Jesus: Our Shepherd Mark 6:30-44 LBC. 21 Feb 2016 INTRODUCTION: VERSE 30 SAYS THE APOSTLES RETURNED TO JESUS AND TOLD HIM ALL THAT THEY HAD DONE AND TAUGHT. A SUMMARY VERSE TO END OFF THEIR FIRST PREACHING TOUR FOR JESUS, HOWEVER, A VERSE I BELIEVE WHICH SETS THE CONTEXT FOR OUR PASSAGE TODAY THE FEEDING OF THE 5000 MEN. AND SO INSTEAD OF THE DISCIPLES TELLING JESUS ALL THAT THEY HAD DONE, MAYBE IT SHOULD READ THAT THEY TOLD JESUS ALL WHAT HE DID THROUGH THEM. NOW IF YOU THINK I M BEING TOO HARSH ON THE DISCIPLES, LOOK WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR TEXT. THE APOSTLES ARE FACED WITH A DILEMMA OF 1000 S OF PEOPLE NEEDING TO BE FED AND INSTEAD OF LEARNING FROM THEIR PREACHING TOUR THAT JESUS IS ENOUGH, HE IS SUFFICIENT TO MEET YOU SEE THE EMPHASIS OF THE VERSE IS ON WHAT THE APOSTLES TOLD JESUS. THEY TOLD HIM ALL THAT THEY HAD DONE AND TAUGHT. OUR EVERY NEED, HE WILL PROVIDE FOR THESE PEOPLE, THEY ASK JESUS TO SEND THEM ALL HOME. TO WHICH JESUS RESPONDS BY TELLING THEM RATHER TO FEED ALL FRIENDS WHEN WE LIVE FOR JESUS, WHEN WE GO OUT AND TESTIFY FOR JESUS, IT IS JESUS WHO IS WORKING IN AND THROUGH US. THE APOSTLES PAUL SAYS IN GAL 2:20 I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST, IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE BUT CHRIST WHO LIVES IN ME. THE PEOPLE. HOWEVER THEY LOOK AT THE SITUATION AND AT THEMSELVES AND SAY THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO PROVIDE A MEAL FOR THEM ALL. 1
AGAIN, JUST LIKE THE GREAT STORM ON THE SEA OF GALILEE, THEY ARE LOOKING TOWARDS THEMSELVES TO LIVE THE LIFE THAT GOD HAS CALLED THEM TO IN CHRIST JESUS. THEY HAVE JUST EXPERIENCED JESUS SUFFICIENCY TO MEET ALL THEIR AND SO OUR TEXT THIS MORNING IS RECORDED FOR US BY MARK TO SHOW US HOW JESUS SHOWED HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE IS ENOUGH, HE IS SUFFICIENT, HE IS ALL THEY NEED FOR LIFE, FOR GODLINESS, FOR MINISTRY, FOR SALVATION, FOR ETERNAL LIFE. NEEDS AND YET THEY HAVE BECOME SELF SUSTAINING, MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE PRIDEFUL. FRIENDS THE MOMENT WE GRASP THIS INCREDIBLE TRUTH, JESUS BECOMES TO US THE ONE WHO WE WILL TREASURE ABOVE ALL, THE LET ME SAY ARE WE NOT GUILTY OF THE SAME IN OUR LIVES? WHEN GOD WORKS THROUGH US OR WE ARE ABLE TO DO RIGHT OR ONE WHO WE WILL GLADLY GIVE OUR LIVES FOR, THE ONE WHOM WE WILL DESIRE TO SERVE AND SPEAK OF ABOVE ANYTHING. HANDLE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, IS THERE NOT IN US THE SAME THAT WAS IN THE APOSTLES LOOK WHAT I HAVE DONE, SEE HOW GOOD I HAVE BEEN, I CAN T POSSIBLE DO THAT FOR I DON T HAVE THE MEANS. JOHAN READ FOR US PSALM 23 THIS MORNING, THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD I SHALL NOT BE IN WANT, THIS STORY IS THE PSALM 23 OF NT, THE LORD, JESUS CHRIST IS MY SHEPHERD, HE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO MEET MY EVERY NEED. WE BECOME ALMOST SELF-DEPENDENT OR VIEW OUR LIFE OUR AND SO LET S HAVE A LOOK AT THE PSALM 23 OF THE NT. MINISTRY OUR WALK WITH THE LORD AS SELF-SUSTAINING. 1. JESUS CONCERN FOR HIS DISCIPLES. (31-32) WE FORGET THAT WE ARE JUST SHEEP AND IN NEED OF A SHEPHERD. 2
