New Testament Studies: Mark (7): Chapter 6 v1 to 56 -- David Pawson
Summary
TLDRThe video script presents a profound exploration of Jesus' ministry as narrated in Mark's Gospel, chapter 6. It delves into the various reactions and misunderstandings that Jesus faced, highlighting the human tendency to take offense and the limitations of familiarity. The narrative underscores Jesus' compassion and wisdom, as he heals the sick, teaches profound lessons, and performs miracles such as the multiplication of loaves and fishes. The summary also touches upon the disciples' mission, their dependency on Jesus, and the importance of recognizing the supernatural in everyday acts of service. The video concludes with a reflection on the balance between planned and spontaneous acts in ministry, and a prayer for understanding and open-mindedness towards Jesus' true nature and mission.
Takeaways
- 📜 The Gospel of Mark chapter 6 depicts Jesus encountering disbelief and rejection in his hometown, highlighting the challenge of being a prophet in one's own country.
- 🧙 Jesus demonstrates his divine power by healing a few and marveling at the unbelief of his people, emphasizing the spiritual barriers that can impede his miracles.
- 🚣♂️ Jesus sends out his disciples two by two, granting them authority over unclean spirits and instructing them to rely on the hospitality and generosity of others during their mission.
- 🦅 King Herod's fear and superstition upon hearing of Jesus' works lead to the mistaken belief that John the Baptist has been resurrected, reflecting the confusion and misconceptions about Jesus' identity and purpose.
- ⚖️ Herod's decision to behead John the Baptist, influenced by his wife Herodias, showcases the tragic consequences of political and personal corruption intertwined with religious authority.
- 🍞 The feeding of the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish illustrates Jesus' compassion, resourcefulness, and the supernatural multiplication of limited resources to meet the needs of the masses.
- 🚣♂️ Jesus' command for his disciples to embark on their own to find peace signifies the importance of solitude and rest in ministry, as well as the trust he places in them.
- 🌪 Jesus' act of walking on water to comfort his distressed disciples demonstrates his divine nature and serves as a reminder of God's omnipresence and ability to calm the storms of life.
- 🤲 The people's desire to touch the 'fringe of his garment' for healing reflects the faith and the physical manifestation of their belief in Jesus' divine power to heal.
- 🌐 Jesus' ministry, as portrayed in Mark's Gospel, is a blend of planned activities and spontaneous encounters, teaching us to be prepared for both and to be responsive to the needs of others.
- 🙏 The prayer at the end of the transcript is a call for an open mind and heart to truly understand Jesus, to follow his teachings, and to minister in his name without misunderstanding his purpose.
Q & A
What was the initial reaction of the people in Jesus' hometown when he began teaching in the synagogue?
-The people in Jesus' hometown were astonished by his wisdom and the works he performed. However, they were also skeptical because they knew him as the carpenter, the son of Mary, and were aware of his family connections, which led them to take offense at him.
Why was Jesus unable to perform mighty works in his hometown?
-Jesus was unable to perform mighty works in his hometown due to the people's lack of faith and their familiarity with him, which bred contempt. Their unbelief placed a limit on his ability to work miracles among them.
How did Jesus instruct his disciples when he sent them out on their mission?
-Jesus instructed his disciples to travel light, not to take extra staff, bread, bag, or money. He also told them to stay in one house when they entered a place and to shake off the dust from their feet as a testimony against any place that did not receive them.
What was the reaction of King Herod when he heard about Jesus' works?
-King Herod was disturbed by the news of Jesus' works. He was confused about Jesus' identity, with some suggesting he was John the Baptist raised from the dead, others that he was Elijah, and others that he was a prophet like the old prophets.
Why did Herod order the execution of John the Baptist?
-Herod ordered the execution of John the Baptist because John had publicly condemned Herod's marriage to Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, which was unlawful. Herod, influenced by Herodias, wanted to kill John, but hesitated due to his fear of the people, who considered John a righteous and holy man. The opportunity to kill John arose during a banquet when Herod, under the influence of his guests and a promise made to Herodias's daughter, granted her request for John's head.
How did Jesus demonstrate his compassion for the large crowd that followed him to a lonely place?
-Jesus demonstrated his compassion by teaching the crowd many things, recognizing that they were like sheep without a shepherd. Even when his disciples suggested sending the crowd away to find food, Jesus instructed them to feed the people, which led to the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 with just five loaves of bread and two fish.
What was the significance of Jesus walking on water, as described in the script?
-Jesus walking on water was a demonstration of his divine power and authority. It was also a means to reassure and encourage his disciples, who were distressed by the rough sea conditions. This act was meant to strengthen their faith and trust in him.
Why did the people in Gennesaret recognize Jesus and bring the sick to him?
-The people in Gennesaret recognized Jesus because of his previous works and miracles. They had seen him heal others and thus brought the sick to him in the hope that they too would be healed, demonstrating their faith in his healing abilities.
What was the mistake of the people who only sought physical healing from Jesus, as mentioned in the script?
-The mistake of the people was that they misunderstood the purpose of Jesus' mission. They sought physical healing and blessings without recognizing his true mission, which was to offer spiritual salvation and forgiveness of sins, not just physical healing.
How did Jesus' ministry involve both planned and spontaneous acts, as described in the script?
