Mark chapter 6 and meet me there in verse 30.
We'll give some people more time before we begin to read the
scriptures. Mark 6:30.
Perhaps I can say this. Because I don't think it hurts.
But recently, I've been Disturbed disturbed by the
amount of false teaching that is being uploaded and shared the
things that are going viral, the things that are being
propagated. And it's almost overwhelming.
I'm not online much, but just a few weeks ago, I had the chance
to scroll through and I am curious to see what's popular
from time to time and evangelicalism and it's just
bad. It's just so bad.
And Jesus told us in Matthew 24, that one of the prominent signs
of the end times, is that there will be deception increasing
deception, believer. Please be careful what you
watch. Be careful who you listen to be
careful of sensationalism. Be careful of people who present
testimonies with their Doctrine and even present signs and
wonders behind their teachings. Be careful.
Cling to the word of God. Hold tight to your Bible, read
it study, it saturate your mind with it constantly because it's
only going to get worse even the Lord himself said that there
will be such sweet Being deception in the lands that
perhaps elect, right? He even said it can be so
persuasive. So magnetic that the elect would
be even tempted in some sense. So be extremely cautious with
what's going out there and you'll be safe as long as you
are close to the word of God. And that's why we love the word
of God, not because it just protects us from deception and
false teachings but because it is the Word of Life To whom
shall we go. Lord, you have the words of
eternal life. So, Mark 6:30 the words of
eternal life. Before I read these verses, I
want to tell you ahead of time that the miracle that you and I
are about to serve a together is one of the most notable.
And one of the most remembered demonstrations of Christ
Majesty. In all of the Gospels, And
perhaps it's familiarity to many of us is because of the
originality and the memorability of this particular demonstration
of power but maybe also because of its emphasis in the word of
God. What do I mean by that?
This particular Supernatural occurrence is the only miracle
That is found in every gospel account.
Many of Jesus notable Miracles have been shared by the synoptic
gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, but there is only one unless you
count. The resurrection.
There is only one miracle that you will find in.
Matthew Mark, Luke and John. And that is the miracle that is
before us today. Now, it is believed the monk
most that 90% of what? John the Apostle writes in his
gospel account is unique. 90% meaning 10%, is something that
you might find in the other gospel accounts, this miracle is
within that ten percent bracket. And it is a powerful story to
something that again you and I are very familiar with and if
you haven't already peaked at your Bible, then let me tell you
what it is. It is the feeding of the five
thousand. That might be a misleading title
because we were just told that there are 5,000 men who were
present when Christ did this awesome work of multiplication,
but if you think about it, if you include women and children,
there could be anything between 10 to 20 thousand people that
Jesus fed miraculously at one time.
And so, this, this glorious moment is something that we
know. But my prayer is that we would
look deeper beyond the obvious surface level truth.
Clearly This event is significant enough for the Holy
Spirit to included in every gospel account.
And that as you read through these gospel accounts, you would
come again to encounter this testimony and my prayer is
simply to go through these verses because I am fully
convinced that there is no way. That in one single session, you
can get all that this text has to offer at least in depth.
But we will pray fully trust that as we come before the word
of God today, that the Lord will provide exactly what he is.
Nine to provide us through these verses because as much as we
believe and going through the scriptures verse by verse right,
chapter by chapter, we need the Holy Spirit to still help us and
speak to us. And even in moments like this to
speak, particularly to our own Hearts.
Let's this just become a lecture week after week and so join me
in prayer before we come to this word Lord we do.
Thank you for the word of God and Lord, we do look to you with
absolute faith and hunger in our hearts that this word is indeed
the true word. The only truth, the truth, that
sets free and Lord with absolute reverence and desire for your
name to be glorified. We ask that this presentation,
this declaration of your word would not be mixed with any
error, any personal opinions, any confusion, and how we hear
it. Lord, let there be absolute
Clarity and more than Clarity, we pray for power, we pray for
conviction, we pray for comfort. We pray that you You threw this
word today would speak into our lives, even into some situations
that we might need answers for Lord.
We lean into your bosom and we trust that we will hear your
heart and Jesus name we pray. Amen.
We read. Mark 6:30.
The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had
done and taught. And he sent to them, come away
by yourselves to a desolate place.
And rest awhile for many were coming and going, and they had
no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat
to a desolate place by themselves.
Now, many saw them going and recognize them and they ran
their on foot from all the towns in got there ahead of them.
When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd and he had
compassion on them because they were like sheep.
Without a Shepherd, I read the verses that you and I heard from
last week to bring you to remembrance about why it is that
the disciples and Jesus are heading towards a specific
Direction. We know here that the Lord has
organized a retreat for his men. They have come back from a
preaching tour and they are exhausted understandably song
and the Lord seeing their need wants to help them escape to a
desolate place for some private rest and the disciples who just
returned from sharing. Also had it fresh in their
minds, the news of John, the Baptist death.
