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Jesus-Walking on Water
April 25, 2020

Last week we read how Jesus was able to calm a stormy sea, most likely the Sea of Galilee. Once they got to the eastern shore they came to the country of the Gadarenes where Jesus was immediately approached by a nearly naked demon-possessed man who when he wasn’t in the cemetery could be found in the foothills of the mountains. People who lived nearby tried to help this man but they couldn’t help because he was too strong. He was able to break through chains. He was often seen to be self-mutilating. The demon named Legion who possessed this man asked Jesus to not torment them.

Legion told Jesus that many demons possessed this man and that probably led to the erratic behavior that other people observed. Understanding that demons had to listen to Jesus, Legion asked that they be cast out into a nearby herd of pigs and when their wish was granted, the demons caused the pigs to run into the lake. Once the demons had left the man, he dressed and acted like everyone else. This gave the people cause to be concerned and they asked Jesus to leave, and the man who Jesus had just cast a demon from wanted to also travel with Jesus. Jesus told the man to instead to share with everyone what Jesus had just done for him. The people of Decapolis who heard his story were amazed.

Mark 5:1-20
And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

Today we know mental illness is a real situation that is often caused by emotional trauma and chemical imbalances in the brain. Mental health interventions of therapy and medications are commonly used. Some people have read passages like this passage and incorrectly concluded that all mental illness is caused by demons and there is no Biblical support for that conclusion. Demons are able to mock the most challenging parts of the human condition including any type of illness, mental illness, or disability. Just like a person can have an illness or disability and be without sin, a person can have a mental illness and be without demonic possession. Only the most vile and evil mock others around them, which is why demons mock people through displays of illness, mental illness, and disability.

Later as Jesus was sending his disciples out, He warned His disciples that they would be like sheep among wolves, and unless they acted with wisdom and compassion, they could easily be destroyed by others or through their own arrogance if they would allow it to develop. He warned them of people who would betray them. Jesus told them they would be called before the courts where they would have to give account for what they were doing and preaching, but not to worry because the Holy Spirit would give them inspiration in what to say. He also warned that there will come times when family will betray each other even to the point of death and that to be saved we must endure to the end. We cannot give up, we can never surrender. Sometimes persecution can give us reason to move to a different city, and in so doing we will spread the good news of the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 10:16-23
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

It would soon be time to cross to the eastern shore of the sea, and Jesus asked his disciples to board a ship ahead of Him who would come later after he sent the multitudes away. When Jesus was alone, He went up to a mountain to pray. It was about this time that the disciples were in the middle of a stormy sea and in the early morning, during the fourth watch of the night, they saw Jesus walking to them on water. This scared the disciples because they thought they had seen a ghost. When Jesus arrived at the boat, He told them not to worry, they hadn’t seen a ghost. Peter was so impressed that Jesus was walking on water, he wanted to walk on water, too and Jesus invited him to walk on the water. At first, Peter had no problem walking on water, but soon doubt set into Peter’s mind and he began to sink. Doubt is a type of unbelief. When we have doubt, we have unbelief. Jesus stretch out his arm to save Peter and when they were both aboard the boat, the wind stopped. Others traveling on the boat saw what had happened and knew that Jesus was the Son of God. Once they reached shore people sought Jesus knowing that if they were able to touch Him they would be cured.

Matthew 14:22-36
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

Jesus and His disciples would find themselves on a boat many times during His ministry, and Jesus was able to use a stormy sea to teach about faith. Having taught his disciples about faith, he told them to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves knowing they were sheep being sent among wolves. Jesus knew His disciples would come across demons just as Jesus had.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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