The Servant s Assurance In The Storm Mark 6:45-52 Introduction

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1 Introduction In the sixth chapter of Mark s gospel we have seen the opportunity to know the Servant (vv.1-6); to share the Servant s message (vv.7-13); the opportunity to repent (vv.14-29); the opportunity to demonstrate care and compassion (vv.30-44); but now we are presented the opportunity to grow in faith and dependence upon the Servant (vv.45-52). In John s gospel we are told that after the feeding of the 5,000 the people sought to make Jesus king (John 6:15); perhaps the 12 were thinking right on ; but Jesus refuses to simply be a temporal king who meets temporal needs. Jesus will send the disciples away and go to a remote mountain location to pray. The howling winds and gathering clouds indicated a storm was on the way. Jesus was about to test the apostles faith. Jonah encountered a storm because he was running from God in disobedience. But the disciples head straight into a storm--not out of disobedience but obedience. Mark s gospel (as told to Mark by Peter) leaves out the episode of Peter walking on the water (Matt.14:22-32). The story Peter choses to tell Mark records the failure of all the disciples to understand the meaning of the storm; and the power of Jesus to deliver in the storm; and learn the lessons that would prepare the disciples for a life-time of effective ministry. We seldom welcome hardship or deprivation or trials or storms. Some of us live under the illusion that no storm, no problem, no trial will ever get the best of us! Our fathers survived a Civil War; two World Wars, a major Depression. Some have survived broken promises, broken hearts and broken dreams. Some of us believe that the power and resources available to us-- apart from the Lord Jesus Christ--are sufficient to carry us, sufficient to meet any challenge, or bear any burden, or defy any ill wind that may blow against us. There once was a King; a Danish Conqueror named Canute. He felt his powers, his resources, his will were invincible. One day a group of his inner-circle of admirers were flattering the pompous king. To demonstrate his power, he ordered his throne and entourage to be taken to the sea shore. The tide was rolling in, and threatened to drown him. In the most regal voice he could muster he ordered the menacing wave to cease it s threat! Of course it did not. Then he said to his flatterers, Behold how small is the might of kings! Whether we like it or not, there are certain things which will not yield to our control. Be still and know that I am God ; the psalmist wrote. Warren Wiersbe wrote; Spiritual blessings must be balanced with burdens and battles; otherwise, we may become pampered children instead of mature sons and daughters. Are you willing to meet God in the storm? Are your willing to trust God in the storm? If anything good can be said about the storm, if there is anything noble that can be said about the storm, it is that storms change us; humble us, and make us depend on the Lord. It shatters the illusion that we are in control of our finances, our health, our business, our children, our country our selves. If we seek assurance from anyone or everyone that all will be fine; we discover that 1

2 their promises and their resources can also be exhausted and there are some storms that cannot be resisted or repelled. In this passage we are given five insights that help us navigate storms. He set you there (vv.45-47). He sees you there (v.48a). He comes to you in the storm (v.48b). He speaks to you in the storm (v.49-50). He safely deliver s you in the storm (vv.51-52). He Set You There (v.45) Mark 6:45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. The verb translated made is anangkazo which basically means compel or force. The urgency seems to come from what John 6:15; the people s attempt to make Jesus king by force; and Jesus does not want His disciples involved with or believing this false political movement which attempts to undermine God s plan. There seem to be two kinds of storms; the correcting storms...and the perfecting storms... Both are intended to bring us from immaturity to maturity; from insecurity to security; the head grows by taking in but the heart grows by giving out! Mark 6:46 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. Jesus prays for both Himself and His disciples. Earlier he had fed the multitudes with five loaves and two tiny fish. The people thought Jesus might make a perfect king--no taxes unlimited food. Jesus fed a vast crowd with such small resources; how difficult would it be to outfit an army and overthrow Rome? The people wanted to make Jesus King--a royal king--do not go to the Cross-- do not suffer and die for sins. John s Gospel (6:15) records; Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him King, He departed again to the Mountain by Himself alone. Did you know Jesus intercedes for you at this very moment? Prayer defeats the devil. Prayer restores the backslider. Prayer strengthens the saints. Prayer imparts wisdom. Prayer bestows peace. Prayer keeps one from sin. Prayer reveals the will of God. The fact that Jesus sometimes sends us into difficult circumstances does not mean that He has abandoned us or forsaken us. Neither does it mean that Jesus doesn t care. Jesus prays. C. Neil Strait writes; Prayer lifts the hearts above the battles of life and gives it a glimpse of God s resources which spell victory and hope. 2

