WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.140 If you have your Bible, look with me this morning to the Gospel of Mark. 00:00:03.260 --> 00:00:09.519 We're continuing our series on the Jesus effect, the impact Jesus has in people's lives. 00:00:10.419 --> 00:00:14.160 And this morning, we're looking at Mark chapter 6. 00:00:14.259 --> 00:00:16.440 We're going to begin our reading in just a moment in verse 30. 00:00:17.800 --> 00:00:22.039 Give you a chance to find that passage, Mark chapter 6, verse 30. 00:00:23.820 --> 00:00:29.580 The message this morning is about the greatest picnic that I've ever heard about in my life. 00:00:29.579 --> 00:00:36.500 When I was a kid, back in the 50s and 60s, we didn't have a lot of excess money. 00:00:36.600 --> 00:00:37.799 There weren't a lot of restaurants. 00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:39.799 You didn't have all the fast food chains you have today. 00:00:40.140 --> 00:00:41.619 Did later when I was a teenager. 00:00:42.299 --> 00:00:44.320 But we didn't eat out a whole lot. 00:00:44.379 --> 00:00:48.799 But what we did do, really enjoyed as a family, was going on an occasional picnic. 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:53.560 We would pack some chicken and some potato salad and deviled eggs. 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:56.400 And we'd go out to, oftentimes, a lake. 00:00:56.719 --> 00:01:03.000 And we would fish or we would throw a football and just have a big time, make some homemade ice cream, cut a watermelon. 00:01:03.620 --> 00:01:04.680 You all done that kind of thing? 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:05.340 You enjoy that? 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:06.420 Man, I love it. 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:09.140 In fact, I may just go out to church and go on a picnic. 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:11.800 I love a good picnic. 00:01:11.980 --> 00:01:13.820 I don't think anything's any more fun than that. 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:17.859 Well, you're going to see a picnic here that you would have loved to have been a part of. 00:01:18.219 --> 00:01:19.219 Let's just jump in. 00:01:19.219 --> 00:01:21.840 Look at verse 30, if you will, in chapter 6. 00:01:22.459 --> 00:01:29.539 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 00:01:30.140 --> 00:01:32.079 Now, you're wondering, what in the world is that about? 00:01:32.180 --> 00:01:40.859 If you look up earlier in the chapter, verse 6, you find that Jesus has commissioned these 12, sent them out two by two. 00:01:40.960 --> 00:01:42.280 He divides them into groups of two. 00:01:42.780 --> 00:01:47.019 And he sent them out to all the villages and towns in the surrounding area. 00:01:47.019 --> 00:01:49.659 And this is pretty much the instruction he gave them. 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:51.259 He said, I don't want you to worry about money. 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:53.239 I don't want you to worry about food. 00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:55.159 Take the clothes on your back. 00:01:55.219 --> 00:01:56.340 You don't need to pack a suitcase. 00:01:56.579 --> 00:01:57.699 Take the clothes on your back. 00:01:57.780 --> 00:01:59.840 If you've got a walking stick, use your walking stick. 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:01.459 And just go out. 00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:09.400 And when you come to a place and they take you into their house, stay with that family until you're ready to move to the next place. 00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:11.579 But God will provide. 00:02:11.580 --> 00:02:12.900 So they do that. 00:02:13.040 --> 00:02:13.900 They come back. 00:02:14.380 --> 00:02:18.480 And now they're giving this report to Jesus about what has occurred. 00:02:19.020 --> 00:02:25.160 And you read about the report they know undoubtedly gave Jesus over in verse 13. 00:02:25.640 --> 00:02:33.640 What it tells us is this, that when they came back, they reported to him that they had preached the gospel just as he had been doing. 00:02:34.140 --> 00:02:35.920 They had healed the sick. 00:02:36.380 --> 00:02:38.680 And they had cast out demons. 00:02:38.680 --> 00:02:44.840 Well, if you've been with us for the last six, seven weeks, you know that's what Jesus, we've seen him to this point doing. 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:50.560 And so they just replicated, duplicated, if you will, his ministry. 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:59.180 So you've got to understand if crowds are following Jesus, crowds are now following these disciples. 00:02:59.580 --> 00:03:03.159 Because they want to see what's going to happen next. 00:03:03.620 --> 00:03:05.600 Well, look if you will at verse 31. 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:13.359 He said to them, come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while. 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:18.599 Jesus recognizes these disciples are exhausted. 00:03:19.459 --> 00:03:21.240 He can look in their face and see it. 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:28.039 Those of you who have difficult jobs, when you come home and you're just thoroughly exhausted, you've spent everything, 00:03:28.659 --> 00:03:33.400 your family can look at you and they just tell, man, he or she is just spent. 00:03:33.539 --> 00:03:35.139 They don't have any more to give. 00:03:35.139 --> 00:03:40.079 But Jesus looked into the face of his disciples and knew these guys were worn out. 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:43.000 They'd already been traveling with Jesus for some time. 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:45.759 And so the way had always been difficult. 00:03:45.899 --> 00:03:49.579 But now the responsibility had rested on their shoulders. 00:03:49.739 --> 00:03:51.239 So he said, come away by yourselves. 00:03:51.519 --> 00:03:55.639 And notice this, underscore that in your mind, to a remote place. 00:03:56.179 --> 00:03:57.779 You know what a remote place is, right? 00:03:58.199 --> 00:04:00.959 A remote place is a place where there's no fanfare. 00:04:01.099 --> 00:04:02.239 There are not big crowds. 00:04:02.379 --> 00:04:03.379 It's isolated. 00:04:03.379 --> 00:04:05.780 You're not going to find a Ferris wheel there. 00:04:06.079 --> 00:04:07.319 Some of you enjoy going to the beach. 00:04:07.400 --> 00:04:09.400 In fact, probably most of you enjoy going to the beach. 00:04:09.819 --> 00:04:13.039 Some of you, though, want to go where there's lots of activities, right? 00:04:13.359 --> 00:04:17.639 And others of you, like myself, you say, I want to go somewhere like Ocean Isle, Cherry Grove. 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:21.079 I want to get away from as much of the hustle and bustle as I can get away from. 00:04:21.159 --> 00:04:24.420 And I want it to be quiet and still and not a whole lot going on. 00:04:24.420 --> 00:04:29.259 Well, I think they're looking for a place even more remote than those I mentioned. 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:34.980 They're looking for a place out in the wilderness where they can absolutely be by themselves. 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:38.780 Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while. 00:04:39.020 --> 00:04:44.240 For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 00:04:44.920 --> 00:04:47.700 Now, some of you in this room, you know what that's like. 00:04:47.699 --> 00:04:54.099 Some of you have found yourselves in the midst of chaos at work, and you're going to be 90, 00:04:54.420 --> 00:04:59.879 and it's been that way not just one day but two days or three days or a week or two or three weeks. 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:02.759 And at times, you don't even have time to stop for lunch 00:05:02.759 --> 00:05:06.819 and barely even have a chance to grab a cup of coffee out the door in the morning, 00:05:06.980 --> 00:05:10.439 and you're just famished and absolutely exhausted. 00:05:10.719 --> 00:05:12.860 And that's what had happened to these disciples. 00:05:13.419 --> 00:05:15.019 So that's what they decided to do. 00:05:15.019 --> 00:05:16.219 Look at verse 32. 00:05:16.220 --> 00:05:21.340 So they went away in the boat themselves to a remote place. 00:05:21.940 --> 00:05:23.160 They take Jesus' advice. 00:05:23.280 --> 00:05:27.020 They get in the boat, they shove off, and they're headed to a remote place. 00:05:27.100 --> 00:05:28.220 But look at verse 33. 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:33.060 But many saw them leaving and recognized them. 00:05:33.260 --> 00:05:35.040 They become popular figures. 00:05:35.700 --> 00:05:41.120 People ran there by land from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:44.000 So their intent is we're going to get away. 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:47.459 We're not going to take a crowd of folk with us. 00:05:47.660 --> 00:05:50.399 We're going to take a break, a timeout from ministry. 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:51.759 We're not going to preach. 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:52.740 We're not going to heal. 00:05:52.899 --> 00:05:54.019 We're not going to cast out demons. 00:05:54.319 --> 00:06:00.939 We're just going to get along and catch our breath, refresh ourselves spiritually, talk to God, get a sense of direction. 00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:02.459 We're going to this remote place. 00:06:02.459 --> 00:06:04.599 The people see them leaving. 00:06:05.419 --> 00:06:08.000 And when they see them leaving, can you hear them? 00:06:08.180 --> 00:06:09.680 Hey, that's Jesus in that boat. 00:06:10.299 --> 00:06:14.159 Hey, that's that disciple who was over in Capernaum and he did those miracles. 00:06:14.659 --> 00:06:19.319 And pretty soon word spreads and the townsfolk are running down to the shore. 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:25.019 And they anticipate apparently where Jesus is going to land. 00:06:25.719 --> 00:06:28.040 And so they run along the Sea of Galilee. 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:30.279 Apparently it didn't get too far from the shoreline. 00:06:30.939 --> 00:06:32.639 And the crowd is running. 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:38.759 And when Jesus and his disciples get to this place where they think we're finally going to be all alone, guess what? 00:06:39.100 --> 00:06:39.779 They're not. 00:06:40.259 --> 00:06:42.939 There's a crowd that is run along beside them. 00:06:43.500 --> 00:06:47.120 So look at verse 20 or 33 one more time. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:49.660 But many saw them leaving and recognized them. 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:54.639 People ran there by land from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 00:06:55.420 --> 00:06:56.860 Now, Jesus loved people. 00:06:56.959 --> 00:06:58.500 The disciples loved people apparently. 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:02.579 But I got to tell you, they're probably a little bit disappointed, right? 00:07:03.180 --> 00:07:05.540 How many of you saw the movie What About Bob? 00:07:05.660 --> 00:07:06.600 Can you all remember that one? 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:09.180 It was a Bill Murray movie years and years ago. 00:07:09.560 --> 00:07:12.920 He played this guy who was a hypochondriac. 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:15.420 And he had this psychologist. 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:17.819 And the psychologist just needed a break from him. 00:07:18.140 --> 00:07:19.860 And so he goes off somewhere up in New England. 00:07:19.980 --> 00:07:20.800 And he's hiding out. 00:07:21.100 --> 00:07:22.280 And lo and behold, he goes to the door. 00:07:22.660 --> 00:07:23.580 And there's this guy. 00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:24.480 There's Bob, right? 00:07:24.840 --> 00:07:29.000 And some of you have probably felt like that at some time in your life. 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:31.040 You tell somebody, we're going away. 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:31.980 Well, where are you going? 00:07:32.280 --> 00:07:33.439 And you know the feeling, right? 00:07:33.460 --> 00:07:36.540 You don't want to tell because you don't want any company, right? 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:37.560 You want to be there by yourself. 00:07:37.560 --> 00:07:41.800 But Jesus gets there, and there's a huge, huge crowd ahead of him. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:43.160 So how does he respond? 00:07:43.259 --> 00:07:44.100 Look at verse 34. 00:07:45.259 --> 00:07:51.340 So as he stepped ashore, he saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them 00:07:51.340 --> 00:07:55.360 because they were like sheep without a shepherd. 00:07:56.399 --> 00:07:59.100 Jesus, every one of these 12, they want to get alone. 00:07:59.420 --> 00:08:00.199 They want to rest. 00:08:00.300 --> 00:08:01.259 They want to eat. 00:08:01.379 --> 00:08:02.100 They want to sleep. 00:08:02.180 --> 00:08:03.639 They just want to relax a little bit. 00:08:04.040 --> 00:08:07.319 But as soon as you get there, Mark says, here's this huge crowd. 00:08:07.319 --> 00:08:11.800 Now, all through this study in Mark, we've seen some really huge crowds, right? 00:08:12.180 --> 00:08:13.819 I mean, there are times they're pressing on him. 00:08:14.040 --> 00:08:16.860 Remember a few weeks ago, they're pressing against Jesus, 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:18.839 and Jesus says, somebody touched me. 00:08:18.939 --> 00:08:21.159 And one of the disciples turned and said, touched you? 00:08:21.219 --> 00:08:22.740 Who hasn't touched you, you know? 00:08:22.899 --> 00:08:24.159 So it's massive crowds. 00:08:24.279 --> 00:08:24.899 Can I tell you something? 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:30.199 I wouldn't be surprised if this is the largest crowd to date. 00:08:30.779 --> 00:08:32.000 You're going to see why in just a moment. 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:33.740 Let me just tell you, let's cut it out of the bag. 00:08:33.740 --> 00:08:38.940 There are at least 5,000 men in this crowd. 00:08:39.539 --> 00:08:44.060 We don't know about ladies and children, but this is a massive, huge crowd. 00:08:44.379 --> 00:08:48.779 But when Jesus comes ashore, the scripture says he sees them, 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:54.580 and when he sees them, he envisions them as sheep without a shepherd. 00:08:55.419 --> 00:09:01.659 Matthew uses the exact same description, and it moves his heart with compassion. 00:09:01.659 --> 00:09:04.719 He just looked at them, and his heart melted. 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:08.279 I mean, he just saw such great, great need there. 00:09:08.899 --> 00:09:14.459 I'm going to tell you, if you ever go to India, Haiti, Kenya, some of those places, 00:09:15.100 --> 00:09:20.079 and you see people who come out to greet you, you'll have that same experience. 00:09:21.199 --> 00:09:25.980 You'll see a level of need unlike anything you've seen in this country. 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:28.519 And it just breaks your heart. 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:29.259 Your heart melts. 00:09:29.339 --> 00:09:31.159 You want to do something for these people. 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:34.879 And so Jesus was moved with compassion. 00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:39.459 Now, I think there's a reason the scripture uses that phrase, 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:41.860 he saw them as sheep without a shepherd. 00:09:42.199 --> 00:09:43.159 What do you know about sheep? 00:09:43.240 --> 00:09:44.240 Anybody here raise sheep? 00:09:45.199 --> 00:09:48.779 I don't know a whole lot about them, but I've had a little bit of experience with them. 00:09:49.259 --> 00:09:53.199 Years ago, the church that I was pastor of, we did a thing called Journey Through Bethlehem, 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:57.840 and we brought these camels in, one named Omar from Florida and another one. 00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:08.400 And we brought in some donkeys and some goats and sheep, and we did a thing where about 20,000 people a week would come through and see our Journey Through Bethlehem. 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:09.840 So I know a little bit about sheep. 00:10:09.980 --> 00:10:13.100 We put them in a pen, and one day they got out of that pen. 00:10:13.579 --> 00:10:16.600 Our minister of education come around and said, man, we've got to get all you out there. 00:10:16.659 --> 00:10:18.360 These sheep have escaped, and we've got to get them. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:18.959 Can I tell you something? 00:10:19.299 --> 00:10:21.340 Sheep are not the brightest animals in the world. 00:10:21.559 --> 00:10:22.439 I'll just tell you that. 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:27.200 And they just kind of scatter, and then they come back together. 