Do you ever feel like you’re rowing against the wind? You’re doing your best and trying to live for Christ but you still don’t feel like you’re making any progress. Perhaps because of your lack of progress you are fearful and hurting.
If that’s you this morning, then this message is for you. Jesus’ disciples were literally rowing against the wind and he walked on water to teach them who he is and give them hope.
Sermon text: Mark 6:45-56
When we are fearful, we should have faith in Jesus (45-52)
45
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.
Jesus dismissed the crowd (15,000 – 20,000) and tells his disciples to “go before him to the other side.”
Last week I mentioned that there were many messianic undertones in the feeding of the multitude. John 6:14-15 tells us that the crowds wanted to make Jesus king. Jesus did not come to establish a political kingdom, for his kingdom was not of this world. He came to die as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Thus, to guard against the messianic fervor of the crowd and the disciples, he dismissed the crowd and “made his disciples get into the boat and go before him” (45).
I imagine that the twelve were like children who are having a good time and do not want to get in the car to go home. Jesus insisted that they get into the boat and you can picture him giving the boat a shove to get them going.
Jesus forced his disciples to go out onto the sea. I want you to keep this in mind as we move through the text this morning.
46-47
46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.
Jesus went up on the mountain to pray and spend time with the Father.
While it was easy for Jesus to draw a crowd, he never neglected to spend time with his Father. In Mark 1, after healing Peter’s mother-in-law and many others, Jesus went out to a desolate place to pray.
Here, we see that Jesus was laser-focused on his mission. He knew that he had come to seek and to save the lost and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Rather than accepting the crowd’s nomination as a political king, Jesus spent time with his Father.
In the Gospels, we see that Jesus spent time:
- In the world with the crowds
- In the synagogue with religious folks
- Life on life with the 12 disciples, helping them grow in spiritual maturity
- Peter, James, John – his even closer personal friends
- The Father
We also should have relationships with:
- The world, as we seek to share the gospel with them
- The church, as we worship God and encourage one another
- A small group within the church
- Close friends within the church, people who you can talk with, call at any time, and pray with
- God the Father
So, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and into the water. Jesus has a purpose for that. Remember when Jesus was asleep in the boat and the disciples were caught in a great storm. They woke Jesus up and he spoke to the sea and said, “Peace! Be Still!” (Mark 4:39). During that event, the disciples had Jesus in the boat with them. However, this time, Jesus was on the mountain, likely praying for them. Jesus was teaching his disciples to live by faith.
So, what happens? Look at v. 48.
48
48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them,
Jesus sees the disciples are struggling because they were rowing into the wind. John tells us that they had only gone about three or four miles (John 6:19).
The text says that “about the fourth watch of the night (3:00-6:00 am), he came to them, walking on the sea.”
The text reflects the Roman method of dividing the night into four watches. Roman watches were from 6:00 to 9:00, from 9:00 to midnight, from midnight to 3:00, and from 3:00 to 6:00. Therefore, Jesus appeared to the disciples sometime between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m. They apparently had been battling the elements all night.
The scene illustrates the situation of God’s people today: We are in the midst of this stormy world, rowing against the wind, tired and weary, and ready to sink, but he is in glory interceding for us.
We are in the midst of this stormy world, rowing against the wind, tired and weary, and ready to sink, but he is in glory interceding for us.
Friends, here’s the hope that we have in Christ: when the hour seems the darkest, he will come to us!
The end of v. 48 says that “he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them.”
When Mark says that Jesus meant to “pass by them,” he is evoking some of the appearances of God to people in the OT.
Ex 33:18-23
18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
The Lord passed by Elijah on the mountain in 1 Kings 19:11.
1 Kings 19:11
11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by…
Job spoke of God as the Creator in Job 9. Look quickly at two verses.
