Mark 6:45-56 "The Storm of Instruction"

Marc Transparenti

The Gospel of Mark • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

Mark 6:45–56

Jesus Walks on Water

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Jesus walks on water to continue to lead His disciples to a deeper place of understanding of who He is.

Notes

Transcript

Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City!

Well, if you haven’t heard… no offers were accepted on the Church building…

I should have expected this, because our church life seems to mimic what we are studying… and today we read that the disciples enter into a storm…

I looked ahead and there are some miracles coming, so who knows… perhaps the Lord will still work a miracle for us.

But, whatever the Lord wants… we are good either way.

Well… let’s look at this storm today… Please turn in your Bibles to Mark 6. Mark 6:45-56… the famous account where Jesus walks on water.

We left off where Jesus fed the 5,000 men… probably triple that number when you include the women and children.

Jesus had called His disciples to rest after returning from their short-term mission trip…

But, they would get no rest… because a massive crowd followed them to where they intended to rest…

And, Jesus had compassion on them, for they were like sheep not having a Shepherd…

Vulnerable… no one to guide them to green grass and still waters…

Such a sad assessment being they were in Israel… and their priests and Levites had been entrusted with the Law and the Prophets…

But, they added a mile-wide hedge of protection around it… adding traditions and dead rituals.

Religion never saves… only relationship with Jesus saves… and the people that Jesus had compassion on… knew only religion… and they were shepherd-less.

So, Jesus fed them first spiritually… we read “he taught them many things...”

And, as the day was far spent, the disciples were ready for the people to go home… to go away… and so they commanded Jesus “Send them away...”

And, they were out of line. Servants don’t command the Master.

Instead of sending the masses home… Jesus calls the Disciples to an impossible task…

“You give them something to eat...” He instructed.

And, through this… they would receive the lesson of the loaves and fish…

To look to the One who makes the impossible possible.

Not to focus on our own resources… which are lacking.

And, when we put what little we have… our loaves and fish into Jesus’ hands… He can take what we give Him, bless it… and multiply it.

In the moment… the disciples did not fully understand all that was happening… V52 states, “… they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.”

But, in time… this miracle of multiplication would have a significant impact on them… as seen through all four Gospel writers recording the feeding of the 5,000… only 1 of 2 miracles recorded in all four Gospel.

The other miracle in all four Gospels is the Resurrection.

Today… we pick up just following this tremendous miracle…

And, Jesus instructs His disciples to leave and head in the direction of Capernaum (according to John)…

As the crowd is getting out of control…

And, as they sail and row three to four miles out… they get caught in another storm…

A storm Jesus leads them into intentionally… with purpose to bring the disciples to a deeper place of understanding who He is.

The title of today’s message is “The Storm of Instruction.”

Let’s Pray!

Mark 6:45–52 “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. 46 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. 47 Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. 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. 49 And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; [“for fear” Matthew adds] 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.” 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. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.”

This account begins with the word “Immediately” which suggests a rushed departure.

Departing from where is a bit of a mystery… let’s pull up our map which gives some approximations…

The traditional site of the Feeding of the 5,000 is Tabgha… west of Capernaum… where a couple Catholic Churches stand today.

But, Lk 9:10 states they were near the city of Bethsaida (east of Capernaum)…

Call me biased, but I’ll lean towards what I read in Scripture over traditional church locations…

A little bit South of Bethsaida was a deserted place… so possibly this is where they departed from after the feeding of the 5,000…

And, then they sailed towards Bethsaida… were wind tossed… and cross over to Gennesaret… the west side of the Sea of Galilee… which make sense from Bethsaida… not so much from Tabgha…

So, departing from where… a little bit mysterious… departing from whom… not so mysterious.

They were departing from the same great multitude of people whom Jesus fed with the loaves and fish.

And, something was brewing in this massive crowd that caused Jesus to immediately remove His disciples and then Himself from them.

A quick cross reference in John 6:14-15 tells us why… Jn 6:14-15 “Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world. 15 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.”

The sign of feeding the 5,000 men… perhaps 15,000 including women and children… led the masses to conclude that Jesus was the promised Prophet foretold in passages like Deut 18:15… “… God will raise up for you a Prophet like me...”

