Sermon 25th July 2020 – 9th Sunday after Pentecost
Text: John 6:1-21 –
Do not be afraid – I am God
Jesus walking on the
water – a neat party trick or is there something deeply revealing about this
miracle. Firstly we need to understand that Jesus never does anything just for
the sake of doing it. We need to look deeply under the surface of this miracle
to understand that this wasn’t just a case of Jesus choosing this method to get
from A to B – just as the feeding of the 5000 was not just about providing
enough food for everyone.
There are several teachings
that come from this very brief miracle that is often underplayed because it is
simply considered only for the fact that Jesus can walk on water.
What does the water
represent?
The sea in biblical
writings represented the underworld where the demons hid. Remember the pigs
when the legion of demons requested to
enter into the pigs and they all ran into the water and drowned. Or in
Revelation when John saw a vision of Heaven and the first thing he noticed was
that there was no longer any sea there. Jesus walking on the water’s greatest
message was that he was Lord of heaven and earth and under the earth as Paul
speaks about in Philippians chapter 2.
To Jesus was given
the name that is above all names so that every knee in heaven and on earth and
under the earth would bow and confess Jesus as Lord. And here Jesus shows that
the underworld – the sea and all its evil cannot overcome him – in fact they
must submit to him.
Jesus comes to us:
Notice that in their
distress it is Jesus who comes to the disciples. The sea became rough because a
strong wind was blowing and then they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming
near the boat,
They didn’t cry out
to him – they didn’t need to – he knew their distress. This is Jesus fulfilling
his promise to us – I am with you always. In our times of distress – in our
times of fear – we don’t always go looking for Jesus – we try our own ways
first – but it is Jesus who comes to them without them even crying out to him. He
knows their distress – he knows he needs them – he knows you need him.
They thought he was a ghost and were
terrified.
This part intrigues
me that they didn’t recognise him at first. Do we always recognise Jesus with
us? Remember Mary, who thought he was the gardener. Remember the 2 disciples
walking to Emmaus – they were tell Jesus about Jesus because they didn’t
recognise him. And sometimes it is at the most terrifying times when all of a
sudden Jesus makes his presence known. Like when Peter began to sink when he
tried to walk on the water and Jesus immediately puts out his hand and saves
him. He didn’t prevent Peter from sinking but reached out in the nick of time
to save him.
Sometimes as we
struggle it seems like we are at our last moment. We are frightened and at the
point of terror and then out of the shadows comes Jesus. We might not recognise
him at first. It might be in the appearance of someone we least expect. But
Jesus is there for us. And even if the ultimate end should come, Jesus is still
there. He promised – I am with you until the end of the age. And then, in John
14 he says I will come to take you to be with me where I am – so don’t let your
hearts be troubled.
It is I – do not be
afraid.
John’s Gospel is
known for the great – “I AM” statements. I am the Good Shepherd, I am the true
vine, I am the gate for the sheep – I am the way, the truth and the life, I am
the light of the world, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the bread of
life – Seven of them in all.
Remember that I AM is
the name of God revealed to Moses in Exodus chapter 3 when Moses asked God’s
name – tell them “I AM” has sent you.
But here is the first
of the statements which we don’t get to fully see because of how it is
translated in English. When Jesus approaches the boat and sees the terrified
disciples he calls out to them - It is I; do not be afraid. When in fact in the
original reading in the Greek it says – “I AM, do not be afraid” In other words
– I am God – do not be afraid.
I can’t tell you how
many times I have had to refer to this statement. In recent times as we journey
through the pandemic I have been frightened – terrified. Not of catching Covid.
But of the future of so many people whose lives have been affected by lockdowns
and fear. The economic impact.
The spiritual impact.
The mental health impact. The impact on our elderly who are locked away from
family. The impact on children locked away from schools. The impact of the
widows and widowers, the singles, the friendless – who have no one to be with. I
worry about the church and the impact it is having on those smaller, and not so
small churches that are struggling to stay open at the best of times. And then
I hear a small whisper – a little bit like the voice that Elijah heard in the
sheer silence – saying to me – don’t be afraid – I am God.
I can’t tell you how
comforting that is especially in these times when we cannot gather – when we
cannot come to the Lord’s Table – to know that it is not we who come to God but
it is God who comes to us. Who when the world’s problems seem so overwhelming
that there seems little that even God can do – that I am reminded of our God
who fed 5000 men, not counting women and children with 5 meagre loaves of bread
and 2 fish. Barely enough to feed a family of 5 let alone 5,000. This is our
God who created the heavens and the earth – out of nothing. Who created us in
his own image. Who died for us. This is our God whom the wind and the waves
must obey, who walks on water, whom not even the grave can hold – who comes to
us to remove our fear.
And so, I would like
to finish by reading again from St Paul in our 2nd reading – I bow my knees before the Father, from whom
every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.
I pray that,
according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened
in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in
your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.
I pray that you may
have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and
length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses
knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
This is our God who
comes to us and is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask
or imagine.
This is our God and
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever
and ever.
This is our God who
calls out to you – do not be afraid, I AM GOD. Amen.
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