To See Series

INTRODUCTION:

Get up…eat breakfast…head to work…work all day… return home…eat some supper…watch a little tv…go to bed… and then repeat those same steps tomorrow.

Some of us may have a few more steps; some of us may have a few fewer steps. No wonder people ask the question: “Is this all there is to life?” And it’s not just unbelievers who ask that question; there are many who know Christ as their Savior that ask that same question.

God tells us in John 10:10 (NKJV)

10 … I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

God says there is more; and if we don’t see it; or more so, if we are not living that way then we are missing something. We saw last week; we can miss that “more” by sticking to the routines of life and not listening to the calls of God on our life. God interrupts our routines of life and calls us to do certain things, and if you are open to Him then you may miss them.

Today, Jesus is going to show us the second way that we can miss the “more” of life by not seeing clearly. Turn with me in your Bibles to Mark 8:1-21 and let’s make some observations about that passage of Scripture.

SCRIPTURE:

Mark 8:1-21 (NIV)

1 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said,

2 "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.

3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance."

4 His disciples answered, "But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?"

5 "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they replied.

6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and they did so.

7 They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them.

8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

9 About four thousand men were present. And having sent them away,

10 he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.

12 He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it."

13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.

15 "Be careful," Jesus warned them. "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod."

16 They discussed this with one another and said, "It is because we have no bread."

17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?

18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember?

19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" "Twelve," they replied.

20 "And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" They answered, "Seven."

21 He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

This is the second time that Jesus feeds a great multiple of people. The first time, Jesus feeds 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. And we told on that occasion that after everyone had fished eating, there were 12 baskets of broken pieces of bread and fish picked up. A little time has passed, and Jesus and His disciples find themselves in a similar situation. This time the people have not eaten, and they number about 4,000. There are seven loaves of bread and a few fish to feed them on this occasion. And verse eight (8) wants us to know that after they finished eating, there are seven full baskets left over probably once again pieces of bread and fish. The number of loaves of bread and the number of fish used and the number of baskets left over is important to the rest of the story. So make a mental note of that.