VERSE 31, THE DISCIPLES HAVE RETURNED FROM THEIR PREACHING TOUR, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE REPORTING BACK TO JESUS ALL THEY HAVE DONE AND TAUGHT, PEOPLE ARE STILL COMING TO THEM FOR TEACHING AND HEALING AND OTHERS TO HAVE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. COME AWAY BY YOURSELVES TO A DESOLATE PLACE AND REST A WHILE JESUS TELL THEM. AND SO THEY GOT INTO THE BOAT AND WENT AWAY. THE DISCIPLES HAD A NEED, EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE REALISED IT, THEY NEEDED TO REST A WHILE, REPLENISH THEIR PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL RESERVES. IN FACT MARK TELLS US THAT SUCH WAS THE INTEREST IN THE SIGNS AND WONDERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE APOSTLES TO AFFIRM THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT THEY WERE PROCLAIMING, THAT THEY WERE BUT WHERE WERE THEY GOING TO FIND THAT REST? WELL THEY FOUND IT BY BEING ALONE WITH JESUS. NOT GIVEN A CHANCE BY THE PEOPLE TO EAT OR TO REST A WHILE. IT WAS GO. GO. GO. FRIENDS THE GREATER DEMANDS ON OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES AND CHRISTIAN WITNESS DEMANDS WE SPEND GREATER TIME ALONE WITH NOW WE KNOW THAT ALL WORK AND NO PLAY INEVITABLY LEADS TO BURN OUT OR TO FATIGUE OR TO A BREAK DOWN. JESUS KNEW THIS BEST THAT S WHY HE INSTITUTED THE SABBATH DAY OF REST. 6 DAYS YOU SHALL LABOUR BUT ON THE 7 TH DAY YOU SHALL REST. JESUS. JESUS IS THE ONE WHO IS ABLE TO REST OUR BODIES AND SOULS AND REPLENISH US SO THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO AND TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE OF LIVING FOR GOD IN A GODLESS SOCIETY. JESUS WAS CONCERNED FOR THE WELL-BEING OF HIS DISCIPLES. AND SO HE INVITED THEM TO COME AWAY WITH HIM TO A QUIET PLACE. SOUND FAMILIAR: PS 23:2 HE LEADS ME BESIDE STILL WATERS, HE RESTORES MY SOUL. 3
WE CANNOT EXPECT TO SUCCEED IN EVERY SITUATION FOR CHRIST IF WE ARE NOT SPENDING TIME ALONE WITH CHRIST. JESUS DEMANDED OUT OF CONCERN FOR HIS DISCIPLES THAT THEY SPEND TIME ALONE WITH HIM, HOW MUCH MORE DO YOU AND I NEED TO SPEND TIME ALONE WITH JESUS AS WELL IN ORDER TO BE THE AFTER ALL, JESUS HAS SHOWED US THIS TRUTH ALREADY. IN MARK 1 KINGDOM CITIZENS HE HAS CALLED US TO BE. WE SAW HOW JESUS OFTEN WENT AWAY TO PRAY BY HIMSELF, TO SPEND TIME WITH GOD ALONE IN ORDER TO REST AND REPLENISH SPIRITUAL ENERGY TO CONTINUE IN HIS MISSION FOR GOD. HE IS OUR SHEPHERD, WHO LEADS US BESIDES STILL WATERS, WHO RESTORES OUR SOULS. SECONDLY WE SEE: I WONDER HOW JESUS MUST BE CONCERNED OVER MANY OF US WHO 2. JESUS COMPASSION FOR THE GREAT CROWD. (33-34) WANT TO LIVE FOR HIM AND TRY TO LIVE FOR HIM, YET NEVER SPEND TIME ALONE WITH HIM. MAKING THEIR WAY TO THIS DESOLATE OR SOLITARY PLACE TO REST, THE GREAT CROWD SEE THEM AND RECOGNISED THEM AND PROBABLY WHEN WE DO THAT WE IN ESSENCE SAYING THAT JESUS I DON T NEED YOU, I CAN DO YOUR WORK JUST FINE ON MY OWN. HOW FOOLISH DOES THAT NOT SOUND, YET SPENDING TIME ALONE WITH JESUS, IN HIS WORD, IN PRAYER, IN QUIETNESS IS SO NEGLECTED BY CHRISTIANS TODAY. FOLLOWING THEM ALONG THE BANKS OF THE SEA OF GALILEE THEY RUN FROM THEIR TOWNS TO WHERE JESUS IS GOING. IN FACT SOME GET THERE BEFORE THE BOAT ARRIVES VERSE 33 SAYS. IT S NO LONGER A DESOLATE PLACE, IT S FULL OF PEOPLE. NOW YOU CAN IMAGINE THE DISCIPLES UPON SEEING THE CROWDS GRUMBLING AMONGST THEMSELVES, WELL THERE GOES OUR R&R WITH JESUS. 4
