Obedient Faith

INTRO

Good afternoon. I want to speak to you all this afternoon as your pastor. I have had a heavy heart and a full mind over these past few weeks. As a people, as the church, we are faced with issues that we must respond to. This afternoon the text we find ourselves in I believe gives us some footing for the issues that are plaguing us over the recent months as weeks. As Christians we have convictions about things. We have beliefs and stances about issues that are happening right now throughout our world. When you look at systemic injustice, in America and also in China, or you look at the world crisis of Covid-19 and the economic strain that has placed on people, we as Christians have been given tools by our Lord Jesus that helps us respond to these things. At times you may feel helpless. At times you may feel, what can I do? You may even give into despair, that says “This is just how things will be”. But I want you to know that Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Church, has not left you, has not left His church powerless in these times. I want to talk about the toil of faith. There is a grind, a hard work, when it comes to obedience to Christ and when it comes to faith. Mark is going to show us 4 things about Christ that can encourage you, and remind you that in this fight, in this toil of obedience, Jesus has not left us alone, nor has he left us powerless. Let’s stand for the reading of God’s word:

Mark 6:45–52 CSB

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After he said good-bye to them, he went away to the mountain to pray. Well into the night, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Very early in the morning he came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them. When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke with them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded, because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

Mark 6:45–52 CNVT

事後耶穌立刻催門徒上船，叫他們先渡到對岸的伯賽大去，等他自己叫眾人散開。他離開了他們，就上山去禱告。到了晚上，船在海中，耶穌獨自在岸上，看見門徒辛辛苦苦地搖櫓，因為風不順。天快亮的時候，耶穌在海面上向他們走去，想要趕過他們。門徒看見他在海面上走，以為是鬼怪，就喊叫起來；因為他們都看見了他，非常恐懼。耶穌立刻對他們說：「放心吧！是我，不要怕。」於是上了船，和他們在一起，風就平靜了。門徒心裡十分驚奇，因為他們還不明白分餅這件事的意義，他們的心還是遲鈍。

Trust In the commands of Christ

Last week Jesus had just performed an incredible miracle. He fed over 8000 people with 5 pieces of bread and two loaves. It was incredible that John tells us that the crowds were pressuring to Jesus to become King right there on the spot:

John 6:15

John 6:15 CSB

Therefore, when Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

John 6:15 CNVT

耶穌知道群眾要來強迫他作王，就獨自又退到山上去了。

What is happening here. So in the midst of the chaos and the crowd trying to come and force Jesus to become King, Jesus gives His command to His disciples to go away on the boat. I want us to stop and consider what Jesus is doing. He is telling His disciples to obey command that is taking them away from success away from comfort, away from popularity, into difficulty.

Number one truth in this life of faith that Mark wants the church to see. We must trust in the commands of Christ. Spurgeon said, “their sailing was not merely under his sanction, but by his express command. They were in the right place and yet they met with a terrible storm”Commands of Christ are not suggestions, they are not optional. We are people who bend to His word, not bend His word to ours.

What a lesson for the Church! Imagine what disobedience could have gotten those men that night: perhaps a full stomach, a warm bed in someone’s home, a mass following. It was obedience that made them so uncomfortable.

All of us have a tendency to be impressed with success, to think of this kind of success as the goal in life. IF this is what we are after, we will miss so much more of what Jesus has for us. I believe as Jesus is pushing His disciples into that boat, He is looking into their eyes and saying “trust me.” Faith is about trusting in who Jesus is and what He says even when we don’t know what is going to happen.

Hebrews 11:8 CSB

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going.

Hebrews 11:8 CNVT

因著信，亞伯拉罕在蒙召的時候，就聽命往他將要承受為業的地方去；他出去的時候，還不知道要往哪裡去。

Faith requires obedience, and obedience requires faith. There is no type of faith in Christ that doesn’t require obedience, and there is no type of obedience that doesn’t require faith.

Francis Chan illustration of daughter cleaning her room

Church, the church of Jesus Christ has a stance on racism, it’s evil, it’s demonic, and it must be healed through the means of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His blood was spilt to destroy racism and to create a new humanity, with Him as the head. This command to love one another, isn’t an option, it is a command.

Bilingual not as comfortable but what God has called us to do, talk about this.

God’s church done God’s way through God’s people.