And this also might have been a blow to their own hearts and the
gracious savior here. Using all that they needed says,
let's go. And with that goal set before
him you and I just learned, we just saw that.
There are people who have been watching them, who constantly
watch Jesus, who are longing for a touch who might have mixed
motives. But are helplessly drawn to him.
They learned about their departure and so with their own
calculations they figure out where they might go.
Maybe they heard, were they exactly were going to go and so
they having their eyes on that boat from the Assure begin to
walk on foot. The news started to spread in a
huge crowd, began to make their way to this place, that Jesus
and the disciples were playing to be alone in.
And as they got there, they waited on the shore and there
was a multitude of people, and you would think now, After all
that happened, all the recent events.
The last thing, if you put yourself in the shoes of those
disciples that you want to see, is a bunch of people waiting for
you to serve them for, who knows, how long, who knows what
taking Jesus away from you, taking you away from your
disciples and your friends and your ministry Partners, put
yourself in their sandals for a moment.
Would you there you are on this boat promised.
Some kind of repose At least it was planned.
And as you approach the dock. There you see people and you
can't make out what it is exactly because it can't be.
It can't be people that are covering those Hills and sure
enough you begin to make out faces and different clothings
and everything is interrupted. Everything is sabotage.
And you were anticipating this time to recharge.
You were just finishing serving, people bouncing from City to
City, worn out by recent travels.
And here. You are thinking that this place
is going to be desolate, but in fact, it is populated.
What about the Lord? What about the Lord, who is the
one who organized this trip? How would you feel if you were
the the planner behind your ministry, leaders getting away
from the hustle and the bustle. Muscle.
So that they can receive natural rest for a while in order to for
them to return, back to their service.
And no matter what your feelings might be, I can imagine if we're
honest, things would be bubbling up inside and they won't be the
probably nicest feelings. Regardless of what you might
confess, how strongly, would they contrast with the feelings
that Jesus felt when he saw this site?
Because the spirit tells us explicitly here that when Jesus
saw them, he felt compassion. Not irritation, not
disappointment, not angst. Deep sincere, heart stirring
compassion. and I'm not sure about you, when I read this, the
other day, the mention of the deep compassion of Christ,
challenged me deeply You know, what you, and I would see as an
interruption Jesus saw as an opportunity.
What you and I would probably interpret a self-centeredness
Jesus viewed as helplessness. What you would feel to be a
burden, Jesus, esteemed as a blessing.
And you know, we look at the text and we look at just the
holistic view of Christ and we know as Christians that we are
supposed to be like, Jesus, that should be our ambition.
I don't know what people mean by that though.
When they understand walking and following in the steps of Jesus
is that the preach like Jesus do Miracles like Jesus know the
scriptures like Jesus. Are you challenged by The
Compassion of Jesus? It's the simple things that
don't really attract us, but it's the very things that make
who Christ is. And if you are a person in this
place and I pray to God that you are you long to be molded and
shaped to be like Christ in your contacts?
Christ, in your context you might not be able to raise the
dead but you can surely be patient and loving If you long
to be like Christ, aren't you blessed this afternoon to know
that the holy spirit gives us an insight to bring us that much
closer to the compassion of Jesus, at least to reflect it.
At least two reflected as closely as possible.
Because we are told not just that Jesus was compassionate.
We are given the reason at least a strong reason why he was
compassionate. And the reason why Christ was
overwhelmed with pity for these people was because we just read
it here because in verse 34 they were like sheep without a
shepherd. This is how Jesus perceived
people and his perception of people produced a level of
compassion. And that tells me something
about how I can see compassion grow in my own life and my own
heart in my own world. Do I see people the way Christ
sees people? And the way Jesus perceived
these people is like we just said here sheep without a
Shepherd sheep are extremely, vulnerable creatures, and
they're exposed to so much danger when they don't have a
supervisor over them. They are defenseless, they are
directionless when they don't have a Shepherd, guiding them,
providing for them. Protecting they are obviously
set up for being malnourished and being led astray and getting
lost and losing sight. Of where they're supposed to be
next and, and filth accumulates because our Shepherd is required
to regularly. Clean them.
And to take care of them. And the reality is the physical
realities of a sheep. Without a Shepherd is exactly
how the Lord and the Holy Spirit here tells us what people are
like without Christ. They're just like that.
Wandering confused exposed susceptible to so much problems
and so much Danger. No matter how they clothed
themselves, no matter their riches, no matter their
education, people without Christ are like sheep without a
shepherd, and when Jesus saw this, it moved him, it moved his
heart. And I think that is critical for
us. Believers in this time.