BUT VERSE 34 TELLS US THAT WHEN JESUS SAW THE GREAT CROWD THAT HAD GATHERED AND WAS GATHERING, HE HAD COMPASSION ON THEM. COMPASSION IS TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK WORD IN NUMBERS 27:17 WE READ MOSES SAY TO THE LORD WHO SHALL GO OUT BEFORE THEM AND COME IN BEFORE THEM, WHO SHALL LEAD THEM OUT AND BRING THEM IN, THAT THE CONGREGATION OF THE LORD MAY NOT BE AS SHEEP THAT HAVE NO SHEPHERD. SPLANCHNIZOMAI LITERALLY MEANING GUT WRENCHING. JESUS FELT FOR THESE PEOPLE IN HIS INNER PARTS, HIS COMPASSION FOR THEM WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A WHAT MOSES WAS ASKING GOD FOR WAS SOMEONE WHO WOULD LEAD HIS PEOPLE OUT OF THE WILDERNESS INTO THE PROMISE LAND. SHEPHERD. OF COURSE THE EXODUS IS A FORESHADOW OF WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE NOW MARK WASN T USING THIS TERM IN REFERENCE TO THEM NOT HAVING A PASTORAL FIGURE, LIKE LATER ON IN THE NT WHERE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH ARE REFERRED TO AS SHEPHERDS, WHICH CAUSED JESUS TO BE MOVED WITH COMPASSION FOR THEM. IN LEADING US OUT OF SLAVERY INTO GOD S PLACE FOR US. MOSES AND JOSHUA WERE FORESHADOWS OF WHAT CHRIST WOULD DO. AND SO WHEN MARK TELLS US THAT JESUS HAD COMPASSION ON THIS CROWD BECAUSE THEY WERE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD, HE IS NO, AT THIS TIME, AND TO HIS JEWISH READERS, MARK USED THE TERM TO POINT HIS READERS BACK TO THE DAYS OF MOSES -HERE MOSES REFERRING TO THEIR NEED OF A SAVIOUR TO LEAD THEM OUT OF SLAVERY TO SIN AND INTO A LIFE WITH GOD. WAS ABOUT TO DIE AND HE ASKED OF THE LORD TO APPOINT A MAN OVER THE ISRAELITE CONGREGATION TO REPLACE HIM. BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WHAT JESUS DOES NEXT. 5
HE KNOWS HIS DISCIPLES NEED REST AND HE KNOWS THAT THE PEOPLE NEED THIS SHEPHERD, SO WITHOUT CALLING ON HIS DISCIPLES TO GO FRIENDS WHETHER YOU A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST OR YOU ARE NOT, JESUS IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO MEET YOUR NEEDS. AMONGST THE CROWD AND CONTINUE MINISTRY, BY PROTECTING THEIR TIME ALONE WITH HIM, JESUS HIMSELF BEGINS TO TEACH THE PEOPLE. THE APOSTLES SHOULD HAVE BY NOW SEEN AND UNDERSTOOD THE TREASURE JESUS IS TO THEM, BUT AS WE WILL DISCOVER THEY ARE JUST AFTER ALL JESUS CAME TO TEACH AND PREACH PEOPLE ABOUT THE LIKE US SOMETIMES, SLOW TO UNDERSTAND. GOOD NEWS FOUND IN HIM. IN OTHER WORDS THE DISCIPLES CAN STILL ENJOY THE R&R SITTING UNDER THE WORD OF GOD AND THE PEOPLE WILL DISCOVER FROM JESUS TEACHING THAT HE IS THE PROMISED SHEPHERD, HE IS THE MESSIAH, HE IS THE ONE THE SCRIPTURES POINTED TO. BUT JESUS IS PATIENT WITH THEM AND US. HIS PATIENCE IS SEEN IN HIS CONTINUAL POINTING TO THE FACT THAT HE IS THEIR SHEPHERD, HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL SUPPLY ALL THEIR NEEDS, THAT THEIR LIVES AND MINISTRY ARE DEPENDENT ON HIM AND HIM ALONE. AND SO THIRDLY