-Jesus' ministry involved a mix of planned acts, such as teaching in the synagogue and sending out his disciples, as well as spontaneous acts that arose in response to the needs of the people he encountered, like healing the sick and multiplying the loaves and fishes to feed the 5,000.
What is the lesson for Christians regarding the use of resources and the concept of God's mathematics, as mentioned in the script?
-The lesson for Christians is to be considerate, organized, and efficient in the use of resources, even though God has infinite resources. 'God's mathematics' refers to the principle of giving away to gain, emphasizing that when you share what you have, you can experience an increase in blessings.
Outlines
😀 Introduction to Mark's Gospel and Jesus' Teachings
This paragraph introduces the setting of Mark's Gospel, specifically chapter 6, where Jesus returns to his hometown. It describes the initial astonishment of the locals at his wisdom and works, their offense upon recognizing him as the local carpenter, and their disbelief despite his miracles. The paragraph also details Jesus sending out his disciples two by two, giving them power over unclean spirits and instructing them on the essentials for their journey. It concludes with the apostles returning to Jesus and his subsequent teaching and miracles among the people.
🍞 The Feeding of the Five Thousand
This paragraph narrates the miraculous event of Jesus feeding a large crowd with just five loaves of bread and two fish. It describes how Jesus instructed the people to sit in groups and, after giving thanks, he miraculously multiplied the small amount of food to satisfy over five thousand men, with twelve baskets of leftovers. It also touches on Jesus' post-miracle activities, including sending his disciples ahead, praying alone, and walking on water to reach his disciples in a storm.
🌍 Jesus' Travels and the Misunderstandings He Faced
The paragraph discusses the geographical movements of Jesus during his ministry, emphasizing the political fragmentation of Palestine at the time and how it influenced Jesus' travels for security and teaching purposes. It also delves into the misunderstandings and loneliness of Jesus, highlighting the lack of recognition and acceptance he received from those who knew him since his youth. The paragraph further explores the attitudes people had towards Jesus and the incidents that demonstrated these attitudes.
🙏 The Challenge of Familiarity and Faith
This paragraph explores the theme of familiarity breeding contempt, using the example of Jesus' hometown, Nazareth, where his miracles were not recognized due to the locals' familiarity with him. It discusses the impact of faithlessness on Jesus' ability to perform miracles and challenges the reader to reconsider their expectations and beliefs in their own religious contexts. The paragraph also introduces the concept of learning through doing, as Jesus sends out his disciples to preach and heal, thereby multiplying his ministry.
🤝 The Ministry of the Twelve Apostles
The paragraph focuses on Jesus sending out the twelve apostles two by two, emphasizing the austerity and authority with which they were sent. It illustrates the importance of learning through experience and the power of teamwork. The narrative includes the apostles' initial timidity and eventual success in preaching, healing, and casting out demons, highlighting the transformative nature of their experiences and the growth of their confidence in performing Jesus' works.
🏰 Herod's Reaction and the Death of John the Baptist
This paragraph details King Herod's response to Jesus' growing influence and the events leading to the death of John the Baptist. It paints Herod as a superstitious and fearful ruler, whose guilty conscience led him to believe that Jesus was a resurrected John. The narrative recounts John's imprisonment and execution, provoked by his public denouncement of Herod's marriage to his brother's wife, Herodias. The paragraph also highlights the moral and spiritual lessons to be drawn from John's martyrdom.
🛶 The Compassion and Miracles of Jesus
The paragraph describes Jesus' compassion for a large crowd that followed him, likening them to sheep without a shepherd. Despite seeking rest, Jesus addresses the crowd's spiritual needs by teaching them. It then recounts the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes, emphasizing Jesus' careful organization and the abundance that resulted from the meager resources at hand. The narrative also touches on the disciples' lack of understanding regarding the supernatural nature of Jesus' miracles.
🙏 Prayer and Discipleship
This paragraph highlights Jesus' practice of prayer amidst growing challenges, including his popularity and the hostility it was attracting. It describes an incident where Jesus walks on water to reach his frightened disciples in a storm, bringing peace upon his arrival. The narrative also reflects on the nature of ministry, emphasizing the importance of planning and being open to spontaneous opportunities to serve others in Jesus' name.
🕊 Conclusion and Prayer for Understanding
The final paragraph summarizes the Galilean ministry of Jesus, noting its end and the approach of Easter, symbolizing increasing hostility towards Jesus. It acknowledges the potential for misunderstanding Jesus' mission and prays for an open mind to truly understand him. The prayer requests guidance to avoid hostility, resentment, and defensiveness, and encourages a desire to follow, learn from, and minister in Jesus' name.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Prophet
💡Unbelief
💡Disciples
💡Miracle
💡Healing
💡Austerity
💡Authority
💡Herod
💡John the Baptist
💡Faith
💡Ministry
Highlights
Jesus' return to Nazareth where he faced skepticism and rejection from those who knew him as a carpenter and doubted his wisdom and miracles.
The limitation of Jesus' power to perform miracles in his hometown due to their lack of faith.
Jesus sending out the twelve disciples two by two to preach, heal, and cast out demons as an extension of his ministry.
The disciples being sent with austerity, relying on the hospitality and generosity of those they visited.
