Have you ever noticed how it's possible to be amazed by the miracles of Jesus and still be
completely oblivious to their true significance? Not only is that a possibility, but I think that
it's actually more common than what we would hope it to be. Just think of all of these people that
Jesus has encountered in the gospels up to this point and beyond. Thousands of people flocked to
Jesus and his disciples wherever he went, but very few of them actually believed and followed him.
They were eyewitnesses to his power, but they were utterly ignorant of his person.
They loved to see what he could do, but they completely missed who he was. And even the
people that were closest to Jesus, his 12 disciples in particular, still struggled to understand the
significance of Jesus's identity and purpose. And despite all that they had seen, despite all that
they had even partaken in as a result of the power and authority of Jesus, the disciples generally
misunderstood what all of that was about. And such is the case here at the conclusion of chapter six.
And it's for this reason that this miracle of Jesus walking on water of which probably all of us are so
familiar is actually one of the most significant moments in the life of the disciples as they walked
with Jesus. Now that might be a bit of a hard statement, but I think it's true because we look at all,
all that they experienced with Jesus clearly the most significant moment was when the resurrected Christ
appeared to these men. But this was such a massive turning point for these men in their acknowledgement of who
Jesus was and they're beginning to understand exactly what his purpose was in all of this. They were following him in
faith, but they just weren't getting it. All the things that they saw and experienced, it wasn't clicking. They
weren't bringing these connections together to really understand what Jesus was doing until this point.
And even at this point, they didn't quite grasp it, but something significant changed as we'll get to in
beginning to understand this. And so when we come to the miracle of the walking on the water,
it's not just meant to amaze us that Jesus did this really incredible thing, but I really think that we
should view this particular story and miracle as a turning point in the life of the 12 disciples.
We need to understand this event in tandem with the feeding of the 5,000, which is what we studied
last Sunday. You will have difficulty understanding the purpose of Jesus walking on water without
understanding first the purpose of Jesus feeding the 5,000. It's really not two different stories. It's
really one story. This walking on the water is really the conclusion to the story of Jesus feeding
the 5,000. When you go to the Gospels, Luke is the only one that doesn't cover Jesus walking on water,
but all four Gospels cover the feeding of the 5,000. Every time the walking on the water is mentioned,
it is always, always directly linked to Jesus feeding all of those people in the desolate place near
Bethsaida. And so you can't understand the two apart from one another.
It's not just for continuity of narrative. It's not just about that. There's a reason that these two
are linked together. And Mark, I think, lays out two particular reasons here that we want to cover
today. The first one is this, that in verse 45, we see this urgency with which Jesus sent the disciples
away. So he does this great miracle. He feeds all of these people. And then the very next verse,
we don't see anything else happening except for Jesus hurriedly, urgently making sure that his
disciples don't stay around. He's pushing them away. Go, get out of here, go get in the boat, go to the
other side, and I'll catch up with you later. There's an urgency to what Jesus is doing here. So the question
is, what's happening? What was happening in Bethsaida or near Bethsaida that Jesus had to so
urgently get these disciples away? So it's not just about this continuity and narrative telling story in a
particular order. There's a reason that these two are being connected. The second one is this. We read
it a moment ago. Look again with me at, what is it, verse 52. They were amazed, but why were they amazed?
Mark circles back around to the feeding of the 5,000. He says they were amazed because their hearts were
hardened due to them not understanding what the feeding of the 5,000 was all about. They didn't
understand the loaves. They hadn't considered that. Their hearts were hardened, which is a pretty
important statement when we come to Mark's gospel. And that's why things weren't clicking for them before.
That's why they were astounded. So after he gets all the way through this story of what Jesus has done,
he circles back around. And so we have to ask that question, why was Jesus sending these disciples
away with urgency? And what was it that they didn't get? What was it about this feeding of the 5,000 that
wasn't clicking for these men that Jesus had to go walk on water in order to make it click? Because
that's essentially what's happening. They've missed something massive. So Jesus, in order to demonstrate
something very specific to these men, walks on water. And that's what becomes the turning point for the men.
And it's these questions that I hope that we can answer this morning as we go through this chapter.
Now, remember, we're coming to the close of this chapter that has focused specifically on the
disciples. All of Mark's gospel is about Jesus. All of the Bible is about Jesus. But Mark is giving us
this picture of Jesus and telling these stories of Jesus in Mark chapter 6 through the lens of his
disciples, their training, and what it was that was going on in their minds.
