"Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.
When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid." Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.
When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to the place they heard He was. Wherever
He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the
sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured.
Good Morning my beloved,
We welcome you to worship in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is my honor and privilege to have you here with us today, we're grateful for each and every one of you. Please continue to pray for this ministry as we continue to work to introduce the Gospel and Jesus Christ to a number of Middle-Eastern and Asian countries. We praise God for those who have come to faith in Jesus Christ. With more people coming to Christ, pastors and church leaders are asking for more Bibles in their native languages. I ask that you would prayerfully consider helping us to make a difference by meeting their need. Join us in praying for our brothers and sisters who are facing severe persecution.Please remember to visit Go Ye Kids
children's ministry, Vanessa Taylor has graciously assisted us in providing printable biblical resources for
children, and many of them free!
As we come to the end of the sixth chapter of Mark’s gospel, he launches our text with the word immediately, which is consistent with Mark’s intent to keep the pace moving quickly. Like the other gospels, every paragraph directs its attention to Jesus Christ, in fact, that’s what the New Testament is about, the person of Jesus Christ. As John 20:31 says, "These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."
Today, we'll see how it took the frightening terror of a storm to teach the disciples a valuable lesson of faith through what they encountered on the Sea of Galilee. Why were they afraid? After all, they had just witnessed the miraculous feeding of more than five thousand, surely the disciples connected the dots between the miracle they had participated in earlier that day and their circumstances. Apparently they didn’t gain anything out of that, because they kept fighting the wind and the waves in the darkest part of the night a long time, instead of crying out to Jesus for help.
The road of life is often paved with many treacherous storms, that come about unexpectedly at the most inopportune times, what will it take to strengthen your faith and teach you trust the Lord in your storms? Life's storms are a test of faith which provides us with an opportunity to build endurance and a chance to grow our faith.
Let us pray
In His name we ask and pray
Amen
Today's Message: Still Rowing But Going Nowhere
In life, there are all types of storms, ones that come quickly, violently shaking the foundations of our lives, those which begin gently, slowly intensifying and build to a crescendo. Then, there are those emotional storms we find ourselves in because of disagreements, conflicts that never seem to get resolved. It seems that we tend to imagine, Jesus doesn't appear to be anywhere in sight, as we go through the difficult storms of life, especially when we make decisions without considering what God wants us to do. Seeking God’s will for our lives before we make decision can help us avoid rushing into adverse circumstances. Over the years I've found that Jesus desires obedience even when we don’t understand and spiritual maturity helps weather to the storms and keep our eyes focused on Jesus and remain faithful to the task we are given. When we find ourselves overwhelmed, exhausted, frightened by the storm, it all comes down to our faith in Christ to direct us through the unpredictable storms that wreak havoc in our lives.
Isaiah 43, reminds us, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you."
Open your Bible to the Gospel of Mark chapter six verses 45-56. Mark 6:45-56. I invite you to follow along with me as I read, to set the text in our
minds, as we prepare our hearts for the Spirit of God is saying to each
of us. Listen for the voice of our Lord.
"Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.
When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid." Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.
When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, and
ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their
pallets those who were sick, to the place they heard He was. Wherever
He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the
sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch
the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured."
Let's look at verse 45, "Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away." John 6 tells us "So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone." The crowd’s response to the amazing miracle of Jesus creating food, was that He not only had the power heal them, deliver them from disease, they were sure He had the power to provide for them. So, they were ready to take Him by force to make Him king, I’m sure the disciples were delighted by the crowds desire to make Him king, in anticipation the kingdom that would come. However, His kingdom wasn’t the kind of kingdom that men thought. Jesus has no desire to be a political leader, to lead a revolution, a revolt against Rome. Jesus would not be forced to be a political leader on their terms, He came to rule over the hearts of those who put their faith in Him.
Notice Jesus made them get into the boat. He commanded His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him, indicating that they didn’t want to leave, but in obedience to His authority, they got into the boat and went ahead of Him heading to the other side to Bethsaida, a suburb of Capernaum, which is where John says they were headed. That is not a contradiction as some have suggested.
Verse 46, "After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray. John says "It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them." Matthew tells us "He was there alone." Jesus went off by Himself, alone, longing to be in the presence of the Father. That's why we often find Him alone,
praying, communing with His Father. The quest to find peace and quiet is difficult for many of us even today, like Jesus, we must learn to separate ourselves from the distractions to overcome trials and the evils of the world. Knowing what they would soon face, He went to pray, to intercede for their enduring faith and their strength. I often think to myself, if Jesus,
the perfect, sinless Son of God needed to spent time alone communing with the Father, how
much more do I.
I have been asked, "Where did the massive crowd go, they went to sleep. Thousands of them, sleeping wherever they could.
They were on the hillsides where He had fed them. How do we know they
went to sleep? Because John tells they woke up the very next morning they were in
the same area where the miraculous feeding took place. "The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone."
Did the stay because they wanted to hear Jesus preach another great sermon? No, they want breakfast, they're thinking Jesus is going to provide them with an endless supply of food. Like many today, there's a sense of entitlement, they weren’t interested in His message; they're seeking what He can do for them, I dare say it's the same expectations we see from superficial followers today. But when they woke, Jesus wasn't there. You need to understand, Jesus didn't come to feed your bodies, to grant all the desires of your heart; He came to nourish your souls, and to give you eternal life.
