Mark 4:1 “Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge."
Mark 4:1 is another glimpse at the resourcefulness of Jesus! Once again surrounded by an exceptionally large crowd, Jesus is faced with two significant leadership issues. The first dilemma presented by this enormous gathering is the question of how to maintain a safe environment in which to do ministry with the habitual demand that the people place on Him to get near enough to touch Him as they search for miracles of healing and deliverance. The second issue presented by this setting is; how can Jesus create a teaching environment in which he can be heard by such a large gathering of people and minister to the masses rather than just touching individual needs. This second issue is a chronic tension of ministry. When numbers are small maintaining a sense of intimacy and personal contact is possible but there comes a point of transition in crowd dynamics where for the sake of impacting all who have come and not just a few who can get close there is a need to change the nature of how ministry is conducted.
The decision to move out on to the water immediately creates an atmosphere where Jesus communicates a message of restraint to the people without having said a word. He is able to establish a clear boundary that regulates the behavior of the people gathered around Him. The desire of the people to be close is offset by the limitation of the water and immediately the task of suppressing the energy of the group is accomplished without having to bring rebuke or restraint in a physical sense. Order comes from the boundary and the distance now communicates that this is a setting where Jesus’ goal is to teach them, not to perform miracles without Him ever saying a word to that end. There is great wisdom displayed in this practice of creating the setting for ministry. What can be said by how we structure a gathering? In Jesus’ case the people would have been inclined to immediately begin to change for a high energy effort directed towards touching Jesus or getting close enough to receive a miracle to an atmosphere of promoting quietness so as to hear what Jesus might want to say!
The second goal accomplished by Jesus as He enters the boat for his platform of teaching is related to the realm of physics. With such a large crowd gathered that He was compelled to get into the boat the issue of enabling everyone to hear His words would be central to His mind if His goal was teaching and not miracles. By getting into the boat Jesus uses the natural effect created by water for His own benefit. Water has a tremendous capacity for acoustical impact. By getting into the boat and moving a short distance into the water Jesus in essence has created a natural amplification system to increase the volume of His words. The water would essential amplify and distribute the sound of His words so that a much larger audience could hear Him than if He were up close to them and speaking from within the crowd of people. Their presence would have swallowed His words and many would not have been able to receive from Him.
Once again the life of Jesus demonstrates a pattern of insightfulness and wisdom that can challenge us in our approach to daily living. Are you facing a difficult problem? Perhaps there is an answer available to you right where you are. Perhaps the resources that you need for success are contained somewhere in the setting where you find yourself. Have you prayed about it? Have you meditated on the setting you are faced with? Have you asked the Lord to open your understanding and give you wisdom? James said simply “You have not, because you ask not…” Do not just accept the obvious limitations of your situation. Ask the Lord for eyes to see the solutions that are in the midst of the problems!
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