Overcoming the Impossible

Children’s Thought

[bring 5 rolls and two fish-sticks (or little golden fish if necessary)]

Today I brought 5 rolls and two fish-sticks.

I thought you kids could help me figure out how to share them with everyone.

How many people are here?

How many pieces would we have to cut each roll into to give everyone a piece?

What about with my two fish-sticks?

How many pieces would I have to cut them into to give something to everyone?

One day Jesus took 5 loves of bread and 2 fish and he fed about 5 thousand men plus women and children.

He took the bread and fish

He gave thanks to God

He started breaking the bread and passing it

He started breaking the two fish, and passing the pieces

The disciples helped and everyone ate

And they picked up 12 baskets full of broken pieces of bread and fish.

What do you call that?

Lets Prays. Lord when we can’t do what we need to you,

help us to remember to ask for your help.

You kids can go to class now.

As the children march upstairs, lets hear the whole story from the bible in Mark 6: 30-44

Mark 6:30–44 NIV

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. 35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” 39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Minor points

They are called Apostles now

The first time Jesus inner group was call Apostles, was Mark 3:14 when he first chose them.

Mark 3:14 ESV

14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach

In today's passage, they have just come back from being sent out by Jesus,

Mark 6:30 NIV

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.

They really were apostles now, because they had been sent by Jesus.

The word apostle means sent.

And soon Apostle because a title for the 12 disciples. They were Jesus Apostles, his sent ones.

Today God is still sending people, some across the world, some across town and many across the street.

The need for rest

Jesus said

Mark 6:31–32 NIV

31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

Jesus recognized the need for rest, and

from time to time,

he tried to get them a time of rest.

This was one of those time,

there had been so much crowding,

they didn’t have a chance to eat,

so seeking a break was a good think to lead his disciples into.

Mark records another time Jesus seeks rest for the disciples in Mk. 7:24

when they went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

Some of us need to hear that

“it’s ok to seek rest, to take some breaks from our weekly routine”

after all the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

And of course,

some of us don’t need any reminders to take breaks.

Jesus compassion

Another minor point,

though it could be major to you this morning is Jesus compassion.

Here he is,

tired and needing rest

His men were in need of rest

and good meals

but when they arrive at the solitary place,

it is anything but solitary

If there are about 5,000 men there with their families,

then there is probably a total of 15,000 people or more.

How would you feel if you had been working as they had been working,

without even time enough to eat

Your leader says, let’s go over there and take a break

And when you get there,

there is a boatload of work waiting for you!

You and I might be frustrated

really angry

You and I might not have looked on them like Jesus did.

How did Jesus look on them?

With compassion

Mark 6:34 NIV

34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

He had compassion on them.

They were his poor lost sheep!

So what does he do?

Jesus just jumps in and starts teaching this crowd.

And given the right opportunity, so should we.

Good Shepherds care for the lost

A shepherd of sheep has some incentives to care for the lost sheep.

wages

The first is his wages. Every lost animal in his care, comes out of his wages

So to be careless and loose and animal was very costly

The second incentive is his

reputation

Who would hire a shepherd who didn’t care for the sheep diligently?

If you are a shepherd and you have a bad reputation,

who is going to hire you to take care of their sheep.

Jesus of course, as our shepherd cares for us, without anyone threatening to hold back his wages

if he is careless is watching over us

However, we can hurt his reputation, depending on how we life our lives

But if our hearts are open to him,

he will be our companion and shepherd

no matter how messed up we are,

when we are coming to him for help.

Now lets consider a major point from this story

Jesus commands the impossible, why?

So when they got to the secluded place,

there was a huge crowd

Jesus had compassion on them and jumped into teaching them.

Then late the disciples come to Jesus with a very practical idea

Send the people away now, so there is time for them to get some food

Mark 6:35–36 NIV

35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

That made sense, but it wasn’t what Jesus wanted!

He said

The New International Version (Chapter 6)

37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

Which was astounding.

They reply

37 . . . That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?

