Mark 8:1-13 Jesus feeds the 4000 (Again)

Joel and Mary Nadel, Covenant Church

From J.C. Ryle’s “Expository Comments on the Gospels - Mark”

House Rules: Phones, Respect, Stay on the Text

Pray

Mark 8:1–13 NASB95

In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples and said to them, “I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat. “If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a great distance.” And His disciples answered Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?” And He was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.” And He directed the people to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve to them, and they served them to the people. They also had a few small fish; and after He had blessed them, He ordered these to be served as well. And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces. About four thousand were there; and He sent them away. And immediately He entered the boat with His disciples and came to the district of Dalmanutha. The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” Leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side.

Jesus’ Ministry Travels

Romans 6:23 NASB95

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Introduction

Mark is one of the Gospels - it tells us how we can be reconciled to God and gain eternal life

Preceded by John, Jesus came from Galilee

John got the people’s attention

Jesus began his ministry

Signs and wonders demonstrated His lessons

Cripples, diseases, resurrections, casting out demons

Created food from nothing - controlled the weather

Knew He was going to the cross - trained His disciples

Last week, We saw how Jesus healed a deaf-mute man in a most unusual way. We learned that Jesus has many different ways of reaching the hearts of unbelievers.

This week: We see how Jesus fed a crowd of 4000 people over in the Decapolis - a predominantly gentile area.

Some think that this is either a mistake in the Bible, or a second account of the incident where He fed the 5,000

Both accounts of the mass feedings are in Matthew, as well

We will take the Bible at its word, as the revealed Word of God. Jesus did this kind of miracle at least twice, in very different circumstances

The first time was with Jews, this time, its with Gentiles

The last three miracles occurred in Gentile regions

The numbers are different

The location is different

Jesus was proving that the first time He did this was no anomaly - He could create food out of nothingness

He was also showing how He was sent to reach both Jew and Gentile alike.

Mark 8:1–3 NASB95

In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples and said to them, “I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat. “If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a great distance.”

The great kindness and compassion of the Lord Jesus Christ

Here we see the great kindness and compassion of our Lord

A very great crowd had gathered with nothing to eat

Great majority were not believers, yet he had compassion

He felt sorry for them “ I have compassion on the crowd...”

Have you ever been hungry and not known where your next meal was coming from?

The heart of Jesus really shows in these words

Felt compassion even on those who were not His people - faithless, graceless, followers of the world (can turn to wrath at the judgement)

Felt compassion for Gentiles as well as Jews

He felt love for them, even though they didn’t know it

He would die for them, though they would not really care

He would also accept them freely, if they would only repent and believe

Christ’s love is beyond anything we can imagine as humans

He has a special love for His own people - His followers, but He also has a general love, even for the unthankful and the evil.

His love passes all knowledge

This is another way in which we need to make Jesus our example

Kind, compassionate, courteous to all men

Good to all men, not just our brethren in Christ

Matt 5:44 “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”

This shows the “mind of Christ”

Romans 12:20 “To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.””

With Christ, nothing is impossible

Mark 8:4 “And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?””

Understandable why the disciples said this

This time, the disciples were asking for help. Last time, they were skeptical

Without the hand of the God who made the world, this could not be

With the hand of Jesus, seven loaves and a few fish were enough to satisfy 4000. Nothing is to hard for the Lord

Have you ever heard someone say “it can’t be done” only to see it accomplished?

We can never let ourselves doubt the power of Christ to meet the spiritual needs of His people

He has bread enough and to spare for everyone that trusts in Him (give us this day our daily bread)

No matter how weak, ill, corrupt, or empty believers think they are, they don’t need to despair, as Jesus lives

Colossians 1:19 “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,”

Never doubt that Christ will take care of the physical needs of His people

Knows circumstances, knows needs, will never allow them to lack anything that is truly needed for their good

His heart has not changed since He ascended to Heaven

He who fed those 4000 hungry people still lives

How much more will He supply the needs of those who trust Him? Without fail

Faith may be occasionally tried, sometimes have to wait and become depressed

The believer will never be left hopeless and helpless

Isaiah 33:16 “he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.”

Mark 8:11–13 NASB95

The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” Leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side.

Unbelief causes sorrow in our Lord

We see that the Pharisees again began to question Him (came a long way) Didn’t like His teaching, really didn’t like Him teaching Gentiles

He sighed - what a deep meaning we can get from that sigh

He was grieved at the destruction these wicked men were bringing on themselves

Enemies though they were, Jesus could not watch them hardening themselves in unbelief, without sorrow

He understood that they were not seeking the truth - were seeking to undermine Him

Ever met someone who just wanted to argue for the sake of arguing? Especially about the Christian faith.

This sorrow that Jesus expressed, will be the feeling of all true Christians

Sorrow over the sins of others is a mark of true grace

The saved man or woman, will always pity and be concerned for unbelievers

About the Jews, Paul said: Romans 9:2 “that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.”

Here we see the mind of Christ, as the head of the church feels, so do His members - we all are saddened when we see sin

Bringing it home -

Questions we should ask - Do we know the mind of Christ?

Do we know anything about the likeness of Christ?

Do we feel pain and sorrow when we see others continuing in sin and unbelief?

Are we sorrowful about the state of the unsaved?

Questions are deep - demand we consider them

If we don’t care about others, we need to question our salvation

The Lord is as sorrowful about sin and unbelief as He was 2000 years ago

We need to pray and try not to add to that grief by our own actions

To many grieve Christ without any thought or reflection

He that sighed over the unbelief of the Pharisees hasn’t changed

Can we doubt that when He sees some continuing in unbelief today, he is grieved? Is it not our responsibility as His followers to act?

From these kinds of sins, let us be delivered

Prayers and Praise

Questions