1 00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:07,640 If you have a copy of God's Word in your hands, please meet me in 2 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:16,960 the Gospel of Mark in chapter 8. Brother, thank you for your 3 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,360 precious prayer. Forgive me if I pray once again. 4 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,520 I think I have permission. Jesus said my house shall be 5 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:29,250 called the House of prayer. Mark chapter 8 We'll read these 6 00:00:29,250 --> 00:00:32,290 verses and then we will pray and invoke the name of the Lord and 7 00:00:32,290 --> 00:00:35,490 ask for His help because we need the Holy Spirit of God. 8 00:00:36,450 --> 00:00:40,850 In Mark 81 we read in those days when again a great crowd had 9 00:00:40,850 --> 00:00:43,090 gathered and they had nothing to eat. 10 00:00:43,810 --> 00:00:47,730 He called his disciples to him and said to them, I have 11 00:00:47,730 --> 00:00:51,610 compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three 12 00:00:51,610 --> 00:00:55,680 days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry, 13 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:57,920 to their homes, they will faint on the way. 14 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,840 And some of them have come from far away. 15 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:05,200 And his disciples answered him, How can one feed these people 16 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,600 with bread here in this desolate place? 17 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:10,880 And he asked them, how many loaves do you have? 18 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,880 They said seven. And he directed the crowd to sit 19 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,840 down on the ground, And he took the seven loaves, and having 20 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,120 given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to 21 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,660 set before. The people and they set them 22 00:01:25,660 --> 00:01:29,780 before the crowd, and they had a few small fish. 23 00:01:29,780 --> 00:01:32,780 And having been having blessed them, he said that these also 24 00:01:32,780 --> 00:01:36,420 should be set before them. And they ate and were satisfied. 25 00:01:36,780 --> 00:01:41,060 And they took up the broken pieces, left over 7 baskets 26 00:01:41,060 --> 00:01:46,580 full, and there were about 4000 people and he sent them away. 27 00:01:48,500 --> 00:01:53,280 Lord, this is your word. We believe with every fiber of 28 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,280 our being that your word has power. 29 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,880 But, Lord, we also know that you promised the Holy Spirit the 30 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,840 gift of God. Yes, to indwell us, yes to seal 31 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:10,479 us, but Lord, to empower us to be witnesses, to give us the 32 00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:13,160 Spirit of wisdom and revelation, to understand these things and 33 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:15,920 to declare them with boldness and courage. 34 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,280 And we pray that in this moment as we are exposed to the voice 35 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,580 of God. That we would experience the 36 00:02:22,580 --> 00:02:27,140 presence of God and that Lord, the end result of this message 37 00:02:27,140 --> 00:02:30,020 would indeed be a simple yet glorious thing. 38 00:02:30,460 --> 00:02:33,380 That you would draw us closer to you in an intimate way. 39 00:02:34,100 --> 00:02:37,740 What is the point, O God, if we just hear platitudes? 40 00:02:38,300 --> 00:02:41,100 What is the point, O God, if we just learn information? 41 00:02:41,580 --> 00:02:44,020 But our hearts do not come alive? 42 00:02:44,660 --> 00:02:48,620 And so, Lord, we call upon your name in this service, and we ask 43 00:02:48,620 --> 00:02:50,220 that you would be merciful to us. 44 00:02:50,610 --> 00:02:53,650 And that our eyes would be open, that you would perform a miracle 45 00:02:53,650 --> 00:02:57,050 for the soul, and that we would be able to behold the absolute 46 00:02:57,050 --> 00:02:59,930 beauty and the infinite glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. 47 00:03:00,450 --> 00:03:05,130 Bring us there, oh God. No charisma, no personality, no 48 00:03:05,130 --> 00:03:08,010 craft of a message can do that work. 49 00:03:08,010 --> 00:03:11,130 Only the Holy Spirit. And we ask that he would be ever 50 00:03:11,130 --> 00:03:13,930 present, Please, oh God, to be in our midst. 51 00:03:14,410 --> 00:03:16,810 In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 52 00:03:17,730 --> 00:03:22,280 Another miracle. Of bread and fish, yes. 53 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:27,000 And there are some skeptics, some liberal scholars, who would 54 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,480 say that this is the same event that you and I studied not too 55 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:35,560 long ago when Jesus fed 5000, not including women and 56 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,120 children. And there are others who would 57 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:42,360 rightly acknowledge no, this is a different occurrence, and that 58 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,240 is accurate. It is a different occurrence. 59 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,360 And though you and I might confess that. 60 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,520 We might not know with confidence the purpose of it, 61 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,800 especially because it's so similar to the former, but the 62 00:03:55,800 --> 00:04:01,600 very fact that this account is tucked in our Bibles should give 63 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:05,040 us enough encouragement to take the time to investigate it with 64 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:10,320 great attention, despite the resemblance. 65 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:14,720 What you and I have here is an invitation from God to consider 66 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:16,240 his. Mind and his heart. 67 00:04:17,500 --> 00:04:22,180 And I think what you and I need to do in coming to this text in 68 00:04:22,180 --> 00:04:27,020 order to draw as much SAP from it as possible is to compare it 69 00:04:27,100 --> 00:04:28,900 with what we studied a few weeks ago. 70 00:04:29,860 --> 00:04:33,180 And so as you have your hand there in mark chapter 8, as I'm 71 00:04:33,180 --> 00:04:37,100 speaking, you can go to mark Chapter 6 and place your finger 72 00:04:37,100 --> 00:04:41,860 there at verse 34, because we are going to go back and forth 73 00:04:41,940 --> 00:04:45,580 in order to look at key distinctions between what seems 74 00:04:45,580 --> 00:04:49,930 to be so similar. But containing enough contrast 75 00:04:49,930 --> 00:04:54,090 for us to see, oh, there is truths for conviction, there are 76 00:04:54,090 --> 00:04:57,410 truths for comfort here in this very account. 77 00:04:57,890 --> 00:05:02,930 Can I pause here and give you a word of counsel whenever you 78 00:05:02,930 --> 00:05:04,650 come to your Bibles? And I pray that you read your 79 00:05:04,650 --> 00:05:08,410 Bibles as you read through the systematically from cover to 80 00:05:08,410 --> 00:05:12,970 cover, you will indeed come into contact with what seems to be 81 00:05:12,970 --> 00:05:16,170 repeating text. You may see something that 82 00:05:16,450 --> 00:05:18,850 mirrors, something that you had just read, or something that was 83 00:05:19,050 --> 00:05:20,850 in another neighborhood in the word of God. 84 00:05:21,490 --> 00:05:26,450 When you come to that point, please resist the temptation to 85 00:05:26,450 --> 00:05:30,290 glare over it. Do not bypass it. 86 00:05:30,570 --> 00:05:34,410 Do not dismiss it. Recognize that God has put it in 87 00:05:34,410 --> 00:05:38,530 there for a reason. And instead of just skimming 88 00:05:38,530 --> 00:05:41,530 over those verses just so you can soothe your conscience, say 89 00:05:41,530 --> 00:05:43,250 I didn't skip over this part of the Bible. 90 00:05:43,770 --> 00:05:48,040 Pause. Pull out the text that you know 91 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:55,520 resembles it, and read it carefully and comparatively and 92 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,680 as you do that. You will see things begin to 93 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:04,840 surface and you will begin to see joy filled, life changing, 94 00:06:04,840 --> 00:06:10,520 truths that will bless you. And I pray that as you see that 95 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,360 discipline being exercised with this very chapter right here, 96 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,090 you'd be inspired. That again, whenever you come to 97 00:06:16,090 --> 00:06:20,930 a text that seems to be common or familiar or repetitive, it is 98 00:06:20,930 --> 00:06:23,530 actually an invitation from God for greater revelation. 99 00:06:24,570 --> 00:06:27,090 And so we come. Here and there are four main 100 00:06:27,090 --> 00:06:29,650 points that I want to make in light of this text in comparison 101 00:06:29,650 --> 00:06:31,930 to the other. And the first thing that I want 102 00:06:31,930 --> 00:06:34,050 to bring to your attention is #1. 