“I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger,
and he who believes in Me will never thirst”
(John 6:35).
Hey Gang: Question? Why would folks turn their back on
God when His entire Word is power-packed with truths that can make our lives
living-witnesses of God’s love and grace?
In John 6 we see Jesus on a fast track. as He is preparing His disciples
for the tough road ahead they would be forced to travel.
First, there was the feeding of the
5000. What an awesome experience that
must have been. The narrative tells me it was far more than the 5000 men in
need of food, for there were also women and children present. Many have wondered how they heard Jesus that
day, - no megaphones or sound system! Then,
one day in 1984, we stood at the top of that hill, on the balcony of the
Mausoleum built by Mussolini which over-looks the Sea of Galilee. While we stood there we listened and heard
every word clearly of a conversation between several people who were then standing
by the sea shore at the bottom..
Matthew tells us that it was
evening. Matthew being a tax collector
was probably a beaver-type person who paid attention to details. What he saw
was a huge mob of people and no McDonalds, or Wendy’s and nary a single ‘Porta
potty’ in sight!
Their solution to the problem is one
that I probably would have suggested, ‘send
them home”. Now, there is a
wonderful statement in John’s narrative of this miracle found in the John 6:6 :“This He was saying to test him, for He
Himself knew what He was intending to do”.
Wow, folks, is that not
awesome? When we hit the clinkers, when
the alligators are nipping at our backsides, when the Rubber-has already hit-the-road,
we have the assurance of knowing our Lord already knows what He is going to do! Brings to my mind that neat song, Trust and Obey for there is no other way
to be happy in Jesus but to trust and
obey.
Problem: 5000 men, and no one knows
how many women and children were there, and the inventory of food was five barley loaves and two fish! Now, think for a minute, how many times does
it tell us in the Word that Jesus said, “No Problem, do not fear!” Jesus was always prayed up to date! He knew
God’s miraculous power was waiting for His Son to ask for that power.
At the end of the day, the cleanup
completed, the multitudes sent home, I would suggest the disciples were ready
to build a fire, do some chatting about the Jesus feeding program, and then off
to the arms of Morpheus. But Jesus had another training session in mind before
the day was over. Matthew tells us, “Immediately He made them get into the boat
and go ahead of Him to the other side” (Matt. 14:22).
It was a trip they would not soon
forget! Some were seasoned veterans of the Sea of Galilee who did not venture
out at night on this un-predictable tiny, but often violent, Sea. Note in Matthew’s account of this perilous
time: “Jesus had gone up to the mountain
to pray.” Wow, is that not awesome
that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father praying for you and me?
Keep in mind they were not in the
Queen Mary but a vessel designed for fishing with a crew of two to four
people. Again, I repeat, some were
seasoned veterans of the Sea of Galilee and I would guess they knew of
fisherman brothers who were at the bottom of that Sea.
But remember John 6:6? “He
knew what He was going to do.”… He came walking on the water. I wonder what they talked about around the
fire that night? John tells us that
soon after these two miraculous experiences, when the hearts of the disciples
had been fallowed and ready to receive, He said, “I am the bread of life, He who comes to Me
will never hunger, and He who believes in Me will never thirst”. My
young friends, one more time, “He knows what He is going to do, do not fear!!!”
Blessings.
Gramps
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