Scripture: Mark 6:30 - 44; Psalm 23
Title: Get Involved - Be a Problem Solver!
Theme: Leading and Feeding
Sermon - Mark is sharing with us the miracle of feeding the 5,000. It is a miracle that teaches us that we can live as Christ followers who can 1. Do more than point out problems 2. Provide Real Solutions by putting things in the hands of Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through us.
INTRO:
Grace and peace from God our Father and from Jesus Christ our Savior and King who came to take away the sin(s) of the world!
There is nothing like the truth to mess up some of your favorite preconceived notions when it comes to certain scripture passages. The one we read this morning is one of those in which once you know the truth it actually makes more sense and leads us to understand even deeper truths.
As a child I always pictured this story of feeding the 5,000 this way -
All these families from the surrounding villages setting out early one morning and spending the whole day with Jesus. That is why there were over 5,000 of them and why after a day of speaking they found themselves without food. While Jesus was speaking to the adults the children would be playing and things would be very picturesque. It did bother me why they only counted the men but I figured back then it was a man's world and that was the reason. Today, they would have counted the men, women and children.
However, as I grew up and began to study this passage in more detail I began to realize that perhaps the story was not quite as picturesque as I first thought. Perhaps, it was not as leisurely a stroll as I first pictured. But as I dug into the passage I began to understand it's passion and drive. I began to understand that Jesus planned this whole event very much on purpose.
Let's go back to the passage and set up the scene.
+Jesus and the boys (the disciples) are just getting back together after his time at home and them coming back from their mission tour. Bible scholars tell us that they were somewhere near the city of Capernaum. While all that was going on news had come that King Herod had recently murdered John the Baptist. So, you can imagine the distress of hearing such news had on both Jesus and all His disciples.
+Everyone was a little exhausted from their time of preaching, teaching, healing and casting out demons. They were still celebrating all that the Good God of Creation had done through them but they also were looking forward to some down time. Therefore, Jesus planned a little go away retreat. Not very far away from where they were was a little fishing community near Bethsaida of Julius, located on the north-east side of the Sea of Galilee in King Philip's territory away from the reach of King Herod Antipas.
Nearby Bethsaida, was this perfect little secluded area that would allow them to have a couple of days of R and R. It was to be a nice time of debriefing, resting and getting ready to go again.
+It would take them a few hours to get there by boat. They would be going against the normal winds (about 14 mph northwest during Spring time) so what would have been a quick four mile journey over the waters was going to take them somewhere between 2- 4 hours. It would be a nice way to start their retreat; resting in the boat, listening to the soft sounds of the water and enjoying the nice wonderful sunshine that came with Spring time in Israel.
+Mark tells us in verse 33 that some people spotted Jesus and the disciples getting in their boat and over heard them saying that they were going towards Bethsaida. While these people didn't have a boat they knew that they could walk across the upper shore to get to where Jesus was going to disembark.
It is right here that the story begins to get really good. For you see, from the area that they started to where Jesus was going to end up was at around 7 miles away on foot. Now, think about that for a moment. We read these stories in our Bibles and at times we gloss over such essential facts.
While the road between some of the ancient cities were well worn and some even paved with stones it was still a seven mile hike going up and down the hilly path. The weather was good and there was plenty of places to take a rest but 7 miles is still 7 miles. And they wanted to arrive at the shore line before Jesus and the disciples arrived in their boat.
So, while it may be true that there were some families that made the trip together, the idea that Bible scholars tell us to gather is that of a group of men putting down their work tools, hurriedly telling their families that they were leaving and then setting off. While it is not impossible to travel 7 miles going up and down in around 2.5 to 3 hours you have to get started pretty quick. You don't have a great deal of time to get some food together, get the whole clan together and set off. Also, the wife may not want to wander 7 miles there and 7 miles back knowing that it would mean that they would have to sleep under the stars and have to pack a tent. You can't travel as fast with young ones and time was of the essence.