WE SEE: IN A MOMENT, JESUS IS SATISFYING THE NEED OF HIS DISCIPLES AND 3. JESUS CATERING FOR A GREAT NEED. (35-44) THIS GREAT CROWD. HE LEADS ME BESIDE STILL WATERS, HE RESTORES MY SOUL, AND, HE LEADS ME IN PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAME SAKE. PS 23. THE SUN WAS SETTING, IT WAS LATE AFTERNOON, THE DISCIPLES SUDDENLY REALISE THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE HAD NO FOOD, THEY IN A REMOTE PLACE, THE SHOPS IN THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES ARE ABOUT WHAT A SHEPHERD. HE MEETS ALL OUR NEEDS. HE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR US. TO CLOSE, THEY NEED FOOD QUICKLY AND DESPERATELY OR ELSE THEY GOING TO HAVE A CRISIS ON THEIR HANDS. 6
INSTEAD OF REALISING THAT THEY HAD THE GREAT SHEPHERD STANDING IN FRONT OF THEM WHO MEETS THEIR EVERY NEED, THEY GO TO JESUS AND MAKE A SUGGESTION TO JESUS. VERSE 36 SEND THE PEOPLE AWAY TO GO INTO THE SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE AND VILLAGES AND BUY THEMSELVES SOMETHING TO EAT. FRIENDS LET ME PAUSE THEIR AND SAY TO YOU THAT JESUS ASKS US FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE TODAY AS WELL. JESUS ASKS US TO TURN AWAY FROM OUR NATURAL INCLINATION THAT WE WERE BORN WITH OF REBELLING AGAINST GOD AND TO TURN TO LIFE OF LOVING AND OBEYING GOD, JESUS ASKS US TO TRUST HIM AND HIS CONTROL OF ALL THINGS WHEN EVERYTHING IN OUR LIVES MIGHT BE TELLING US THAT SURELY HE IS NOT I CAN IMAGINE JESUS JUST WANTING TO TELL HIS DISCIPLES HAVE YOU NOT BEING PAYING ATTENTION TO HOW I HAVE MET YOUR EVERY NEED! IN CONTROL, JESUS ASKS US TO LIVE AS A TESTIMONY TO WHAT HE HAS DONE IN OUR LIVES, YET KNOWING THAT WE WILL FAIL HIM AND DISAPPOINT HIM TIME AND TIME AGAIN, JESUS ASKS US TO TELL PEOPLE BUT HE DOESN T, INSTEAD HE ACTUALLY INTENSIFIES THE CRISIS SITUATION. IN OTHER WORDS MAKES THE NEED GREATER. HE SAYS TO THEM IN VERSE 37 YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT TO TRUST IN JESUS AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, KNOWING THAT WE STRUGGLE TO LIVE THAT OUT IN OUR LIVES. JESUS ASKS US TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE. WELL THE DISCIPLES RESPOND IN A BIT OF UNBELIEF AND SHOCK AT WHAT JESUS HAS ASKED THEM TO DO. HOWEVER MY DEAR FRIENDS, THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WITH GOD NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. THEREFORE ENCOURAGING US TO DEPEND AND RELY ON THE ONE WHO HAS ALL POWER AND ALL AUTHORITY TO HELP US AND REPLY THAT IT WOULD COST THEM A YEARS WORTH OF WAGES TO AND MEET OUR EVERY NEED. GO AND BUY FOOD FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE TO EAT JESUS YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MIND, YOU HAVE JUST ASKED US TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE. 7
