We have Mark's Gospel. It's an eyewitness account of Peter and Mark is recorded as what Peter has told him.
And we're going to be following in on some great stories.
It's Mark chapter 6 starting at verse 30. It's on page 1009.
Page 1009 Mark 6 verse 30 to 56.
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and thought.
Then, because so many people were coming and going, that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them,
Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.
So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
So he began teaching them many things.
By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him.
This is a remote place, they said, and it's already very late.
Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.
But he answered, You give them something to eat.
They said to him, That would take eight months of a man's wages.
Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?
How many loaves do you have? he asked.
Go and see.
When they found out, they said, Five and two fish.
Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.
So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.
Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people.
He also divided the two fish among them all.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.
The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, where he dismissed the crowd.
After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake and he was alone on land.
He saw the disciples straining at the oars because the wind was against them.
About the fourth watch of the night, he went out to them, walking on the lake.
He was about to pass by, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost.
They cried out because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said,
Take courage, it is I. Don't be afraid.
Then he climbed into the boat with them and the wind died down.
They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves.
Their hearts were hardened.
When they crossed over, they landed at Jenner-sur-at and anchored there.
As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus.
They ran throughout the whole region and carried the sick en masse to wherever they heard he was.
And wherever he went, into villages, towns or countryside, they placed the sick in the marketplaces.
They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.
Well, last summer, Stephen Frayne, better known as Dynamo, don't know if you've ever heard of him,
well, he performed an amazing feat watched by hundreds of people.
Do you know what he did?
He walked on water.
To launch his new TV show, he walked on top of the River Thames in London,
watched by thousands as they gathered along London Bridge.
Of course, it was just an elaborate stunt, a simple illusion.
A hidden platform lay beneath the surface,
which gave the appearance that he was actually walking on water.
Mark also records for us that Jesus walked on water.
But the problem for us and for our modern minds is,
we say it just couldn't happen.
At best, it's an illusion.
Some scholars even say that Jesus must have been walking along the shore,
or he was walking on a sandbank or a mudflat.
He possibly couldn't be walking on water.
After all, science has proven that there is no such thing as a miracle.
The laws of nature, density and gravity,
all prove that this event recorded here could not have happened.
But there's a problem with that, isn't there?
Because science can only prove natural causes.
It's a science of nature.
It has no way of dealing with supernatural events.
It has no category,
no way of testing something that is supernatural.
So for somebody to come out and say that miracles can't happen,
is to make this huge assumption that God can't exist.
In fact, if you are to be sure that miracles cannot happen,
you would have to be sure beyond a doubt that God doesn't exist.
And that in itself is a huge step of faith.
And that's really where Mark is going with this story.
That's why it's been recorded.
This is an eyewitness account of the disciples in the boat
seeing Jesus walking on water
and it's written down for us to show us
the true identity of who Jesus is.
That Jesus is God
who has come into this world
to renew this disordered world
and to renew broken lives.
So the invitation for us
is to come and read this
and to watch this supernatural event
so that we are people who will trust Jesus
in every circumstance of our life.
Now the context of this whole story
has to be put side by side
with the feeding of the 5,000.
The problem is
as Jesus is going about his ministry
people are gaining a false understanding
of who Jesus is.
Look at verse 45.
Immediately Jesus made his disciples
get into the boat
and go ahead of him to Bethsaida
while he dismissed the crowd.
It seems Jesus is deliberately
getting rid of his disciples.
He doesn't want them hanging around anymore.
Come on, quick, get in the boat
off you go.
I'm going to meet you later
but get out of here.
And so we're asking the question
why the hurry?
What's the issue?
Why doesn't he want his disciples
hanging around this crowd?
Well the answer comes for us
in verse 52.
It tells us there
looking back to the feeding
of the 5,000
that they had not understood
about the loaves.
Their hearts
were hardened.
Now hard hearts
isn't a dietary problem
it wasn't that they were all
feeding on McDonald's
and Kentucky chicken.
it was an identity problem.
It was a failure
to act upon the truth
of who Jesus really is.
You see verse 52 says
they had not understood
about the loaves.
Like the rest of the crowd
the disciples have misunderstood
what the feeding of the 5,000
was all about.
So here they were
in the middle of the country.
What's happened
with the disciples?
They've been out on mission
that's what we looked at
last week.
They've come back to Jesus
and reported everything
that's happened.
They've gone away
to try and get some peace
and quiet
but wherever they go
because of all the miracles
that Jesus was doing
and everything that the disciples
were doing
it's gathered attention
and crowds of people
have followed them.
