The Miracle Moment 7/26/2020

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The Miracle Moment

Text: Mark 6:35-52

This was one of the most notable miracles in Jesus ministry. He fed five thousand men plus women and children using five loaves of bread and two fish.

It’s getting late in the day, everyone is in a desert. There simply is not a good place to grab a meal. Any provisions people may have brought with them have been used up some time back… there were no other options. The disciples want Jesus to send the people away.

Jesus said you give them something to eat… What are we supposed to do Jesus? go and buy enough food to feed all these people? We don’t have the money or the bread to do that!

Jesus ask what do you have? They had to go ask around… When they found out, they said five loaves and two fish.

I am sure that this news was not delivered with enthusiasm and hope. You know Jesus, we have more to work with than we thought!

Jesus can do everything with little or nothing. Stop saying “if I only had...”

Jesus has them arrange the people in groups of one hundred and fifty. He blessed and broke those five loaves giving them to the disciples to sit before the people. He divided the fish so that every person ate and were filled.

Point: When you are with Jesus…You don’t have to go away hungry.

They took up what was left and there were twelve baskets of bread and fish.

When you are with Jesus…You can take something home with you.

There are so many subtle messages in this one moment...

I could tell you God has given you everything you need and He can work out the rest. But that is really not true, the Lord does not give you everything you need… Why because He wants you to need Him? He is everything you need. He can make up for your shortage. You don’t need a miracle. You need Jesus!

The disciples had to be in awe of what Jesus had just done. They had a part, participated in feeding the people and in collecting what was left. Do you think their faith in Jesus would have been high?

Mark 6:45–47 NKJV

45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. 46 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. 47 Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.

It was that evening… the same day. Not even a twenty four hour period has passed.

Mark 6:48 NKJV

48 Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.

Straining - in other parts of the Bible where this word in Greek is used it is translated with the english word “tortured”.

There are some expert sailors in that boat. The sea of Galilee is not a large body of water. With their expert knowledge they could have made that trip in a short period of time on any other day. A calm day. But not on this day. The wind was contrary.

They were tortured in their rowing because of the wind. It wasn’t that they were simply working at rowing the boat. This was torturous labor to make progress… as if their life was at stake.

Jesus is watching them until the early hours of the morning (fourth watch of the night).

You might be tortured trying to make progress. But don’t be fooled into thinking Jesus is not watching you struggle with the storm.

Mark 6:49–51 NKJV

49 And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.

Jesus walks into the tortured uncertainty. They are afraid supposing Him to be a Ghost, until He speaks to them.

What you have been afraid of in the moment, may turn out to be your solution in the long term!

Jesus voice calms them. Jesus presence caused the wind to cease.

Two things we need in a storm. Jesus speaking to calm us. Jesus presence to calm the storm.

They were greatly amazed, beyond measure and marveled.

But then Mark the gospel writer gives us a footnote as to why they were so impressed.

Mark 6:52 NKJV

52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

Amazing! The disciples could not take their experience with the Lord early in the day and apply it to a new challenge that life had given them.

They could see Jesus turn lunch into enough bread to feed a vast group of people, but could not imagine him bring peace upon the storm.

They lacked the ability to take previous experience with and knowledge of Jesus… previous encounter with God… and imagine it affecting their current situation.

Faith was a one time thing. True for many of us.

Is it that we become so focused on the storm before us that we are not able to link our previous encounter with God to this next thing?

Mark gave this reason: “their heart was hardened.”

They had a testimony… My Lord fed… but they had no expectation for what the Lord would do next!

What do you expect Him to do with your situation? Do you have any expectation?

They had not understood about the loaves.

In the disciple’s minds the new situation, the storm… The torturous rowing, straining against the wind… was so different from the old situation, they could not move their knowledge of Jesus ability to work into their current calamity.

Consider the loaves!

God has working in your past… He wants to work in your present!

Faith is seldom logical, but it isn’t illogical either. Faith is Theological! It is a God thing!

It is getting God into the context of your situation, location, and time.

Israelites forgot how the Lord had delivered them from Egypt.

Ten times Israel needed to remember what God had already done.

Exodus 14 - At the red sea as the Egyptians pursued them. Wishing to have never left Egypt.

Exodus 15 - At the bitter waters of Marah.

Exodus 16 - In the wilderness of sin when they were hungry. Wished they were in Egypt.

Exodus 16 - When they tried to store the manna, didn’t believe God would continue to provide.

Exodus 17 - No water so they complained.

Exodus 32 - Mount Sinai when Aaron made a gold calf to worship.

Numbers 11 - At Taberah when they were hungry. Wished for Egypt.

Numbers 11 - Complaining about manna, God gives them quail.

Numbers 14 - When they refused the report of Caleb and Joshua about the promise land. Wishing themselves dead.

It is interesting that ten times Israel forgot God’s ability, an equal number of miracles God had done before they left Egypt.

Israel needed to consider the loaves.

Altar music

The Lord of yesterday’s miracle moved with you into todays challenges.

Time changed, God has not.

Circumstances changed, God has not.

Let the God who worked in your yesterday, work in your today!

Isaiah 59:1 NKJV

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.

I am not in the right place with the Lord… you can repent.

Maybe it is time to repent for our doubting!

I am not sure where I am with God or what I should do. Do you believe?

Repent of your sins, get baptized in the name of Jesus Christ like every believer in the New Testament, and the Lord will fill you with the Holy Spirit. You will speak in a language you do not know as the Spirit of God fills you.

He is the Lord of your situation!