Helped Through the Prayers of Christ

Mark tells us that Jesus goes away to pray. In the midst of the busyness and chaos, Jesus is like “I need to get alone to pray.” First of all, if any of us ever have the excuse, “I’m too busy to pray” it’s a lie. IF anyone was too busy to pray it was Jesus, but look, He’s tired, He’s just left this mass mob, and He goes on the mountain to pray. What was Jesus praying for? Probably a few different things, but I want to focus on one aspect of Jesus’ prayers. Jesus knows that His disciples are going to face a test of faith, and so He is praying for them. Jesus commands, but also intercedes. Jesus sends, but also goes to pray. This picture of Jesus on His knees praying for His disciples really struck me this week. Jesus knows our weakness, He knows our trials, and in the midst of the greatest mission, salvation, in the midst of the mass of mobs that wanted Him to be King, He stops and prays for His disciples as they set out to obey His command to cross the sea. Christ’s intercession is linked to Him being a faithful High Priest. Hebrews says that Jesus was made perfect through His obedience. Jesus knew the struggle of being whole hearted obedient to God. Now you and I will never be completely and fully obedient to God, but Jesus was. However He experienced the struggle to obey even when it is difficult. That is why His intercession for us, is linked to His experience as living as one of us.

Are you encouraged to know that Jesus prays for you? Here is an example from the Gospel of Luke with Jesus and Peter:

Luke 22:31–32 CSB

“Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

John 11:42 CSB

I know that you always hear me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so that they may believe you sent me.”

John 11:42 CNVT

我知道你常常聽我，但我說這話，是為了周圍站著的群眾，叫他們信是你差了我來。」

Luke 22:31–32 CNVT

「西門，西門，撒但設法要得著你們，好篩你們像篩麥子一樣；但我已經為你祈求，叫你的信心不至失掉。你回頭的時候，要堅固你的弟兄。」

Jesus’ prayer is not one from creature to Creator, but one of a Son to a Father. Mark is telling the church, in this life of faith, in this life of obedience, be encouraged, Jesus is empathetically, and powerfully interceding for you. Jesus’ prayers are effective, Jesus’ prayers are always heard. Jesus’ prayer are powerful, and they are directed towards us for our help and for our benefit.

Even in our disobedience He pleads our cause before the Father, and presents the cross as the cause for our acceptance before the Father, not our perfect obedience.

What if your most respected Christian leader called you and said “hey” I want you to know that everyday throughout the whole day I am interceding and praying for you. What if I told you personally that every day, all of the leadership are praying for you personally? Would you not feel this wind of encouragement, would you and I not feel this lift in our confidence? HOW MUCH MORE SHOULD WE BE ENCOURAGED THAT JESUS the exalted Son of God DOES THIS FOR US! The prayers we need most are not our own. This is so encouraging. That in our weakness, Jesus is praying for us.

Jesus prays for you. He prays for you Pat, He prays for you Ken ,ect. He prays for us. He is praying for His disciples now. And when we experience pain, suffering, and confusion that is to deep for words, guess what? Jesus is still praying still, through the Holy Spirit:

Romans 8:26–27 CSB

In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Romans 8:26–27 CNVT

照樣，聖靈也在我們的軟弱上幫助我們。原來我們不曉得應當怎樣禱告，但聖靈親自用不可言喻的歎息，替我們祈求。那鑒察人心的，曉得聖靈的心意，因為聖靈照著　神的旨意替聖徒祈求。

Jesus is praying for His church, for us CityLight. This is where we need to start. As a church, let’s begin with intercession. The problems of this word are not fought and won by kings in castles, but men and women on their knees in prayer. Let’s fight the battle here, now, as we go out and proclaim the Gospel.

Comforted That Christ Sees

Well into the night, they’ve been at this for hours, and have only gone short distance. The boat was right in the middle. Have you ever felt this way? Where you haver said yes to the call of Christ, where you have made a step forward in initial obedience, but now you find yourself, stuck, right in the middle? You feel stuck, and maybe not making much progress? Mark tells us that when we are in this place, as the disciples are in this place. Jesus see’s them. That even though the disciples were “alone” at sea, they were never away from the watchful eye of Jesus. Distance doesn’t keep Jesus from seeing and being watchful over His disciples.

J.I. Packer says, “Living becomes an amazing thing when you realize that you spend every moment of your life in the sight and company of an omniscient, omnipotent Creator.”

He sees us. His watchful eye is never away from us. HE knows you, HE sees you. You are always before His mind. The Psalms say this:

Psalm 139:7 CSB

Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

Psalm 139:7 CNVT

我到哪裡去躲避你的靈？ 我往哪裡去逃避你的面呢？

You are not forgotten, you are ever before Him. You may feel like God has forgotten you. You may feel alone right now, alone out on the sea like the disciples. But the truth of the Word of God is that in Christ HE has your name written on His hand. NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD IN CHRIST. He sees His disciples.

Temples have to say name address, ect. But not Jesus. The bible says He knew you before you were born.

Psalm 139:13 CSB

For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Psalm 139:13 CNVT

我的臟腑是你所造的， 在我母腹中你塑造了我。

Mark says Jesus sees the disciples straining at the oars. I wonder if the disciples at this point are like, “okay this is the last time I’m getting into a fishing boat.....”

