It’s Me. Don’t Be Afraid.

“It’s Me. Don’t be Afraid”
Follow the Servant
Mark 6:45-56

On seeing Jesus multiply the bread and the fish, many wanted to make Him their king right then.  Jesus knew this was not His time and not God’s way, and so He sent His disciples to Bethsaida while he escaped into the hills where He could be alone and pray.  The disciples were learning that without Jesus’ provision, they could do nothing.  Jesus then walks on water and heals many, pointing to His true identity as the great “I AM.”

2 Peter 1:16

1 John 1:1

1.   Our faith should be (vv. 45-52)

John 6:14, 15

A.   God’s guidance doesn’t guarantee (v. 45)

“Their sailing was not merely under his sanction, but by his express command. They were in the right place and yet they met with a terrible storm.”                                                                                                             -C.H. Spurgeon

B.    The truth that Jesus (v. 46)

There are three times that Mark tells us Jesus prayed:

–       The beginning of His ministry (1:35)
–       After the feeding of the 5,000 (6:46), and
–       Near the end of His ministry in Gethsemane, just before He goes to the cross (14:32-42)

Ephesians 6:18

Ephesians 6:12

Hebrews 7:25

C.    Jesus exercises power (vv. 47-50)

1 Kings 19:11

Matthew 14:28-31

John 6:35

John 7:38

D.    Jesus’ person speaks (vv. 50, 51)

Exodus 3:14

John 8:58

E.     Jesus is patient with the disciples, (v. 52)

Luke 1:37

2.    Jesus invites us to come to Him (vv. 53-56)

A.    Jesus wants us to (vv. 53-55)

B.   Jesus heals those who (v. 56)

“The true God is great and terrible, just because He is always with me and His eye is always upon me. Living becomes an awesome business when you realize that you spend every moment of your life in the sight and company of an omniscient, omnipotent Creator.”                                                    -J. I. Packer, “Knowing God”

Hebrews 11:6

Daily Meditations
 
Memory verse: “They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’”           Mark 6:50
 
 
Monday
Read Mark 6:45-56.  If someone told you that it is impossible for a man to walk on water, how would you respond?       
 
 
If someone suggested that the disciples created myths about Jesus after His death, what would you say?
 
 
Tuesday
Read Mark 6:45-56.  What was the crowd hoping for when they wanted to crown Jesus king immediately?
 
 
 
Have you ever felt that you were doing the will of God obediently, but you still ended up with trouble and difficulty? 
 
 
 
Wednesday
Read Mark 6:45-56.  What was it like for you during the trouble? How did it turn out in the end?
 
 
 
Mark records three of the instances when Jesus prayed (1:35; 6:46; 14:32-42). How might you change the time, place, and nature of your prayers in light of these three accounts?
 
 
 
Thursday
Read Mark 6:45-56.  Try to imagine what you would have done if you had seen your favorite teacher walking on water. Why were the disciples terrified?  Would you have been?
 
 
 
What are some of the other situations where God says, “Be courageous,” or “Don’t be afraid”? Where Jesus says, “I am . . .”?
 
 
 
Friday
Read Mark 6:45-56.  How are you encouraged by the disciples’ slowness to understand who Jesus was?
 
 
 
What does Jesus’ willingness to heal all who came to Him mean for us today? How do we avoid the heresies of the “health and wealth gospel”?
 
 
 
Saturday
Read Mark 6:45-56.  Spend some time today working on the memory verse and going back and writing down answers to any of the questions above you didn’t get to during the week.  Please pray for our services tomorrow as we move inside to Fellowship Hall, and soon (!!!) to the sanctuary.  Is there someone you could invite to come with you tomorrow?