You may be seated.
Good morning.
My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church,
and it's my joy to bring God's word to you today.
A special welcome if you're new or visiting with us.
We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats
but because we're following Jesus together as one community.
And as we follow Jesus together, we become convinced that there's no one so good.
They don't need God's grace.
And no one's so bad that they can't have it,
which is why we come back week after week to hear what God has to say to us in his word.
We're continuing our series in the Gospel of Mark.
You'll remember that the Gospels tell the story of Jesus and his life and his death and his resurrection.
And as we go through this Gospel, in particular, we're asking two questions.
First, who is Jesus?
And second, how do we respond to him?
Who is Jesus, and how do we respond to him?
These are questions that we don't put from the outside into the text,
but they're actually questions that come from the inside of the text that we pull out,
and we're going to see those questions again repeated shortly later in chapter 8 as we begin that chapter this morning.
It's tempting as we read through the Gospels to see them as isolated stories with interesting points
and to miss the bigger picture that's at work that the Gospel writer wants us to see.
Part of the reason that we go through books of the Bible from beginning to end
is so that we would understand that greater picture, that greater story.
And we're in a broader section in the Gospel of Mark about what it means to have faith.
Last week, we saw that Jesus had to perform a miracle.
He heals a man who is mute and deaf,
which is this picture of how radical a miracle we need to be able to understand the Gospel.
And then two weeks ago, we saw the Syrophoenician woman's faith.
She was this model of faith to us,
as she had faith that was both persistent and humble.
She was persistent in the sense that she didn't give up,
even when Jesus seemed to push her away.
And she was humble in that she appealed not to anything she had,
but to Jesus' character.
She understood God's mercy, and so she threw herself on it.
This week, we're coming back again,
and we're going to look at different aspects of faith.
We have a picture here of unbelief,
and so we'll be talking again about the difference between faith and unbelief.
What does it actually look like on the ground to believe and take God at His Word?
It's with that that I'm going to invite you to turn with me to our passage in Mark 8,
starting at verse 1.
Remember, as we turn, that this is God's Word.
And God tells us that His Word is more precious than gold,
even the finest gold,
and it's sweeter than honey,
even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb.
And so that's why we read now Mark 8, verse 1.
Verse 4.
And His disciples answered Him,
How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?
And He asked them,
How many loaves do you have?
They said, Seven.
And He directed the crowd to sit down on the ground.
And He took the seven loaves,
and having given thanks,
He broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before the people.
And they set them before the crowd.
And they had a few small fish.
And having blessed them,
He said that these also should be set before them.
And they ate and were satisfied.
And they took up the broken pieces left over seven baskets full.
And there were about four thousand people.
And He sent them away.
And immediately He got into the boat with His disciples
and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
Verse 11.
The Pharisees came and began to argue with Him,
seeking from Him a sign from heaven and to test Him.
And He sighed deeply in His spirit and said,
Why does this generation seek a sign?
Truly I say to you,
no sign will be given to this generation.
And He left them,
got into the boat again,
and went to the other side.
Verse 14.
Now they had forgotten to bring bread,
and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
And He cautioned them, saying,
Watch out.
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees
and the leaven of Herod.
And they began discussing with one another
the fact that they had no bread.
And Jesus, aware of this, said to them,
Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread?
Do you not yet perceive or understand?
Are your hearts hardened?
Having eyes, do you not see?
And having ears, do you not hear?
And do you not remember?
When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?
They said to Him, Twelve.
And the seven for the four thousand,
how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?
And they said to Him, Seven.
And He said to them,
Do you not yet understand?
I invite you to pray with me
as we come to this portion of God's Word.
Our Father in Heaven,
we thank You again
that You are not absent or distant.
You're not distracted
by many other things going on in the world like we are.
But instead, You're focused on speaking to Your people.
We confess this morning that we need that,
that we are like sheep without a shepherd,
unless You help us and intervene.
And we also know that You do speak to us clearly.
And so we ask that You would do that this morning,
that You would cut us to the heart with Your Word.
You would encourage us.
You would challenge us.
Most of all, You would show us Jesus,
that we would see Him as more glorious and beautiful
than ever before.
You'd grow our love and affection
and our reverence and our all for Him.
We thank You that we are not worried this morning
about whether we have earned these things
or whether we deserve them.
But instead, we simply ask them
in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The story is told of a young boy who was in foster care
and he was placed in a new home.
And this new family that he was with
was very surprised by one of his habits.
In fact, they weren't quite sure what to do with it.