Let me ask you, when you got saved, when you were converted to Christ, did everything that you read
in the Bible and everything that you had ever heard about the Bible just all of a sudden just click,
and you just had it, and you were just like, you're a doctor of theology now, it all just makes sense?
Of course not, right? Of course not.
The character of God is infinite.
You will never, you will never understand it all. You will never grasp it all.
I was talking to Caitlin and Michaela this morning about a song I was listening to this week.
It's a City of Light song called I Want to Know You.
And there's a bridge in the song, it says, it says like wave after wave on the ocean,
like all of the sand on the shore, your beauty and glory are endless. Oh Jesus, I must know you more.
And I think the more that we actually begin to understand the Bible, and the more we begin to
actually see who Christ is, we realize how little of Christ we actually understand.
And for a believer, it should put this desire, this fire in your heart.
Lord, I just want to know you more. I want to know more of who you are.
I want to understand this more.
So now let's put ourselves in the disciples' shoes.
Yes, they've seen some amazing things.
They had done some amazing things through the power of Christ.
But they're not any different than us.
Didn't mean that everything just clicked with them all of a sudden.
There was a progression to their understanding.
They grew in grace the same way that we grow in grace.
And it wasn't that they didn't have faith.
It wasn't that they weren't regenerate.
It wasn't any of that.
It was that this was just another step in their walk of faith.
And it ended up being a monumental moment for them in this time that they were following Christ.
So if you care to keep an outline, maybe next to verses 45 and 46 in those scripture journals,
you'll write this, messianic misunderstanding.
Messianic misunderstanding or misunderstanding the Messiah or however you'd want to phrase that.
It doesn't really matter to me.
But it's in verses 45 and 46 where we're going to see this.
And one of the recurring problems with the crowds that followed Jesus
was that they continually misunderstood the purpose of the Messiah.
It wasn't necessarily that they denied Jesus as being a messianic figure.
I think that was the point in the crowds following him is that they suspected that he was indeed
at least a Messiah from God.
What they misunderstood is exactly what that meant and exactly what the purpose of the Messiah would be.
They expected this political leader, this military hero that would deliver the nation from oppression
and would restore it to a former glory, like the glory of David's kingdom.
And even those who had followed Jesus expected a physical kingdom that would be established in their lifetime.
Now, Isaiah had prophesied that the coming of the Messiah would cause a few things to happen.
That deaf people would hear, that blind people would see, that lame people would walk,
that good news would be brought, that blessing would come upon the nation.
And what have we seen Jesus doing as he's going throughout Galilee in Mark's gospel?
He's preaching good news.
He's bringing blessing to the nation.
The deaf can hear, the blind can see, the lame can walk.
All of these things that the prophets had foretold would be true of the Messiah are true in Jesus.
And the crowds are starting to see that.
They're seeing, okay, this might be the one.
What they misunderstood is what the one was intending to do.
But then Jesus even admitted that he was the one.
Remember this from Luke chapter four.
You don't have to turn there.
Maybe write it in the margins of your notes and you can reflect on it later.
Luke chapter four, Jesus's first visit to Nazareth after his ministry had begun.
And he goes and he's allowed to speak in the synagogue.
And it says that in the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him.
He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written.
The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
And Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
And he began to say this,
Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.
Okay, Jesus was clear.
Sometimes we wonder that.
Why wasn't Jesus more clear?
That's pretty clear.
And that's early on in his ministry.
He's reading these prophets and he's saying,
I am that one.
And so it's not that the people didn't think he was the Messiah or a Messiah.
It's that they misunderstood what his whole purpose was.
Remember John the Baptist?
Before he was executed, he's in the prison.
And remember, he's confused.
Because even John the Baptist thought that Jesus,
though he knew Jesus to be the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world,
he thought Jesus was bringing a physical kingdom then in his lifetime.
And he's confused because he is sitting in the prison.
And he wasn't thinking that that was going to be a part of the plan of the Messiah
and of his cousin, Jesus.
He didn't think that's what was going to happen.
And remember, he sends some of his own followers to Jesus.
And they say,
John wanted us to ask you,
Are you the one or should we look for another?
And what was it that Jesus said?
You can read it in Matthew 11 or Matthew 14.
One of those passages has this in context.
And Jesus says,
Jesus heals a few folks in front of John's disciples.
And he does all these works.
And then he turns to those disciples.
And he says,
Go and tell John that the deaf hear,
and the blind see,
and the lame walk,
and good news is preached to the people.
In other words,
John, you know,
you may not understand what I'm doing,
but you know I'm the one to do it.
