Look Out: Mark 8:14-21

Introduce

Two weeks ago you were told of Jesus feed over four thousand people with little resources. Last week you saw the Pharisees demand sign from heaven and Jesus denied them such a sign. The unbelief of the Pharisees was glaring and I called you to place faith in Jesus. We are informed of a connection between both the feeding of the four thousand and the encounter with the Pharisees. The connection is given during a boat discussion between the Lord and His disciples. It answers a key question: what should we look out for in the walk of discipleship? The answer to this question will likely come to your mind as I retell the story, but I’ll provide the answer with clarity later. For now let’s witness some things in the story.

Retell

To begin, witness the bread abandoned: 8:14

The disciples and Jesus had gotten into the boat and set sail to the other side. However, they forgot to bring all but one loaf of bread. Their forgetting of much of the bread is understandable. How many of you have went out to eat and left the to go box on the table? That said, should it really be an issue that they only have one loaf of bread, considering who was with them? From a purely human perspective, yes. One loaf won’t hardly feed thirteen men. However, the one who is among them is no ordinary man.

Now, witness the warning addressed: 8:15

While on the boat, Jesus begins to teach the twelve as He has done before. He starts by issuing a warning. Look at verse 15, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” Leaven was fermented dough. It would be mixed with unleavened dough to enable the bread to rise. A little leaven affected the whole loaf. What was the leaven of the Pharisees, Herod, and the Sadducees, who are included by Matthew? What do they all share in common? They all are hostile in their rejection of the person and work of Jesus. The Pharisees and Sadducees seek to undermine Him with questions and plot to kill him. They demand signs, but ignore what signs they have already seen. Herod murdered John the Baptist and feared Jesus. The leaven of the Pharisees and Herod boils down to self-reliant unbelief. In their eyes, Jesus wasn’t needed and even a threat to what they held dear, power, influence, respect, and tradition. Unbelief is a cancer that quickly metastasizes spreading and infecting the whole person. Such unbelief must be spotted and removed before it can cause serious damage.

Next, witness the questions announced: 8:16-18

In hearing Jesus the disciples, don’t understand. They are fixated on the fact that they only have one loaf of bread. They are children who really want a toy at the store. They cannot get their minds off of it and it is all they talk about. Jesus, aware of this, ask them several questions, “Why are you discussing the fact you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?” Christ’s frustrations are revealed in the questions. These disciples are like an employee given clear instructions that instantly forgets them. Like Dori from finding Nemo, they have short term memory loss. They are like Israel in the wilderness who forget God’s deliverance from Egypt and fear they will die of starvation or dehydration. The one who brought the plagues and opened the Red Sea, surely could feed and hydrate them. Jesus asked them questions to lead them to the truth.

Lastly, witness the misunderstanding advertised: 8:19-21

Jesus brings up and connects His feeding miracles, “When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” The disciples answered, “twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” The disciples answered, “seven.” You might think gears begin to turn in the disciples minds and hearts. They may even think, “Oh yes, the one who feed thousands can surely provide for us.” However, we aren’t told they thought such a thing. Instead this story ends with a question. Look at verse 21, “Do you not yet understand?” This is a probing and rebuking question. Jesus implies that they should understand, yet they don’t. At least they don’t understand yet. What should they understand? They should understand that the one who fed thousands can provide for them. They should understand that Jesus is worthy of their faith. Jesus has patiently walked with and taught these men. He will continue to do so. Those that stay with Jesus eventually are given understanding.

Transition

You have witnessed the bread abandoned, the warning addressed, the questions announced, and the misunderstanding advertised. With the story retold and explained, we might reconsider the question I posed at the beginning: what should we look out for in the walk of discipleship? The answer is found in Jesus warning to the disciples to in verse 15. Look there: “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” The leaven of the Pharisees and Herod, as I said earlier, is their self-reliant unbelief. Thus, we might answer the question like so: look out for unbelief. That is the big idea. Look out for unbelief. Now hear three reasons why.

Apply

1. Look out for unbelief because it is dangerous

This point is more implied than stated by our passage. Jesus would hardly warn the disciples of unbelief if it wasn’t something dangerous. Moreover, the unbelief of Jesus’s adversaries is universally portrayed in the negative in the Gospel of Mark. In fact, just last week, you saw Jesus’s response to the Pharisees unbelief was that of rebuke, judgement, and leaving. They didn’t want Jesus, so He gave them over to their wicked desires. He left them in their spiritual deadness and hardness of heart. Unbelief in Scripture leads to death. For it is only by faith in Christ that you enter eternal life. So, yes, unbelief is dangerous.