The granting of authority to the disciples to perform exorcisms and healings, marking a significant moment in the early church's ministry.
Herod's superstitious reaction to Jesus' ministry, mistakenly believing Jesus to be John the Baptist resurrected.
The tragic execution of John the Baptist as a result of Herod's guilt and manipulation by Herodias.
Jesus' compassion for the large crowd that followed him, likening them to sheep without a shepherd, and choosing to teach them.
The miraculous feeding of the 5,000 with just five loaves of bread and two fish, demonstrating Jesus' divine provision.
Jesus' instruction to his disciples to gather the leftover fragments after feeding the multitudes as a lesson in efficiency and God's abundance.
The disciples' lack of understanding about the supernatural nature of the loaves and fishes miracle.
Jesus' withdrawal to a solitary place to pray, highlighting his practice of seeking divine guidance amidst growing challenges.
The calming of the storm and Jesus' demonstration of divine power by walking on water to reach his distressed disciples.
The people of Gennesaret recognizing Jesus and bringing their sick to him for healing, showing the spread of his reputation.
The contrast between the faithless response in Nazareth and the faith-filled response in Gennesaret due to familiarity with Jesus' works.
The spiritual lesson on God's mathematics of giving - that by giving away, one gains, and by trying to keep, one loses.
Jesus' ministry being a mix of planned and spontaneous acts, showing his adaptability and responsiveness to human needs.
The prayer for open minds to truly understand Jesus, to follow him, and to minister in his name without misunderstandings.
Transcripts
Mark's gospel chapter 6.
he went away from there and came to his
own country and his disciples followed
him and on the Sabbath he began to teach
in the synagogue and many who held him
were astonished saying where did this
man get all this
what is the wisdom given to him what
Mighty works are wrote by his hands is
not this the carpenter the son of Mary
and the brother of James and Joseph and
Judas and Simon and are not his sisters
here with us
and they took offense at him and Jesus
said to them a prophet is not without
honor except in his own country and
among his own kin and in his own house
and he could do no Mighty work there
except that he laid his hands upon a few
sick people and healed them
and he marveled because of their
unbelief
and he went about among the villagers
teaching and he called to him the twelve
began to send them out two by two and
gave them authority over the unclean
spirits
charge them to take nothing for their
Journey except as staff no bread no bag
no money in their belts but to wear
sandals are not put on two tunics
and he said to them where you enter a
house stay there until you leave the
place
and if any place will not receive you
and they refuse to hear you when you
leave shake off the dust that is on your
feet for a testimony against them
so they went out and preached that men
should repent and they cast out many
demons and Anointed with oil many that
were sick and healed them
King Herod heard of it for Jesus name
had had come known
some said John the baptizer has been
raised from the dead that is why these
powers are at work in him but others
said it is Elijah and others said it is
a prophet like one of the prophets of
old but when Herod heard of it he said
John whom I beheaded has been raised
for Herod had sent and seized John and
bound him in prison for the sake of
herodias his brother Philip's wife
because he had married her for John said
to Herod it is not lawful for you to
have your brother's wife
and herodis had a grudge against him and
wanted to kill him but she could not for
Herod feared John knowing that he was a
righteous and holy man and kept him safe
when he heard him he was much perplexed
and yet he had him gladly
but an opportunity came when Herod on
his birthday gave a banquet to his
courtiers and officers and the Leading
Men of Galilee
for when herodia's daughter came in and
danced she pleased Herod and his guests
and the King said to the girl ask me for
whatever you wish and I will grant it
and he vowed to hear whatever you ask me
I will give you
even half of my kingdom and she went out
and said to her mother what shall I ask
and she said the head of John the
baptizer
and she came in immediately with haste
to the king and ass saying I want you to
give me at once the head of John the
baptizer on a platter
and the King was exceedingly sorry
but because of his Oaths and his guests
he did not want to break his word to her
and immediately the king sent a soldier
of the guard and gave orders to bring
his head
he went and beheaded him in the prison
and brought his head on a platter and
gave it to the girl
the girl gave it to her mother
when his disciples had it they came and
took his body and laid it in a tomb
the apostles returned to Jesus and told
him all that they had done and taught
and he said to them come away by
yourselves to a lonely place and rest a
while
for many were coming and going and they
had no leisure even to eat they went
away in the boat to a lonely place by
themselves now many saw them going and
knew them and they ran there on foot
from all the towns and got there ahead
of them as he landed he saw a great
throng and he had compassion on them
because they were like sheep without a
shepherd
and he began to teach them many things
and when it grew late his disciples came
to him and said this is a lonely place
and the hour is now late send them away
to go into the country in villages round
about and buy themselves something to
eat but he answered them you give them
something to eat
and they said to him shall we go and buy
200 Denari worth of bread and give it to
them to eat
and he said to them how many loaves have
you go and see
and when they had found out they said
five and two fish
then he commanded them all to sit down
by companies upon the green grass so
they sat down in groups by hundreds and
fifties
and taking the Five Loaves and the two
fish he looked up to heaven and blessed
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 were satisfied
and they took up 12 baskets full of
broken pieces and of the fish
and those who ate the loaves were 5 000
men
immediately he made his disciples get
into the boat and go before him to the
other side to bethsaida while he
dismissed the crowd
and after he had taken leave of them he
went into the hills to pray
and when evening came the boat was out
