SERIES: WALKING WITH JESUS
“TRUSTING THE SERVANT”
MARK 6:1-56
OPEN
An elderly gentleman took his first ride in an airplane. His friends and family were eager to hear how it went. They asked the old fellow if he enjoyed the flight.
The man replied, “Well, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. But, I’ll tell you something. I never did put all my weight down on the seat.”
Do you really trust God’s Servant – His Son, Jesus Christ? Do you understand who He is and what He can do for you? Will you put all of your weight on Him?
In our passage today, Mark gives us six encounters with Jesus that teach us about trust. If we trust Him, why do we trust Him? If we don’t trust Him, why not? We have to look at our own relationships with Jesus and decide where we stand on this issue.
REJECTION
Mk. 6:1-6a– “Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath
came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. ‘Where did this man get
these things?’ they asked. ‘What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn't this
the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here
with us?’ And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, ‘Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in
his own house is a prophet without honor.’ He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few
sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.”
This incident is a return visit to His hometown. Jesus had taught in the synagogue there about a year earlier. They treated Him with contempt then and even ejected Him from the synagogue. This time they simply did not take Him seriously.
I’m sure that you’ve heard the old saying, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” These people thought they knew all about Jesus. Although they were amazed at His teaching, they simply refused to accept what He said. They were also amazed at the reports of miracles that He had done. But the fact that He had healed the sick, cleansed the demonic, and raised the dead meant nothing to them.
Mark tells us that they “took offense at him.” The term in the original language means that they stumbled over Him. How many people today still stumble over Jesus? How many think they have Jesus figured out?
RESPONSIBILITY
Mk. 6:6b-13 – “Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he sent
them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. These were his instructions: ‘Take nothing for
the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic.
Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or
listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.’ They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and
healed them.”
Notice the urgency in the mission. Jesus said they needed to get started. Don’t worry about what you’re going to take. They were to take only what was absolutely necessary. They were to trust God with the rest.
We also have a mission – to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Are we urgent in accomplishing that mission? Or are we too worried about things that we need to just trust God to provide?
God’s commandments always include God’s provision. The apostle Paul, talking about his own work for Christ said in 2 Cor. 3:5-6 – “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
Jesus told them that they would face both hospitality and hostility. That describes the situation we face today. Some will welcome the message of the Gospel while other will be offended at the message of the Gospel.
These men were obedient and God blessed their efforts. Obedience is still an important part of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Are we obedient?
RETRIBUTION
Mk. 6:14—29 – “King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying, ‘John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’ Others said, ‘He is Elijah.’ And still others claimed, ‘He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.’ But when Herod heard this, he said, ‘John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!’ For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to
have your brother's wife.’ So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you.’ And he promised her with an oath,
‘Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I
ask for?’ ‘The head of John the Baptist,’ she answered. At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: ‘I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner
with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a
platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John's disciples came and
took his body and laid it in a tomb.”
The influence of Jesus’ ministry, augmented by the work of the apostles, reached the ears of Herod. This was Herod Antipas – son of Herod the Great. The Herods were a soap opera when it came to marital relationships. Suffice it to say, it’s a complicated story.
For our purposes today, understand that Herod Antipas divorced his first wife so he could marry Herodias. Herodias was the daughter of his half-brother Aristobulus. Herodias married another of Herod Antipas’ half-brothers named Herod Philip. She divorced him to marry Herod Antipas. Her daughter, by Herod Philip, was the one who danced before Herod Antipas and his party guests. History tells us that her name was Salome.
We find that Herod Antipas and his guests were so taken with Salome’s dance, that he promised her anything she wanted. His mouth was writing checks that he really didn’t want cashed.
After consultation with her mother, Salome asks for John the Baptist’s head on a platter. This request was a bit of macabre humor in light of the food being served to the guests at the party. Herod was held captive to his own vanity and pride. He had to give this young lady what she asked for or face being known as a man who did not keep his word.
We need to understand that serving the Lord is not always safe. Millions of Christians across the world put their lives on the line just for being Christians. John bravely told Herod that his actions were wrong. It caused Herodias to despise him and seek his death.
REFRESHMENT
Mk. 6:30-44 – “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then,
because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got
there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were
like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. ‘This is a remote place,’ they said, ‘and it's already very late. Send the people away
so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.’ But he answered, ‘You give them something to eat.’ They said to him, ‘That would take eight months of a man's
wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?’ ‘How many loaves do you
have?’ he asked. ‘Go and see.’ When they found out, they said, ‘Five—and two fish.’ Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and
fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.
Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They
all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.”
In contrast to the people in Nazareth, these people eagerly sought out Jesus. He was kind and merciful to them and they sought his company and his help.
When Dwight L. Moody was building his great Sunday School in Chicago, children came from everywhere in the city. They often passed by other churches and Sunday Schools to go to be with Mr. Moody.
One young boy was asked why he walked so far to attend Moody’s Sunday School. The boy replied, “Because they love a fella over there.”
But notice how Jesus’ apostles felt about the situation. They saw the crowd as a nuisance and a problem. It was a problem they wanted to get rid of as soon as possible.
