Jesus Can Mark 6:30-44

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Prayer, Need For

Do you ever play the game “how far”? Its rules are really simple—you fill up your gas tank and then drive to see how far you can go before you fill up again. You watch the gauge nervously as it falls closer and closer to the big E.

What about your spiritual gas tank—do you play “how far” with it, too, trying to see how far you can get on a single fill-up?

Jesus cares for the needs of His people and is able to meet them.

I. People Have Physical Needs vv. 30-32

When we pick up the account, the apostles return to Jesus, excited from their ministry

They have done great things and they are ready to celebrate

They want to tell Jesus what they’d experienced, so He does something interesting

Jesus invites them to go away with Him to a place of isolation

This is a necessity, in the wake of all they had done.

They are in need of spiritual and emotional renewal that can only be met by time with Jesus

However, there is also a very simple physical need to be met; they must eat. This is something they’d been unable to do, because of the crowds

This is fundamentally true for all of us:

We have emotional needs and spiritual needs, but we also have physical needs

The Lord’s ability to care for His people is not limited to His authority over our souls and our emotions!

We see this as Elijah hides under a broom tree!

1 Kings 19:4–8

[4] But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” [5] And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” [6] And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. [7] And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” [8] And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. (ESV)

II. Jesus Has Compassion vv. 33-36

Their rest is immediately interrupted by a crowd of people who run along ahead of them

At this point, I think we need to see how Jesus responds to people with great needs

He is not annoyed by them and doesn’t see them as a disruption; He has compassion on them

They need a shepherd! But how will He shepherd these sheep?

He deals with the emotional need for fellowship by making Himself available to them

He deals with the spiritual need for renewal through teaching, making the Word of the Lord known to them

He will deal with the physical need last, and in a way that is instructive for His apostles

The disciples are not ignorant of the crowd’s hunger, but their approach to dealing with it is noteworthy

They simply want to send the crowd away to fend for themselves

It’s probably unfair to say that they have no compassion for the crowds of people

However, they make no move to meet their need; Jesus stands ready to provide for their physical needs just as much as the spiritual and emotional needs

300 Illustrations for Preachers “Toilet Paper Guy” Gave Rolls to Those in Need

Leon Delong got restless and decided to do something meaningful after he retired. He heard that city office towers were routinely throwing away half-used rolls of toilet paper. Delong began to gather them and deliver them to a local food bank, where they were given to those in need. He did it for 15 years before calling it quits, at age 76. In that time, Delong gave away more than a million rolls of toilet paper. “I’m amazed how much this mattered to people,” Delong said.

Sometimes a small kindness can grow to something special for a lot of people. “Now,” Leon Delong says, “this is my claim to fame.”

III. We are Insufficient vv. 37-38

Jesus instructs them to provide for the crowd

They are immediately overwhelmed by this

They do not have the funds to buy this much food

There is not enough food available among them to meet the need

Jesus is forcing them to reckon with their own insufficiency

This is not intended to humiliate the disciples or to bring them to despair

It is, however, a way of teaching them the value of the life of a dependent; When we understand our own insufficiency and inability, we are finally in position for God to use us greatly and to do great things in our lives.

2 Corinthians 12:7–10

[7] So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. [8] Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. [9] But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [10] For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (ESV)

IV. Jesus is Able vv. 39-44

After the apostles have surveyed the situation, Jesus springs into action

He commands both the disciples and the crowd

They listen to what He is saying and respond to Him

They do not have to spin in circles to get their needs met; they just have to pay attention to Jesus

Next, we see that Jesus models dependency

He prays to the Father and in so doing He shows us the posture that we ought to take in pursuing provision

Jesus is not arrogant, boastful, or proud; What takes place is the divine initiative of His heavenly Father

Dependency on God is the opposite of controlling God; it is not about praying special prayers or forcing God’s hands in any way

Instead, it is about a lifestyle of trust; understanding that He is capable, compassionate, and careful in His gifts

Finally, we see that Jesus is able to satisfy and more

There is enough; the people are contented and all of their needs are met

However, there are 12 extra baskets left over; He is not stingy with His gifts but is ready to bless His people

Yesterday, Maggie and I made the trip to Birmingham for another follow-up appointment on her jaw surgery. We made a brief stop to take care of an errand and were prepared to head over to the office, when we found bad news. We’d picked up a nail and her front passenger tire was completely flat. We got an Uber and made the trip and made plans to deal with the tire later. When the time came, things were going along easily enough. I’d just pulled out the donut and had already found a shop to fix the flat. Immediately, as I prepared to adjust the jack, a guy came up behind me with an offer: he had a floor jack handy! Within 5 minutes, we had the tire changed and we were on our way. At the tire shop, everything ran flawlessly and within 30 minutes, the flat was fixed and replaced, and the donut returned to its proper place in the trunk. Then, i found out the best news of all: It was all done for free. I don’t always understand in the moment that the Lord will provide, but I can be certain that He will!

Do you trust Him to be enough for you?