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Scripture Reading: Mark 6:45-52
This passage of the Bible has often been a help to me; even now it is a continuous help to me. The passage prior to Mark 6:45-52 speaks of the Lord Jesus feeding five thousand with five loaves and two fish. The passage following Mark 6:45-52 speaks of the Lord Jesus healing many who were sick. These three events form a large type prefiguring the time of the Lord Jesus' death on the cross to the time of His establishing the kingdom. They tell us how the Lord: (1) was crucified for us, (2) ascended to the heaven to become the High Priest for our sake, and (3) will descend again in the future to establish the kingdom.
John 6 also records the Lord feeding the five thousand with five loaves and two fish, but the record is lengthier. It says that after the Lord Jesus distributed the loaves and fish, He continued to speak a very important teaching: "I am the living bread which came down out of heaven" (v. 51). The Lord meant that just as the people were filled with bread that day, they would have eternal life by similarly eating His flesh and drinking His blood. Hence, the Lord's distribution of the bread typifies His death for us in which His body was broken and His precious blood was shed.
Mark 6:46 says, "He went away to the mountain to pray." This typifies the Lord ascending to the heavens to become the High Priest to pray for us before God.
Mark 6:53-56 typifies the Lord coming again to establish His kingdom and heal many who are sick.
What we will cover today is the account of the Lord compelling the disciples to journey across the sea. This event was inserted between the cross and the kingdom. This is an event for today, an event for the church age. It speaks of the things that will transpire and the attitude we should have during the period of time after the cross and before the kingdom. For now, I will not emphasize what the Lord has done for us. Instead, I will emphasize what we should do.
Verse 45 says, "And immediately He compelled His disciples to step into the boat and go before to the other side, toward Bethsaida, while He sent the crowd away." Brothers and sisters, this verse tells us that everyone of us has a journey ordained by Him. The word "compelled" here is the same as the word "constrains" used in 2 Corinthians 5:14. The Lord constrained the disciples to step into the boat. The Lord has died for them and is now constraining them to take the journey. The Lord has one journey for His disciples, and He constrained them to take it. The most important thing in the Christian life is to seek out the journey which the Lord has ordained and faithfully walk on it. A poor phenomenon among believers today is that many have not found the journey that the Lord has ordained for them. Some, even though they have found it, do not walk on it. This is the reason that their living is filled with so much spiritual death, gloom, and restriction, and this is the reason that there are so many conflicts and arguments in God's work. The most important task for each of us is to put ourselves into God's hand in a quiet, patient, prayerful, consecrated, and obedient way and wholeheartedly seek after His leading. We should be willing to obey Him and act only in accordance with His will. We should pray that He reveal to us the journey He has designated for us. After this, we should pay any price to wholeheartedly walk on it.
We know that the feeding of the bread took place in Bethsaida (Luke 9:10). From the map we can see that there were two cities named Bethsaida, one to the northeast of Capernaum and the other to the southwest. The Lord commanded them to start from the Bethsaida in the northeast and sail to the other side, toward the Bethsaida in the southwest.
Mark 6:46 says, "And after He said farewell to them, He went away to the mountain to pray." This indicates to us how our Lord departed from His disciples and ascended to the right hand of the Father to do the work of intercession. He left His disciples on the earth to take the journey He had assigned them.
Verses 47 and 48 say, "And when evening fell, the boat was in the midst of the sea and He was alone on the land. And seeing them distressed as they rowed, for the wind was contrary to them, He came toward them about the fourth watch of the night, walking on the sea, and He intended to pass by them." What did the disciples encounter on this journey? "And when evening fell." It was nightfall, and the boat was in the midst of the sea. Christ is the light of the world, but He has left this world. When He comes again, He will be the morning star and sun. From the ascension of Christ to His coming again, this world is in a long night. In man's eyes, the world is becoming brighter and more progressive. But according to God's Word, "The night is far advanced" (Rom. 13:12). God does not say that the world is very bright and progressive. Rather, He says that the night is far advanced. We are now in the night. This is why we see darkness all around us. Do you feel that all around you is just darkness? If you do not know what darkness is and if you do not sense that your surroundings are all darkness, I am afraid that you have been assimilated by the world. If we continually walk in the light and continually stay near to God, live in Christ, unceasingly judge the work of the flesh, and obey the leading of the Holy Spirit, we will surely realize that this world is indeed dark.