on the sea and he was alone on the land
and he saw that they were distressed in
rowing for the wind was against them and
about the Fourth Watch of the night he
came to them walking on the sea
he meant to pass by them but when they
saw him walking on the sea they thought
it was a ghost and cried out for they
all saw him and were terrified
but immediately he spoke to them and
said take heart it is I have no fear
and he got into the boat with them and
the wind ceased and they were utterly
astounded for they did not understand
about their loaves about the loaves but
their hearts were hardened and when they
had crossed over they came to land at
ganeserate and moved to the shore when
they got out of the boat immediately the
people recognized him and ran about the
whole neighborhood and began to bring
sick people on their pallets to any
place where they had he was and wherever
he came in villages cities or country
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and besought him that they might touch
even The Fringe of His Garment and as
many as touched it
were made well
now I'm sure you'd like to hear Mr
Bamford sing to us again
you know
when I saw this
[Music]
cross
on which the
prince of Glory
died
my richest
[Music]
and poor content on
All My Pride
foreign
[Music]
death of Christ my God
[Music]
I
sacrifice them
to his
[Music]
heart
[Music]
his hands his feet
down
[Music]
did
such a love
and the sorrow
[Music]
your forms compose
[Music]
my soul
my life
I am
[Music]
when we get to about chapter 6 in Mark's
gospel you need an atlas in one hand and
your Bible in another
because our Lord is constantly on the
Move now he's traveling all the time
moving from this side of the Sea of
Galilee to another side and back again
moving out of Galilee altogether
and this is not aimless wondering when
you see the atlas you realize why he
kept on the move
because Palestine in those days was
divided up into little kingdoms little
territories the Romans controlled this
bit
Herod controlled this bit Philip
controlled that bit the Greeks
controlled the other bit and on the Sea
of Galilee there were in fact three
sections of shore belonging to different
rulers
and therefore whenever he crossed over
to the other side it was to get out of
one territory into the other
it was for purposes of security he was
playing for time he needed more time
with his disciples to teach them many
things and so he kept moving out of
various territories and so as soon as he
came to the attention of a ruler who
would do him harm before his time he
simply got in a boat crossed over to the
other side sometimes it was for purposes
of leisure to escape from the crowd but
he never went anywhere without a reason
now I suppose if there were a
competition for the most misunderstood
men
Jesus would win that competition
and as I read the central chapters of
Mark it strikes me that nobody really
understood him
and therefore he was terribly lonely
must have been
sometimes you feel lonely because you
feel nobody understands you
but bear in mind that Jesus was more
misunderstood than anyone else that of
course is why he died on a cross because
he was so misunderstood
now there are six incidents here and in
most of them we see misunderstanding
in most of them people take up an
attitude towards him that is wrong even
when he is popular
and we'll study these attitudes as we go
through the six incidents
one of the things that you have to
unlearn in life is the picture of Jesus
you may have picked up in Sunday School
I certainly had it as a boy and I
presume that's where I may have got it
because you cannot tell little children
the whole truth about Jesus
but I got a picture of Jesus as somebody
tremendously popular
somebody liked by everybody somebody
terribly nice
and everybody as soon as they met him
regarded him as nice and so wherever he
went people would just come to him and
they'd make friends with him straight
away I'm afraid this is far from the
truth
there came a day only three years after
he began his ministry when he said the
world hated me
and we see something of these different
attitudes coming out in this chapter six
take the first incident I suppose the
most severe critics of any men are those
who've known him as a boy
those who've mixed with him in ordinary
life
and one day he came back to Nazareth
that required courage he'd been there
once before and they tried to murder him
when he did
it says something for the compassion of
Jesus that even though they tried to
murder him on his first visit he wanted
to come back and give them another
chance and so he came
and he came back to the people who'd
known him since he was that high
people had known him as a little boy
with no shoes running around the streets
climbing the hills around the town
people who'd taken him that furniture to
be repaired and ordered doors and window
frames from him they knew him and he
came back now
as the most famous man in the nation
and they took offense at him they were
resentful
in their case the old proverb came true
familiarity breeds contempt
this is one of the most awful things
that can happen to someone
to become so familiar with things of God
that you don't see them anymore
sometimes I wish
that some of us had a period outside
Church
to come back into it hungry and fresh
when you've gone to church every Sunday
twice Sunday and Sunday out you can
become familiar with holy things
and not see that God is near
some young people maybe have been
brought up since they were so high
within Sunday school and church and
they're so familiar with it all that
they don't see anything other than the
Butcher and the Baker and the
Candlestick maker and their wives and
children sitting is not this the
carpenter this familiarity with people
and yet God can be in them and God can
be using them and we miss it because
we're just too familiar
and familiarity bred contempt they could
not accept the words of his mouth or the
works of his hands
those hands should have stuck to hammer
and chisel
they almost resented him getting in
their eyes too big for his boots
and what they were saying is he's only a
working man who does he think he is now
he only makes tables and chairs who does
he think he is
coming back like this with a great
following and with this reputation he's
just got a bit too big for his boots
and Jesus said there's only one place a
prophet is not honored and that's right
there where he belongs
that must have hurt a bit
but the thing that strikes me most is
their faithlessness and the limit this
imposed upon his power