103 00:06:34,170 --> 00:06:37,770 The one who made the predicament known. 104 00:06:38,130 --> 00:06:41,450 The one who made the predicament known. 105 00:06:41,860 --> 00:06:45,260 In those days when again a crowd had gathered and they had 106 00:06:45,260 --> 00:06:49,700 nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to 107 00:06:49,700 --> 00:06:52,140 them. Now go to Mark chapter 6 and 108 00:06:52,140 --> 00:06:56,300 verse 35 and you'll see at the feeding, the introduction to the 109 00:06:56,300 --> 00:07:00,140 feeding of the 5000 something different and Mark 635 you'll 110 00:07:00,140 --> 00:07:02,700 see. And when it grew late, his 111 00:07:02,700 --> 00:07:09,070 disciples came to him and said. This is a desolate place and the 112 00:07:09,070 --> 00:07:12,990 hour is now late. Send them away to go into the 113 00:07:12,990 --> 00:07:16,870 surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves 114 00:07:16,870 --> 00:07:20,030 something to eat. It's quite clear, isn't it? 115 00:07:20,630 --> 00:07:24,390 When you come to the 4000, you see that it is Jesus who 116 00:07:24,390 --> 00:07:26,790 introduces to the disciples A dilemma. 117 00:07:27,550 --> 00:07:31,070 When you think back at the 5000, it was the disciples who 118 00:07:31,070 --> 00:07:34,750 approached Jesus and made their problem known. 119 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,840 And when you. See that you realize that it's 120 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:42,360 it's not uncommon for people, including the disciples, to make 121 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,880 their needs known to Christ. What is uncommon though is for 122 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,800 Jesus to bring up an issue to his followers. 123 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:55,160 He went to the 12 and he said I have compassion on the crowd 124 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:57,880 because they've been here for a few days and. 125 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,240 If they head back, they might faint on the way. 126 00:08:02,150 --> 00:08:04,070 Why is that difference important? 127 00:08:04,070 --> 00:08:05,750 What do we learn from these things? 128 00:08:05,750 --> 00:08:07,790 What do we see with these two references? 129 00:08:08,470 --> 00:08:11,630 Well, mark Chapter 6 through the illustration of the disciples 130 00:08:11,630 --> 00:08:13,510 coming to Jesus. You and I were encouraged to 131 00:08:13,510 --> 00:08:19,950 bring our needs to Jesus. Bring your needs to Jesus. 132 00:08:20,830 --> 00:08:25,190 Bring what you've observed to be a problem, and come to the one 133 00:08:25,190 --> 00:08:28,190 who can solve it. But when you come to the feeding 134 00:08:28,190 --> 00:08:31,710 of the 4000, what you are prepared to know? 135 00:08:32,330 --> 00:08:35,929 Is be ready for Jesus to come and test you. 136 00:08:38,169 --> 00:08:41,929 The 5000 Come to Jesus with your need. 137 00:08:42,250 --> 00:08:46,490 The 4000 believe that Jesus will come to you with a test. 138 00:08:48,290 --> 00:08:50,370 Was there a test included in the 5000? 139 00:08:50,370 --> 00:08:54,610 Yes, but the emphasis of Jesus testing the faith of his own is 140 00:08:54,610 --> 00:08:59,450 in this chapter and this is what we have to understand. 141 00:08:59,980 --> 00:09:02,740 Christ is not seeking the advice or or the counsel of His 142 00:09:02,740 --> 00:09:05,100 students by approaching them in this way. 143 00:09:05,420 --> 00:09:08,740 His goal was to measure the growth, the growth and the 144 00:09:08,740 --> 00:09:11,020 strength of their faith. You know when. 145 00:09:11,140 --> 00:09:13,860 Jesus gives his test. It's not like how teachers 146 00:09:13,860 --> 00:09:16,140 commonly give their exams to their students. 147 00:09:16,940 --> 00:09:20,140 The Lord is in need of no evaluation to discover where 148 00:09:20,140 --> 00:09:23,380 you're at. So why does he give his test 149 00:09:23,380 --> 00:09:25,780 then? Why does the all knowing one 150 00:09:25,900 --> 00:09:29,990 bring us through trials? In order to examine our faith. 151 00:09:29,990 --> 00:09:32,270 Well, it's just for that. It is for you. 152 00:09:32,550 --> 00:09:35,950 Listen carefully. It is for you to discover the 153 00:09:35,950 --> 00:09:39,110 quality of your faith. It's for you to see it. 154 00:09:39,510 --> 00:09:42,070 It's for you to recognize it. It's for you to be able to 155 00:09:42,070 --> 00:09:45,590 observe it and to be able to say honestly where where is my 156 00:09:45,590 --> 00:09:48,550 faith? And nothing proves the 157 00:09:48,550 --> 00:09:51,390 sincerity. Nothing proves the strength of 158 00:09:51,390 --> 00:09:56,090 one's faith more than trials. You can sing beautifully, you 159 00:09:56,090 --> 00:10:01,210 can preach powerfully, but when a trial comes, your faith will 160 00:10:01,210 --> 00:10:08,250 speak the loudest and they will come and when they do come. 161 00:10:09,450 --> 00:10:12,610 It is then that you will know the true condition of your 162 00:10:12,610 --> 00:10:16,090 convictions. And oh, when it shines through, 163 00:10:16,090 --> 00:10:18,250 I pray that your faith does shine through. 164 00:10:18,770 --> 00:10:21,890 There are manifold blessings as a result of it. 165 00:10:21,970 --> 00:10:23,250 What are those manifold blessings? 166 00:10:23,250 --> 00:10:26,810 Well, #1. When your faith stands, when it 167 00:10:26,810 --> 00:10:31,810 is not moved, when it is only strengthened, as it goes through 168 00:10:31,810 --> 00:10:37,850 that fire, you're strengthened. You personally will know a 169 00:10:37,850 --> 00:10:40,810 greater peace. You personally will know a 170 00:10:40,810 --> 00:10:43,730 greater assurance. You know a wise pastor. 171 00:10:43,730 --> 00:10:46,090 Made a very brilliant observation when it comes to 172 00:10:46,090 --> 00:10:48,410 believers who struggle with the assurance of their of their 173 00:10:48,410 --> 00:10:50,330 salvation. And he had said this. 174 00:10:50,700 --> 00:10:53,300 That it is. Usually younger people who 175 00:10:53,300 --> 00:10:56,940 struggle with where they're at in their stance before a 176 00:10:56,940 --> 00:10:59,980 righteous God. And when I heard that, I thought 177 00:10:59,980 --> 00:11:02,460 to myself that's actually true when when I've encountered 178 00:11:02,460 --> 00:11:04,740 people have said, how do I know I'm saved, it's usually those 179 00:11:04,820 --> 00:11:08,060 who are fresh in the faith or those who haven't had much life 180 00:11:08,060 --> 00:11:09,780 experience. What do you mean by that? 181 00:11:10,100 --> 00:11:12,220 Because when you go through life. 182 00:11:13,130 --> 00:11:16,490 Following Jesus, you will encounter various trials. 183 00:11:16,650 --> 00:11:19,290 And when you go through those various trials and your faith 184 00:11:19,290 --> 00:11:21,890 still stands, your assurance grows. 185 00:11:22,930 --> 00:11:25,090 It grows. This is real. 186 00:11:25,810 --> 00:11:28,610 This is in me. This is true. 187 00:11:29,410 --> 00:11:32,570 This is not fake. This is not shallow soil here. 188 00:11:32,930 --> 00:11:36,490 Oh no, this is the real deal. I still love him, though I 189 00:11:36,490 --> 00:11:38,810 cannot see him. I still hoping him, though he 190 00:11:38,810 --> 00:11:40,090 slays. Me. 191 00:11:41,570 --> 00:11:44,510 You're strengthened. What about the other believers 192 00:11:44,510 --> 00:11:46,510 who are watching you in your trial and your test? 193 00:11:46,790 --> 00:11:50,630 They're encouraged. Look at brother so and so. 194 00:11:51,270 --> 00:11:54,790 Still loving the Lord. Still serving the Lord though 195 00:11:54,790 --> 00:11:57,350 there's so much trouble in his marriage, though there's so much 196 00:11:57,350 --> 00:11:59,230 trouble with their children there. 197 00:11:59,230 --> 00:12:02,190 They are still giving everything they have to Christ. 198 00:12:02,430 --> 00:12:05,590 Oh, surely if it's possible in them, it's possible in me. 199 00:12:07,830 --> 00:12:11,110 What about a watching, unbelieving, skeptical blasphemy 200 00:12:11,390 --> 00:12:15,030 world? When they see your faith shine 201 00:12:15,870 --> 00:12:19,710 as a result of that fire and draw, and we see their draws 202 00:12:19,710 --> 00:12:24,750 being removed by the the surgeon's hand, are they not 203 00:12:24,750 --> 00:12:28,030 challenged? Do they not at least question 204 00:12:29,430 --> 00:12:32,390 and examine themselves to some degree while they see your hope 205 00:12:32,870 --> 00:12:35,350 and the invisible but living God? 206 00:12:36,350 --> 00:12:39,350 That's what Peter talks about on First Peter 17 when he says that 207 00:12:39,350 --> 00:12:42,430 there is the tested genuineness of your faith. 208 00:12:43,270 --> 00:12:47,030 And he said right before that that there are various trials, 209 00:12:47,030 --> 00:12:52,230 don't be grieved by them because those trials are means to reveal 210 00:12:52,870 --> 00:12:56,790 are you genuine and you see that, The believers see that and 211 00:12:56,790 --> 00:12:59,830 the world sees that. And ultimately, at the end of 212 00:12:59,830 --> 00:13:03,390 the day, Christ will praise it and commend it as your faith 213 00:13:03,390 --> 00:13:05,950 endures until the end. But let's slow down with the 214 00:13:05,950 --> 00:13:08,830 verses that we just read. Did you notice how the Lord in 215 00:13:08,830 --> 00:13:12,830 verse two of chapter 8 expresses his compassion? 216 00:13:13,150 --> 00:13:17,750 Verse two, I have compassion on the crowd. 217 00:13:18,190 --> 00:13:23,390 Mark in six with the 5000 mentions Jesus compassion as 218 00:13:23,390 --> 00:13:26,470 well, but not directly from the mouth of Jesus. 