Job 9:8
8 [God] alone stretched out the heavens
and trampled the waves of the sea;
Job 9:11
11 Behold, [God] passes by me, and I see him not;
he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
When the disciples had exhausted their own energies and were in their deepest despair, Jesus showed up. Isn’t this how he often comes to us? He does this so that we will see that in our weakness, we are strong, for we are to look to him.
The very waves that were causing distress for the disciples were the path for Jesus’ feet.
The very waves that were causing distress for the disciples were the path for Jesus’ feet – what a metaphor for the Christian life. In our weakness and distress, God uses those moments to make us more like Christ by increasing our dependence on him and bringing peace and comfort.
There will always be circumstances in life that are beyond your control. But there is always one thing you can do when the waves get rough is to look to Jesus.
In vv. 49-51 we see the reaction of the disciples.
49-51
49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,
When the disciples saw Jesus, they thought he was a ghost. The text says that they cried out and they were terrified! Why did the disciples not recognize Jesus? Because they were not expecting to see him!
The disciples were still trying to row in their own power.
The disciples had lost sight of Jesus, but he had not lost sight of them.
As the Son of God, Jesus has power over nature. We have already seen this when Jesus stilled the storm. Now, while standing on the waves, Jesus said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
One commentator said that the literal translation of the Greek is this: “Take courage. I AM. Do not fear!”[1]Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark, 213.
Remember our Scripture reading from Exodus 3.
Ex 3:13-14
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
God told Moses to gather the elders of Israel and tell them that the Great I AM is sending you. In our text, we see Jesus with his disciples proclaiming that the Great I AM is here with you!
Jesus did what God alone could do when he walked on the water and he used God’s name to identify himself. This miracle is evidence that God himself visited earth in the flesh. Can you imagine how the disciples felt? Their spines tingled, their knees buckled, and they were in awe of Jesus, the Son of God in human flesh!
No wonder, the text tells us, that the disciples were utterly astounded!
52
52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
In v. 52, Mark ties this episode to the previous one of the feeding of the great crowd.
The disciples had seen Jesus feed the multitudes, but they had not taken the next step and applied the truth about Jesus to their own lives. They recognized that Jesus could do amazing things, but they had not realized what that meant for them – that he personally cared for them.
Jesus could feed 20,000 people. He had previously calmed the sea. Could he not protect them in this situation too? We say, “Yes God, I know You can, and that you have done _____________, but my situation is different.
Are you fearful about the economy, next year’s election, or something else beyond your control? Quit watching the news. Get off social media. Instead, read your Bible and spend time in the presence of Christ, for the presence of Christ is the antidote for fear.
After Jesus walked on the water, they understood that he was God in the flesh. In Matthew’s account of this story, he wrote that the disciples worshiped Jesus, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matt 14:33).
When we are hurting, we can find healing in Jesus (53-56)
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Blown off course, the disciples land at Gennesaret on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee.
When Jesus and the disciples arrived, immediately people recognized Jesus and began to bring sick people to him. Wherever he went, people continued to bring the sick to him. They must have heard of Jesus’ healing of the paralytic, for they were bringing people who were laying on their beds. They must have heard about the woman with the flow of blood, for they knew that if they just touched Jesus’ garments they would be made well.
Jesus can be sought by those in need. Are you in need this morning? Seek Jesus!
Jesus is a compassionate shepherd cares for his sheep. They hurt. He heals. What a wonderful Savior he is!
Conclusion / Gospel
In times of fear, have faith in Jesus. Then you will have hope.
In times of pain, you can find hope and healing in Jesus.
Just as Jesus walked through the stormy waters to rescue his disciples, he walked through the dark night that led to the cross in order to rescue us from our sin. If we will repent, or turn from our sin and place our faith in Christ and his death, burial, and resurrection, then we will never have to fear again.
Through the wonderful touch of Jesus, we can one day be healed forever of the effects of sin and made well forever.
Jesus said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
Are you afraid or hurting today?
Run to Christ and trust in Him, the great I AM who calms our fears and heals our hurts.
References
| ↑1 | Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark, 213. |
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