Every day, no matter how much milk was in the refrigerator,
this boy would drink all of it.
And so if they'd just been to Costco,
you know, they'd bought a lot of milk.
Didn't matter how much it was.
Now, you might be saying,
I have teenagers, I understand.
But this was actually an eight to nine-year-old boy.
And so it was very confusing
that he would have sort of this obsession with milk.
And so they were scratching their heads,
wondering what is it that's going on?
Well, they discovered one important detail
that seemed to solve it for them,
which is that in his previous home,
he had been in a place where there was never enough milk.
There was always anxiety around it.
There was bickering and fighting over who got the milk.
And there was rarely any in the house.
Now, this new family was extremely wealthy.
And milk for them was never a problem.
But this child in his mind was still living
under the pattern and the paradigm
of this old family that he was in.
He was still convinced at a visceral level
that there would never be enough milk.
And so every day, his goal was to make sure
he got as much as he could before it was gone,
before he was in a position
where he had to fight someone else for it.
In the passage before us this morning,
the disciples are also living according
to an old paradigm,
even though there's a new pattern
that's presenting itself.
As we begin in chapter eight here,
we see the second time that Jesus has fed a large crowd.
The disciples saw a large feeding
of the 5,000 in chapter six,
and now they're seeing a large feeding
of the 4,000 in chapter eight.
We could draw many of the same points
from this second feeding that we did from the first.
Verse eight, once again,
these people get dinner portions
rather than lunch portions.
Once again, they're able to go home with doggy bags.
Now there's lots of similarities between this story
and the previous one.
There's a few dissimilarities.
We could go down into the weeds if we wanted to,
but what I want you to see this morning
is that the main point of the second feeding
is that it is the second feeding.
The main point of the second feeding
is that it is the second feeding.
In other words, it was not a fluke the first time.
Jesus clearly has the power to do this again and again.
His power is not something that comes in one moment
and leaves the next.
And so it's not a coincidence in this passage
that the bickering, the discussion that the disciples have
is about not having enough bread.
Verse 14, they forgot to bring bread.
Of all the problems that they could have,
they have a food problem.
And all of this is driving to verses 17 through 21,
where Jesus here appears to get frustrated with them.
Verse 21, do you not yet understand?
What Jesus is saying is this,
don't you get bread is the last thing
that you need to be worried about.
Both the Pharisees and the disciples
have the same problem in this passage,
which is that they are unable
to translate Jesus' actions into understanding.
They are unable to translate Jesus' actions
into understanding.
So with the Pharisees, verse 11,
we learn from these words that they have here,
argue and test,
that they are not asking these questions
out of this sincere desire for understanding.
They're not seeking to grow and learn.
No, instead they're trying to trap Jesus.
Jesus' response here, verse 12,
helps us understand that he believes
they need nothing more than what he's already done.
If they can't believe based on what they've seen
and heard about Jesus,
there is nothing else that is going to help them.
Their problem is not that they don't have a sign,
but they can't understand what they've already seen.
That's what Jesus is warning the disciples about
in verse 15 when he says,
watch out, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees
and the leaven of Herod.
Leaven, here's another word for yeast,
which is to say this is something that's so threatening
that it can take over a whole community,
just like yeast will spread through bread
and make it rise.
In the same way, this unbelief
that the Pharisees and Herod have
is something that is a threat to you as well.
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod.
It's contagious.
And so there's one dissimilarity
between the Pharisees and the disciples,
but they have this overlapping problem.
Yes, the Pharisees are hostile to Jesus
and trying to test him,
but both groups are looking at things
right in front of them
that they seem incapable to understand and interpret.
The Pharisees are hostile to Jesus
even though they have all the proof
that they need right in front of them.
The disciples are worried about bread
even though they are sitting with the man
who fed the 5,000 and the 4,000.
And so there's this irrational fear,
this anxiety with them
that misses the basic realities
of the situation in front of them.
Neither the Pharisees nor the disciples
know how to read.
They can't read the room.
They can't understand the actions
that are happening right in front of them.
And so that's why we see Jesus here
in verses 19 and 20
decides it's time to review the facts.
When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000,
how many baskets full of broken pieces
did you take up?
12.
Verse 20.
And the seven for the 4,000,
how many baskets full of broken pieces
did you take up?
And they said to him,
seven.
The disciples know the facts of the past,
but they do not understand
its implications for the present.
The disciples know the facts of the past,
they do not understand
its implications for the present.
Brothers and sisters, the point is this.
It is possible to know many facts about Jesus
and to not be changed in our hearts
and our lives
and the very core of our beings.
It is not enough to simply
know things about Jesus.
Many people are proud of how much they know
and knowledge is useless
if we can't apply it or understand it.
Knowledge is useless
if we can't apply it or understand it.
And so here we have this picture of unbelief.
This passage helps us to understand
what it looks like
when we fail to have faith.
Unbelief cannot connect past actions
with present and future realities.
Unbelief is incapable of connecting
past actions with present and future realities.
realities.
Jesus was able to do this great thing
feeding 4,000 and 5,000.
Now we're unsure if the 12 of us
are going to be able to eat.
That is what unbelief looks like.
I want you to imagine it like this.
You get a rare dinner invitation.
Paula Deen has decided
that you are her guest of honor.
Okay?
And while you're over there,
Gordon Ramsay has also been invited.
Now, you're hanging out
in Paula Deen's living room
and you are consumed
with fear and anxiety.
You have the very real
and present danger
that you are going to starve.
This thought consumes you.
It fills your mind.
You begin to play out in your head
the different scenarios.
You're going to go into the table
and there's not going to be any food.
Paula Deen's refrigerator
is going to be completely empty.
And so you sit there shaking in fear.
You are legitimately worried
about whether or not you're going to starve.
That is what unbelief is.
Unbelief is sitting in Paula Deen's kitchen
truly afraid at your core
that you are not going to have enough.
And so we have this picture here in the Gospels
to help us understand
how irrational and silly unbelief is.
The disciples are literally sitting
with the man who fed the 5,000
and the 4,000
and they're worried that Jesus
is frustrated with them
for not bringing enough bread.
That is unbelief.
That is lack of faith.
Would you also understand
if Paula Deen was offended and hurt?
Haven't you seen my show?
Don't you know who I am?
What an insult it is
for you to be in my house
and think that I would not feed you.
You don't think you're going to get food?
My one question for you is this.
Who hurt you?
That's unbelief.
Unbelief is knowing
that you're sitting with Jesus
comprehending his actions in the past
and being filled with fear in the present
that he is not going to do
the things he said he would do.
Faith, on the other hand,
connects the dots.
Faith translates belief
and understanding into action.
Faith connects the dots
and acts accordingly.
Faith looks to what God has done
in the past
and takes hope and courage
and faith in the present.
Jesus' statements about faith
in the gospel
follow bold actions,
not dry theological statements.
Jesus' statements about great faith
follow bold actions,
not dry theological statements.
Remember, it was the Syrophoenician woman's
persistence that showed her faith.
faith.
She knew who Jesus was
and he acted on it.
Now,
this does not mean
that God will make all your dreams come true
and give you an easy and comfortable life.
it does mean
he will honor his promises.
It does mean
he will answer
the prayer that we prayed earlier this morning
in the Lord's Prayer.
He will forgive us our sins
as we forgive our debtors.
He will lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus is the one
who is reliable
and consistent
in his power
and his mercy.
Jesus is the one
who is reliable
and consistent
in his power
and his mercy.
How do we respond to him?
Last week,
we looked at the Syrophoenician woman.
Excuse me,
two weeks ago,
we looked at the Syrophoenician woman.
She was our model of faith
in the fact that she took hope
in the character of God.
She knew
what type of person Jesus was.
She said,
even the dogs.
I know that you're the type of person
who has mercy
even for pets.
This week,
we focus not in taking hope
on the character of God,
but in the actions of God.
We look to what God has done
in the past.
We draw hope.
We draw confidence
knowing what God
has accomplished.
We draw hope and faith
knowing that God
is the one
who brought that person
you needed
to give you direction
and wisdom and guidance.
You draw hope
in the present
knowing that God
is the one
who pulled you back
from the disaster
that you would have made
out of your life
on your own.
You draw hope
knowing that God
is the one
who preserved you
like Daniel
working in a hostile
work environment.
God is the one
who made you able
to be wise
as a serpent
and innocent
as a dove.
You look back
and know that God
was the one
who was faithful
in bringing you
to America.
You look back
and know that God
was faithful
in the way
that he preserved you
and brought you
to the state of Colorado.
You look back
on God's faithfulness
as he delivered you
from patterns of sin
and addiction.
You look back
and know that God
is the one
who rescued you
from a people
and a place
and a family
that was filled
with danger
and brought you
to a place
of safety.
We look back
to God
as he brought us
out of darkness
and into light.
