John 6:1-3 – After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). A large crowd was following Him, because they were watching the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. But Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
I love the detail that John shares with us in this passage. One of the greatest and important miracles in the ministry of Jesus is about to happen, the Feeding of the Multitudes, which is actually a picture of the entire Christian life. In it we see Christ as the source of life, the Bread of Life, and we see the Christian community gathered and feeding around Him and from Him. In these introductory comments we see the source of this life, Jesus is seated in heaven at the Father’s right hand and we are seated with Him in glory. This was one of the greatest themes of the apostolic preaching, Christ is enthroned at the right hand of the Father ruling all things and we are seated with Him. This is a picture of the supernatural life. From this place comes the bread from Christ into our hands and then it goes out to the world. Here is how the reformer Musculus describes this passage.
“For where do Christ’s faithful sit? That is, where do they find rest? Certainly they do not sit or live in the vanities of this world but on the mountain of God’s kingdom, where Christ sits. In that place they are true; they sit and live where they love, which is why they are refreshed. That conveyance to rest, found on the mountain of God’s kingdom, begins in this life. It will obtain its fullness and perfection in the future after we have departed from this valley of miseries to the heavenly places, delivered from all the troubles of this life by the benefit and intervention of death. There we shall sit and rest with Christ forever.”
This powerful word is for all of us, we are in Christ at the Father’s right hand. We feast and drink from Him and then we pour out this life to our world. Just as the disciples sat at Jesus feet we sit at His feet in His place of glory. He is more than enough for us; from this place of joy and satisfaction we have plenty to give to others. So let’s go up the mountain, fixing our eyes on Jesus, miracles are about to break out in our world.