219 00:13:27,270 --> 00:13:30,910 When compassion is mentioned in Mark chapter 6, it is narrated 220 00:13:30,910 --> 00:13:34,030 by Mark. When we come here to Jesus with 221 00:13:34,030 --> 00:13:39,510 the 4000, he himself says it. I have compassion on the crowd. 222 00:13:41,310 --> 00:13:44,790 And when you compare again these two references, you realize the 223 00:13:44,790 --> 00:13:48,390 absolute beauty of the nature and the character of God, namely 224 00:13:48,390 --> 00:13:52,950 in his compassion. What was the object of Jesus's 225 00:13:52,950 --> 00:13:55,070 compassion? With the feeding of the 5000, 226 00:13:55,110 --> 00:14:01,390 we'll go back to Mark 6 and look at verse 34, Mark 634. 227 00:14:01,830 --> 00:14:07,150 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd and he had 228 00:14:07,150 --> 00:14:10,790 compassion on them because this is the reason why he had 229 00:14:10,790 --> 00:14:14,830 compassion, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. 230 00:14:15,190 --> 00:14:18,030 And he began to teach them many things. 231 00:14:20,750 --> 00:14:25,470 The trigger for the deep seated feelings of care and concern for 232 00:14:25,470 --> 00:14:29,350 the people in March chapter six with the 5000 was spiritual. 233 00:14:30,650 --> 00:14:32,850 The spiritual need of the people with a heavy heart. 234 00:14:32,850 --> 00:14:36,170 The Lord perceived the masses, and he was able to discern that 235 00:14:36,170 --> 00:14:39,210 this people, like sheep without a shepherd, are lost. 236 00:14:39,930 --> 00:14:43,250 They're lost, they're vulnerable, they're exposed to 237 00:14:43,250 --> 00:14:48,330 danger, they are malnourished, and they're in. 238 00:14:48,330 --> 00:14:51,450 Trouble. And that's what moved him. 239 00:14:52,370 --> 00:14:56,930 And when it moved him, he provided for them by teaching 240 00:14:56,930 --> 00:15:00,840 them, he taught them. But when you come to Mark, 241 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:04,680 chapter 8, when Jesus says himself I have compassion, you 242 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:06,360 see that the object of his compassion is a little 243 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:08,480 different. Verse two of Mark eight, I have 244 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:11,280 compassion on the crowd because, well, what is it, Lord? 245 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:15,120 Because they have been with me now three days and have nothing 246 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:20,600 to eat. In the former account, Jesus 247 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,160 compassion was for the spiritual need. 248 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:25,040 In the second account, Jesus compassion is for the physical 249 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:29,520 well-being of the people. Why? 250 00:15:30,150 --> 00:15:33,950 Because Christ is not merely the shepherd of your soul, He's a 251 00:15:33,950 --> 00:15:38,510 provider for your body as well. We must not think for a moment 252 00:15:38,510 --> 00:15:41,950 that because we are spiritual people who worship in spirit to 253 00:15:42,110 --> 00:15:44,590 our God, who is spirit, that he overlooks the material 254 00:15:44,590 --> 00:15:48,670 necessities of your existence. He's keenly aware of all our 255 00:15:48,670 --> 00:15:52,510 needs because he is the master of the whole man of all that you 256 00:15:52,510 --> 00:15:54,790 are spirit, soul and body. He is Lord. 257 00:15:55,590 --> 00:15:57,350 And if anything coming to this passage. 258 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:01,800 We have the right to contemplate on His compassion as you and I 259 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,440 manage and engage our day-to-day affairs. 260 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:08,600 You're eating. Your clothing, you're living, 261 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:13,720 you're traveling are not outside of His tender care. 262 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,120 We tend to think Jesus is compassionate and sympathetic 263 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:20,160 for my eternity. Not just your eternity, your 264 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:24,880 daily activity. That is the extension of His 265 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:28,270 love. That is the breadth of his care, 266 00:16:29,230 --> 00:16:33,150 that he actually can look not just at your empty soul, but he 267 00:16:33,150 --> 00:16:35,790 can look at your grumbling stomach and still be moved. 268 00:16:35,790 --> 00:16:39,190 In the same way it's hard for you to believe. 269 00:16:39,190 --> 00:16:40,630 Well, welcome to the realm of faith. 270 00:16:41,590 --> 00:16:44,790 What a glorious thing about the mindfulness of Jesus. 271 00:16:45,030 --> 00:16:47,470 And what's so glorious here is that it's not just for the 272 00:16:47,470 --> 00:16:49,630 immediate, it was for the future. 273 00:16:50,150 --> 00:16:53,350 Notice that Jesus said they've been with me now three days. 274 00:16:53,750 --> 00:16:56,390 And if I send them away, hungry to their homes, they will faint 275 00:16:56,390 --> 00:16:59,950 on the way. On the way they will faint. 276 00:17:00,990 --> 00:17:02,630 I'm. I'm thinking about their 277 00:17:02,630 --> 00:17:06,869 tomorrow, Not just their today, their tomorrow. 278 00:17:08,150 --> 00:17:12,109 And we need to believe that that he's the shepherd that, yes, 279 00:17:12,109 --> 00:17:14,869 walks by our side, but he's omnipresent. 280 00:17:15,750 --> 00:17:19,280 He's ahead of us as well. And if you do not believe that, 281 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,160 then you're in trouble. Just like the Israelites were in 282 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:24,240 trouble when they didn't believe that as they were being led into 283 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,200 the Promised Land. Speaking about that, can I show 284 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,119 you something quite amazing about God's leading in the 285 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:30,240 Promised Land? It's not an Exodus. 286 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:32,360 It's not in numbers. It's an Ezekiel. 287 00:17:32,360 --> 00:17:35,600 Do you know where that is in your Bible, Ezekiel. 288 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:38,120 We'll go there. Don't be ashamed to go to the 289 00:17:38,120 --> 00:17:40,240 index if you need to. Ezekiel. 290 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:42,880 Chapter 20. I remember when I was first 291 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:44,800 walking with the Lord, I heard a preacher and he said turn to the 292 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:46,240 book of Hebrews. And I thought Hebrews Jews. 293 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,190 So I went to the Old Testament. The person next to me said no, 294 00:17:49,190 --> 00:17:50,710 no, no. A New Testament right side of 295 00:17:50,710 --> 00:17:56,670 the Bible. Ezekiel chapter 20, verse six. 296 00:17:57,710 --> 00:17:59,070 Look at this wonderful commentary. 297 00:17:59,350 --> 00:18:01,030 That's why you got to read the whole Bible, man. 298 00:18:01,950 --> 00:18:04,070 You got to see it all. Are you going to miss something? 299 00:18:04,510 --> 00:18:07,870 Ezekiel 20, verse six, on that day. 300 00:18:07,870 --> 00:18:09,710 This is the Lord speaking on that day. 301 00:18:09,710 --> 00:18:12,830 I swore to them. That I would bring them out of 302 00:18:12,830 --> 00:18:16,190 the land of Egypt into a land. Now look at this into a land 303 00:18:16,190 --> 00:18:21,830 that I searched out for them. A land flowing with milk and 304 00:18:21,830 --> 00:18:23,550 honey, the most glorious of all lands. 305 00:18:23,550 --> 00:18:26,190 You know what that word searched is in the original and its 306 00:18:26,190 --> 00:18:33,510 description is in its definition is to spy out the same word that 307 00:18:33,510 --> 00:18:37,960 is used in Numbers 13 when. 12 spies, 1 chief from every tribe 308 00:18:38,120 --> 00:18:43,120 were raised up to go into the land of Canaan to spy it out 309 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:45,840 long before those guys went in there. 310 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:50,320 The Lord spied it out himself. He already investigated it. 311 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,280 He already determined it. He already prepared it. 312 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:00,320 They were just going to discover it for themselves. 313 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:05,200 And you think about your life. And that car that you prayed 314 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,520 about and that house that you finally were able to get in this 315 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:13,360 crazy market and that opportunity, that job that seems 316 00:19:13,360 --> 00:19:17,440 to have just fallen, fallen into your lap and you burst out in 317 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:19,520 praise in Thanksgiving. Can I tell you something? 318 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:22,760 God got searched it out for you a long time ago. 319 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:28,440 He's not surprised with you. He's not catching up with your 320 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,000 life. He's not overwhelmed with all 321 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,080 his children, and he's trying to manage it all. 322 00:19:33,770 --> 00:19:37,930 Breaking a sweat while he sits on the throne, He searched it 323 00:19:38,130 --> 00:19:43,970 out and all you get to do is you walk through these pads in this 324 00:19:43,970 --> 00:19:47,010 life as a Pilgrim is figure it out yourself. 