The Provision of the King

INTRO:

PATOR TIM

Wellington, MO - 45 min outside KC

Small Farming Town - 800

April 28th - Specific Prayers in Bulletin & NFG

Recap/Context

Disciples sent out — Mark 6:12–13 “So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.”

Weekly Reading - Verses 14-44 — Covering verses 30-44 (Jesus Feeds the 5,000)

Verses 14-29 — Almost feel like an aside — why talk about John the Baptist?

Herod hears of this - Jesus - character —> some say it’s JB come back (Herod had him killed)

But there seems to be another reason (in context) why Mark puts this story here… (will come back to that)

What do you know about Jesus feeding the 5,000?

Probably know some facts…

What do you think about?

Kid’s Ministry

Fake loaves and fish…

Maybe you don’t know much — most people have at least some knowledge of this story…

TENSION: What sustains you?

TRUTH:

Mark 6:30–44 ESV

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

Pray

FOCUS — Typcially on the Miracle of feeding the 5,000+

NOT WRONG — only Miracle in ALL 4 Gospel Accounts…

Makes a pretty BIG impression on ALL who witness it.

We will spend time on this miracle and what Jesus does, but FOCUS maybe a little different…

CONTEXT is … KING!

In the context of Mark — Jesus is teaching His Disciples — Preparing them to CARRY ON His work —>

CONSIDER:

What do the disciples (12, Apostles) learn?

What should we learn? — (Descriptive/Prescriptive)…

We will consider this passage from their perspective — Which I think will better inform our perspective, understanding & application today…

(EVERYONE TRACKING WITH ME SO FAR?!)

CONTEXT

Mark has told us how Jesus begins His Earthly Ministry — What have we seen Him do so far?

Baptism — Strength/Commissioning from the Lord

PROCLAIM — “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel!”

Driven out unclean spirits (Darkness)

Heal the sick — Bring freedom

Jesus is teaching his Disciples — MASTER TEACHER

Tell | Show | Do | Review —>

Tell me what to do — Jesus’ Teaching

Show me how to do it — driving out unclean spirits & healing the sick

Let me do it — commissions the apostles and sends the to proclaim, drive, heal…

Review it — When they return to Jesus in verse 30…

You know Jesus is teaching them — he plans to take them to a “desolate place”

In Jesus’ own ministry He has done this after challenges — Commune with the Father —>

Jesus taking His disciples to do this = His compassion for them.

But there is an interruption…THE CROWD

How annoying is THE CROWD at this point? (Disciples perspective)

EVERYWHERE they go — “thronged about them”

Prevents them from even having time to eat!

Jesus is going to let us have some time to rest & recuperate…

BUT here comes THE CROWD — AGAIN!

(I imagine they are groaning off shore as they get closer…)

Jesus’ reaction though is different — “He had compassion on them”

They were like “Sheep without a shepherd.” (We will come back to this!)

He teaches all day — Disciples are likely EXHAUSTED at this point…

They are thinking practically — it’s late - “how are WE going to feed all these people?!”

So they suggest let’s send them away now so they can go find something to eat — (AND we can have some PEACE & QUIET!).

Jesus says - “you give them something to eat.”

Snarky Response — probably because they are tired — “Shall we go and buy [half a years wages worth] of bread to give them?”

Probably didn’t expect Jesus’ response — What DO you have? [Is He serious?!]

But they are starting to learn — they just do what he tells them.

5 Loaves & 2 Fish — Probably much smaller than we might think — little pita bread & sardines.

Jesus says — this is enough

Mark 6:41 “And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.”

Jesus Blesses the food — looking up to heaven

Breaking the bread and giving to the disciples — like He will at the Last Supper

JESUS provides the MEANS for provision — but gives it to His Disciples to provide sustenance for the people.

Jesus still provides the MEANS for provision — uses US - disciples to bring that provision to others.

Jesus doesn’t just make enough food —> 12 baskets full of leftovers —> levels of provision…

Provides for the crowd he has just taught & had compassion for.

Provides for His 12 disciples - 1 basket each

They had been traveling without food or pack — Jesus also provides for them.

Jesus’ has performed an incredible miracle of provision - to feed the 5,000+ - but only the disciples witnessed what he did - and provided for them in the process.

But there is also another layer of events happening here than what we see on the surface…

I mentioned earlier that it is no accident that Mark talk’s about Herod’s banquet in the passage before.

