Our King. His Kingdom.

His Presence in Our Disappointment
If you submit your life to the Lord in obedient commitment, you will expose yourself to disappointment, discomfort, and despair

A Prophet Without Honor
Mark 6:1-6 (NIV)
1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given
him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

-Jesus experienced the disappointment of rejection from those he should expect the most
support from.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
Mark 6:7-13 (NIV)
…Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. 8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you,leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
-Jesus’s disciples experienced the discomfort of traveling simply and being committed to the
mission, even in the face of rejection.

Jesus Walks on the Water
Mark 6: 45-51 (NIV)
45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. 47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be
afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.

-The disciples were in the very will of God OBEDIENCE made them uncomfortable, it was not
what they expected.
-Jesus saw them [El Roi] in the midst of their struggle, even though they were miles offshore
and he was on the mountainside.
-Jesus came in the darkest part of the night, when they were in their deepest despair.
-Jesus went to them. He entered into the struggle with them. “The very waves that distressed
them became a path for his feet.” -R. Kent Hughes

“Passes by”
Exodus 33:22-23 (NIV)
“22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

Exodus 34:6 (NIV)
6 And he passed in front of Moses…
Theophany: an event where God reveals his presence to a person.

-Jesus is proclaiming himself as God, Yahweh, the Holy name of God when he says, “It is I.”

Exodus 34:5-7
-In the midst of our disappointment, discomfort, and despair, God reveals his glory, his name,
and his fundamental character.
-When we have been in the presence of the Lord, we are transformed so as to reflect the glory
of Christ to others.
-Jesus understands our struggle.
-Lent is a time for reflection, repentance, and renewal

Questions to guide your fasting decision this Lent:

Pray and ask the Lord to guide your decision.
What am I running to for comfort, relief, or distraction?
What is my motivation for fasting this?
Will fasting this challenge me and foster dependence on God?