God My Provision

Introduction

In the Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis there is a scene that Shasta, the main character, comes face to face with a lion that is bigger then he mounted on horse! Now Shasta is different from all the other children on Narnia. HE was raised in the Islamic like like of Calormen. They in his land are taught a demon lion stalks the kingdom of Narnia and to beware. So you can imagine when Shasta, a young boy, saw this lion he thought he was undone. To be devoured by this legendary demon.

Little did he know, but quickly did he feel when talking to this lion was that he was beholding the creator of his world before him.

This lion who is Aslan, the Christ figure in the Narninian stories, tells Shasta his life story. The child he saved from a shipwreck, the child he brought his travel mates to him, the child whom at night he fought off the wolves and ill creatures to protect him, and the child whom he protected from falling down the cliffs of the mountains he had to cross in a fog bank.

Shasta was talking to the God who made the very world he lived in, who made him and had maintained his life through trail and turmoil. The God who took care of him from his first breath till that very moment.

Today we are going to look at the real God that Aslan is based of off, the person of Christ. The doctrine we are going to look at is Christology, the study of Jesus and that doctrines implications.

Mark 8:1–30 ESV

1 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” 4 And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” 5 And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6 And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha. 11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side. 14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” 22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” 27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

Big Idea:

Christ is enough for you

Background:

This is a big section but your going to notice that the miracles are repeating!

We have a second feeding (1-10)

A second crossing of the sea (10)

A second healing (22-26)

A second Testing by the Pharisees (11-13)

A second bread discussion (14-21)

And a second announcement of salvation and confession (27-30)

Now as you read these miracles I want to counter a worldy lie right away. God repeats these because he is building his case to the gentile readers that this is the messiah what is not happening here is some lazy or malicious editing. Some have said that the seemingly repeated miracles are proof that this is not the word of God but some poorly made up ancient text. When you look at the miracles from chapter 6 to 7 and compare to here in chapter 8 there are differences. The feeding miracles have two different number amounts for example in Mark 6:44

Mark 6:44 ESV

44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

He feed 5000 men, which included families

in Mark 8:9

Mark 8:9 ESV

9 And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away.

the word here is not men, just the number 4000. This is a smaller crowd then before. Jesus internally in the gospel say this Mark 8:19-20

Mark 8:19–20 ESV

19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.”

So Jesus is showing that two different events occured.

2 Applications from the background:

Approach God’s word with gladness

So you can take the record of these event as truthful. They are not some other gospel or fiction this is a real account of events that actually happened. So when the Bible teaches us something or reveal to us something that God has done approach it with a herminunetic, an interpritve mind set not of suspicion, but with Christian love for the father holy word before you.

Remember all scripture 2 Tim. 3:16-17

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Your fathers word is trustworthy. It is approved by him for you! It is all you need to live by!

we’re reading 2 Kings with our children before bed right now. (Speak of the kings and the illustrations)

God does the same thing again and again.

God isn’t above doing things again and again! Jesus is willing to do the same thing again and again. He saves people from all sorts of trouble and then because there is nothing new under the sun, hes going to do it again for the next generation until he returns.

How do I know this to be true? We see that Jesus litterally did the same miracles again and again in chapters 6-8. We see in Judges God delivers his people again and again from the sin that they got themselves into. You can even see this in the world. How does God grow plants? Sunlight, water, and time. This is constantly on repeat.

Any parent with a tired back will tell you kids love being picked up. We enjoy the consistency and like a child we always want to be picked up. God made you this way. It was so great I want to do it again, that is why you have a favorite restaurant, hangout, vaciron spot, book, brand.

God has built into you and I a love for repetition.

so.

So when your praying for God to save the soul of a loved one know that he has done it before and will do it again. When your praying to know God’s will for a decision know that he has done it before and will do it again.

Why Miracles?

Miracles point to a bigger truth. They are sign posts to what God is saying in this time we are going to look at what we learn of Jesus in this section.

Jesus - Compassion

So we see that Jesus has compassion for his people

(Mark 8:2

Mark 8:2 ESV

2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat.

Mark 8:8 ESV

8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.

We see here the nature of JEsus as a high priest for us.

Hebrews 5:1–10 ESV

1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

What we see in Mark is this nature of a priest for us. We are the

Hebrews 5:2 ESV

2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.

and he dealt with this crowd just like that.

