Jesus Walks on Water
Mark 6:45-56

45. And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. 46. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. 47. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. 48. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. 49. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: 50. For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. 51. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 52. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. 53. And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. 54. And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, 55. And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. 56. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

Good evening. I would like to use for our text this evening Mark chapter 6 verses 45 through 56.

INTRO: (Read from 45 thru 48) From the incident we have read in our text has come an expression that is frequently heard. It is an expression that one might use of another person. They might say “He can almost walk on water”. When the expression is used this way is probably a compliment. It suggests the high regard in which one is held by others. It may also be used in a derogatory way. It might be suggestive of a person’s pride and ego ... “He thinks he can walk on water.”

I heard a story about a young man from Minnesota named Jimmy who had heard a family rumor many times that his father, his grandfather and even his great-grandfather, all "walked on water" on their 21st birthday. When the day of his 21st birthday came, he believed that if they could do it, so could he. So, off he went in a boat with his friend Eric. When he got out in the middle of the lake, he got up and stepped out of the boat, fell in the water and almost drowned.
The next day, Jimmy asked his grandmother why he wasn't given the same gift as the others in his family. She gave him a considered look then told him that his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all been born in February, not in August, as he was.

The fact is that Jesus did walk on water. In addition even the apostle Peter walked on water (according to Matthew’s account of this event). True, Peter may not have walked for long on the water, but he did walk on the water. The incident we read about has in it some things which I do not understand. I would not even try to explain all the things that are here because some things about this event I may not understand this side of eternity. There are in the reading of this passage, if we read it all, some wonderful assurances, messages of hope.

I. LET’S SET THE SCENE...
A. Let me set the stage for you. Jesus has just done what might be the most notable of His miracles, the feeding of the 5000 with five loaves and two little fish.
B. As the result of this miracle the people recognized that Jesus is the prophet that Moses spoke of in Deuteronomy 18:15 when he wrote The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
C. As recorded in John 6:15 Jesus perceived that out of this miracle and out of this recognition, there was a desire to make Him a king (John 6:15) When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
1. We should also realize that Galilee was a place of intense nationalism at this time. They were about as Jewish as Jewish could be. They believed that there would come a time when there would be a king, a literal earthly king that would reign over them. One who would expel the Romans from their territories; then they would once again be a great nation as in the days of David and Solomon.
2. John 6:14 says; “… when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”
3. In fact scripture had certainly spoken of a coming king after the lineage of David.
4. Jesus knew that this earthly kingdom which the people of that region expected and wanted was not the kind of kingdom they expected. An earthly king was not the kind of king that scripture foretold.
D. Jesus did three things as we read in (Mark 6:45,46):
1. First of all, He sent the apostles to their boat and back to the other side of the sea from which they had come. “And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.”
2. Second, He sent the people away - he needed to disperse the crowd before something inappropriate to Jesus’ purpose could happen.
3. Third, He went into a mountain, apart from the people, apart from his apostles, to pray. “And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.”
II. In Mark 6:47 we find Jesus on the mountain praying and the apostles are on the sea, rowing for their lives. Jesus sees them rowing, “toiling in rowing” the bible says, they are in trouble on the sea.
A. The apostles were apparently in trouble on the sea
1. Mark observes that the “wind was contrary to them” that is, they were rowing into the wind. Probably not making very good headway.
2. Matthew tells us the sea was “tossed with waves” (Matthew 14:24) But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. [KJV] There is the little ship being tossed about and the sails are not going to do any good against the contrary wind, so they are having to row for their lives.
3. Jesus sees this; “saw them toiling in rowing” – That word “toiling” arrests my attention. How in the world was Jesus able to see them in the midst of the sea in the dark of night from where He was?... I don’t know the answer to that question. I have no explanation which would satisfy skeptics or critics. But I’ll tell you this, I don’t feel constrained to have to answer that kind of question, because it is Jesus of whom we are speaking. It is the Son of God, of whom we are speaking. It is He who just fed 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish, of whom we are speaking. Who am I to wonder how He could see, from where he was, to the sea, at night and see the problem the apostles were having? Enough to be said that He could see them and they were in trouble.
4. Here is one of the great assurances that I find in this passage – Jesus Christ, our helper, (and He is known in scripture as our helper (1 John 2:1)), sees and knows our troubles beyond anything we can imagine! I can barely see the length of our driveway on a dark night. I know of course my eyes are not as good as they once were, but even in my youth things quickly faded into shadows in the night at a distance. Because of His power, He can see whatever it is He needs to see as is illustrated here. Not limited like we are in vision. He can see us in our problems, our troubles and is available to give us aid.
B. Mark tells us in verse 48 that this all takes place “about the fourth watch” which is between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. (6:48)
1. From that information we can surmise that the apostles had been on the stormy sea a good while rowing against the wind. It wasn’t all that far from where they were to Bethsaida where they were headed. It was a matter of just a few miles.
2. Here they were on a trip of only a few miles, toiling in rowing against the wind in a rough sea, at night and had been doing so for some time. These were sturdy men but I bet they were getting tired.
3. It was during this fourth watch that Jesus “went unto them” as we read in (Matthew 14:25)
C. When Jesus went to them, Mark makes a little observation “and would have passed by them”
1. Naturally this leads us to ask why He was out there in the first place if He didn’t intend to help the apostles. Of course, He intended to help them! That is why He went, but He seemed to want to pass them by. Now I don’t know the answer to this for certain.
2. I can ask myself the question, was the perception that He was willing to pass them by, a means of His teaching them dependence on Him?
3. Or is there another explanation that is suggested by the context? Perhaps it might be that the apostles have not yet comprehended? (probably, so ... they have seen the miracle, and by this point they realized and confessed that Jesus is the Christ, but have they yet fully realized that Jesus is Deity in the flesh?)
D. We are told when the apostles saw Jesus, they didn’t recognize him. They thought they saw a spirit! (Mark 6:49) “But when they saw him walking on the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:” Keeping in mind the scene…
1. Jesus was most assuredly an unexpected sight ... and it was a windy night, dark and stormy.
2. The apostles were undoubtedly tired (the day had been long), and they had been out there rowing for a long time, weary (toiling), and probably just a little bit frightened. These men were experienced with this sea, and would know that a storm could swamp a small boat and sink it, putting their lives in danger.
3. Here came Jesus in that environment, walking on the water. Folks, that was no doubt, an unexpected sight. They were so frightened by what they saw that Matthew says they “cried out for fear”. They were afraid.
E. Jesus immediately spoke to them - “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid”
1. One writer noted “it is I” is literally translated “I am” – We remember those words from Exodus 3:14. We know that this is the place where God sends Moses to the people of Israel in Egypt, but Moses has a problem; he has dwelt in the land of Midian for 40 years. So Moses says; (and I paraphrase) Ok, you are sending me to these people which have already encompassed the gods of the Egyptians to an extent. They have forgotten much of what they knew of God. The problem is not just Pharaoh, the problem will be getting the Israelites to listen, who shall I say sent me? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
2. Here is Jesus walking on the water and he speaks to the frightened apostles and he says “Be of good cheer” and uses those words “I AM”. (ego eimi = I am, G1473 G1510) I wonder, were Jesus’ words intended to bring them to full realization of who He is? Reinforcing the faith of the apostles and bringing them to a fuller understanding of who He is. I am not just your friend, I am not just the son of Joseph and Mary, I’m not just the brother of James and Jude, I AM deity in the flesh. Just as God said to Moses, I AM, Jesus said to the apostles leading them toward a full realization of just Who it was that was with them.
3. Mark tells us that as Jesus steps into the ship the wind ceased. Then the more I read in this account and look at Mark 6:52,- “For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.”, the more I think this is exactly what is happening here. The apostles understood to an extent, but not sufficiently. Perhaps saying it another way, they knew what they had seen with their eyes and they took it all into consideration in their minds but their hearts were not convinced. Folks, are we convinced today?
F. Let’s look back at poor Peter who himself stepped out of the boat - Matthew 14:28,29 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
1. We often wonder at this. Peter was often the impetuous one ... like many of us I think.
2. We also often criticize Peter for “sinking” when he saw the winds were boisterous... but folks listen. Peter did step out of the boat he did walk on the water. He had the willingness to trust the Lord by stepping out of that boat.
3. It would be a wonderful thing if more disciples were like Peter, willing to leave their comfort zones, to step out of the boat as it were ... willing to launch out in faith. To be willing to do great things in service for the Lord. It would be a wonderful thing if we could step out and do the things God wants us to do - not having all the answers to all of the questions ahead of time.
G. When Jesus entered the boat, “the wind ceased” (Mark 6:51)
1. We see in the text that immediately when Jesus stepped into the boat, the sea was calmed. The great affirmation here is that Jesus has the answers to our troubles, and to our problems and to our questions. I am convinced that the answers are not always forthcoming in a way that we are able to see them, and the wind may continue to blow for awhile, but with Jesus there is reason to hope. With Jesus there is the promise of calm, and peace. As long as Jesus was out of that boat the sea was rough, troubled.
2. There are for us questions of faith too as we face troubles in our lives. The storms that gather around us. The lesson here is that Jesus sees and knows the problem. If we are with Him there is a solution, there is an answer. Only in being with Him are we going to find the answers to life’s, often very difficult, questions.

