Hardened Hearts

45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. – Mark 6:45-52 ESV

Three of the four gospels include this story and all three indicate that it happened immediately after the miracle of the bread and the fish. The context is essential to understanding what takes place and helps provide much-needed insight into Mark’s rather condemning conclusion: “they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.” (Mark 6:52 NLT).

Mark’s harsh-sounding critique seems to paint the disciples in an unflattering light but, when taken in context, it provides the reader with a fair and honest assessment of their ongoing spiritual transformation. They were works in process. Their comprehension of Jesus’ true identity was in a constant state of flux and it was complicated by their own personal agendas and expectations. Their concepts of the Messiah had been formed by their Hebrew roots and highly influenced by the religious indoctrination they had received as young boys at the local synagogue in their hometowns. Their unique experiences with Jesus were informative and instructive but were also confusing and contradictory to their preconceived notions about the coming Messiah.

Jesus was not operating according to their expectations. His miracles, while powerful and impressive, didn’t seem to be ushering in the Kingdom the disciples, as Jews, had long anticipated. His words, while spoken with authority and filled with interesting stories and fascinating parables, didn’t always make sense. He spoke cryptically and about subjects that seemed out of keeping with someone who had come to be King of Israel.

So, this particular story must be viewed within the immediate context of the surrounding events. Mark indicates that as soon as the disciples had finished gathering the 12 baskets of leftover loaves and fish, Jesus instructed them to head by boat to the village of Bethsaida. Jesus then dismissed the crowd and headed to a secluded spot for some alone time with God the Father. Mark provides no details concerning this divine conversation between Father and Son, but it is safe to assume that it mirrored the other prayers of Jesus recorded in the gospels. These moments of isolation and intimate communion with His Heavenly Father were important to Jesus. It was during these occasions that Jesus shared His heart and received instructions. Perhaps Jesus prayed for the disciples, sharing with God the Father His frustration with their inability to grasp the meaning of His messages and miracles. Jesus knew these men had been given to Him by God, but He also knew that they were having difficulty understanding who He truly was and the real purpose behind His incarnation. 

When Jesus had completed His time in prayer, He made His way back to the shoreline, where He spotted the disciples “making headway painfully, for the wind was against them” (Mark 6:48 ESV). John indicates that “they had rowed about three or four miles” (John 6:29 ESV). 

Don’t minimize the circumstances surrounding this scene. It is somewhere around 3:00 a.m. The sky is pitch black, the wind is howling furiously, and the white-capped waves are pounding against the sides of the small fishing boat. The disciples, four of whom were professional fishermen, were struggling to keep the boat afloat and headed to their final destination. And Jesus witnessed all of this from the safety of the shoreline.

But then He did something extraordinary and unexpected. He stepped out into the sea and began to walk on the top of the water. And Mark adds a very important detail to his narrative.

Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them… – Mark 6:48 NLT

Jesus walked toward the disciples but was fully intending to walk right past them and on to Bethsaida. He wanted them to see Him and take hope and confidence in Him. If He could walk on the waves in the midst of the storm, they had no reason to fear. Just the sight of Jesus, walking calmly and confidently on the tops of the waves, should have instilled a sense of peace in the hearts of the disciples. But instead, they reacted in fear.

…but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. They were all terrified when they saw him. – Mark 6:49-50 NLT

They had not been looking for Jesus. And when He suddenly appeared. they didn’t recognize Him because they were not expecting Him to show up in that inhospitable context. It’s interesting to note that the disciples had shown no fear until Jesus appeared unexpectedly. There’s no indication that the disciples had feared the storm. They were simply struggling against the wind and waves, attempting to make their way to Bethsaida as Jesus had instructed them. But their demeanor quickly shifted from focused determination to abject fear when they spotted this strange figure walking toward them in the midst of the darkness and violence of the storm.

Sensing their terror, Jesus quickly identified Himself to the frightened men.

“Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” – Mark 6:50 ESV

They had not recognized Him because they had not expected Him. No one in the boat had been calling out to Him. In the midst of their difficulty, they had forgotten all about Jesus. They had become so consumed with the task at hand that they had neglected to think about the very one who had sent them on this storm-tossed and ill-fated excursion. Seeing Jesus walking on the water in the midst of the storm should have been enough to remind them of the power and authority of the one they served. They had just witnessed Him feed more than 10,000 men, women, and children; using nothing more than five small loaves and two fish. They had just recently returned from their own missionary journey where they had cast out demons and performed other miracles of healing. But in the wee hours of the morning and in the middle of a storm-tossed sea, any thoughts of miracles or the Messiah were nowhere to be found.

