Missionary Challenges
Taking Jesus Along
- Jesus is teaching in the boat. Maybe voice projection or crowd control
- The Greek for ‘take along’ can also mean ‘receive’. We receive the gospel.
- Only two places in Mark where it doesn’t mean Jesus took others along. Here and Mark 7.4.
Mark 7.4 “When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they have washed. And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches.)
- The disciples are deepening their followership. Taking some initiative in obedience to Jesus.
- What about you? Do you take Jesus along with you?
It Can be Rough Sailing with Jesus
- These storms are common on Galilee. The fishermen knew what could happen.
- The boat is in danger of sinking. Even though Jesus is in it. Even though the disciples are doing God’s will.
- There’s no promise of safety with Jesus. But there is a promise of his presence. He is in the boat.
The Son of God Revealed in His power
- In a panic the disciples wake Jesus who has been asleep.
- Jesus calms the storm — instantly and miraculously.
- Mark let us in on the secret at the beginning of his gospel and here he reinforces the message: Jesus is the Son of God.
Jesus Has Power over Our Storms
- When we have Jesus the Son of God in our boat, the seas may not be calm all the time, but they are under his control.
- The disciples were in no more danger before the storm stopped than after because of the simple fact that Jesus was there.
- After they had come into the revelation that Jesus is the Son of God, they had realised that he has far more power than just to calm a storm. He can resurrect the dead. And so their confidence lay in him beyond the grave.
Have Faith, Not Fear
- Where’s your confidence when the storms rage?
- Sometimes the problem is we don’t wake Jesus up.
- Often we don’t have because we don’t ask and we don’t ask because we don’t believe.
- This is in the context of a life of obedience. The disciples were where they were meant to be. That didn’t mean the sea would stay calm, but it did mean they were in the centre of God’s will and his presence.