it doesn't say he did know Mighty work
there it says he could do no Mighty work
there there was a blockage
he could not pour out his power in that
place and so no doubt they said to each
other after it gone while all this fuss
about him we didn't see anything
I don't know what the where the others
have got these big ideas about this
Carpenter from because he did nothing in
our church in our synagogue
don't we realize that if God is not
acting in our place of worship
it's not his fault
could it be written over our churches he
could there do no Mighty work because
they didn't expect it
they didn't believe it could happen
let me challenge my own heart and yours
we think of some difficult person we'd
love to see them a Christian we prayed
for them and then we gave it up because
they didn't seem to get any nearer we
just couldn't imagine them a Christian
just couldn't imagine it what you a
Christian
can't imagine it and he could do no
Mighty work because of their unbelief
their faithlessness was the real
blockage and their familiarity led to it
they'd become so familiar with him that
they didn't expect it of him
and you can become so familiar with
church with the Bible that you just
don't expect things to happen anymore
and they don't
the tragedy to me is what they missed
what they lost
only a few sick people only a few sick
people there could say he healed me and
he blessed me and he helped me and it
was very wonderful it's all right
there's just a girl been uh taking faint
at the back would you like to help her
out
all right
fine only a few sick people could say
this and the rest they said nothing
happened nothing happened in our church
when Jesus came
now let's turn to the second incident in
chapter six here it says he left
Nazareth and he began to move around the
villagers teaching
and he called to him the twelve and
began to send them out two by two our
Lord was wanting to multiply his
ministry to go to places he couldn't
reach by himself to reach people that
were Beyond him and so he decided to
send others to do the same work and this
was the beginning of the ministry of the
church
I want to point out one of two things
about this ministry and the first is
this
the way you learn to do the things of
Christ is to do them
the way I learned to swim was the hard
way I remember standing on the edge of
the swimming pool at school
and there we were trembling with the
water before us and the PE instructor
came along behind and did this I
understand it's not the best method now
and that they don't use it now but
that's how I learned to swim
pushed in at the deep end quite
literally and you somehow managed to
reach the side it is the hard way
but you learn things by doing them and
Jesus knew that the disciples would only
learn to preach by preaching
they would only learn to deal with
Demons by dealing with demons and so he
sent them out to do it
one of the difficulties we have as
Christians is that we want to have a
training course before we do everything
and if you announce a training course on
evangelism houst house visitation people
will come but you know the best way to
learn house to house visitation
go down your road and knock on the doors
that's the way to learn
it's by far the best school it's the
school of experience whose colors are
black and blue but it's still the best
way to learn
and Jesus Took these 12 and he said now
you must multiply my Ministry I want you
to go out and do what I'm doing
I want you to preach I want you to heal
I want you to cast out demons and he
sent them out with two things first of
all he sent them out in austerity
I remember Dr Billy Graham telling some
of us that the most embarrassing and
challenging thing ever said to him was
this when he was going to India he met a
group of Indian Christians before he got
there and he asked their advice he'd
never been to India before and he said
to them all now you tell me how I should
behave when I come to India tell me
these things so I don't offend people
and put my foot in it and one dear old
Indian looked at him and said Dr Graham
I hope you won't mind my saying this
but every Indian expects to see the
signs of austerity in a holy men
and Dr Graham said that was the most
challenging thing that had ever been
said to him
Jesus sent these men out and he said
don't take even a change of clothes
don't take any money
don't take a bag
don't take any food
just go out as you are travel light
travel quickly but get out into those
Villages you will have to depend on
being received to live
you'll have to depend on their
Hospitality I send you out with
austerity
now that would mean a number of things
of course but above all it would mean
that they would be utterly dependent on
the success of their mission to go on
with it
that was a very sharp Challenge and out
they went the other thing he gave them
was Authority austerity and Authority
were the two marks of a missionary sent
by Jesus and he gave them authority to
cast out demons and to heal the sick now
I want you to imagine two of them going
down the road James and John they're
just hoping they won't meet anybody
possessed or ill
and they're creeping down the road into
this strange Village and
the thinking how do we begin
they've never done it before they've
seen Jesus do it but that was Jesus
they've never done it before
and so they come to a village and there
suddenly shrieking at them as a
demon-possessed men and James and John
think well we could just go down this
street and we could start preaching down
there and James says will you try this
one and I'll do the next and John says
well no I'm not sure how to do it can
you imagine their hesitations they must
have been terribly frightened terribly
timid and then one of them would say in
the name of Jesus
and it would be done
can you imagine now the excitement with
which they Rush onto the next man can
you imagine the eagerness with which
they go on now it has worked and it says
they came back after that mission just
thrilled and saying it works it works
even the demons are subject to us in
your name
I have known this again and again people
have gone out timid frightened to speak
in uncongenial circumstances and they've
come back and they've said it works it
works
I'll never forget when I was 18 years of
age
a converted bookmaker took me out one
night at about half past nine and he
just put me in the middle of a pub
parlor and said speak to them
speak to them
in canak Chase in Staffordshire
and that's how I began speaking
and it's the only way to learn and Maya
are you timid and Afraid when you start
