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Mark 4:36, "And when they had
sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And
there were also with him other little ships."
This morning, we are plagued with the mentality "what I do only affects
me" or "it can only hurt me." One of the clear principles in Scripture
is consequence for action (good and bad) with the effects reaching to
others beyond the original person doing the action. When 70,000 men died
in Israel during three days of pestilence, the only one responsible and
guilty for the consequence was King David. His chief general, Joab, even
tried to talk him out of his hasty sin in numbering the people, but the
consequence of that sin was felt by 70,000 lives and countless other
family members and friends. (II Samuel 24) On a more pleasant note, we
find that the Lord blessed a generation of people to be spared from
promised wrath in the book of the law, which consequence was for the
righteousness of one: King Josiah. When he heard the Lord's words from
the book of the law, his removal of idolatry and wickedness in the land
gave consequence to a peaceful season in the land (although evil was
most assuredly coming) from which peace all the people enjoyed because
of his good deeds. (II Kings 22) Therefore, the good and bad things that
we partake in affect those around us, and the consequences can sometimes
be more severe for others than for we ourselves - like men dying for
David's sin while his life was spared.
In keeping with the thought of consequences for actions, we need to keep
firmly in view that the Lord can bless and prosper a community, nation,
people, or land based on the righteousness of a few. (II Chronicles
7:14) While I am sure that all God-fearing people in the United States
would love to see a watershed moment in this land much like Nineveh -
where everyone from the king on down repented in sackcloth, such a
moment is not a mandate for the Lord's providence to continue. Many
times, the nation or land is blessed or cursed, not by the actions of
all, but by the actions of a few. Many of the ills and varied evils we
experience today are in large part by the atrocious actions of the few,
from which we all suffer the stain and guilt (as a nation). But,
consider that the kind providence of Almighty God upon us for so many
years is (in my firm opinion) based on the salt of the earth that this
country still has. (Matthew 5:13) As His providence has not departed
completely (in that we are not yet given up like many nations were in
the Bible), I believe that the salt has not yet lost his savour.
Therefore, let us remember to keep the savour going in humility, prayer,
seeking after Him, abhorring that which is evil, and cleaving to that
which is good.
In the passage from our verse above, we are about read the magnanimous
experience and account of the Master, as the ultimate Sovereign, showing
forth His power over the wind: a natural sovereign from our perspective.
We, as mortals, cannot control a mindless wave of the sea or wind from
the heavens. We cannot reason with mindless things, and they have, in
that sense, a sovereign power over us. The Lord, on the other hand, can
control mindless things and govern something in ways that we cannot.
During this account, the Lord declares to His disciples that they were
to pass to the other side of the sea in the ship. Here, He has made a
direct statement of the certainty and sureness of that outcome. There
should be no cause for fear, anxiety, or fretting when the Master has
declared the finality of something. When He says something will be a
certain way, rest assured that it will be exactly that way. Therefore,
the disciples were never in any danger of not making it to the other
side, for the Master declared plainly that they would.
However, during the course of the journey, the waves and winds arise to
their dismay and utter dread. They even plead with Master as though He
did not care for them. However, three powerful words end all the toils
and strife, "Peace, be still." (verse 39) Now, the disciples immediately
wondered what manner of man this was that could command obedience from
mindless entities. They saw the peaceful outcome of the statement,
realized the manifestation of His original statement (when they made it
to land on the other side), and could have given "expert testimony" to
what happened should anyone have inquired. They knew and understood
where the blessing came from, were made once again to see their
smallness, have their faith renewed to exercise, and rejoice in a
Saviour's love, compassion, and mercy.
Our verse, however, gives us what is seemingly an inconsequential
detail. There were other ships in the sea that night. There were little
ships along with the ship that Christ and His disciples occupied. No
doubt they were tossed and turned by the winds and waves along with
Christ's ship. No doubt they marveled at the immediate calm when all
their toils in a sea-faring way were ended. No doubt they were unable to
explain exactly what happened to anyone that might have inquired. All
they knew was that they were in danger and then at peace and rest. The
blind man in John 9 that the Saviour healed did not know a lot about the
man Jesus when asked by the Pharisees, but one thing he understood was
that once he was blind and now he sees. Only later did Christ reveal and
instruct to him that the One who healed Him is the Son of God. The
others in the little ships probably did not hear the words, "Peace, be
still" as the volume is not what dictates the power. Christ's words did
not even have to be audible, but merely the purpose of thought, to
accomplish His power and work. Yet, the disciples knew where the
blessing came from, saw it, rejoiced in it, and understood it.
As the household of faith, we need to be seeking to stand in the boat
with Jesus. His disciples were the only ones physically with Him, and I
am convinced that those that follow after Him in spirit and in truth
receive a presence with Him in greater display and knowledge than
others. Paul told Timothy that Jesus was the Saviour of all men (His
people) but specially to those that believe. (I Timothy 4:10) There was
a special communion and fellowship for these disciples that the little
ships did not have. Yet, all received the same consequence of a peaceful
sea and pleasant journey. Today, this country has many different types
of ships in it. While the sea may become tumultuous at times, the ships
all experience the seasons of ups and downs. Yet, there is only one
source for calm and peace: the Prince of Peace.
When we beseech the Lord to be with us, He has promised to hear our
petitions and supplications. When we faithfully follow after His
precepts and commands, He has promised to be with us in our trials and
tribulations. Praise be unto Him that even when our faith waxes and
wanes (as did the disciples on this occasion) He still shows mercy and
compassion unto us. And, others are blessed along with us who may have
no idea or awareness of where the prosperity comes from. David's sin was
known unto those around him, and Josiah's righteousness was known unto
those with him. But, not everyone in the land was acutely aware of all
the factors that went into each of those circumstances. The little ships
were not acutely aware of Christ's all-powerful presence and voice that
night in the Sea of Galilee.
Who doth know in this great land whether He may bless the land because
of the salt that is still here? Who doth know that His fire may be
stayed for a generation (or longer) for our faithfulness in following
after His commands? An entire nation can enjoy the blessings of His
providence from the actions of a few, and whether they are cognizant of
the source or not, they enjoy the blessed consequences of His presence
with us. Therefore, may we seek His face and turn from our wicked way
believing with confidence that He will hear from heaven, forgive our
sin, and heal our land. Most of all, may we never forget that whatever
trial and temptation we endure and suffer, He has promised us that we
will be on the other side with Him. Whatever wave we see, whatever wind
we feel, and whatever waning of faith we have, He has said, "I will
never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5) and "where I am, there
ye may be also." (John 14:3) Dear friends, that
is worth living for, worth dying for, and worth being faithful unto with
the blessed consequences and circumstances here enjoyed by many from the
faithfulness of a few. May He bless our steps to be better going forward
than they have been in the past.
In Hope,
Bro Philip |