Today

Today He in his compassion deals gently with us. Have you ever considered the vileness of your sin and yet God looks at you in the face and sees you with compassion. Our Jesus sees you and cares for you.

He was was obligated to make a sacrifice for you and that was of himself.

Hebrews 5:8–10 ESV

8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

God our father sent God the son to be your aid and comfort. Are you in need of comfort and rest today? Christ sees you with compassion.

Are you feeling lack and want? Just as he feed those thousands he will be your fulfillment.

Lamentations 3:24 ESV

24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

So if today you’re feeling alone and empty, looking at another week with weariness. Fill yourself on Christ today. Take him up in your heart. He is our fathers greatest gift to us, he is our fathers love expressed.

So to you Christian do you know that your God truly loves you?

Can you say

Mark 8:8 (ESV)

8 And they ate and were satisfied.

Christ is your fill Christian take him!

Jesus - the true leaven

When Jesus encountered the Pharisees and then spoke of them and the Herodians to the disciples you can see that they hadn’t understood what Jesus was doing.

The Pharisees asked for a sign Mark 8:11

Mark 8:11 ESV

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.

The disciples spoke of the bread and the miracle but didn’t see beyond the food

Mark 8:16–18 ESV

16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?

Both groups did not have their eyes and ears opened. They are like the blind man, the deaf man who while in the presence of God don’t see it. They see nothing!

Both groups at the time were focused on the world not on the God before them. The Pharisees though present for many miracles to coveted their status and position that they were willing to ignore their very eyes! The disciples to worried about their bellies that they forgot who was in the boat with them!

The Leaven of the world is as the actions of the pharisees moral corruption to the point of being willing to kill. Rank hypocrisy to the point of warping God’s commands. Ascribing to Jesus that which belongs to the devil.

The Leaven of the world is also just being focused on the joys and pleasures the various bellies of our selves.

Imagine your with the God of the universe and your chief issue is “what are we going to eat?” They so attached to worldly worries forgot God.

Application:

To the Believer

I want to remind you of something

Thomas Brooks a puritan writer wrote:

Should the child that is proclaimed the heir of a crown be troubled for the want of a rattle? And why then should a Christian that is heir apparent to a heavenly crown be troubled upon the want of worldly toys?

Do you worry for the world today? Do you worry are you so fixed on your concerns that you miss God in the boat with you?

Are you so shaken by the latest news report, the latest social media posting and yet miss the God with you?

Maybe you’re to worried about the next paycheck, next meal, next medical report, are you looking for that rattle instead of God? do you trust him today Is Jesus enough for you? Are you consumed with the world? Truly it is you that is being consumed, a frog slowly boiled.

Are you, instead grabbing unto Christ, holding your stomach. Are you taken in by the swan song of the the Herodians or today the secularists are you pied piper-ed into hypocrisy like the Pharisees allowing the cultures rules to make you twice the disciple of Hell functionally?

You’re like Shasta in the Horse and His Boy, little shasta had been a orphan, taken in by a stranger he only used him for his own gain and was preppared to seel him fo the right price.

Little did shasta know that he was the rightful heir to a thrown who suffered shipwreck when he was a baby. Aslan was directing his days back to his true kingdom and kingship.

Are to too consumed with today and it’s cares that you don’t see the crown securred by the son of God for you?

Are you like Adam, too interested in the fruit, but not in the obedience to the task God has set before you?

If you’re a Christian stop seeking your own end and trust the Lord again today!

To the unbeliever:

You’re experiencing right now the very presence of God. The Reformation fathers believed accurately that when you’re sitting under the teaching and preaching of God’s word you’re hearing God speak. So the words that you hear so long as they match up with God’s word are his word for you today! Luke 10:16

Luke 10:16 (ESV)

16 “The one who hears you hears me

The Bible also says

Romans 10:14–17 ESV

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

You as you hear the word spoken are hearing God’s call to you to believe today. Today could be the day of salvation for you. You may be hearing the very word of God spoken to you.

This is true for you to Christian, you’re hearing God through his commons means he has his provision today for you in his word will you partake? Will you be feed on him today in his word. Will your ears be opened or will you be blind liek the pharisees or distracted like the disciples?