So go tell John,
Don't worry.
Things are fine.
So even the people that were closest to him
didn't quite get it at this point.
But he was doing all of these things.
So with that in mind,
look at verse 45.
Immediately,
I'm reading from the ESV now.
Immediately,
he made his disciples get into the boat
and go before him to the other side,
to Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd.
So there's this misunderstanding.
People aren't grasping exactly,
even the disciples aren't grasping exactly
what Jesus' purpose is.
Something is now happening on the side of this hill,
and Jesus forces these disciples to leave.
You have to get out of here.
Go get in the boat and go away.
The feeding of the 5,000 had taken place,
as we talked about last week,
in a desolate place.
It was in the region of Bethsaida,
which is northeast Galilee.
Probably,
there's some confusion
over what's happening in direction.
There's no reason to be confused.
Jesus is sending them away
to go to the other side.
Okay?
He's sending them to go back to the other side,
probably around the shoreline,
the way that they had come.
But why?
Well,
this particular area
was known to be a stronghold
for the zealot movement.
You'll probably recognize that term
because one of Jesus' disciples
was a zealot.
His name was Simon.
In one passage,
he's called Simon the Canaanite,
which literally means zealot.
That's what he was.
He was a part of this zealot movement.
Now,
this tells you something
about Jesus' mindset
toward this group.
Simon repented of
and left that group
in order to follow Jesus.
Now,
that was a messianic group.
They cared about Israel.
They cared about the Messiah.
They cared about all those things.
But that didn't mean
that they had it all together.
It didn't mean
that they were thinking rightly
about who Jesus is
and what the Savior would do.
In fact,
they were a military group.
They were hiding in the hills,
training in order to kill,
in order that they might free Israel
from the bondage
that they had experienced in Rome.
So they were freedom fighters.
They were revolutionaries.
And what they expected
the Messiah to do
was to be a military leader
that would lead them
in their training
in a fight,
a physical fight,
against Rome.
Now,
because this is the place
where this feeding took place,
some have suggested
that this crowd
was made up
predominantly of zealots.
He's in zealot territory.
All four Gospels
emphasized
that it was 5,000 men.
We know that there were women
and children there too,
but the emphasis is on the men.
Could it be
that this is basically
a group of 5,000 zealots
that have gathered
on the hillside
that now have witnessed
with their own eyes
Jesus do an incredible miracle?
And now they think,
okay,
the Messiah is here.
We've been training for this.
It's time to go fight.
And there's this messianic fervor
that's misunderstood
because they didn't really understand
who Jesus was.
And John tells us
that they attempted
to make Jesus a king
by force.
In fact,
John chapter 6,
verse 14,
when the people saw the sign
that he had done,
they said,
this is indeed the prophet
who is to come into the world.
Perceiving then
that they were about to come
and take him by force
to make him a king,
Jesus withdrew again
to the mountain by himself.
So why is it
that Jesus is sending
the disciples away
in such a hurried fashion?
Because the disciples
generally agreed
with the messianic expectations
of the people.
And they were probably
getting caught up
in the zeal of the crowd.
Zealots are ready
to take Jesus by force,
force him to be their leader.
They're going to go
fight against Rome.
And here's the disciples
on the other end
who are gung-ho for that.
That's what they thought
this was all about.
They thought,
yes,
this is it.
We're going to be
his right-hand men.
And they're getting excited.
And Jesus says,
no,
you need to get out of here.
It's time for you
to leave.
The language in verse 45
indicates that Jesus
had to force them out,
that they were reluctant
to leave.
And now we begin
to understand exactly
why this was such an issue
with the disciples.
After everything
they had witnessed Jesus do,
after Jesus calling
them to be apostles
that were going to
continue his kingdom,
they were going to
take his kingdom
across the world,
they didn't even understand
what that kingdom was.
They didn't even understand
what that purpose
was going to be.
They were susceptible
to the political enthusiasm
of the crowd.
So Jesus commanded them
to sail to the other side.
And it's just a reminder.
There's always a danger
in getting swept away
by error
when we fail to realize
exactly who Jesus is
and what he's meant to do.
The errors that we can
so easily get caught up in
as Christians
always come back
to a misunderstanding
of who Jesus is
and what his purpose is
should be mindful.
Look at verse 46.
After he had taken leave
of them,
he went up on the mountain
to pray.
It's always fascinating
to consider
the prayer life of Jesus.
It's mysterious.
Why would Jesus need to pray?
I understand why I need to pray.
Because I'm weak.