JESUS BY INTENSIFYING THE CRISIS, IS WANTING THE DISCIPLES TO REALISE THAT WITH THEM THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY, THE CHRISTIAN HOPE IS IMPOSSIBLE. BUT THEY HAVE ONE STANDING BEFORE THEM IN WHICH NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. THE GREAT SHEPHERD WAS HERE, THEY NEED NOT WORRY OR LOOK TO THEMSELVES, FOR THE LORD JESUS IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT, LISTEN TO THIS AS HE ORDERED THE CROWDS TO SIT ON THE GREEN GRASS, AGAIN PS23 HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES. AND SO JESUS ASKS THEM IN VERSE 38 HOW MANY LOAVES DO YOU HAVE? GO AND SEE. THEY COME BACK A LITTLE WHILE LATER WITH FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH. OH DISCIPLES, DON T YOU GET IT, THE GREAT SHEPHERD IS STANDING BEFORE YOU, IS PS 23 JUST A POEM TO YOU, OR IS IT THE VERY TRUTH OF GOD!!!! AND THEN VERSE 39 SAYS HE COMMANDED THEM ALL TO SIT DOWN IN GROUPS ON THE GREEN GRASS. GROUPS OF HUNDREDS AND FIFTIES. VERSE 41 TAKING THE LOAVES AND THE FISH, HE LOOKED UP INTO HEAVEN AND SAID THANKS TO GOD, HE BROKE THE BREAD AND GAVE IT TO HIS DISCIPLES, SOMETHING THAT HE WOULD DO AT THE LAST SUPPER, WHY GROUPS YOU MAY ASK? AGAIN TO POINT BACK TO WHAT MOSES DID IN DIVIDING UP PEOPLE INTO GROUPS TO RECEIVE GOD S PROVISION FOR THEIR NEEDS. (EXODUS 18:25, NUMBERS 31) IT WAS TO POINT THE DISCIPLES TO THE FACT THAT GOD WAS GOING TO ONCE AGAIN MIRACULOUSLY PROVIDE FOR THEIR NEED. SOMETHING HE WOULD DO IN THE FLESH ON THE CROSS AT CALVARY IN ORDER TO MEET OUR GREAT NEED TO BE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD. HE ALSO DIVIDED UP THE FISH AND AS THE DISCIPLES SET IT BEFORE THE PEOPLE, THEIR BASKETS NEVER EMPTIED. VERSE 42 SAYS THAT THEY ALL ATE AND WERE SATISFIED. THIS WAS NOT A SNACK, THIS WAS A BUFFET. 8
JESUS MET A NEED THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE BY MAN, JESUS MEETS OUR NEEDS WHICH ARE IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO MEET. IN FACT 12 BASKETS OF LEFT OVERS WERE COLLECTED FULL OF BROKEN BREAD AND FISH. ONE BASKET EACH FOR THE DISCIPLES AS A TESTIMONY THAT JESUS IS THE GREAT SHEPHERD, HE WILL MEET OUR EVERY NEED FRIENDS TURNING TO JESUS AS OUR SAVIOUR MIGHT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU HERE THIS MORNING, MAYBE YOU FEEL YOU HAVE TOO MUCH BAGGAGE OR HISTORY WITHOUT HIM, OR MAYBE YOU FEEL YOU HAVE REBELLED AGAINST GOD TOO MUCH, JESUS IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO MEET YOU NEED OF FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION WITH GOD. AND MORE. CHRISTIANS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE IN OUR OWN STRENGTH TO LIVE FOR YOU PREPARE A TABLE BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES, YOU ANNOINT MY HEAD WITH OIL; MY CUP OVERFLOWS. JESUS, LET ALONE WITNESS AND TESTIFY TO HIM. BUT WITH JESUS THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES POSSIBLE FOR HE IS OUR GREAT SHEPHERD. MARK PUTS THIS MIRACULOUS NEED SATISFYING EVENT INTO PERSPECTIVE FOR US IN THE LAST VERSE OF OUR PASSAGE, THOSE WHO WE NEED JESUS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD, FOR JESUS HAS ALL WE NEED. ATE THE LOAVES WERE 5000 MEN. YOU CAN EASILY DOUBLE THAT NUMBER WITH WOMEN AND CHILDREN. ARE YOU TELLING JESUS ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE OR ARE YOU TELLING HIM ALL THAT HE HAS DONE AND NEEDS TO DO THROUGH YOU. WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH MAN IS POSSIBLE WITH JESUS. CONCLUSION: 9