And Jesus has been teaching them
and now it's gotten
to late in the evening
they've got no food
and they haven't got
enough money
to buy food
for all of these people.
Eventually
they find a bit of food
and they come back
to Jesus.
Verse 41
Taking the five loaves
and the two fish
and looking up to heaven
he gave thanks
and he broke the loaves
and he gave them
to his disciples
to set before the people
and he also divided
the two fish
among them all.
They all ate
and they were satisfied.
There was more than enough.
There was even stuff
left over
amply supplied.
Now this is really significant
because the last time
that something like this
happened
in the history
of the people of Israel
was
way back with Moses.
Moses had rescued
the people
from slavery
in Egypt.
He had brought them
out from Pharaoh
and he had brought them
into the wilderness
and when they were
in the wilderness
when they had no food
Moses prayed to God
and God sent food
by way of manna
like bread.
Every morning
and every evening
without fail
bread from heaven
would fall
and the people
had enough
to eat
amply supplied.
Now you can imagine
what's going on
in the minds
of these crowds
of people.
Here they are again
not under the might
of Pharaoh
but under the political
might
of the Roman
authority.
And this man
Jesus
comes along
and he starts
giving them
free food
bread.
He's prayed to God
in heaven
and he's giving them
bread to eat.
And the crowd
and the disciples
are getting very excited
with what's going on
because in their minds
they're thinking
at last
this new Moses
this king
that God
has promised
has come
who's going
to overthrow
the Romans
and we're going
to kick them out
and we're going
to get our own land
and we're going
to go places.
And you can imagine
them all wondering
is Jesus going
to lead the revolution?
When's it going
to start?
When are we going
to get our arms
together so we can
go out and fight?
In fact
when John records
the same story
in John's gospel
it says they tried
to take Jesus
as king
by force
because that's
what they were
about.
Revolution
was on their minds.
You see
they were all
getting his
identity wrong.
They've all
got hard
hearts
and that's
why Jesus
wants to remove
his disciples
away from
the influence
of the crowd
to take them
away from it
because Jesus
didn't come
to start a revolution
by taking
people's lives
he came
into the world
to rescue
people by
giving of
his life
and the
disciples weren't
getting it.
So they had
a false
identity
a false
understanding
so Jesus
is concerned
that we have
a true
understanding
about who
he really is
and what
he's all
about.
Look at
verse 46
so having
dismissed
the crowd
and told
them listen
guys it's
not about
revolution
it's about
something else
completely
after leaving
them Jesus
goes up onto
a mountainside
alone to
pray.
Now again
that's significant
because Mark
mentions Jesus
praying only
three times
in Mark's
gospel
and each
time Jesus
prays in
chapter 1
and the
next the last
time is in
the garden of
Gethsemane
it's at
night and
he's always
alone and
each time
that Jesus
is praying
the disciples
have left
Jesus failing
to understand
who he is
and what he
has come to
do.
So there's a
sense of
agony and
frustration in
Jesus as he
goes to his
father to
pray because
Jesus'
mission is
primarily one
of going to
the cross
where he's
going to
die.
And they're
always
misunderstanding
what his
mission is.
And on
this occasion
his disciples
want him to
be a
revolutionary
a kind
of freedom
fighter.
So when
the people
aren't
understanding
he goes
away alone
to talk to
his father
in heaven
who does
understand
the people
who understands
what's going
on in his
own life.
and he
goes and
prays for
them
that they
would
understand
and he
goes and
prays and
as he
prays he
will go to
meet his
disciples out
on the
lake to
teach them
privately
because this
only happens
in front of
the disciples
to teach
them who
he is
and what
he has
come to
do.
Now before
we join
the disciples
on the
lake
look at
verse 45
again
read it
carefully
immediately
Jesus
made
his
disciples
get into
the boat
and go on
ahead of
them.
Jesus is
aware of
their hearts
he knows
they're not
understanding
he knows
they've
misunderstood
and he
also knows
what awaits
them out
on the
lake
but he's
still sending
them out
into the
storm.
Now we
might think
that's harsh
why would
Jesus send
his disciples
out into
the storm?
Well I
think it's
his gentle
patience
and loving
perseverance
with his
people.
Jesus is
always longing
and grasping
that we
understand
who he
is.
His desire
is that we
would know
him deeper
that we
would trust
him with
all of
our lives
whatever
circumstance
we are
in.
So rather
than see
it as a
form of
punishment
because they
haven't
understood
and now
he's going
to punish
them by
putting
them into
a storm
we look
upon it
rather as
God's
loving
intervening
grace
upon their
lives.