"The boat was in the midst of the sea." We still have not reached the destination of our journey. Although the matter of eternal life is resolved for us and we have no more problem with that, whether or not our history on the earth will be one of faithfulness or failure (of faithfulness to the end or desertion halfway), is yet to be determined. The boat is still in the midst of the sea and has not arrived in port. There is still the danger and possibility of changing. We should not be overly self-assured and should not presume that our ending is already determined. Of course, we are delighted to be on the right course, but how we run and end it is still a question.
What did the disciples encounter when they went forward? They were "distressed as they rowed, for the wind was contrary to them." Brothers and sisters, if your walk is contrary to the wind, then surely those opposite you will be walking with the wind. If there is an adverse wind from the northeast to the southwest, then there must be a favorable wind from the southwest to the northeast. If the journey which many Christians take is not contrary to the wind, I doubt whether such a journey is ordained by the Lord. We should take the journey that the Lord has ordained. The Lord has already ordained our place on the earth. He said, "The world hates you." Our journey is one that is contrary to the wind. If we have never been opposed, ridiculed, or persecuted by the world, our position must not have come from the Lord. We should encounter adverse wind; we should not run with the wind. If we walk according to what the Lord has ordained, from the northeast to the southwest, there certainly will be adverse wind. Otherwise, I have doubts about our journey.
"And seeing them distressed as they rowed, for the wind was contrary to them"! Faithful believers experience being distressed as they row, for the wind is contrary to them! In the past few years, temptations have become more numerous and severe than before. Those who belong to the Lord seem to encounter much trouble. Their bodies are often weak and ill. There are often discord and difficulty in their families. Their jobs and living are not as easy as before. Their community and country have increasingly persecuted and attacked them. Even more, Satan and the evil spirits have done their best to stir up trouble with the intention of consuming and afflicting the believers. Oh, these are all adverse winds! If we stand firmly on the course which the Lord has ordained, we will realize that the wind is contrary and indeed distressing! What about the condition in the church during the past few years? We have not seen the Lord raise up any great persons. Heresies of all kinds are more numerous than before. There are more deceptions by the evil spirits and more worldliness than before. In such a generation, by taking the Lord's ordained journey without turning any corner, can we encounter favorable winds and not be distressed?
Yet we would rather be distressed than drifting. We would rather toil in rowing than wander in drifting. We would rather take the difficult journey than take the easy path and drift. If we want favorable winds, we do not have to turn around; we only need to stop rowing for a moment, and the wind will bring us back to the original spot. Drifting about does not require any effort. If, however, we choose to stand firm, we will feel distressed. As long as we are willing to compromise a little, relax a little, and backslide a little, the wind will carry us back; there is no effort involved. Loving the world requires no effort; neither does following the world require any labor. Standing firm for the Lord and being faithful to Him certainly invite contrary winds. Consequently, there will be toil in rowing.
Brothers and sisters, it is extremely easy to return to the former place. This is the time for us to choose and the time for us to be faithful. May we take the journey which the Lord has commanded.
The disciples were rowing from the evening to the fourth watch of the night. The Jews had three watches, and the Romans had four which corresponds with the Chinese system. The fourth watch is probably three o'clock in the morning. They were rowing constantly. Turning back would have been embarrassing for them. Would it not have been better for them to go to Capernaum, tarry, and rest a little? But they did not do this.
The fourth watch is the darkest hour of the night; it is the very end of the night. It is also the time for us to hold on and continue. I know you have temptations because I also have temptations. I know you have trials because I also have trials. Now is not the time for rebuking because the temptations are too great. The greatest danger and the greatest temptation now is to be a little indifferent and compromise. This is like dozing off for a short while. We are too tired. In the beginning, a constraining love sustained us with strength for a while. But now things seem to have gone on for too long, and the situation has become too difficult. As a result, we become cold. I have seen many believers who were very energetic and brave in the battlefield a few years ago, but who have now become cold and withdrawn. This is because the winds have become too contrary. It is more difficult to overcome a slight indifference than to overcome other temptations. It is easier to overcome sin; journeying on in contrary winds is too tiring, and we tend to become a little cold.
