Can you see me now? (Mark 6:45-52)
Notes
Transcript
Bridge Bible Church 11.10.2024
In 2002, a now very successful company started a campaign to help potential customers know who they were and what they could do for them. This ad campaign ran up until 2011 and was so successful that it helped this company become, what many people would say, is the mobile phone network provider with the most reliable and best network in the United States. That company’s name is Verizon. The ad campaign’s catch phrase was? “Can you hear me now?” (See you still remember!)
Seeing the actor pop up in new remote and seemingly unreached places asking the question, “Can you hear me now?” helped consumers (no matter how tired they were of hearing the ad) understand who Verizon was… and what they were promising. They are a mobile phone network provider that promised top quality clarity and connectivity anywhere you might want to travel. The campaign was successful in connecting the promise of what they would do with who they are…. their identity.
As Mark records Peter’s account of the life of Jesus, he subtly does something similar. Through the actions of Jesus, Mark presents the promise of what the Messiah would do through the reality of who Jesus is. But, here’s the catch. Not just anyone can understand what Mark is presenting. Only those who begin seeing with eyes of faith will get it. Faith is required for true understanding.
With each miraculous event… it is as if Jesus is looking at his disciples and asking the question…. “Can you see me now?”…. Do you understand? Are you starting to understand who I really am? Are you starting to see with eyes of faith?
As we continue in our study and look at the next section of Mark 6 I would like to challenge you to look for how the truth, Seeing who Jesus really is requires eyes of faith, is presented in the text.
Earlier in chapter 6, Jesus and the disciples had gone to a “remote or desolate” place for some rest. The people following Jesus saw where they were going and beat them there. Jesus had compassion on them and taught them… and then later ended up miraculously multiplying 5 small loaves of bread and two small fish…feeding all of these wandering sheep until they were full with plenty of left overs! Amazing! Creating something out of practically nothing to feed people in the wilderness. That seems like something only God could do.
If you were to fast forward past our text for today (45-52), then you’ll see that Jesus does many miraculous healings. Why do I point that out? Anytime you study a passage it is helpful to know the surrounding contexts. What comes before the text I am studying? What comes after the text I am studying?
There is a reason the passage we are studying is in the Bible. There is also a reason why the passage we are looking at today has been placed specifically in this spot in the overall narrative.
As we approach the text, keep this in mind. Mark is highlighting a specific truth not only by how he words the event, but also by the placement of the event in the narrative. Here is what I mean.
Verses 30-44 highlight the miraculous event of the feeding of the 5000 +. Verses 53-56 highlight Jesus going into villages and towns and miraculously healing many. So, the bookends to the text we are going to study today are both miraculous events that highlight Jesus providing for the physical needs of people. Giving them food. Healing their illnesses.
In between this sandwich of physical needs being miraculously met is our text for today, where Jesus does not meet a physical need but orchestrates an event focused on meeting a spiritual need of the disciples…. Seeing with eyes of faith!
Now, let’s look at verse 45 together.
Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 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. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Pray
Let’s take another look at verse 45 where Mark highlights what might be a Turning Point in Jesus’ ministry.
I. Turning Point (vv. 45-46)
In verse 45, Mark catches our attention with the use of the word “Immediately”. He is telling us that this next event is beginning with a major sense of urgency!
Mark tells us that with a great sense of urgency, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat. Why? Jesus just performed this God-sized miracle of Exodus proportions…. Why does he then… with such urgency send the disciples away? Why doesn’t he keep the disciples with him so that they could take advantage of all of the post-miracle opportunities for ministry?
To answer that question we have to look at the perspective of this event that John records in chapter 6 of his gospel.
Many of the events you have read about in Mark are also recorded in the other gospels. This is because each gospel account is about the same thing… the life of Jesus. But, each account is unique because of the perspective with which the author wrote.
As we walk through this event in Mark, it is helpful to refer to the other accounts to help gain a more full understanding of what took place, why it took place, and what does it mean.
If you read something in one gospel, check to see what the other gospel accounts say about that same event. It is helpful to see a bigger picture to wrap your mind around what is going on.
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 king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
According to John, the crowd had been dangerously filled with Messianic Fever after witnessing the miracle of the feeding.
Remember that Mark is a gospel of action. Jesus’ actions have been speaking loudly! The people see all of the miracles Jesus is doing… and they are starting to put the pieces together.
The feeding of the 5000 should have reminded the Israelites of how God provided food for them in the wilderness…. Remember.. someone greater than Moses will come….. Now this man named Jesus is here ministering to this multitude of people…. in the “wilderness”… and he feeds them. Not with Manna. No, this time with fish and bread!
This is the One who Moses said would come that would be greater than him! This must be the Messiah! The problem is that most of the people were looking for a Messiah who would overthrow Rome with military might and rule as King….. Which is why John’s gospel says that “they were about to come and make him king by force.”
Knowing the people’s intentions, Jesus wanted to remove his disciples from the situation so that they wouldn’t make the situation worse or enflame the people any more.
Jesus must have had some trouble getting the disciples into the boat because we are told in verses 45 that Jesus “made” the disciples get into the boat. That phrase is a pretty strong expression indicating urgency and pressure.
Like kids that were having a good time and didn’t want to get into the van and leave…. Jesus gathers his disciples, puts them into a boat… and pushes them off… effectively forcing them to go out onto the sea.
Underline that thought in your Bibles and in your minds. Jesus made/ forced his disciples to get into the boat and go out to sea. They didn’t want to…. but he gave them an order. In the end, they got into the boat and went out onto the sea. They obeyed. In just a minute we’ll talk about some interesting thoughts related to the results of their obedience.
Next we are told that Jesus “went away to the mountain to pray”.
Here is what is happening. Jesus realizes the crowds intentions to forcefully make him king…. at that moment Jesus knew that he was at a turning point in his ministry. So what does he do? He gets away by himself to pray! He presses pause on ministry… and stops everything to spend time with his Father in prayer.
While Jesus lived in a state of constant prayer/ fellowship with the Father, in times of crisis… at certain turning points in his ministry… he makes sure to stop and goes to the mountain or the garden and prays. — Seems like a good habit to start!
If you are like me, you might ask… for what was Jesus praying? Here is a suggestion.
In light of all that had just happened, he prayed that he would be able to live out his mission. That he would be able to live out the truths of the Passover… feeding the lost sheep in the wilderness… being the manna… the bread of life… strength to faithfully walk through the soon coming“last supper”… to respond well to the calls of the crowd…. and all the other aspects of his ministry that would soon have to be lived out.
Jesus prayed. Based on what happens next, I also think he prayed for his disciples that they would be able to make it through yet another storm on the sea that very night… and come through it with eyes that see…. eyes of faith…. that they would see Jesus for who He is!
Imagine with me for a minute the scene. Jesus is on the mountain praying… the almost full Passover moon is high… lighting up the night sky on the mountain. But, down… on the sea a storm is raging and Jesus’ disciples are struggling. Let’s look at verses 47-51 and see how Jesus responds to their struggles.
II. Responding to struggles (vv. 47-51)
Verse 47 tells us that by this time the disciples were in the middle of the sea. John’s account helps us understand that they were about 3-4 miles away from shore. At this point, they were probably pretty frustrated and exhausted, struggling against the storm… sails down, oars out… blown off course…making what felt like zero progress!
This storm wasn’t so much of a dangerous storm, making them fear for their lives… just a miserable one… causing them to possibly reconsider their decision to obey Jesus.
Did you catch that thought? Remember back in verse 45 when we read that Jesus forced them to get into the boat and leave? Jesus gave them direct instructions… and they chose to obey. Now they were in this miserable storm because they obeyed Jesus!
What a lesson for us to learn! Imagine for a minute what disobedience would have gotten them that night (warm bed, full stomach, dry clothes, etc…)
It was actually obedience that had made them uncomfortable. It was their submission to Christ and their obedience that exposed them to suffering and sorrow.
What a lesson for the church!
If you submit your life to Christ… being obedient to Him… you will expose yourself to a number of sorrows. The caring you have… the commitment to biblical living… will make you vulnerable to things that those with uncommitted hearts will never experience.
This passage presents an opposite promise than that of the prosperity gospel that others preach. Name it, Claim it! Just trust Jesus and everything will be bread and butter! — That isn’t what the disciples experienced!
While obedience to Christ will bring struggles and sorrow…. we will see that it also brings joy!
Never obey Christ and you might not experience as many struggles or sorrows… but you will also never truly know the joy of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit… filling your sails and carrying you along.
Keep in mind who Jesus is focusing on in this passage? The disciples… those who were going through difficulty and struggles because of their obedience to Him!
Here is the joy that only we can experience…. Followers of Jesus are the only ones in the entire world who are special objects of his divine, omniscient, compassionate care!
If you are a believer today and are experiencing difficulties or sorry because of your commitment to Christ…. then you should be greatly comforted! You are the object of Jesus’ divine focus…. and He is caring for you right now!
Jesus not only cares for his disciples, but he comes to them. How Jesus comes to the disciples is important and ties into Mark’s main theme flawlessly. Jesus is the Son of God…. He is the Messiah! We are told in verse 48 that he came to the walking on the sea.
Job 9:8 is a key passage to connect in our minds with this event. In Job chapter 9, Job is replying to one of this “friends” Bildad. In Job’s response he shares a number of characteristics of God. God is wise and all-powerful (v. 4). He removes mountains without their knowledge (v. 5). He shakes the earth from its place so that its pillars tremble (v. 6). He commands the sun not so shine (v. 7). He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea (v. 8)!
The action of Jesus walking on the water clearly expresses that Jesus is more than just a man. In case there were any doubt after seeing all He has done so far! Jesus doing something that only God can do…. and He is doing it in a way that should remind the Jews of other times in history when God clearly displayed His divine authority.
The same authority that God possesses and displayed while talking with Job, during the provision of manna in the wilderness, the parting of the Red Sea.… Jesus possesses and is displaying before the disciples!
The promise of Deuteronomy 18:15 should be screaming in the disciples minds…. “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.”
This is a messianic statement, pointing to the One who would come… who would be greater than Moses. Not only leading people out of slavery and captivity… but providing a way through which captivity and slavery to sin would be defeated forever!
So, Jesus comes walking on the water. Doing something that only God can do. Looking at the disciples as if to say… “Can you see me now? Do you understand who I really am?”
As miraculous as Jesus walking on water is, let’s remember why he is walking on the water. Look back at verse 48.
Mark 6:48 (ESV)
And he saw that they were making headway painfully(straining at the oars), for the wind was against them.
Jesus saw that they were straining… struggling… working hard but going nowhere. For hours they had been pushed in the opposite direction of where they were trying to go. Jesus had told them to go East to Bethsaida. They end up landing West of where they started in Gennesaret. The disciples were struggling, being pushed way off course, and were being brought to a point where they had no hope of making forward progress on their own.
Jesus not only sees their need he came to them.
The point Mark wants us to see here is that Jesus comes in response to their struggle.
This is a great truth that we can cling to… and count on. Jesus not only sees our struggle… he sees us… and then does something about it. He came to their aid.
Jesus comes to and cares for all those who belong to Him!
We are not told what the disciples were doing in the boat… other than struggling against the wind. Maybe they were praying…. “Jesus, please help us!” Maybe they were complaining… “If we had only told Jesus no… then we wouldn’t be in this situation”. “We knew this would happen. Every time he sends us out on a boat…. we get stuck!” “We knew better… but here we are. What do we do?!”
No matter what their mindset and their cry was…. Jesus saw their need, not their attitude, and came to them.
What a comfort… and challenge to each of us! Those of us who belong to Jesus. Those of us who have made a profession of faith and trusted in Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. We are under his watchful eye. Even as Jesus was praying and talking with the Father up on the mountain, he saw his disciples struggle. He saw his disciples need and he responded…. he came to them.
That is so different from the many religions of the world. What other deity goes out of his way to come to the need of his creations? Who else in the world, other than born again believers, have a God who intimately knows them to the point when He knows their needs…. and responds?
Just because Jesus comes to us doesn’t mean that we will necessarily like the answer He provides. But we can know with confidence that whatever solution He provides when he responds, will be for our ultimate good and growth, not for our harm.
Problem with obedience…. sometimes obeying God places us in situations we don’t want to be… around people we don’t like… or in positions that are hard and sometimes painful…. but those situations aren’t the end… they are merely a means through which Jesus is growing us and developing us into who He wants us to be…. more like Him!
Jesus responds to their struggle, but he does so in a way that allows the disciples to see His glory demonstrated. Let me explain what I mean.
Don’t you think it is odd that we are told (v. 48) that he wanted to pass by them? Why do you think we are told that? If he is coming to their aid… why pass by?
Here is an opportunity to recognize something about how Mark has written his gospel account. While the entire gospel is designed to help the reader understand that Jesus is the Son of God… the Messiah, it is done in a way where Jesus does not proclaim that himself with words. He loudly proclaims that truth, but in Mark it is through His actions.
So, Jesus is “walking by” on purpose to help the disciples connect the dots…. and begin seeing with eyes of faith.
Let me help you connect the dots.
The most likely explanation of why Jesus “meant to pass by”, is the use of intentional OT language referring to the times when God revealed himself to certain people by “passing by” them.
In Exodus 33:18-23, Moses asks God to show him his glory. God responds, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you.” Although no one can see God’s face and live, God “passes by” and shows Moses his back.
In 1 Kings 19:10-12, Elijah expresses frustration that he is the only faithful person left in Israel. God tells him to “stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” God then reveals himself, not in a powerful wind or a mighty earthquake, but in a tiny whisper.
By “passing by” the disciples, Jesus is revealing his divine glory!
When Jesus does “pass by”, instead of understanding the lesson…the disciples see him and cry out because they thought it was a ghost! The word used here and in Matthew 14:26 carry the sense of a disembodied spirit. That doesn’t mean that saw Jesus… thought he was dead… and that they were seeing his ghost. No, they saw someone… didn’t recognize who it was… and assumed it was some kind of apparition.
Jesus, ever patient…. hears them cry out and responds with words of comfort and assurance when he identifies himself. Mark even tells us that Jesus immediately (same word expressing a sense of urgency as in verse 45) spoke to them. Jesus is genuinely comforting them and says, “have courage! It’s me!”.
Jesus not only responds to the disciples need…. he personally comes and comforts them!
After all the disciples have seen and experienced, you would think that seeing Jesus walk on the water would have been more than enough to help them understand…. This Jesus… must be the Messiah… He must be God Himself! But…. the disciples continue to demonstrate that seeing isn’t always believing.
III. Seeing isn’t believing! (vv. 51-52)
In verse 51, Jesus gets into the boat and all of a sudden the wind stops… the storm is finished. Amazing! Wouldn’t you be amazed? The disciples were.
Let’s not miss that another miracle had just happened. Yes, Jesus walking on the water was a display of his divine authority…. and proof that He is God (Job 9:8-11), but the immediate stopping of the wind recalls the calming of the storm back in 4:35-41… demonstrating Jesus’ authority over nature.
Verse 51 says that once Jesus got into the boat they were completely astounded.
The disciples expressing amazement is a pretty common theme throughout Mark’s gospel. Amazement in the Gospel of Mark is usually a positive response to the power of God. Except for here. In this event, it is actually negative… indicating the confusion and unbelief of the disciples. The disciples “amazement/ completely astounded” in verse 51 is connected with the amazement (and possible lack of understanding) of the previous miracle (feeding of the 5000).
for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
What had the disciples not understood? Why does Mark (Peter) choose this event to place that comment? The close proximity of the two miracles makes them stand out because both miracles carry with them a similar theme. The disciples are failing to recognize that One greater than Moses is here and that an event even greater than the Exodus is taking place before their very eyes. They are witnessing all that is taking place but they are not seeing with eyes of faith.
Jesus keeps asking “Can you see me now?”….. Sadly, at this point in the narrative… the disciples response is… no… not yet.
Just like Jesus faced a turning point in verse 45, the disciples are presented with a turning point of sorts…. they have an opportunity to respond.
Mark tells us that their hearts were hardened because of their failure to understand.
Remember back in the Exodus event, similar comments are made about Pharaoh’s heart. Having a hardened heart is a pretty serious condition. The same comment is made of Jesus’ opponents (Mark 3:5) when they wanted to trap Jesus (Mark 10:5).
As you continue on in your study, you will see more tension build. Almost as if the author is asking a rhetorical question: “Will the disciples go the way of Jesus’ opponents… who have eyes but do not see?” Or, will they truly “see” Jesus for who He really is?
Why aren’t they understanding? Because…
Seeing who Jesus really is (recognizing his divine authority) requires eyes of faith.
Conclusion:
The event we looked at today may be a familiar story to some of you. The thing about familiar passages of Scripture is that we tend to read over them quickly and move on because we think we know what it is about.
There is a lot here to digest.
Jesus comes to His disciples in a moment of need and this time he doesn’t just calm the storm… he walks on the water…. demonstrating that he is God…. by again… doing something that only God can do. This event is definitely meant to remind us of the earlier storm (4:35-41) and functions to both demonstrate Jesus’ divine authority over nature as well as his provision/ protection of his disciples.
The disciples are witnessing all of these demonstrations of authority… these miraculous events…. they are being given numerous opportunities to respond to Jesus’ question…. “Can you see me now?”.
In chapter 6 alone, they have just witnesses two pretty large scale miraculous events… yet their hearts remained hardened…. they continue to not understand.
Let’s not let that be said of us. God has spoken to us through His Word! God has revealed the truth of who He is to us…. how are we responding?
In faith? Or with hardened hearts?
Jesus is constantly asking… “Can you see me now?” Do you understand who I really am? Can you see? Do you understand? To do so takes faith!
Seeing who Jesus really is (recognizing his divine authority) requires eyes of faith.
Highlights to remember:
Jesus comes to us in response to our struggles.
Jesus comes to and cares for all those who belong to Him!
Obeying Jesus will lead to sorrows and struggles. But… obeying Jesus will also bring with it opportunities to see His glory demonstrated!
Jesus continues to demonstrate his divine authority.
How are we to respond?
Pray!
Jesus prayed. In times of crisis… and times of rejoicing. He prayed!
Open your eyes (soften your heart) and believe!
Begin seeing with eyes of faith…. recognizing who Jesus really is!
Never lose your amazement with Jesus!
Don’t let the busy-ness of life or the burdens of religion get in your way of a faith relationship with Jesus!
Trust that obeying Jesus is truly the best decision you can ever make.
Recognize that obeying Jesus may lead to struggles and sorrow but it also leads incredible joy!
Understanding that Jesus truly is the Son of God… requires eyes of faith.
“Can you see Him now?”
Close in prayer