Do you know why? Because it's very
understandable. So don't hear me. saying
anything wrong here or Or minimizing the emotions that we
should feel about what's going on in our world.
It's very understandable to be angry.
To be disgusted, infuriated, especially with all the agendas,
and all the narratives that are being pushed, not just on
people, but on children, all the deception and all the lies.
I get it. Righteous indignation is, is
totally valid and totally understandable, but you got to
be careful. Believe you got to be extremely
careful because you and I even feeling those feelings can feel
it and allow it to bring us to a place where we prefer judgment
over. See.
We're we feel this anger and Truth Seekers and Truth speakers
can end up like Jonah believers. If you don't think it's possible
for a servant of God to be hardened by might not might not
the church by the world, and their standards, and their
behavior, and their actions and their convictions, the whole
book of Jonah is about that. will you can allow yourself to
actually find greater pleasure and seeing wrath poured out
instead of Grace poured out and Jonah is an Incredible Book for
a people who are in the midst of a corrupt people.
And when he was told to go out to the city of Nineveh and to
preach, he was so reluctant because of the history of those
people, what they did to others and what kind of crimes, they
committed against different nations, this man who
represented, God was more willing to see again, judgement
than anything else and God teaches him, as much as he
teaches the ninevites about his character, do you remember how
the Book of Jonah ends? It ends with a question?
Then and there is no answer following it and I believe the
reason one reason why ends with a question is for the reader to
answer for themselves? Let me remind you how the Book
of Jonah ends, God speaks to Jonah and Jonah for 11 and it
reads. And should I not pity?
Should I not pity Nineveh the great City in?
Which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know
their right hand from their left and also much cattle.
What a compact adverse filled with compassion?
Should I not pity the ninevites? No Jonah.
Should I not and there's so many things about this verse.
The first thing is how he knows the number of the citizens.
He could have just said the great city of Nineveh he said,
no there are there are little bit more than 120,000 who occupy
that City. Do you know why?
The number is mentioned because he cares for each one of them
The city of Chicago hose close to three million people.
Do you doubt for a moment that God has compassion and pity?
For each one of them. He's the same God, he mentions
the number because he numbered them and he cares for them and
he Longs for them to be rescued from their sin, which brings us
to the next point. He not only mentions the
population but their moral condition, they have no sense of
guidance. They don't know their right from
their left. And the idea there is that they
have no Revelation, there's natural Revelation, but they
don't have the personal understanding of how to be in
the will of God and how to walk in the fullness of the will of
God. And this moved God's heart.
Well, didn't God want to judge them.
He did wanted the judge them and he will judge all men, but
that's not his primary desire. Now, is it, if that was his
primary desire, he wouldn't have commissioned, Jonah.
And the first place, the very reason why he sends Jonah to
this ignorant people. This vicious people is so that
they would be warned and then being warned they would respond
and then repent. And that's exactly what
happened. And so, the Lord, when he looks
upon a vile people, a vile Nation, his primary feelings,
toward them, is I long to heal them from their spiritual
blindness. I long to give them the leading
that we can rescue them from their depravity.
That's God's primary desire. No matter how perverted, no
matter how dark, no matter how ugly they may be due to their
sin. God's primary longing is for
them to be Lee transformed by his love.
And the comfort that comes from this verse convicts me, you say,
why does it convict you? Because of what he said to Jonah
before it and verse 10 of Jonah, chapter 4.
Look what he says and the Lord said you, pitied the plant.
You pity the plant for which you did not labor.
Nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and
perished in a night. So, you know, the story, I hope
there's Jonah waiting. Looking over the city, perhaps
thinking that God's going to change his mind and actually,
blow it all up, God doesn't change his mind, but he gives
Jonah an object lesson because sometimes you have to treat
adults like children. And so, he does this object
lesson, right? He greets his plan to grow and
it gives him shade there and the desert heat.
And then in 24 hours, it Withers and dies.
And his beautiful head is exposed to the sun again and
he's frustrated because he's uncomfortable and and the Lord
He brings that out of Jonah to show him something and it's
something that actually speaks of some Believers,
unfortunately. You are upset about this plant
dying, more than people dying. Think about that.
That is that is precisely what is being taught here and again
it points to the potential of the believer what do you mean
Believers can be so invested and so concerned with the materials
of this life Even more than about the faith of men's Souls.
That convicted me, I can get more.
Concerned and moved and lose sleep at night about things that
will perish. One day things that I'm not
taking with me. Those things can actually occupy
my energy, my thoughts, More than the fate of people's
Eternal destinations. And there's his, how can that
be? Well, it's possible.
And when I see Jesus here, showing compassion feeling
compassion. It's supposed to cause you to
say, oh, God, make me like you when I see a lost world.