Drawing
them closer
to himself
showing them
more of
who he is
so that
they will
love him
more
that they
would appreciate
more what
he's about
to do.
And I
think there's
a big
application
for each
one of
us in
that.
That as
we look
at every
circumstance
that comes
into our
life
often the
hard ones
and the
difficult
ones
we often
think
what have
I done
wrong?
Why is
God
punishing
me?
Rather we
should look
at it as
God's
gracious
intervention
using
everything
that comes
into our
life.
whatever
the storms
that come
against us
the struggles
the suffering
the heart
apes
everything
that he
brings us
into
so that
we could
see a
bigger and
greater and
more marvellous
picture
of who
Jesus is
and what
he is to
us
in our
lives.
So what
does Jesus
want us
to understand
about him
in our
circumstances
of life?
Well there's
two big
things that I
think that he
wants to
tell us.
First is
that Jesus
is our
powerful
God.
Look at
verse 47
When
evening
came
the boat
was in the
middle of
the lake
and Jesus
was alone
on land.
picture the
disciples
at this
stage
their backs
are aching
their legs
are beginning
to cramp
up
every muscle
and sinew
strained
as they're
pulling the
oars with
all their
might.
They've
been rowing
all night
long
taking it
in turns
as they
fight against
the howling
wind
their tiny
little wooden
boats
just about
holding
strong
in the
storm
and there
they are
stranded
in the
middle
of this
lake
at the
mercy
of the
elements
and they
row on
desperate
trying to
reach land
and then
we look
over
to the
side
and watching
it all
unfold
was Jesus
there's
perhaps a
little
humour in
that
isn't there
there
they are
pulling
away
straining
away
and there's
Jesus
watching
it all
verse 48
he saw
the
disciples
straining
at the
oars
because
the wind
was against
them
about the
fourth
watch of
the night
that's about
three in
the morning
so they've
been rowing
a hard
old long
time
he went
out to
them
walking
on the
lake
you see
he knew
their hearts
he longs
that they
understand
and so
Jesus
walks
out to
these
helpless
tired
weak
and
frightened
disciples
the rest
of verse
48
he was
about to
pass by
them
when they
saw him
walking on
the lake
and they
thought he
was a
ghost
and they
cried out
they shrieked
with terror
you could imagine
them falling
off their
seats
and the
oars
going into
the water
like a
ghost
because they
all saw him
and were
terrified
because the
Jesus
that they
had come
to know
well he
made sick
people well
and he
gave out
food
but a
Jesus
that
walked
on
water
well that
could never
happen
it wasn't
within their
mindset
they didn't
have any
categories to
understand
Jesus walking
on water
the Jesus
they knew
would do
things that
people wanted
like a
great healer
or a
revolutionary
they had
somehow
got Jesus
carefully packaged
into a neat
little box
that they could
contain
and understand
but now
this Jesus
has kind of
burst out
of their
box
look back
to Job
chapter 9
keep your
finger in
Mark
and go
back to
Job
chapter 9
kind of
near them
well it's
not
a little
left of
the middle
Job
chapter 9
and here
we're reading
about a
man who
is going
through if you
like his own
storm in
life a
different kind
of storm
and he
reflects on
the greatness
and the
power of
God
Job
chapter 9
verse 4
this is what
he says
about God
his wisdom
is profound
his power
is vast
who has
resisted him
and come out
unscathed
he moves
mountains
without their
knowing it
and overturns
them in his
anger
he shakes
the earth
from its
place
and makes
its pillars
tremble
he can
speak to
the sun
and it
doesn't
shine
he seals
off the
light of
the stars
he alone
stretches
out the
heavens
and treads
on the
waves
of the
sea
Jesus
can't be
contained
to our
understanding
we can't
reduce
him down
into
a manageable
size
that we
can somehow
control
him
Jesus
won't
allow us
to constrain
him
his wisdom
is profound
his power
is vast
and he
treads
on the
waves
of the
sea
read on
verse 9
of Job
chapter 9
he is the
maker of
the bear
and the
orion
the
constellations
of the
south
he performs
wonders
that cannot
be fathomed
miracles
that cannot
be counted
when he
passes me
I cannot
see him
where he
goes by
I cannot
perceive him
and that's
the struggle
of Job
in his
storm
God was
great
he was
powerful
he was
but he
was
mysterious
and he
was also
invisible
look what
it says
in verse
11
when he
passes
me
I
cannot
see him
when he
goes by
I
cannot
perceive
him
but now
we're with
the disciples
back in
the boat
in the
middle of
this storm
with the
spray
splashing
on their
faces