but you come back rejoicing
I'll never forget that night because in
that Pub I met a boy who had run away
from a bostal Institution
a lad whose life was all mixed up
and at midnight that night we finished
up kneeling together in a little church
in Staffordshire and he came to Christ
and he went home and he told his parents
that night he went in at about 1 30 in
the morning and they were asleep but he
burst into their bedroom and he woke
them up
and he told them and
his parents got out of the bed and knelt
by the bed and thanked God for it
that's how it began just thrown out
and that's the only way to begin to go
out but you notice they went out two by
two two by two it's great to have at
least one person with you that you can
see you've got the Lord that you can't
see but to have another that you can is
a great help and so they went out two by
two there's something quite profound in
that we're not meant to be
individualists
Were Meant to work together as a team
were meant to go out in little parties
in little groups and Were Meant to work
together and help each other
so this was the second thing
he sent out his Partners his colleagues
his substitutes as it were to be
representatives for him
now the news of this Mission began to
spread
ripples of the news spread out far and
wide Not only was one man preaching and
healing and casting out demons 12 were
13 where including Jesus incidentally
Judas was you need to remember that they
were all out missioning and the Ripple
spread south to a castle high on a rock
overlooking the Dead Sea
and they're living in that castle of
most Barren Dreadful place a place that
was never taken
high on the Rocks the barren rocks
looking down on that Dreadful dead scene
below was a castle called macarus
and living in that castle was a dreadful
men
a puppet King of the Romans and Herod
who lived there controlled the strip of
land up the Jordan and the whole of
Galilee and Herod heard that a man and
12 men were beginning to turn his
kingdom upside down and were beginning
to have crowds go after them and Herod
was worried
not because of the military threat but
because Herod had a guilty conscience
and well he might have had
if you read the history of the Herod
family you read a history of incest and
murder the like of which you'll never
read again it is almost impossible to
drop the family tree
because Herod for example married his
niece and his sister-in-law
herodias
Salome was married to her uncle and
Grand uncle
and through murder and incest this
family became one of the most notorious
families of all time
they finished with the last Herod being
eaten up by worms a fact mentioned in
the New Testament now this man when he
heard of this he was frightened
and he came to a most incredible and
superstitious idea he said that must be
the man whose head we chopped off a
month or two ago
now he must have been in a pretty bad
state to think that this was the man
whose head he'd seen on a plate in his
own dining room
and yet he came to this superstitious
idea
I must now remind you of the terrible
story of John's end
those who think that to become a man of
God is to make life easy and comfortable
should read the story of John
the greatest man who ever lived said
Jesus
the greatest man
this man didn't keep his mouth shut and
lost his head
for doing so
I've been told sometimes by people who
mean well
and who perhaps may be right in their
criticism as I have done it but I have
been told by people who keep to the
positive don't ever attack anyone or
anyone else in the Pulpit don't ever
attack
just you preach the positive side
well that's a much safer way but
sometimes we are called upon to attack
what is wrong
as well as to Proclaim what is right
whatever it may cost and John was a
preacher like that he didn't just preach
the Kingdom of Heaven and the glories of
the coming time repent and believe he
attacked and he said there's a man
governing this country in which I
baptize a man who is illegally married
and who is outraging public decency
and he said this publicly
and he made an enemy The Day He said
that not the man himself but his wife
Hell hath no Terror like a woman's
burned said Shakespeare and herodius
didn't like it one bit wherever she went
now people pointed at her and said
living in sin wherever she went people
looked at her as at a dirty woman and
she didn't like it one bit and she hated
this preacher and she said we'll kill
this preacher
now she at least managed to persuade her
husband to put him in the dungeon and
you can still see to this day The
Dungeons and the iron uh Loops in the
wall to which John the Baptist would
have been tied it's still there that
terrible place
but you know even though he's he was
stopped in his preaching down in the
dungeon every time they had a feast up
above herodious thought on the man below
when you've got a guilty conscience you
can't forget things
and every time she tried to be gay
upstairs down below her conscience in
the dungeons speaking
and she hated it
and there came a day
when Herod had all his Pals in for
entertainment
and he had one of his own relatives do
what only a woman of the streets would
do normally
and she danced in an erotic and obscene
way
and Herod must have been drunk
because he said my that was a dance I'll
give you anything
even my Throne as Queen
that's what the phrase half the kingdom
means
when an Eastern potentate said I will
offer you half my kingdom when he said
it to a woman he meant I will make you
my queen and herodia sitting there
he was saying I'll get rid of hair and
you can be the queen in her place ma
that was a dance I'd love to have a
queen who could dance like that for me
and this man said this and he said I'll
give you anything and she went and she
had a consultation with her mother can
you imagine the hatred a woman can have
to say I'd rather have a man's head
than anything else that's what I would
ask for what an evil woman
it shows her scale of values
and over the rest of the scene one just
wants to draw a veil
the head carried in the greatest man
who's ever lived a man of God a preacher
who had fearlessly preached the word of
God for years
a man who'd lived in the desert a man
had a hard life that was how he ended a
woman's malice
now Herod you see
had this strange mixture he liked to
hear the preacher
and yet he didn't like it
he was typical of so many men
they enjoy A good sermon and yet don't
like it if it gets near the bone this
was Herod he was a man of superstition
why because he was a man of sensuality
