July 25 Sermon Discussion Guide
Sunday we read another story from Mark’s gospel describing the disciples in the Sea of Galilee in the middle of a treacherous storm. This time though, Jesus wasn’t with them in the boat, like he was in Mark 4 when he calmed the storm. But despite the physical separation, he sees the danger they are in and approaches them. Mark 6:48:
48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night 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.
If seeing this figure walking on the water wasn’t startling enough, Mark includes that rather curious statement in verse 48, “He meant to pass by them.” Rather than assuming that Jesus was hoping to witness something exciting and get a closer vantage point from which to observe the disciples’ despair, we noted that Jesus seems to be up to something. And perhaps a few Old Testament stories shed light on what that might be.
Exodus 33. After the golden calf incident, Moses expresses his concern to God. We can’t journey to the promised land unless you go with us. God agrees to accompany them and Moses asks God to show him his glory. God responds, “Okay, but not completely. I will put you in the cleft of this rock, pass by you, cover you with my hand, and remove my hand once I’ve passed. And then you can see my back.”
Job 9. Job marvels at, a God that evades his comprehension, saying, “How could a man contend with or understand a God who “…tramples the sea.” Verse 11: Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
Exodus 3. When Moses asks God what he should tell the people when they inevitably ask the name of the God who sent him to them, God responds, “I am who I am. Tell them I Am has sent you.” Many scholars believe this is the same phrase on the lips of Jesus when he comforts the disciples in their moment of distress in Mark 6: ““Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
Questions for Reflection:
Do you ever identify with Moses in his desire to see God’s glory and his need for reassurance (Exodus 33)
How do you navigate those moments when you want answers and don’t always find them?
What are the most striking features of this story in Mark 6?
What might these echoes in Mark 6 teach us about God?