Believer, this should foster both humility and vigilance. You should be humbled by the fact that unbelief is a force that continues to lurk within you. It waits to pounce upon you in the most unexpected times. It can rob you of sweet communion with God and lead you into all sorts of sins. You need Jesus as much now as you did when you first believed in Him. You need His help to continue and persevere in the faith. Therefore, have humility to seek Him in prayer, His Word, and among His people. To be vigilant is to be ready. Therefore, arm yourself with the Word of God by reading it and memorizing it. Seek the spiritual energy needed to fight unbelief by praying for it.

Unbeliever, it should be obvious that this Scripture is a rebuke to your unbelief. You are like Herod and the Pharisees who stand in opposition to the only one who saves sinners with self-reliant unbelief. Jesus is God the Son Incarnate. He provides physical and spiritual needs. He provides salvation to sinners through His perfect life and substitutionary death. He accomplished redemption for all who place faith in Him. You need redemption. Apart from Christ you are dead in sin, a follower of sin, and under the wrath of God for sin. Only in Christ can you be made alive, a follower of Christ, and a recipient of God’s blessings earned by Christ. You have been warned. Unbelief leads to death. Faith in Christ leads to life. What will it be for you today?

2. Look out for unbelief because it is distracting

This point is made clear in the preoccupation the disciples have with their lack of bread. Their unbelief distracted them from the one who was with them. Sure they didn’t have much bread, but they dead have the bread of life in the boat with them. They had the one who on two occasions satisfied thousands of starving people with meager resources. Unbelief makes us blind to truth readily available and in front of us.

Are you frightened by the present political and cultural issues of the day? Do you read, listen to, or watch things on politics, yet neglect time in the Word or prayer? Maybe you are not keeping your unbelief in check. Is not Jesus still on the throne? Does God not still have a plan? Will not Jesus return and make all things new? Believer, preach the truths of the gospel tp yourself. Preach them to your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Are you more concerned with the Chiefs playing at noon than what is being done here this morning? If so, perhaps you don’t really believe what Scripture teaches about the Lord’s Day and the ordinary means of grace. Unbelief gives us a type of spiritual ADHD, the ordinary means of grace in the ministry of the Word, the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and corporate prayer are our spiritual Ritalin. Unbelief left unchecked like cancer. It will spread and infect all that you do. It will distract you from what is true, good, beautiful, and important.

Christian parent, are you concerned about the soul of your children? Does their unbelief or lack of spiritual interest concern you? Are they distracted and lost in sin? If so, pray for them that Jesus would open their eyes and ears to see and hear Him.

Church, when we let unbelief rest unopposed in our congregation, it will lead to all sorts of distractions. We will have distracted worship not regulated by the Word of God. We will have distracted ministries not centered or grounded in the mission of Christ. Therefore, let us constantly scrutinize all we do in light of God revelation in Holy Scripture which is the only infallible rule for faith and obedience.

3. Look out for unbelief because it is disappointing

You can see this point in the response of Jesus to the disciples. Jesus is disappointed with their lack of understanding. Jesus is disappointed with their unbelief. That said, Jesus disappointed response is still laced with grace and patience. He doesn’t leave them. He doesn’t shame them. He prods them to the truth with questions. He remains with them. He loves them.

Mature believer, Jesus patient and revealing love for His dense disciples is instructive for how you should treat new converts or less mature believers. Jesus despises none of His disciples. Neither should you. When unbelievers do and say things they shouldn’t, show them patient grace and give them piercing truth. If they don’t understand something, explain it to them with patience, mercy, and grace. Don’t lord your knowledge or maturity over them, instead use it to instruct, encourage, and equip them. Point them not to you or your maturity. Point them to Christ who has matured you and will mature them too. Consider this charge of J.C. Ryle, “ Let it be a rule with us never to despise the weakness and dulness of young Christians. Wherever we see a spark of true grace, however dim and mixed with infirmity, let us be helpful and kind. Let us do as we would be done by.”

New believer, or immature Christian, take comfort in the fact that Jesus doesn’t cast off His dense disciples. He will not cast you off either. Though unbelief my rear its head in your life, Christ will overcome it. Seek Him you will find Him. Pray and you will be heard. This side of glory, every grace that you experience will still be accompanied by imperfections. This is why we look eagerly for the resurrection. Then our knowledge, understanding, faith be perfect. What a glorious thing it will be to be without the remnants of sin.

Conclude

You have witnessed the bread abandoned, the warning addressed, the questions announced, and the misunderstanding advertised. You have been charged to look out for unbelief because it is dangerous, distracting, and disappointing. I leave you with one final thought don’t reject the one who satisfies starving souls. Instead, place your faith in Him. Place your faith in Jesus.