and the two invariably go together
once you have given yourself to
Sensations you lose your sins
once you've begun to live a life like
this you can't think straight and he was
a man he enjoyed John's preaching and
yet he didn't enjoy it but he kept him
in the dungeon and had him up every now
and again to preach and then put him
away again as a man who listens to a
preacher and has his conscience stood on
Sunday night but puts it away again in
the dungeon till next Sunday night Herod
was so like many others
Herod was the man who misunderstood
and John the Baptist was killed
because Herod had to save his face
do you know what Jesus thought of Herod
we know what Herod thought of Jesus
Herod thought Jesus was this man with
his head back on
an incredible idea but he thought that
do you know what Jesus thought of Herod
Herod said that Jesus said of Herod that
fox
that fox
this isn't gentle Jesus making mind that
Herod Now we move on to the next
thing Jesus moves out of herod's
territory he crosses the sea
he's hoping to get a bit of peace and
quiet
but sometimes a boat has to tack across
that sea against a country wind and the
crowd saw him going and they saw the
direction of the boat and they ran round
it would take them perhaps or five or
six miles
walking but they got there before the
boat and hear Jesus seeking rest and
quiet is faced with a crowd
now any ordinary man would have said
it's my day off any ordinary man would
have said look I've been preaching I've
been working I've been with you I must
have some rest but Jesus no
Jesus saw them and he said you know it's
just like a flock of sheep look at him
now what do sheep need from a Shepherd
we know in the Middle East that the main
need they have is for food
the chief need of a Shepherd or a pastor
is to get food to feed on
that's the first need and so he didn't
feed them he taught them
his compassion was for their minds that
needed food and so he taught them
now there comes this great miracle the
miracle of multiplying the Loaves and
the fishes now I'm not going to look at
the miracle
it was a miracle it was a creative act
but I want to look at the consideration
Jesus showed
consideration number one he said to his
disciples we ought to meet their need we
ought not to pass them on to somebody
else that shows tremendous consideration
now notice his carefulness he said the
first thing to do is to find out what
we've got
I've got a little visual aid here it's a
tin of sardines which some of you have
seen before one of these days I'll eat
them there it is
sardines From Galilee
because from Capernaum in those days
this was a real tasty export sardines
they didn't put them in tins then but
they salted them and assaulted sardine
was a tasty little morsel
and they had two sardines that's all
the length of that tin
and they had Five Loaves and they were
not loaves as we understand them two
pound or one pound they were just little
rolls quite thin and flat about the size
of a pancake maybe just quite small
five rows two little fish
by the way on that um box there's a
picture of a mosaic from tabga on the
shores of Galilee a church is built
there now and in the floor they've
discovered a very old Mosaic dating back
many many centuries of the Loaves and
Fishes
that's all it was
the disciples said it's not even worth
sharing that
and Jesus said there's enough
you give them to eat notice that he
began to organize it properly our Lord
was not foolish even though he had
infinite resources he organized them
into groups
into groups of a hundred into groups of
50 into groups all over the Green Grass
and then he said now we'll do it
properly and then began something that
only Can Be Imagined he took one of the
fish in his hands and he broke it and
there's seemed twice as much so I gave a
bit to a disciple and he broke it again
it went on breaking
and as he went on breaking more came
now only God could do that only God can
create something out of nothing men
can't do it
then he took the little bread and he
broke it and gave some and went on
breaking
and the disciples held out their hands
and then their arms and filled it up and
they walked to these organized clumps of
hundreds and fifties all of the green
grass the scene is is devastating
and then not only did he assess the
resources they had and used them not
only did he organize carefully so that
it was well managed
but thirdly he said now gather up what's
left over now here is a lovely little
dig at the disciples
what could they gather it up in
their own food baskets
now there's a very subtle touch here
each of the disciples carried a basket
and carried food in it when they went on
a journey or when they went on the boat
and he said use your baskets it was a
subtle way of saying your baskets are
empty aren't they
you've been behind a rock somewhere well
I've been preaching having your food
that's what had been happening
and when he said you give them something
to eat they did not dare say we've had
it
and they just had 12 empty baskets it's
a lovely touch
Jesus said to this crowd have you any
consideration for them you're willing to
share your food with them and they
didn't dare say they hadn't got any left
they simply said eight months wages
wouldn't buy enough for this lot so
there's no point in in even beginning
but their baskets were empty and after
the whole crowd is fed Jesus said now
gather up the fragments that remain and
they finished up with 12 full baskets
their own
have you not discovered that to be
utterly true that even though you feel
the little you could do would not help
anybody when you did it and helped
someone you found yourself with more
blessing left over yourself of course
you did God's mathematics are not ours
they're not the mathematics my
daughter's learned at school
God's mathematics are what you give away
you gain
what you try to keep you lose God's
mathematics
two fishes Five Loaves God's mathematics
says give them away
and you'll have enough to eat yourself
what have you got that you could share
with somebody else is it so little that
you often say well I'm not going to
share it it's too little then share it
and see what happens to it
so our Lord's consideration comes
through as well as his compassion there
is no excuse even though we have a god
with infinite resources there is no
excuse for not being considerate
for assessing your resources properly
for organizing properly the distribution
and for being careful so that none is
wasted and even though Our God has
cattle on a thousand hills even though
Our God has infinite resources the
