The Banquet Of God
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Intro: After our flashback we now come to the return of the disciples from ministry.
Intro: After our flashback we now come to the return of the disciples from ministry.
What we see here in Mark is Jesus has discipleship plan in action:
Teach them
Send them
Have them Return
Report and evaluate
we see his plan in action throughout Mark, what we find here in our text is phase 4 of that plan.
Mark is also preparing us for the cost of discipleship by bracketing the story of John the Baptist between the disciples going out and the disciples returning he is linking mission & martyrdom, discipleship and death which is just a glimpse of
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.
Another interesting thing we see is a comparison. If you remember, two weeks ago we were given a glimpse into a palace party into the self proclaimed king Herod Antipas, at Herod’s party we see
a distinguished guest list
party is held in a palace
a lustful and lavish party
The selfishness of people
The pridefulness of people
The death of the greatest man to be born
I find it interesting that Mark places the feeding of the 5000 right here, right after Herod’s grand banquet. I think Mark is trying to get us to see is you have seen how a self proclaimed king, Herod Antipas holds a banquet, let me invite to see the Banquet of God and let us learn from the Master. We learn the master
places importance on rest
We will learn that Jesus is compassionate and we should be too.
Finally we will learn that Jesus is the Great Provider, but he also invites his children to participate.
I.Jesus Places Importance on Rest
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.
Jesus has a specific discipleship plan for those who are his disciples, we see his plan throughout the book of Mark.
Teach Them
ShowThem
Send Them
Report & Evaluate
A. They Shared their stories
To report
Done
Teaching
To Learn
B. Jesus Now Teaches The Importance of Rest
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.
Mark 6:31-
i. Fact #1 in this world the work will never be done
a. many were coming & going
b. no leisure even to eat
ii. Fact #2 After a time of ministry/work Jesus says rest anyway
a. Come away
b. by yourselves
c. desolate place
d. rest
iii. What does this mean for us?
a. Work is important, even values in the KOG. There is no room for laziness.
b. The same is true for the flip side, being a workaholic is a sin, even if it is ministry. You are not God, you do not hold the world, the church or even your workplace in your hands. There are times when we need to let go and rest.
c. Rest is best with solitude and companionship. Last week Nomi and I went out for our anniversary, it was just me and her solitude and companionship. It was needed and restful. Sometimes companionship is you and the Word, or you and a edifying book, or you and some other believers.
d. In this world rest is not permanent.
e. While you are resting be ready for ministry.
II. Compassion
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?”
Mark 6:33-37
A. Compassion For Their Spiritual Need
Recognized & Ran
They Recognize Jesus & the disciples and run to catch him. They are seeking Jesus right?
And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.
Do you only recognize Jesus and run to him for what you think he can give you?
Is your relationship with Christ more about what he can give you, than obedience and submission to the Lord of all things.
When they arrive to the shore Jesus sees them has compassion
like sheep without a Shepherd
We see this term in the OT
And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace.’ ”
The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.
“Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.
1 kings
Ezek 34:1-12
b. Used when the people have no leader or inadequate leadership.
c. Jesus comes and recognizes the void of leadership in Israel
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”
Matt 23:37-
d. Jesus has compassion on them because they have inadequate leadership
He began to teach
Notice the importance of Shepherding/teaching
the paralytic “your sins are forgiven”
Here again we see Jesus began to teach them
He places a priority on their spiritual need over the physical need
B. Compassion For Their Physical Need
We know he did miracles because the other Gospel writers tell us he did.
Miracles, visions, dreams with no Gospel centered teaching, is not how the Kingdom of God works.
time and time again we see Jesus teaching the truth and performing miracles
Christ did not perform miracles just to perform miracles.
He did so to back up his claim that he was the Messiah.
He did so to lead people to the Gospel
What we have on television is people preaching a prosperity driven false Gospel and people claiming miracles vision dream and the gifts of the spirit to fill their pockets.
Is it Gospel centered?
Is it truthful?
Does it attempt to add to scripture?
If the fruit of teaching is corrupt then the fruit of works must be rejected.
B. Compassion For Their Physical Need
i. Jesus was teaching for long time
ii. it was late
the disciples solution: Send them away to the surrounding towns and villages to buy something to eat.
Jesus solution & test: You feed them
Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
John 6:5
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”
the disciples response to Jesus’ solution & test: Shall we go buy enough bread for everyone to eat
Jesus was ready to teach another lesson in trust and looking to God to provide for our needs and not just in our own resources.
III. Providing For Others
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.
Mark 6:38-
A. Jesus Miraculously Provided for their Physical need
i. The Creator of the universe in action
ii. Created from 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed thousands until they were satisfied
iii. Jesus created the bread and fish to provide for over 5000 people.
iii. i do not think there is a coincidence there were 12 baskets left.
B. Even in Providing for their Physical Needs He is Providing for their Spiritual Need
How so?
If you know your Bible than this should give an OT flashback.
A Nation In A Desolate Place
A Nation Complaining For Food
Jehovah Jireh providing Manna, Quail and Water from Heaven.
How about Elisha?
A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ” So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.
2 Kings 4:42-44
Jesus could have provided the money to buy the food. in some way, he did so with taxes. He could have sent the disciples to the market, or somehow brought the market to them
What did he do? He pulled back the curtain on his humanity and shined the light of divinity by putting on display how he could create a meal for thousands of people from 5 loaves and two fish.
He was saying the same Lord who provided Bread for elisha’s fellow prophets
The Lord who provided Manna, quail and water in the wilderness, that’s me.
Conclusion:
Do you believe in Jehovah Jireh? Do you trust him? Even when he doesn’t provide in the manner you want on your time line? Do you have the compassion of our Lord for the lost? For the people in need?