Help me desire, help me live. Help me be bold enough to pursue
people's reconciliation with you and not to give up on them and
not to just give them over to their own sin without doing
something about it. It's really easy to preach this
stuff, right? Like, okay, you're preaching.
It may God help us to do it and I include myself in that.
So he felt compassion, but we read in verse 35 of Mark 6 and
he began to teach them many things.
Ascended verse 34, which is interesting Jesus having
compassion, taught them the truth, remember that?
And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said,
this is a desolate place and the hour is now late.
Send them away to go into the surrounding Countryside and
Villages and buy themselves, something to eat.
So here the disciples. Now, this turned to a crusade,
this turn to a conference. Thousands are sitting there and
the disciples which I believe here are being very
understandable and and compassion in their own, right?
Recognize the lateness of the afternoon and realize where
these people came from and understood that we might have a
problem here and here's the problem.
If we keep these people long enough, they're not going to be
able to get back to the town's enough, the quick enough, and
then purchase the food to have dinner.
They probably haven't eaten all day.
And so, we need to make sure that they arrive on time.
And so they bring this problem to the Lord and they were right
in bringing this problem to the Lord.
But they made a mistake that often we make when we bring
problems to the Lord, and when we try to seek for a solution,
genuine matters, genuine issues that we want to see come to
succeed. They told the Lord.
This is a desolate Place. Sure.
The Lord knew that the hour is now late.
I'm sure he knew that to send them away to go into the
surrounding Countryside and Villages and buy themselves,
something to eat. They approached Jesus and that
was right, but they approached Jesus with a preconceived
already prepared prescription and expected Jesus to honor it.
This is how we pray sometimes. Sometimes if not a lot of the
times, our prayers are not getting counsel from God by
giving him counsel. And we want that specific
opportunity or we want that specific person or we want this
kind of future and we tell God exactly how to do it.
Not just that went to do it and we think this is what prayer is
Should prayer be specific, absolutely, but be open to how
God would answer it because God will always answer better than
you think. So, they're giving counsel, but
I believe there's more going on here, could it be?
Could it be? That the disciples here are
telling Christ to dismiss the crowds, and to have them leave,
and go back with their own way because they, in their limited
faith. Don't really understand how he
can solve it. Healing The Sick.
We've seen Jesus do that casting out Devils.
You can cast out many of them, at the same time, raising the
Dead, all raising the Dead. The Lord can raise the dead,
feeding the multitudes, feeding the multitudes.
Making food come out of what? Where?
I believe the disciples at this point in their walk with the
Lord, had a category in their minds that they could not
understand Christ occupying. They could see and they can
believe Jesus doing many things. But when it came to this
specific issue, they could not see how Christ was relevant.
They could not see how his will his word.
His wisdom, his power. Could be applicable.
And you think this is just the disciples hold on there, my dear
brother, my dear sister it's not just the disciples.
How many of us? Oh yes, we I surrender all you
can do all things. Okay good good, wonderful
beautiful, hold on. How many of us practically
speaking spiritually speaking have categories in our own
Hearts, where we really don't see how Christ can really bring
solution to. Seeing brother.
What do you mean? Maybe it's because throughout
Ministry you see different issues and you see people's
approach to it. Yeah, Christ can save my soul
but I don't see how the Bible and how the Holy Spirit can
really bring solution to my marriage.
And you have people fleeing to secular psychologists fleeing to
worldly wisdom, because Jesus is good for Sunday.
But he's not really, this is real life.
Here we need real real, salute tangible ideas, not just Sunday
School Stories and so I got to take care of my business.
The way I think I need to take care of my business.
This is money here. This is not lessons for how you
can, you can do better. In life.
And so whether it's business or whether it's my marriage or
whether it's my children and their waywardness, and with all
these advancements and all these new ideas and these new
technologies of evil. How is a 2000 year old story?
Going to help my kid get out of drugs.
How is it 2,000? Year-old story going to deliver
my kids from gangs. And so it's just kind of like
fluff to us. It's just like, you know, And
the point of this miracle, it's one of the many important points
is that he can solve anything. He can raise the debt and he can
make bread appear out of thin air.
The whole idea of this miracle is the disciples have reached a
ceiling in their understanding of Christ capability.
And now that ceiling is about to be extended And so they come to
the Lord. And they say why don't you just
send him away? And let them deal with this, on
their own and Jesus. Here says, you got it all wrong
and one of the Gospel accounts he says they don't need to go
away. They don't need to go away.
They can stay right here. And I think that's something for
us to consider. This Christ applied to
everything or there's some things that just seem irrelevant
to your faith. Learn to pray about everything.
Learn to trust, God, for everything, bigger, small,
complicated, or simple. God cares.
He really does care. Oh, I wish.
