Sermon Tone Analysis

Textual Idea – Jesus taught His disciples He is the complete source for all they need.

Sermon Idea – We need to learn Jesus is the complete source for all we need.

Interrogative – How can we learn Jesus is the complete source for all we need?

Transition w/ key word – Our text reveals 3 discoveries that teach us Jesus is the complete source for all we need.

Jesus invites us to rest with Him – vs. 30-32 Jesus expects us to serve with Him – vs. 33-37 Jesus delights in using us to glorify Him – vs. 38-44

Introduction – How often do you feel overwhelmed in an area of your life or maybe several areas of your life?

Here lately the problems with our own government are overwhelming!

Maybe there is a relationship problem where the need is completely overwhelming to you with a spouse or a child; or that you don’t have your spouse anymore and everyday is overwhelming to you?

Maybe your finances are such you are overwhelmed, or your job and career evaporated and you’re overwhelmed.

Maybe it’s a health issue that has knocked you off your feet and you’re completely overwhelmed by what lay ahead in your treatment.

Maybe you’re overwhelmed taking care of elderly parents and there are so many decisions that need to be made and you’re paralyzed because it’s overwhelming.

Maybe it is several of these things going on at the same time in addition to the ridiculously busy schedule that never seems to go away.

On top of all that, there is the attending issues like depression, anxiety or panic attacks that happen when people are overwhelmed.

Life in general is overwhelming.

That’s what I titled this message “Overwhelmed!” with an explanation mark.

Explain the worst part of preaching for me at least is having to live out in the weeks before everything I’m preaching so guess who’s been a bit overwhelmed?

We preachers are not immune to being overwhelmed because we’re burdened for our whole church family.

Ad funerals, hospital visits, decisions to be made and so forth.

Everyday I wake up I have more work to do than I’ll be able to complete.

My dad used to joke that they say God won’t take you home until your work on earth is done so he liked to leave a lot of unfinished work laying around.

Transition – Well God knows that life is overwhelming and in our study today, we’re going to see some things to help us learn that Jesus is the source for all we need at all times and that we need to learn to depend on Him.

Years ago there was a little chorus “Christ is all I need” that has a catchy little tune but when we’re overwhelmed, it’s easy to forget.

We have to learn that Jesus is truly is our source for all we need.

Our text reveals 3 discoveries that teach us Jesus is the complete source for all we need.

1. Jesus invites us to rest with Him – vs. 30-32

Explanation – The disciples have been exposed to their first experiences in actually doing ministry on their own back in 6:7-13 where Jesus sent them out and told them not to take supplies for the road & they were going to have to depend on him.

Jesus warned them they’d be rejected and how to respond to that rejection.

Then Mark records for us the reality that following Jesus, being loyal to Him and His word could get you killed with the account of JTB’s execution at the hands of wicked Herod, Herodias & Salome.

At least two of JTB’s disciples were now following Jesus according to John 1:35-37 so JTB’s death for them in particular was like a kick in the gut.

As the disciples recounted for Jesus all that they had done and taught, Jesus invited them to come aside for a rest.

Ps. 103:14 reminds us “The Lord knows our frame, He remembers we are dust.”

So He invited His disciples just to get away “for awhile” vs. 31 and spend time with Him alone.

Jesus recognized the strain on their faces and knows full well the rigors of serving and said “let’s get off by ourselves for some much needed R & R. Vs. 31 shows the frenetic pace “for there were many coming and going and they didn’t even have time to eat.” Everyone was just busy and running all over.

Illustration – Tell of opportunities to go on a quick overnight retreat at Blackrock with BCMD.

It was just an opportunity to get alone with the Lord in the woods to chat and hang out with Jesus.

Did wonders for my attitude and prayer life.

A new focus and desire to journal my spiritual walk.

Take time even if its for a day in a park and sit at a picnic table with your Bible, a note pad and pen and commune with your Heavenly Father.

Create your own spiritual retreat!

Argumentation – God has established a pattern of rest for His Creation even setting the example for us after all of His creative work, He rested on the 7th day and the 4th commandment of the big 10 is the Sabbath day is to be a day of rest.

Jesus wanted to teach Martha about the importance of sitting with him and hearing Him personally in Luke 10:38-42.

I’m not talking about taking a break from the Lord when you go on vacation to rest.

BTW most of the time we do not rest on vacation, we cram as much “fun” into our time off and come home exhausted and then we need a vacation to recover from our vacation!