And in a characteristic act of mercy and grace, Jesus altered His plans and joined the disciples in midst of their struggle. Rather than walk by, He entered into. And as soon as His foot touched the deck of the boat, “the wind ceased” (Mark 6:51 ESV). His presence brought peace. And the disciples “were utterly astounded” (Mark 6:51 ESV). They were blown away. The Greek word Mark used is existēmi and it literally means they were beside themselves. And one has to ask why this particular miracle made such an impact on them. Had they not seen Jesus do other incredible, mind-blowing miracles? What was it about this one that left them beside themselves in wonder?

And Mark provides the answer:  “for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:51 ESV). They had not connected the dots. It is likely that the bow of the boat contained the 12 baskets full of leftovers they had gathered. But they were not yet able to understand the significance of the miracle that Jesus had performed. By transforming five loaves and two fish into enough food to feed an army, Jesus had clearly demonstrated His divine power and authority over the creation. He had done the impossible. And yet, the disciples did not understand. Oh, they fully grasped the reality of the miracle because they had seen it happen. But they were blind to the message it was intended to send: Jesus was God.

And Mark notes that their hearts were calloused and hardened. In their fallen human state, they were incapable of discerning the message contained within the miracles of Jesus. They were unable to connect all the dots and complete the picture that was being revealed right before their eyes. But step by step, miracle by miracle, Jesus would continue to disclose Himself to these men. He would patiently and persistently display His power and authority so that, eventually, their beliefs about Him would line up with God’s will and not their own.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Smoke and Mirrors

12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. – Jude 1:12-13 ESV

Jude continues his unrelenting barrage against the false teachers, and he uses symbolic imagery from the realm of nature to do it. These less-than-flattering comparisons leave no doubt as to his opinion of these individuals and the negative influence they were having on local congregations. 

His reference to them as hidden reefs reveals his concern that they were operating out-of-sight which made them all that more dangerous. Like a reef lying just beneath the surface of the water, unseen by the pilot of a ship, these individuals existed within the body of Christ, but somewhat hidden from view. And, for Jude, it was important that their presence be exposed so that the church could avoid spiritual shipwreck. It is often the case that those who promote false doctrines choose to remain in the background, quietly promoting their error in relative obscurity. Rather than seeking the main stage and the power of the pulpit, they wield their influence one-on-one, slowly spreading their lies like cancer. 

Jude describes them as using the love feast as a platform for their propaganda. The love feast was a regularly occurring feature of the New Testament church. It was a time when the church gathered to share a common meal, centered around the celebration of the Lord’s Supper or Communion. This intimate gathering provided the perfect venue for these people to share their views in a relaxed and unassuming atmosphere of mutual love. People would have naturally let their guard down on these occasions because they were gathered together with those they loved and with whom they shared a mutual love for Christ. And these false teachers used those regular gatherings to disseminate their views with no reverence or regard for the Lord’s Table itself. For them, it was nothing more than an opportunity to make their views known. Rather than celebrating and commemorating the truth surrounding Christ’s sacrificial death, they were interested in promoting their lies. 

Their interests were purely selfish. Which made their presence at the love feast all that more egregious. They were self-promoters who only cared about making their views known so they could increase their influence over the flock of Jesus Christ for their own personal gain. Which is why Jude refers to them as shepherds who feed themselves. They had no care or concern for the flock. Their actions were motivated by love of self, not love for others. This imagery of the selfish shepherd would have resonated in the agrarian culture. And it would have been very familiar to any of the Jews within the congregation because of its use in the Old Testament Scriptures. God had used this same indictment against the spiritual leaders of Israel.

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn't shepherds feed their sheep?” – Ezekiel 34:2 NLT

"What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people--the shepherds of my sheep--for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for," says the LORD. – Jeremiah 23:1 NLT

These men cared more about their views than they did for the people of God. They had a higher regard for their own personal opinions than they did for the flock of God.