That's part of our prayer, right?
It's a surrender.
It's, Lord, I can't do this.
I need you.
I need you to work on my behalf.
I need you in this moment.
But why would Jesus do this?
It's mysterious to think about it.
It pictures the intimate communion
in the Trinity,
the unity that existed
between the Father
and the Son
and the Spirit.
But while we often see Jesus
praying in the Gospels,
these private times
of prayer in solitude,
particularly in these
mountainous places,
we see these names
specifically through the Gospels.
They're always connected
in some way
to difficulty
and temptation.
Now think about this
for just a moment.
When's the first time
that we see Jesus
in this type of prayer?
Well, it was right
after his baptism.
He was led of the Spirit
into the wilderness
for 40 days and 40 nights.
And as he's praying and fasting,
what is happening?
For 40 days and 40 nights,
he's being tempted.
And what were those temptations about?
Satan's,
the goal of Satan's temptations
of Jesus
was to get him to go
against the will of the Father.
That was the purpose.
Whether it was turning
the bread into food
or the stones into bread,
or whether it was jumping off
the pinnacle of the temple
and having angels bear him up
before he falls on the rocks,
or whether it was to bow to Satan
in order to gain the kingdom,
all of those things
were really for one purpose.
Go against the will of the Father.
Those were the temptations.
Okay?
When's the next time
we see him being tempted?
Mark chapter 1.
This explosive popularity
all of a sudden in Capernaum.
Remember,
all these people are coming
all night to Jesus.
Jesus slips away
in the middle of the night
to go pray,
and his disciples hunt him down.
And what'd they say?
We need to go back
because it's happening.
It's happening, Jesus.
And what does Jesus say?
No,
we're going to go
to other towns now
so that I can teach them
because that's why I've come.
And so this moment of prayer
in Mark chapter 1,
what is it?
It's a reaffirming
of the will of the Father.
And the next day,
he doesn't go back
to follow the expectations
of the disciples.
He follows the expectations
of the Father,
and he goes,
and he stays on track
with what his purpose was.
We're going to see it again
the night of his arrest.
He's going to go
to the Garden of Gethsemane,
and he's going to go
a little further
than the rest of them
in this solitude at night.
And what is it
that he's going to pray
in a moment of temptation,
probably?
He's going to pray,
Father,
not my will,
but your will be done.
And then we see him again
on the mountain praying
right after a group of zealots
had tried to get him
to circumvent
the will of the Father,
which was the cross.
He could have had
the leadership.
He could have had
the kingdom.
He could have had
the things apart
from the cross,
but that wasn't
the will of the Father.
And so he goes
and he prays.
It's important here
because it's perfect
as the Son of God was
and is.
He felt temptation
in a way
that we can never understand.
Yet he never sinned
even one time.
Not one time.
In fact,
Hebrews reminds us of this.
We do not have a priest
who is unable
to sympathize
with our weakness,
but one who in every respect
has been tempted
as we are,
yet without sin.
Do you understand
the importance of this?
That Jesus couldn't be
the Savior
if he wasn't sinless.
but he is sinless.
He never went
with the temptation.
He never gave in
to the messianic
expectations
of the people.
Last night,
Ashlyn and I
were talking about this
in a way.
We were talking about this
on the couch.
I can't remember
the context
of what we were saying,
but we were talking
about how easy it is
to worry
about future sin.
We want to please
the Lord,
don't we?
We get worried sometimes
that I don't want
to mess up
and I don't want
to fall so badly
that I'm alone
and I feel distant
from God
and all of those
kinds of things.
That was kind of
the context
of the conversation
that Ashlyn and I
were having.
We had to bring it
back to the gospel
because my acceptance
with the Father
is not on the basis
of whether or not
I can keep all the stuff.
Whether or not
he's close to me
and I'm close to him
is not about
how good I can be.
It's not about
my righteousness.
It's about the righteousness
of Christ
because if my acceptance
is based on how well
I can keep up
this Christian thing,
then I'm never
going to be good enough.
I'm never going
to feel accepted.
I'm never going
to be loved
to the Father,
but that's not
what it is.
He doesn't look at me
for how good I am
or how well
I can keep all the stuff.
He looks at me
for the righteousness
that is his son.
Perfection.
Because the sinless
Savior died,
my sinful soul
is counted free
for God the just
is satisfied
to look on him
and pardon me.
And what is this
all about in this prayer?
Jesus is reaffirming
his commitment
to the will of the Father.
He will not sin.
