SPCK - John 6:16-25

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Jesus Walking on the Water. John 6:16-25

¹⁶When it was evening, Jesus' disciples went down to the seashore. ¹⁷They got into the boat, and went across the sea towards Capernaum. It was already getting dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. ¹⁸A strong wind blew up, and the sea began to get rough. ¹⁹They had been rowing for about three or four miles when they saw Jesus walking on the sea, coming towards the boat. They were terrified.

²⁰But he spoke to them.

‘It's me!' he said. ‘Don't be afraid!'

²¹Then they were eager to take him into the boat; and at once the boat arrived at the land they had been making for.

²²The next day the crowd that had remained on the far side of the lake saw that there had only been the one boat there. They knew that Jesus hadn't gone with his disciples, but that the disciples had set off by themselves. ²³But other boats came from Tiberius, near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

²⁵When they found him beside the sea, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?'

The story of Jesus walking on the water can easily be used as a theme for meditation. There are many boat times in our lives - and we never know when they will strike - when, metaphorically speaking, suddenly the wind gets up and the sea becomes rough. As we struggle to make our way through, sometimes we are aware of a presence with us, which may initially be more disturbing than comforting. (We're nearly drowning, and now we've got ghosts following us!') But if we listen, through the roar of the waves and the wind, we may hear the voice that says, ‘It's me - don't be afraid.' And if we are ready then to take Jesus on board, we may find ourselves, sooner than we expected, at the harbour where we will be calm and secure once more.

This translation and commentary are taken from John for Everyone, by Tom Wright.

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