00:10:27.660 --> 00:10:30.120 And if you run after them, can I tell you something? 00:10:30.420 --> 00:10:31.700 That's not what you want to do. 00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:34.300 They just really then flee. 00:10:34.780 --> 00:10:39.840 You just got to kind of let them gather, and then you kind of lead them along how you want them to go. 00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:43.200 But sheep, the truth of the matter is, they're defenseless. 00:10:43.800 --> 00:10:45.760 They don't prey on anything. 00:10:46.620 --> 00:10:49.440 If they're going to eat, you're going to have to give them something to eat. 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:52.560 If they're going to drink, you're going to have to lead them where there's some water. 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:55.100 You're going to have to protect them from the ailments. 00:10:55.460 --> 00:10:57.420 You just pretty much have to do everything for sheep. 00:10:57.780 --> 00:11:03.940 Jesus looked in the eyes of these people, and that's what he saw, sheep without a shepherd. 00:11:04.820 --> 00:11:05.440 Can I tell you something? 00:11:05.560 --> 00:11:10.400 I think that's a picture of how our world looks today. 00:11:11.520 --> 00:11:17.360 I mean, people are just going to be 90 in 100 different directions, but they're clueless, aren't they? 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:23.480 I mean, they don't know up from down morally, spiritually, right from wrong. 00:11:24.100 --> 00:11:26.980 They don't know if God exists or he doesn't exist. 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:32.139 They're living for things, chasing after things that have no fulfillment in their life, 00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:34.620 and they're like sheep without a shepherd. 00:11:35.019 --> 00:11:37.980 So Jesus is moved with compassion. 00:11:38.779 --> 00:11:39.700 So what does he do? 00:11:40.600 --> 00:11:42.519 The end of verse 34 says this. 00:11:42.519 --> 00:11:46.079 Then he began to teach them many things. 00:11:47.340 --> 00:11:48.539 He's coming ashore. 00:11:49.220 --> 00:11:51.720 He's planning to rest and recuperate. 00:11:52.179 --> 00:11:56.819 He sees these people, and he just takes all his plans for rest and relaxation, 00:11:57.480 --> 00:11:59.079 and he puts them on the back burner. 00:11:59.860 --> 00:12:05.240 And he sits down apparently with this massive crowd, and he begins to talk to them. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:06.980 You know what I think he began to talk to them about? 00:12:07.179 --> 00:12:08.299 The things of God. 00:12:08.299 --> 00:12:12.939 This is God, as I said a couple weeks ago, in human flesh. 00:12:13.819 --> 00:12:17.059 If anybody could reveal God to them, Jesus could. 00:12:17.620 --> 00:12:20.539 He begins to talk to them about what life is all about 00:12:20.539 --> 00:12:24.519 and how they can live a fulfilled life by serving the Lord 00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:26.439 and what the Lord expects of them. 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:30.539 And apparently this discussion went on for hours and hours and hours. 00:12:30.819 --> 00:12:31.979 Now just imagine this. 00:12:32.019 --> 00:12:33.899 You don't have a preacher here. 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:36.219 Imagine you have Jesus here, 00:12:36.220 --> 00:12:38.759 and Jesus is sitting here on these steps, 00:12:38.920 --> 00:12:42.680 and he's talking to you in this audience about his Father 00:12:42.680 --> 00:12:45.639 and about how his Father intends for you to live 00:12:45.639 --> 00:12:49.360 and about how you can make wise choices and you can walk with God. 00:12:49.940 --> 00:12:51.899 He would talk for a while, and you know what would happen? 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:52.820 One of you would say, 00:12:52.980 --> 00:12:55.779 Jesus, can I ask you about such and such? 00:12:56.500 --> 00:12:58.180 And so they're asking questions, 00:12:58.259 --> 00:13:00.200 and Jesus is answering those questions. 00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:03.399 And after a while, time just gets away from them, 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:07.259 and they're having a great time, but nobody wants to leave. 00:13:07.779 --> 00:13:09.879 Well, notice what happens. 00:13:10.340 --> 00:13:10.899 Verse 35. 00:13:11.740 --> 00:13:13.279 When it was already late, 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:15.620 his disciples approached him and said, 00:13:15.699 --> 00:13:18.100 this place is a wilderness. 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:21.019 In other words, Lord, remember, we were coming to a remote place. 00:13:21.419 --> 00:13:23.299 We're a long way from anywhere. 00:13:23.299 --> 00:13:27.039 We did that purposefully, but they sought us out here. 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:29.439 And it is already late. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:34.339 Send them away so they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages 00:13:34.339 --> 00:13:37.500 to buy themselves something to eat. 00:13:38.439 --> 00:13:39.259 Now, I want to tell you something. 00:13:39.860 --> 00:13:42.399 This is not these disciples reacting and saying, 00:13:42.599 --> 00:13:44.959 goodness gracious, would you look how long he's gone? 00:13:46.899 --> 00:13:48.339 I'm hungry, aren't you? 00:13:48.779 --> 00:13:49.439 How about it, John? 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:50.339 Wouldn't you like a biscuit? 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:52.379 Man, we got to get out of here. 00:13:52.980 --> 00:13:54.919 Now, I know there are times when I'm up preaching, 00:13:54.919 --> 00:13:57.979 and some of you are thinking, somebody needs to nudge that guy. 00:13:58.899 --> 00:14:01.519 Somebody needs to tell him, it's late, right? 00:14:01.579 --> 00:14:02.579 We need to get out of here. 00:14:02.979 --> 00:14:04.620 But that's not what happens here. 00:14:05.379 --> 00:14:09.399 They have the crowd at their heart. 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:12.240 They have the crowd's best interest at heart. 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:15.079 And they finally, one of them gets encouraged, 00:14:15.079 --> 00:14:18.980 and he comes over and says, Jesus, boy, everybody's having a great time. 00:14:19.240 --> 00:14:20.599 You're doing a brilliant job. 00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:22.719 I love hearing about God. 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:24.960 God, it's late. 00:14:26.019 --> 00:14:27.740 Remember, we came to this place to get away? 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:31.100 We're a long way from any town, village. 00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:33.180 It's already, it's getting dark. 00:14:33.580 --> 00:14:37.040 Can you imagine how hard it was to travel at night in those days 00:14:37.040 --> 00:14:38.980 without all the light we have? 00:14:39.860 --> 00:14:41.519 Jesus, you need to let them cut loose. 00:14:42.160 --> 00:14:45.879 You need to let them go and go somewhere and find something to eat. 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:48.720 Now, if it'd been me, I'll tell you what, 00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:50.600 oh, yeah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. 00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:52.960 Let's have prayer and go, right? 00:14:54.060 --> 00:14:54.960 But not Jesus. 00:14:55.080 --> 00:14:57.259 I want you to notice what Jesus says in verse 37. 00:14:58.620 --> 00:15:00.320 You give them something to eat. 00:15:01.060 --> 00:15:01.860 He responded. 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:05.659 Now, I don't know about you, but if I'd been one of those disciples, 00:15:06.840 --> 00:15:08.639 that's a little bit curt. 00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:11.440 I mean, that's a little bit of a short answer. 00:15:12.620 --> 00:15:16.940 I mean, it puts a huge responsibility on these 12 guys who are already hungry themselves. 00:15:16.940 --> 00:15:21.280 And remember, they've just come back from being on mission. 00:15:22.140 --> 00:15:25.700 And remember, before they left what I said, what did he tell them to take with them? 00:15:26.580 --> 00:15:27.060 Nothing. 00:15:28.180 --> 00:15:33.340 So how are they going to feed these thousands of folk? 00:15:34.100 --> 00:15:38.200 And so notice their response, if you will, in verse 37b. 