The church life is portrayed by the pictures in 4:35—5:43 and 6:1-44. In the first picture we have storms, demons, hogs, disease, and death. Nevertheless, into such a deplorable situation the Slave-Savior comes to subdue the rebellion, cast out the demons, clear up the unclean industry, heal the sickness, and raise the dead. As a result, we all are healed, enlivened, and revived.
According to the second picture, we shall be despised and experience rejection, hatred, injustice, and martyrdom. Nevertheless, even in such a situation the crowd is satisfied. Everyone is fed and made happy. We offer everything we have to the Lord, and then we receive from Him much more than we offered. This is the kingdom life, the church life. We are very much blessed to be in the kingdom life today. Although we seem to lose everything, actually in the Lord we gain everything.
In chapter four of the Gospel of Mark we have the seed of the kingdom. In a previous message we considered the history of the growth and development of this seed. We saw that from God’s point of view the kingdom is the development of Himself as the seed sown into us. But from Satan’s point of view the kingdom is the subduing of rebellion. This is the significance of the record of the subduing of the storm in chapter four coming immediately after the Lord’s teaching concerning the kingdom of God. Then in chapter five we have the demonstration of the kingdom in the Slave-Savior’s casting out demons, clearing up the unclean industry, and healing the death-sickness. By the coming of one Person, Jesus Christ, God incarnate, five categories of negative things are dealt with: rebellion, demons, unclean industry, disease, and death. Praise the Lord for this wonderful picture of the kingdom of God!
A second picture of the kingdom is portrayed in 6:1-44. In this picture we see the attitude of the world toward the Slave-Savior. Valuing those with a high status, the worldly people despise and reject the gospel. In the account of the execution of John the Baptist, we see the darkness and injustice of worldly politics. This is truly a picture of today’s world.
The world despises the gospel and rejects it. However, the Lord Jesus is not disappointed by this. Instead, as the rejected One, He sent out the twelve. Then after the martyrdom of the forerunner of the gospel, the Lord gained the five thousand, fed them, and satisfied them.
After the enemy kills one, the Lord produces five thousand. This has been the history in the Lord’s move throughout the centuries, and I believe this will continue to be repeated among us.
In 6:45-52 we have the record of the Slave-Savior’s walking on the sea. Mark 6:45 and 46 say, “And immediately He constrained His disciples to get into the boat and go before to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. And having said farewell to them, He went away to the mountain to pray.” The Lord prayed in order to fellowship with God, seeking His will and pleasure for His gospel service. The Slave-Savior did not do this gospel service by Himself as one independent of God and according to His own will. Rather, He carried out the gospel service according to God’s will and pleasure by being one with God to fulfill His purpose.
Verse 48 says, “And seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, He comes toward them about the fourth watch of the night, walking on the sea; and He would have passed by them.” In 4:38 the Slave-Savior was sleeping in a boat beaten by a windstorm that threatened His followers. Here He is walking on the sea at the same time that His followers are distressed in rowing by the waves of the sea. These incidents indicate that the Slave-Savior, as the Creator and Ruler of the universe (Job 9:8), was not bothered by any circumstances and that He would care for the troubles of His followers in their journey following Him.
When the disciples saw the Lord walking on the sea, they cried out and were troubled. But He said to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not fear! And He went up to them into the boat, and the wind ceased” (v. 50-51). This miracle not only testifies that the Lord is the Creator and Ruler of the heavens and the earth, but also indicates that He cares for the hardships of His followers while they follow Him in the way. When we have the Lord in our boat, the wind ceases. The record of the two miracles recorded in this chapter implies that at the time Christ was being rejected, He and His followers were in the wilderness and on the stormy sea. Nevertheless, He was able to provide for their need and carry them through hardships.
In 6:53-56 we have a brief record of the Slave-Savior’s healing everywhere. He and His disciples crossed over the sea and came to Gennesaret. Immediately the people recognized Him and began to bring to Him those who were ill. Verse 56 says, “And wherever He entered into villages, or into cities, or into the fields, they laid those who were sick in the market places, and entreated Him that they might touch if even the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched Him were healed.” Christ’s garment signifies His righteous deeds, and the fringe signifies the heavenly ruling (Num. 15:38-39). Out of Christ’s heavenly-ruled deeds is the virtue that becomes the healing power. As many as touched Him in this way were healed.