I can tell you stories of how God cares about your furniture,
and he cares about the shoes on your feet.
Yes. He cares about your soul being
saved and escaping hell and all that wonderful things.
But he also cares about what you're going to eat that night.
So what happens while they come up to him with this problem, and
look what Jesus says in verse 37, but he answered them, you
give them something to eat. You give them something to eat,
and they said to him, shall we go and buy 200 denarii worth of
bread and give them to them to eat.
And he said to them, how many loaves do you have go and see?
And when they had found out, they said five and two fish.
I love this interaction between Christ and the twelve.
Because it really sheds light on how prayer works.
This may shock, you. I alluded to prayer earlier but
let me bring it up again. That prayer when it is brought
to God does not promise. This might This Might Sting,
this might shock you, but it's important prayer before God does
not promise. That Christ will solve it
without your participation. Bear with me.
There are things that only God can do right there are things
that only God can do, no doubt. But there are also many things
That Christ expects us to actively be involved in as we
seek and wait for him. How many miracles include human
participation before Christ came through?
And sometimes even after Christ came through, you want to see
wine come to this wedding, fill those jars with water, the
Christ, fill them with water know the servants did.
The servants had to get water and fill those ceremonial jars
with it and then he turned it into wine Lazarus.
With that was, they're trapped in a tomb.
What did Jesus? Say, Stone move Lazarus, Alf.
Clots on bind yourselves that he do that.
No, take away the stone. They took away the stone Lazarus
come out. He came out unloose his cloths
and they did. And now we have Christ ready to
multiply food but he asks him to find some food first and he's
going to ask them to give them seats to sit on, so to speak
before he comes through with his power.
And the idea is very important for you and I to consider in
life that when we pray and we expect Christ to come through
supernaturally. It does not mean that we are not
serving, doesn't mean that we're not organizing.
Doesn't mean that we're not planning.
Does it mean that we are not doing things and the process?
Yes. And there are moments that
prayer will bring about inexplainable testimonies but it
also means that sometimes when you pray, God will give you the
wisdom and instruction that is required for you to take the
next step. And sometimes what prayer will
do is energize you and give you the grace to perform what you
already knew, you need to do. How are they going to eat?
Well, why don't you find whatever food we have here?
First, could Christ have made fish and bread appear in his
hands? Absolutely.
But he invites us. He invites Us by faith.
He invites Us in service to him to participate and be part of
the equation from time to time and that's exactly what's
happening here. And so they go and they find
they find some loaves. They find some fish.
We know that from John's account.
This came from a little boy who obviously brought lunch was
smart enough to ask Mommy to bring lunch for that day.
The little boy gives up what he had.
And it was multiplied to feed thousands, but notice what
happens here. Five, and two fish.
Verse 39. Then he commanded them all to
sit down in groups on the green grass.
So they sat down in groups by hundreds and by fifties, you
know, if you've been here long enough that no versus random No
versus insignificant. Let me read that again.
After they found the food, he commanded them all to sit down
in groups on green grass. More than that.
So they sat down in groups by hundreds and by 50s, Mark is the
only one who gives this detailed.
Organization in comparison to the other gospel accounts.
The only one that comes close to it is Luke where Luke says that
they were organized in groups of 50s.
Mark goes beyond that. He's just hundreds and 50s.
Why would the Holy Spirit inspired?
This gospel account writer, this witness to include in our minds
that they were told to have them sit on Green Grass and then to
organize them in different groups and rows of hundreds and
fifties. Well, do you remember what the
purpose of the Gospel of Mark is to portray Jesus Christ as what
the perfect servant of God? And Jesus Christ, your
commanding for this to take place, says something about how
he serves the father and it's for our instruction.
In our example, the kind of Minister Jesus was, is the kind
of ministry. We ought to be in the kind of
Christians. We ought to be Jesus ministered,
attentively and orderly. Attentively and orderly.
You know, there's a verse that Christians often quote and when
they quote it, they usually apply it for a situation where a
Believer might be confused about a certain thing or a certain
decision and they are comforted with this apparent verse that
brings some kind of clarity to that fogginess of mine and it is
this God is not the author of what.
Confusion, but is a God of Peace.
He's a god of order, right? Can you turn there with me?
Because I know what people mean by that verse, but it's not
about when you have difficulty making a decision.
I'm sorry if I disheartened you, but there's context, go to First
Corinthians 14. Very quickly in verse 33.
I want you to see what Paul meant by the spirit.
When he said that God is not the author of confusion but is a God
of Peace or order. First Corinthians 14:33.
There is the verse for God is not a god of confusion, but of
peace. And we take diverse out and we
apply it as we see fit. And yes, it is true that it has
a broader application and meeting concerning God in his
work in his ways with us but its primary function.