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:46.080 They said to him, should we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat? 00:15:47.140 --> 00:15:52.020 Now, at that point in time, that coin was so small, it was just almost insignificant. 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:56.420 But if you translate it to today's dollars, you know what we're talking about? 00:15:57.220 --> 00:16:00.960 Eight months wages for the average guy. 00:16:02.040 --> 00:16:05.200 A denarii is how much a guy earned in a day. 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:08.340 So 200 days of labor, about eight months labor. 00:16:08.780 --> 00:16:10.060 They didn't have that. 00:16:10.680 --> 00:16:12.420 That wasn't in their treasury bag. 00:16:12.820 --> 00:16:19.640 So they turned to him, you want us to get $200 or 200 denarii worth of food for these folks? 00:16:19.820 --> 00:16:20.879 Where are we going to get that? 00:16:21.580 --> 00:16:24.640 And if we could, where would we buy it? 00:16:25.340 --> 00:16:28.820 And if we had a place to buy it, where would we get the money? 00:16:29.379 --> 00:16:32.220 We don't have virtually anything. 00:16:32.220 --> 00:16:35.600 Verse 36, or 38 rather. 00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:38.639 And he asked them, how many loaves do you have? 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:39.300 Go look. 00:16:39.940 --> 00:16:43.960 And when they found out, they said, five and two fish. 00:16:45.300 --> 00:16:50.460 Now, let me just pause and interject this because you want to envision this the way it really took place. 00:16:52.340 --> 00:16:54.160 That's a pitiful amount of food. 00:16:55.620 --> 00:16:59.480 5,000 men and you've got five loaves and two fish. 00:16:59.680 --> 00:17:00.759 You know what else it tells me? 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:03.939 This was a poor, poor crowd. 00:17:04.619 --> 00:17:06.960 Because they knew they were going to a remote spot. 00:17:07.059 --> 00:17:10.180 So some of them would have run by the house and picked up some groceries, right? 00:17:10.940 --> 00:17:13.779 My guess is they brought what they had. 00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:17.960 And when they look around, they have five loaves and two fish. 00:17:18.539 --> 00:17:21.839 There were a lot of poor people at this time in Israel. 00:17:22.379 --> 00:17:24.480 Roman occupation was in force. 00:17:25.259 --> 00:17:27.519 And so they come and report to Jesus. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:30.420 Notice what Jesus says, verse 39. 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:37.319 Then he instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 00:17:37.779 --> 00:17:40.579 So they sat down in ranks of hundreds and fifties. 00:17:41.539 --> 00:17:48.119 Then he took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves. 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:53.119 He kept giving to them his disciples to set before the people. 00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:55.639 He also divided the two fish among them all. 00:17:55.639 --> 00:17:57.659 Everyone ate and was filled. 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:03.659 Then they picked up twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish. 00:18:03.939 --> 00:18:08.599 Now those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men. 00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:14.139 They come out and say, Jesus, you tell us to feed them. 00:18:14.179 --> 00:18:16.919 We've got five loaves and two fish. 00:18:18.179 --> 00:18:20.639 And Jesus takes the five loaves and the two fish. 00:18:20.740 --> 00:18:21.639 And the Bible says this. 00:18:22.059 --> 00:18:23.339 He looks up to heaven. 00:18:24.839 --> 00:18:25.779 He blessed them. 00:18:25.939 --> 00:18:28.240 I don't think it was an ordinary blessing like we pray. 00:18:29.419 --> 00:18:31.500 He blessed this fish and this bread. 00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:33.339 And he asked his father to do a miracle. 00:18:34.140 --> 00:18:37.960 And he immediately began to break the bread and put it into baskets. 00:18:38.859 --> 00:18:41.079 And as you put it into the baskets, guess what? 00:18:41.980 --> 00:18:45.160 Miraculously, and I've just got to be honest with you, I can't even envision this. 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:46.240 I don't know how it happened. 00:18:46.579 --> 00:18:48.019 I can't get my head around it. 00:18:48.380 --> 00:18:51.859 But as he would break it, it would suddenly, it would be a whole loaf again. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:54.539 And he'd break it and he'd be a whole loaf again. 00:18:54.599 --> 00:18:58.059 And he'd break the fish and the fish would be back in order again. 00:18:58.059 --> 00:19:06.139 And it just continued to multiply and multiply until they began to feed people in sections of 50 and 100 until 5,000 were fed. 00:19:06.500 --> 00:19:10.940 And when they were through, they picked up 12 extra baskets of food. 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:11.740 There was surplus. 00:19:13.639 --> 00:19:14.779 Now, here's the big question. 00:19:16.399 --> 00:19:17.919 Why are we given this story? 00:19:19.299 --> 00:19:21.399 We've never witnessed anything like this. 00:19:22.419 --> 00:19:23.619 Why are we given this story? 00:19:23.879 --> 00:19:24.960 What does it teach us? 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:30.100 When I tell you this, you're going to think he's going to preach one of those lengthy messages like Jesus. 00:19:30.819 --> 00:19:34.220 But I'm going to tell you six things, but I'm going to tell you real, real quickly those six things. 00:19:34.299 --> 00:19:34.480 You ready? 00:19:34.840 --> 00:19:35.559 Fasten your seatbelt. 00:19:35.640 --> 00:19:36.180 Here it goes. 00:19:36.900 --> 00:19:39.279 First of all, it tells me this. 00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:42.940 People are hungry for the gospel. 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:50.380 When I see those people running along the banks of the Sea of Galilee, 00:19:50.380 --> 00:19:54.560 and they run from one town and another and another, 00:19:55.340 --> 00:20:02.200 and they gather in the numbers in which they gather 5,000 men and their families, 00:20:02.760 --> 00:20:06.480 and they sit there for apparently hours on end, 00:20:06.900 --> 00:20:09.620 and they soak up the Word of God. 00:20:10.080 --> 00:20:13.060 They just soak up everything coming from Jesus' mouth. 00:20:13.800 --> 00:20:14.340 I'll tell you something. 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:15.180 You know what that tells me? 00:20:15.520 --> 00:20:18.200 People are hungry for God. 00:20:18.200 --> 00:20:21.340 And I'm going to tell you something that some of you in this room don't believe, 00:20:21.460 --> 00:20:23.420 but I believe this with all my heart. 00:20:24.700 --> 00:20:26.200 I think they still are. 00:20:27.360 --> 00:20:31.180 I think people today are as hungry for God as they have ever been. 00:20:31.340 --> 00:20:33.920 Let me tell you, make sure you understand what I'm saying. 00:20:34.279 --> 00:20:38.480 They're not hungry to hear cold, inelastic, tired old messages. 00:20:39.740 --> 00:20:43.299 They're not interested in just coming here and preaching like me. 00:20:43.299 --> 00:20:48.200 They're not interested in hearing your choir, no matter how great your choir sings. 00:20:48.740 --> 00:20:52.659 They don't give a nickel that this is one of the prettiest buildings you'd ever walk in. 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:54.680 But I'm going to tell you something. 00:20:55.419 --> 00:20:58.220 They are hungry to know God. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:01.539 They want to know God as much as they ever want to know God. 00:21:01.859 --> 00:21:02.759 But I want to tell you something. 00:21:03.059 --> 00:21:04.399 They don't want to hear about Him. 00:21:04.919 --> 00:21:06.859 They don't want somebody to lecture about Him. 00:21:07.639 --> 00:21:10.079 They want to experience God. 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:13.460 They want God to move in their life. 00:21:14.599 --> 00:21:18.899 They want to feel a personal connection, an intimate connection with God. 00:21:19.220 --> 00:21:24.199 They want something they can latch hold to and have a personal relationship with the living God. 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:26.879 But people today are still hungry for God. 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:32.899 And the reason is because God has created in the heart, I think, and soul of every human being 00:21:32.899 --> 00:21:36.279 a God-shaped vacuum that only He can fill. 00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:41.539 And until He's in their life, there's never going to be a sense of satisfaction. 00:21:41.779 --> 00:21:45.559 They can chase one dream after another and one ambition after another. 00:21:45.700 --> 00:21:51.039 But they're never going to be satisfied until they're at peace with the one in whose image they're made. 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:59.700 Secondly, Jesus was concerned, and this is really important, about the whole man. 00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:07.840 Not just His soul, not just the spiritual man, the whole man. 00:22:08.840 --> 00:22:12.200 Jesus fed their soul when He sat down and He taught them. 00:22:13.259 --> 00:22:19.080 But when He got through teaching them, and the disciples reminded them, they're hungry, they need something to eat, you need to send them away. 00:22:19.420 --> 00:22:20.559 Jesus didn't disagree. 00:22:21.120 --> 00:22:22.059 But here's the difference. 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:28.620 Where they had concern that these people eat, Jesus saw their problem as being His problem. 00:22:28.619 --> 00:22:32.699 Jesus said, well, you feed them. 00:22:34.439 --> 00:22:36.659 Now, I want you to hear what I'm telling you right now. 00:22:38.199 --> 00:22:45.500 How in the world do we expect people in our world who we want to share the gospel with because we see the spiritual need in their life? 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:46.559 It's so evident. 00:22:47.659 --> 00:22:56.639 How do we expect them to believe us when we stand up in the pulpit or in the street corners or in our businesses where we go and share the gospel? 00:22:56.640 --> 00:23:09.860 How do we expect them to believe that we have genuine concern about their eternal soul when we don't apparently have any concern about their living conditions in the moment in which they now find themselves? 00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:11.820 Do you understand that? 00:23:12.800 --> 00:23:14.720 How can I look at somebody and say, you know what? 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:19.539 I really do care about where you spend eternity and that you have the fullness of life spiritually. 00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:25.240 But I can't help you with that thing that you have more money than you have money. 00:23:26.059 --> 00:23:29.799 I can't help you with that thing that you have physical disease. 00:23:30.519 --> 00:23:34.360 I can't help you with that problem that you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol. 00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:37.159 Or that your life is caught up in immorality. 00:23:37.639 --> 00:23:40.759 I can't do anything about that psychological problem you have. 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:41.819 But you know what? 00:23:42.579 --> 00:23:46.599 God will sure give you a great existence in the sweet by and by. 00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:54.219 In the 60s, when I was a kid, a lot of liberal churches said, 00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:59.479 we're going to turn our attention because they lost confidence in God to do anything in the spiritual realm. 00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:08.640 And they said, we're going to become do-gooders and we're going to rush out and reach every need we can of people out there who have physical needs in their life. 00:24:09.640 --> 00:24:11.380 And that was the wrong thing to do. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:16.000 But evangelical conservatives, you know what we did by and large? 00:24:16.839 --> 00:24:19.660 In reaction to that, we said, okay, tell you what. 00:24:20.299 --> 00:24:21.579 They're going to go that direction. 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:22.640 They're going to move to the left. 00:24:22.819 --> 00:24:23.720 Here's what we're going to do. 00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:27.259 We're going to focus just on the souls of men. 00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:31.140 And so we're going to emphasize evangelism, evangelism, evangelism. 00:24:31.559 --> 00:24:37.279 But we're not going to address the physical problems that face men in this life. 00:24:37.940 --> 00:24:39.099 And I'm going to tell you something. 00:24:39.640 --> 00:24:41.740 Neither of those approaches is right. 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:44.359 It doesn't have to be an either or. 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:45.920 It should be a both and. 00:24:46.440 --> 00:24:47.220 You understand that? 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:51.720 We ought to be concerned about how people live today, about what's going on in their lives, 00:24:51.779 --> 00:24:55.859 about people's unemployment and about jobs and about housing for folks. 00:24:55.859 --> 00:24:57.319 And can I tell you something? 00:24:57.679 --> 00:25:02.479 If the church had addressed that years and years ago, I believe with all my heart as I stand here today, 00:25:02.819 --> 00:25:06.679 there wouldn't be one person on this earth who's going to bed hungry tonight. 00:25:07.439 --> 00:25:15.479 That's a problem the church could end today if we just made it a high priority in our lives. 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:24.279 Thirdly, how can we meet that need if we don't have the apparent resources? 00:25:24.279 --> 00:25:30.660 I mean, the disciples said, what do you want us to do, find 200 denarii, eight-month salary? 00:25:30.920 --> 00:25:32.079 The answer is this. 00:25:32.440 --> 00:25:35.819 God uses whatever we have to meet the needs of others. 00:25:36.639 --> 00:25:42.119 God will take what we have, and if we'll put it at his disposal, no matter how much or how little, 00:25:43.019 --> 00:25:49.000 whatever we have, our talents, our money, our time, our energy, our imaginations, our creativity, 00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:53.099 if we would bring that all and say, God, I don't know what you can do with this, 00:25:53.180 --> 00:25:56.460 but we're giving you everything we have, putting it at your disposal. 00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:58.220 I want to tell you something, it would always be enough. 00:25:58.859 --> 00:25:59.920 Here's how I know that. 00:26:00.259 --> 00:26:05.039 In Philippians chapter 4 and verse 13, this is what Paul says when he's in jail 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:08.880 and he's writing to people who are concerned about his condition. 00:26:09.660 --> 00:26:14.000 Paul says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:19.119 And then in verse 19, he says, and my God shall supply all your needs, listen to this, 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:22.700 according to his riches in glory. 00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:28.640 My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory. 00:26:29.079 --> 00:26:31.000 Now, I want you to look up and listen and get this. 00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:36.119 That's either truth or that's a bald-faced lie. 00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:39.519 It can't be both. 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:47.940 Either what Paul said is true, God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory, 00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:52.539 or it is a bald-faced lie. 00:26:53.619 --> 00:26:55.519 And I believe it's the absolute truth. 00:26:55.920 --> 00:26:59.039 If we'll take what God gives us, put it at his disposal, 00:26:59.579 --> 00:27:02.400 God can use it to solve all the world's problems. 00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:04.619 Fourth thing I want you to see is this. 00:27:04.619 --> 00:27:09.979 We need to stop trying to solve spiritual problems through earthly means. 00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:14.679 Their mind, those disciples, when Jesus said, feed them, it went to one thing. 00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:15.659 How do we get the money? 00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:16.839 How do we go buy the food? 00:27:17.659 --> 00:27:22.500 Instead of saying, what do we have and what can God do? 00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:27.339 When a problem arises in your life, can I ask you something? 00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:29.500 And would you be honest and candid about this? 00:27:29.500 --> 00:27:33.099 Is your first response to say, let's see what I got in my wallet. 00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:35.319 Let's see what I got in my checkbook. 00:27:35.940 --> 00:27:38.079 Let's see what I know about this situation. 00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:40.599 Who do I know I can call in for a favor? 00:27:41.220 --> 00:27:42.380 What can I do? 00:27:42.859 --> 00:27:44.200 What can I do? 00:27:44.819 --> 00:27:48.059 Or is your response to say, Lord, here's a huge need. 00:27:49.140 --> 00:27:50.799 Now, how are you going to work this out? 00:27:51.819 --> 00:27:55.859 How are you going to use me as part of the solution to solve this problem? 00:27:56.019 --> 00:27:57.119 That's what Jesus did. 00:27:57.240 --> 00:27:57.940 What do we have? 00:27:57.940 --> 00:28:02.279 And then he offers it to God and says, God, what are you going to do? 00:28:03.120 --> 00:28:06.320 I'll tell you a story this morning, to my shame, to another man's credit. 00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:11.820 There's a man named Dan Johnson, 70 years old, died last December. 00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:14.140 I buried him at Brushy Creek. 00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:16.340 Good, good, good friend of mine. 00:28:16.940 --> 00:28:17.640 Died of COVID. 00:28:18.680 --> 00:28:22.799 He ran Evangelical Institute, the best kept secret I know in South Carolina, 00:28:23.320 --> 00:28:27.440 religiously speaking, over in Greenville, over on Parrish Mountain. 00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:39.680 Every year, Dan and a couple other guys, teachers, would bring in 50 students, 25 domestic students from America and Canada, 25 students from abroad. 00:28:40.420 --> 00:28:47.360 He would literally live, eat, sleep, and breathe with these 50 students for two years. 00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:52.599 When they were done, they made a commitment and promised they would go back to their homes. 00:28:52.699 --> 00:28:55.679 If it was in America or Canada, they went to those places. 00:28:56.000 --> 00:29:00.199 If it was abroad, they couldn't stay here in the United States, had to go back to their foreign country. 00:29:00.200 --> 00:29:06.819 They became preachers and missionaries, church leaders, outstanding believers. 00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:08.840 He would teach them the book of Romans. 00:29:08.980 --> 00:29:11.720 Mostly, he would teach them how to pray and how to fellowship and walk with God. 00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:16.519 Never known anyone in my life to pray like Dan Johnson prayed. 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:18.740 He was my prayer partner for five years. 00:29:18.819 --> 00:29:20.779 The last five years, I was pastor at Brushy Creek. 00:29:21.360 --> 00:29:22.420 Got four of the guys. 00:29:22.420 --> 00:29:26.500 We met on Tuesday morning, 7 o'clock every week. 00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:31.940 Well, one Tuesday morning, the other guys had other commitments and couldn't be there. 00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:33.140 It's just me and Dan. 00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:35.560 We're sitting in my office, Brushy Creek. 00:29:35.640 --> 00:29:36.320 No one else there. 00:29:36.420 --> 00:29:37.160 The building's empty. 00:29:38.259 --> 00:29:39.039 Doors are open. 00:29:39.980 --> 00:29:40.580 We're praying. 00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:43.220 We get through praying, and Dan's phone rings. 00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:46.060 He takes his cell phone, looks at it, and says, 00:29:46.140 --> 00:29:47.400 Can I step out in the hall and answer it? 00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:47.759 Sure. 00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:51.000 He goes into my secretary's office, and he's on the phone. 00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:55.119 Doors open, not trying to eavesdrop, but you can just hear one side of the conversation. 00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:57.200 But you can pretty much piece it together. 00:29:58.059 --> 00:30:01.039 It's obvious there's a student on the other end of the line, 00:30:01.299 --> 00:30:05.740 and the student has a significant problem, at least in his mind, significant problem. 00:30:05.900 --> 00:30:07.740 He's telling Dan all about this. 00:30:08.920 --> 00:30:10.319 Dan's not saying a whole lot. 00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:11.759 Every now and then, saying a little bit. 00:30:12.359 --> 00:30:13.240 He comes back in. 00:30:13.319 --> 00:30:15.579 He sits down in my office after he ends the conversation. 00:30:15.579 --> 00:30:18.419 I turned to him, and I smiled, because I don't take it. 00:30:18.460 --> 00:30:21.000 My life at that point in time, it was pretty chaotic. 00:30:21.159 --> 00:30:23.960 I was used to people just about every day coming in and saying, 00:30:24.059 --> 00:30:25.839 Pastor, here's my situation. 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:26.539 Here's a problem. 00:30:26.839 --> 00:30:28.139 Can you help me solve this? 00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:32.659 One of the things I discovered after doing it for a long time was, 00:30:33.159 --> 00:30:37.019 a lot of times, it's easier just to, instead of helping them to find the problem, 00:30:38.220 --> 00:30:40.899 to find the solution, to tell them the solution, 00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:44.179 and to put it into effect and to solve the problem for them, right? 00:30:44.180 --> 00:30:48.580 And so, he's sitting here in my office, and I turned to him, and I said, 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:49.360 Dan, you got a problem? 00:30:49.600 --> 00:30:49.840 Mm-hmm. 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:51.000 Student? 00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:51.779 Mm-hmm. 00:30:52.779 --> 00:30:53.900 Is it one you can handle? 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:54.600 Mm-hmm. 00:30:55.799 --> 00:30:57.039 You going to solve it for him? 00:30:57.640 --> 00:30:58.380 I don't know. 00:30:59.320 --> 00:31:00.880 And when he said that, it startled me. 00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:03.279 I said, what do you mean you don't know? 00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:05.580 If I could solve it, I'd just solve it and get it out of the way 00:31:05.580 --> 00:31:06.580 and go on the next one, right? 00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:10.620 And he smiled, and he said, well, that's the easy way. 00:31:10.619 --> 00:31:13.659 He said, but if I do that, let me tell you what will happen. 00:31:14.459 --> 00:31:18.079 I could make a phone call or two, and I could solve this kid's problem, 00:31:18.479 --> 00:31:20.219 but I would be the hero. 00:31:21.500 --> 00:31:24.659 And he said, the next time he has a problem, because I'm the hero, 00:31:25.639 --> 00:31:27.359 he'd rush to me to solve the problem again. 00:31:28.459 --> 00:31:32.239 And he said, so I think what I'm going to do is just turn it over to God 00:31:32.239 --> 00:31:36.839 and ask God to move in his life and ask the young man to pray 00:31:36.839 --> 00:31:39.199 and wait and see what God does. 00:31:41.199 --> 00:31:45.659 And I thought to myself, you know, that's the difference 00:31:45.659 --> 00:31:51.159 in somebody making converts and somebody making disciples, 00:31:52.059 --> 00:31:54.779 because he was exactly right. 00:31:54.939 --> 00:31:55.679 I was wrong. 00:31:55.839 --> 00:31:58.519 He was exactly, exactly right. 00:31:58.519 --> 00:32:03.839 We don't need to always try to solve the world's problems 00:32:03.839 --> 00:32:06.779 by just pulling out our wallets 00:32:06.779 --> 00:32:10.519 or by just simply making a phone call 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:12.759 or creating an organization 00:32:12.759 --> 00:32:14.839 or trying to do this, that, that. 00:32:15.220 --> 00:32:17.680 We need to be more attentive to turning to God. 00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:19.400 Fifth thing I want you to see is this. 00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:24.259 If we aren't very, very careful, alert, and extremely careful, 00:32:24.259 --> 00:32:28.660 what God does, even the miraculous, 00:32:29.640 --> 00:32:32.660 can completely escape us. 00:32:34.839 --> 00:32:36.359 Now, I know what you're thinking. 