What the Disciples Teach Us about Living Supernaturally Empowered

Many of us rely first and foremost on ourselves. Perhaps this stems from pride, habit, or confusion regarding what God expects and desires, but I’ve witnessed this tendency in myself, numerous times. I’ve observed it in many of the disciples’ actions and reactions as well.

Consider their response to the hungry masses in John 6. Jesus and His disciples had recently crossed the sea of Galilee, and a throng of people followed. Seeing the crowd, Jesus asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” But notice what verse 6 says: “He asked this only to test him, for He already had in mind what He was going to do."

When tasked with a large and important job, it can be easy to forget Christ’s perfect wisdom and our need for His supernatural guidance and provision.

This appears to have been the case with the disciples. Apparently forgetting he stood in the presence of the miracle-performing Messiah, Philip responded, “Eight months wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (v. 7). Then, either a child stepped forward to help or Andrew pooled the people for resources, because he was able to find some food. But to his logical mind, it wasn’t enough. “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish,” he said, “but how far will they go among so many?” (v. 9)

Had they forgotten about all the miracles Christ had performed prior? How, with merely a word, He’d healed an official’s near-death son? (John 4:46-54). Or how He’d filled Simon, Peter, and Andrew’s boats with so many fish, they’d nearly sunk? (Luke 5:1-11). Did they think feeding this crowd would prove more difficult than casting out demons, healing the sick and leprous, and enabling the lame to walk? (Matt. 8:16, 8:1-4, 9:1-8).

Did they assume God expected them to respond in their own wisdom and strength? As if they needed to somehow prove their capabilities?

Or, as is often the case with me, did they simply not pause long enough to consider the provisional power of Christ? Regardless, Jesus showed them that the smallest offering becomes more than enough when placed in our Savior’s hands. As verses 11-13 states, “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. When they had all had enough to eat, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten” ( emphasis mine).

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Whatever sense of confidence the disciples placed in themselves must’ve been shattered the horrific night their Master died. They hadn’t been nearly as strong or courageous as they’d thought. Not only had they failed Him in His darkest hour, but they’d done so while He was displaying inexplicable, self-sacrificing love. That experience had to have had a life-changing effect on them.

After His death, as they reflected on all that had transpired and all they had, or rather hadn’t done, did they recall Jesus’ words from John 15? “I am the vine,” He said. “You are the branches. If a man remains in Me” –stays alert to My presence and connected with and reliant on Me– “and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Scripture says the same is true for us. Christ’s vineyard analogy, preserved in Scripture, reminds us of our constant need for Him. As commentator John Trapp states, “All our sap and safety is from Christ. The bud of a good desire, the blossom of a good resolution, and the fruit of a good action, all come from Him.”

Our strength, courage, and spiritual vitality is dependent on our continual union with Christ.

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Scripture tells us “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). Jesus demonstrated this truth the night before His death. He said, “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for My Father is with Me” (John 16:31-32).

In other words, the disciples’ abandonment wouldn’t defeat Him or hinder His mission because His Father would remain with Him. He drew strength and comfort from His Father’s perfect steadfast love, one no human could emulate or extinguish.

The more we understand God’s love, which is beyond comprehension, and let it saturate the depths of our soul, the greater our courage, clarity, and impact.

The disciples had witnessed and received Christ’s love throughout His ministry, but nowhere to the depth that they experienced during and after His crucifixion. Before His death, they might have viewed His actions as admirable yet explainable. In the days following His death, however, every self-sacrificing and merciful act He’d previously displayed gained heightened significance.

I imagine they reflected deeply upon all that He’d done the night before He died. Knowing all He’d soon face, a reality that would’ve caused most of us to become self-focused, Jesus humbly washed His disciples’ feet. Then, instead of seeking comfort from His friends, He spent hours speaking words of encouragement into their confused and frightened hearts. (John 13-17.) Only to follow this with the purest display of love ever-known.

Can you imagine the impact of seeing their Master, the One who’d saved countless other lives with a mere command, who rebuked the very wind and rain, hanging, from the cross? Forgiving the very ones who drove in the nails?

The most profound expression, however, must’ve occurred when He sought them out, after they’d forsaken Him in the midst of His radical, incomprehensible display of love.

When they were least deserving, He pursued them, dined with them, and chose them.

With the same love with which He pursues, sits with and chooses us.

Everything they witnessed in Christ, through His death and resurrection, changed the disciples from fear driven, self-reliant men to supernaturally empowered, self-sacrificing world changers who actively advanced God’s kingdom until their dying breath.

And now, it’s our turn. We belong to the same Christ who invites us to sit in His presence, trade our weakness for His strength, and embrace each moment knowing we are eternally, irrevocably loved. By His relying on His power and grace, fueled and inspired by His love, you and I can live with resurrection power.

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