Next, Jude compares them to waterless clouds. In a land where rain could be rare, the presence of a cloud was a sign of hope. It carried with it the possibility of refreshment. But the kind of cloud to which Jude is referring was one that came and went without offering a single drop of rain. They were blown by the wind and disappeared almost as quickly as they came. Their words sounded good, and their teaching seemed to offer hope but, in time, the truth would be known. They were all talk with no substance. They were like clouds that brought no rain. While they might offer temporary relief from the scorching heat of the sun, they would eventually blow over, leaving nothing but parched ground and spiritual thirst in their wake. What a hateful thing it is to offer hope, but no help. What could be crueler than teasing the spiritual thirsty with thoughts of relief, only to leave them in disappointment and despair?

God had strong words regarding all those who attempt to slake spiritual thirst through man-made means.

“For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me--the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!” – Jeremiah 2:13 NLT

The false teaching of these individuals offered false hope. Their words were like a hand-dug cistern riddled with cracks that made it incapable of offering any form of relief.

And Jude is far from done. He calls them fruitless trees. Once again, the point seems to be that they offered hope, but without delivering. A tree, barren of fruit, was of little use. And to make their uselessness obvious, Jude describes them as “doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots” (Jude 1:12 NLT). In other words, they will never bear fruit. His reference to the Autumn was intended to convey the thought that they were in the wrong season for producing fruit. It was impossible. But what made matters even worse was that these “trees” had been pulled up by the roots and were physically incapable of fruit-bearing, regardless of the time of year. The church was never going to receive any benefit because these false teachers were spiritually dead.

As far as Jude was concerned, these people were nothing more than trouble-makers. They stirred up dissension and discord like waves stir up debris and throw it onto the shore. These people were relentless in their efforts, like the repetitive nature of waves breaking on the sand. With each successive wave of their teaching, more lies get deposited into the hearts and minds of the people, with no sign of relief.

Finally, Jude refers to them as wandering stars. Unlike fixed stars that provided seaman and travelers with a constant source of guidance and direction in their journeys, these individual were like planets whose position in the sky was constantly changing. They had the appearance of stars but were unreliable as a navigational point of reference. Depending on the season, they could appear in different locations in the sky, making them completely useless for determining your location or reaching your destination.  Jude describes them as being “doomed forever to blackest darkness” (Jude 1:13 NLT). They were going nowhere. Their fate was sealed, sand the future was certain. Their lies and deceit would leave them marred in their own falsehood and deception, incapable of seeing the truth and experiencing the joy that God offered.

The danger was real, but it was subtle and sinister in its appearance. It tended to remain hidden from view, and when it did appear, it was attractive, offering what appeared to be true hope and help. But it was all smoke and mirrors. And Jude wanted his audience to recognize the false teaching of these people for what it was: A dangerous and deadly threat to the spiritual well-being of the church.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Why Did You Doubt?

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. – Matthew 14:22-36 ESV

The apostle John provides us with an important detail to this story that Matthew chose to leave out. It seems that Jesus’ miraculous feeding of the crowd had left quite an impression on them.

14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. – John 6:14-15 ESV

Having had their physical needs met in such a spectacular way, the people were ready to crown Jesus as their king. Perhaps they envisioned a welfare state where their newly crowned king would use His miraculous powers to eliminate all hunger and disease. One can only imagine what went through their minds as they considered the endless possibilities of Jesus as their Messiah. But they were not thinking of the same kind of king or kingdom Jesus had in mind. Their focus was fixed on an earthly kingdom where their physical needs would be met and all their problems taken care of by “the Prophet” turned king.

The prophet to whom they referred was the one Moses had predicted would come.

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen…” – Deuteronomy 18:15 ESV

18 “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” – Deuteronomy 18:18 ESV

Moses had been the prophet who had led the people of Israel out of captivity in Egypt, using miraculous powers to defeat Pharaoh and his armies. He had fed the people with manna from heaven and an endless supply of quail. He had provided water from a rock. Under his leadership, the clothes and sandals of the Israelites had never worn out. And when the crowd had watched as Jesus had fed more than 10,000 of them with nothing more than five loaves of bread and two fishes, they couldn’t help but make the connection.

But Matthew records that Jesus “immediately” sent His disciples away and dismissed the crowds. He wasn’t interested in becoming their king – at least not the kind they had in mind. He had far greater aspirations based on the will of His heavenly Father. So, having dispersed the crowd and sending the disciples away by boat, Jesus spent time alone in prayer with His Father.  We are not told the content of Jesus’ prayer, but the High Priestly Prayer found in John 17 provides us with some idea of how Jesus communicated with the Father. It was personal and intimate, yet it also communicated His concern for His disciples. Jesus focused on finishing the task assigned to Him by the Father. But He also prayed for those who would carry on the ministry after His work was done.