Verse 47, "When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land." Note, Mark tells us they're in the middle of the sea, they are way of course. Matthew says "But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary." John tells us "The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing." If you remember, the last time they faced a terrifying dangerous storm, Jesus was in the boat, they knew He had the divine power to calm the storm, this time He's not with, He's somewhere on a mountain praying and they’re in the middle of the lake. John tells us they had rowed about three or four miles.
Verse 48, "Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them." I love that, "seeing them." Isn't it encouraging to know that God always sees His own, even in the darkest hours of the night, struggling against the storms of life. They’ve been out there for hours, rowing against the fierce winds and the splashing waves, unable to control boat. I imagine, they had never experienced anything like this alone before, so they're panicking, trying to stay alive and far as they know, Jesus is nowhere to be found. Though it may appear we're facing our struggles alone, take great comfort that God is never far from us, He knows exactly where we are and what we're going through, and precisely the right time to show up.
Verses 49-50a, "But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified." The Greek verb "anakrázō," tells us they were literally very intensely screaming from the depth of the throats. This is a shriek of pure terror. Look at the end of verse 50, "But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid." In His compassion, He never leaves us in our struggle longer than need. Remember, He'll be going to cross soon, this is a lesson in trusting Him even when they cannot see Him. By the way, the expression, "Take courage," is used eight times in the New Testament. It means to have unflinching, bold courage to endure the trial as a result of the Lord infusing His strength by His inworking of faith. The phrases "Be not afraid, do not be afraid, or fear not, appear repeatedly in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. We often experience anxiety and fear because of uncertainty, Christ is our source for overcoming fear. 1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear." If you’re in the place of obedience, you never need to fear, no matter what the circumstances are. God sees and protects His own.
Psalm 139:8-10 says "If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me."
Verses 51-52, "Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened." They are literally beside themselves. Have you ever stopped to contemplate the power of God? There is nothing we face too great for Him to handle. We have no need to fear anything! That’s the lesson He's teaching the disciples here.
Notice Mark, who wrote his gospel under the influence of Peter doesn't mention the incident with Peter getting out of the boat. I am convinced by the time Mark wrote his gospel Peter was humble and didn’t want the focus to be on himself rather than the message. But Matthew fills in the details for us, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." And He said, "Come!" John 6:44 says "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up." Then "Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" I love that Peter felt safer on the water in the divine presence of Jesus than in the boat without Him. Nobody attempt to do that, unless they believed that He had the power to hold you up, right? Most of us would have lacked the faith needed to step out of that boat, but all Peter could think about was running to Jesus!
Peter may have had his faults, but I believe we can all relate to Peter's experience, even though he trusted Jesus, and knew He could control the wind and the waves, it was mingled with doubt and fear. I believe this is a valuable less for all of us, if Jesus calls you to do it, you can do it, no matter how hopeless the situation looks. Faith in the Lord will sustain you through anything, even the most hopeless circumstances. It's our experiences in the difficult trials that increase our faith and strengthen our trust in the Lord, doesn't it? Jesus could've prevented the storm from happening but He allowed it, for His glory. Peter’s faith was not the only faith that grew that night, Matthew adds, "And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God’s Son!" It is in the storms I have faced in my life that I learned to trust Christ in ways I never knew was possible. Whenever I've cried out to Him, "Lord, save me!", He has never to failed to do so. When we step out in faith, keeping our eyes focused on Jesus, He will do amazing things.
Prior to that night, their hardened hearts prevented them from gaining insight from the incident of the loaves, but when the Father drew them to Himself their hearts were opened, giving them understanding, enabling them to make that confession. John 6 tells us "So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going." They were in the middle of the lake one minute and Mark says "immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going." It's fascinating they were at Gennesaret, where they were supposed to be, it's not where they hear originally headed is it? No, but it’s where the Lord wanted them to be. He's is always interceding for His own. How often do we strategize making our plans and the Lord turns us around, pointing in the right direction, according to His plans?
That brings us to verses 53-56, "When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to the place they heard He was. Wherever
He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the
sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured."
When the people there recognized Him, they ran about that whole country sending word out to all of the
people that were sick and diseased. And began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick.
They were so confident of His divine power, which He demonstrated previously, they knew He could heal their sick. Some were even begging only to touch the fringe of His robe. Perhaps they had heard about the woman with the blood issue, who had been suffering for twelve years and touched His robe and was healed. I love the end of verse 56, "and as many as touched it were being cured." Jesus is not just a miracle worker, He's our loving and compassionate Healer without discrimination. He didn't ask whether they believed or not, He healed them all. Here we see the greatest evidence of the common grace of our great God, which many have such an ungrateful attitude toward. I see a lot of that today, even in contemporary Christianity.
As loving and compassionate as God is, He is also a God of judgment and justice. We'll look at that next time when Jesus takes an awkward situation with religious leaders to offensive.
In Closing..
If we are going to call ourselves Christians, if we claim to be
followers of Christ, then our life must be an accurate representation of
Him. If the watching world, sees that we are living no differently than they are, constantly engaged in sin, transgression and unrighteousness, how much weight does our witness of a transformed life carry? Jesus backed up His words with His life. Shouldn't our lives back up ours?
What are you seeking from Jesus, health, wealth, the prosperity? That’s not what Jesus offers! All those He healed that day eventually died. Jesus said "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst." Salvation is a gift of grace to undeserving repentant sinners. That’s why we obey His Word in gratitude! That is why we rejoice and praise His great name!
May we be faithful to enter into His presence with a heart gratitude, committed to following Christ where He directs from this day forward.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen