May 18, 2008

  • MARKS GOSPEL [#24]

    The Making of a Worshiper
    Mark 6:45-52
    Pastor Dennis Rost (    02/17/2008)

    INTRO:
      • …a strange miracle, this one… This is different than feeding the hungry or healing the sick or raising the dead… What could be the point of walking on the sea in the middle of the night… and of scaring the disciples half to death in the process?
        • it has to do with the making of a worshiper of Jesus

    1. Questions of Intent
      • Why did Jesus “make” ("compelled") the disciples get in the boat and go out into the sea, especially when He knew that they would get into trouble? (v. 45)... they felt secure when He was around & they may have been influenced by the crowd - wanting Him as King, but for the wrong reasons
        > the timing was wrong
        > their ambitions were wrong
        > He did want to show them He was indeed King & Godi

      • Why did Jesus go out unto them in the middle of the sea in the middle of the night? Why did He walk on the water, especially knowing He would scare them big time?
        > He sent them ahead, so any
        > He wanted to show His care
        > He wanted to show them His power of the things that scare them

    2. Order of Events
      a. Jesus sends the DISCIPLES to the boat so as to cross the sea
      b. Jesus sends the CROWD away
      c. Jesus PRAYS
      d. Jesus is mindful that the twelve have been blown into the middle of the sea; their situation is DESPERATE
      e. Jesus goes out to them, WALKING on the WATER
      f. Seeing Him, the men think they see a GHOST
      g. Jesus announces that it is He, calming their fears
      h. Peter asks the Lord for enablement to WALK ON THE WATER out to Him (so as to be with Him). (cp. Matt. 14:28-29)

    Peter feels its safer on the water WITH Jesus than in the boat WITHOUT Jesus

      i. Peter, taking his eyes off Jesus and seeing the wind and the waves,  begins to SINK, and cries out to Jesus. (cp. Matt. 14:30)
      j. Jesus reaches out His hand and rescues Peter. (cp. Matt. 14:31)
      k. They both climb into the boat. (cp. Matt. 14:32)
      l. The wind IMMEDIATELY stops.
      m. The boat instantaneously arrives at the shore. (cp. John 6:21)
      n The men were ASTONISHED.

    They hadn't really learned anything from the miracle of the loaves (Mark 6:51-52). Now they had learned, and for the first time they confess that He is the Son of God.  (cp. Matt. 14:33)

      o. They WORSHIP Him.

    3. Lessons of Value
      a. Personal prayer must be seen as a PRIORITY  (v. 46)
        • concerning the HARD hearts of the disciples... Jesus knew that they had not learned from the miracle of the loaves
        • concerning the UNBELIEVING hearts of the crowd... the same crowd who would abandon Him, & eventually call for His crucification
      b. The pathway of obedience to Christ does include STORMS   (v.48)
      c. Even when we can't see Jesus, Jesus can see us. (v.48;  Heb 4:13)
      d. Jesus comes to us at the RIGHT time (v.48)... After 9 hrs in the storm!
      e. Our fears might be Jesus in DISGUISE  (vs.49-50)
      f. The water that threatens to be OVER your head is UNDER Jesus' feet.  (Matt 14:26)
      g. Our ability to walk supernaturally depends on the focus of our EYES. (Matt 14:29-30)
      h. Our biggest problems are “no problem” for Him   (v. 51; John 6:21)
      i. WORSHIP is the bottom line (Matt 14:33)

    CONCLUSION
        • God, the Father had proclaimed Jesus to be His Son at His baptism, and even the demons at Gadara had declared Him to be the Son of God, but this is a first for the disciples. This is exactly the perceptive and believing response Jesus sought.
        • It still is…