Don't Be Afraid

Introduction

We have a cliche in our culture—seeing is believing. But we know there are times when seeing is not enough. We saw planes smash into the World Trade Center, but many of us still said “I don’t believe it.” Not so much a rejection of reality, but one of denial and shock. We know what we see but it takes a while for it to register in our minds and in our hearts. This often occurs at the death of a loved one or some other catastrophic event. The reality of what has happened takes time to penetrate our hearts and minds. But then there are those times when we do not want to believe what we have seen and refuse to accept reality. This often happens when we have certain ideas about someone and they act completely out of character.

Seeing is believing. Sometimes. And then there are those times that we just find it difficult to believe what we see. Jesus had the same problem. There were times that people saw things and couldn’t believe or they jumped to a conclusion which wasn’t really true. Religious leaders thought Jesus was a blasphemer. People thought he was a miracle worker. Listeners thought he was a great teacher. But few according to Mark are believing that Jesus is the Messiah—that he is the one who is God’s anointed. At the end of Mark 6, Jesus is going to give his disciples one more opportunity to see and believe. But instead of bringing faith, the disciples fear what they see. Unless our hearts are open to what Jesus shows us, then like the disciples we become fearful rather than faithful. Let’s be encouraged in our faith today.

The Story

Five thousand plus people have been fed. The time to get away and get some rest has passed. But Jesus wants to spend some time alone. He dismisses the crowd and insists that the disciples get into a boat and go ahead of him to another location. It appears that the disciples want to stay with Jesus, but Jesus is insistent that they go ahead of him. Jesus needs time to pray. He needs time to connect with God. We would do well to pay attention to his example. We, too, need time to connect with God and that means a time of aloneness for that purpose.

While he is praying, he is able to look out and see the disciples rowing across the water. The wind is picking up. It is dark and the winds are really blowing. They strain against the oars. Do not add to this view. It is windy. It is difficult to row. There is no mention of a storm. The disciples’ lives are not in jeopardy. They are having to work hard to get to the shore, but they will make it. Jesus decides to go out to his disciples. It is very late. It is after 3 a.m. and Jesus walks on the water toward his disciples. Why? Is he trying to have fun? Is he wanting to scare them?

Mark is such a master at giving us clues about Jesus based upon the Old Testament. In Job 9:8, Job speaking about God says “He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.” God walks on water Job says. Numerous other passages refer to the crossing of the Red Sea in language of walking through the water with ease and power (Isaiah 43:16; 51:10; Psalm 77:19-20; and Habakkuk 3:15). In other words, Jesus is portraying himself as God. Only God could walk on the water. But Mark isn’t through with his clues.

In 6:48, Mark tells us that Jesus’ initial thought was not to climb into the boat with the disciples but he was going to pass by them. Why? Why did Jesus want to pass by and why did Mark include this statement? Last week Dwight reminded us that Mark uses the idea of Jesus as the compassionate shepherd which alludes to Psalm 23. In 6:39, Mark uses the phrase “the people sit down in groups on the green grass.” Not just the grass. Not the ground, but green grass as it says in Psalm 23:2 “He makes me to lie down in green pastures.” Mark is a wonderful story teller. Where else in scripture do we find this idea of “passing by.” Two places. In Exodus 33:19-34:7, Moses asks God to show him his glory and God responds by passing before him. He hides Moses in the cleft of a rock and covers him with his hand until he has passed by. He then removes his hand so Moses can see his back.

God passes by Moses to reveal himself. But there is another text in 1 Kings 19:11-12. Elijah is running for his life and runs to the mountain of God. God wants him back in Israel. So he calls Elijah from his cave and to stand on the mountain because he is going to pass by. God passed by believers to convince them of his glory and his power. Jesus intends to pass by the disciples just as God had passed by Moses and Elijah. Mark allows us to see that Jesus is giving his disciples a specific clue about who he is. But instead of believing they see him and assume him to be a ghost. So Jesus comes near to the boat and then in one last attempt to reveal who he really is, Jesus speaks to them. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

What few if any translations allow the reader to know is exactly what Jesus said. “Be of good cheer. I am. Be not afraid.” I am. This is what God calls himself in Exodus 3:14 when Moses wants to know what name to call God. This is the name Moses uses in Deuteronomy 32:39 when he wants to use God’s name. Throughout Isaiah, God uses “I am” to name himself. But this is lost on the disciples. Mark tells us that they were completely amazed for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

Application

The application for this story is really straightforward. Seeing doesn’t translate into faith unless our hearts are soft rather than hard. The disciples are working hard to get to where they need to go. Resistance gives way to frustration. For every stroke of the oar the wind kicks up to hamper their efforts. The night is long. They are tired. A long day has turned into an even longer night. Fatigue is taking over. They push; they strain; they want to get to the next place so that they can rest. But the winds push them back. Their muscles strain; their backs ache; they find no peace. And then Jesus appears demonstrating that he is God and they are unconvinced. They see but they do not believe. He utters the great words of comfort but they have little faith.

Jesus doesn’t intend to climb into the boat. He is going to pass by. This struggle is theirs, but they do not struggle without the watchful eye of God himself. But God in the flesh is not going to relieve them of their struggle. The struggle is theirs, but even as he is going to pass by God wants them to know that he sees, he understands, and he is concerned. Jesus gives the disciples an opportunity to know that he is really God, but they miss it. Why? Because their hearts are not soft and open.

The promise of God is never to take you out of struggle. When he does, praise him, but that isn’t the promise. The promise of God is that he sees your struggle and he is concerned. Jesus appears to reassure, but the disciples receive no confidence because their hearts are closed. Where is the need for confidence if we do not have to struggle? Where is the need for faith if the winds never blow? Instead of faith the disciples are fearful. Instead of confidence there is confusion. Mark records this event to intensify faith. The cross and the resurrection are the greatest demonstrations of God’s power and glory but we often fail to see them as they truly are when we are rowing against the wind. Is your heart soft or hard? While you haven’t seen the cross, the resurrection, the feeding of the 5000, or Jesus walking on the water, you can read about them and by faith you can accept them. The key is holding on to your faith when the winds blow.

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