A good leader is one who sees a problem as an opportunity to glorify God by acting in faith. These disciples of Jesus would have made good committee members in a lot of churches today. Someone defined a committee as a group of people who individually can do nothing and collectively decide that nothing can be done.
What excuses do we make for not stepping out in faith and trusting in God to provide? Do we complain that we do not have enough money? Maybe we complain that we do not have enough resources? Maybe it’s just that we’re lazy and seeking an excuse to avoid doing what needs to be done.
RESCUE
Mk. 6:45-52 – “Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars,
because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost.
They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take
courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They
were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.”
Why did Jesus make the disciples leave and then dismiss the crowd? The Gospel of John tells us that the people reacted in a way that made them want to make Jesus their earthly king. Their behavior was at cross purposes with Jesus mission.
Notice that in the first storm on the lake, Jesus is in the boat with his disciples. They responded in fear instead of faith. This time they’re in the boat and Jesus is up on the mountain praying. The disciples have struggled with this storm almost all night. The waves that frightened them were just stair steps to bring Jesus to them.
I think we can gain some insight from this passage. It is our situation today as God’s people. We’re in the middle of this stormy world, working hard and it seems ready to sink. But Christ is in glory interceding for us. When the hour seems the darkest, He will come to us – and we will reach the shore.
I want to point out one particular statement in this story. When Jesus approached the boat, it seemed like he was going to go right past them. Jesus did that so they could see him. They didn’t know him and were frightened because they thought it was some ghostly apparition.
The statement of Jesus that I want us to focus on is this: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” The phrase, “It is I,” in the original language is the statement, “I am.” That is the Old Testament personal name of God.
Jesus was saying, “I am God. I created the storms and the sea. I’m in charge. I’m here and I’ve got things under my control.”
Helen Mallicoat wrote:
I was regretting the past and fearing the future.
Suddenly my Lord was speaking.
"My name is I Am"
He paused. I waited. He continued.
"When you live in the past with its mistakes and regrets, it is hard. I am not there.
My name is not I WAS.
"When you live in the future with its problems and fears, it is hard.
My name is not I WILL BE.
"When you live in this moment it is not hard. I am here.
My name is I AM."
RESPONSE
Mk. 6:53-56 – “When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they
got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on
mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed
the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who
touched him were healed.”
Simple faith not perfect faith is what Christ wants. We do not start off with perfect understanding but with simple faith. Do you see the trust of these simple people as they came from everywhere to find what they needed in Jesus? Did they understand completely who He was? Could they give a concise, theological statement that accurately described Jesus along accepted guidelines?
NO! They simply understand that Jesus had what they needed. Their faith would have to grow from there. You see, our word “faith” means to “put trust in” or to “give credit to”. How’s you’re trust in Christ today?
CLOSE
Polycarp was his name. He was personally discipled in his faith by the apostle John. He ministered to the church in Smyrna (present day Turkey). He trusted Jesus.
Persecution broke out in Smyrna and many Christians were fed to the wild beasts in the arena. The godless and bloodthirsty crowd called for the carcass of the leader – Polycarp.
The authorities sent a search party to find him. He had been taken into hiding by some Christians but the Romans tortured two young believers until they finally disclosed his location. When the authorities’ arrival was announced there was still time to whisk Polycarp away but he refused to go saying, “God’s will be done.”
In one of the most touching instances of Christian grace imaginable Polycarp welcomed his captors as if they were friends. He talked with them and insisted they eat a meal. He made only one request before being taken away – he asked for one hour to pray. The Roman soldiers listened to his prayer. Their hearts melted and they gave him 2 hours to pray. They had second thoughts as well and were overheard asking each other why they were sent to arrest him.
Other authorities also experienced a warmed heart when Polycarp arrived. The Proconsul tried to find a way to release him too. “Curse God and I will let you go!” he pleaded.
Polycarp’s reply was: “For eighty-six years I have served him. He has never done me wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King was has saved me?”
The Proconsul again looked for a way out. “Then do this old man, just swear by the spirit of the emperor and that will be sufficient.”
Polycarp’s reply was: “If you imagine for a moment that I would do that, then I think you pretend that you don’t know who I am. Hear it plainly. I am a Christian.”
The Proconsul did everything he could to try to convince Polycarp to do what was necessary to save his own life. Polycarp stood firm.
The proconsul threatened him with the threat of throwing him to the wild beasts. Polycarp’s reply was: “Bring them forth. I would change my mind if it meant going from worst to best, but not to change from right to wrong.”
Next, the Proconsul threatened, “I will burn you alive!” Polycarp’s reply was: “You threaten with fire that
burns for an hour and is over but the judgment on the ungodly is forever.”
So Polycarp was tied to stake and set on fire. He was buried for the cause of Christ on February 22, 155 A.D. His death only served to strengthen the cause of Christ.
Do you trust that God knows what He’s doing? Do you really trust His promise in Rom. 8:28 – “And d we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”? How about His promise in Jer. 29:11 – “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”?
An unknown poet wrote:
Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,
Trust Him when thy strength is small,
Trust Him when to simply trust Him
Seems the hardest thing of all.
Trust Him, He is ever faithful,
Trust Him, for His will is best,
Trust Him, for the heart of Jesus
Is the only place of rest.