325 00:19:47,010 --> 00:19:49,290 Something that he's already established long ago. 326 00:19:49,930 --> 00:19:52,730 What a way to live. What a way to live. 327 00:19:52,730 --> 00:19:55,410 Not just comfort for the unknown, but when I come to 328 00:19:55,410 --> 00:19:57,780 something. That seems to have surprised and 329 00:19:57,780 --> 00:19:59,940 shocked my plans, maybe even my prayers. 330 00:19:59,940 --> 00:20:03,820 I can be absolutely at rest knowing he searched it out. 331 00:20:04,060 --> 00:20:07,980 He knows why this is happening. He already spied it out for me. 332 00:20:07,980 --> 00:20:09,140 He's. Ahead of me. 333 00:20:10,900 --> 00:20:13,860 So here's the Lord saying, I'm concerned about what's going to 334 00:20:13,860 --> 00:20:15,900 happen to them if they faint on the way. 335 00:20:15,900 --> 00:20:18,540 So here's the mindfulness of the shepherd. 336 00:20:18,860 --> 00:20:21,220 Ahead of your steps, ahead of your plans, ahead of your 337 00:20:21,220 --> 00:20:23,860 thoughts, ahead of your worries. He's already there. 338 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:28,040 But did you notice something else in that same sentence where 339 00:20:28,120 --> 00:20:30,160 Jesus says I have compassion on the crowd? 340 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:35,640 Go back to it, verse two. I have compassion on the crowd 341 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:41,640 because this moved me tremendously because they have 342 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:49,640 been with me now three days. The compassion of God, the care 343 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:53,000 of God, the mercy of God is for all. 344 00:20:53,620 --> 00:20:57,460 It does dispense with common grace to the just and the 345 00:20:57,460 --> 00:21:03,140 wicked, but at the same time do you realize that the Lord takes 346 00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:06,700 into account those who sacrifice for him? 347 00:21:10,340 --> 00:21:13,460 This blessed me, because it shows that Christ sees what you 348 00:21:13,460 --> 00:21:20,140 do for him, and it moves him. These people were in attendance 349 00:21:20,140 --> 00:21:25,090 for three days in a row. Not 30 minutes beyond the 350 00:21:25,090 --> 00:21:28,890 service time, three days in a row. 351 00:21:30,490 --> 00:21:33,370 And when you come to crowds in the gospels, they're not really 352 00:21:33,370 --> 00:21:35,450 seen in a in a great light usually. 353 00:21:36,090 --> 00:21:39,890 But I argue that this is a different case here, this people 354 00:21:39,890 --> 00:21:47,770 come with unbroken presence of mind, presence of body, sleeping 355 00:21:47,770 --> 00:21:50,690 overnight, exposed to the elements out in the open. 356 00:21:51,310 --> 00:21:56,390 Seeing their resources evaporate hour by hour, and yet what is 357 00:21:56,390 --> 00:22:00,270 keeping them in place is this deep interest in Christ. 358 00:22:00,270 --> 00:22:03,750 And so deep was that interest that it swallowed up their 359 00:22:03,750 --> 00:22:08,230 concern for physical bread. This is not the people 360 00:22:08,230 --> 00:22:10,750 protesting to Jesus. We've been here 3 days. 361 00:22:10,750 --> 00:22:12,510 Do you have something in your lunch box? 362 00:22:14,170 --> 00:22:17,290 This is Jesus looking at the crowd and recognizing at what 363 00:22:17,290 --> 00:22:20,610 length they were willing to go to be there under his ministry, 364 00:22:20,610 --> 00:22:23,370 and then caring for them accordingly. 365 00:22:25,810 --> 00:22:32,050 Do you believe that, Jesus? Christ regards what you do for 366 00:22:32,050 --> 00:22:39,090 Him good because you should. Because you should. 367 00:22:39,650 --> 00:22:41,970 He actually considers how early you came. 368 00:22:43,700 --> 00:22:46,580 He actually takes into account how late you stay. 369 00:22:48,260 --> 00:22:51,340 Oh, believe that he knows the distance you drove here and the 370 00:22:51,340 --> 00:22:53,340 gas that you have to put in your car to get here. 371 00:22:54,940 --> 00:22:58,180 He knows when you're doing this out of a pure heart, not under 372 00:22:58,180 --> 00:23:02,460 compulsion, but out of genuine desire, not out of convenience, 373 00:23:03,420 --> 00:23:05,300 but out of genuine desire to serve him. 374 00:23:05,300 --> 00:23:07,940 He sees it. He sees it all. 375 00:23:08,180 --> 00:23:13,450 And not only does he see it. He has special feelings in his 376 00:23:13,450 --> 00:23:18,290 heart for you. They have been with me here now 377 00:23:18,290 --> 00:23:25,810 for three days, But praise God, he knows he doesn't miss it. 378 00:23:26,290 --> 00:23:29,210 Others might. He's aware of it. 379 00:23:30,010 --> 00:23:37,690 How far, How long, how much? And it moves his heart. 380 00:23:37,690 --> 00:23:43,280 Do you want to move his heart? And just love him and put him 381 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:47,160 above everything, even your food, and see the special 382 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:48,480 attention that he will give you. I know that. 383 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:50,600 That that's not. We don't like that stuff, right? 384 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:52,880 No, no, no, no. Don't tell me that. 385 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:53,560 Grace. Grace. 386 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:54,720 Grace. Grace. 387 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:55,880 Yeah. Grace. 388 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:58,080 Good. You can be saved by His grace, 389 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,240 but how you know him is not necessarily by grace. 390 00:24:04,120 --> 00:24:07,080 You walk with him. You choose to live for him. 391 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:11,750 You make the sacrifices for him. And he considers every single 392 00:24:11,750 --> 00:24:15,830 one. So we look first here at the one 393 00:24:15,830 --> 00:24:20,350 who made the predicament known. We come down to the second 394 00:24:20,350 --> 00:24:22,390 point. The second difference is between 395 00:24:22,390 --> 00:24:25,950 the 5000 and the 4000, and it is this the number of resources at 396 00:24:25,950 --> 00:24:28,030 hand. Verse four. 397 00:24:28,150 --> 00:24:30,870 And his disciples answered him, How can one feed these people 398 00:24:30,870 --> 00:24:32,630 with bread here in this desolate place? 399 00:24:32,950 --> 00:24:34,670 And he asked them, how many loaves do you have? 400 00:24:34,670 --> 00:24:36,670 They said seven. They said 7. 401 00:24:37,670 --> 00:24:40,670 When it came to the 5000 and the same question was asked, it was 402 00:24:40,670 --> 00:24:43,430 a different response. We have 5 loaves and how many? 403 00:24:43,430 --> 00:24:47,630 Fish 2 fish. Fish are included in this, but 404 00:24:47,630 --> 00:24:50,590 you come down to verse 7 and it is a number not known to us. 405 00:24:50,750 --> 00:24:54,910 And they had a few small fish, so they had fish and bread, The 406 00:24:54,910 --> 00:24:57,510 same ingredients, different numbers, though not much of a 407 00:24:57,510 --> 00:25:00,390 difference. And so people like to play 408 00:25:00,390 --> 00:25:02,470 around with the numbers and try to get some deep mystical 409 00:25:02,470 --> 00:25:04,150 meaning and you don't have to go there. 410 00:25:04,150 --> 00:25:08,300 It's very simple. The assets are different, but 411 00:25:08,300 --> 00:25:10,540 the encouragement you and I can draw is simply this. 412 00:25:10,540 --> 00:25:13,700 Whether you have less or more today than you did yesterday, 413 00:25:14,460 --> 00:25:16,780 what ultimately makes a difference in your life is not 414 00:25:16,780 --> 00:25:18,820 what you have, but whose hand holds it. 415 00:25:21,020 --> 00:25:24,460 That's the difference if these resources. 416 00:25:24,460 --> 00:25:26,860 Remain in the hands of the disciples, no impact would be 417 00:25:26,860 --> 00:25:31,300 made, but the moment that they consecrated what they had to the 418 00:25:31,300 --> 00:25:37,640 Christ, anything is possible. Anything is possible, and there 419 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:41,680 should be no doubt that if Christ wanted to, that he could 420 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:43,320 have made bread and fish appear out of nothing. 421 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:45,080 He made this world out of nothing. 422 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:50,560 He spoke this universe into existence, and so why did he do 423 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,520 it with bread and fish? Because he wants to teach his 424 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:55,880 disciples then and his disciples now. 425 00:25:55,880 --> 00:26:01,680 This valuable lesson Give it all to me and don't rely on your 426 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:05,670 resources. Rely on my creative, 427 00:26:05,670 --> 00:26:07,590 compassionate power if you're going to make an impact for 428 00:26:07,590 --> 00:26:10,230 anything. These people weren't going to be 429 00:26:10,230 --> 00:26:12,110 touched if they trusted in their own wisdom. 430 00:26:13,070 --> 00:26:15,310 Even back there with the feeding of the 5000, if they went to the 431 00:26:15,310 --> 00:26:19,110 grocery store to try to buy all that they could for these 432 00:26:19,110 --> 00:26:23,710 people, it wouldn't be enough. And that's the point. 