The Test Of Faith Series

GOSPEL OF MARK: GOD’S SERVANT IN ACTION

THE TEST OF FAITH

ILLUSTRATION:

An Irishman, was taking a trip to the Holy Land, and when he got to the Sea of Galilee, he was

appalled when he found it would cost $50.00 an hour to RENT a BOAT to go out on the WATER.

“Hoot mon,” he said with a deep Irish brogue, “in Ireland I coulda got a boat for about

$20.00”

“That might be true,” said the boat man, “but you have to take into account that the SEA OF

GALILEE is WATER on which our Lord Himself WALKED.”

“Well, for $50.00 an hour,” said the Irishman, “it’s little wonder He WALKED.”

A. For the past several weeks we have been TREKKING along through the Gospel of Mark looking at Jesus

as “GOD’S SERVANT IN ACTION.”

1. From His BAPTISM on, Jesus had been affirming through His PREACHING and His MIRACLES that

He is the PROMISED MESSIAH—the Son of God.

COMMENT:

During this time the apostles—the chosen twelve—have witnessed Jesus do amazing things:

• Cast out demons.

• Heal various diseases.

• Enable a paralyzed man to walk.

• Cleanse a man of his leprosy.

• Restore a man’s shriveled hand.

• Heal a woman from years of hemorrhaging just by touching His clothes.

• Raise a young girl from the dead.

2. Despite the MIRACLES of Jesus that they had seen UP CLOSE and PERSONAL and even able to perform themselves (v. 13), they still don’t quite understand that they have been HANGING out with the SON OF GOD.

B. Jesus sent His apostles throughout Galilee two-by-two to PREACH repentance and lead people to Jesus as

the Messiah- vv. 7-13.

1. Afterwards they RETURN to Jesus to give Him a REPORT- Mark 6:30-34 (READ and COMMENT)

COMMENT:

As many of you know, MINISTRY can be both PHYSICALLY and EMOTIONALLY EXHAUSTING, especially when you are dealing with the HURTS of people. There are occasions

when you just need to GET AWAY to have some DOWN TIME.

a. This is what Jesus is wanting for his DISCIPLES, because they haven’t been able to REST or even

had time to get a BITE to EAT.

b. So, they get in the BOAT to get away from the CROWD and head for the other side of the Sea of

Galilee to get some REST, only to be met by even more HURTING people waiting on the SHORE.

ILLUSTRATION:

The work of MINISTRY is never done. There will always be people with NEEDS and HURTS.

That’s why it is imperative that ALL of God’s people get involved in ministry, and not just a FEW.

2. Jesus takes this OPPORTUNITY to, once again, TEST the FAITH of His disciples with back-to-back MIRACLES that DEFY the laws of NATURE.

MESSAGE:

I. FEEDING OF THE 5,000- Mark 6:35-44 (READ) (Only miracle of Jesus recorded in all 4 gospels)

A. As the boat carrying Jesus and the apostles make landfall, they are met by people whom have traveled

on foot from nearby towns and villages numbering in the THOUSANDS.

1. Mark records that “the number of the men who had eaten was five thousand”- v. 44. The gospel

of Matthew adds, “…5,000 men, besides women and children”- Matthew 14:21.

2. Historically, they only counted MEN back then.

COMMENT:

Now LADIES, I know some of you are thinking: “Nuh-uh! No, they didn’t!” That was

just the WAY it was done back then.

a. So that means the number of people who were actually FED was closer to 10, 15, 20 thousand.

b. This makes this MIRACLE even more AMAZING.

B. As I was studying this text this past week, a couple of LESSONS immerged that was not only important

for Jesus apostles to learn, but for us as well.

1. God desires to STRETCH our FAITH.

a. Someone once said, “Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God, there is no

need for faith.” If we can do it ourselves, then why do we need God?

b. Jesus puts His disciples in a situation where they could find no solution but to turn to Him.

ILLUSTRATION:

As night approaches, the disciples ask Jesus to send the PEOPLE away to go to their HOMES or nearby MARKETS to buy themselves something to EAT. Stretching their FAITH, Jesus said, “YOU give them something to eat.”

And, apparently, their BUDGET is much like mine, because they quickly said, “We don’t have the money to buy 15,000 people enough food to eat. That would cost 8 months wages.”

Jesus said, “Okay. Go among the people and find out how much FOOD they have.” So, they ask around, and according to John’s gospel, the only food they could find was a boy’s LUNCH containing “five small barley loaves of bread and two small fish”- John 6:9.