You look back
to God's faithfulness
as he answered
in a miraculous way
after seasons
of prayer.
You look back
and see
that God
may not have
removed your suffering
but he gave you
what you needed
to move forward.
We look
brothers and sisters
to God's faithfulness
to us
in the past
and we're filled
with confidence
and hope
and joy
in the present.
As you sit
in Paula Deen's kitchen
you don't worry
about whether
you're going to eat
because you know
for show after show
what she has done
and you know
what she can do today.
When you follow Jesus
as a Christian
you're not filled
with fear
and anxiety
and unbelief
because you have seen
over and over
in your life
and in God's word
what he has done
in the past
and you know
what he can
and will do
today.
Past actions
tell us
about present
circumstances.
This does not mean
that God
will make your life
easy and comfortable.
It does mean
he will answer
what we prayed
in the Lord's prayer
he will give us
our daily bread.
it does not mean
that God
is going to give you
a second house.
It does mean
he's going to honor
his promise
in 2 Peter 1
that he will give you
all things
that pertain
to life
and godliness.
It means
that we take
Psalm 37
as an encouragement.
I have been young
and now I am old
yet I have not seen
the righteous
forsaken
or his children
begging for bread.
And so if we want
to have that kind
of faith
the kind of faith
that is able
to connect the dots
we can come
before God
and pray in this way
we can tell him
look I have a challenge
we have as a family
have a challenge
and we don't have
any hope
unless you show up
and help.
And we have confidence
that you will
because of what
you have done
for your people
and our family
and me in the past.
I have confidence
that you
are going to
meet us
and care for us
just like you
have met us
and cared for us
before.
And we're going
to recount
those things
we're going to
remember those things
we're going to
list those things.
We remember
God's faithfulness
to us
and so that
the opposite
of verse 21
would be true
of us
we would be able
to understand.
As we think
about God's
faithful acts
in the past
of course
his greatest
provision for us
is his provision
in Christ.
God's greatest
act of faithfulness
was sending
his son
his only son
to die
the death
that we should have died
to receive the punishment
that we deserve
and to live
the perfect life
that we have not lived.
And so the promise
of Romans 8
31 and 32
is true
for us
if he gave you
his son
will he not
also give you
all things?
If he gave you
his son
will he not
also give you
all things?
One man illustrates
it this way
if a man
gives a woman
he loves
an engagement ring
will he not
also give her
the box
it came in?
if God
has given us
his only son
we have no
reason
to fear
or to worry
he worked
to save you
as we saw
last week
he worked
to give you
sight
and you think
he's going
to abandon
you now
no
he's been
faithful
in the past
he is faithful
in the present
he'll be faithful
to you
in the future
I know that
many of you
are investors
and you know
that with
any investment
there's always
a legal warning
as there are
with many things
in our world
which tells you
this
past performance
is no guarantee
of future results
Google and Amazon
might be doing
well this year
that doesn't mean
they'll do well
next year
Kodak
was doing well
10 years ago
they are not
doing well
today
we live
in a world
where the past
track record
cannot guarantee
what is going
to happen
in the future
as we're at
the mercy
of variety
of forces
and personalities
and storms
there is
one
person
for whom
the opposite
is true
past performance
is
a guarantee
of future results
brothers and sisters
that is our hope
in our Lord
and Savior
Jesus Christ
as we look
to what he did
on the cross
as we look
to God's
faithfulness
to his people
throughout history
and as we look
to God's faithfulness
to us
in our lives
we can take
great confidence
and hope
and courage
knowing that he
has not left us
or forgotten us
the God
who gave his son
to die
on the cross
is the same God
who is with you
caring and protecting
and providing
even now
who is Jesus
Jesus is the one
who is reliable
and consistent
in his power
and his mercy
how do we respond
to him
we look
to his actions
in the past
and we have faith
in the present
let's pray
our father in heaven
we praise you
that you
have given us
a solid
and reliable
track record
that you
who gave us
your son
will also
give us
all things
we ask
that you
would use
this truth
to stir up
our hope
and our faith
in you
that we would
be filled
with the confidence
that comes
from knowing
that the things
that you have
given us
cannot be lost
that the words
of the apostle
Peter are true
that you've given
us an inheritance
which is
unfading
imperishable
untouchable
we thank you
that that inheritance
doesn't rise
or fall on us
but instead
it rises
on our Lord
and Savior
Jesus Christ
and so it's
in his name
that we ask
these things
amen
I invite you
to stand
for our closing hymn