433 00:26:24,230 --> 00:26:26,270 Here are these people who have a need, and here are these 434 00:26:26,270 --> 00:26:29,550 disciples who are agents of God's message and heart. 435 00:26:29,790 --> 00:26:31,190 How are they going to make an impact? 436 00:26:31,190 --> 00:26:34,310 Not in your own strength. Not in your own ideas, Not by 437 00:26:34,310 --> 00:26:37,230 bar barring marketing schemes from the bestselling Christian 438 00:26:37,230 --> 00:26:41,910 book. No, from looking at him, keeping 439 00:26:41,910 --> 00:26:47,470 your eyes on him, believing him, putting it all at his hand, and 440 00:26:47,470 --> 00:26:49,350 trusting that he could do miracles with it. 441 00:26:49,830 --> 00:26:51,230 Where? Where was the focus of the 442 00:26:51,230 --> 00:26:53,190 disciples? Look back at verse four. 443 00:26:53,350 --> 00:26:55,830 And his disciples answered him. How can one feed these people 444 00:26:55,830 --> 00:26:59,550 with bread here, in this desolate place? 445 00:26:59,870 --> 00:27:02,030 That's where their focus was. This is a wilderness. 446 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:04,960 There's no jewel anywhere near here. 447 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,400 There's nothing that we can do to make this happen. 448 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:12,880 And that's the point, Disciples. You're looking at the wrong 449 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:16,720 thing. Look at the one who's done it 450 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:22,160 before and keep your eyes there. Keep your eyes there. 451 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:25,320 The one who calls into existence of things that do not exist 452 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:28,680 according to Romans 4. The one who actually can make it 453 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:32,150 all happen in a moment. This is a desolate place. 454 00:27:32,150 --> 00:27:35,150 I thought about, you know, they believe that about the region 455 00:27:35,150 --> 00:27:36,950 that they were in. And we can say the same perhaps 456 00:27:36,950 --> 00:27:40,550 of the city of Chicago. This is a desolate place. 457 00:27:42,870 --> 00:27:44,670 We're so grateful for this church opening the doors to us 458 00:27:44,670 --> 00:27:45,710 to be able to meet here regularly. 459 00:27:45,710 --> 00:27:47,710 But we have plans, God willing to have our own place. 460 00:27:47,710 --> 00:27:49,550 How are we going to do that with this kind of a market? 461 00:27:49,550 --> 00:27:53,630 How are we going to do that with a government that doesn't give 462 00:27:53,630 --> 00:27:56,870 property so easily, especially if it's tax free, tax exempt in 463 00:27:56,870 --> 00:28:00,030 some way. This is a desolate place. 464 00:28:01,010 --> 00:28:03,490 With all the craziness and inflation, even if that time 465 00:28:03,490 --> 00:28:08,370 comes, how will we pull out the resources to ensure a purchase 466 00:28:08,370 --> 00:28:11,650 or a plan that will keep us out of trouble in the future? 467 00:28:12,770 --> 00:28:14,570 Well, don't look at the desolate place. 468 00:28:15,170 --> 00:28:16,490 Don't look at the lack of resources. 469 00:28:16,490 --> 00:28:20,210 Don't look at the opposition. Look to him and keep your eyes 470 00:28:20,210 --> 00:28:23,490 there. These disciples didn't for some 471 00:28:23,490 --> 00:28:25,890 reason, and some people have so much trouble believing that the 472 00:28:25,890 --> 00:28:30,000 disciples doubted at this time. That they reinterpret this whole 473 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:34,520 story because they think to themselves how you saw the same 474 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:36,640 this like the mirroring scenario, right? 475 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:40,480 It's Part 2. This is, this is copy paste. 476 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:43,920 There is no way that the disciples were doubting Jesus 477 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:47,200 here to the point where they reinterpret verse 4 to mean that 478 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:49,400 they were kind of sarcastically nudging to Christ. 479 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:53,280 How are we going to feed these people unless somebody does it? 480 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:54,600 That's how they interpret this verse. 481 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:58,720 How do you read that? Is it so hard to imagine that 482 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:00,960 the disciples lost sight of the faithfulness of Christ so 483 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:04,480 quickly? Answer No, it's not. 484 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:08,080 It's not difficult because you and I know very well, if we're 485 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:10,000 honest with ourselves, that we don't learn things the first 486 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:14,920 time around. I've seen it. 487 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:16,080 You. Can preach a message on 488 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:19,000 forgiveness and it takes 10 more of them before it says oh OK 489 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,400 yeah, forgiveness. Seen it for myself, reading the 490 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:24,400 scripture, dealing with situations. 491 00:29:25,260 --> 00:29:26,860 It doesn't always happen the first time around. 492 00:29:28,980 --> 00:29:32,620 Let me see here that these disciples, believe it or not, 493 00:29:32,660 --> 00:29:35,660 didn't get it. Spiritual amnesia is not 494 00:29:35,660 --> 00:29:41,020 uncommon among the Saints. You know, Jesus says something. 495 00:29:41,020 --> 00:29:43,140 So convicting to one of his disciples, I want to show it to 496 00:29:43,140 --> 00:29:44,300 you. It's in a different gospel. 497 00:29:44,500 --> 00:29:50,620 And John chapter 14, the disciple Philip asked Jesus a 498 00:29:50,620 --> 00:29:53,780 question and Jesus answers something that. 499 00:29:56,060 --> 00:30:02,500 Should move us in, John 14-8, Phillip said to him, Lord, show 500 00:30:02,500 --> 00:30:06,260 us the Father, and it is enough for us. 501 00:30:07,780 --> 00:30:11,580 Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long and you still 502 00:30:11,580 --> 00:30:17,820 do not know me? Phillip, whoever has seen me has 503 00:30:17,820 --> 00:30:19,620 seen the Father. How can you say, show us the 504 00:30:19,620 --> 00:30:21,620 Father? What a question. 505 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:27,000 Have I been with you so long? And you still don't get it, 506 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:31,520 Philip, after all the miracles, after all the teachings, after 507 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:35,240 all my sayings, after all the parables, and it still hasn't 508 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:38,240 registered yet. If you've seen me, you've seen 509 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:44,200 him. Lord, spare me. 510 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:49,000 I don't want the Lord to have to say that about me. 511 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:52,280 Daniel, have I been with you so long? 512 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:55,600 That you still don't understand who I am. 513 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,440 It's been 10 years, son. It's been 10 years. 514 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:06,360 And yet you can hear this and it can convict you. 515 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:09,600 And if you're not careful, that conviction can translate to 516 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,240 condemnation and your hope is slaughtered. 517 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:15,920 Don't go there. Because even in this you and I 518 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:17,480 are encouraged. You're saying, how can you 519 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:21,560 encourage not to be lighthearted about your stagnation, not to be 520 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:26,170 lighthearted about? Your unwillingness to move with 521 00:31:26,170 --> 00:31:28,810 urgency and growth and grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus 522 00:31:28,810 --> 00:31:32,530 Christ to be encouraged in this, that even when the disciples 523 00:31:32,970 --> 00:31:36,530 should have responded so much differently, right, if they 524 00:31:36,530 --> 00:31:41,050 really did believe Jesus. I mean, this is what I would 525 00:31:41,050 --> 00:31:43,690 expect. How can these people be fed, 526 00:31:43,690 --> 00:31:45,330 right? How can these people go home 527 00:31:45,330 --> 00:31:47,050 hungry? Lord, Lord, we've seen you do 528 00:31:47,050 --> 00:31:49,830 this. We seemed just give us the word. 529 00:31:49,830 --> 00:31:50,950 Do you want to know what's in our pockets? 530 00:31:50,950 --> 00:31:51,870 You want to know what's in our bags? 531 00:31:51,870 --> 00:31:53,590 You want us to go look around and see how many bread and fish 532 00:31:53,590 --> 00:31:55,630 are here? You say the word. 533 00:31:55,630 --> 00:31:57,390 We trust you, Lord. That didn't come out of their 534 00:31:57,390 --> 00:32:00,990 mouths. Doubt. 535 00:32:01,110 --> 00:32:05,470 Unbelief. And what does Jesus do? 536 00:32:06,230 --> 00:32:10,550 Does he scold them? Does he sigh and put him aside? 