He will not give
into temptation
and praise God
that he didn't
because it's only
due to his sinlessness
as our Savior
that we can actually
be saved.
He's not about,
look,
you need to free yourself
from this idea
that I'm going
to lose something,
whether it be
my salvation
or whether it be
my closeness to God
if I don't keep
all the rules
and I don't do
all the stuff
and I'm just so worried
that I'm going
to mess up.
And if it wasn't
about how good you were
to be saved,
it's not going to be
about how good you are
to stay saved.
And it's not going
to be how good you are
to feel saved.
It's not any of that.
It's the righteousness
of Christ.
What a freeing gospel
he gives us.
It's about him.
Now we haven't even got
to the walking
on the water part.
We need to probably
get there, don't we?
Write this down
in the margins.
Divine revelation.
This is verses 47 to 51.
Let's look at verse 47.
And when evening came,
the boat was out
on the sea
and he was alone
on the land
and he saw that
they were making
headway painfully
for the wind
was against them.
Now we've noted
in the past
about storms
that tend to come
over the Sea of Galilee
in a sudden fashion.
And the disciples
had actually feared
for their lives.
I think it was
at the end
of chapter 4
where they had
feared for their lives
during such a storm.
Another storm
has developed
as Jesus
has sent them
away
on the lake.
Mark's language
is actually
a little different
this time though.
It's not that
they were in danger
as much
as they were
miserable
here in this passage.
There's no indication
that the boat
was falling apart
like before.
They weren't terrified
in this moment
for their lives.
They were just going
through a really
difficult time.
They just couldn't
make any progress.
It's not that
they were going
backwards.
It's not that
it's not that
they were falling
apart.
They weren't
drowning.
It's just that
everything was
against them
in this moment
and they couldn't
make any progress
because of this storm
so that they're
really miserable.
They're miserable.
They're toiling painfully
to row
and they're not
actually getting
anywhere.
And ironically
they were in that
troubling predicament
because of obedience.
Right?
We often think
of it that way.
We think well
if I'm obedient
to the Lord
then blessing will come.
Yeah and often
it does.
Sometimes you're
obedient to the Lord
and you just get
more miserable.
That's what's
happening with
the disciples here.
Jesus says
listen you guys
need to go to the boat
and you need to go
to the other side
knowing full well
that they were
going to struggle
all night long.
I mean it's just
going to be a pain
all night long.
Kent Hughes said
imagine what
disobedience
could have gotten
these men that night.
And we think
obedience brings
blessing.
Disobedience
brings problems.
But that might not
have actually been
the case at least
not immediately here.
If they had
disobeyed
they probably
would have had
a nice place
to stay for the night.
Could have
sheltered from the storm.
Perhaps they would
have had a host
that fed them
a good meal.
Perhaps they could
have amazed
some people
with the stories
of what Jesus
had done
in their sight
and all these
kinds of things.
They might have
had actually
a pretty good night
had they disobeyed
the Lord.
But they would
have missed out.
They would have
missed out
on this monumental
moment
in their walk
with Christ.
sometimes
Jesus
sends us
through a storm
so that he
might reveal
himself more
fully
in the storm.
Sometimes
he sends us
through a storm
in order to
reveal himself
more fully
in that storm.
He knew
where he was
sending them
and he knew
what he was
going to do
and their
obedience
brought them
hardship
but it
actually
ended up
being the
greatest
blessing
that they
could have
experienced
on that
night.
Notice
Jesus
was fully
aware
of
everything
going on.
They
couldn't
see him
but he
could see
them.
John 6
tells us
they were
three or
four miles
out in
the middle
of the
lake
at this
point.
It's the
middle of
the night.
There's a
storm.
Nobody's
going to
stand on
the seashore
and be able
to see this
boat out
there.
It just
wouldn't
have been
possible.
What's
Mark telling
us here?
It's not
that Jesus
physically
could see
them.
It's that
he knew
where they
were.
He knew
what was
happening.
They
couldn't
see him
at the
moment.
They
couldn't
tell what
was going
on at
the moment
but he
saw them.
He knew
them.
He knew
what was
going on
and he
sees us
too.
I don't
know what
kind of
storm you
may be
going
through
today at
this point
in your
life.
Be careful
before you
wish it
away.
Because it
may be
that it's
this particular
storm that
Jesus is
planning to
reveal himself
to you in
a completely
unique way
that you
haven't
experienced
up to
this point.
And just
know that
no matter
how dark
it is
and how
difficult
it is
he sees
you.
He knows
you.
He knows
what's going
on in
your life.
