Passage: Mark 6:45-56

The Big Idea

Faith is believing what God declares to the point that we count it more reliable than what we think, feel or see. Jesus sent His disciples into a storm on purpose, watched them strain at the oars all night, and then came to them walking on the sea. Before He calmed the wind, He spoke three things: “Take heart! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” He revealed Himself as the great I AM. The storm was never the point. Knowing who He is, and trusting His one-way love, is.

The Dead Faith Test

Faith is simply believing what God declares to the point that we count it more reliable and true than what we think, feel or see around us.

Do you have faith? Do you know what God says? Do you believe it?

Here’s a test. What is dead faith?

Picture a man with a bad headache. He takes a bottle of medicine from his cabinet and reads the label. “I’m sure these directions are correct. I trust the company that made it. I believe everything about it. I know it will relieve my headache if I take it.”

Then he puts the bottle back on the shelf. His headache continues. He can say, “I believe in that medicine. I believe everything about it.” But he won’t take it. That’s dead faith.

So the dead faith test is this: do you still have your headache?

His promise is true. His ability is perfect. He’s willing to give you everything He’s ever promised. The issue is never with Him. It’s with us. We haven’t taken the medicine. We haven’t received what Christ has offered.

How do we take it?

Jesus said that unless we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, we have no life in us. Whoever feeds on Him has eternal life and abides in Him, and He in them. As He lives because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Him will live because of Him (John 6:53-58). And He said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst” (John 6:35).

Come to Him. Believe in Him. That’s faith, deep faith.

God is training us to walk by faith: to make repeated choices to count His Word and promises true, and to depend on them through situation after situation and test after test.

Sent into the Storm (Mark 6:45)

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the crowd away.

Jesus sent His disciples across the lake, knowing full well a storm was coming.
Why would a loving God send us right into a storm? He didn’t just allow it. He used it on purpose.
Jesus was still committed to teaching His disciples about deeper faith.
They had just seen a miracle of love: Jesus feeding five thousand men, and likely many more counting women and children.
But they needed to go deeper. They couldn’t know Jesus only when everything was great. They had to know Him as Lord when everything was terrible.
That’s when it’s hard to trust God: when things look hopeless, when we’re tired, hurting, questioning, desperate, discouraged, broken. When our hearts melt within us.
That’s when our faith is in the refining fire, and it’s purified.

Jesus wanted the disciples to see His glory, His power. He knew it would change them forever. His glory is the weight of who Jesus really is, and His beloved disciples needed to know who He really is, because they still didn’t get it.

He Went Up to Pray (Mark 6:46)

After sending them off, He went up on the mountain to pray.

John tells us the people wanted to take Him by force and make Him king (John 6:15). Jesus wasn’t interested in anything His Father wasn’t planning.
He needed to speak with His Father about many things.
He knew His disciples would need His help, and He lived in the power of a living relationship with His Father.
So He prayed.

Hebrews says He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:25).

What does Jesus live for? To supply what we need. That’s His passion and mission. Whether we need forgiveness, joy, help, resources, strength, love, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, endurance, boldness, or a miracle, Jesus wants to be the source of your life and blessings.

Will we come to Him alone, pray, and wait for Him? Will we give Him a chance to give us what we ask?

He Saw Them Straining (Mark 6:47-48a)

When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on land. He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.

All night long it looked like the disciples were alone, forgotten, abandoned.
But Jesus saw them. He was watching. He saw their pain and struggle.
It wasn’t their fault. They weren’t being punished. They were simply making no progress.

There’s a story of a house that caught fire at night. A young boy fled to the roof. His father stood below with outstretched arms, calling, “Jump! I’ll catch you!” The boy had to jump to live, but all he could see was flames, smoke and darkness. He was terrified to leave the roof. His father kept calling, “Jump! I’ll catch you!” The boy cried, “Daddy, I can’t see you!” His father answered, “But I can see you, and that’s all that matters.”

The disciples were being watched, prayed for, and loved.

Have you ever had a long night like this? Everything against you, no progress, God seemingly silent? We ask, “Why? Where are You, God? What did I do?”

A better question to ask in those times is, “Who are You, God?” Because God will reveal Himself when you truly ask and want to know Him. He will come to you and commune with you. Open the Word and seek Him. He won’t be long.

Walking on the Sea (Mark 6:48b-50a)

About the fourth watch of the night (between three and six in the morning), He came to them, walking on the sea, and meant to pass by them. When they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought He was a ghost and cried out, for they all saw Him and were terrified.

His intention all along was to help them and teach them, because He loves them.
“Meant to pass by them” echoes the way God “passed by” Moses and Elijah to reveal His glory (Exodus 33:19-22; 1 Kings 19:11). This was a revelation of who He is.
They thought they were helpless. No one can walk out to you on a stormy sea. They were on their own.
But Jesus walked on the water, because He isn’t limited by the things we think are limits.
He is God, with the power of God and the love of God for His poor children.