537 00:32:10,550 --> 00:32:12,390 Says, you know what? I can't trust you guys. 538 00:32:12,390 --> 00:32:13,470 I'm going to deal with this myself. 539 00:32:13,470 --> 00:32:14,670 You clearly didn't get the lesson. 540 00:32:15,430 --> 00:32:16,190 No. Look here. 541 00:32:16,190 --> 00:32:18,730 Verse 6. And he directed the crowd to sit 542 00:32:18,730 --> 00:32:21,010 down on the ground, and he took seven, the seven lows. 543 00:32:21,010 --> 00:32:24,850 And having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his 544 00:32:24,850 --> 00:32:27,970 disciples to set before the people. 545 00:32:28,450 --> 00:32:36,250 He still used them, despite their limitations, despite their 546 00:32:36,250 --> 00:32:38,850 mountainous doubt. They should have had mountain 547 00:32:38,850 --> 00:32:41,810 size, not mustard seed faith. They should have had mountain 548 00:32:41,810 --> 00:32:44,970 size faith. After all they were exposed to. 549 00:32:46,130 --> 00:32:49,930 And what did they give him? A question of unbelief. 550 00:32:49,970 --> 00:32:57,330 And what does Jesus do? He works with them still, and he 551 00:32:57,330 --> 00:33:00,250 uses them to be extensions, vessels of his love. 552 00:33:01,810 --> 00:33:06,770 Why does God do that? Why does he even use us at any 553 00:33:06,770 --> 00:33:10,210 capacity? And I'll give you an answer, 554 00:33:10,210 --> 00:33:12,490 because the Apostle Paul gave the answer when he talked about 555 00:33:12,490 --> 00:33:17,000 how God used him. In Ephesians 3/8 he writes to 556 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,880 me, though I am the very least of all the Saints. 557 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:26,080 This grace was given to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable 558 00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:29,080 riches of Christ. Paul loved to teach on grace. 559 00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:32,920 He loved to preach on grace. But the idea of grace was not 560 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:35,480 limited to salvation. Paul understood that the very 561 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:39,120 fact that he was a minister was an expression of God's grace. 562 00:33:40,850 --> 00:33:43,130 You tell people, right? I'm sure maybe you've said it to 563 00:33:43,130 --> 00:33:46,250 your own family member or loved one or your husband or whatever. 564 00:33:46,450 --> 00:33:49,210 Maybe a dear friend that you can speak freely with and the Lord 565 00:33:49,210 --> 00:33:51,290 uses them. There's fruit in their lives and 566 00:33:51,290 --> 00:33:54,250 there's greater exposure and their ministry. 567 00:33:54,250 --> 00:33:57,090 And brother, be careful, don't let it get to your head, sister. 568 00:33:57,090 --> 00:33:58,490 Be careful. God has gifted you. 569 00:33:58,610 --> 00:33:59,930 His hand is clearly on your life. 570 00:33:59,930 --> 00:34:01,970 Just be careful. Don't don't get puffed up. 571 00:34:01,970 --> 00:34:03,410 And I'm sure that's sound advice. 572 00:34:03,410 --> 00:34:06,050 That is sound advice and it's possible, even in your spiritual 573 00:34:06,050 --> 00:34:08,050 pursuits, to become arrogant and prideful. 574 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:11,520 But you know what Paul is showing me here? 575 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:14,719 This is what he's showing me. The more God used them, the more 576 00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:20,800 humbled he was. The more the Lord used him, the 577 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:24,679 more he was aware of the grace of God, because he understood 578 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:26,920 this. This doesn't make sense for me 579 00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:32,480 to be in this position. And so whatever God did through 580 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:35,400 him and only brought him lower. How is that possible when you 581 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:39,000 understand? His Holiness, His righteousness, 582 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:43,600 His standards, our unworthiness, our inconsistencies, our sin, 583 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:46,360 our temptation to rebel against them. 584 00:34:46,639 --> 00:34:53,679 And yet still He makes us participations into his purposes 585 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:59,080 and plans. So any episode in which God uses 586 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:02,120 you, and at least in Paul's mind, He was brought lower and 587 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:05,000 lower and lower. God doesn't need us. 588 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:09,040 He does. But in his great delight and 589 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:11,960 pleasure, he wants to. And it's a gift for you to 590 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:16,880 enjoy, to see what God can do through you so that he can 591 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:20,080 receive all the glory. It's a grace. 592 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:22,520 It's a grace. These disciples here are are 593 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:29,680 even experiencing God's grace in the midst of their doubt #3 Not 594 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:34,120 just the number of resources, but the amount of leftovers 595 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:36,670 gathered. Look here, verse 8. 596 00:35:38,470 --> 00:35:42,350 And they ate and were satisfied. What a phrase. 597 00:35:43,670 --> 00:35:48,830 And they took up the broken pieces left over 7 baskets full 598 00:35:50,670 --> 00:35:52,830 mark. Chapter 6 when they had fed the 599 00:35:52,830 --> 00:35:57,390 5000 plus Jesus sends them out to get leftovers and they they 600 00:35:57,390 --> 00:36:00,110 grabbed the pieces and they were how many baskets? 601 00:36:00,390 --> 00:36:04,430 12 good 1212 baskets. Why? 602 00:36:05,420 --> 00:36:08,460 Because when they went to that region, they went for a retreat, 603 00:36:08,500 --> 00:36:12,460 and the retreat was suspended in order to serve strangers and as 604 00:36:12,460 --> 00:36:15,460 they sacrificed to serve these people. 605 00:36:15,460 --> 00:36:18,140 God honored them and gave them each a basket. 606 00:36:18,460 --> 00:36:20,180 I'm taking care of you. I didn't forget about you. 607 00:36:21,740 --> 00:36:24,340 They could have felt that the Lord brought us out here so that 608 00:36:24,340 --> 00:36:27,580 we can rest, rest with Him. We just came back from traveling 609 00:36:27,580 --> 00:36:30,180 and preaching and and now what do they come to? 610 00:36:30,180 --> 00:36:32,500 They see the hills covered with people. 611 00:36:33,310 --> 00:36:38,070 And it's very easy, very easy, to see your schedule interrupted 612 00:36:38,350 --> 00:36:41,390 and see your plans obstructed because of ministry, because of 613 00:36:41,390 --> 00:36:45,030 serving the Lord, because of opportunities to be like Christ, 614 00:36:45,030 --> 00:36:47,310 and that costing you something. And you think the Lord's 615 00:36:47,310 --> 00:36:51,110 forgotten me. And no, 12 baskets each in the 616 00:36:51,110 --> 00:36:54,670 hand of those disciples. But then you come here. 617 00:36:55,150 --> 00:36:58,320 They're serving people. And you're thinking O K12 618 00:36:58,320 --> 00:37:00,760 baskets are show up, that's what's going to happen, right? 619 00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:03,320 No, there there's 5 short, there's seven baskets. 620 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:08,080 And I must admit, this might be more challenging for us English 621 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:13,160 readers, because if you read the Bible in Greek, if you knew how 622 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:16,080 to read it, and you had a Bible that was spelled out in the 623 00:37:16,080 --> 00:37:19,440 original manuscript, you would see it without question. 624 00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:24,880 The word for baskets is two different words and Jesus. 625 00:37:25,580 --> 00:37:28,580 Even communicates that here in Mark chapter 8 Scroll down to 626 00:37:28,580 --> 00:37:30,820 verse 19 when he speaks to the disciples. 627 00:37:30,820 --> 00:37:35,020 In another scene he says in Mark 8/19 when I broke the five lows 628 00:37:35,020 --> 00:37:38,740 in the 5000, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you 629 00:37:38,740 --> 00:37:40,300 take up? He's speaking about Mark chapter 630 00:37:40,300 --> 00:37:43,340 6. They said to him 12 and the 631 00:37:43,340 --> 00:37:46,580 seven for the 4000, how many baskets full of broken pieces 632 00:37:46,580 --> 00:37:48,860 did you take up? And they said to him 7. 633 00:37:48,860 --> 00:37:50,740 So right there, if you believe it's the same occurrence, how do 634 00:37:50,740 --> 00:37:53,340 you explain this? He's talking about two different 635 00:37:53,340 --> 00:37:54,420 things. Side point. 636 00:37:55,540 --> 00:37:59,060 How many baskets when he talked about the five and the two, that 637 00:37:59,060 --> 00:38:02,740 word baskets is different than the word baskets when he says 638 00:38:02,740 --> 00:38:10,580 how many for the 4000 And the word for baskets for the 4000 is 639 00:38:10,580 --> 00:38:14,780 a basket much larger than what they had in Mark chapter 6. 