Mark 6:30-44
Read Mark 6:30-44
It was when I was in Covenant Players that I began learning about faith. Before hand I was living at home trusting in my parents to provide for my needs. But in Covenant Players, I began to see God doing miracles in my life & in the lives of the people around me. We lived out of suitcases, & traveled in old broken down vans. It was an adventure.
In Mark 6:7 we read where Jesus sends out the 12 apostles on an adventure. Jesus gave them the power to do miracles. The disciples were amazed by all that happened. In verse 30 the apostles returned to Jesus & told him all that happened to them. Jesus tries to take them on a little vacation but they come across some people that needed help. Jesus saw the people as they truly were. Sheep without a shepherd. How many people today do we see like that? Sheep need guides to help them find food & water. Shady places to rest. There are alot of people today who need others to guide them. They are starving spiritually. And the first guide that comes along & gives them something has them hooked. There are alot of false prophets out there. There are children in need of heros. We all need someone we can look up to. Someone we can believe in. In John 10:11-15 Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep.
So Jesus gathers the people together & he teaches them. What he taught them the Gospels do not say. John wrote that Jesus did & said many things that if it all was written down the whole world would not have room for all the books that would be written.
Evening came & it was time to go home. But people wanted more. And they were hungry. The disciples come to Jesus & tells him to send the people home so they can eat. But Jesus has something else in mind. He told them to feed the crowd. Boy, I wish I could have seen the suprised look on their faces! How in the world can we feed all these people! We don’t have enough money!!! Now remember these disciples had just comepleted a faith mission where they did some miracles. They, not Jesus had cast out demons. They had healed people. And they did all this by faith. Here Jesus asked them to do something that looked impossible to do & they were saying they couldn’t do it. In John 6 where this same event is mentioned, a little boy comes forward with 5 loaves & 2 fish.
Jesus takes the food, blesses it & starts breaking it up & passing it out. Soon everyone gathered has something to eat & they eat to their hearts content. There was over 5000 people gathered & afterward the disciples picked up 12 basketful of leftovers. This was a miracle of Jesus & a blessing.
Why is this event mentioned in the Bible? Why didn’t Jesus just tell the people, "that’s all folks!" And send them home?
I think it was because Jesus was trying to visibly teach something.
1. Jesus was trying to teach the disciples that nothing is impossible with faith. God can do anything through us. God can do great & mighty things. God can heal the sick. God can control the weather. God can make the lame walk again. Make blind eyes see. Make the deaf able to hear. The muted talk. God can even provide something simple like food to eat. And he can do it all through us.
2. Jesus was trying to teach the people giving & receiving. Give what little you can. And God will multiply it a hundredfold. Don’t just keep taking for yourself. But give to others. Share with others what you have. And it will become a blessing.
This teaching is for us today as well. God wants & can use us to do great & mighty things. God can use us to bring joy in midst of sadness; healing in midst of pain; salvation in place of death. God can also use us in the simple things as well. A helping hand to someone in need. A loving smile, a simple touch.
God can take what little we have & bless it. You only have a dollar for the offering plate. Ok. Give it. God will mulitply that dollar & use it for his glory. In this day & age we tend to be selfish & self centered. We want to hold on to what we got. While there are millions dying for lack of need. I know this is a small congregation & we don’t have alot of money. But look in the Bible. Look at all the times God took something or someone small & made them great. God took a little shepherd boy named David & made him into a great king. God took an old man with a speech imperment & freed the Israelite slaves in Egypt. Jesus took a little boys lunch & fed over 5000 people. Jesus took a bunch of simple fishermen & turned them into great leaders. God can take the congreagtion of 20 old people at First Christian Church in Granite City & turn them into Lifesavers for people who are dying & in need of Jesus Christ as their Lord & Savior.
But the first step is up to us. Jesus wouldn’t have the fish & bread if the boy had not first given it up. We can’t be blessed until we first become a blessing to others. We must be willing to give up our selfisness & give, share with others.
What are some practical ways we can be a blessing to others?
Pray for others.
Call others & offer encouragement.
Give a helping hand to someone.
Use the gifts & talents that God has given to to help others.
Share what you have with someone.
Write a note of encouragement to someone.
Jesus was able to do what he did because of faith. The disciples were able to do what they did because of faith. The little boy gave his food because of faith. We can do what God wants us to do if only we will start walking in faith.