So, when you put all of that together here is pretty much what happened. News got out that Jesus was leaving with his disciples in their boat. One person said to another - "Hey, let's go see what they are going to do. I want to hear how their trip went and I want to see if Jesus is going to do another miracle. Let's take the rest of the day off and go towards Bethsaida."
Pretty soon, there are tens that turn to hundreds that turn to thousands of people walking, jogging and joining in the trip. All along the coastline they would have picked up families near Chorazin and the other little villages that were located all around the area. Just think how many people they could have gotten if they would have had Facebook or a cell phone or two.
You can imagine the scene. Here is this multitude of people walking together near your city and your curiosity gets the best of you. You ask where they are going in such a hurry only to find out Jesus' boat is about to dock just a few miles up the shore line. You put down your tools, grab a bite of two and off you go. You tell those that don't want to go to tell the wife and children you will be back in a little while. On second hand, tell them not to wait up. Go ahead and have supper. It might be dark before we get back and then again we might just sleep the night on the ground. Don't worry there will be plenty of people around so it will be safe.
No doubt what Jesus and the disciples saw as they turned the boat towards shore gave them quite a shock. They thought that they were going to disembark, stash the boat near some trees and then set off for a little more R and R. The 3 - 4 hours in the boat had felt good. It had been good to get away, to feel the wind on their faces, to hear the waves and to once again be sharing some time with Jesus and with one another.
But as their boat came closer and closer to the shore they saw it was lined with thousands of people waiting for them to disembark. Many of their faces they no doubt recognized. Some of the disciples were from Bethsaida while others knew people from the nearby towns of Capernaum, Chorazin, the ancient city of Aish and others. A few of them may have been the very people only a few days ago that heard them preach, heal or cast out a demon.
Looking out on the shore line filled with people Jesus is filled with compassion. All of these people had come out to be with him and his disciples. Some of them had traveled 3, 5, 7 miles or more just to be here to meet him when he reached the shoreline. Some of them he recognized as being the same ones he saw when he left earlier in the boat that day. Now, that is dedication. It is one thing to get into a car and drive 7 miles down the road to see a concert or even to go to a church. 10 - 20 minutes of time at tops and that includes some heavy traffic. Easy peasy.
But to quickly get some things ready and set out for a 3 mile, 5 miles or even 7 mile trip on foot to hear someone speak? Now, you either have to really like the person or you have to be dedicated to wanting to hear the Gospel. I think what we have here is a great deal of both. These men (and with the distance and the rush I think we can assume that the majority were men) were zealous to hear the Word and to spend some time with Jesus. This was not a group of people that just showed up about 5 to 7 minutes before service time. This was not a group of people that had to drag themselves in before things got started. This was a group of people that had run, jog or walked quite a distance all in the hopes that Jesus would talk to them after getting off the boat.
Remember, none of that had been promised. We have to understand that as we read this story. This 5,000 group of men and more came on the hope that Jesus would take the time to talk to them. This was not a planned event in any form or fashion. Jesus was tired. He had just lost his cousin John the Baptist. His disciples were tired. They were overjoyed with the success of their recent mission tour but now all they wanted was to get back together with Jesus and have some down time. Teaching, healing and casting out demons takes a big toll on a person. Fighting against the Devil and evil is not easy work.
What would you have done? Would you have greeted them with a great big smile and opened arms or would you have thought - Man, alive - can't they leave us alone for awhile? We were just in Capernaum. We've been busy. Go away. Give us a moment's rest.
But that was not Jesus. True to form, Jesus gets out of the boat and begins to lead them all to where they can sit down and listen to him preach, teach and share. By now it had to be well past noon time. Most of the men no doubt had already eaten most of what they had quickly gathered together to take with them or what they had bought along the way.