3 What do you pray in the storm? Are you praying for a change in circumstances or are you praying for a change in character? Mark 6:47 Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. If Jesus set you there...doesn t it make sense that He can keep you there? I often wonder...why didn t the disciples simply turn around? Why didn t they just go back? Why row contrary to the storm? Why row against the wind? But they have their instructions. Jesus sent them. The disciples were to go before Him. In one sense Jesus has already gone before us to the other side of the shore. If your heart belongs to Jesus, if you and God are on Father and Son terms--your circumstances are known by God and established by God and governed by God. God governs our lives. God orders our circumstances. He See s You There (v.48a) Mark 6:48 Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them... or He saw that they were distressed (RSV) or That they were straining at the oars (Goodspeed). The Lord Jesus sees everything. God sees all. This is called omnipresence. God knows all. This is called omniscience. God has all power. This is called omnipotence. Because God knows all things, because God has all power, and because He loves you--you can rest in the storm. Are you resting in Jesus in the midst of the storm? Are you trusting Jesus in the storm? Sometimes obedience will bring straining, distress, suffering and persecution. Dietrich Bonhoeffer obeyed God, and wound up in a Nazi prison camp. Corrie Ten Boom, author of the Hiding Place and Dutch patriot, lost many of her family and was herself imprisoned at Ravensbruck concentration camp because of her obedience to Christ. Jim Elliot and Nate Saint were young missionaries in South America and brought the Gospel to the Auca Indians. His obedience bought him a spear in the back and he died face down in the water and the mud. It is amazing to me how someone can read the New Testament and the annals of Church History and see the storms blow in the lives of the Apostles and the Saints and neglect or ignore or pretend that there was not hardship and suffering and difficulty. Suffering and sacrifice were not the exception but the rule. 3

4 Romans 8:17 and if children, then heirs heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 1 Peter 2:21 For to this were you called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. The Lord Jesus knows you and see s you. But He is not a blind or impotent or uncaring Savior. He loves you. Watch as He comes to the disciple in their storm. He Comes To You In The Storm (v.48b) Mark 6:48b...Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. The fourth watch took place between 3:00 AM to 6:00 AM. It is always darkest before the dawn. Jesus comes at the darkest moment...often when it seems hopeless, God shows up and delivers in the most remarkable ways; like Daniel in the Lion s Den or the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, often when you see the lion s teeth or feel the searing heat, that s when the Lord shows up. The disciples are tired and afraid. Their strength is gone. If Jesus sent them at dusk, they have been rowing 8 hours. They have exhausted their physical resources, the wind and water continue to bite into their faces. How like Jesus to come when all hope seemed gone, all light seems gone, and you simply do not have the strength to lift the oars out of the water one more time. He Speaks To You In The Storm (vv.49-50) Mark 6:49 And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; Yes Jesus walked on the water. But most of the time he took a boat. In this impossible situation Jesus does the impossible. He walks on the water. The ancient Egyptians wrote with picture symbols. We call them hieroglyphics. Two symbols included waves which represent water--and two tiny feet walking on the waves. It translates the word impossible. Jesus does the impossible to accomplish the impossible. Jesus walks on the very object of the disciples terror. It is the water and the waves they fear. It is the water and the waves that threaten the boat and their lives. Jesus will often come to us on the very object we fear most. 4

5 Have you ever had Jesus come to you in illness? In darkness? In financial distress? In loneliness? In failure? What you fear most may become what God will use to come to you and comfort you! Jesus comes at the darkest hour. Jesus comes when strength and hope are gone. Jesus comes and does the impossible...jesus comes on the very object we fear most. A Christian Captain of an ocean going vessel was in the midst of a terrific storm. Terrified, one of the passengers cried out; What will we do if the ship sinks? The Captain replied, I don t know about you, but I will be embraced in the everlasting arms of Lord and my Savior. Mark 6:50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid. The disciples were terrified (passive Greek tarasso). Why didn t they recognize Jesus? Because you don t expect to see your friend walking on the water! Some years ago a movie based on Rod Serling s hit TV series The Twilight Zone featured an episode with John Lithgow. He played a nauseated and terrified passenger. His worst fears are realized when he peers out of the porthole of the airplane and sees a figure hanging wild eyed and screaming on the wing near the engine. When you are in a terrifying situation the last thing in the world you want to hear is terrifying laughter and screaming! Jesus brings words of comfort and hope; Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid. The words of Jesus make all the difference in the world. The words of Jesus make all the difference when the storm is raging. It is not a ghost or an angel who comes in the Storm. The Servant comes and speaks.god s Word is filled with comfort and hope. Has it been a while since you have heard the Savior s voice in the storm? Two Scriptures that have served me well in life s storms comes to mind. I have shared them often with people in the storm. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4) Now may the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). God s Word speaks to us in the storm. When times are difficult, the worst thing you can do is cut yourself off from the resources you need most. Return to the Word of God. Listen to God s instructions. He Safely Deliver s You In The Storm (vv.51-52) Mark 6:51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 5