There is Jesus impossible command and the disciples knee jerk reaction to it.

Half a years wages, that is a lot of money for one meal.

I wounder how much money they had with them.

Probably not that much.

But Jesus didn’t tell them to buy food, he said

You give them something to eat

That is an impossible task.

How could they,

with only 5 loves and 2 fish?

[pause]

Without God’s help, they couldn’t do that.

Without God’s help they couldn’t do that.

I want you to know, God is still in the business of giving people impossible tasks to do?

Moses was commanded to bring God’s people out of Egypt

That was impossible,

but with God’s help Moses did it.

When Joshua faced Jericho it was a large walled city!

but God knocked the walls down for them.

When Isreal was oppressed by the Midianites Gideon called for men to fight

and he gathered about 32,000 men.

That sounds like a lot of men

but the Midian army was about 135,000 strong.

So the odds were against them win.

Yet God didn’t want them taking credit for what the victory

He was giving them

So he paired the number of volunteers down to 300 men.

Only God could have 300 men defeat an army of 135,000 Midianites.

Faith like Potatoes

Wickapedia reports that in the biographical movie Faith Like Potatoes,

Angus Buchan,

a white Zambian farmer of Scottish origin,

who had emigrated to Zambia to escape political unrest and

worrying land reforms in Scotland.

Angus looks south for a better life.

But many things go wrong.

Faced with ever-mounting challenges, hardships and personal turmoil,

Buchan quickly spirals down into a life consumed by anger, fear and destruction.

They could even loose the farm.

Finally, his wife convinces him to attend a local church, where the religious testimony of other farmers influence his decision to give his life to Jesus Christ.

His outlook takes a complete turnaround,

Supernatural occurrences begin to happen when Angus prays in faith.

He begins giving his testimony

in different towns, and

eventually gathers thousands of people in Kings Park Stadium for

a time of unified prayer for the nation and for the land.

But he could still loose the farm,

if that didn’t have a bumper crop.

Traditionally Angus was corn and cattle farmer, but he decides to plant potatoes.

Scientists had warned the farmers

not to plant that season unless they had irrigation,

Because of the unprecedented drought,

so planting potatoes would be a massive risk.

But, Angus, believing he is led by the Lord,

he plants potatoes in the dry dust.

For a long time, there is no rain, and

no tops to the potato plants.

There is no evidence of anything happening in the ground.

Eventualy so welcome rain comes

and maybe a little bit of green vegitation but when havest day came,

they wondered if they should even use the gas to try and harvest something.

As they turned up the potatoes,

they found a bumper crop of giant potatoes.

Following God’s leading, the farm, the mission works were saved.

Why?

You might ask

Dave, why does God give impossible tasks?

It helps us realize our weakness, our need for him

No one is really adequate to pastor

to lead a children's Sunday School class or any number of other things.

Sometimes when we are given impossible tasks,

we look at our abilities and limitations

we say, I can’t do that

we cave and quit.

But what the impossible task should do is

send us to our knees to pray

“God I can’t do this alone. Please help me!”

Success thru His help builds our faith

I remember being young and out of work

worried about making ends meet

and envying the older church people I knew

That had already seen God make impossible situations possible

he saw them through trying times and there faith was much stronger then mine

God not only calls people to go things, he also gives them the power to get them done.

Wrap up

What is God asking you to do?

Nothing,

Then consider serving and getting to know Him better

He just might call you to something impossible

without his help.

Is He already calling you to something, Great!

Can you do it

with His help?

Are you sure it’s his calling?

Are you willing to do it?

Something, pursue it

We are going to sing Nothing is Impossible again and then close in prayer.

One last question first

What the Apostles failed to see.

In next weeks section which includes the disciples amazement at Jesus walk on the water, there is a comment explaining there amazement coming from the Disciples not learning the lesson of the feeding of the 5,000. I want you to read these accounts in chapter 6 of Mark this week, and think about what lesson the disciples failed to learn.

Now let’s sing.