SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
5/30/2012 8:22:27 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The stilling of the storm
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Mark 6:45-56
Message of the verses: In the SD that was done yesterday we looked at the last main point from Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary on Mark and covered the first sub-point under it. He calls this last main point “The Unbelief of His Disciples” and we looked at “The feeding of the 5,000” yesterday. Today we move on to the last twelve verses in the sixth chapter of Mark.
The stilling of the storm (vv. 45-56): “45 ¶ Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. 46 After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray. 47 When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. 48 Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. 49 But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid." 51 Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, 52 for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened. 53 When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. 54 When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 55 and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to the place they heard He was. 56 Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured.” (NASB 95)
When we look at this section of Scripture along with companion passages from Matthew and John we see some very powerful miracles done. Jesus walking on the water is seen in this section, while Peter walking on the water is seen in the other gospels. We also see the calming of the storm by Jesus and in John ‘s Gospel we see a miracle that is not seen in any of the other Gospels, and that is that as soon as Jesus got into the boat they immediately got to shore. I have often wondered if it was because Peter had influence in Mark’s Gospel that the incident of Peter walking on the water and then losing faith and was about to drown before Jesus saved him, was not covered by Mark. When I think of that part of the story I think that there were twelve men in the boat, but only Peter had enough faith to get out of the boat and walk on the water. Just think that there are only two men who have walked on water, Jesus and Peter.
Why Jesus sent His disciple away is a question that we do not have an answer to, but we know that it was in the will of Jesus to send them out into the storm. Perhaps it was because the crowds were trying to take Jesus and make Him their king for reasons stated in yesterday’s SD, or perhaps it was a lesson in faith because of the spiritual high that they were on after being sent out to do miracles and preach and also to be a part of the feeding of the 5000. Jesus had His reasons and they are always perfect. Jesus spent much time praying for them before He came to them.
This is a good time to write how much this passage means to me. I once heard a missionary friend of mine preach a sermon on this passage along with the companion passages found in the other Gospels. He entitled his message “Blessings in the Storms of Life,” and the message to me was like the Lord preaching it to me. There was a great crisis in my life, a crisis that still affects me some nine years later, but God has plans for me in that crisis to bring about blessings and it was from that message that I knew that God was at work in this crisis. My friend had six points to his message that day and although I don’t remember all of them, though I have a copy of the message on tape, I do remember that Jesus sent His disciple out into the storm and then He prayed for them while they were in the storm. Jesus then came to them in the storm and calmed the storm, and then Jesus got them to the place where He had told them to go, but they were not able to get there on their own. As I went through the first part of this crisis the Lord saw fit for me to tell some of my neighbors how they can gain eternal life and I saw 18 people accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. One of them is now with the Lord in heaven. That blessing is still going on as there have been others who have gotten saved since that time. What a blessing the Lord gave to me in a great crisis. I took some time to disciple these people that the Lord saved and I believe that most of them are walking with the Lord at this time.
Dr. Wiersbe writes on spiritual highs, which is what the disciples of Jesus were on before He sent them out into the storm. “They were on a ‘spiritual high’ and this in itself was dangerous. It is good to be on the mountaintop if you don’t get careless and step off a cliff. Spiritual blessings must be balanced with burdens and battles; otherwise, we may become pampered children instead of mature sons and daughters.” Dr. Wiersbe also points out of another storm found in Mark 4:35-41 that Jesus saw His disciples through. He then points out something interesting and that is when we look at the book of Acts we do not find persecution begin until after 5000 people had been saved. Perhaps the disciples remembered and were encouraged as they thought about this incident and how the Lord saw them through this storm.
Dr. Wiersbe writes “Each new experience of testing demands of us more faith and courage. In that first storm experience, the disciples had Jesus in the boat with them; but this time, He was on the mountain praying for them. He was teaching them to live by faith. (For that matter, even when He was in the ship with them, they were still afraid!) The scene illustrates the situation of God’s people today: We are in the midst of this stormy world, toiling and seemingly ready to sink, but He is in glory interceding for us. When the hour seems the darkest, He will come to us—and we will reach shore!” After reading then the writing these words from Dr. Wiersbe I can assure you that they are true because of the crisis I was in and in some degree am still in.
What does this mean: “and He intended to pass by them.” Jesus wanted them to recognize Him, and He wanted them to invite Him into the boat, and He wanted them to trust His so that their faith would be increased.
Verse 52 states: “for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.” I mentioned yesterday that this verse sticks out to me like no other verse in this entire chapter. What is it all about? “The miracle of the loaves and fishes had made no lasting impression on them. After all if Jesus could multiply food and feed thousands of people, then surely He could protect them in the storm. Even a disciple of Jesus Christ can develop a hard heart if he fails to respond to the spiritual lessons that must be learned in the course of life and ministry.” (Warren Wiersbe)
Let’s look at these miracles in view of Psalm 23 verses one and four: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” These two verses show us that Jesus brings protection and provision to those who are His own and these two miracles that Jesus did in the last part of Mark 6 show us this.
In the last few verses we see that Mark ends this chapter on a positive note as he writes about what Jesus did for the people that were at Gennesaret, as He healed their sick, all of their sick.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I mentioned the fond memories that I have from this section of Scripture and the Lord Jesus Christ has given provision and protection to me through the crisis. Protection from the crisis does not mean that it was life threatening to me in a physical sense. God is faithful!
My Steps of Faith for Today: My desire is to remain (abide) in the Vine so that I can be used of the Lord.
5/30/2012 9:35:44 AM
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