While Jesus had been praying, the disciples had been caught in the middle of a storm on the Sea of Galilee. While many of these men were seasoned fishermen, this storm proved to be severe and the winds had driven them far out to sea. Sometime between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m., in the darkness and as the wind and waves raged, Jesus appeared to them, walking on the water. He could have simply spoken a word and the storm would have subsided, but in this case, Jesus chose to do something even more spectacular. Rather than proving His power over the elements by controlling them, He simply showed their lack of influence over Him. The waves, the wind and the water had no effect on Him. In the midst of a raging storm, Jesus simply walked, calmly and casually, free from fear and displaying a kind of faith that His disciples did not yet possess.

Upon seeing Jesus walking on the water, their immediate response was fear, not faith. In their terrified state, they could only shout, “It is a ghost!” But Jesus called out to them, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” In essence, Jesus told them to stop fearing. He commanded them to replace their fear with faith – in Him. But Peter, revealing his lack of faith, responded, “if it is you, command me to come to you on the water” (Matthew 14:28 ESV). He wasn’t convinced it was Jesus. But that doesn’t explain why Peter made this strange request. Why did he ask Jesus to command that he come to Him on the water? What was going through his mind? Keep in mind, the wind was still blowing and the waves were still rocking the boat, but Peter was asking Jesus to command that he step out of the boat and walk on the water. And Jesus obligingly said, “Come.”

Amazingly, Peter obeyed and made it all the way to where Jesus was waiting. But then something happened. Matthew records, “he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me’” (Matthew 14:30 ESV). He took his eyes off of Jesus and began to focus on the circumstances around him. Remember, Jesus had not calmed the storm. He had walked to them in the midst of it. And when Peter attempted to do the same thing, he found that his faith diminished when he focused on the problem rather than the solution.

But Jesus was there, and He reached out His hand and rescued Peter from his own faltering faith, saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31 ESV). Peter had displayed enough faith to step out of the boat and walk all the way to Jesus. But he had taken his eyes off the prize. It would seem that Peter had been more interested in walking on water than walking to Jesus. He had been enamored with the idea of replicating Jesus’ miraculous feat and, seeing that he was actually pulling it off, he had probably taken a look around him, amazed at what he was doing. He became cocky and over-confident. But seeing the wind, he became fearful. His faith turned to fear. And it’s interesting to note that wind is invisible. You can’t see it. But the author of Hebrews reminds us that faith is invisible too.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1 ESV

You can’t see faith, but you can see the fruit it produces. The wind, while invisible to the human eye, is powerful enough to turn calm water into powerful waves and turn a boat full of seasoned fishermen into helpless, hopeless victims of a storm. The invisible faith that drove Peter to get out of the boat and walk on the water was more than enough to get him to Jesus. But his mistake was allowing his conviction that Jesus was enough to be replaced by the fear that the wind was too much. And he sank like a rock.

And as soon as Jesus and Peter stepped into the boat, the wind and the waves ceased. The storm was calmed. Their fear subsided and was replaced with worship. What they had just witnessed convinced them that Jesus was the Son of God.

In the midst of the growing storm of opposition that swirled around Jesus and His ministery, He walked on in faith. He weathered the wind and waves of apathy and anger that battered Him on a daily basis. He kept His eyes on the will of His Father and the task He had been assigned to accomplish. The storms of controversy were going to rage. The tsunami of public opinion would blow this way and that, but Jesus would remain committed to His mission – walking in faith in the face of the storm.

And when the boat arrived at the other side of the lake, He went about His Father’s business.

35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. – Matthew 14:35-36 ESV

Why did Peter doubt? For the same reason we all do. He focused on the wind, the invisible source of the storm; when he should have kept his eyes on Jesus, the visible source of His faith.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

The Storms of Life.