CLOSE: We read in verse 6:54 arriving in the land of Gennesaret, he was immediately recognized “And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,” In verse 6:55 the word goes out through the whole region and the crowds once again began to surround Jesus. “And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.” Wherever He went, the sick were brought into the streets ... if perhaps they could touch “but the border of his garment” (6:56).

What a scene. People that were ill being brought into the street as Jesus walked along and they were hoping only to touch the border of his garment. Mark tells us very clearly that “as many as touched him were made whole”. Jesus wants to help us. He sees us and knows our problems.

The question is; but do we have the faith to trust in Him to help us, to answer our questions? I know, I’m as impatient as the next person, perhaps more so than many. I want the answer to my questions, my problem, my dilemma, right away. But that is not the way God answers questions, that is not the way Jesus helps. The confidence we need to have is that He has the answer and that He will answer in His time and we will find peace and we will find calm in an otherwise stormy sea.
We sing the song Jesus, I Come and it starts with the words “Out of my bondage”. It is a wonderful song. I look at that word bondage and I think of the kind of bondage in which people are held every day. I think of the bondage in which the apostles were held as they considered the miracle, but did not realize the meaning. As they considered the person, but did not fully know the person whom they considered. Their bondage was the bondage of human nature, bondage of human experience, and it is that same bondage that often holds us. We need to be released from that bondage.

Then there is the bondage of sin. “Out of my bondage, sorrow and night, Jesus I come”. It is out of these bonds that we come to the Lord, for release from the bonds of sin, and to receive the forgiveness of all the sins we have committed.
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We learn from the New Testament how to be saved. We need to hear the word; believe in Jesus; repent of our sins; we must confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God; and be baptized for the remission of our sins… If we follow these steps, the Lord adds us to His church.

Perhaps there is someone in the assembly today with the need to be buried with Christ in baptism. If you have never done these things, we urge you to do so today. If anyone has this need or desires the prayers of faithful Christians on their behalf, we encourage them to come forward while we stand and sing.

# 603
Taken from sermon by Cecil A. Hutson