Why Paul said it at this point in First Corinthians 14 is
because he was speaking about the orderly worship service that
Christians ought to have when they meet together.
I don't know if that inflated you or that deflated you What
God is saying here through the Apostle, Paul?
Is that in our worship, what we're doing here in this very
afternoon, this very room whenever you gather with
Believers in our worship, we ought to reflect the nature of
God, and God is not a god of confusion.
He's not a god of chaos. He is not a god of
disorganization. He's a God of Peace.
He's a god of order. He is careful.
And we ought to be the same. You know, when I was growing up
early in my faith, I had people in my life that Associated
spirituality with strange spontaneity, What do I mean by
that? That let me say what I don't
mean by that. What I don't mean by that and I
don't think what they meant by that was that we believe that we
should be open to God's leading that whatever we had hoped or
plan or even prepared. For God can make it very clear
that he wants a different direction.
Amen, we should that is not what these people that I knew, and I
observed meant by this idea of spirituality being synonymous
with spontaneity, What they meant is that there is no need
for Preparation, there is no need for organization.
And that, for whatever reason, if it's chaotic, if it's
spontaneous, if it's unforeseen, then it must be the spirit of
God. And that's dangerous.
For many reasons and there are still churches today that
operate in that fashion where you enter into a meeting and
it's more confusing and unclear than anything else.
And let me say this, many of those assemblies would claim
that such an experienced, such an atmosphere is because of the
Holy Spirit. And that is contrary to the mind
of Paul who is the Apostle of God.
I remember when I went to a conference once and I was
sharing this as many years ago and I met different Believers
and unbelievers introduced himself.
We were getting to know each other and he was talking about
how Spirit-filled his churches. And what God is doing in that
church. And I was listening and he had
made certain comments, and then he said something that never
left me. And I think it speaks to exactly
what Paul meant here. It's a very extreme example, but
it's out there. He said, you know what?
In the middle of the service of the Holy Spirit told somebody to
paint the wall in the church, they would do it.
And that's a that's supposed to be apparently Spirit lead and
holy spirit. Inspiration.
That's exactly what Paul is. Speaking about God is not a god
of confusion. He's a god of order.
And so to enter into an atmosphere, that is eerily
disruptive. And an orderly.
Could actually be saying something.
That the Holy Spirit might not be out an operation here.
At least at some level. But what God wants to see is
peace but not just peace because don't now here's the other
extreme you have people that want peace and order but they're
dead. And you don't want that either.
Lifeless, I don't know why in our Evangelical world.
We have two extremes either have to be chaotic and that's
synonymous with passionate but you're not you're not
bible-based or your bible-based but you're dead as a stick.
Why not be bible-based and be alive and be passionate and be
filled with the spirit and be excited.
You have the truth Back to Mark chapter 6.
In Mark chapter 6, we are told. Jesus commanded them.
To sit down in groups on the green grass.
I love that. Even the green grass is
mentioned. Why?
It's comfortable. I know it's not deep.
Hey, there's a lot of green grass here.
Let's make sure that they are cushioned as they sit, you know,
because some people think spirituality means that you have
to inflict pain on yourself and make things uncomfortable to
show, just how serious we are about serving God, that we will
suffer for his name. Well, you don't have to suffer
if suffering is not God's will in this season of your life.
It's okay to think about these things and I love how Jesus
thinks about these things. There's some green grass there.
if that will make people more comfortable, And let's sit them
down and organize them because this can get like a mob and we
don't want to do that. Now, do we let's have them
order. Lisa and we'll have the
disciples. Wait on them it'll be it'll be
beautiful Christ is so practical.
He thinks about these things. It's okay to think about these
things. Okay, so avoid extremes here.
I love how it's in Mark of all the gospel accounts, but I think
there's something else about these Green Pastures.
There are a lot of things and I think one of the reasons why
this Miracles and every single gospel account, is because it
alludes to many Old Testament pictures, right?
Especially in John chapter 6, which parallels, this account
where you have Jesus doing this miracle in the people concluded.
This is the profit that we've been waiting for, and it mirrors
the Moses, like, Who provided Manna in the wilderness.
He's the greater one the Moses, right?
He's the greater Moses, but I think there are even more than
that there are. There are future prophetic
implications of this of how the law.
Lord right will come and bring a feast to his own.
That's Isaiah, there's so many, so many, so many, so many
pictures. And I think one of them is
something that you and I know very well, let me let me recap
this for you here, you have Jesus coming into the scene and
he feels compassion because they're like sheep without a
shepherd. And now as he entered sins, he
teaches them and he feeds them and then he places them on green
grass. The Lord is my shepherd.
