Jesus Met The Needs

Read Entire Passage (Mark 6:34-52)

1. The Multitudes 

a. Were like sheep without a shepherd Mark 6:34

i. They had no one to guide them

ii. They had no one to guard them

iii. So naturally, they gravitated toward the Good Shepherd (John 10:14, “I am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and am known by My own.”)

b. Came without food  6:36, 38

i. They may have lived close by, but they were so captivated by Jesus’ teaching food was not even on their minds, it was the disciples who started grumbling about hunger.

2. The Disciples 

a. There are two ways which people in which to read this about the disciples (although the grumbling is obviously correct, see verse 52):

i. Grumbling Spirit 

1. V. 35 - “Goodness, Lord, this place a deserted, there isn’t any food here, there isn’t anything to do, either. If we are hungry, these people probably are too. Come on, Jesus, send them away so they can get food. As for us, well, who knows?!”

2. V. 37  “Do we have to go and buy all of these people food? It isn’t going work.”

ii. Compassionate Spirit 

1. V. 35 – “Lord, the day is almost over, these people are hungry and seeing that we are in the middle of nowhere, we could send them to the nearby villages so that can eat. “

2. V. 37 –“Lord, do you want us to go buy the bread for all of the peole?”

3. Jesus 

a. Just learned his dear friend, John the Baptist, has been beheaded.

b. Tired and exhausted:

i. Teaching all day and feeding the multitude

1. It would have took a very long times for the disciples to place the people into groups of 100 and groups of 50. Then, it would have took a long time and a lot of work to give out all of the food and to collect it again.

c. He sent the people and the disciples away so He could go pray.

i. People and disicples – v. 45.

Jesus walks on water – vv.47-52

At what were the disciples greatly amazed?

1. They witnessed Jesus feed 5,000

2. They had 12 baskets of food remaining (12 disciples = 1 basket per disciple)

3. They witnessed Jesus walk on water

4. They witnessed Him get on board and the storm cease.

They were amazed within themselves beyond measure and they marveled (v.51)

1. Have you ever seen or talked to a person on a spiritual high that all they do is verbally relive the experience that God just gave them? Or maybe they are on a spiritual high and are unable to put into words what God had just done.

2. Have you ever experienced this?

3. The Bible only records how the disciples responded, “Greatly amazed” so we can only image how the 5,000 replied. The Bible says the disciple broke them up into groups of 100 and of 50. So there would have been well over 50 groups or 100. Each of those groups received enough food so that each person could eat and be full! I can only assume those people would have been greatly amazed and marveled, too.

What is the common characteristic between the multitude and the disciples?

1. It wasn't their attitude. The disciple were grumbling and had heart hearts about gathering the food (v.52).

2. The common characteristic was that the people had a need and Jesus met it.

a. Multitude  They needed food and needed to be taught. Jesus provided the food via a miracle that only God can do. Not only did He provide the food, He provided abundance and had leftovers.

b. Disciples  They needed to be comforted and physically relieved from the straining on the waters. He walked out to them, spoke, and gave peace.

What need do you have that only Jesus can meet?

1. The disciples realized the need in other people, but wanted to send them away. Jesus realized the need and met it. The disciples had a hard heart, but Jesus swept them away in awe by His love and blessings.

2. Each one of us has a need that Jesus can meet. Maybe it is a financial need. Maybe it is physical or mental. Maybe we have a need for tangible things (house, food, clothes). Maybe we have relationships with people that are deteriorating. Maybe we have a spiritual need that only Christ can meet.

3. Whatever the needs is, Christ knows it and is able to meet and exceed that need.

4. In this account of Jesus’ life, even He had a need. He needed to be alone to pray with His Father. The multitude had a physical need. The disciples had a mental need (fear and emotions). Jesus has a physical need.