Mark 6:45-51: How to Walk on the Water in Life

Mark 6:45-51: How to Walk on the Water in Life

            Many are familiar with the story of Christ walking on the water. Although we may not walk on water literally, we are forced to walk on the water in life on a daily basis. Storms will come our way, but we can walk on the water with Christ. From Mark 6:45-51, there are a few things we must see and do if we want to walk on the water in life.

Mark 6:45-51

English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Walks on the Water

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. ⁴⁶ And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷ 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. And about the fourth watch of the night^[a] 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.” ⁵¹ And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,

We Must Obey (v. 45)

            Scripture says that Jesus made his disciples get out of the boat and go to the other side, forced it in a sense. Just as the disciples obeyed Christ, if we want to walk on the water in life, we must also obey Christ.

We Must Pray (v. 46)

            This might be the most obvious fact of this passage, but if Jesus prayed, how much more should we pray? If we want to walk on the water in life, we are to pray.

We Cannot Be Afraid (vv. 47-50)

            The Lord commands his people in scripture to not be afraid many times. The only one we should fear is God himself because he is the only one worthy of our fear. To give our fear to anything or anyone else is to make that object an idol. If we want to walk on the water in life, we cannot be afraid.

We Must Be Amazed by and Worship Christ (v. 51)

            Worship is key to walking on the water in life. We cannot worship him unless we are first amazed by him, which requires his revelation. God has revealed himself to his children. Therefore, we can indeed walk on the water in life if we worship him.

John 3:1-17: Seeing the Kingdom of God

John 3:1-17: Seeing the Kingdom of God

            Jesus speaks often of the kingdom of God. It can actually be a confusing topic of discussion, but this is because only those who are in the kingdom of God can understand it and its purpose. In response to Nicodemus’ question, Jesus tells how one can see the kingdom of God in John 3. Furthermore, the fact that anyone at all is able to see the kingdom of God is amazing in and of itself, and this is only possible because of the love of God.

John 3:1-17

English Standard Version (ESV)

You Must Be Born Again

3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² This man came to Jesus^[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” ³ Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again^[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ⁴ Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.^[c] 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You^[d] must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind^[e] blowswhere it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

⁹ Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰ Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? ¹¹ Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you^[f] do not receive our testimony. ¹² If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?¹³ No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.^[g] 14 Andas Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.^[h]

For God So Loved the World

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world,^[i] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

We Only See the Kingdom of God if We Are Born from Above (vv. 1-15)

            Jesus responds to Nicodemus by saying that the only way to see and understand the kingdom of God in all of its glory is by being born again. The term, again, in verse 3 is purposely ambiguous because it can also mean from above in Greek. Only those who are born of only in the flesh but are also born from God above will see and understand the kingdom of God. Jesus makes it quite clear when he says, “You must be born again,” in verse 7. The Greek word, you, in verse 7 is plural meaning that Jesus is speaking to us all. To understand the things of God, we must first be born of him.

We Are Only Able to See the Kingdom of God because of the Love of God (vv. 16-17)

            The fact that anyone is even able to see and understand the kingdom of God is amazing in and of itself. Without the love of God, it would not be possible, but it is because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that we are able to not only see and understand his kingdom but also to be a part of it.

Romans 5:12-19: Death through Adam and Life through Christ

Romans 5:12-19: Death through Adam and Life through Christ

            There are two points to take note of from the following scripture.

Romans 5:12-19

English Standard Version (ESV)

Death in Adam, Life in Christ

¹² Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men^[a] because all sinned— ¹³ for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. ¹⁴ Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.¹⁶ And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.¹⁷ For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

¹⁸ Therefore, as one trespass^[b] led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness^[c] leads to justification and life for all men. ¹⁹ For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

All Have Sinned and Are in Need of Christ (vv. 12-14)

            Just as Adam sinned, we also have sinned, and it is because of that very fact that we are in need of Christ. We are creatures of the fall, and without Christ, everything is hopeless.

God’s Gift Is Available because of the Sacrifice of Christ (vv. 15-19)

            There is hope though because Christ died and rose again. Just as one act of sin through Adam led to the sin of all men, one act of compassion through Christ’s death and resurrection leads to the salvation of men. It is a gift we should not take for granted.