the howling
wind
around their
heads
the waves
crashing
against the
boat
and God
passes by
and they
can see
him
God in
human form
before their
very eyes
treading on
the waves
of the sea
science
can't
explain him
natural
laws
can't
contain
him
our
minds
can't
fathom
him
he's the
creator of
the universe
who spoke
the seas
into the
existence
and told
us
told where
the river
should go
and now
he's walking
on the
water
revealing
his awesome
power
his glory
his authority
and his
majesty
in his
gentle
patience
and his
loving
persistence
he pursues
his disciples
and he
pursues
us
so that we
would submit
to him
that we
would worship
him
that we
would be
able to
enjoy him
and know
him
as our
powerful
God
who
has made
God
known
to us
in
Jesus
but he's
not just
our
powerful
God
over
all
creation
that Jesus
is also
our
rescuing
God
again
try and
sit in
the boat
with the
disciples
out
in the
storm
paralyzed
by fear
at this
stage
having
seen
this
figure
walking
across
the
water
there
they
are
sitting
bobbing
up and
down
in the
waves
the wind
howling
the waves
smashing
and their
eyes
transfixed
on this
moving
figure
which is
getting
closer and
closer to
them
and in
their panic
they try to
get back
into their
seats again
and fix
the oars
back into
the stock
and somehow
try and
row away
in vain
to try and
get away
from this
thing
whatever it
is
and then
Jesus
speaks
in the
middle of
verse 50
immediately
he spoke
to them
and said
take courage
it is
I
don't
be
afraid
his voice
thundering
over the
storm
and over
the wind
literally
he is
saying to
them
take
courage
I
am
take
courage
I
am
and again
that comes
to us
with an
enormous
amount
of
significance
go back
in your
Bibles
to
Exodus
chapter
3
I know
we are
jumping
back a
little
bit
but we
we make
these
connections
from the
old
to the
new
and we
see how
it all
ties
together
Exodus
chapter
3
and this
is just
before
the
Israelites
are
released
from
slavery
and God
comes
to speak
to Moses
and he
speaks to him
through a
burning bush
Exodus
chapter 3
verse 7
and the
Lord said
to Moses
I have
indeed
seen the
misery
of my
people
in Egypt
I have
heard them
crying out
because of
their slave
drivers
and I am
concerned about
their suffering
so I have
come down
to rescue
them from
the hands
of the
Egyptians
and to
bring them
up out of
that land
into a
good and
spacious
land
a land
flowing
with milk
and honey
verse 10
so now
go
I am
sending you
Moses
to Pharaoh
to bring
my people
the Israelites
out of
Egypt
but Moses
said to
God
who am
I
that I
should go
to Pharaoh
and bring
the Israelites
out of
Egypt
and God
said
I will
be with
you
verse
13
and Moses
said to
God
suppose
I go
to the
Israelites
and I
say to
them
the God
of your
fathers
has sent
me to
you
and then
they ask
me
well what's
his name
then what
am I going
to tell
them
and God
said to
Moses
I am
who I
am
this is
what you
are to
say to
the
Israelites
I
am
has sent
me
to you
this is
how God
made
himself
known
that was
his name
I
am
I have
no
beginning
I have
no
end
I
exist
I
am
I
am
the
all
powerful
God
and now
this God
as we
as we're
there with
the disciples
in the boat
this God
in human
form
who
walks
upon the
water
calls out
to his
terrified
disciples
I
am
the God
who sent
Moses
to rescue
and save
the Israelites
climbs into
the boat
verse 51
I mean
imagine
what's it
saying here
God
climbed
into the
boat
with them
and the
wind
died
down
and they
were
completely
amazed
God
who sent
Moses
to rescue
and save
the Israelites
is now
climbing and
sitting into
the boat
with his
disciples
and his
very presence
with them
just his
presence
stills the
wind
and he
rescues
them
from the
raging
storm
we can
imagine
the disciples
as they
fall across
the deck
of the
boat
a gibbering
wreck
too frightened
to talk
they probably
even wet
themselves
Jesus is
revealing to
them that
he is
God's
ultimate
mighty
rescuer
just as
Moses
come
so Jesus
has come
to rescue
the world
he has
heard the
cry of
the world
and its
people
he has
seen the
suffering
that there's
been in
the world
he's seen
the disorder
and the
chaos
and he has
responded to
what has
gone on
he's seen
what sin
has done
he's seen
how it's
destroyed
things
and broken
its people
and so
God in
his power
has come
the great
I am
to release
us
from the
slavery
of Satan
to free
us from
the consequences
of our
sin
to break
the chains
of death
that strangle
us and hold
us
he's broken
into our
world
this God
man
to renew
this physical
world
what he did
to the storm
he's going to
do with the
whole universe