00:32:36.920 --> 00:32:42.119 If I saw 5,000 people fed with a few fish and a few loaves of bread, 00:32:42.220 --> 00:32:43.400 I wouldn't forget that. 00:32:44.140 --> 00:32:47.299 Well, if you were to go over to Mark chapter 8, 1 to 4, 00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:48.500 they've got that on the screen. 00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:50.500 You know what you'd find? 00:32:50.599 --> 00:32:51.740 In fact, just turn, turn over. 00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:53.000 I'm not going to ask you to read it, 00:32:53.019 --> 00:32:54.420 but just turn there to that passage. 00:32:54.519 --> 00:32:54.960 You see it? 00:32:55.079 --> 00:32:57.099 Just a couple of pages over from where you are. 00:32:57.880 --> 00:32:58.559 Mark chapter 8. 00:32:59.259 --> 00:33:00.720 What's the heading on that passage? 00:33:00.839 --> 00:33:01.539 Anybody see it? 00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:03.180 Mark 8, 1 to 4? 00:33:06.339 --> 00:33:09.960 Mark 1, Jesus feeds the 4,000. 00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:12.180 Can I tell you something? 00:33:12.620 --> 00:33:14.259 They're not the same story. 00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:16.720 He didn't make a mistake. 00:33:17.059 --> 00:33:18.599 He didn't suffer from Alzheimer's. 00:33:18.640 --> 00:33:20.519 He didn't say, boy, I know the story. 00:33:20.579 --> 00:33:21.680 I just tell the same one again. 00:33:21.839 --> 00:33:22.240 No. 00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:24.839 It's a different story. 00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:28.359 The synoptics give us this same miracle again. 00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:33.680 This is a second miracle just days after the first one. 00:33:34.019 --> 00:33:37.160 If you read through those first four verses, you know what you'll find? 00:33:38.019 --> 00:33:41.940 Almost the same identical thing happens where Jesus says, 00:33:42.380 --> 00:33:44.140 give them something to eat, and they turn to him and say, 00:33:44.539 --> 00:33:45.660 how are we going to do that? 00:33:45.660 --> 00:33:46.160 Duh. 00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:46.360 Duh. 00:33:46.360 --> 00:33:47.279 Duh. 00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:52.380 Just a few days before, Jesus solved this problem. 00:33:53.080 --> 00:33:55.380 But now, they've already forgotten. 00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:57.860 I hope you'll get this. 00:33:57.859 --> 00:34:04.079 Spiritually speaking, we have short, short, short memories, don't we? 00:34:05.039 --> 00:34:05.879 I want to ask you something. 00:34:05.959 --> 00:34:09.259 If I ask you right now, what's the last miracle God did in your life? 00:34:09.500 --> 00:34:11.639 There are some of you that would look like a deer in headlights. 00:34:11.639 --> 00:34:14.539 And you would say, well, you know, I don't know. 00:34:14.619 --> 00:34:16.460 I'm sure back sometime there was a miracle. 00:34:16.460 --> 00:34:20.679 But the truth of the matter is, when you stop and think about it, you know this. 00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:25.699 You have prayed and prayed, and God has delivered again and again and again. 00:34:26.340 --> 00:34:27.720 He's blessed in your lives. 00:34:27.780 --> 00:34:29.380 I've heard you say that so many times. 00:34:30.780 --> 00:34:33.139 So how do we forget? 00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:37.480 I'll tell you one of the things a friend of mine, Jim Acker, 00:34:38.780 --> 00:34:41.400 one of the things he does in his Bible in the very back, 00:34:41.400 --> 00:34:45.960 every time he prays and God answers a prayer, 00:34:46.559 --> 00:34:50.599 he writes it down in the back of his Bible, and he dates it. 00:34:51.240 --> 00:34:53.440 He's struggling right now with cancer. 00:34:54.180 --> 00:34:55.440 He's fighting for his life. 00:34:56.300 --> 00:34:58.639 And I know one of the things that sustains Jim, 00:34:58.800 --> 00:35:02.240 even now in this difficult place he finds himself in life, 00:35:02.420 --> 00:35:04.360 is the faithfulness of God, 00:35:04.840 --> 00:35:09.019 because he's got a register of every time God has ever moved in his life, 00:35:09.019 --> 00:35:10.320 and God has answered. 00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:13.640 Here's the final six thing that Jeff alluded to. 00:35:13.720 --> 00:35:17.320 I appreciate him giving me a plug in the message earlier today. 00:35:17.760 --> 00:35:19.340 Here's the sixth and final point, 00:35:19.820 --> 00:35:23.519 and that is think big. 00:35:24.680 --> 00:35:25.700 Think big. 00:35:27.460 --> 00:35:30.480 Don't send them away. 00:35:31.800 --> 00:35:33.559 Now I know you're wondering, what are you talking about? 00:35:33.600 --> 00:35:34.760 How does that relate to us? 00:35:36.160 --> 00:35:37.519 Everybody in this room, 00:35:37.519 --> 00:35:39.599 at one time or another, 00:35:40.199 --> 00:35:45.019 has encountered a situation similar to what Jesus encountered. 00:35:46.019 --> 00:35:47.179 I promise you have. 00:35:48.119 --> 00:35:50.059 I don't mean there were 5,000 people. 00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:52.480 There weren't necessarily hungry people. 00:35:53.300 --> 00:35:56.980 But you saw a situation where you saw this guy, 00:35:57.139 --> 00:35:58.500 this gal, this group of people, 00:35:58.579 --> 00:35:59.280 these children, 00:35:59.280 --> 00:36:03.360 they really need help. 00:36:04.560 --> 00:36:05.420 Big help. 00:36:06.820 --> 00:36:07.740 Bigger than me. 00:36:08.960 --> 00:36:09.840 Bigger than you. 00:36:11.480 --> 00:36:12.980 And you thought, how pitiful. 00:36:14.140 --> 00:36:15.840 Some of you may have even cried over them. 00:36:16.740 --> 00:36:18.019 You might have shed a tear over them. 00:36:18.820 --> 00:36:19.840 Boy, something needs to be, 00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:21.640 the government needs to step in. 00:36:21.639 --> 00:36:26.519 And you know what at the end of the day most of us do? 00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:30.739 We say, I'm sure you're going to have to go away. 00:36:31.599 --> 00:36:33.859 You're going to have to find the answer somewhere else. 00:36:34.460 --> 00:36:35.879 We send them to their homes. 00:36:36.739 --> 00:36:39.879 We send them backpacking wherever they went to before. 00:36:41.000 --> 00:36:41.639 I'm going to tell you, 00:36:41.699 --> 00:36:43.539 people who really serve God, 00:36:43.619 --> 00:36:45.879 do something with their life in a big, big, big way, 00:36:45.880 --> 00:36:48.880 they think big all the time. 00:36:49.800 --> 00:36:53.140 And they do big things because they have big faith. 00:36:54.480 --> 00:36:57.039 When I retired four and a half years ago, 00:36:57.240 --> 00:36:58.420 nearly five years ago now, 00:36:59.260 --> 00:37:01.380 I began to take inventory of my life. 00:37:02.140 --> 00:37:03.760 And I began to think to myself, 00:37:03.980 --> 00:37:05.920 you know, I've been pastor all these years. 00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:07.400 I preached all these years. 00:37:08.160 --> 00:37:09.240 Relocated a couple churches. 00:37:09.559 --> 00:37:10.800 Seen them grow numerically. 00:37:11.340 --> 00:37:12.640 Seen people come to know Christ. 00:37:13.160 --> 00:37:14.380 But I got to be honest with you. 00:37:14.380 --> 00:37:17.240 It all seemed like pretty much small potatoes. 00:37:18.340 --> 00:37:19.320 I mean, I just thought, 00:37:20.320 --> 00:37:22.539 I just don't think I've done much with my life. 00:37:22.880 --> 00:37:23.760 And I began to look around. 00:37:24.400 --> 00:37:26.880 There's a couple I married in Statesville, North Carolina, 00:37:26.980 --> 00:37:29.800 my first church, Betty Jo and Rusty McClellan. 00:37:30.660 --> 00:37:32.700 I'm going to hopefully bring them here sometime, 00:37:32.820 --> 00:37:35.260 first pickings before I leave for you to meet them. 00:37:35.740 --> 00:37:36.840 If you ask me today, 00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:38.440 who do I know in this life 00:37:38.440 --> 00:37:41.480 has done more with their life 00:37:41.480 --> 00:37:43.920 than anyone else on this planet, 00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:44.940 I would name a preacher. 00:37:45.880 --> 00:37:47.800 I know some preachers who've done some great things. 00:37:48.059 --> 00:37:48.920 I would name a missionary. 00:37:50.300 --> 00:37:51.280 That'd be my pick. 00:37:52.240 --> 00:37:53.400 Betty Jo and Rusty McClellan. 