Failure Isn't Always Fatal

Failure Isn’t Always Fatal

Mark 6:45-56

Good morning.

Many Christians, who experience failure in life, then start to believe the lie; they have nothing to offer the Kingdom of God.

John Ortberg said, “Failure is not an event, but rather a judgment about an event.

Before Jonas Salk developed a vaccine for polio that finally worked, he tried two hundred unsuccessful ones.

Somebody asked him, “How did it feel to fail two hundred times?”

“I never failed two hundred times in my life,” Salk replied. “I was taught not to use the word ‘failure.’ I just discovered two hundred ways how not to vaccinate for polio.”

“Somebody once asked Winston Churchill what most prepared him to risk political suicide by speaking out against Hitler.

Churchill said it was the time he had to repeat a grade in elementary school.

“You mean you failed a year in grade school?” he was asked.

“I never failed anything in my life. I was given a second opportunity to get it right.”

Jonas Salk made two hundred unsuccessful attempts to create a polio vaccine. Was Jonas Salk a failure?

Winston Churchill repeated a grade in elementary school. Was Winston Churchill a failure?”

Please open your Bibles to Mark 6 as we continue that study

Last week, we learned how the Disciples needed some Down-time with the Lord. We learned there is a time to serve and a time to rest; and both are important.

The crowds showed up as Jesus and the Disciples tried to take a break. The Disciples had been serving people a long time; so, it was understandable that they were tired.

When evening had come, the Disciples told Jesus to send the people away into the village to go and buy food, because they were in a desolate place; but, Jesus told them to feed the people.

We learned that our difficulties in life must always be measured by the One completing the job; because with Jesus, there is never a shortage of resources.

The Gospel of John told us that Andrew brought a boy to Jesus who had two small fish and five little loaves.

As Jesus broke the loaves, creation happened right before the Disciples eyes. Jesus was demonstrating His power as Lord of creation, creating enough food for everyone.

After 5000 men, plus women and children were glutted full, Jesus had the Disciples pick up the leftovers, for them to eat.

Today, we will look at a very familiar passage about a storm the Disciples go through and Jesus arrived, walking on the water.

I. Mountaintop prayer.

Read Mark 6:45-46

Notice the passage tells us that immediately after they finished serving the crowd and eating their lunch; Jesus made the Disciples get into the boat without Jesus, to go to Bethsaida.

As the Disciples got into the boat, Jesus sent the crowds away and then He went up on the mountain to pray.

Jesus is fully man as well as fully God, so He knows what it is like to be tired; but, being tired caused Him to spend time with the Father instead of neglecting the needed time of fellowship.

Sometimes when we are tired, we neglect fellowship with God; when we are worn out we need more time with the Lord, not less

Let’s look at some of the times Jesus purposely was alone and spent one on one time with the Father as examples for us.

1. Jesus was alone to prepare Him for what was coming.

After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, we read in…

Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. NKJV

Jesus, knowing the temptation was coming, as well as a lot of public ministry; He spent 40 days praying and fasting in the wilderness.

2. Jesus was alone to rest and fellowship after ministry.

Here in our narrative of Mark 6, not only have the Disciples been ministering at a relentless pace; even more so, Jesus had not stopped serving and ministering either.

3. Jesus was alone to grieve the loss of John the Baptist.

Matthew 14:12 Then his (John’s) disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. NKJV

Once Jesus heard about the death of His cousin, He went away to grieve John the Baptist’s death.

4. Jesus was alone to pray about an important decision.

Luke 6:12 He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Luke 6:13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: NKJV