You Give Them Something To Eat

MARK 6:30-37

30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. 31 And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. 33 But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. 34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. 35 When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. 36 Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.” 37 But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

Have you ever been in a conflict with someone, and a friend said to you, “Don’t take it personally? He treats everyone like that.” Or you are in the same situation, perhaps at work, and the person who has been rude or too frank with you says, “Don’t take it personally. It’s just business.” Those are challenging encounters, aren’t they?

Well, this morning I want you to take everything I say personally. That is why I have chosen this title for the sermon. “You Give Them Something To Eat.” Now before you and I have a problem, smile with me, I am just repeating what Jesus said to the disciples. So don’t shoot the messenger.

My point is this: all of us who are believers and followers of Jesus Christ have been called to have compassion and to serve people in need. It’s not a special gift. It is not a command for a few. It is not a suggestion. Scripture is filled with this call to meet the needs of the poor, the homeless, the orphan, the widow, anyone who has a life essential need.

Now, let me begin by giving you the background for this incredible story.

I. SO MUCH IS HAPPENING

In what is evidently a short period of time, Jesus has faced rejection, the disciples have been incredibly busy, and they have received word about a significant lose. Jesus went to His hometown of Nazareth to preach and minister to those in need. But he did not receive a warm welcome. The Bible tells us that the people took offense at him. As a result of their lack of faith, Jesus could not perform many miracles. This of course is the passage where we hear Jesus saying that a prophet is not without honor except in his own house.

The disciples have been very busy. Jesus sent them out in pairs. They were to go from village to village preaching a message of repentance and meeting the needs of those who were ill. Jesus told them in advance that they may not always be received well. Likely, they were not. But they have been busy and now they are weary from their labors.

The word they received about a significant loss was the word that John the Baptist had been killed. He was one of their dearest friends and co-laborer in the ministry. You can imagine how they felt when they learned of his death. In Matthew’s account, he tells us that the reason they were going to a quiet place was, in part, because of the news about John.

So, they are tired. They are grieving the loss of their friend. They need to rest. They get in a boat, but thousands of people are following them. When they land the crowd is there. Verse 34 tells us that Jesus had compassion on them. But it was getting late. That’s when we get a glimpse of the disciple’s mindset.

II. LET THEM FEED THEMSELVES

Look at verses 35 and 36. The disciples say to Jesus, this is my colloquial version, “It’s late. We are out in the middle of nowhere. These people need to eat. Tell them to go into town and feed themselves.” Now, I don’t want to read between the lines too much, but I think that their comments were more about them than the crowd. I think they were actually saying, “Look Lord. We’re exhausted. We’ve been on the road. We need to get some rest. We don’t have time to take care of these people.”

But there is another issue. Look at the second part of verse 37. When Jesus tells them to feed the people, their first reaction is about the cost of doing that. Evidently, someone had quickly calculated just how much a meal for several thousand people would cost. “Lord, that would take eight months of wages.” Then they ask Jesus, “If that’s what you want to do, are we the ones who are going to have to go into town and buy the food?