Feast Or Famine? Series

FEAST OR FAMINE?

Mark 6:33-44

You have all heard the phrase “feast or famine”. This is a term that speaks of having either too much or too little of something. This expression was originally intended to describe overabundance or a shortage of food. Our selected text records a time in the earthly ministry of Jesus where a great multitude of people were gathered together and they had nothing to eat. Jesus would miraculously provide this multitude with enough food to satisfy their hunger. In the beginning these people were famished; in the end they would be filled. Unfortunately, the majority of them would leave this gathering filled physically but starving spiritually.

Many people today are suffering from this same spiritual hunger. The sad fact is that this does not have to be the case. Jesus said in Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” You have the opportunity to experience spiritual fulfillment today. I would like to walk through this passage and preach on the thought “Feast Or Famine?”

If you will turn to Jesus, you will find that He is able to supply you with more than you could ever ask for. Last week we examined a time when Jesus recognized that His Disciples were physically exhausted. They had been out ministering to the people in Galilee. They went on a short term mission preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, casting out demons and even raising the dead. By now they had returned to Jesus and had not been able to rest for their labor. Verse 31 says that so many people were coming and going that the Disciples “did not even have time to eat”.

Jesus instructed the Disciples to get on a boat and go across the Sea of Galilee to a remote place so that they could rest for a little while. Many in the crowd ran to the other side of the lake and were waiting on Jesus and the Disciples when they arrived. Verse 33 tells us that the people were intent on seeing Jesus. Notice:

I. THE CURIOSITY OF THE CROWD

v33 But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him.

In John’s account of this event, he says that they “followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.” (John 6:2) The majority of people in this crowd were there for superficial reasons rather than spiritual ones. Many of them were there hoping that Jesus would perform a miracle in their life. We can safely assume that in this crowd were people who were lame, blind, deaf, mute, and sick. Some were probably lepers and others were possessed by demons. These people knew that Jesus had the power to heal all of these infirmities because they had seen Him do it. They followed Him because they wanted Him to do a great work in their own lives.

It is also likely that some of the people in the crowd were there for the entertainment value. They may not have had a personal need; they just wanted to watch Jesus perform a miracle. They would soon get what they wanted! They were going to see a miracle, and it would be a miracle like nothing they had seen before.

Of all the many miracles that Jesus performed while He was on earth, only two of them were recorded in all four Gospel accounts. One of those miracles is His Resurrection, the other is the feeding of the five thousand. There was certainly some curiosity among the people in this vast multitude, and with good reason. The works of Jesus were no secret by this point in His ministry and it was safe to assume that on this day there would be more of the same.

There are many people who are curious about Jesus today. There may even be some in this assembly. There were some people in that crowd who went looking for a physical miracle but they found something far better. Rather than experiencing a temporary physical healing, they experienced spiritual and eternal transformation. The same opportunity is available to you today.

The day I got saved started out as any other Sunday. I went to church because that is what my family did on Sundays. But before the day was over I found something that I wasn’t looking for. Better yet, someone found me! You may have come to church today out of habit, obligation or a myriad of other reasons, but this could be the day that you find spiritual fulfillment in Jesus Christ!

- Now that we have seen a little bit about the curiosity of the crowd, let us consider: