Mark chapter 6 and I'll begin
reading in verse 45. And straightway he constrained
his disciples to get into the ship and to go to the other side
before unto Bethsaida while he sent away the people. And when
he had sent them away he departed into a mountain to pray And when
even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he
alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing,
for the wind was contrary unto them. And about the fourth watch
of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would
have passed by them. But when they saw him walking
upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried
out. For they all saw him, and were
troubled. And immediately he talked with
them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer, it is I, be not
afraid. And he went up unto them into
the ship, and the wind ceased. And they were sore amazed in
themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered
not the miracle of the loaves, for their heart was hardened."
Now if you notice in this particular account, they are once again
in a stormy, blustery situation. But this time the Lord Jesus
Christ is not asleep in the bow of the boat. He's not visibly
present. And yet we have in these verses
a real picture of the intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ for
his people. You remember it says that though
he was slain, though he died the death of the cross, he ever
lives to make intercession for his people. And while they are
so involved in their rowing against this hard wind, and I would almost
imagine had little or no thoughts concerning him, it even says
here that their hearts, that fast, after watching the miracle
of the fishes and the loaves, that their hearts were already
hardened. But while they may not have been
looking and watching for him, he certainly, though he was alone
in the mount, and though he was praying by himself, he certainly
had an eye on them. And that's the way it is that
our priest, our Redeemer and Savior has for his people. And he came to them in their
need and in their situation. And what I want us to pay particular
note to tonight is what he said to them on this occasion. Because the very sight of Christ
walking on the water, it says they were afraid. They thought
he was a spirit or something. But if you notice what it says
in verse 50, It says, And immediately he talked with them, and saith
unto them, Be of good cheer. Now you and I could say to each
other in difficult times of circumstance and afflictions and in sad times
such as we live in, we could say to each other, be of good
cheer. And while it might mean something,
it never would mean what it means when Christ says that to his
people. He says, be of good cheer. And he's not talking about this
cheerfulness in the flesh. There are a lot of people who
in this world and in the face of all the difficulties and sadness
of the times, they seem cheerful But they have no real reason
to be or right to be because they are yet lost. They are far away from God. And not only that, but this word
cheer here, the thought here, means to have courage. Means almost something like to
be bold and to have confidence. He's saying, be of courage, have
confidence. And I'm sure by now, maybe they
had found out that they had no reason to be so in themselves
or in their own abilities. But he's saying to be so because
of himself and what he has done and what he is able to do. You see, these words are often
his words to his believing people. Why, in the midst of anything
or everything, whether it be our own inward sinfulness, or
whether it be all the events that are going on in this world
right now, or whatever it might be of affliction, or trial, or
whatever, how can he say to us, be of good cheer, or take courage,
or have confidence. Well, I want to give you some
of these that I found here in the New Testament, most by Christ
himself. Turn over to Matthew, chapter
9, and in Matthew's gospel, chapter 9, listen to what he says. Matthew
9, And look down with me in Matthew
9, and that second verse, because what he says to this one person,
he says to every one of his people as a reason for them to be of
good cheer. It says, and behold, they brought
to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed. Now here he is,
has a terrible affliction, has a problem in his body, an illness,
a disease, a condition, and yet even in the midst of that, because
Christ has come to him and is about to do something for him,
He has reason to be of good cheer. Now what is it? And Jesus, seeing
their faith, saith unto the sick of the palsy, Son... Now he isn't
talking there just in a natural sense, because he had no children
after the flesh. He's not talking here about a
relationship being a Jew, as this man probably was. But he's
speaking to him as the everlasting Father. as one of his sons. He says, Son, be of good cheer. Why? Thy sins be forgiven thee. And I'll tell you this, it doesn't
matter how rough it gets, or how sad it gets, or how depressing
it gets, or how bad things might be, every person whose sins have
been forgiven and put away by the cross death of Jesus Christ,
no matter what, they have reason to be of good cheer. You see, the truth is, if you
and I live healthy lives all our days, if we have more than
anybody else could have and accumulate in this world, if everything,
as we say, went well for us all our days, no problems whatsoever,
and we died in our sins, we'd perish and we would be eternally
unendingly sorrowful ages without end. So here is one of those
cases where our Lord speaks to this man in all his difficulties
and before he ever does anything for him physically he says be
of good cheer thy sins are forgiven. Thy sins be forgiven thee. All your sins, past, present,
and future. All your sins, whether they be
in your eyes, great or small, all being the same before God. Thy sins be forgiven thee. And my friend, that's the greatest
reason to be of good cheer. That's the reason that cost the
Son of God His precious blood, His sinless life. That's the
greatest demonstration of the love of God for a sinner. Thy
sins be forgiven thee, because without the shedding of blood,
there is no remission. There is no forgiveness of sins. Alright? That's the first one.
And if you'll turn over to John chapter 16, John chapter 16,
which is a most marvelous chapter of scripture all by itself, but
if you look here in John 16 down at the last verse, We have every
reason to be of good cheer because all our trials and our troubles
and our afflictions, just like the wind here in our text, are
of God. And though these things happen
to most every person in the world, he says, we are not of this world. even as he is not of this world. But rather we are in Christ who
has overcome the world. He's not waiting to do it. Listen
to what it says. He says, these things I have
spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. Now, I'll tell you, it doesn't
look like in most lives and in most countries and most situations,
it doesn't look like much peace outwardly. And there's not. But
look at what it says. In the world ye shall have tribulation. We're not of the world, even
as he is not of the world. But you remember he said, Father,
I pray for them, not that you take them out of the world, but
that you keep them. And I don't know why it ought
to surprise us. It does though. Seems like it surprises me every
day, but it ought not to. He said, in the world ye shall
have tribulation. If I'm not mistaken, that word
tribulation is a word that was akin to or used concerning an
instrument that was used in the Roman Empire to thresh the wheat. What'd they do? They beat the
wheat. They used it to shake the wheat. That's the illustration our Lord
gives us. In the world, you shall have
tribulation. You're going to have these upendings
and these shakings and these threshings and all these things. But, be of good cheer. Be of good cheer. Why? Because
you're so able to deal with them in yourselves, because you're
so wise about it. No, you murmur and grumble and
everything, but he said, be of good cheer. I have overcome the
world. What does that mean? Well, I'm
not altogether sure in every sense. I don't think anybody
could be. But it has something to do with him overruling all
things, overcoming everything in this world and what takes
place here to accomplish his own glory and to do everything
for the spiritual and eternal good of his people. He works
all things together for good for his people. I've overcome
the world, therefore you be of good cheer." In the midst of
all these tribulations, you be of good cheer. And then, if you'll
turn over to Acts 27, he says, be of good cheer, because even
though this world shall pass, and it shall be destroyed, it'll
be consumed with fire, as Christ has already told us. Not one of his sheep will perish. Acts 27, look down in verse 22. Now this is Paul, and he is speaking
here by the Spirit of God in a situation in which he is as
one believer in the midst of this ship, which is just a small
representation of the world, and it's in bad shape. They're
just taking everything that they can think of to lighten the ship
and throwing it into the sea. They're taking the rigging and
the tackling to keep it from beating in the wind and throwing
it into the sea. They're doing everything. They're
using all their human skills as mariners trying to keep that
ship afloat. Sounds like today, doesn't it?
But after some time, the apostle Paul stands up and he says, and
now I exhort you to be of good cheer For there shall be no loss
of any man's life among you, but of the ship. Now I'm telling
you this, if there was ever more earthly evidence that this world,
this earth upon which we live, on every hand has some evidence
that this ship is a sinking ship, if there was ever any more of
a time than now, I've never heard of it or read of it. As a matter
of fact, if you stop and think about it, this world right now,
I mean right now as it is between nations and the environment,
whatever it is, is a tinderbox. All it takes is the right spark
and the whole deal goes up in smoke. As a matter of fact, Christ
has already said he's going to purge the earth with fire. But
I can tell you this, not one of those people that God loves,
that Christ died for, that the Spirit of God brings to believe
on Christ, not one of them will be lost. Not one. Why? Well, first of all, because
God said there would be none lost, and He cannot lie. Secondly, divine justice requires
that everyone that Christ died on that cross and saved from
their sins, divine justice requires that they be saved. And not only that, but because
the very glory of the triune Godhead depends on it. He said, you be of good cheer. I know we have anxious moments
about our children and our loved ones and our friends, and we
sincerely desire that they be saved. We desire that the Lord
be pleased to extend His hand of mercy to them. But if we're
honest, we'll know on the one hand that like us, none deserve
it. But on the other hand, if they're
His, they will not be lost. Even if they're found at that
last hour like that dying thief, and he in that moment extends
a hand of his mighty power and mercy to them and reveals to
them who he is, not one of them will be lost. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me, and him that comes to me I will in no wise
cast out. Not one of them. He said, be
of good cheer. Not one of God's people will
be lost. And then also if you look down
in verse 25 here, And what Paul continues, and
he says in this hour, he says, Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer,
for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. That's one of the most important,
amazing, encouraging verses in all of this book. He says, be of good cheer. God has not, will not, cannot
lie. His promises which are yes and
amen in Christ will never fail. Every word that he speaks in
this book is true. And every prophecy will come
to pass. He said, be of good cheer. I believe God. Well, what do you believe about
God? And especially, especially as
it pertains to your own soul. When you feel your daily weakness
and your sinfulness and your utter, abhorrable self, you got any reason to be of good
cheer? Not in yourself. But you certainly can be of good
cheer believing that it shall be as God has said. That He has made us to be the
very righteousness of God in His Son. That He has made us
complete in Christ. That He has given us as a free
gift everlasting life. That He looks upon us and sees
us in His Son. not in ourselves. Be of good cheer, because everything
is and shall be just as he says it is and will be in his word. And then if you look down just
a bit farther in this same chapter in verse 36, You see, he says, be of good
cheer because we have so many examples of his faithfulness,
his power, and his grace to his people. Now here's the Apostle