But wait. Why does He talk to them first? Why not stop the storm first? Why doesn’t He change my situation first?

Look at what He says.

Three Words in the Storm (Mark 6:50b)

Immediately He spoke with them: “Take heart! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

1. “Take heart!”

Be encouraged. Jesus doesn’t rebuke them!
He is so gentle and encouraging. Yes, He tells us the truth we need to hear even when we don’t want to, but He is the most gentle and kind person who has ever lived. Love runs through every word.
This is the first thing He says to His disciples in their trouble: “I’m not mad at you. I’m with you. I’m for you. I’ve never left you.”

2. “It is I.”

In Greek it’s simply “I am.” “Take heart: I AM.”
This is the name of God. Jesus was revealing Himself fully to His students.
They knew their Old Testament and would have caught it. These are the words God spoke to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14), the same I AM who led the nation out of Egypt.

Scripture gives us many names that unfold who the LORD is:

Jehovah-Jireh: The LORD Will Provide (Genesis 22:14)
Jehovah-Rohi: The LORD My Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
Jehovah-Shalom: The LORD Is Peace (Judges 6:24)
Jehovah-Rapha: The LORD Who Heals (Exodus 15:26)
Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The LORD Our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)
Jehovah-Shammah: The LORD Is There (Ezekiel 48:35)
Jehovah-Nissi: The LORD My Banner (Exodus 17:15)
Jehovah-M’kaddesh: The LORD Who Sanctifies (Leviticus 20:8)
El Elyon: God Most High (Genesis 14:18-20)

All of that was walking toward them across the waves.

3. “Don’t be afraid.”

The form of the command carries the sense of “Stop being afraid.”
This is the application of the lesson. Faith and fear don’t go together.
When fear rules us, it’s a sign we haven’t yet seen clearly who He is. The answer isn’t to try harder not to be afraid; it’s to look at Him.

Amazed Beyond Measure (Mark 6:51-52)

He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind stopped. They were utterly astounded.

Once Jesus had spoken with them and revealed Himself, He calmed the wind.
They got the point. They were blown away!
John adds that the boat immediately reached the shore (John 6:21), and Matthew tells us this is when Peter walked on the water (Matthew 14:28-31).

They hadn’t understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

The loaves weren’t just about filling bellies. They pointed to His own life, broken and given for the people. He is the bread of life, the source of all life, God in the flesh, the I AM.
Knowing who God is, is a heart thing, not just a head thing.

Augustine wrote, “Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand.”

Knowledge of the Lord is experiential. Peter tells us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).
You can’t understand how Jesus can be all you need and satisfy every desire until your heart is soft.
What is a soft heart? Humility and faith.

Everyone Who Touched Him (Mark 6:53-56)

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Him and ran through the whole region, carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. Wherever He went, villages, towns or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him to let them touch even the fringe of His garment. And all who touched Him were healed.

Here we’re reminded of Jesus’ character and mission.
He shows us what it looks like to deny self and care for others.
He healed with the supernatural power of God.
He showed no favoritism. No one who wanted healing was turned away. No one in need was rejected.
The only requirement was to come to Jesus. Faith!

Do we come to Jesus? Do we believe He is the I AM, everything we need and desire?

There’s no sickness He can’t heal, no heart He won’t touch, no person too lost or broken. Jesus is a capable Savior. When will we realize there’s no other?

Are You Straining at the Oars?

Are you in a boat, straining with all your might against an invisible, terrible wind? Does it seem like you’re making no progress? Maybe you even feel abandoned, because it really seems like Jesus told you to get in this boat.

Jesus sees you. He’s praying for you. He will show up, not because you earn His help, but because He simply loves you.

It’s a one-way love. It loves with no thought of getting anything back. It loves its object without needing validation or improvement. Agape love: selfless, self-giving.

When you’re lost or in need, search out His love. Wait and depend on His love.

Jesus and His love are the object of our faith.
Have faith in His love.
Grow in faith in His love.

Remember the dead faith test? Dead faith says, “Oh, I know all about Jesus. But I don’t expect Him to actually step in and deliver me.” So we’d rather stay in our trouble than trust God with real faith, or believe He really loves us and will come when we call.

But He sees you, and His heart is moved with great compassion.

Grace Takeaway

Jesus sent His disciples into the storm, but He never took His eyes off them. He prayed for them, came to them, and before He changed anything around them, He told them who He is: “Take heart. I AM. Stop being afraid.” Whatever wind you’re rowing against, He sees you and loves you with a one-way love. Don’t leave the medicine on the shelf. Take Him at His word.

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Faith That Doesn’t Sink