Verse 48
About the
fourth watch
of the night
he came to
them walking
on the sea.
He meant
to pass by
them but
they saw
him.
walking
on the
sea.
They thought
it was a
ghost.
Cried out
for they
all saw
him and
were terrified.
Now we
see they're
terrified.
But it
wasn't the
storm they
were terrified
of.
It was
Jesus they
were terrified
of.
Because they
didn't know
it was
Jesus.
First
century Jews
they organized
their days into
three hour
periods.
the early
evening was
the time
that Jesus
had fed
the 5,000
that was
between
three o'clock
and six
o'clock
in the
afternoon.
Then they
had this
thing called
second
evening.
That's six
o'clock in
the evening
to nine
o'clock at
night.
That's the
time frame
that Jesus
sends the
disciples out
on the
boat.
The fourth
watch of
the night
is three
to six
in the
morning.
Think
about that.
think about
how long
Jesus let
them struggle.
He's
controlling
the storm
here.
He sent
them into
it.
He's the
one that's
holding off
on calming
the storm
right now.
Six to
eight hours
maybe.
Six to
eight hours
in the
middle of
the night.
They were
already
exhausted.
That was
the point
in going
to Bethesda
to get
some rest
that they
never actually
got.
And they're
paddling
all night.
I mean
goodness
grief.
By the
time Jesus
got to
them,
it was
early in
the morning.
They
rode all
night.
But then
Jesus came
in a most
peculiar
way.
Walking
on the
surface of
the water.
Now,
familiarity
with this
story might
cause us to
take for
granted what
I just
said.
So let's
take a
moment to
consider it.
Jesus came
to them
by walking
on water.
I was
talking to
my dad
yesterday.
I was in
a pool
actually and
he was
sitting on
the edge and
I had this
thought of
water in
my head and
I was
thinking I
can't walk
on this
right now.
And I
told my
dad, I
said I
wish that,
I wish I
could grasp
maybe more
emotionally
what this
was like.
I can
understand it
factually, I
believe it with
my whole heart.
It's hard for
me to grasp it
in the way that
the disciples
clearly would
have grasped
it.
He walked
on the
surface of
the water
four miles
in, in
the middle
of a storm.
Now tell
me, who
can walk
on water?
I can't
do that.
You can't
do that.
Gus can
do that.
And he
said he
might
give it
a shot.
I'll give
it a shot.
The
disciples
couldn't
except
Peter and
it was
only because
Jesus allowed
him.
There's
only one
person that
can walk
on water
and it's
not the
Messiah.
It's the
Son of
God.
which tells
us something
significant
about what
this moment
was.
They were
misunderstanding
Jesus'
messianic
purpose.
And so
Jesus comes
to them in
a way that
they can't
mistake it.
This isn't a
messianic
expectation.
This is an
expectation that
we would only
see in God
himself.
It's easy to
get a little
confused in
this verse
when Mark
says that he
meant to
pass by
them.
But there
is a little
bit of
significance
here.
He doesn't
mean that
Jesus was
walking past
them as if
he didn't
want to be
seen and
they happened
to notice
him out
there.
It's the
sense that
he was
walking beside
them for
the specific
purpose that
he would be
seen.
That's what's
going on
here.
Now,
some of
us suggested
that there's
a correlation
here in the
language to
when God
passed by
Moses in
Exodus 34.
Do you
remember that
story?
Moses goes up
on the
mountain.
He's
getting the
second go
around for
the Ten
Commandment
tablets.
He says,
God, I
just want to
see you.
Will you
let me
see you?
God says,
I'll hide you
in the
cleft of
the rock
and I
will pass
by you.
He was
revealing
himself.
Understandably,
the men
were scared.
Wouldn't you
be?
Why were they
scared?
The thought
would have
never crossed
through their
minds.
I wonder
if Jesus
will come
walking by
on the water
tonight.
Who would
even think
about that?
None of
us would
ever even
imagine that.
And they
weren't
especially
superstitious
people,
the Jews,
but these
men, the
only explanation
they could
come up with
in that
moment is
this is a
ghost and
they were
terrified.
And then
verse 50,
they were
going to
go to
them.
And they
said,
take heart,
it is I,
don't be
afraid.
And he
got into
the boat
with them
and the
wind ceased.
They didn't
recognize him
at first,
but they
knew his
voice.
And the
miracle wasn't
over.
That's what the
amazing thing
is here.
It's
unbelievable
that Jesus
walked on
water.
But did
you notice?
This time he
calmed the
storm without
even saying
anything.
