The Compassionate Jesus

This morning we are continuing our study in the book of Mark. Today we come to the sixth chapter of the book. If you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to Mark chapter 6.

As we begin today, we are going to look at four stories.

Jesus in His Home Town (Mk 6:1-6)

Jesus sending out the 12 (Mk 6:6-13)

The Execution of John the Baptist (Mk. 6:14-30)

The feeding of the 5,000 (Mk 6:30-44)

Now it is ambitious to want to get through these four stories in 30 minutes! So I’m going to have to go fast. So put your track shoes on and let’s get running!

Jesus In His Home Town

When you come to chapter 6 we read,

Mark 6:1–2 NIV84

Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!

Jesus goes back to Nazareth—the town in which he grew up. On the Sabbath He goes into the synagogue and begins to teach—and everyone who heard it is blown away by His teaching. Notice they are asking, “Where did this man get these things.” and “What’s this wisdom that has ben given him, that he even does miracles!” But as amazed as they are the can’t get past the fact that this guy grew up with them. Look at verse 3.

Mark 6:3 NIV84

Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

They took offense at him, because they knew Jesus’ earthly family. They knew they were nothing “special.”

Yet Jesus had a response.

Mark 6:4–6 NIV84

Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.

Because of their lack of faith, Jesus did not heal the people He could have healed—they missed an opportunity!

Don’t miss the first part of verse 6, “And he was amazed at their lack of faith.” Think about this statement—those that should have known Him refused to believe in Him!

Question: How many of us—who should recognize and understand what Jesus can do in our lives—still lack faith?

The second part of verse 6 says, “Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.” So Jesus went to the little villages—we would call them small towns! And everywhere He went He taught the people.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

In the next several verses, Mark tells us that Jesus sent out the 12 disciples to teach. And gave them these instructions.

Mark 6:7–11 NIV84

Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.”

Mark gives us a quick look at the disciples’ message and at their results. Look at verse 12.

Mark 6:12–13 NIV84

They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

The Execution of John the Baptist

Mark takes the next 16 verses to tell us the story of how John the Baptist died. In the interest of time, I’m going to simply recap the story for you.

John had been imprisoned by King Herod (the Roman figure head for Galilee).

Herod like to listen to John teach—but his “wife” hated John.

Herod was married to Herodias, Herod’s brother’s wife—and John had called them out on it.

Herodias was trying to find a way to have John killed—but because Herod enjoyed listening to him preach she couldn’t.

Herod threw a great party. At the part Herodias’ daughter danced for everyone and it greatly please Herod—the word translated “dance” means a provocative type of dance.

Herod was so pleased that he made a oath that the daughter (Salome) could ask for anything up to half of the kingdom.

Salome did not know what to ask for so at the prompting of her mother, Herodias, she asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

So Herod had John the baptizer beheaded and the head brought to Salome on a platter—and the girl took the head and gave it to her mother, Herodias.

The Feeding of the Five-Thousand

Now we return to the story of Jesus and His disciples. Look at verse 30.

Mark 6:30–32 NIV84

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 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.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

We are not told how long they were out teaching, but when they come back there’s not time to debrief. There are people everywhere! So Jesus decides that they should get away from the crowd for a bit—so He has them get in a boat so they can go to a lonely place—They were headed out to the middle of nowhere!

But that plan did not work! Look at verse 33.

Mark 6:33 NIV84

But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.

Picture this—Jesus and His disciples leave the crowd and go by boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee so that He can be alone with His disciples. But when they arrive on the other side of the lake the people have run ahead of them, gathering people as they go, and they are waiting for Jesus! A bigger crowd is there than the one they left!

But look at how Jesus responds!

Mark 6:34 NIV84

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.

Jesus was filled with compassion for the people. The Greek word translated here “compassion” means: great affection, love, pity, or deep empathy. Jesus cared for the people!

Question: When people mess up your plans—do you have compassion (or love) for them?

So Jesus is teaching away and it begins to get late—most likely it is late afternoon, around three or four. The disciples are NOT feeling the compassion for the people. Look at the suggestion they give Jesus.

Mark 6:35–36 NIV84

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. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

Look Jesus, it’s going to be dark soon. Send the people away so they can go find some place to eat! This place isn’t big enough to have the good places like Chick-a-filet!

To some it may sound as though they are caring for the people—but in reality I think they wanted the people gone. They were tired, and they wanted to share their experiences with Jesus!

But Jesus would have no part of it! Look at His response!

Mark 6:37 NIV84

But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take eight months of a man’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

Jesus tells His disciples to feed the mob! And the disciples think Jesus has lost His mind! There is no way they could feed this huge crowd! Look at their response! “That would take eight months of a man’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” This objection is logical! But Jesus did not do things by man’s logic! Eight months wages was an exorbitant amount! And that was assuming they could find a place to get the food! Remember there were NO fast food restaurants, and they are out in the middle of nowhere!

Even after all of their objections Jesus’ reply is the same!

Mark 6:38 NIV84

“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

Jesus tells them to look and see what they have! And what they find is five loaves and two fish. Now don’t get too excited—these are like five little dinner rolls—a guy could eat 5 or 6 with a meal. As for the fish, these are two small sardine sized fish, that had most likely been smoked and dried. So they don’t have much to work with! 5 small rolls and two dried smoked sardines.

Jesus’ next command shocks them.

Mark 6:39–40 NIV84

Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

Jesus tells His disciples to have them sit in groups—50 to 100 per group. And they are to sit down on the grass—Mark is the only one of the gospel writers that mentions the green grass.

The disciples follow Jesus’ orders and the people are seated on the grass in groups of 50 to 100 per group. Now comes yet another of Jesus’ miracles!

Mark 6:41 NIV84

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 set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.

So from these 5 small rolls and the 2 little sardines—the disciples began to feed the people—and the fed them ALL! In fact look at the next verse!

Mark 6:42 NIV84

They all ate and were satisfied,

Read that again! They all ate and were satisfied. Everyone ate and everyone ate their fill! No one was hungry! But not only did everyone eat, but there were leftovers! Look at verse 43.

Mark 6:43 NIV84

and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.

Jesus took what little they had and made it more than enough! Jesus fed the people until they were ALL full and then had His disciples pick up 12 baskets full of leftovers. These were large wicker baskets that were filled with the leftovers! So the miracle that Jesus preformed was far more than what was needed!

This morning, Jesus wants to take what little you and I have—what little money, little talent, little ability, little resources you and I have and make them MORE than enough to do whatever amazing He is asking you to do for Him!

Mark closes by telling us the final tally of how many people ate! Look at verse 44!

Mark 6:44 NIV84

The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Now don’t rush through this too quickly. There were five thousand “MEN!” That number does not include women and children. Some scholars suggest that there could have been upwards of 15,000 or more people—5,000 men plus 5,000 women plus 5,000 children—that were fed that day.

SO WHAT?

There are four things that we need to learn from this passage!

Jesus has given us authority to represent Him here on earth!

Jesus wants us to keep telling everyone about Him.

Jesus wants us to have compassion—a deep love—for people! Especially those who don’t know Him.