I shall not want. He makes me lie down on Green
Pastures. Yeah, the Lord Yahweh is my
shepherd. Jesus is my shepherd, Jesus is
Yahweh and he makes me lie down. I love the wording of that.
He makes me lie down. You know why?
Because he knows what you need more than what you know.
So, he takes these people, and he places them, and he not only
feeds them with the truth. The truth about the kingdom of
God, but he feeds their belly and energizes their bodies.
He's the all-encompassing shepherd who's not just
concerned for your soul. But concerned again, about your
frame. And he makes me lie down, right?
He knows exactly. When to put me where to put me
and how long to put me there, he knows what to provide for me.
What to remove from me. He is the perfect leader of my
life. So you have Christ here in some
way. Fulfilling Psalm 23 in a very
real way. And what's Happening Here is
he's not just shepherding, he's not just shepherding their
souls, he shepherding all that they are When Christ is your
Lord, that's what you can expect in your life.
That's what you can really believe God for.
And I think what makes us more worried than anything else?
It's not about our souls getting to Heaven.
It's about how we're going to pay our bills in the next few
months or what. We're going to wear to the
wedding and that's precisely what Jesus taught about.
Don't get caught up with the food and with the clothing.
Right. It's not the big things that
often worry us that still, that is the case.
It's often a little things that occupy our time, and keep us up
and make us run around. When Christ is Shepherd, he's
Shepherd overall absolutely everything and these people
would know it and I'll tell you and closing who's going to
really really know what his own disciples, hold on to that
thought but what happens verse 41 and taking the Five Loaves
and the two fish he looked up to heaven.
And said a blessing and broke the Loaves and gave them to the
disciples to set before the people.
And he divided the two, fish among them all, and they all ate
and we're satisfied. You know, this miracle is
impressive for many reasons. And one of the things that
impresses me is that we are not given the mechanics behind it.
He just multiplies it. I don't know how that looked.
I don't know what happened. Did he pull it out of a basket
that it just appear in his hands?
I don't, it doesn't say and there's reason for that, right?
We're supposed to just trust in this.
But what's incredible, here is the principle that out of
nothing. Can come something.
And this is not just for these people, this is not just for a
moment's time where the people would receive something.
This is a lesson for all time. I'm going to prove that to you
in closing but what I want you to see here is just that the
Lord the Lord is completely aware and completely present and
completely capable of providing. And as these people are sitting
there and enjoying all that is being provided for something
happens. You know what makes me?
So blessed by the story. Is the disciples the miracle?
Yes the prophetic illusion sure. All these connections are
wonderful but it's the disciples we started with the disciples
and we end with the disciples. They were supposed to come here
for a retreat and they ended up becoming Waiters this whole
thing was planned so that they could rest and now they are
running around organizing people answering questions.
When is the food coming? When is our turn and I'm sure
those were asked and then serving them.
And it makes you wonder, because Jesus is idea in verse 31 was
Come Away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.
Catch your breath. Pause.
Rejuvenate and what I see in the following verses everything, but
rest. And, but taking a breath.
Jesus, forget about them. The Christ lose sight of his
own. You know, you have a lot of
Servants of God who feel that way they just give and give and
give and give and they don't perceive what what they get out
of it. Or they don't know of God, will
take care of them. And yet something happens at the
end at this is the way, the story ends, it's verse 42, and
they all ate, and we're satisfied, a picture of physical
satisfaction, but something that Christ gives us of himself,
spiritual satisfaction, verse 43.
And they took up twelve, baskets full of broken pieces and the
fish and those who ate the loaves were 5000 men.
When you go to John 6 and you read there in verse 12, we are
told that the disciples that they are the disciples, the
disciples were instructed. At the end of this glorious,
banquet to go and get the pieces that were untouched and to
gather them together. People.
Look at this and teach about how God is Not wasteful and how we
should not be wasteful with the leftovers of our lives, and
that's all true. But is it a coincidence that
there's 12 baskets? Coincidence 12 baskets for how
many disciples that were called to pick up the fragments 12.
Coincidence. No, no, no perfect provision.
That in gathering. These twelve baskets.
I have a hunch. It was for the 12th servants.
Same brother. I made may be reading too much
into that. No, I'm not and I'll prove it to
you because there was a time when the disciples again were
without food. They only had one loaf and they
were traveling again and they began to talk about their their
need. And go there and Mark to see
what Jesus says to these 12 the same 12 who gathered up this.
Set of leftovers. Mark 8 16 and they began
discussing with one. Another, the fact that they had
no bread and Jesus aware of this said to them, why are you
discussing the fact that you have no bread?
Do you not yet perceive or understand?
Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes, do you not see
having ears? Do you not hear and do you not
remember? Now, look at this, when I broke
the Five Loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full
of broken pieces, did you take up?
They set to him 12. And the seven for the 4000,
which is another miracle coming down the line.