The last
time he
said,
peace be
still,
and he
harnessed
creation,
this time
all it
took was
from climbing
the boat
and all
of a sudden
it's all
over.
It's
amazing.
And so we
have to ask
this question.
Who can
see the
storm tossed
in the
middle of
the night?
I can't
see that.
You can't
see that.
Who can
walk on
water?
I can't
do that.
You can't
do that.
Who can
calm the
wind and
the waves?
Not me.
Maybe Gus.
Only God
can do
this.
Only God
can do
this.
That's the
point.
That's the
point of the
walking on
the water.
Thirdly,
write down
authentic
worship.
verse 51,
and they
were utterly
astounded
for they
did not
understand
the loaves,
but their
hearts were
hardened.
They were
blown away
by what
they witnessed.
You know,
there's a
type of
amazement
that leads
us to
cheer or
show
appreciation
for a
person or
for an
action.
Think
going to
a ball
game.
Julie and I
were watching
the Yankees
and the
Royals
play the
other night.
The Yankees
were down
in the
bottom of
the ninth.
Luke Voigt
hit a
walk-off
single that
won the
game for
the Yankees.
And what
happened,
what ensued
after that
is what
you might
expect.
The whole
crowd goes
crazy.
All the
players rush
onto the
field.
They're
jumping
around.
They're
amazed
in that
moment.
They're
amazed
at what
Luke Voigt
has just
done.
They're
amazed
that they
got to
experience
this victory
in the way
that they
did.
It would
have been
a completely
different type
of amazement
if after
hitting that
and winning
the game,
Luke Voigt
started to
flap his
arms and
fly around
the stadium.
That's a
different kind
of amazement.
The men
weren't in
the boat
saying,
Jesus,
you rock.
That's
awesome.
Do it
again.
No,
that's not
the kind
of amazement
that's happening
here.
What's
happening
here is
utter
worship.
it sends
them to
their knees.
And how
do we
know that?
Because Mark
doesn't say
it.
We have
to borrow
from the
other gospels.
Matthew
says it.
Matthew
chapter 14,
and those
in the
boat
worshipped
him,
saying,
truly,
you are
the son
of God.
This is
why this
event matters.
Remember
the last
time Jesus
calmed the
storm?
What was
it that
the men
said after?
What
kind of
man is
this that
even the
wind and
the seas
obey him?
They were
amazed,
but they
were asking
the wrong
question.
What kind
of man
is this?
What kind
of Messiah
is this?
What power
he has?
Now they're
saying the
right thing.
Truly,
you are
the son
of God.
That's why
this matters.
It's the
first time
they've made
this confession
in their
time in
following
Christ
in the
gospels.
This is
the first
time that
the disciples
acknowledge
this thing
about Jesus'
identity.
When Luke
covers the
feeding of
the 5,000,
he immediately
follows it up
with that
great confession
from Peter
where Peter
says,
you are the
Christ,
the son of
God.
Matthew says,
he gets in
the boat and
they said,
truly you are
the son of
God.
Mark's going
to get there
in chapter 8
with that same
confession.
Here's what
John says.
Remember the
next day,
the crowds
find Jesus
and he gives
this lesson
on how he
is the bread
of life
and everybody
left him.
Everybody,
even the
disciples outside
of the 12,
they left him.
They said,
this is too
fanatical for
us and they
left.
Here's what
happened.
John 6,
after this,
many of his
disciples turned
back and no
longer walked
with him.
So Jesus
said to the
12,
do you go
away as
well?
Are you
going to
leave me
too?
And Peter
said,
Lord,
to whom
shall we
go?
you have
the words
of life
and we
have believed
and have
come to
know that
you are
the Holy
One of
God.
What's the
difference
between the
12 in
John 6
and the
crowds in
John 6?
The crowds
were amazed
at what
Jesus could
do.
The
disciples,
even despite
their
misunderstanding,
despite the
fact that they
couldn't make
all the
connections the
right way
yet,
despite all
of that,
they believed
that this is
who he was.
That was the
difference.
You know
what will
keep you
faithful to
Christ,
faithful to
the church,
faithful to
pursue godliness
in your life?
It's not a
sheer amazement
with Jesus.
That won't
get you very
far.
That won't
get you
very far.
What will
keep you
going,
even when
you don't
understand,
is the
fact that
you believe
that this
is who
he is.
This is
truly the
son of
God.
This is
the savior
of the
world.
It is the
only thing
that will
push you
through.
