Teleporting Jesus #T

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. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. ¹⁸ A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. ¹⁹ When they had rowed about three or four miles,^[b] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. ²⁰ But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” ²¹ Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Last week's lesson was from the sixth chapter of John.  We looked at the account of what has become known as "The multiplication of the loaves and fishes," or "The feeding of the five thousand."  Reading a few more verses we come to a no less miraculous action of Jesus, but one that is seldom discussed.  I call it "The teleportation of the ship and crew."

As I was growing up with Wes as my best friend, I often heard his mother who was an avid Bible scholar and a teacher in a Bible college speak of travel by teleportation in the Heavenly Kingdom.  It seemed to me that her opinion was that in Heaven one will merely think the thought and arrive at the destination he or she desires.  I have often thought this was a neat concept.

But as many times as I have read the Gospel of John it was only this week that it struck me that there is scriptural support for the concept.  And you may take your ship with you.  Certainly we are aware of the many instances in scripture of a celestial being appearing on Earth:  Lot's visitors; the emissary to Abraham; the angel who wrestled with Jacob; the fourth person in the fiery furnace; Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration; Gabriel's visit to Zechariah; the angel to Mary; and other instances.

Now in this account we see earthly inhabitants and material objects* being teleported, for the scripture says that as Jesus came to the disciples across the water that as soon as they took him into the boat they arrived at their destination!  They had been rowing against a stormy sea for "twenty-five or thirty furlongs," Jesus stepped into the boat and boom! they were in their home port.


Transported through the space-time continuum by the grace and power of God!

Certainly no matter the state or the storm we find ourselves in we can be transported into peace and security by the power and grace of The God who Loves us!

Do note, though, that the account tells us that the boatsmen took Jesus into the ship.  Just so we must take Christ into our lives.  God will not force his will upon us; we must accept Him and yield our will to His.

*Other instances in the Bible in which God used teleportation may be found in Acts 8:38-40 where Philip baptized a eunuch, disappeared and reappeared many miles away; in Luke 24 Jesus vanishes and appears; and other examples.