Paul. Aside from being used in this
particular way as an apostle of God, he's like every one of
God's elect. Doesn't look like he's faring
too good here, does it? He's just like those men in that
ship in the middle of that sea, rowing hard against a boisterous
wind. Just like people in our day trying
to live in this world and trust God and proclaim His gospel and
live for His glory. But if you look here in verse
36, then were they all of good cheer, and they also They took
some meat. They were able in that hour,
believing what Paul had told them that God had said, they
were able to be comforted, even able to eat at such a time. They were about to be cast out
into the sea, holding on to pieces of boards and boxes and stuff,
but they were going to live and come out on that beach. We have
even that example, that it was just like what God
said to Paul it would be. Now if you start back in the
book of Genesis, I don't know why people don't
read their Bibles. Now I'm telling you, from one
end of it to the other, Not only is the precious promises of God
in the gospel of Christ, but there is one illustration and
example of God's faithfulness to his people in the most awful
situations, in the most dangerous times, in the most sorrowful
situations like famines and everything imaginable. And here's one right here. with
Paul and these on the ship with him. He says, be of good cheer. And they were of good cheer and
they ate something. But, perhaps the greatest reason
to be of good cheer is the one who says it. Look back at our
text there in Mark 6. He says, be of good cheer It
is I. It is I. And you know, when He speaks
to us by His Spirit, using this Word, now I'm not
saying that voices speak to you, that Christ will speak to you
where you hear in your ear. But if when you come to this
book or when you remember something that he says in this book or
it says in whatever area it is, when he brings that home to your
heart and enables you to believe it to the extent that you look
to him and thank him and find comfort, he spoke to you. He spoke to you. I'll tell you
a lot of times in various situations of life of every kind. Just turning
to the psalm or some portion of his word and just start reading,
and all of a sudden, amazingly, he brings us to something. And
in that which he says, he speaks to us. He said, be of good cheer,
it is I. As a matter of fact, this is
basically the same as Him saying, I am. I am. Christ says in John,
I am the way, the truth, and the life. But you see, He is
actually, in that expression, reminding them, or telling them,
that He's God, manifest in the flesh. You remember Moses, when
he was about to be sent to Pharaoh, and Pharaoh, he knew, was going
to ask him, who it is that sends you? God said unto Moses, I am
that I am. And he said, thus shalt thou
say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you. There's a verse I want to read
in Isaiah 43. This is just one of such a multitude
of promises and verses in this book. He says, When thou passest
through the waters, I will be with thee. And through the rivers,
they shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee." He said, be of good cheer. I
am he. It is I. It is I, your master
and your friend and your redeemer and your savior. The I am, the
mighty God who will never leave you or forsake you. The I who
am always with you even to the end of the age. I can tell you this, if Christ
is with us, you remember when old Balaam
looked down there at Israel and he said, I can't curse them.
He said, the Lord God of Israel is in the midst of them. If He's in our midst, we have
every reason to be of good cheer. There's a verse in the Song of
Solomon where the bride says this, I sleep, that's us, sleepy,
drowsy, appearing almost lifeless sometimes. I sleep, but my heart
waketh. It is the voice of my beloved. It's the voice of my beloved
that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove,
my undefiled. He's saying that to us. And then he says this, Be of
good cheer, it is I. Be not afraid. I suppose that the reason he
said that was because he knew that they were. Be not afraid. And John says, there is no fear
in love, but perfect love casteth out fear. Because fear hath torment,
he that feareth is not made perfect in love. Paul, when he wrote to Timothy,
he says, for God hath not given us the spirit of fear. Fear is
is born out of unbelief. That's just all there is to it.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And those who fear
the Lord need not fear anybody or anything else. He said, be
not afraid. Our Lord said, fear not, little
flock, for it's the Father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom. Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows." When you get to the Revelation,
John, when he saw Christ in that first chapter, that vivid description
of Christ, said that he fell down at his feet as one did. But he said he laid his right
hand upon me saying unto me, fear not, I am the first and
the last. I'm the beginning and the end.
I'm the sum total of it. You know there's a lot said in
religion and politics. There's a lot set on every hand. If there's ever a generation
that well may be scared to death about all they're told that's
going to happen, it might be our generation. He says, be of good cheer. It
is I. Be not afraid. Our Father, tonight we pray that
we might enter in to the words of the Lord Jesus
Christ, that we might be reminded, based
on all that He is, and all that He's accomplished, and all that
He has promised, and even all that He has already been to us,
that we have every reason Though weak and frail and sinful in
ourselves. Though still yet full of so much
unbelief. Lord, even living in the midst
of all this that goes on in this world around us. But for these
reasons, we have every reason to be of good cheer. Because
He is always with us. will never leave us or forsake
us. Give us grace and faith and strength that we be not afraid. We thank you for your goodness
and mercy to us. We thank you for a salvation
full and finished. We thank you for your tender
mercies, for your free grace. And we acknowledge, Lord, at
this time that all that we have, that is of any value and of any
spiritual and eternal worth, we have as the gift of your grace
in Christ. Receive, Lord, our thanks. Encourage
our hearts. Help us in these days that we
might live for your glory. that we might be bound together
not only to you but to your people. Because we thank you and we praise
you and ask your blessings upon all your people, all your servants
in this world. And may all things work and be
to the glory of your name alone. We pray and ask it in Christ's
name Amen.