The Passover feast was near according to John, which was a time of heightened sensitivity to Messiah’s return…

So when Jesus did miracles, this put them over the edge and… they want to seize Him by force and make Him King…

The reason why is explained by Jesus in John 6:25-27 where He addressed the crowd of thousands saying… “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

They wanted to elevate Jesus to a kingly position… with selfish motives.

Because they ate the loaves and were filled.

Because Jesus filled their bellies…

They wanted to make Him the “Bread King” if you will.

They didn’t want to make Him King when He called them to repentance… or when He taught them many things… or when He cast out demons and healed the sick…

What put Jesus on their political ballot, was He gave them loaves and fish. It was physical satiation that pushed them over the edge.

And, the problem with this is it’s shallow theology… it’s the danger of the stony ground in the Parable of the Soils.

Remember that soil… that heart? Mark 4:5 Jesus taught… “Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.”

The stony soil was the shallow hearted person… and the problem with that kind of soil is found in Jesus’ interpretation in Mark 4:16-17 “These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.”

There’s no promise in scripture that following Jesus means prosperity 100% of the time. Sure He can bless us, but there are also amply warnings of trials or persecution in the Christian life.

And, while difficult… the disciples would need the lesson of the storms.

Can you imagine how ill prepared the disciples would have been in Acts… if in the Gospels Jesus only filled their bellies?

How shallow would their faith have been if He never put them through a storm?

Without the storms… would they have withstood the trials in Acts… and ultimately the trials of martyrdom… without falling away?

The quality of your faith is not best seen when Jesus is prospering you… when He’s filling your belly… when life is good.

The quality of your faith is revealed in the storm… because it’s at that time when faith in Him and His promises are on display.

That’s when the people around us see if we truly believe that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

If Jesus filling your belly is your primary motive for following Him… you’re following Him for the wrong reason.

If you only signed up for the “all-you-can-eat buffet Jesus”, what happens in a time of famine?

A theology of Jesus that is all health and prosperity… is not balanced… and it’s dangerous because it ignores the biblical teachings and warnings of trials and persecution.

And, you will not be prepared properly WHEN trials come.

This “belly full theology” leads people to become fixated on the material… on physical needs.

They think of Jesus like a Genie in a bottle. Grant me my three wishes Jesus.

And, this pervasive attitude still exists today… and it’s wrong… harmful, and confusing.

People love the “what can you do for me Jesus” until He commands them to “take up your cross and follow Me.”

The moment Jesus calls for personal sacrifice… for many they believe He’s now crossed the line.

In Luke 18, the Rich Young Ruler had many good traits, but remember his response when in Luke 18:22, Jesus said, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

When the rich young ruler heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

God often does prosper us… no doubt, but what if He doesn’t? What is He call you to sell all you have?

So, in response to this crowd who wanted to force Jesus to become their Bread King…

Jesus creates distance.

Jesus strongly urged His disciples to depart… to sail to the other side… to move away from the crowd… and perhaps their influence.

Then, Jesus dismissed the crowd… Go home.

F. B. Meyer wrote, “He always fled when they wanted to make Him King, and presented Himself when they wanted to crucify Him.”

Imagine if we all lived this way… totally sold out to the Father’s will.

In V46… After distancing Himself from the multitude… Jesus then went to a mountain alone to pray.

And, going alone to pray given this context is important to note…

Despite the long day… and the disappointing motives of the people… none of this drove Jesus away from the Father… but it drove Him to commune with the Father in prayer.

Which is a good model for us… because difficulties do arise in life… and when they arise… running to the Father in prayer should be our routine.

In V47… evening comes… the disciples have since departed… sailing out and find themselves in the middle of the Sea of Galilee…

They’re about 3-4 miles out according to John… and the Sea of Galilee is about 8 miles wide… so, there’s no easy way out… they’re going to have to weather the storm starting in V48.

On the Sea of Galilee, when cold air rushes down the surrounding mountains (4,000 feet above sea level) colliding with the warm valley air down in the Sea of Galilee (700 feet below sea level)… sudden violent storms can erupt…

And the disciples are caught in one such storm. Jn 6:18 reads, “Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.”

They’re caught in the tempest.

In contrast, V47 states, “and He [Jesus] was alone on the land.”

I find it interesting that in the storm of Mark 4… Jesus was in the boat with the disciples but here in Mark 6…

They are alone in the boat and Jesus is on the land.