640 00:38:15,660 --> 00:38:20,700 In fact, it's the same word that Luke used in Acts Chapter 9 641 00:38:20,700 --> 00:38:26,600 verse 25 when Paul and Damascus. Was able to escape by being 642 00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:31,960 placed in a basket and was brought down scaling the wall. 643 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:34,480 It's the same word there. That's not the word used in mark 644 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:37,000 chapter 6. And the word mark chapter 6 is 645 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:38,640 coffee, coffees, notes, I believe. 646 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:42,320 And here we see that the word for the bigger baskets is 647 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:47,040 spuris. I'm not here trying to give you 648 00:38:47,040 --> 00:38:49,280 a Greek lesson. I barely can pronounce the words 649 00:38:49,720 --> 00:38:51,480 OK. What I'm trying to show you here 650 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:54,290 is something quite important. There's something that you can 651 00:38:54,290 --> 00:38:56,850 take out of this, right? Even though these baskets were 652 00:38:56,850 --> 00:39:01,330 fewer in number, the container size proves that they were taken 653 00:39:01,330 --> 00:39:06,410 care of amply. They were more than OK, all of 654 00:39:06,410 --> 00:39:10,610 them were covered. And I meditated on this and I 655 00:39:10,610 --> 00:39:12,930 thought, well, the Lord could have just given them 12 656 00:39:12,930 --> 00:39:15,130 personally sized baskets like he did earlier. 657 00:39:15,130 --> 00:39:19,570 But the idea here is that his provision may not always look 658 00:39:19,570 --> 00:39:23,420 the same. It may not always look the same 659 00:39:23,420 --> 00:39:26,460 in every season, but one thing you can guarantee that it is 660 00:39:26,460 --> 00:39:31,380 always, always, always enough. Always. 661 00:39:33,620 --> 00:39:36,780 God didn't take care of me the same way he did in college that 662 00:39:36,780 --> 00:39:39,700 he is now. But you know what I can rejoice 663 00:39:39,700 --> 00:39:42,020 in? He took care of me all the way 664 00:39:42,020 --> 00:39:44,300 through. And it's the same for you. 665 00:39:45,180 --> 00:39:49,090 It's the same for you. We look here and we think, okay. 666 00:39:49,090 --> 00:39:51,530 The packages might be altered from time to time. 667 00:39:52,570 --> 00:39:56,450 Things might shift, things might be different, but the purpose is 668 00:39:56,450 --> 00:39:57,810 the same. To never leave us. 669 00:39:58,450 --> 00:40:01,610 To never leave you in your need as long as you serve him with 670 00:40:01,610 --> 00:40:03,930 your heart. So one. 671 00:40:03,930 --> 00:40:05,570 And since it's 12, the other seven. 672 00:40:05,570 --> 00:40:09,130 But here's the same result. They were taken care of. 673 00:40:11,770 --> 00:40:13,570 Things might have shifted recently, right? 674 00:40:13,730 --> 00:40:16,370 Things might have been taken. Things might have been replaced. 675 00:40:17,640 --> 00:40:19,800 It might not be what you thought it would be, but one thing is 676 00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:25,040 for certain, he's behind it and he has compassion for you. 677 00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:29,280 Which brings us to the final point of our message today. 678 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:33,960 We talked not just about the one who made the predicament known, 679 00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:37,840 not just the resources at hand, not just the amount of the 680 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:41,440 leftovers that were gathered, but finally the people that were 681 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:45,600 ministered to verse 9. And there were about 4000 682 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:50,150 people. And he sent them away and he 683 00:40:50,150 --> 00:40:54,430 sent them away. Mark chapter 6 tells us how many 684 00:40:54,430 --> 00:40:57,310 5000 not including woman, not including children. 685 00:40:57,310 --> 00:41:01,750 Here we have 4000 people. Okay the number is different. 686 00:41:01,830 --> 00:41:03,870 No no, no, no, no. Read carefully. 687 00:41:04,270 --> 00:41:07,630 Where is Jesus? And where his disciples, 688 00:41:07,670 --> 00:41:11,310 geographically speaking, you would know if you were here last 689 00:41:11,310 --> 00:41:12,150 week. That's why you got to come to 690 00:41:12,150 --> 00:41:15,470 church every week you come here in Mark Chapter 7. 691 00:41:15,960 --> 00:41:19,960 Let's be reminded in verse 31. Then he returned from the region 692 00:41:19,960 --> 00:41:22,720 of tire and went through side onto the Sea of Galilee in the 693 00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:25,920 region of the Decapilis. That's where they're at and 694 00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:28,560 there was no mention of them transitioning from that place. 695 00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:33,840 And what is the Decapilis? It is the tent city region 696 00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:40,840 heavily populated with Gentiles. Jesus heals a deaf mute man. 697 00:41:41,530 --> 00:41:44,810 And it might be that that was the cause for the multitudes to 698 00:41:44,810 --> 00:41:47,370 flood towards him. And that's what we're seeing 699 00:41:47,370 --> 00:41:50,490 here, Mark, Chapter 8, that was common, a miracle brings about 700 00:41:50,490 --> 00:41:53,410 the masses. And so you have these crowds 701 00:41:53,410 --> 00:41:59,170 that come to Jesus, and here's the thing, he has compassion on 702 00:41:59,170 --> 00:42:00,330 them. But who are they? 703 00:42:00,770 --> 00:42:03,650 They're not Jews, at least primarily. 704 00:42:04,450 --> 00:42:09,650 The 5000 Jews Jews, John Chapter 6. 705 00:42:10,110 --> 00:42:12,830 They recognized him as the prophet that Moses spoke about 706 00:42:13,030 --> 00:42:14,950 and they wanted to make him king. 707 00:42:17,990 --> 00:42:25,590 Gentiles still has compassion. He didn't treat them any 708 00:42:25,590 --> 00:42:29,070 different. Yes, the the focus of his 709 00:42:29,070 --> 00:42:31,510 ministry was for the Jews, at least during his time. 710 00:42:31,830 --> 00:42:33,910 It would be different when the apostles would be sent out. 711 00:42:33,910 --> 00:42:37,750 But here we see a glimpse of what's to come, Jesus having 712 00:42:37,750 --> 00:42:41,520 compassion on all. Not some. 713 00:42:42,200 --> 00:42:44,440 Not the chosen people who had the privilege of knowing the 714 00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:47,680 oracles of God, the manifestations of God, the 715 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:52,400 messengers of God. No, even these pagans, these 716 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:55,760 idol worshippers, we'll be able to taste something of the 717 00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:58,280 compassion of Jesus because it was always there from the 718 00:42:58,280 --> 00:43:00,080 beginning. You know what that word 719 00:43:00,080 --> 00:43:04,440 compassion is in the original, to be moved in one's bowels. 720 00:43:05,810 --> 00:43:10,690 A deep seeded feeling of sympathy that you can actually 721 00:43:10,690 --> 00:43:17,250 feel in your gut. Not just I feel bad for them. 722 00:43:17,250 --> 00:43:19,290 You know, I have some extra virtue in me today. 723 00:43:19,290 --> 00:43:23,290 Let's just perform a miracle. No, he was moved and it was 724 00:43:23,290 --> 00:43:28,610 turning him inside. And you think about the Jews, 725 00:43:28,690 --> 00:43:33,010 They they had so much privilege, their history and the resources, 726 00:43:33,010 --> 00:43:35,860 the divine literature that was. At their disposal. 727 00:43:36,260 --> 00:43:37,820 And Jesus has compassion. You know, you could have grown 728 00:43:37,820 --> 00:43:41,820 up in church and testified to that same kind of experience. 729 00:43:42,900 --> 00:43:46,100 You've known it, you've heard it, You've seen it, You've 730 00:43:46,100 --> 00:43:49,180 memorized it. You're trying to fight to stay 731 00:43:49,180 --> 00:43:51,380 awake because you're so familiar with the scene. 732 00:43:54,020 --> 00:43:57,420 And just like the Jews who had so much just by their heritage, 733 00:43:57,820 --> 00:43:59,340 Jesus still has compassion on them. 734 00:44:01,580 --> 00:44:07,400 And we tend to think, right. We tend to think that Jesus 735 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:12,200 favors those and he moves in those lives that had parents who 736 00:44:12,200 --> 00:44:16,400 are faithful, have a lineage of people who are ministry serving 737 00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:17,000 Him. No. 738 00:44:17,000 --> 00:44:21,200 You come here and you realize he has compassion even on those who 739 00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:22,880 have no connection whatsoever to him. 740 00:44:27,200 --> 00:44:29,480 It's very hard to preach to the Gospels and not get 741 00:44:29,480 --> 00:44:32,200 evangelistic. Very hard. 742 00:44:33,010 --> 00:44:35,570 So just give me a couple minutes and we'll get packing, putting 743 00:44:35,570 --> 00:44:37,090 our shorts and going to the picnic. 744 00:44:38,810 --> 00:44:43,250 But this isn't this isn't a job 1-2. 745 00:44:43,250 --> 00:44:45,770 This isn't. We're not playing games here, 746 00:44:45,770 --> 00:44:48,770 right? And in these days, there is no 747 00:44:48,770 --> 00:44:51,970 time to play any games. In the days that we're living 748 00:44:51,970 --> 00:44:54,250 in, not one service should be wasted. 749 00:44:55,930 --> 00:44:58,130 I heard a pastor say when he started his church with his 750 00:44:58,130 --> 00:45:00,370 ministers. We will never, ever have a 751 00:45:00,370 --> 00:45:02,720 throwaway service. Never. 