Brothers and sisters, if the Lord constrained us in the beginning, commanded us to take the journey, and compelled us to cross the sea to the other side, how can we stop from going forward? If we stop, the currents will carry us to a place farther from the Lord, and the favorable winds will also carry us to a place farther from the Lord. We would rather be distressed than drifting. What we need now is the Lord's encouragement. Paul told Timothy, "For which cause I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands" (2 Tim. 1:6). "Fan into flame," in the original, means to do a little stirring. Brothers and sisters, may the love we had at the beginning be stirred up again and become vigorous again. Perhaps you have stumbled. Now you should rise up. The writer of the book of Hebrews saw that among the Hebrew brothers, some "may seem to have come short of it" (4:1). Their initial zeal for the Lord seemed to wane. Therefore, he entreated them to "set straight the hands which hang down and the paralyzed knees" (12:12).
Mr. Müller, who had worked in China, once said that the key to receiving God's great success is to persevere through the last half hour. Brothers and sisters, how many temptations have you overcome? Although the darkness is great, it will not last long. What does Isaiah 21:12 say? "The guard says, / Morning is coming, / But so also is night." Although it is night now, the morning will come shortly. At such times, I beg you to persevere through the last half hour. Our eyes should not be set on the night, neither should we consider only the difficulties. It would be too foolish to quit now, and it would be too foolish to relax now because in a short time we will be over on the other side.
Mrs. Penn-Lewis once said, "Many believers say that they have encountered a lot of pressure. The battle now seems to grow thicker day by day. It seems as if we are the only target of Satan. But the question now is whether you can persevere through the final half-hour. Daniel 7:25 says, `And he will..wear out the saints of the Most High.' To wear out is to consume. Now the work of consuming the saints has already begun. It is harder to recognize Satan as the one who consumes the saints than to recognize him as the roaring lion."
When I was in Kuling, I often strolled by a stream and saw a rock as big as a washbasin with a hole in its middle. The hole was formed by the daily grinding of the many small pebbles. Satan acts likewise with God's children. He does not kill you with one stroke. Rather, he will try to consume you day by day. After a while, without knowing it, you will be seriously wounded by him. Brothers and sisters, although you are suffering, can you not persevere just a moment? Can you not persevere with the Lord in this final half hour? Is it really true that you are not able to watch with the Lord a moment? Oh, today is our time, the time when we ought to stand firm. If a person has never experienced adverse winds, he is most pitiful! If a person has never reckoned that the world is bitter, corrupt, and can persecute people, this person has never started his journey! You will encounter hardship and realize that the wind is contrary only when you are faithful in your walking. Only then will you hear a voice telling you, "It is too hard. Why not loosen up a little and rest a moment?" But it is foolish to rest now because much of the way has been covered.
"And He was alone on the land. And seeing them distressed as they rowed, for the wind was contrary to them, He came toward them about the fourth watch of the night, walking on the sea, and He intended to pass by them." The Lord wants to see if we will keep our faith or renounce it. He wants to see if we will advance or retreat. His eyes are on you and me. He pays attention to every step we take. He knows how great our temptations are and how difficult our circumstances are. He will not let us endure beyond the fourth watch. When the night is far advanced, He comes to us. He has died for us and ascended to the heavens to pray for us. At the same time, He sees our hardship. When the night is far advanced, He will come.
There is something special in verse 48: the Lord "intended to pass by them." Many have found this difficult to understand. It seems as if the Lord had no intention to go to the disciples. But if we consider what the Lord is doing today, we will not have any problem understanding this. Since the Lord had commanded His disciples to go to the other side to Bethsaida, He descended the mountain and went forward to Bethsaida. Could the Lord go to another place to wait for them? The Lord was looking for the disciples along the same path which He had commanded them to take. If they had turned at a corner, the Lord would not have met them when He came. If they had gone on a wrong course, the Lord would not have gone on a wrong pathway to wait for them. This is very sobering! I have always considered that if the Lord commanded me to go to Shanghai and I went instead to Nanking, I would miss the rapture when He comes. This is because the rapture takes place only along the pathway that the Lord has ordained. If you are not there, you will miss the rapture. Each one of us has to bear his own responsibility as to which way he should go.