This is a lesson… and Jesus increased the level of intensity…

The disciples find themselves in an advanced course…

In Mark 4, Jesus was with them, but sleeping in the boat…

In Mark 6 Jesus sent them out alone… while He was on the mountain…

And, one lesson they would learn is that in neither circumstance were they ever abandoned by God.

As soon as they went to Jesus in Mark 4 and woke Him… as soon as they looked to Jesus… He said “Peace be still” and calmed the storm.

A lesson to go to Him during the storm.

And, what was He doing in Mark 6? Jesus saw them in the storm… and what was He doing? He was praying…

So often in our storms, we are not abandoned, but He is praying for us.

Heb 7:25 reads, “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

What is He doing as we live this storm called “life”? He is interceding on our behalf…

In John 17… Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer… a beautiful prayer…

The bulk of that prayer is Jesus praying for His disciples and for all believers…

He prays His disciples would have His joy… that His disciples would be kept from the evil one… for sanctification…

“Sanctify them by Your truth. your word is truth.” John 17:17 (love that verse)

...for Christian unity… for glorification…

And, I point these things out, because so often in the midst of a trial… a storm of life… people often mistakenly think God doesn’t care… or that He’s absent, but we see in both of these storms… His very real presence…

Praying for the disciples… even walking on water to them…

He’s right there with us.

I’d like to also point out that once again… in obedience to Jesus… the disciples get into a boat and find themselves in a storm…

They’re in the center of God’s will and in the center of a storm.

Take note of that… because being in a trial does not necessarily mean you are outside of God’s will.

The Disciples get driven nearly four miles out in middle of the sea… storm tossed… trying to gain control… fearing for their lives… and why are they there?

Because Jesus told them to go…He compelled them to get in the boat.

Jesus led them to the storm because He’s the God of the Storm… the Storm was the tool He used for their spiritual breakthrough.

If life were perfect all the time…many would see no need for God.

Trials, disruptions and storms in life, though unpleasant...are the very thing that causes many to cry out to God.

And, anything that draws you closer to God is good…even if difficult.

If you recall when I taught in Mark 4:35-41… I touched on various kinds of storms one can experience in life…

Some go through storms of disobedience… where they are outside the will of God…

Jonah made this mistake… and God used a storm and a great fish to bring Jonah back on course.

Then there are storms of obedience… where one is in God’s will, and still is led by God into a storm for a purpose.

The disciple in Mark 4 find themselves in a life-threatening storm due to their obedience to follow Jesus and to be in the boat with Him.

They were in the center of God’s will and also in the center of a storm…

Jesus got into the boat with them and said, “Let us cross over to the other side.”

They obeyed and He led them into a storm to bring them to a deeper place of understanding who He is.

After Jesus calmed that storm, Mark 4:41 concluded with the disciples statement, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Finally, there are storms of instruction. This is the kind of storm where God is perfecting us… and again… where one can be right in the center of God’s will while in this storm.

These instructive storms lead us to recognize and understand who He is…

I believe this is the kind of storm our disciples find themselves in here in Mark 6.

The parallel account in Matthew 14:33 concludes with the disciples response of worshipping Jesus and saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

So, while no doubt difficult… the storm has a good effect… a good result… the disciples understand Jesus deeper…

And, understanding Him is the same journey we are all on in life.

Jesus was alone on the mountain… and V48 states Jesus “… saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them.”

The word “straining” means “to torture.” It comes from an interesting root word which means “touchstone” which was a dark stone used for testing metals, but implied “examination by torture.”

And, there are some parallels between storms of life and torture… because both are devices to draw out.

Torture draws out information.

And storms… can be used to draw out dross… impurities… or imperfections in our faith.

And, the disciples had imperfections in their faith… V52 states their “heart was hardened”… there was a spiritual dullness present… and Jesus would use this storm to draw it out of them.

I find it admirable that the disciples… continue to row… they don’t give up.

How important is it for us to press on in our walk… despite what storm may be brewing around us?

No matter if our hands are blistered… no matter the storm or the head wind…

In Gal 6:9 Paul exhorted, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

Sometimes it’s hard to do good. To follow God… to live a life centered on spiritual disciplines… being led by the Spirit… submitted to the word…

But, there is a promise of a harvest if we do not give up.

