Day Nine: Jesus Walks On Water
The fifth sign of Jesus in the Gospel of John is layered with theological depth. While all 12 disciples set out across the sea on a small boat, Jesus stayed behind and “withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” It was not uncommon for Jesus to withdraw from the chaos of daily life and ministry in order to commune with his heavenly Father. But while Jesus was in the solitude of prayer, the disciples were struggling mightily against a storm that had come down upon them.
In the midst of the winds, the storm, and the men’s fear, an event occurred that must have changed the perspective of the disciples entirely: Jesus calmly approached them, walking on the water.
Up until this point, each disciple must have had some sense of the nature of Jesus. They had seen God perform the miraculous through his ministry through healing, provision, and teaching. Yet, one could suppose that seeing him calmly walking on water surrounded by rough seas provided an entirely new dynamic to their understanding. The text says, “They were frightened,” upon seeing Jesus, as we all would be. Jesus has authority over the winds and the waves.
When Jesus came within hearing distance, he spoke the words, “It is I; do not be afraid.” While this is a fine translation, it misses the deeper layers of what Jesus said. The phrase, “It is I” is an English translation that is more literally translated, “I Am; do not be afraid.” To a faithful Jewish man, the phrase “I Am” would not be lost in translation. “I Am” is the name of God that was given to Moses thousands of years prior on Mount Sinai. When Moses questioned God about what to say to the people of Israel, God instructed Moses to say, “I Am has sent me to you.”
Jesus has no uncertainty in taking the name of God upon Himself. This would be blasphemy if it were not true. The disciples understood what Jesus said, and gladly took him into the boat. We, too, must gladly take Christ into the boat.
In the moment, the winds and the waves of the storms we pass through will certainly cause us to fear. Like the disciples, we will find ourselves at times miles from shore, in the thick of night, frantically attempting to make some kind of headway.
In those moments, we must remember two vital truths: First, God is not worried as we are worried. This is not to say that Christ does not have compassion towards our frailties, but it is to say that God is in control of our storms as Christ was when he walked on the water. Second, the great I Am does not stand at a distance as we toil.
He draws near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). No matter the storm, no matter the darkness, no matter the pain, if you are a Christian, Christ is in the boat with you. Do not be afraid.
In the midst of the winds, the storm, and the men’s fear, an event occurred that must have changed the perspective of the disciples entirely: Jesus calmly approached them, walking on the water.
Up until this point, each disciple must have had some sense of the nature of Jesus. They had seen God perform the miraculous through his ministry through healing, provision, and teaching. Yet, one could suppose that seeing him calmly walking on water surrounded by rough seas provided an entirely new dynamic to their understanding. The text says, “They were frightened,” upon seeing Jesus, as we all would be. Jesus has authority over the winds and the waves.
When Jesus came within hearing distance, he spoke the words, “It is I; do not be afraid.” While this is a fine translation, it misses the deeper layers of what Jesus said. The phrase, “It is I” is an English translation that is more literally translated, “I Am; do not be afraid.” To a faithful Jewish man, the phrase “I Am” would not be lost in translation. “I Am” is the name of God that was given to Moses thousands of years prior on Mount Sinai. When Moses questioned God about what to say to the people of Israel, God instructed Moses to say, “I Am has sent me to you.”
Jesus has no uncertainty in taking the name of God upon Himself. This would be blasphemy if it were not true. The disciples understood what Jesus said, and gladly took him into the boat. We, too, must gladly take Christ into the boat.
In the moment, the winds and the waves of the storms we pass through will certainly cause us to fear. Like the disciples, we will find ourselves at times miles from shore, in the thick of night, frantically attempting to make some kind of headway.
In those moments, we must remember two vital truths: First, God is not worried as we are worried. This is not to say that Christ does not have compassion towards our frailties, but it is to say that God is in control of our storms as Christ was when he walked on the water. Second, the great I Am does not stand at a distance as we toil.
He draws near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). No matter the storm, no matter the darkness, no matter the pain, if you are a Christian, Christ is in the boat with you. Do not be afraid.
Posted in Lent
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