Come to the Suffcient One (John 6)
"This is my Lord! This is my Savior! Come, come, everyone who thirsts! Everyone who is destitute and weary! Come and drink and eat! Come and know my Savior!" So cries the apostle John. Here in John 6 he presents his Lord and friend in a miracle, and followed by what perhaps seems an interruption with the account of the disciples, the boat, and Christ's walking on the water. Yet, there are similar characteristics of Christ shown in these two accounts.
Come know the compassionate Savior--he who feeds the multitude, even though he knows they would forsake him promptly. There are various interpretations of the twelve baskets left, but perhaps part of it was his promising his gracious provision to his twelve disciples? This provision pointed past the loaves, to himself. In whatever situation, he would provide, no matter the obstacles. So, too, we bank on his compassion, although undeserving and doubting. He heals, he provides, he feeds, he cares.
Come know the Lord, the very God--John opens up with portraying Christ as God and then as the Creator (John 1:1-3). So, too, here Christ is the Creator who creates from the loaves and fish. He is the Lord over creation, walking over the water, causing the fierce wind and waves to cease (Mt. 14:32), the I AM the bread, the I AM with you, the I WILL BE WHO YOU NEED ME TO BE (see my blog post "Who Am I?"). He is our God, the one who reveals his Father, the one who has the power to create to serve his glory and our good.
Come know the Patient Friend--He who had patience with Philip (and us) when he assessed the situation according to his own wisdom, math, and resources and balked. Philip and the disciples had seen the Lord turn water into wine; but how slow of understanding are they and us! The Lord had patience with them. For your doubts, your remaining areas of self-reliance, so, too, he has patience with us.
Come know the Zealous Bridegroom, the Sent Son--The Bridegroom is zealous for his bride and is preparing her, washing her, cleansing her, himself preparing her white linen garments (John uses a lot of bridegroom imagery, taken up again in Revelation; cf. Eph. 5:23-31). He is patient with us, but he is zealous for his name, who we represent. He is zealous that we have the fullness of his joy, which comes with holiness and right standing with him. So he refines and tests--he asks the disciples where to get bread to test them (John 6:6). So, too, he deliberately sends the disciples out on the boat in the storm (Mt. 14:22). He knew the wind and the waves would be fierce; he did not protect them from it but sent them out into it. They rowed and rowed and came to the end of their strength... and then he came to them. As Creator, Lord, and Savior he walked over the very thing they feared, the wind and the waves. So, too, he is testing us, purifying us for our holiness and a deeper intimacy with him. When we come to the end of ourselves, he himself comes and is there, saves. Whether cancer, unemployment, depression, an impossible situation--he walks over our test and trial to come to us.
Come, come, come know the All Sufficient One--the Lover of our souls, the patient one, the healer, the compassionate, the All Powerful One, the One who walks on our wind and waves, the one who feeds us, satisfies us, and is sufficient in all situations. Come!!!!
Come know the compassionate Savior--he who feeds the multitude, even though he knows they would forsake him promptly. There are various interpretations of the twelve baskets left, but perhaps part of it was his promising his gracious provision to his twelve disciples? This provision pointed past the loaves, to himself. In whatever situation, he would provide, no matter the obstacles. So, too, we bank on his compassion, although undeserving and doubting. He heals, he provides, he feeds, he cares.
Come know the Lord, the very God--John opens up with portraying Christ as God and then as the Creator (John 1:1-3). So, too, here Christ is the Creator who creates from the loaves and fish. He is the Lord over creation, walking over the water, causing the fierce wind and waves to cease (Mt. 14:32), the I AM the bread, the I AM with you, the I WILL BE WHO YOU NEED ME TO BE (see my blog post "Who Am I?"). He is our God, the one who reveals his Father, the one who has the power to create to serve his glory and our good.
Come know the Patient Friend--He who had patience with Philip (and us) when he assessed the situation according to his own wisdom, math, and resources and balked. Philip and the disciples had seen the Lord turn water into wine; but how slow of understanding are they and us! The Lord had patience with them. For your doubts, your remaining areas of self-reliance, so, too, he has patience with us.
Come know the Zealous Bridegroom, the Sent Son--The Bridegroom is zealous for his bride and is preparing her, washing her, cleansing her, himself preparing her white linen garments (John uses a lot of bridegroom imagery, taken up again in Revelation; cf. Eph. 5:23-31). He is patient with us, but he is zealous for his name, who we represent. He is zealous that we have the fullness of his joy, which comes with holiness and right standing with him. So he refines and tests--he asks the disciples where to get bread to test them (John 6:6). So, too, he deliberately sends the disciples out on the boat in the storm (Mt. 14:22). He knew the wind and the waves would be fierce; he did not protect them from it but sent them out into it. They rowed and rowed and came to the end of their strength... and then he came to them. As Creator, Lord, and Savior he walked over the very thing they feared, the wind and the waves. So, too, he is testing us, purifying us for our holiness and a deeper intimacy with him. When we come to the end of ourselves, he himself comes and is there, saves. Whether cancer, unemployment, depression, an impossible situation--he walks over our test and trial to come to us.
Come, come, come know the All Sufficient One--the Lover of our souls, the patient one, the healer, the compassionate, the All Powerful One, the One who walks on our wind and waves, the one who feeds us, satisfies us, and is sufficient in all situations. Come!!!!
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