On this brief retreat, it was restful just to sit and be quiet with Jesus.

One of the questions I had to answer was one I want to challenge you with today.

Ask yourself this question: “What kinds of things would have to take place in my life for me to just want to hang out with Jesus and for that to be all I wanted from Jesus?” (Repeat).

Caution – vs. 31 says come aside and rest “for awhile.”

Too many took a break and haven’t got back to it.

Trans.

– When you begin to feel overwhelmed, you may not be able to get away to a deserted place, but you can quickly “get away with Jesus” in your heart and mind through prayer and have Him refresh you.

1st discovery: Jesus invites us to rest w/ Him

2. Jesus expects us to serve with Him – vs. 33-37

Explanation – Well the disciples “retreat” w/ Jesus got cut short.

Verse 32 tells us they left the crowds in the boat and rowed across the Sea of Galilee.

The retreat was just being in the boat!

Vs. 33 says the crowds ran around on foot around to the other side and arrived before Jesus and the disciples.

Luke’s account in Luke 9:10 tells us they went to the village of Bethsaida on the NE side of the Sea of Galilee.

That was about an 8 mile run these people made!

How desperate are you to be with Jesus?

Would you make an 8 mile run to be in His presence?

Vs. 34.

Jesus was moved in the depth of His soul with compassion because He saw these people as sheep having no shepherd.

Greek word is “Splangidzomai” - To be moved in the bowels, your innermost being to be motivated to action.

“Sheep w/o a shepherd” - no greater picture of forlorn despair in the mind of a Jew was to see a flock of sheep without a shepherd.

Sheep do not flourish w/o a shepherd and they will soon die unless someone acts on their behalf!

What happened to Jesus was just like a parent walking into their baby’s room and seeing that they’ve had an explosion in their diaper and they are now playing in it!

Retreat over, time to get busy teaching these people spiritual truth – what matters most and will make the most difference.

All day and late into the evening, Jesus taught them.

The disciples were tired and getting hungry and say “let’s turn this off – send them away so they can get something to eat.” Translation: Send them away so we can go get something to eat!”

This where we see Jesus’ expectations of His followers: “You give them something to eat!” Think about what Jesus is saying – I’ve been teaching and feeding them spiritual food, you take care of their physical food needs, you can do it; and He’s serious!

Of course the disciples forgot how He’d equipped them on their ministry excursion in vs.7-13.

I find it interesting that particularly in the face of an overwhelming need and crowd of people, Jesus expected His disciples to serve with Him.

This wasn’t the only time Jesus taught His disciples of His expectations to serve.

Illustration – The mother of James & John asking if her sons could sit on the right & left hand of Jesus in His Kingdom in Matt.

20:20-28 – Especially vs. 25-28 Jesus expects us to serve with Him.

Folks we’re not here to be served, we’re here to serve.

Argumentation – When overwhelmed, tendency to “pull back.”

Most are only interested in following and serving Jesus if it doesn’t cost them much and they certainly don’t want to serve.

Explain 80-20 rule that takes place in a typical church.

Everyone wants a top-shelf preschool, children and youth ministry but no-one wants to serve there.

Older folks don’t want to work with toddlers because they’ve raised their kids, young parents don’t want to work in PK because they don’t get a break.

I get it.

We’re finally fairly well staffed for our Sunday morning childcare needs; I’m sure we can use a few more volunteers.

We’re not completely staffed on Wednesday evenings.

We do this all the time with our school sports – JV parents work the concession stand for Varsity games and vice-versa.

“Well I got hurt in a church one time and I’m afraid to commit…” – Move on and get plugged in!

We need people to quit sitting on the sidelines and get in the game.

1st step to getting plugged in is become a member so you can serve Jesus.

If you are not serving in some capacity, you are being disobedient to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Brings us to our 3rd discovery:

3. Jesus delights in using us to glorify Him – vs. 38-44

Explanation – John’s gospel tells us in 6:7 it was Phillip who sarcastically responded to Jesus command to give this overwhelming crowd something to eat.

Vs. 44 tells us there were about 5000 men.

By the time you ad women & children, some scholars estimate this to be a crowd of around 25,000 people!

A denarius was a day’s wage for the average laborer.

200 denarii worth of bread was 200 days wages.

Todays equivalent might be in the $10,000 range.

It was an enormous amount!

It was all the resources Phillip thought he could muster if he dipped into his 401K – now we’re about to a 101K aren’t we?

And that was just so “they could have a little” (John 6:7).