5,000 people is a lot of people. Jesus was not going to turn away 5,000 people who had walked that far and who were doing what He, His Father and the Holy Spirit had so desperately wanted His People to do - to be passionate about their faith and their walk with Him. Heaven was looking down and God in Flesh - Jesus was looking around and enjoying every minute of what was going on. This was church - this was real church. This was people who had pushed everything to the side to hear about God, to learn about God and to grow closer to God. This was like an ancient unscheduled PROMISE KEEPERS MEETING.
Is there any wonder why all four Gospels in their own way record this story? This was where it was at. This was the Kingdom of God coming to pass. This was electrifying. This was already a miracle. Who else could bring together this many people, walking such a distance just to hear them speak for an afternoon.
Jesus looks around and knows in his heart they need to hear from God. Mark tells us that Jesus looked out and the only words he could use to describe them were people who were without a leader, someone to care and protect them and love them. King Herod was back in some nice house chasing skirts while his brother was doing his best to just stay out of the way. Pilate, who was suppose to bring law and order was doing neither. The people were hungry for someone to lead them, to show them the way and to care for them.
These men were here to see what God was going to do through Jesus. They knew that he was someone special. Jesus could have raised up an army right then and there but what does he do - He teaches them about God. He gives them something very much like the Sermon on the Mount message, he tells them about the Golden Rule and he shares with them that God loves them and if they will repent of their sins that God will forgive them, redeem them and fill them with His Holy Spirit.
Everyone is having a great time when suddenly it dawns on Jesus' disciples. The sun is beginning to get low in the sky. Pretty soon it will be dark. What are you going to do with over 5,000 people away from home, nothing to eat and nowhere to bunk down? If Jesus doesn't let them go very soon some of them will have to try to travel in pitch darkness. Back in that day that was not a great option.
It is right here that Mark wants us to learn a couple of quick lessons. Lessons that can help us as individuals and as a community of faith.
I. It is always easy to for us to over focus on the Problems
It doesn't take a brain scientist to begin to figure out that this whole little impromptu camp meeting could get pretty ugly pretty fast. 5,000 hungry, tired and with nowhere to go men ( and others) can get pretty heated pretty fast.
On top of that night was quickly slipping in. While there was plenty of room for people to use tents (if they brought them) or to just sleep outside the logistics of 5,000 people finding sleeping room was pretty daunting. Hungry, tired, night coming on it wouldn't take much for one person to get upset at another person for wanting to sleep right where they wanted to camp out.
And it's about that time that some of the men realized that they had left home in such a hurry that they had forgotten to get some money or a snack or two to hold them through the night. Some had just realized that it was getting dark and they knew that it wouldn't be wise for them to travel back 3, 5 or 7 miles or more back in complete darkness.
The disciples were quite aware that they themselves didn't have enough money to feed this crowd. Jesus had just sent them out with no cash and they hadn't brought a great deal of cash back. I am sure that some of the people that were healed and that were free of spiritual bondage shared a little of what they had but this area of Galilee was as poor as the proverbial church mouse.
Mark tells us that one of the disciples quickly did the math. Fish and chips at the local Captain D's was around 7.50 a plate. That means 7. 50 times 5,000 (hoping that the children get their meal free) would be around 37,500.00 excluding tax. Someone mentioned that if they would go to McDonald's they could save a $ 1.00 or $ 2.00 but it might not be as good but with 5,000+ starving people they probably wouldn't mind. That in itself would save around $10,000 but then again it would still take over $ 27,000.00 and they didn't have that kind of scratch (dough/money).
+5,000 people - great amount at first but now quite a problem.
+3, 5 or 7 miles from home. Wow! What dedication. But 3, 5 or 7 miles or more back home - that's a problem.
+ The Sun coming down - it had been a great day - weather was great, a gentle wind off the sea had been blowing in, getting reunited with Jesus and the rest of the bunch. Now, this great crowd but it's getting dark and all these people have nowhere to go. Some brought tents but not enough for everyone.
+People's stomach's starting to growl. Some rather large people's stomach starting to growl. Jesus' disciples knew what it meant to have to endured a day or two without food. That was just the life of following a rabbi. But some of these people looked like they had never missed a meal and I think one of two of them even started contemplating about becoming a cannibal.