church must always be very business-like
and efficient in its use of God's
resources
but the disciples still did not
understand one thing about the loaves
what did they not understand they didn't
understand that the only hands that
could go on doing that
must be God's hands
they didn't understand that this was
something Supernatural they thought it's
something wonderful but they didn't see
it was something Supernatural their
hearts were hard
and I suppose that Justice said do that
again
this is our instinctive reaction to
something marvelous do it again let's
see if they're summing up your sleeve do
it again let's see you do that
instead of thinking about it and saying
how did he do that
who did that
and so they missed the next opportunity
they had to see the truth now the next
attitude we come across is their
hardness Jesus now does insist on rest
and quiet sends the disciples away on
their own and now he goes up into the
hills to pray why does he pray because
problems are piling in thick and fast
he's too popular with the crowds they
want to make him King
he has made already some serious
religious enemies
he knows now that Herod is disturbed
about him and that probably spells his
death
and so he goes up into the hills to pray
I want you to imagine the scene here is
a little boat that the disciples set off
in
and it's set off about five o'clock at
night
and at three in the morning it was still
stuck in the middle of the lake
so severe was the wind and they were
rowing Jolly hard and Jesus up in the
hills saw them
and he thought that they would be
encouraged if they saw that he was still
around and so he walked down the hill
and walked straight out on the water
that should not surprise us
it shouldn't have surprised them
somebody who can take Loaves and Fishes
and multiply them can surely walk on
water
somebody who has Supernatural power can
do anything they shouldn't have been in
the slightest surprise we should not be
just surprised at anything that happens
anything that God does but we are
and when we get an answer to prayer we
talk to each other in shocked surprise
do you know that prayer we pray less
Saturday or last Thursday it's been
answered
the very way we say it shows that we
were surprised why should we be
surprised when anything Supernatural
happens and so Jesus walked by them on
the water he just wanted to let them see
him
and then he realized they were scared
stiff
that they were frightened
and so he had to go to them
and the same thing that we discussed
this morning happened again and as soon
as Jesus got in with them somehow it was
all right it was all come
I could spiritualize that a bit but I
must leave it there I just know from my
own experience but sometimes when you're
very frightened sometimes when you're
pulling Jolly hard and getting nowhere
just to get Jesus near
just to have him aboard is to bring
peace and come I could see a picture of
the church in those disciples rowing
Jolly hard and not making any progress
because Jesus was not on board
that's why
and it may be we could learn something
from that so he came to the other Shore
again and we come to the last reaction
why so many sick people because Tiberius
was a health spa and people came to it
from all over to take the waters
and now we find the opposite of the
beginning in Nazareth familiarity
produced faithlessness
but here familiarity produces Faith why
because they have seen him not mending
chairs but mending bodies
and they recognized him
and so they said come on get the sick
bring them he's back again bring them
and perhaps they brought the sick on the
very beds that he had made
as he moved around the Villages
but the Jesus who made beds makes bodies
one day he's going to make a whole new
universe and without him the stars were
not made without him nothing was made
that was made and those hands that could
multiply Loaves and Fishes could also
heal and make a new
but I want you to notice
that they still just wanted health
the tragedy is that the demand was for
what they could get from him nobody came
and said what could we give to him
nobody came and said let's let's follow
him let's let's help him with his
mission they all came and they said we
even get health from him
and so they misunderstood him
they thought he just came to heal but he
didn't he came to forgive and he came to
bring men to God
to sum up this chapter which is only as
it were a kaleidoscope a glimpse of the
many things that he did I am struck with
this
that the ministry of Jesus was a mixture
of what he planned and what he didn't
plan
things he deliberately decided to do and
things that arose quite spontaneously
and I pray that my life and yours may
have this same pattern about it that
there may be some things we plan to do
for others in the name of Jesus but that
there may be many occasions when an
opportunity arises that we didn't plan
we meet somebody whom we didn't expect
to meet we find ourselves in a situation
that we didn't expect to be in and that
there we can be this same calm helpful
Jesus
that he can be in us meeting their need
that we can go out maybe two by two men
and wife working together for the Lord
Friend and Friend working together
but going out and being open to the
needs of men
we're just seeing now the end of our
Lord's Galilean Ministry
it has now ended
maybe just two years two years and a bit
and it's over
very soon he will leave Galilee
very soon he will have gone
he will have gone because he didn't come
just to be a Healer he came to be a
savior
and as we come nearer and nearer to
Easter the thunder clouds gather the
darkness thickens the hostility grows
and Jesus becomes the most unpopular man
in history
the man about whom they're going to say
crucify him away with him
out of this world how did it all happen
well we shall see as we study Mark's
gospel let us pray
I have no father we realize that our
attitude to Jesus May well be
a misunderstanding
there is so much that we need to know so
much that we need to learn and we thank
you for this opportunity of looking
afresh at stories we've heard for many
years and we ask for an open mind that
can see Jesus as he really is
help us never to be hostile help us not
to be resentful or suspicious help us
not to be on the defensive because we
have a guilty conscience help us not to
seek Him purely for physical blessings
or when we are at the end of our tether
but help us to follow him to learn from
him and then to go out and minister in
his name we ask it for his name's sake
amen
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