"STRAINING”. This is that toil I was talking about earlier. The reality that faith in Jesus, living a life of faith not by sight, a life of obedience it can be a grind. Work. Sometimes obedience to Jesus creates more tension in your life, not less. The word that Mark uses here for “against” in verse 48 is a word that mean’s harass. The disciples were straining because the wind was harassing them. Failure, not danger, is in view . The Gospel of John says they had worked all night but only had gone a few miles. How often have you felt this way? Trying to obey Jesus, trying to be faithful to live by faith, it just seems like you are getting no where. Many times you think “what is the point?” Hudson Taylor says this about moments like this:

“How the tendency to resentment and a wrong feeling would be removed, could we take an injury from the hand of a loving FATHER, instead of looking chiefly at the agent through whom it comes to us! Hudson Taylor

Anything we suffer or toil for for Christ’s sake is a privilege not a penalty. It is from the hand of a loving, sovereign King. What I believe Mark wants us to see is the greater the adversity, the greater the revelation.

In the Chinese language there is the character for the word “ku” in Chinese 苦. If you look at the character, it looks like a two eyes a nose and a mouth. Buddhist believe this character represents the idea that to be human is to suffer. Which is true. However, then buddhists will say the way to relieve that suffering is to follow the 8 fold path. But Christianity offers us something so much better.

Empowered By The Person Of Christ

“Very early in the morning”. From the last verse until now it is a span of a couple of hours. Jesus allows His disciples just to be in the toil, to be in the straining for a little bit of time. Christ comes to our aid in His timing and in His way. Then it says HE CAME.

How does He come? It says He came walking on the waves wanting to pass by them. This phrase “pass by them” doesn’t mean that Jesus was trying to sneak around the disciples and then the disciples figured it out. This is actually a phrase that describes a moment where God is about to allow His glory to pass by His people. In the Old Testament there were these moments where God in His grace allowed His glory to be revealed and it was described as “passing by”. This is what Jesus is doing. As He is walking along the water, His desire is that His disciples would get a greater revelation of His glory. In a moment of straining in a moment where they feared failure, they were given an unbelievable revelation of the glory of God. The greater the adversity, the greater the revelation of Christ’s glory. Some of you have really small views of Jesus because you haven’t taken any steps of faith in your life. If you have a real small view of Jesus, I’d encourage you to begin by saying how are doing in obeying and trusting in the commands of Jesus?

The wind and the waves have no effect on Him. What Marks shows us is this:

What was a hindrance and an obstacle for the disciples became simple instruments in the hands of Christ to display His glory. The wind and waves that were harassing the disciples became tools. There are things right now in your life or in my life, that we see as obstacles. WE could see maybe culture being an obstacle, we could see traditional religion being an obstacle, we could see politics being an obstacle, but this is the truth of God, that God can use all things, to display His glory and power. In the Old Testament you have God telling His people hundreds of years before, that there will be a king over Persia named Cyrus, and he will do my will. That there is no power, there is no thing, there is no obstacle, no hindrance that God in His power can not use to display His glory. I believe that where we are experiencing toil and obstacles, there will be moments, if we continue to be faithful, that we will see a greater revelation of the power of God.

He comes and walks on water. He could have calmed the winds, where he was, or have sent an angel to their relief; but he chose to help them in the most personal manner possible, and therefore came to them himself. This is the Gospel, that while we were dead in our sins Christ came to us to save us!

Ephesians 2:5 CNVT

就在我們因過犯死了的時候，使我們與基督一同活過來，（你們得救是靠著恩典，）

Ephesians 2:5 CSB

made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

Romans 5:8 CSB

But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8 CNVT

唯有基督在我們還作罪人的時候為我們死，　神對我們的愛就在此顯明了。

HE came Himself. HE didn’t do through a book, HE did through His body. He didn’t see our suffering our toil and say, let me send a prophet, let me send a teacher, no He came Himself!

So Jesus tells us the same thing that He tells His disciples! “Have Courage. It Is I. Don’t Be Afraid.”

Have courage. Don’t be afraid. Full assurance and confidence. Story of old church that prayed for rain.

Without the person of Christ we are left are stuck in the struggle of life. There is no lifeline, there is no life raft, there is no Christ in your boat to lead you to take you. You are left in your own strength. options are, Row harder! Jump overboard or Surrender. Surrender to the One who walks on the waves and comes to you in His glory and in His power!

CONCLUSION

What: Mark is calling us, to be reminded of these 4 things about Christ as we are called to live a life of obedient faith. He is persuading you to trust in Christ, to be obedient to Christ, even when it leads you into tension, even when it leads you away from success, away from comfort.

How: Obedient faith is something we will be challenged with every day. Spouses, will we love our husbands, love our wives the way Christ commands us to, even if we do not SEE the immediate results? As we go to work, will we continue to be representatives of Jesus even when our co-workers don’t respond the way we want them to? Will we church, continue to obey the Great Commission of making disciples here in Linkou, even if we don’t see the immediate result?

Why: We do these things, because Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday and forever, and He has commanded us, He is praying for us, He sees us, and He has come to us and lives in us.

Let’s pray.