+Not enough money in the bank or petty cash in the drawer. Even if they wanted to and could find a place that would sell them enough food they didn't have enough cash money ( or bit coins or debit cards) to pay for the meal.
+Plus Jesus just shove the whole thing on us - "Why don't you give them something?"
"Thanks Jesus, good to see you again. What do you expect us to do - send manna from heaven? Don't be funny. This is not the time to be funny sitting here with all these men getting tired, hungry and having no place to go. My gracious, why didn't you cut the meeting short? If your fault they are still hanging around. Don't look at us to do something."
Sometimes, that is the way it is in the church. People get on boards, they sit around tables and come up with all kinds of problems that are affecting the Church or themselves. If you listen, you can hear all kinds of conversations that go something along these lines:
+The principles of the world are getting more and more like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. It God doesn't do something soon, He may have to ask those cities for forgiveness.
+Children today don't respect anyone. They don't like their parents or obey them. They tend to be arrogant, abusive, reckless, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. They are out of control. What is going to happen to them? What is going to happen to us?
+There are more false religions than you can shake a stick at. Buddha's picture shows up more than Jesus' picture in the local stores.
+People just no longer feel the need to give to the church. They put in a "fiver" in the church plate but spend more than $ 25.00 to go to a movie with a drink and some popcorn.
+People just don't like church - attendance is down and now no one wants to come out on Sunday night or Wednesday night. And yet, there are plenty of people who go shopping all day Sunday and watch TV Sunday night or Wednesday night.
It is easy to sit around and talk about all the things that are going wrong. Even when things are going good there doesn't seem to be enough money or help to go around.
About the only thing anyone can think of is to just get away. That is why there is such a emphasis today on the Rapture and the Second Coming in some corners. For some, it is truly wanting to go and be with Jesus. They really are looking forward to going to live on the New Heaven and New Earth. It is not an escape, it is rather a longing for a Home Going. The words on their hearts is "Maranatha - Lord Come Quickly."
However, for others it is that they want to just escape and take the first exit. They are like the disciples here who wanted to tell everyone to go home and take care of their own problems. You need food/help - we can't help you. You need some care - sorry, we don't know how to help you. Just everyone go home - we are tired anyway. Just go home - call it a night and we will see what we can do tomorrow or the next day. No, better make it next week.
II. Jesus Teaches - REAL SOLUTIONS to REAL PROBLEMS
Now, don't think for a moment that all of this took Jesus by surprise. He knew how this whole day was going to unfold. After all, He is God in Flesh - the Son of God. He knew when he got on that boat that when they got to shore that they would be greeted by this massive crowd of humanity. He knew that many if not all of them would either have eaten what their wives had been able to quickly give them (you know they ate it on the way - no way, they just kept it to the side - men don't do that) or left before she could have given them something. He knew that they had come out of zeal not really realizing that if they came 3, 5 or 7 miles that they would have to walk back all those miles. Men are like that sometimes - we get so caught up in going someplace we forget that there is a return trip.
Jesus knew what he was doing when he started teaching. He could have said just a few words - razzle dazzle the crowd for a few minutes, explain that he and the boys were dog tired and dismiss everyone or at the very least tell them to give him a day or two and they will have a big meeting in this exact place. That way the men could quickly go back home, prepare over the next few days and get ready for a big meeting. He could have reminded them that it would also give them some time to get up an offering for the big Jesus Crusade that he would be launching that summer.
But Jesus did nothing of the sort. Jesus wasn't interested in them falling down at his feet as they would some king, community organizer or special speaker. He was interested in them falling down at the feet of His Heavenly Father. Jesus wanted them to fall in love with the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. He wanted to teach them that when they have problems that are too big for them to handle that they should take them to the Father, to pray over them and praise the LORD for the answers that He is going to provide.