Verse 51 says, "And He went up unto them into the boat, and the wind ceased." As soon as the Lord comes, everything is fine. Thank and praise the Lord, the wind may be contrary, but it will not remain contrary forever. Though rowing is a toil, we will not need to row forever. Perhaps the Lord is on the way. Brothers and sisters, we can suffer hardship on this earth because the Lord has died for us in the past and will come back again in the future. The Lord's constraining love is behind us, and the hope of His coming is before us and drawing us. One missionary said, "I have the Lord as my portion; this is why I can forsake all." The Lord's eyes are on us. We should not fear hardship. If we change direction now for fear of hardship, all the hardship we have endured in the past will come to naught.
A person who is very deep in the Lord once said, "When we read 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and 2 Timothy 3:1-13, we can realize that before the Lord's coming, there will be a falling away, and perilous times, and evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse. These apostasies do not refer to education, religious activities, able pastors, splendid worship halls, or intellectual and material progress. Rather, they refer to the denial of faith and the power of God. Presently, some famous denominations are inclined towards the Higher Criticism (which is actually low-class unbelief), which denies God's supernatural work, such as regeneration, sanctification, definite answers to prayers, and the revelation of the divine things to men through the Holy Spirit."
In the days before the Lord's coming, there will be great deceit and delusion. If it has its way, even the elect will be deceived. Furthermore, the "form of godliness" will exceedingly increase. The decrease of faith will be due not only to the love of the world and the denial of God's Word, but will also be due to the false faith fashioned by Satan. One brother said, "These works of Satan will become an invisible influence in the air surrounding us. They will become a form of godliness, which will be inhabited by the evil spirits and which will be occupied with the oppression of Hades. These evil spirits will do their utmost to harm, deceitfully lead, confuse, and oppress God's children. They will affect our bodies, suppress our mood, and darken our mind. Various strange feelings and trials unheard of in the past will come upon us and will strip us in a surprising way of all willingness and ability to incline toward God. Our spirit will be tired and weak, our mind will be dull, and our will will slumber. We will be strangely covetous of the things which God forbids and will surprisingly love the amusement and customs of this world. We will find it difficult to preach with full freedom and power and will find it hard to listen attentively to a message or kneel down to give ourselves to prayer continually. At such a time as today, when the evening is at hand, we must quell this kind of atmosphere!" Oh, let us be strong in the Lord! Satan will certainly endeavor with unthinkable power to deceive our mind and our will; he will make it difficult for us to carry on an intimate walk with the Lord, and we will find it easy to live according to the flesh and harder to faithfully serve God and give ourselves to prayer. It will seem as if our entire being is stirred up to oppose our following the Lord Jesus to the end and seduce us to make a covenant with the world.
The atmosphere around us wants to distract us from God, so that we would be cold in prayer, dull in our spiritual senses, and blind to the reality of the heavenly things and to the glorious presence of the Lord. It also causes us to neglect our fellowship with God and think that it is difficult to maintain a constant fellowship with Him.
We sense that all these things are beginning to affect us. The lusts of the world are knitting a stretched-out net through many ways. This knitting has become stronger and more powerful in many believers. Many things which were prohibited in previous generations are not only done today but practiced without any sense of shame. Many places of worship have not only rejected spiritual things and ceased from having revival but are introducing all sorts of entertainments and dubious activities.
Generally speaking, everywhere on earth, we see a waning of faith and a departure from the truth. We admit that there are exceptions and there are places which are blessed by God. But taken as a whole, the condition of all the churches on earth gives us a mournful picture.
As we behold this situation, we cannot help but call upon the churches of God to rise up, strengthen themselves, and return to fellowship with God, so that in the remaining days, they will please the Lord and be prepared to "be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ" (2 Cor. 5:10) and give an account of what they have done.
Brothers and sisters, what we have spoken are true words. I do not know what your feeling is toward them. Every day I sense that the whole world is against us. We can only have one of two attitudes: stand fast or relax. The world still welcomes us and so does Satan. But the Lord has compelled us to go to the other side to Bethsaida. If, at this time, we are not faithful, we will never be faithful. Many of God's children have suffered for the Lord and have taken the lonely journey. Shall we be like what one British brother wrote in a poem, which says that while others go to the Lord through a sea of blood, we go to Him on a bridal sedan? Moses said unto the sons of Gad and sons of Reuben, "Shall your brothers go to the war while you stay here?" (Num. 32:6). Brothers and sisters, while others are faithful and suffering, can we sit still in peace? Surely there is hardship, but that is far better than drifting. Every one of us ought to faithfully serve the Lord and every one ought to take the journey that He has ordained until we reach the other side.
