Scripture Reading:

Mark 6

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1. What are your overall thoughts about the chapter?

2. What part of this chapter did you most resonate with?

3. What is your prayer to God brought on by this chapter?

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Chapter Notables:

1. People that knew Jesus previous to His ministry gets offended about Him going about His ministry as His popularity grows - verses 1-6

2. Jesus sends out the 12 with instructions - verses 7-13

3. John the Baptist gets beheaded - verses 14-29

4. Jesus feeds 5000 - verses 30-44

5. Jesus walks on water - verses 45-52

6. Jesus and the twelve cross over and people seek Him out with faith that if they touch even the edge of His cloak they’d be healed - verses 53-56

Water Walker | Lemuel Ayudtud

Performing the impossible is truly God’s forte. Somebody asked, “Which one is easier walking on water or swimming on land?” It’s funny when you think about it, but God is the God of impossibilities. He’s even the God of the improbable.

Mark records a time in Jesus ministry when Jesus walks on water. We read the story of Him meeting the disciples in the middle of this lake. We know that the lake had been storming and so the winds and the waves were tossing the disciples to and fro while they were on the boat. Jesus goes ahead and would’ve passed by them, when the disciples recognized that a man was walking on the water. Of course, that’s impossible. So they thought it must’ve been a ghost; to their surprise, it was Jesus.

Mark does not record Peter and Jesus‘s interaction on the water like Matthew does, all we have is him completing the whole story by retelling of Jesus getting onto the boat and when afterwards the winds in the waves immediately calm. Mark does make a commentary on his telling of this story, though. He notes that the disciples were completely amazed at how the waves and the wind ceased when Jesus got on the boat, but that their hearts were hardened because they did not understand the loaves.

Often times we don’t recognize the power and the magnificence of God’s abilities. Sometimes we forget, in the midst of our circumstance, about what God has done in our lives prior to. The disciples had just seen Jesus multiply a handful of bread and fish to feed 5000, yet these disciples were amazed that Jesus walked on water. Possibly because of their fear of death (by drowning), they totally forgot about the miracle of bread (by multiplying).

We, too, often miss the power of God in our storms. We get so caught up in what’s happening right now in our struggle that our memories short circuit. Instead of believing God through our storm, we are afraid of “ghosts” or our own perception of what’s happening at the moment. Instead of understanding God’s supernatural ability, we cower in fear as we attempt to do things through our own ability.

What comfort it is to know that if we call out Jesus will not pass us by? Like the disciples, though caught with fear, crying out to grab the attention of Jesus, our prayers and supplications also gets the attention of God. And like Jesus getting back into the boat even though the disciples were unbelieving at that moment, Jesus will also get into our boat even in the midst of our unbelief.

But unbelief is a deterrent to God when it comes to what He can do for us. Faith is the avenue by which regular people like you and me do supernatural things. Jesus is the water walker Who calls us out to do great things. The Bible in this chapter of Mark lets us know that Jesus sent out His disciples and in His Name they were able to do the miracles that He Himself would have performed. Our option is to either walk on water with Him or watch on the sidelines. It’s either we cry out of fear because of doubt or cry out in worship because of faith.

In the opening verses of this chapter, Mark tells us that those that new Jesus before He started His ministry and before He “blew up”, we’re offended that Jesus was actually doing what He was doing. Jesus, speaking about these set of people, said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” So instead of being the epicenter for what God would have done, they lost sight of the power of Jesus and did not see Him perform miracles. They doubted instead of believed.

We are the body of Christ. We are the followers of Jesus. Yet instead of walking in might and power, like those who knew Jesus the best should, sometimes we operate in lack and disbelief. This is what we need to do:

1. We have to get a glimpse of Jesus walking on the water.

2. We need to believe Him not only for His capability, but that His power also resides in us.

3. We must not allow worry, doubt, fear, or self devaluing to keep us from doing the miraculous.

We may not be able to swim on land, but at least, by what Jesus showed us, we can walk on water. But walking on water is not the greatest miracle, let us remind ourselves that salvation in and of it’s self is the greatest miracle. So if He can save us from our sins, then there is no waters we cannot walk on even if it’s troubled. In fact, Jesus chooses to show His power especially in the midst of the storm. Though in the middle of the storm the disciples thought that Jesus was a ghost, the fact is Jesus was real and their fears were ghosts. So we can either choose ghost stories or choose facts about the power of God. Praise God the waters did calm when Jesus got onto the boat.

Thankfully, no matter if we believe or not, He will sail the boat with us, but there could be more. We can experience being water walkers also. It’s our loss then if we don’t believe Him for more than peace and a boat ride.

Lord, teach me to believe in Your power and Your gifts. Help me to hold onto Your unchanging Hand. Help me to see even in the most troubling times that Your power is available to us. Give me the grace to believe you when all I see are ghosts. When my mind is boggled and confused, teach me to call on You and trust in Your power to do the miraculous. In Your Name, Jesus, I pray, amen.