Bible ReadingMark 6:45-52 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.
[27:27] And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.
[28:08] And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.
[45:52] And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them.
[47:59] And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them,
[50:35] but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out,
[52:09] for they all saw him and were terrified.
[54:16] But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
[28:13] And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased.
[55:16] And they were utterly astounded,
[55:26] for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
[56:29] Mark 4:35-41 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”
[34:39] And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.
[37:32] And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.
[37:32] But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.
[38:18] And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
[38:21] And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!”
[38:21] And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
[38:21] He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
[38:21] And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
[38:21] Mark 6:30-44 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.
[43:04] And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
[43:19] And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.
[43:33] Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
[44:05] When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.
[44:24] And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.
[44:47] Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
[45:00] But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.”
[45:02] And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”
[45:05] And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”
[45:10] Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.
[55:26] So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.
[55:30] And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.
[55:35] And they all ate and were satisfied.
[55:41] And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.
[56:29] And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
[56:31] Mark 5:1-20 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.
[36:00] And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.
[36:09] He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain,
[36:30] for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him.
[36:50] Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.
[37:20] And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.
[39:21] And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”
[39:35] For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
[39:53] And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
[39:41] And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.
[40:00] Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside,
[40:02] and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.”
[40:11] So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and were drowned in the sea.
[41:13] The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened.
[41:42] And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.
[41:48] And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs.
[42:05] And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.
[42:12] As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him.
[42:15] And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
[42:29] And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
[42:34] Observation questions- In these passages, what details keep repeating around “the other side,” the boat, the wind, and fear? What pattern begins to emerge across these stories? [30:31]
- In Mark 5, what specific signs of uncleanness are piled up in the Gerasene scene, and how does Jesus respond to them? [39:21]
- In Mark 6:45-52, what does Jesus do while the disciples are straining at the oars, and what do the disciples think they are seeing when he comes to them? [50:25]
- In Mark 6, why does Mark connect the disciples’ amazement on the water with the earlier feeding of the five thousand and the leftover baskets? [55:26]
Interpretation questions- Jesus “made” or compelled the disciples to get into the boat for Bethsaida. What might that suggest about their willingness to go, and what does that reveal about their hearts toward the other side? [45:52]
- The wind is against the disciples while they are obeying Jesus. How does that challenge the common assumption that obedience should usually feel smooth and easy? [48:51]
- Jesus meant to pass by the boat. Why would that be part of the lesson rather than a strange detail to skip over? What does it say about where Jesus is in relation to hard mission? [52:09]
- Mark says the disciples did not understand the loaves because their hearts were hardened. How can a person see Christ’s power clearly and still resist what his mercy means for outsiders? [56:29]
Application questions- “The other side” is often not far away. It may be a coworker, neighbor, classmate, teammate, or family member who feels unlikely, resistant, or simply unlike us. Who comes to mind for each person here, and why might that person feel like “the other side”? [45:12]
- When life or ministry feels like rowing against the wind, what is the first instinct: trust, complaint, delay, or quiet resentment? Where has that been showing up lately? [50:25]
- The disciples’ fear exposed a deeper suspicion: “Don’t you care?” When pressure rises, what accusations against Jesus tend to surface in the heart? How are those thoughts usually revealed? [38:21]
- Jesus is already at work before his people arrive. How might that change the way someone walks into a hard conversation, a workplace, a school, or a strained relationship this week? [01:05:45]
- Hardness of heart is not only wrong belief about Jesus; it can also be resistance to the people Jesus intends to save. Where might that resistance be building up in the heart right now? [01:08:15]
- The man delivered from Legion was told to go home and tell his own people what the Lord had done for him. What would it look like to speak naturally and honestly about Christ’s mercy among familiar people rather than waiting for a dramatic opportunity? [42:29]
- If Christ is truly the Lord of the lake and the master of the mission, what is one concrete step of obedience that would fit that confession this week: prayer for someone, a conversation, hospitality, repentance, or renewed courage? [01:06:49]
