The Disciples Learn a Lesson
Notes
Transcript
This morning, as we continue our “Journey with Jesus” through the book of Mark, we come to two very familiar events: the feeding of the 5,000 and Christ walking on water.
As we begin this morning, it would be good to remind ourselves of how Mark portrays Jesus Christ. Hopefully you’ll remember the key verse in the book of Mark, Mark 10:45:
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
In the book of Mark, Christ is portrayed as the Suffering Servant. And here, in Mark chapter 6, we see a perfect of example of that as Christ meets the needs of over 5,000 individuals along the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
It would also be good to ask ourselves:
Are we serving others?
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
That is an important question especially given the current state of affairs in our country and in our world. While we should be able to answer that question in the affirmative, how we serve others will look differently from situation to situation. Think “outside of the box” to find ways in which you can serve others. However, remember, the greatest way to serve others is to share the Gospel with them. Ultimately, Christ came to “…give his life a ransom for many.” We should not allow anything to keep us from going into all the world to preach the Gospel. We may have to think creatively, but we should still be looking for opportunities to share the Gospel with others. Arm yourself with Gospel tracts as you leave this morning so that you will be prepared to share the Gospel as you go throughout your week.
Turn to and read Mark 6:34-56. Pray.
Feeding the 5,000
Feeding the 5,000
In vs. 34-44, we have the account - the true account - of Christ feeding 5,000 with 5 loaves and two fishes.
Christ was moved with compassion
Christ was moved with compassion
And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
What was it that caused Christ to be “moved with compassion?”
Vs. 34, gives us the answer to that question -
They were as sheep not having a shepherd.
They were as sheep not having a shepherd.
One characteristic of sheep is that they have a strong instinct to follow!
According to the website - Sheep101.info - Sheep are best known for their strong flocking (herding) and following instinct...When one sheep moves, the rest will follow, even if it does not seem to be a good idea. The flocking and following instinct of sheep is so strong that it caused the death of 400 sheep in 2005 in eastern Turkey. The sheep plunged to their death after one of the sheep tried to cross a 15-meter deep ravine, and the rest of the flock followed.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4665511.stm
Jesus referred to this strong instinct when, in Matthew 15:14, Jesus said, in speaking of the Pharisees:
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
While we typically think of our “rugged individualism,” we all follow something or someone.
So, the question, to ask ourselves is this:
Who are we going to follow?
Are we going to follow political leaders?
Are we going to follow religious leaders?
Are we going to follow our friends?
Or will follow Christ?
What are we going to follow? Will we follow the truth or follow error?
The Apostle Paul warns and cautions of this in 2 Timothy chapter 3 and 4:
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
We should heed the instruction of the Apostle Paul:
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
We must choose to follow Christ and then encourage others to follow our example.
Pastor, follow Christ and then lead your church to follow Christ.
Parent, follow Christ and then lead your children to follow Christ.
Old men, follow Christ and then lead the young men to follow Christ.
Old women, follow Christ and then lead the young women to follow Christ.
Now, back to Mark chapter 6 and the feeding of the 5,000. I want to draw your attention to 3 statements and 1 question that we see in these verses.
Send them away.
Send them away.
And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
It had been a long day for everyone. Here in vs. 35 the disciples could see that something would have to be done. It was a natural fact of life that the people would be hungry; they would need to eat. But apparently, the people had not prepared properly or they “assumed” that Christ and His disciples would take care of them. Either way, given the circumstances, the disciples could think of only one way to address the situation.
Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
Send them away. This advice to Christ was sensible; it was practical. It was easy. This advice would have been viewed by most as simply “common sense.” Any “normal” individual would realize that this was the only thing that could be done! Send them away.
Have you ever been faced with a situation where there was a sensible, practical, common sense response that any “normal” individual would understand was the only thing that could be done?
But there is one problem with that...
The disciples never asked, “Christ, the people are getting hungry; what should we do?” They instead presumed to tell Christ what should be done!
If we are not careful, we can do the same thing. We can begin to tell Christ what should be done! (Don’t you think that’s just a little bit arrogant on our part?) The most obvious response may seem sensible and practical. It may appear to be just plain, old common sense. But, have we taken the time to go to God and ask Him how we should respond.
For sake of illustration: The most sensible and practical course of action for us, as a church, would be to close the doors of South Charlotte Baptist Academy. It certainly would be the easiest course of action. I don’t think that many people would blame us if we were to do that. However, I don’t believe that is what God would have us do. Our children - the children of this community - are too precious to not continue with the ministry of South Charlotte Baptist Academy.
Give them to eat.
Give them to eat.
That was Christ’s response to the disciples. I wonder if Christ thought to Himself: “Do these guys not know who they are talking to? I am He who created the universe; I am the One who created food!”
He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?
I’m sure that the immediate reaction to Christ’s command was, “That’s impossible!” And that should have been their response to Christ. They should have humbled themselves and said, “Lord, we can’t feed them. It’s impossible.” Unfortunately, as we can see from this verse, the disciples’ first thought was financial. Why two hundred pennyworth? Possibly that was all that Judas was carrying in his bag. They said, “We don’t have enough money to go and buy all these people bread to eat!”
How quick they were to focus on what they had instead of Who they had!
Apparently, the disciples had not quite learned the lesson that Christ was trying to teach them so, Christ asked them in vs. 38:
How many loaves have ye? God and see?
How many loaves have ye? God and see?
After they went around and took stock of what they had, all they could find was 5 loaves and 2 fishes.
I love the response which John records for us:
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
“…but what are they among so many?” That was exactly the point which Christ was trying to make: You can’t do it. Even at your best, you are still laking. Even if they had put together the two hundred pennyworth and the five loaves and two fishes, they still would have come up short.
“From looking at the demand, which the disciples considered to be outrageous, the disciples looked at the supply, which they decided was equally ridiculous…The Lord, however, was not thinking in terms of the law of supply and demand. It was not mathematics that He had in mind but a miracle!” – John Phillips
When we look at the demands around us, we can equally be overwhelmed. Even if we just consider the needs of the community in which we live - Pineville, NC - they more than we, in our own power and ability, could ever hope to meet . We, too often, are looking at simply at the demands - which are great - and the supply - which is meager.
Fortunately, Christ was not “looking” at either of those things. Instead...
And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
And they did all eat, and were filled.
He looked up to heaven.
He looked up to heaven.
From the very beginning, the Lord had been looking beyond this world’s sources of supply. The world soon exhausts what it has to offer. He, in a way, was simply waiting for the disciples - His followers - to come to the point of recognizing that they couldn’t but He could.
The Lord lived all of His life, from the cradle to the grave, with His eye on heaven. We would do well to do the same; live our lives, from the cradle to the grave, with our eyes upon heaven!
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Never before has there been more of a need for us - God’s people - to look to Heaven! The needs are great; the needs are many. Our resources are meager but God’s supply is unending!
Now, the typically individual, when they look at the demands; when they look at the huge need and then consider their own meager supply will respond in this way: They will get scared!
So, the disciples’ lesson wasn’t finished yet. Which brings us to this next event; that of Christ walking on the water which we see in vs. 45-56. It’s a familiar event. It’s one that we now well. I just want to draw your attention to one verse:
For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
Be not afraid.
Be not afraid.
If there was ever a time when we need to be reminded of these words, it is now! Not only that but, “Be of good cheer!” Why? Because “it is I!” It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is able to meet every need and who is able to calm every storm! His grace - the grace to meet every need and the grace to calm every storm - is limitless; it will never run out!
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.
When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.
Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.