How many baskets full of broken pieces that you take up and they
said to him, seven will explore the seven when we get there and
he said to them, do you not yet understand?
Understand what that I can feed. Thousands of people, no
understand this. That I can feed you.
They were talking about how there was no bread and Jesus.
Looking at them as a teacher would, after demonstrate not
giving to sermons about it showing into amazing ways, how
he can actually provide, he, you don't get it yet, you don't
understand it yet. How notice he could have said
how many people that I feed out of nothing and they would have
said 5,000 and then 4,000 but he doesn't say that.
He says how many pieces? How many baskets did you pick up
after the Miracles 12? Seven.
Why would he bring up the baskets?
Because the baskets were for them?
And so, when these disciples who yet again sacrifice another day
to serve the Lord, and yet again had another Interruption to
their schedule and yet again gave more of themselves.
Jesus through this miracle intentionally calls for the
leftovers to be picked up because Jesus, yes, Jesus
perfectly knew that 12 baskets would be the measure and that
each of them would have a basket in their name.
Proving what? When you serve him, he takes
care of you. When you serve him, he will take
care of you perfectly. And sometimes you see that at
the beginning, sometimes you see it in the middle sometimes you
see it at the end of the matter. But one thing is for certain, he
has you in mind, you know what this tells me as much as Jesus
had compassion for the thousands Jesus had compassion for his
servants. He cared about those who serve
you can guarantee this for yourself.
If you serve God, he will show up.
He will never ever let his servants down.
He might make you wait a little bit.
He might make you serve in a manner in which you might not
immediately perceive it, but it is coming and the Lord will come
through and you will know his compassion for you.
Not just his compassion through you.
I love that. And I can testify today.
Of eight years of serving the lord.
Jesus, my basket has always been full and as you serve, the Lord
Jesus, you can guarantee that you will know his fullness and
he will make you lie down by Green Pastures and he will bring
you by Still Waters. Does that mean that you will go
through life as somewhat propose?
Without testimonies and without trials, and without the need to
call upon him. Know, the very same people who
experience. The twelve baskets came to a
point in Mark 8 where they felt like they had nothing.
Why? Because God forgotten oh because
God wants your faith. And he's not just going to
endlessly Supply without interruption everything that you
ever need, so that you don't have to worry.
You don't have to wake. Yes, you should never worry.
But to bring you two moments where you actually have to pause
and trust and call upon his name, he will do that
frequently. But every single time he will
come through This is what it's all about.
And I want to encourage the Servants of God in this house
today as the example of Jesus Christ has and this chapter
Christ was a compassionate Minister.
He actually loved the people that he served and especially
the lost the S, the Lost. He had compassion towards them.
But Christ was also a orderly Minister which is important for
us as a church growing up and wanting to see God do many
things. Remember that the spirit of God
is a God of Peace, not a god of confusion And he is a God who
helps his servants as they seek to help him and serve him and
honor him. If you're in a place today where
you are in need, I want to close this time by praying for your
faith to sustain you for God, to come through, because he will
come through and how you can worship and trust him as you.
Wait on him, he is faithful. Let's pray.
Lord, we thank you for this text.
Thank you for what it teaches us though.
We know that there is so much more in these verses that we can
understand and apply and worship you for.
But for now, We have eaten and we are satisfied.
Lord, as we said before, this prayer we want to, we want to
seek you for the various needs of this house, specifically for
those who give their time, their resources, their energy to
honoring, you and glorifying you.
If there is a particular want, if there is a dilemma in their
lives, Lord, we just pray that this story would Infuse enough
faith for them to continue to serve and believe that you will
come through at the right time. And Lord as perhaps some might
be waiting for a miracle believing you to come through
for something that they can't do on their own, may they be
sensitive enough to your spirit to know what you ask them to do
in this particular situation. and so Lord, even as a church,
as we're believing you for many things, as we're believing you
for the future of this place, a new building Growing Ministries.
Whatever the case may be loyal, we will, we will, we will
continue to serve you in the midst and we will continue to
pray as we wait, and we will continue to sing and rejoice for
the season that we are in believing that those baskets
will come and believing that you have not forgotten us as we have
Faithfully served. You, you are a good God lord.
We worship you. We worship you because you have
spoken to our hearts this afternoon.
We thank you for Angie's baptism.
May your hand be on. Her life.
We thank you for every saint. In this place, may your hand
continue to be on their lives for the person in this place
that there's a know. You may they see the compassion
of Jesus Christ that it is not just for then it is for them.
Now here today that they would respond by surrendering to you
as the ninevites then and repenting and turning from their
sin. Realizing that you are the one
who gives life and life abundant and Jesus name we pray.
Amen. And I let stand Church and
worship.