Unwanted Dinner Guests

INTRODUCTION

• 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?

• As we look at our text today we see that Jesus and the disciples were looking to get away to a secluded place to rest. John the Baptist had just been killed and the disciples had just received the news. They were all tired from all the teaching and healing that they were doing.

• Mark adds a side note to his commentary on this time by saying in verse 31, “For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.”

• Let us look at what Mark 6:30-32 says.

• The twelve had just returned from the mission that Jesus had sent them on. They were tired and Jesus was tired. They were looking for a place to rest and then it happens. Look at verse 33.

• The people saw them and ran after them. So much for that relaxing night in front of the television for the apostles and Jesus. The people got to the spot of rest before Jesus and the apostles did.

• 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 some lessons from the Master as to what we can do when we have unwanted dinner guests. From Jesus we will learn five lessons concerning fulfilling our mission to reach lost people.

SERMON

I. LESSON 1- OPEN THE DOOR (30-36)

Jesus had compassion for the people

• Read verses 33-36

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

• Jesus was not irritated over these “unwanted 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 had compassion for the people. He opened 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.

• It is hard to tell if the disciples were concerned about the people or if they just wanted to get rid of them. Their own hunger must have been on their minds for Mark to mention it. Mark is writing much of His gospel from the perspective of Peter who was a part of this.

• How many times do we let our own agenda get in the way of opening the door for people?

• Jesus Himself has knocked on the door of many people, only to be left out in the cold by them. REV 3:20 ’Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

• Jesus opened the door for all people; even the one who He knew would betray Him, Judas!

• Jesus knew that the way He would impact people the most is to invite them in. It takes a lot of love for people to let them inconvenience you. Jesus had that love and that is the kind of love that we are to have for other people.