6 In modern language we might say; They were completely blown away, their minds frozen by the events that had just taken place. Not only had Jesus come to them walking on the water, but when he got into the boat the wind ceased and the storm disappeared. John s gospel adds an additional comment at this point. John (6:21) writes; Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. Two more miracles! Not only does Jesus walk on the water, but the storm ceases and somehow supernaturally the boat is transferred to the opposite shore. When Jesus delivers in the storm, Jesus delivers in the storm! Matthew (14:33) adds an additional fact;...then those who were in the boat worshipped Him and saying, Truly you are the Son of God. Mark 6:52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. Jesus has delivered them, and they have grown in their faith. In the first storm episode they cried, What manner of man is this that even the winds obey Him? Now there is no mistake. The loaves, the fish, those who were healed, the people cleansed from leprosy and raised from the dead--it s also starting to add up! Jesus is something more than an ordinary Rabbi from the Galilee. He is God. Perhaps the words written in Job came to their remembrance; He alone stretches out the Heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. He is the maker of the Bear and the Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be numbered. When He passes me, I cannot see Him; when He goes by, I cannot perceive Him (Job 9:8-11). Conclusion The storm had brought them a new understanding of their friend Jesus. The storm brought the disciples to a deeper commitment to the Servant. Will you allow the storms of life to bring you closer to the Lord? We have limited assurances in this life alone. But we have multiple assurances from the Lord Jesus Christ. What are the circumstances of your life right now? Tell Jesus about the pain, tell Jesus about the trial, tell Jesus about your suffering. He set you there...he see s you there...he will come to you...jesus will defy Hell and death to come to you in the storm...if you listen and look to God s Word, He will speak to you in the storm...and men may mock...relatives may jeer...your friends and family may say, give up, give in, God isn t going to show up... just remember: Jesus, in pain and the under the most extreme pressure from the Cross of Calvary heard the mocking the jeering of others. David the King supernaturally recorded the Lord s impressions, centuries earlier Psalm 22:7; All those who see Me ridicule me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him! Deliverance may not take the form you desire...but the Servant will deliver, on His terms and according to His timing...and desire. 6

7 Death for Christians is never a hopeless end, but rather the beginning of an endless hope. Blessed assurance Jesus is mine, O what a foretaste of Glory divine! Kent Hughes makes this remarkable observation: If we are obedient to Christ, there will be plenty of storms. There will be danger and difficulty and weariness and exposure and anxiety and dread and sadness. We will be open to an index of sorrows and stresses which are unknown to the uncommitted heart. But take cheer: Christ sees all and knows when we feel we are alone and fear that no one knows or cares. He prays for us, even while we are in the storm. He comes to us in the midst of the gale, treading across the problems that afflict us. What a blessing! We learn, we grow we worship like never before! Sometimes we must be hurt in order to grow, We must fail in order to know, We must lose in order to gain, Some lessons are learned best only through pain. Sometimes our vision clears, Only after our eyes are washed with tears. Sometimes we have to be broken, So we can be tender; Sick, so we can rest and think better On things more important than work or fun; Trip near death, so we can assess how we ve ran. Sometimes we have to suffer lack So we can know God s provisions. Feel another s pain So we can have a sense of mission. So take heart, my friend, If you don t understand today, Instead of grumbling, ask God what he means to say. In order to learn, you must endure And learn to see the bigger picture. In order to grow, you must stand Look beyond the hurt, to God s loving hand. That takes what is good And gives what is best And on this blessed thought: rest. As your anxious heart, with questions: wait. God s hand only gives, what his loving heart dictates. 7