Mark 6:44 – “And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.”

Mark 6:45 – “Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.”

John 6:14-15 – “When the people saw the sign (the feeding of the five thousand) that he had done, they said, ‘This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!’ Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.”

Mark 6:46 – “And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.”

Three instances of isolated prayer in Mark: 1:35, 6:46, and 13:35-39

1. Rest

2. Resolve
Heb. 4:15

R&R (Rest & Recover): Wednesdays at 6:15pm

Mark 6:47-48a – “And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them.”

Mark 6:48b-50 – “And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

“Fourth watch” = Between 3am and 6am

Psalm 77:19 – “Your way was in the sea, and Your paths in the mighty waters, and Your footprints may not be known.”
Isaiah 43:16 – “Thus says Yahweh, “Who makes a way through the sea, and a path through the mighty waters?”
Job 9:6-8 – “…who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; 7 who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars; 8 who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea.”
Job 9:11 – “Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him.”

Mark 6:48b – “…He meant to pass by them”
Exodus 33:19 – “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’”
Exodus 33:22 – “And while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.”
Exodus 34:5-7 – “The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”
1 Kings 19:11

“Ghost,” Gk. φάντασμα (phantasma), “a ghost or specter”

Mark 6:50b:
καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς: “and he said to them,”
θαρσεῖτε: “be of good courage!”
ἐγώ εἰμι: “I, I AM HE,” or “I AM WHO I AM.”

Mark 6:51-52 – “And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

Takeaways:

1. The apostles couldn’t handle the truth, and you can’t handle the truth either.
Ephesians 1:17-18
John 16:12-14

2. Jesus is aware of your storm.
Ps. 139:1-3

3. Sometimes Jesus directs us toward the storm for a greater purpose.