not be afraid, I AM GOD. Amen.