What seems like an aside - talking about John the Baptist - is actually teaching us (the audience) something else about Jesus — and the Kingdom.

Herod’s banquet (on his birthday) “for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee —> Leads to death.

Jesus’ banquet - is with common people in the wilderness —> Leads to life (abundant life).

But that is just the beginning.

This passage is DRIPPING with Fulfillment — One of the only miracles in ALL 4 Gospels…

Consider with me who in the OT we are reminded of through these….

Remember — after His Baptism — Jesus is compelled by the Holy Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted by the accuser.

We talked about how that shows Jesus’ fulfillment.

He passes the enemy’s test in the wilderness (other side of the Jordan) after 40 days — the Israelites could not pass the enemy’s test as they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.

Now Jesus goes with his disciples into a “desolate place” — supposed to elicit the same idea as the wilderness.

How did God provide for the Israelites when they were hungry in the wilderness?

He gave them Mana - bread from heaven - to provide for their sustenance - they would collect what they needed for each day.

Here - Jesus provides for the people - with mostly bread -

Jesus looked up to heaven to bless the food before serving it.

A traditional Jewish prayer over a meal would be said looking down - in humility…

The power of God — Through Jesus — provides for the people — “they were satisfied”

BUT that’s not all — “12 baskets full of pieces” — 12 Tribes —> 12 Apostles - ABUNDANCE —> The Kingdom of God has come to ALL peoples - indiscriminately…

Jesus had the people sit in groups of 50s & 100s — dividing them up

Prefiguring Moses’ division of the people — putting Elders in charge of judging different groups —

4 Ways “Jesus is the True & Better Moses”

Leading them in the wilderness — “Sheep without a shepherd” (Moses prays this for the people at the end of Numbers — God provides Joshua to lead the people).

Dividing them to be cared for by “Elders” — Jesus uses the Commissioned Apostles to provide what He is giving to the people.

Provides for the people with bread “from Heaven” — prefiguring Mana in the wilderness.

The Provision is MORE than enough to be satisfied — It does NOT expire!

But it’s not just through Moses we see all these fulfillment, Turn with me to Look with me to Psalm 23…

Psalm 23 “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

8 Ways this Passage Fulfills - Psalm 23

“The Lord is my Shepherd” — “Sheep without a Shepherd”

“I shall not want.” — “And they all ate and were satisfied”

“He makes me lie down in green pastures.” — vs. 39 “Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the grass”

“He leads me beside still waters” — They are beside the sea of Galilee

“He leads me in paths of righteousness” — “And he began to teach them many things”

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death” — They are in a “desolate” place & Jesus does not forsake them.

“Your prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” — The people gather in groups & are served - in the place (wilderness) where Jesus battled THE enemy.

“My cup overflows” — “And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.”

Promise of the Kingdom: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

APPLICATION:

What do we learn from the Disciples?

Dependency on the Lord. (PROVISION)

Jesus has shown them what to do BEFORE he sends them out —> They return to review their work in his name.

Jesus provides for them to go to a “desolate place” — Remote - to pray and commune with God.

They are finite — we are finite

This is a GENTLE Command - but a Command - “Prayer and Rest are as much a command as ministry and activity!”

Jesus provides for them to be able to serve the people.

“Jesus doesn’t ask us to do something that He will not provide for.”

This is part of Jesus’ training - he has shown them | sent them out | Reviewed | now showing them again.

Their response is NOT dissimilar from the Boat.

They lacked faith in God’s provision — their safety

They lacked faith in God’s provision — feeding the people

“Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread?”

But this time Jesus doesn’t Rebuke them - maybe he doesn’t have to…

He simply begins to provide & they obey His command.

Jesus provides for their needs.

12 baskets full of broken piece that each disciple collects — sustenance for each of them.

Maybe NOT what they desire — but fulfills their need.

God may NOT give us what we DESIRE — But he will always PROVIDE for what we NEED.

Psalm 23:6 — “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

RESPONSE:

Maybe you feel like a “Sheep without a shepherd”…

Why this metaphor?

A sheep left to it’s own devices will struggle.

Hair overgrown - even over their eyes.

Sheep just follow the other sheep — without a shepherd they will wander about…

Maybe today you need to come to the Good Shepherd.

For the first time?

For prayer — help me see your provision.

To return/Repent

Sing in Response

Contemporary: Lord I Need You

Traditional: Jesus Paid it All

PRAY

Provision

Jesus

Holy Spirit

Good Shepherd

Guide us & lead us

May we bring others to You…