I’m so thankful for the many OT examples we have of people who were in a storm… and did not give up…

They stuck it out… and didn’t give up on God… they didn’t forsake God despite their circumstance…

Joseph… sold into slavery by his brothers, who he later said, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” (Gen 50:20)

He saw God’s sovereign hand in the hardship of his situation.

Esther… when the whole nation stood on the brink of annihilation… she doesn’t forsake God, but risks her own life to appeal to the king.

Her attitude… “and if I perish, I perish!”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego… when facing the fiery furnace for not worshipping the idols of Babylon…

Boldly they said to Nebuchadnezzar, “...our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

They knew God could deliver them, but even if He didn’t… they still chose laying down their lives over forsaking God and worshipping idols.

All of them in a storm of life… all faithful to God… marvelous examples for us.

And, these disciples were in a battle… V48 states it was the “fourth watch” when Jesus finally comes out to them…

They were battling exhausting… and the elements… and time…

According to Roman reckoning, the night was divided into four watches: 6–9 P.M., 9–12, 12–3, and 3–6 A.M.

And, this was that final fourth watch… somewhere between 3-6 A.M. when Jesus finally comes out to them…

Jesus sent them to the sea during evening (around sundown by def.)…V47… and now it’s the fourth watch… about 9 hours later.

9 hours of rowing… “straining at rowing”… tortured… the wind against them… after a long day… no rest… exhausted…

Of course Jesus is going to do a miracle… we know the story… He walks on water… calms the storm…

But, why the wait?

Isn’t that a typical question we have for God? ‘Why are you waiting God? Deliver me from the storm! Take the pain… the sickness… the problem…”

And, God always answers with, “Yes…No…or Wait!”

God’s timing is perfect… it may not be our timing… and frankly we don’t always like the result…

But I know this… He is God and I am not.

Isa 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

And, that’s humbling. He is sovereign… He and His ways are higher than ours…

And, we see this play out so clearly when Jesus waits to the fourth watch to deliver them.

There’s a saying that goes, “God is never late; He’s seldom early; He’s always right on time.”

I think it’s also important to note that while the disciples toiled for 9 or so hours… Jesus was aware… and praying… and watching the disciples in the storm…

And, I imagine that was immensely difficult for Him, because with a word He could have made it all stop.

I don’t imagine Jesus up on the mountain having a good ol’ time… “Wow… look at those waves! That one really smacked Peter in the face! Someone grab me some popcorn… what a show!”

That’s not the heart of God at all. God is love.

Jesus had to give space to the disciples to experience this storm… remember V52 states their heart were hardened…

Jesus waited until the disciples were far spent before He came.

Perhaps they needed to be stripped of their self-sufficiency and their misplaced hope… believing their skills as boats-men would save them… believing their material things… their boat would save them…

I think sometimes the wait has less to do with God… and more to do with us.

Jesus could have come earlier, but would the storm have adequately stripped the disciples of their hard heart?

They had to realize their strength …their skill… their boat… none of this would save. Only Jesus saves.

They needed to come to a place of understanding that truly... Jesus is God.

Which is clearly demonstrated by what we read at the end of V48 “He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.

And, this is the most marvelous of moments…

And, it demonstrated… one… obviously that Jesus had power to do the impossible… to defy gravity…

To walk on water… and in this His divinity is on display.

But, also… what was the thing the disciples feared the most in this moment? The storm… specifically capsizing and drowning in the water.

And, what does Jesus use as pavement. The water.

He’s walking on the very thing they feared the most in that moment.

Jesus has mastery over our greatest fears in life.

11x we read the phrase “Fear not” in the Bible…

50x we read the phrase “Do not be afraid”… predominately spoken by God… sometimes by Angels…

51x we read the phrase “Do not fear...”

Do you think God want’s us to live in fear?

Augustine said, “He came walking on the waves; and so he puts all the swelling storms of life under his feet. Christians, why be afraid?”

When John received the vision of the Revelation… the apŏkalupsis… the Apocalypse or uncovering…

He had an overwhelming glorious vision of Jesus… eyes like a flame of fire…

And, in Revelation 1:17-18 John wrote, “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, [tenderly] saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

Death is one of the greatest fears people have in life… and Jesus conquered death just as easily as He walked on water.

We sang that song earlier, “Death could not hold You, the veil tore before You You silenced the boast of sin and grave...”

