1. Authentic Followers of Christ
Salt and Light
Mark 6:45-52
Take Courage – It is I

2. Christian maturity is about relaxing or resting in Christ
Taking ourselves and life too seriously is not a sign of spiritual maturity
Christian maturity is about relaxing or resting in Christ

3. Mark 6: 45
Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd

4. We rest not just by inactivity
but we rest by taking up the right activity
Verse 46
After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

5. we are not praying enough.
I can guarantee that if we are
too intense
too stressed
thinking it’s all about us
beating ourselves up every time we fail
we are not praying enough.

6. Verse 47-48
When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake.

7. Yes we have a part to play
but all the serious stuff all the heavy lifting
is left to God.

8. we read that Jesus only wanted to come alongside – it seems it was just his intention to observe them.
About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them,

9. Jesus see’s us when we are struggling
He is interested in our response
But he is never very far away if things go wrong

10. Verses 49 – 52
but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

11. we don’t see Jesus – we see the Ghost of our fear.
when its all about us - when we are intense
stressed - straining at the oars
sweating it out for God
beating ourselves up because we fail at times
when are mind is racing and everything is so serious
we don’t see Jesus – we see the Ghost of our fear.

12. Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.
but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.