Jesus went to great lengths to prove to the people that He was who He said He was. He performed miracle after miracle while inside He grieved over souls who were lost and bound for hell and only wanting to see a "magic trick." John Chapter 6 is a conversation that took place right after Jesus had fed the 5,000 and walked on water--a very public demonstration of His great power and love, and a very private demonstration for the disciples only. So the next day, a big crowd of "fans" sought Him out.

Unbelievably after what they had just witnessed, they asked Jesus,"What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat'" (John 6:30-31). How frustrating! This very crowd had just seen Jesus feed 5,000 people with five barley loaves and two small fish yesterday, and for that the crowd wanted to force Him to be their worldly king (6:15). Now they want more! "A popular Jewish expectation was that when the Messiah came, He would renew the sending of manna. The crowd probably reasoned that Jesus had done little compared to Moses. He had fed 5,000; Moses had fed a nation. [Jesus] did it once; Moses did it for 40 years. [Jesus] gave ordinary bread; Moses gave bread from heaven" (The NIV Study Bible).

This is a real miracle to me--Jesus stayed calm and addressed them with love and patience as He always did; as He always does. Are we so different from the crowd of "fans"? We still expect Jesus to reach into His "bag of tricks" on our demand. Many "Christians" today would rather base their faith on the public spectacles and tingly feelings than the promise of salvation--they would rather live on the (forgive me) "spiritual candy" than the "bread of life." And miraculously, Jesus is still reaching out, still ministering, still sending miracles, "For my Father's will is that everyone that looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (6:40). Jesus is still walking on water to our rescue because, for some reason, He still loves us. Now that's a miracle!

This song is in very '50s style. It is from my play Isaiah Speaks, or The First Street Church of the Messianic Mechanic, B. Haynes. 2006.

In a boat out on a lake, Twelve grown men began to shake,

Who was on that water walkin', They knew Him when they heard Him talkin'--

Jesus, walkin' on water, You wouldn't think there was anything harder,

But He took my sin, and took my shame, He made me perfect by His Name.

Here He comes! (Here He comes!) He's walkin' again!

With one small lunch He fed a crowd, He raised the dead when He called out loud,

He healed the blind and deaf and lame, He loved the rich and poor the same--

Jesus, walkin' on water, You wouldn't think there was anything harder,

But He took my sin, and took my shame, He made me perfect by His Name.

Here He comes! (Here He comes!) He's walkin' again!

They beat Him 'til they saw Him dead, Then He came back just as He said,

There is no miracle too great, He hears your call, He's never late--

Jesus, walkin' on water, You wouldn't think there was anything harder,

But He took my sin, and took my shame, He made me perfect by His Name,

Here He comes! (Here He comes!) He's walkin' again!

Precious Jesus, Savior, Lord, You are the bread of life and I believe in You. Thank You that You always come to my rescue. Help me not to be a seeker of miracles alone, but a seeker of Your Heart. Draw me close and never let me go, because unworthy as I am, You have made me Yours. Amen