"Do not consider that adverse circumstances are a proof that you have missed your road, for they may
even be an evidence that you are in the good old way since the path of Believers is seldom without trial. You did well to embark and to leave the shore, but remember, though your Lord has insured the vessel and guaranteed that you shall reach your haven, He has not promised that you shall sail over a sea of glass. On the contrary, He has told you that "in the world you shall have tribulation"—and you may all the more confidently believe in Him because you find His warning to be true!
The Apostolic crew rowed, and rowed, and rowed—and it was no fault of theirs that they made no progress, "for the wind was contrary unto them." The Christian may make little or no headway and yet it may be no fault of his, for the wind is contrary. Our good Lord will take the will for the deed and reckon our progress, not by our apparent advance, but by the hearty intent with which we tug at the oars!
When Jesus wished to encourage John, in the first Chapter of the Revelation, the comfort He gave to him was, "I am the First and the Last." The comfort of the Lord's people lies in the Person and Character of Jesus. Here is their solace, "IT IS I."
Immediately He constrained His disciples to get into the boat, and to go before Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He sent away the people. And when He hadsent them away, He departed into a mountain topray. And when evening was come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land. And He saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: for they all saw Him, and were troubled. And immediately He talked with them, and said unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I, be not afraid. And He went up unto them into the boat, and the wind ceased: and they were sorely amazed among themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their hearts were hardened.
Mark 6:45-52
The Apostolic crew rowed, and rowed, and rowed—and it was no fault of theirs that they made no progress, "for the wind was contrary unto them." The Christian may make little or no headway and yet it may be no fault of his, for the wind is contrary. Our good Lord will take the will for the deed and reckon our progress, not by our apparent advance, but by the hearty intent with which we tug at the oars!
I. First, then, dear Friends, consider with me THE CAUSE OF THEIR FEAR.
If we had not sailed over the same lake—I mean if we had not suffered the same experience—it might have surprised us that they were afraid of their Lord. He was appearing for them and coming to their rescue. He was about to still the tempest for them, yet they were afraid of Him—of Him whom they loved and trusted. So blind were their eyes, so hardened were their hearts, that they were afraid of their Lord and afraid of Him when He was giving them the best reasons for trusting Him. Before their eyes He was displaying Himself as Lord over All—Master of wind and wave—and yet they were afraid of Him.
Was it not because they dreaded contact with the spiritual, the mysterious and the supernatural Although we are now talking about them and, perhaps, half saying in our minds, "If we had been there, we would not have been afraid of Jesus and have cried out," we do not know what we say—...When Belshazzar saw the handwriting upon the wall, he trembled most because of the mystery involved in a moving hand with which no visible body was connected. The unseen is the birthplace of fear. Imagination exaggerates and conscience whispers that some great ill will befall us.
II. Let us consider, secondly, THE METHOD BY WHICH OUR MASTER CHEERED HIS FOLLOWERS WHEN THEY WERE AFRAID OF THE SUPERNATURAL.
First of all, He assured them that He was not a disembodied spirit. He said, "It is I," and that, "I," was a Man who did eat and drink with them. A Man of flesh and blood whom they had seen and heard and touched.
Another thought lies on the surface of the passage, Jesus comforted them by the assurance that it was really Himself They were not looking upon a fiction, they were looking upon Christ Himself. When Jesus wished to encourage John, in the first Chapter of the Revelation, the comfort He gave to him was, "I am the First and the Last." The comfort of the Lord's people lies in the Person and Character of Jesus. Here is their solace, "IT IS I."
III. Our third point for consideration is this—THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE SHALL BE LIKELY TO NEED SUCH COMFORT AS THIS.
Jesus spoke this message to Believers tossed with tempest—and we need it when we are depressed by the surroundings of these evil times.
Immediately He constrained His disciples to get into the boat, and to go before Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He sent away the people. And when He hadsent them away, He departed into a mountain topray. And when evening was come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land. And He saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: for they all saw Him, and were troubled. And immediately He talked with them, and said unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I, be not afraid. And He went up unto them into the boat, and the wind ceased: and they were sorely amazed among themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their hearts were hardened.
Mark 6:45-52