John 6:15-21

“Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough.” – John 6:18 NLT

John's account of this event is short and sweet. He leaves out a lot of the details that Matthew and Mark provide. He simply tells us that the disciples, having waited for Jesus, went ahead and started to sail back across the Lake. According to Mark's account, Jesus had insisted that the disciples go ahead and return to Bethsaida, on the other side of the lake. Jesus had intended to get away by Himself for some time in prayer. But it would appear that the disciples decided to wait for Jesus. When it became dark, they finally did what Jesus had told them to do. About halfway across the lake, a sudden storm blew in. They had been here before. But this time Jesus was not with them. While several of the disciples were seasoned fishermen, the majority of them were landlubbers. They were out of their element and way out of their comfort zone. They were at the mercy of the waves and the wind. There was little they could do about it but continue to row and try to make shore.

In the midst of all the chaos and confusion, there suddenly appeared a form moving across the surface of the water. With the blowing mist and the darkness, it was difficult to make out what it was. But it appeared to look like a man walking on the water. The very sight of it terrified them. Their fear of the storm was replaced by the fear of this apparition. Little did they know at the time that it was Jesus. According to Mark, Jesus had seen their predicament while standing on the shore. This in itself is a miracle, because they were three or four miles away and it was dark. But Jesus saw the clearly. And Mark says, "He saw that that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard, and struggling against the wind and the waves" (Mark 6:48 NLT). Jesus saw what was happening. So what did He do? "Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, but when they saw him walking on the water they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost" (Mark 6:48-49 NLT). This is an important point. Jesus intended to go past them or pass them by. But John says, "suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat" (John 6:19 NLT). It seems that Jesus had every intention of them seeing Him. He wanted them to see and sense His presence in the middle of the storm. He could have calmed the storm while standing on the shore. But instead, He literally walked out to them in the midst of the storm. He was in the storm with them. And He was in a seemingly worse spot than they were – He had no boat!

Jesus called out to the disciples over the wind and the crashing waves. He said, "Don't be afraid. I am here!" (John 6:20 NLT). I think it's interesting that He didn't say, "Waves be still! Wind be calm!" He didn't speak to the storm. No, He spoke to the disciples. And He assured them of His presence. He was right there with them. He was in the middle of their storm. If He could walk on the waters of their storm, certainly they could row over them to safety. But that wasn't enough for the disciples. John tells us that "they were eager to let him in the boat" (John 6:21 NLT). They wanted Jesus in the boat with them. And I think they also wanted Him to calm the storm around them. But we have to remember that Jesus had seen their situation from a distance. He knew what was happening. And He didn't seem shocked or overly concerned. They were three to four miles away and Jesus decided to walk that distance to them. We don't know how long it took. But it does not appear that He was in any rush. He didn't suddenly appear to them. He didn't just show up in the boat. He walked to them. He saw their circumstances and then calmly revealed Himself in the midst of them.

There is nothing that happens in our lives that Jesus is not fully aware of. As God, He can see everything. And there is never a point in time that He is caught off guard or shocked by the circumstances and storms of our lives. Not only does He see, but He shows up. At just the right time. And He tells us, "Don't be afraid. I am here!" There is no storm great enough to keep Him away. He simply walks into our situation and shows Himself to us. Smack dab in the middle of the storm. There were going to be other storms for the disciples. Their lives were going to be filled with dark and difficult days. Jesus had already told them, "But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with ships in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers" (Matthew 10:17-18 NLT). The storms were coming. But Jesus would be with them. He was not going to abandon them. And we have that same assurance today. We are not promised a storm-free life, but we are promised the presence and power of Christ. He will never leave us or forsake us. And He will always show up in the difficult times. He will reveal Himself to us. And we will see Him if we look for Him.

Father, thank You for the constant abiding presence of Jesus in my life. Forgive me for the many times I allow the storms of my life to convince me that He is nowhere to be found. But nothing could be farther from the truth. He is there. He is always there. And that constant presence should provide me with overwhelming peace – even in the middle of the storms of life. Amen.

Here We Go Again.

Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52

“They were totally amazed, for they still didn't understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.” – Mark 6:51-52 NLT

After all the leftovers had been picked up after the feeding of the 5000 and the crowds had been sent home, Jesus told the disciples to head back across the Sea of Galilee to the town of Bethsaida. After spending some time alone in prayer, He would meet them there. This out to bring to mind another recent trip across this same lake. That time Jesus was with them and a storm blew in unexpectedly, catching them in the middle of the lake. The disciples thought they were going to drown, but Jesus was asleep in the boat. They woke Him up and He calmed the storm. They were blown away at what they had seen. And it was all about to happen again. But this time, they were alone. Jesus was not with them. They had seen a lot happen between these two events. They had witnessed the healings of the demoniac and the woman with the issue of blood, Jairus' daughter being brought back to life, and they had been given power and authority to perform the very same kind of miracles themselves. And just a few hours before, they had witnessed Jesus feed thousands of people with just a few loaves and fishes.

