Unexpected Guests

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• Have you ever come home from a long day at work, just wanting to relax? Maybe you have put in many hours at the office or in the factory.

• On your way home, you envision a scene where you come home and put up your feet turn on the television and read the newspaper. Then you see yourself sitting at the table ready for a wonderful dinner that your spouse has prepared for you.

• Now you get home and as soon as you get settled in that favorite recliner the unthinkable happens. The phone rings. You reluctantly get up to answer the phone.

• Then you find out that you are going to have a bunch of unexpected company for dinner. Your evening seems to be ruined.

• Have you ever had that happen to you? How did you feel?

• This is a somewhat similar story as to what we find in our text with Jesus and His disciples today.

• It had been a rough few days, John the Baptist had just been killed and the disciples had just received the news.

• In verse 31 Mark says they were so busy they did not even have time to eat!

• They were all tired from all the teaching and healing that they were doing. The group was looking forward to putting their feet up and watching some football.

• Let’s set the scene with verses 30-33

• SLIDE #2

• Mark 6:30-33(ESV) 30The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.

• Looks like Jesus is going to have some unexpected guests.

• Most all of us have busy lives. We sometimes get to a point where we guard our “free” time so much that we miss opportunities to reach out to lost people.

• Today from what is called the “Feeding of the 5,000” we will learn a lesson from the Master as to what we can do when we have unexpected “dinner guests”.

• Jesus will help us to see that these are opportunities not inconveniences. Sometimes when we least expect it, we will have opportunities to spiritual feed someone who is hungry.

• Let us examine verses 34-36 for our first observation.

• SLIDE #3

• Mark 6:34-36(ESV) 34When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

• First we see…

• SLIDE #4

SERMON

I. Have the compassion to open the door.

• How many of us would be irritated that someone came by and interrupted our time of relaxation?

• Jesus was not irritated over these “unexpected guests”.

• Jesus did not see these people as a “pain” or an “inconvenience”, He saw this as an opportunity to teach these people about the kingdom.

• Jesus felt compassion towards these people because He saw them for what they were, sheep without a shepherd.

• Jesus’ compassion for the lost helped him to open His heart to them. Jesus opened the door to let them in.

• Sometimes that is a scary thing to do. We will have little impact on people if we do not open the door of our hearts to them.

• Jesus could have told the people to leave, He could have directed the disciples to go to another location, but Jesus was willing to open the door and let the people in.

• How many opportunities do we miss because we do not open the door to people?

• I have to wonder how the disciples felt when Jesus did not send the people away. Were they happy about it?

• Our text tells us in verse 35 that it was already late and the disciples came to Jesus and suggested that He send the people home so that they could all get something to eat.

• I am sure those guys wanted to relax and eat.

• It is hard to tell if the disciples were concerned about the people or if they just wanted to get rid of them.