and restore it
and make it
new and make it
right
with no more
suffering
and no more
pain
and no more
death
you see what
he's teaching
his disciples
what he's
telling us
in his
gentle
patience
and his
loving
persistence
he pursues
us
to reveal
what he has
come to do
so that we
would reach
out to him
so that we
would accept
him with our
lives
that we
would trust
him
Jesus
is our
all
powerful
God
but he's
our
all
rescuing
God
you see
we don't
have to
try and
figure it
all out
for ourselves
we don't
have to
wait for
some kind
of
mysterious
revelation
or expect
some kind
of special
voices
from God
personally
to us
as if we
have to
understand
something
he's
told us
who he
is
he's
shown us
what he
has come
to do
through his
words
and through
his
actions
as he
walks on
water
and as he
speaks to
them and
tells them
who he
is
and it's
all recorded
for us
so that we
can know
him
so that we
can experience
this great
awesome
personal
God
in our
own
lives
the
conclusion
of this
story
is really
asking us
all if we
have really
truly come
to understand
who this
Jesus is
look at
verse 53
when they
had crossed
over
they landed
at
Gernetha
and anchored
there
and as
soon as
they got
out of
the boat
people
recognised
Jesus
and news
spread about
him quickly
they saw
him
that Jesus
is over
there
come on
quick
everybody
quick
come on
verse 55
and they
ran throughout
the whole
region
and carried
the sick
on mats
to wherever
they heard
he was
and wherever
he went
into villages
towns or
countryside
they placed
the sick
in the
marketplaces
they begged
him to let
them even
touch the
edge of
his clothes
like the
woman had
done
previously
and all
who touched
him
were healed
the compassion
and the care
of Jesus
is immense
his loving
pursuit
his generous
patience
he turns
nobody away
he reaches
out to the
broken
to the
marginalized
and to the
sick
in compassion
but the
big question
is this
they
recognize
him
they can
identify
him
who this
person
is
but do
they
understand
him
do they
really
understand
him
you see
in these
few verses
the absence
of any
preaching
or any
teaching
is significant
he's
we've seen
over the
weeks
how central
the gospel
word is
to Jesus
mission
wherever he
goes
he's always
teaching
he's always
speaking
because it
is through
the word
that we
enter the
kingdom
and it's
through the
word that
the kingdom
is going
to grow
but here
nothing is
being said
there's no
teaching
there's no
speaking
all the
people are
doing is
coming
running to
Jesus
asking for
healing
and it's
all so
physical
and all
so temporal
when Jesus
has come to
offer something
much bigger
and much
greater
something
spiritual
something
eternal
to one
crowd
the feeding
of the
five thousand
he was a
freedom
fighter
and to
the other
crowd
he was
just a
healer
and in
the middle
of it
all he
speaks to
his
disciples
showing
them
who he
is
that he
is
God
come in
human
form
to
rescue
us
there's
a
sadness
and a
tragedy
to the
end
of this
miracle
they may
be able
to walk
again
people
might be
able
to see
again
they might
be able
to hear
but they're
missing
the ultimate
offer
of being
forgiven
of being
welcomed
into his
kingdom
of hearing
what Jesus
has to
say
their hearts
are hardened
as we
continue
on we
see this
theme of
hardened hearts
coming up
again again
and again
and it's
Jesus who's
going to have
to unblock
it
and so
we're called
here to
to watch
again to
understand
this Jesus
walking on
water
to see him
on the
waves
to listen
to him
and as he
says
I am
that we
would trust
him in
whatever
experience
of life
that we
come up
against
whatever
circumstance
that we
would be
people who
live for
him
and that
we would
let the
world
know
how great
our God
is
how awesome
how powerful
he has come
to rescue us
and put
things right
never
misunderstand
who he
is
and never
misunderstand
how we
should
communicate
who he
is to
a world
that
desperately
needs
to know
him
let's
pray
together
our father
God we
we stand
back and
we look
and we
watch in
amazement
as Jesus
treads
on the
water
his supreme
power
over all
creation
we listen
as he
speaks
those words
take
courage
I am
do not
be afraid
and in
response
we
repent
for
trying to
contain
you into
a box
that we
can understand
and try
to fit
you into
our way
of thinking
but help
us to go
with a
greater vision
of the
awesome
power
of our
God
who speaks
to us
afresh
through his
words
that we
would trust
him
that we
would follow
him with
our lives
that we
would tell
people and
show people
how great
you are
we pray
this in
Jesus name
Amen