Now they were in a boat in the middle of the lake in the middle of the night. I'm sure they were thinking, "This can't be happening again!" And even if their faith did kick in and they remembered how Jesus had saved them the first time, they had to worry about the fact that He wasn't asleep in the boat this time. He was nowhere to be found. Evidently, this storm was not as bad as the first., but they were having to work hard to row against the wind and waves. Jesus sees them from the shore. Mark tells us that He began to walk on the water, but had every intention of walking right past them on His way to the opposite side. He wasn't heading their way in order to save them. He must have known they were safe and would make it to the shore eventually.

It was dark, rain was coming down in sheets, and the wind was blowing hard. The sudden appearance of what appeared to be a man walking on top of the water unnerved them. They were terrified, thinking they were seeing a ghost. But Jesus calmed their fears. He spoke to them. He even invited Peter to step out of the boat and walk out to meet Him on the water. Which Peter did, until he took his eyes off of Jesus and focused on the waves and wind. Then he sank. But Jesus rescued him and they both make it safely to the boat. Much has been made about Peter's adventure of walking on the water. But it's interesting that neither Mark or John record that part of the story. Their main emphasis is on Jesus, words. "Don't be afraid. Take courage! I am here!" (Mark 6:50 NLT). And Mark makes note of a special point of interest. He tells that when Jesus climbed into the boat and the waves immediately stopped, that the disciples were totally amazed. Matthew records that "the disciples worshiped him" (Matthew 14:33 NLT) and said that He must really be the Son of God. But Mark simply says, "They were totally amazed, for they still didn't understand the significance of the miracles of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in" (Mark 6:51-52 NLT). Those two accounts seem to be in contradiction to one another. Did they worship or did they doubt?

The real point of this story seems to be their surprise. They were totally amazed at what they had seen. Mark makes mention of the miracle of the loaves. But this was just the most recent miracle they had witnessed. These men had seen Jesus heal the demoniac and the woman with the issue of blood. They had even personally done some of the same things when Jesus gave them power and authority to do so. They had watched as Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead. And not too many days prior to this one, they had watched as Jesus calmed the storm on the very same lake with just a word from His mouth. And yet, they were shocked and surprised at seeing Jesus walk on water. I think they did worship Him. I think they did say, "You really are the Son of God!" (Matthew 14:33 NLT). But it was all after the fact. It was as a result of what He had just done. It seems that their hearts had not grasped the significance of all that had happened up until that point. They did not anticipate or eagerly expect Jesus to do the miraculous, but seemed to be surprised each time He did something out of the ordinary. Their worship was retroactive not anticipatory. It is interesting to note that Jairus came to Jesus expecting Him to heal his daughter. The woman with the issue of blood anticipated something miraculous happening if she could just touch the hem of Jesus' robe. The crowds flocked to Jesus expecting Him to heal the sick. Yet the disciples were blown away each and every time Jesus did something unexpected or extraordinary.

And we can be guilty of the same thing. Too often we fail to anticipate or expect the miraculous from Jesus. We call Him our Lord and Savior. We acknowledge Him as the Son of God. But we don't eagerly expect Him to do the unexpected in our lives. As a matter of fact, we are usually surprised when He does – pleasantly so. But a true understanding of who Jesus is anticipates the miraculous. Rather than being surprised by the power of Jesus, a person of faith expects and anticipates it. He looks for it. This was the problem with the disciples. They were still living with doubt and fear. When the storm came up, they didn't expect a miracle, even though they had already seen Jesus do something before. When Jesus came to them walking on the water, they were shocked. They had failed to learn the lesson of the loaves. Jesus is not limited by anything. As the Son of God, He had power over demons, disease, and nature. He even had power over the molecular structure of bread and fish. Nothing was impossible for Him. So expect Him to do the impossible.

Father, Your Son should not surprise us. His power should not catch us off guard or shock us. We should eagerly anticipate it and expect it as a normal part of a life lived with the Son of God. May our worship be anticipatory, not retroactive. May we live looking forward to what Your Son will do, not just worshiping what He has done. Help us to live expectantly. Amen.