752 00:45:02,720 --> 00:45:03,600 Just let's just get this through. 753 00:45:03,600 --> 00:45:05,480 I'm tired this week. Never. 754 00:45:07,280 --> 00:45:12,400 Souls hang in the balance, and I come to you in the name of the 755 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:17,360 Lord Jesus Christ to proclaim to you the compassion of God for 756 00:45:17,360 --> 00:45:23,640 your soul. Christ has a heart filled with 757 00:45:23,640 --> 00:45:28,560 compassion for you, and he longs for you, not just to know 758 00:45:28,560 --> 00:45:32,620 satisfaction in this life. There is a satisfaction that 759 00:45:32,620 --> 00:45:38,140 goes beyond that reaches deeper than your pockets being full and 760 00:45:38,140 --> 00:45:39,980 your body being free from disease. 761 00:45:39,980 --> 00:45:45,740 No, you have a spirit that is fractured, that is disconnected 762 00:45:45,740 --> 00:45:47,580 from the living God who created you. 763 00:45:48,660 --> 00:45:52,900 But Christ came as the bridge. Christ came as the Great 764 00:45:52,900 --> 00:45:56,220 Physician. Christ came to heal you. 765 00:45:56,960 --> 00:46:00,760 Not just to open your eyes, not just to even open your ears to 766 00:46:00,760 --> 00:46:05,080 make you walk, but to bring you back to life from the core of 767 00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:09,080 your being. He has compassion for you. 768 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:14,200 He's not indifferent in heaven. He's not trigger happy waiting 769 00:46:14,200 --> 00:46:16,360 to send you to an eternal torment. 770 00:46:17,200 --> 00:46:20,920 He's not looking for you to trip, so he has one more reason 771 00:46:21,080 --> 00:46:25,400 to pour out his wrath on you. No, no, no, no. 772 00:46:25,400 --> 00:46:29,600 He left glory. And he came into the stinking, 773 00:46:29,600 --> 00:46:34,600 filthy, putrid world that saw the holiest man who has ever 774 00:46:34,600 --> 00:46:39,200 lived, that who did nothing but good, who never made a mistake, 775 00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:42,440 who never slipped, who had never done anything wrong. 776 00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:49,000 And they spat on him, and they dragged his name in the mud and 777 00:46:49,000 --> 00:46:51,320 they dragged his body through torture. 778 00:46:51,720 --> 00:46:55,440 And they nailed him there like an ornament and celebrated his 779 00:46:55,440 --> 00:47:00,640 death, gambled for his clothing, blasphemed him until his final 780 00:47:00,640 --> 00:47:03,520 breath. Why? 781 00:47:04,760 --> 00:47:06,440 Because he's filled with compassion. 782 00:47:08,160 --> 00:47:11,120 And he has compassion for you. You. 783 00:47:11,120 --> 00:47:16,200 Yes, here in 2023 with your with your nice job and your nice car 784 00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:18,200 and. With your privileges here in the 785 00:47:18,200 --> 00:47:23,040 United States of America, even here now the living Christ is 786 00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:29,800 moved for you, and He wants you. He doesn't want to just use you. 787 00:47:29,800 --> 00:47:32,880 He doesn't just want you. As a servant, He has a myriad of 788 00:47:32,880 --> 00:47:38,360 angels who sing in perfect pitch, who don't hesitate to 789 00:47:38,360 --> 00:47:41,410 obey Him. Seraphin who cover their face, 790 00:47:41,570 --> 00:47:44,690 who cover their feet, and with two other wings, who are flying 791 00:47:44,690 --> 00:47:47,810 ready to move at the. Moment he gives him a command. 792 00:47:47,810 --> 00:47:52,210 He doesn't need your service, but he wants your heart. 793 00:47:53,770 --> 00:47:56,650 Because out of love the God who is self-sufficient who is? 794 00:47:56,770 --> 00:47:59,690 Not lonely, who doesn't need anything from you. 795 00:48:01,010 --> 00:48:06,490 Still wants you for what? He loves you. 796 00:48:06,490 --> 00:48:09,820 Well, why? I don't know. 797 00:48:13,300 --> 00:48:16,260 He loves you, and he wants you, and he wants intimacy with you. 798 00:48:16,260 --> 00:48:19,620 He wants you to be in heaven with him forever and ever. 799 00:48:20,220 --> 00:48:23,460 And though we see through a glass dimly, he wants you to 800 00:48:23,460 --> 00:48:27,100 walk with him. In this life, you were created 801 00:48:27,100 --> 00:48:33,060 to walk with God, not for a career, not to find the most 802 00:48:33,060 --> 00:48:35,340 beautiful wife or husband you can find. 803 00:48:36,280 --> 00:48:39,600 Not so that you can stuff your closet with clothes and get the 804 00:48:39,600 --> 00:48:43,320 newest edition of that phone. That's not your purpose. 805 00:48:43,920 --> 00:48:50,520 That's not why you're here. To know God and to enjoy him 806 00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:56,280 forever, to glorify him and in glorifying he would be blessed. 807 00:48:56,280 --> 00:48:59,920 And you. Will be satisfied because that's 808 00:48:59,920 --> 00:49:02,970 why you were created. And in the name of the Lord 809 00:49:02,970 --> 00:49:06,690 Jesus Christ, this gospel, this good news, it was just rounded 810 00:49:06,690 --> 00:49:09,530 to in one single way, repent and belief. 811 00:49:11,290 --> 00:49:12,730 Recognize what your sin has done. 812 00:49:12,730 --> 00:49:16,730 Recognize what your sin will bring you to recognize what sin 813 00:49:16,730 --> 00:49:23,650 is, turn from it. Because he took the sin, your 814 00:49:23,650 --> 00:49:27,330 sin, the sin of the city of Chicago, the sin of the state of 815 00:49:27,330 --> 00:49:30,370 Illinois, the sin of every state of this nation, the sin of the 816 00:49:30,370 --> 00:49:33,180 world. Upon his shoulder. 817 00:49:34,980 --> 00:49:42,540 And God poured out his wrath on his Son in your place, so that 818 00:49:43,300 --> 00:49:47,780 you would buy faith, a repentant faith, would drink the cup of 819 00:49:47,780 --> 00:49:50,180 his fellowship and know his pleasure. 820 00:49:50,580 --> 00:49:54,620 His mouth was dry and was thirsty, so that you would know 821 00:49:54,700 --> 00:49:58,780 living water. His brow was pierced with 822 00:49:58,780 --> 00:50:00,740 thorns. So that your mind could be 823 00:50:00,740 --> 00:50:05,260 renewed and renewed and renewed. His hands were pierced so that 824 00:50:05,260 --> 00:50:07,740 whatever you've done with those hands would be cleansed. 825 00:50:07,940 --> 00:50:11,180 His feet were penetrated so that wherever your feet have gone 826 00:50:11,180 --> 00:50:13,860 where they shouldn't have gone, he will remember no more. 827 00:50:13,980 --> 00:50:18,420 This is the gospel. This is the good news. 828 00:50:18,700 --> 00:50:22,060 There is no other God like this God, and there is no other way 829 00:50:22,060 --> 00:50:24,260 to be saved but through his name. 830 00:50:34,490 --> 00:50:38,010 And so I invite you today to receive Jesus Christ as your 831 00:50:38,010 --> 00:50:41,210 Lord and Savior. I invite you today to realize 832 00:50:41,210 --> 00:50:43,930 that everything can change today. 833 00:50:44,930 --> 00:50:47,330 Even if you have to miss that picnic, we're going to have 834 00:50:47,330 --> 00:50:52,530 plenty more. Give your life to him, Sit down, 835 00:50:52,530 --> 00:50:56,130 ask questions if your heart is already convinced and convicted, 836 00:50:56,130 --> 00:51:00,890 and cry out to the living God. Cry out and trust that as you do 837 00:51:00,890 --> 00:51:06,230 with a sincerity. And with humility, the Spirit 838 00:51:06,230 --> 00:51:08,910 bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. 839 00:51:08,910 --> 00:51:11,550 You will know when you've been born again. 840 00:51:12,430 --> 00:51:13,990 Lord, we thank you for the service. 841 00:51:15,070 --> 00:51:17,070 We thank you for bringing us in this place. 842 00:51:17,790 --> 00:51:20,070 We thank you for the lessons from the miracle of the feeding 843 00:51:20,070 --> 00:51:23,030 of the 4000. Thank you that your word has 844 00:51:23,030 --> 00:51:26,550 been beautifully authored by the perfect one. 845 00:51:27,510 --> 00:51:29,270 There is not one corner of this Bible. 846 00:51:29,270 --> 00:51:32,230 Not one period mark. Not one word that is by 847 00:51:32,230 --> 00:51:34,730 accident. Everything has been placed for 848 00:51:34,730 --> 00:51:37,690 our instruction and our insight concerning you. 849 00:51:37,690 --> 00:51:41,090 We pray, Lord, that as we worship you, that our hearts 850 00:51:41,090 --> 00:51:45,450 would be given to you in a fresh way for the heart that is not 851 00:51:45,450 --> 00:51:49,050 surrendered to you yet We pray that today would be the day 852 00:51:49,050 --> 00:51:51,290 where they can say not physically but spiritually. 853 00:51:52,250 --> 00:51:56,570 I was hungry, but now I'm satisfied I was empty, now I'm 854 00:51:56,570 --> 00:51:59,890 full. I was lost, but I'm found. 855 00:52:00,610 --> 00:52:02,970 I was confused, but now I see His compassion. 856 00:52:03,610 --> 00:52:06,970 Lord, may that be the testimony of those in here who don't know 857 00:52:06,970 --> 00:52:08,970 you. And Lord, for those who know 858 00:52:08,970 --> 00:52:12,050 you, we thank you. That you've searched it out for 859 00:52:12,050 --> 00:52:14,170 us, that we can leave here more encouraged. 860 00:52:14,170 --> 00:52:17,850 That our tomorrows are taken care of, that you care for us in 861 00:52:17,850 --> 00:52:20,810 every way possible, and that there is no God like our God. 862 00:52:21,130 --> 00:52:23,170 In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 863 00:52:23,210 --> 00:52:25,450 Oh, we just stand. Yes, stand. 864 00:52:25,450 --> 00:52:28,530 You can get excited. It's the House of God and 865 00:52:28,530 --> 00:52:29,770 worship the Lord. Jesus. 866 00:52:30,530 --> 00:52:30,610 The.