He’s got the keys of hell and death… and for anyone who believes in Him… just as He died and rose again and lives forevermore… “Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” (1 Cor 15:23)

In numerous ways… Jesus is still walking on water today and showing Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

It wasn’t the bread the brought the disciples to a place of worship… it was when Jesus conquered the storm.

And, notice at the end of V48… the odd phrase… Jesus “...would have passed them by.”

I have so many questions… and very few answers as to why Mark added that note.

And, looking at the various translations of Mark 6:48 doesn’t help:

NKJV "He...would have passed them by."

NASB "He intended to pass by them.

ESV "He meant to pass by them."

HCSB "He...wanted to pass by them."

NIV "He was about to pass by them..."

What is happening here? Did Jesus want to and intended to pass by them…and was almost about to… He would have, but didn’t?

Kind of like when you’re in public… and you see that person you don’t want to… and you try to avoid them…

You wanted and intended to pass them by…and were almost about to… and would have… but then you made eye contact.

“Oh, hey… how are you doing?”

Well… I don’t think that’s what’s going on here with Jesus…

There are a number of interpretations to this verse… and not all make sense to me, but be a Berean, and do your own side study.

What does make sense to me… is first what my Pastor (Dan Sexton) taught… that Jesus came to the disciples… NOT to deliver them, but to come alongside them… to support them… perhaps even to get in front of them… and to guide them.

Picture a parent teaching their child to walk or ride a bike… at first the parent is next to the child… spotting them… guiding them, but what is the goal?

The goal is for the child to navigate balancing… which is difficult at first… without being caught.

And, the storm is that hard thing… Jesus is there and comes out to spot them… to guide them…

But a day was coming when He wouldn’t be there to catch them…

And, He wants them to learn to walk by faith… He won’t step in every time they stumble.

This is part of the lesson of the storm.

Still… there is a point when… like a toddler running towards stairs… a good parent must step in to save them.

And, I don’t want to hear any comments later asking why there’s not a baby gate by the stairs in my analogy… it’s my analogy… you add a baby gate to your analogy.

David Guzik wrote, “Jesus... would have passed them by. Jesus came over to them only after they responded with fear and cried out.”

The disciples have reached the point where they are close to the edge. They are overwhelmed with fear… and have hit their tipping point… so Jesus steps in.

In V49, the disciples all see Jesus walking on the water, and the believe it is a ghost Gk. phantasma meaning a spirit, but not the Holy Spirit… they think this is a demonic spectre or apparition.

And, the parallel accounts give the impression they were terrified and panicking.

But, Jesus immediately calms their fears and dispels their superstition…

Fear was the NATURAL response in this moment. But, Jesus immediately encouraged them to a SUPERNATURAL response… saying in V50, “Be of good cheer! [Or ‘Take Courage’] It is I; do not be afraid.”

And, consistently in scripture… the remedy for fear… is the presence of God.

Isa 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you...”

Ps 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me...”

And, as they fear… Jesus now draws close to them.

Now our Author… Mark… does not include the detail about Peter saying, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

Which is a bad move for a guy named “stone.” Just saying…

It’s commonly thought that Mark was a disciple of Peter, and the Gospel of Mark comes mostly through the eyes of Peter…

So, perhaps Peter didn’t like it detailed of him sinking once he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the storm.

Which Matthew did not hesitate to record… Matt 14:30 reads, “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

One scholar wrote, “Perhaps Peter was not fond of telling that story.”

But, that detail is not included in John either… only in Matthew 14.

Not sure why.

But, there are a few good takeaways from Peter here…

First, note… Peter is the only one recorded getting out of the boat… to be bold enough to walk on water.

We could be critical of Peter for sinking, but we must also appreciate that he was the only one to obey Jesus’ command, “Come” and get out of the boat.

Second, we see a parallel of what happens to us when we take our eyes off Jesus when we are in a storm.

We sink too. Peter was doing the impossible… walking on water until he feared and focused on the storm… versus having faith and focusing on Jesus.

Finally, note that Peter knew WHO to cry out to when he was sinking… NOT “Hey boys… throw me a Life Ring!”

But, “Lord, save me!”

How wise is it to cry out to God when we are sinking?

And, as Peter sinks “… immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Gently rebuking Peter’s doubt… which is a key lesson Jesus is driving at here in this Storm of Instruction.