Notice what Jesus does:
+He asks his disciples to get the people organized into smaller groups - groups that are able to take away the "big feel". Groups that can look after one another, talk more personally and share some community. Groups that can begin to share and talk about what Jesus had just been preaching and teaching about. Groups that can share some sacred time and sacred space.
+He believes that his disciples can feed them - not just with fish and chips but with love, understanding, grace and mercy. He wants them to understand that he does believe in their commitment, their abilities and their knowledge. Jesus challenges them but he also believes in them.
+Jesus changes where they were located - he gets everyone to sit on the soft grass, to smell the flowers nearby, to feel the cool earth under them and to get comfortable.
All of this is teaching his disciples leadership, the ability to move people around, the ability to help people help one another. All of this is showing those 5,000 men that if you follow Jesus you will become a person with wisdom, knowledge and a person who can look at a situation and get it under control.
People have written books on how to be a leader and here was Jesus teaching his disciples and those that took notice how to do it by example. Take away the fear of the crowd, put people at ease, locate them to a more comfortable setting and help them understand that everything will be okay. Get them involved with helping each other. Get them involved in sharing with each other.
However, there was one area and it was a big one - the food thing - that was out of the disciples' ability. There was just not enough food to go around. Bethsaida was just a mile or two away but there wasn't enough time nor was Bethsaida prepared for 5,000 hungry and tired men. Capernaum was about 7 miles back and Chorazin about 5 miles back. No way they could go all that way and get back in time to feed these men before a riot would start.
So, after doing all they could. They went out and started taking up an offering up for some food. They went around begging to see if anyone had any food. Perhaps someone had a couple of biscuits, dried fruit or dried meat that they could share. However, when they placed the plates so to speak all they got was a few biscuits and a few small fish. Food enough to perhaps to feed a young boy - an ancient Happy Meal so to speak.
Now what? Everyone is seated. Everyone is comfortable. Everyone is feeling pretty good but people began noticing that no one had any food to share. No one was putting anything into the plate.
And so, here comes the disciples with these five biscuits and two fish. I am sure some are smirking while others are trying their best to find an escape plan. As soon as it gets a little darker - let's grab Jesus and we will cause some kind of commotion and before you know it we will be back in the boat, out in the water and getting out of here. The crowd will have to fend for themselves. They got here without us and they can get home without us. We didn't invite them in the first place. They just turned up.
Jesus doesn't let any of this faze him. He and the Father already had this whole thing planned out. Now, they would do something that would make people talk for years. They would do something that would cause people to talk about this day to their children and grandchildren. They would do something that even Moses had not been allowed to do. They would take that miracle of Elijah and multiply it so many times it is not even funny.
Jesus took that sacrificial gift, that small offering of five biscuits and two small fish and lifted it up to His Heavenly Father. He asked His Heavenly Father to bless it and then Jesus began to tell his disciples to start passing it out to the multitude. He broke it up into their baskets and then sent them off to start feeding all those people.
We don't know exactly how Jesus did it but all we know is that day all 5,000 people were feed. We also know at the end of the meal they had 12 baskets full of biscuits and fish left over. We know that not one person was left behind. We know that not one person was left hungry. Everyone was taken care of because that is the Jesus way. In fact, they were so superabundantly taken care of that as we have said - 12 baskets of leftovers we there for the disciples to keep.
We shouldn't be surprised this morning. After all, Jesus walks on water. He still storms. He brings back the dead. He casts out demons. He preaches salvation to those who the world saw as unredeemable. Apparently, our King Jesus - the carpenter is quite a chef as well.
While this whole miracle is a big thing to us it was no big deal for Jesus. After all, he spoke the worlds into existence. What is multiplying a few fish and biscuits compared to creating Mars, Jupiter, the Sun and the Milky Way?
Jesus can do a great deal when we possess a heart and life of passion, zeal, devotion, commitment, sacrifice, obedience and will on top of all of that - obediently follow His directions.