When he
sends you
into a
storm,
it won't
be your
amazement
that will
get you
through the
storm.
It will
get you
through the
storm.
This is the
son of
God.
This is
the son
of God.
This is
the son
of God.
And it's
another
reminder that
proximity to
Jesus doesn't
always result
in faith.
Being amazed
by him
doesn't
automatically
mean that a
person has
come to
terms with
his true
identity and
purpose.
There are
plenty of
people in
churches this
morning around
Charlotte that
are totally
amazed by
Jesus,
but they
do not
have faith
in Jesus.
There's a
difference.
There's a
difference.
Let's wrap
it up this
way.
Verses 53
to 56.
When they
had crossed,
they came to
the land at
Gennesaret,
moored to
the shore,
and when they
got out of
the boat,
the people
immediately
recognized
him and
ran about
the whole
region and
began to
bring the
sick people
on their
beds to
wherever
they heard
he was,
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.
So these
closing verses
of this
chapter,
they're really
just a
summary.
Mark does
these summaries
periodically.
It's when he's
making a
transition in
the narrative.
We're about
to go into
another transition
in Mark
chapter 7.
We're going
to see him
confronting
Pharisees in
his teaching
particularly.
So he's
transitioning away
from this focus
on the
disciples
for a
moment.
And he
tells us
here's what
was happening.
They made
it to
Gennesaret.
They got
off the
boat.
People
recognized
him.
And they
were bringing
people from
everywhere.
Everywhere he
went,
towns,
cities,
villages,
countryside,
didn't matter.
People were
coming from
everywhere.
And he was
healing many,
many people,
sometimes even
by the simple
touch of his
clothes.
And here's
what I want
to note
as we
close.
I want you
to notice
how little
detail there
is in this
summary.
We know
of no
specific
people.
We really
know of no
specific place.
Gennesaret was
a region.
We just know
that that's the
site of Galilee
he was on.
And that
everywhere he
went, lots
and lots of
people came,
and he did
lots and lots
of things for
them.
There's a lack
of detail here.
here's what I
take from
them.
There are
thousands and
thousands of
miraculous moments
in Jesus's
ministry that we
know absolutely
nothing about.
We have no
idea.
At the end of
John's gospel,
he mentions this.
In John chapter
20, he says,
now Jesus did
many other signs
in the presence
of the disciples,
which are not
written in this
book.
But these
things are
written that
you may believe
that Jesus is
the Christ,
the Son of
God, and that
believing you
may have life
in his name.
There's lots of
things we don't
know.
The things that
we do know are
for the purpose
of not amazingness
at his power,
but drawing us
to a point of
decision where
we will believe
in his name,
and by believing
in his name,
we will have
eternal life and
escape eternal
hell.
That's the
purpose of what
these gospel
authors have
written.
And then John
says this.
There are also
many other
things that he
did.
Were every one
of them to be
written, I
suppose that the
world itself could
not contain the
books that would
be written.
Here's the point.
There is more
than enough
evidence for you
to choose to
follow Christ
in faith.
You just take
your pick.
Even one
example is
enough.
Perhaps you
just go with
the walking
on the water.
That's enough.
But then think
about the fact
that God has
revealed to us
all of these
amazing things
in the scriptures.
And then on
top of that,
he said,
and there's
thousands and
thousands more
things that he
did in three
years.
And if we
were to write
it all down,
the world
couldn't contain
all the books
that would be
written.
He's a
wonderfully
compassionate
savior.
There's enough
evidence for
here, for you.
There's nothing
else for you to
find.
The scripture is
enough.
Now you must
believe.
And if you
don't believe,
you will not
have life.
You will die
in your sin.
You'll spend
eternity in
hell.
But if you
will believe,
you will have
life in his
name.
Think of the
compassion of
this savior.
Most of those
people he healed
did not follow
him.
Now, if you
had some kind
of power to
help somebody,
and they
rejected you,
you probably
wouldn't be very
inclined to help
them.
Not Jesus.
They didn't
believe him.
He still
healed them.
He still
taught them.
He's a
compassionate
savior.
Now, think
of the amazing
compassion that
he shows to
those who do
believe.
Because those
who do believe,
he takes
your sin.
And he
takes it on
himself.
And he
gives you
his life.
What's the
walking on the
water about?
It's about
who Jesus
is.
And when we
really begin to
understand who
Jesus is,
then we can
actually truly
understand what
this is all
about.
What it's all
about is the
son of God
taking on the
sin of man.
So that
sinful man can
have the
righteousness of
God in Christ.