How is Jesus a new way of life for
us? How can we experience his presence in our midst, especially in the midst of
struggles and challenges? How do we escape from troubles after troubles? Is it
preventive? Or, must we go through? Who can rescue us from dangers and difficulties?
Physical pains, mental depression, uncertainty in the future, etc., etc. All
kinds of relationship issues between husband and wife, among families, with
collegues and neighbors. Can we handle the incessable desire and passion of
wanting something more in body and soul? We’re under pressure in every way,
living in like a time bomb that at any moment can explode, tearing down the peaceable
time and space into pieces. Jesus calls this world as an adulterous and wicked
generation (Mark 8:38). It is difficult and challenging! But thanks be to the
Lord Jesus Christ. He is keeping and protecting us safe and secure no matter
what. In love and grace, he cares for us as his dear children. In mercy and
compassion, he protects us from the evil one. In love, he disciplines us to be
equipped and molded like him. Most of all, he is teaching and revealing us a
new way of living in him. Complete and total dependence on him is the goal. In
this story of Jesus’ walking on the water tells how to live a new life in
Christ. It is a resurrection life, the eternal life. God never wants us to be
bound in chains and slavery but to be free indeed in him as Jesus demonstrated the
life, walking on the water. No wind nor storm could hinder him at all. He even
talked to the wind to quite down and it listened and obeyed him in fear and
trembling. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through him.
“Immediately Jesus made his
disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he
dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Later
that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land.
He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.
Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to
pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a
ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately
he spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ Then he
climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely
amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were
hardened. When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored
there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran
throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they
heard he was. And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they
placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the
edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.” (Mark 6:45-56)
Water is hostile to man, especially
raging waters with gusty winds. It is hazardous to man when storms rise and the
strong winds blow. We can’t stay long in the water, even if no storms around. The
disciples are quite used to the waters for they used to be fishermen in the Lake
Galilee. However, still the raging waters are scaring them a great deal on the
night when they were sent out into the boat ahead of the Lord Jesus. During
that day, they had witnessed a great miracle of feeding five thousands with five
loaves and two fish. It is an amazing and impressing moment to witness such a
wonderful miracle of Jesus. However, the amazement of the miracle is long gone and
fizzled because of the windy storm. Now they are straining and struggling a
great deal to go through. That’s life. Is it not?
It seems life is tough and difficult.
True. I believe it never meant to be easygoing to all mankind. One challenge after
another. One trouble after another. One obstacle after another. Sometimes double
or triple storms at the same period of time. It never get easy but tougher get going.
The disciples of Jesus aren’t exception. But when they bump into troubles, what
help is available? Jesus Christ is the help only. Nothing can help the problem
of ours. Humans cannot help others although they say they can. Materials cannot
help humans although it seems likely so temptingly. Drugs cannot help at all but
make worse. Only God is our help in time of trouble. And he makes the ends meet
sufficiently and adequately. Our God is compassionate and merciful and willing
to help the poor and the needy. He is no delay to reach out his hands for help.
God tells Abraham that he protects and rewards him when he is going through the
troublesome time. In fact, only he can to all man.
“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your
shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1)
How does Jesus help his disciples?
Jesus walks on the water to reach out to them. This is entirely new in history.
No one had been walking on the water and will. No wonder the disciples think
that it is a ghost. They are even more terrified seeing some moving object in
the likeness of man on the water. They had never seen such a thing before. They
can never imagine it is Jesus walking on the water. That is how God sends his
help. Unexpected, unpresented, unforeseen, unimaginable, unthinkable, unorthodox
it is. Our God has eternal different and unimaginable way of helping us out. Walking
on the water indicates that Jesus has already reigning and controlling the
nature. He is stepping down on it. The raging waters cannot hinder nor harm
him. Not a bit. The gushing winds cannot scare nor fright him at all. Instead,
they are in fact obeying and submitting him in terror. That is how God led his
people out of bondage and slavery from Egypt to the land of promise.
“The waters saw you, God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
The clouds poured down water,
the heavens resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.
Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not
seen.” (Psalm 77:16-19)
No one can fathom how deep and high
the divine wisdom of God. No Moses nor Joshua could break the iron grip of King
Pharaoh. But God demonstrated that he was able to deliver his people just as he
had promised to a man of faith, Abraham. God carried them out of the land of
chains on eagle’s wings (Exodus 19:4). God unleashes his mighty power and
authority to deliver us from storms and winds. No one can resist or fight
against the rage waters and gushing winds. Mother nature unbridles its power and
mightiness, bringing down much havoc and destruction of homes, lands, and lives
of man. However, God restrains the nature and it pays careful attention to and obeys
him without any reservations.
In time of pain and suffering, God
defends us for his name’s sake. So, we believe in him, trusting in the promise of
deliverance. Let him defend for us. Because we cannot defend ourselves. In vain
is our efforts and struggles in time of pain. God is ready to do his work
unexpectedly, suddenly, and divinely. His will be done on earth as it is in
heaven, we pray. He is invisible yet powerful enough to bind up the opponent, the
devil called Satan and rescue his prisoners. “When a strong man, fully armed,
guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger
attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted
and divides up his plunder. “ (Luke 11:21-22) No power can do that. No authority
is able to release the captives in the dungeon. Any organization or institution
is far short of doing such an impossible task. No wisdom of man is intelligent
enough to find the cause of man’s inability and incapability of helping out
humans themselves. It is a mystery, the mystery of man. Only God can reveal the
mystery what it is and why it is and how it is.
Therefore, in time of pain and
suffering, we will need a divine intervention to break out the deeply rooted
stubbornness and troublesomeness within. Because no human mind, wisdom,
experience, nor career and achievements can do that. The sin within attacks
brutally and viciously, seizing the opportunity triggered by storms and winds
in our midst. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around
like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) Such an
attack usually causes depression, meaninglessness, powerlessness, emptiness, and
inappropriateness. We fail and experience the sense of inadequacy often. We sigh
over and over again, desperately wanting to know how to be fit and adequate to
all challenges and obstacles of lives.
Jesus is our help, only hand
adequate and appropriate for any and all troubles of man. Walking on the water
is the way. It is a new way of life. Reign and cope with the lives of one pain
after another. Eternal life it is. The resurrection life it is. Yes, walking on
the water indicates the new life after the death of the old self. The old has
gone, the new is, Paul says. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new
creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) It
is a new creation in Christ Jesus the Lord. So, it works entirely different
from the old way of living. We used to strive hard pressed to achieve something
in life and in church. Sense of inadequacy pops up and haunts us down. Thus, we
contend harder to be adequate and sufficient to make the ends meet. It is not
working and never will. We know that.
The old self must die first. Otherwise,
no new life comes in and takes charge. Jesus sets the example how it works. He
never deserved to die. He is the Judge, only the rightful one. He could have
gone back to the Father instantly like he was transfigured on the mountain
right before Peter, John and James. Instead, he came down from the mountain and
took up the cross of suffering and humiliation in our place. He bled and died
for the sin of the world. He was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. On the
third day, according to the Scriptures, as he had told his disciples, he has
risen from the dead. God made the Son as firstfruits of the resurrection. No
death, no resurrection. No disappearance of the old life, no new life.
“You were taught, with regard to
your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by
its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put
on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
(Ephesians 4:22-24)
March 29, 2019
© 2018-2019 David Lee Ministries – All Rights Reserved.
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