“Don’t Be Afraid” Mark 6:45-56 09/13/2009 Dane Boyles

“Don’t Be Afraid” It had been a busy day for Jesus and His disciples. Now, evening is fast approaching (vv. 45-46).

Mark 6:45-46 45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

“Don’t Be Afraid” There are at least three reasons Jesus sent His men away at this time. The first had to do with the crowds Jesus had just fed. Another reason Jesus sent the disciples away was so He could spend some time alone with His Father.

“Don’t Be Afraid” A third reason for the disciples being sent away had to do with the disciples themselves.

“Don’t Be Afraid” How He sent them. 45 …Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, (Mark 6:45)

“Don’t Be Afraid” Jesus pushed them into a boat and made them to leave. 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. (Mark 6:52)

“Don’t Be Afraid” What’s one of the things God does when his disciples’ hearts are hardened? 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. (Mark 6:47)

Mark 6:48 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.

“Don’t Be Afraid” Do you ever feel like that in the middle of a situation? So what do you do? You don’t let yourself look at the situation naturally.

“Don’t Be Afraid” Instead you compel yourself to represent your situation non-naturally. The dynamics of the situation are not the issue. Seeing God, and not letting the circumstances of the situation blind us, is the issue.

“Don’t Be Afraid” How He saw them. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them (Mark 6:48)

“Don’t Be Afraid” Their problem wasn’t that they were in the middle of the sea at night going no where. Their problem was that they hadn’t understood about the loaves and their hearts were hardened (v. 52).

“Don’t Be Afraid” So the wind had turned against them. He was also teaching something else. 48 …About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them…. (Mark 6:48) Despite knowing what they were going through, Jesus waited.

“Don’t Be Afraid” How He saved them. 48 … About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. 48 He was about to pass by them, (Mark 6:49-49)

Mark 6:49-50 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.  Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Don’t Be Afraid” He went out to them walking on the lake. In our minds, we have to interject God into the situation. Unless we do so, all we see is the naturality of it all.

“Don’t Be Afraid” He came in such an unexpected way! 48 He was about to pass by them (Mark 6:48). 50 …Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Mark 6:50)

Mark 6:51-52 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

Three Faith Lessons Our lack of faith can limit God’s power to work in our midst. We can have a big God who moves in big ways or we can have a little God who rarely shows up.

Three Faith Lessons As long as God stays in a box we have constructed for Him, we are fine. But when He begins to work in ways we have never seen Him work before, what will be do?

“Don’t Be Afraid” Mark 6:45-56 09/13/2009 Dr. Dane Boyles