00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:55.380 Let me tell you about them just real quickly. 00:37:57.380 --> 00:37:58.639 I was in my 30s. 00:37:58.880 --> 00:38:00.000 They were in their 20s. 00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:02.119 They got out of college. 00:38:02.200 --> 00:38:03.119 He was a graduate of Davidson. 00:38:03.280 --> 00:38:03.860 She, UNC. 00:38:03.860 --> 00:38:06.559 I married him. 00:38:07.900 --> 00:38:10.440 They, he ran a shoe store there in Statesville, 00:38:10.500 --> 00:38:11.620 a little small shoe store, 00:38:11.840 --> 00:38:13.420 Long's McClellan shoe store. 00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:14.720 It was known as, at that time. 00:38:16.140 --> 00:38:17.440 When I got ready to leave, 00:38:17.780 --> 00:38:19.360 she felt God calling her to ministry. 00:38:20.160 --> 00:38:21.940 She started getting a seminary education, 00:38:22.740 --> 00:38:25.360 doing it on the weekends whenever she could do it, 00:38:25.740 --> 00:38:27.280 trying to do it three or four or five years. 00:38:27.280 --> 00:38:30.740 Finally, they come to a place where they feel like 00:38:30.740 --> 00:38:31.980 they need to go to the mission field. 00:38:32.700 --> 00:38:34.480 But they're not in a place in life 00:38:34.480 --> 00:38:36.300 where that's going to be possible for them 00:38:36.300 --> 00:38:37.280 as full-time missionaries. 00:38:37.600 --> 00:38:39.480 So they go as journeymen to Uganda. 00:38:40.140 --> 00:38:41.780 They go as journeymen for two years. 00:38:41.880 --> 00:38:43.519 They serve two years away from their family. 00:38:44.019 --> 00:38:45.140 They have one little child, 00:38:45.400 --> 00:38:46.280 a little girl named Chelsea, 00:38:46.900 --> 00:38:48.500 and they serve there alongside 00:38:48.500 --> 00:38:49.480 Southern Baptist missionaries. 00:38:49.740 --> 00:38:51.220 They come back to the States. 00:38:51.219 --> 00:38:56.379 But God had allowed them to see these sheep 00:38:56.379 --> 00:38:57.279 without a shepherd. 00:38:58.619 --> 00:38:59.919 And they just couldn't say, 00:39:00.219 --> 00:39:01.480 I'm done with it. 00:39:01.519 --> 00:39:02.459 You know, I did my part. 00:39:02.719 --> 00:39:03.819 That's what most of us say, right? 00:39:03.859 --> 00:39:05.500 We go on a little mission trip and come back. 00:39:05.579 --> 00:39:08.259 Well, I got that behind me now. 00:39:08.399 --> 00:39:09.139 I've done that. 00:39:09.319 --> 00:39:09.919 I contributed. 00:39:10.259 --> 00:39:11.039 I did my part. 00:39:11.839 --> 00:39:13.779 All they could see was sheep without a shepherd. 00:39:14.559 --> 00:39:15.819 So when they come back, 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:18.799 they decide we can't abandon those people. 00:39:18.800 --> 00:39:21.360 We're going to start a ministry. 00:39:21.480 --> 00:39:23.100 And they started a ministry called EWT, 00:39:23.260 --> 00:39:24.420 Equipping with Truth. 00:39:25.440 --> 00:39:26.680 Let me tell you what they do. 00:39:27.500 --> 00:39:28.600 They sat down and said, 00:39:28.980 --> 00:39:31.360 how did Jesus intend for us to minister to the world? 00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:33.260 And they believed it was to give people 00:39:33.260 --> 00:39:34.660 the word of God, which they do, 00:39:35.180 --> 00:39:36.440 and disciple people, 00:39:36.940 --> 00:39:38.760 and help people with their physical needs, 00:39:39.100 --> 00:39:41.700 and teach them how to live a Christ-like life, 00:39:42.039 --> 00:39:43.920 and how to live a full life in Jesus, 00:39:44.260 --> 00:39:46.060 and how to earn a living for their families, 00:39:46.400 --> 00:39:47.580 and how to treat their children, 00:39:47.579 --> 00:39:49.279 and how to have a good family, 00:39:49.360 --> 00:39:50.460 husbands and wives together. 00:39:50.960 --> 00:39:53.440 And they started to teach them how to drill for water, 00:39:53.860 --> 00:39:56.539 and they started to teach them how to plant ginger. 00:39:57.559 --> 00:39:58.360 And can I tell you, 00:39:59.159 --> 00:40:00.960 they live in Statesville, North Carolina. 00:40:01.480 --> 00:40:05.000 They spend about three months in Uganda every year, 00:40:05.239 --> 00:40:05.980 just go over there. 00:40:06.199 --> 00:40:09.519 He still runs that little tiny shoe store in Statesville. 00:40:10.219 --> 00:40:11.659 They started this organization, 00:40:11.659 --> 00:40:15.119 and since 2008, it's been underway. 00:40:15.119 --> 00:40:19.500 They now have a $500,000 budget that they raise every year. 00:40:20.179 --> 00:40:22.239 They're ministering to guards in prison. 00:40:22.819 --> 00:40:24.299 They're teaching people how to cook, 00:40:24.339 --> 00:40:25.399 and how to keep their homes. 00:40:25.859 --> 00:40:27.539 They're teaching people how to live for Jesus. 00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:29.039 They distribute Bibles. 00:40:29.480 --> 00:40:30.159 They disciple. 00:40:30.359 --> 00:40:32.960 I don't mean in the whole time this ministry's been going on. 00:40:32.960 --> 00:40:38.519 Every year, they disciple 5,000 people. 00:40:39.360 --> 00:40:41.220 They have hired a full staff, 00:40:41.639 --> 00:40:43.159 a lot cheaper in Uganda than here. 00:40:43.559 --> 00:40:47.019 They've hired a full staff who do discipleship, 00:40:47.220 --> 00:40:48.139 who teach school. 00:40:48.519 --> 00:40:49.679 They have a private school. 00:40:50.139 --> 00:40:51.440 They're building some orphanages. 00:40:51.639 --> 00:40:54.139 In fact, my wife and I are involved in that, 00:40:55.000 --> 00:40:56.760 in building an orphanage there in Uganda. 00:40:56.920 --> 00:40:57.500 Can I tell you something? 00:40:57.940 --> 00:41:00.239 It's the most incredible thing you've ever seen, 00:41:00.420 --> 00:41:01.099 and I'm going to tell you something. 00:41:01.440 --> 00:41:04.800 Not billionaires, not millionaires, thousandaires. 00:41:05.940 --> 00:41:07.420 They're just ordinary. 00:41:07.599 --> 00:41:09.340 Like any two people in this room, 00:41:09.840 --> 00:41:12.659 they're as ordinary as anybody here in this room today, 00:41:13.219 --> 00:41:16.940 and yet they're doing remarkable things for God 00:41:16.940 --> 00:41:20.400 because they think big, 00:41:20.400 --> 00:41:23.519 because they can't say, send them away, 00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:28.280 because those people's images are stuck in their minds and hearts, 00:41:29.280 --> 00:41:30.059 and they can't get them away. 00:41:30.320 --> 00:41:31.019 Now, I'm going to tell you something. 00:41:31.179 --> 00:41:31.900 I'll close with this. 00:41:31.940 --> 00:41:33.019 I didn't mean to go this long, 00:41:33.400 --> 00:41:34.559 but I'll just tell you this. 00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:36.159 There are some of you in this room. 00:41:36.360 --> 00:41:37.159 Not everybody here, 00:41:37.440 --> 00:41:38.420 but there are some of you in this room. 00:41:38.780 --> 00:41:41.420 God has given you a vision for something big 00:41:41.420 --> 00:41:42.659 at some point in time. 00:41:43.360 --> 00:41:46.039 You thought about what you and your family might, 00:41:46.039 --> 00:41:46.739 could do, 00:41:47.639 --> 00:41:49.380 but then it was just too hard. 00:41:50.000 --> 00:41:50.900 Where would I get the means? 00:41:51.480 --> 00:41:53.199 And you shoved it to the back burner. 00:41:54.119 --> 00:41:55.139 Don't you do that. 00:41:56.019 --> 00:41:56.719 Don't you do that. 00:41:56.780 --> 00:41:58.920 You're going to come to a place you'll be my age one day. 00:41:59.699 --> 00:42:00.719 Don't you do that. 00:42:02.079 --> 00:42:06.860 You'll want your life to have really counted for something one day, 00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:09.400 and that's the only way it ever will, 00:42:09.900 --> 00:42:11.920 is if you think outside your bubble 00:42:11.920 --> 00:42:15.559 and other people become as important to you 00:42:15.559 --> 00:42:18.780 as your family and what goes on in your life. 00:42:19.900 --> 00:42:21.119 Let's bow together in prayer. 00:42:21.280 --> 00:42:21.519 Father, 00:42:21.519 --> 00:42:25.739 I pray you would give us compassion 00:42:25.739 --> 00:42:29.420 for people like Jesus had. 00:42:30.559 --> 00:42:31.960 Do that in my life. 00:42:33.759 --> 00:42:35.219 Thank you, Rusty and Betty Jo. 00:42:35.340 --> 00:42:36.699 Bless their ministry, God. 00:42:37.360 --> 00:42:38.500 Bless this church. 00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:41.320 Help us to think big. 00:42:42.400 --> 00:42:43.239 Please, God. 00:42:44.500 --> 00:42:46.039 We make this prayer in your name. 00:42:46.039 --> 00:42:47.500 Amen. 00:42:47.500 --> 00:42:47.659 Amen.