John 6 :1-17 ~ When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum.

Sun setting over Capernaum, the adult Hometown of Jesus. Where the Centurion lived.

John 6:1-17

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum.

Another view of Capernaum at sunset.

Many times, Jesus went to pray or He traveled to Samaria. Jesus was preparing His disciples. 

So we learn in Acts 21 - the ship sailed during the day, and was in the harbor at night.

The Disciples start for home. Even a long way off, they are headed home. Today we would have - like they did - stars. We see, as we read, they fished as they wanted to - like a perpetual joy and job. This night, the storm would keep them on the large ,13 miles, lake. But what was guiding them home? The Disciples wouldn't see lights - a lighthouse is not a novel idea. Even a set of oil lamps, used at the time of Jesus, on a raised platform near the house of Peter.

What did the Disciples do when Jesus had given them the Holy Spirit and was not there to feed them on the beach?

We see glimpses of them. Because they are not the focus, but we want to know the Disciples. These men who knew Jesus so well.

Acts 14
No good deed goes unpunished. The man at Lystra, Greece is healed and the town knows he has been lame from birth. The gentiles decide to sacrifice to Paul as Hermes. Barnabas gets top billing as Zeus. Paul gets them not to sacrifice - barely. And dispersion Jews from Antioch rise up in Lystra and seemingly stone Paul to death. And God allows Paul to just rise up and get to the next town.

Paul and Barnabas flee to... Antioch! 233 miles away.

And we find here - new believers are called brothers and elders.

Acts 14
23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

24 Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, 26 and from there they sailed to
Antioch,

where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. 27 And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

28 And they remained no little time with the disciples.

The disciples were meeting. Paul records that Jesus' brothers traveled with their wives.

Why did the disciples meet? They were nourishing each other.

Hebrews 10:25
Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Father God, help this day and the next to be useful to You. In Jesus the Lord we pray, Amen.

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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