We must never underestimate the importance of obedience. Obedience gives us access to the Tree of Life, the favor of God and manifold blessings, anointings and miracles. If we want to be blessed by God and be a blessing to God - then we must be obedient to God's Will and Way. The smartest thing the disciples did that day was to be obedient - Jesus said pass out the baskets - then pass out the baskets.
This morning, Jesus can do a lot with people who are sold out. Not trying to life on the edge or just barely with one leg into the Kingdom. No, to follow Jesus - to truly follow Jesus we must love the LORD our God with all our heart, mind and soul. Jesus can do miracles in, around and through sold out people. Jesus can do a great deal when we decide to partner up with Him, His Heavenly Father and with the Holy Spirit.
Those disciples could have ran away, they could have spent the whole time sharing all the problems and how they couldn't fix it - but instead they went to Jesus, they listened to Jesus and they did everything Jesus told them to do - even when it looked like it was foolish. Who starts off with 12 baskets filled with small pieces of five biscuits and two fish? People who obey Jesus!
Some years ago Mother Theresa wanted to build an orphanage for the abandoned children of India. Many of the children's parents had either deserted them or had died leaving no family to look after them. At the time, Mother Theresa's orphanage fund had almost a dollar in today's American money (three shillings at the time). Someone jeeringly said to her - "What can you do to build an orphanage with only three shillings?" "Theresa with three shillings," was the answer, "can do nothing, but with three shillings and with God to help her there is nothing that Theresa can't do!".
Mother Theresa went on to build that orphanage. Today, there are some 30 orphanages still in operation as well as over 600 other centers and places where people can receive medical attention, spiritual help and prayer. Mother Theresa with three shillings could do nothing but Mother Theresa and Jesus can do miracles. Mother Theresa experienced miracles because she was sold out completely to the LORD. Obedience to the LORD was her life line.
Billy Graham once said something along these lines - Heaven is full of answers to prayers we have never prayed. He told his those who would listen - there is a big room in heaven full of answers to prayers just waiting to be prayed.
This morning, we could stand or sit around after church and discuss all kinds of problems that our world faces. That would be easy. After all, there are so many of them.
The question, however, is will we help find the solutions? Will we just ask the questions or are we ready to be a part of the solution? Will we commit to the LORD that if He leads, He tells us what to do - then we will be obedient and do His will? Will we commit to the LORD that we will do our best to follow His organization, His directions, His prayers and blessings? Will we commit that we will be sacrificial in our obedience and in our giving of our resources, time and talents?
I believe if we will then God will open doors that we are not even aware of today. I believe if we will go to the Lord not only with our problems but with the mindset that the LORD will give us the solutions then we will see miracles happening around us. I believe that if we will have the same zeal, the same dedication as these 5,000 men had in getting up and going those miles to see and hear Jesus - I believe we will see our worship transformed, our lives transformed and our communities transformed.
Now, I know that some of us couldn't walk two miles, five miles or seven miles down the road to a Jesus meeting. But, very little is stopping us from being able to share Jesus across the table. We can share Jesus through our texts, our tweets and our email messages. We can share Jesus while we drive with someone down the road. We can share Jesus with our friends and with our neighbors. We may not have millions in the bank but we have some we can put in Jesus' hands to meet the needs of the Church, the Community and the World at large.
We may not be able to do much but in the hands of Jesus - with lives and hearts being willing to be obedient it will amaze us what God does with our little.
So, are we people who focus on the problems or people who are part of the solution? Are we dedicated to the LORD so that through us lives, families and communities can be impacted for God and for good? I think we are. I think this morning that there are many who are already doing all they can do to find and be a part of the solution to our world's problems. I think that there are many here this morning that are willing to sell out to Jesus so that our world can become a better place. We may not in our own strength be able to make much of a dent - but together in God's Hands - who knows what God will do?
Closing Service Time:
Closing Hymn - I WILL SERVE THEE or
One Desire - Hillsong
Open Altar/Prayer/Blessing
