The Text
Mark 6:45–52 (CSB)
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.
46 After he said good-bye to them, he went away to the mountain to pray.
47 Well into the night, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land.
48 He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Very early in the morning he came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them.
49 When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out,
50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke with them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded,
52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.
The Devotion
Christ rightfully judges our sin
Genesis 7:20-23 (CSB) The mountains were covered as the water surged above them more than twenty feet. 21 Every creature perished—those that crawl on the earth, birds, livestock, wildlife, and those that swarm on the earth, as well as all mankind. 22 Everything with the breath of the spirit of life in its nostrils—everything on dry land died. 23 He wiped out every living thing that was on the face of the earth, from mankind to livestock, to creatures that crawl, to the birds of the sky, and they were wiped off the earth. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark.
Psalms 36:6 (CSB) our righteousness is like the highest mountains, your judgments like the deepest sea. LORD, you preserve people and animals.
Psalms 78:53 (CSB) He led them safely, and they were not afraid; but the sea covered their enemies.
Christ mercifully saves us from sin
Genesis 7:1 (CSB) Then the LORD said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation.
Christ saves us to himself
49 When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out,
50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke with them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded,
52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.
The Discussion
1. In reading today's passage, then what does baptism symbolizes?
2. What does the Bible say about baptism?
Romans 6:1-4 (CSB) What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? 2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.
3. Think of other accounts of water in the Bible, what did that mean for the people of God?
- Red Sea
- Jordan River
- Christ walking on water
4. What does that mean for us?
Titus 3:3-5 (CSB) For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
The Prayer from the Psalms
Sin has me parched. Sin steals away my life and leaves me dry and in anguished.
But I will sing as the song goes, "you put water in my drybed".
God, give me grace. Lift me up out of sin and misery and keep me close to your precious Son.
Amen.
The Resources
Calvin’s Commentaries.
by John Calvin.
Baker. 2009.
Olive Tree
Mark: An Expositional Commentary
by R.C. Sproul.
Reformation Trust Publisher. 2011.
Goodreads
New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel According to Mark
by William Hendriksen.
Baker. 1981.
Goodreads
The Gospel according to Mark: The English Text With Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)
by William L. Lane.
Eerdman’s. 1974.
Goodreads
Mark (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT Volume 2)
Edited by Thomas C. Odin & Christopher A. Hall
IVP Academic. 2005.
Goodreads
Mark (The Story of God Bible Commentary Series)
by Timothy G. Gombis.
Zondervan Academic. March 9th 2021.
Goodreads