Mark chapter 6, we're going to begin reading together in verse 30, and we're going to read through the end of the chapter.
So hang with me and you'll soon understand why we're going to take such a big chunk of this.
Not because I'm in any way eager to get through and to the end of Mark, but it's appropriate to deal with it together this morning.
So beginning of verse 30 of chapter 6.
The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.
And he said to them,
And he said,
This is God's word to us written for his glory and our good.
We would all do well to listen to it and obey it this morning.
Let's pray together.
Father, we do praise you this morning for the gift of your word.
And we pray now that you will bless us together as we come and meet around it.
As we come to look and to gaze into it.
As we come to see what it is you would say to us this day by it.
Father, we desire to look more like your son.
And you accomplish that by your spirit and the preaching of your word.
And we pray that that will be done in us this day.
Make us more like him that we might exalt his name.
And we pray this in Christ's name.
Amen.
So, we're coming to the end of chapter 6.
And we have now seen miracle after miracle after miracle.
In fact, Mark has been driving that kind of in comic book fashion.
He's just been laying them out to us again and again and again.
And here we see three more miracles.
Rather magnificent ones.
Two specific.
And then a summary of Jesus' healing ministry.
We've seen so far in the Gospel of Mark.
Jesus' power over sickness.
Over demons.
Over creation.
Over death.
And over sin.
And what Mark is doing for us in here is he's crying out to us.
Jesus is the Christ.
Jesus is the anointed one of God.
Believe in Him.
This is the point of his Gospel.
That we might recognize Him for who He is.
And follow Him accordingly.
That is the cry.
We have come now as we've been kind of marching through here.
We've seen at the end of chapter 4.
Jesus calming the Sea of Galilee.
These massive waves that would rise up.
Up to 10 feet tall.
He simply speaks and it's calmed.
He then lands on the shore.
Casts out an army of demons out of a man.
Puts them in pigs who drown in the sea.
We've seen countless healings.
Even summary of healings.
Many, many people were being healed.
It said that illness was altogether eradicated from Israel in this day.
We've seen Him raise a young girl from the dead.
We've seen Him rejected in His hometown.
Which He then goes and sends out the Twelve on their first journey apart from Him.
And then we saw last week the death of John the Baptist.
And this is where we come.
And we see the apostles are returning.
They do a one verse debrief.
I'd love to know some of the details of all that they had done and taught.
But this is the detail that Mark gives us at this juncture.
And Jesus says,
Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.
Which is a plan that's interrupted.
And then we see this coming series of miracles that are performed.
These are the last miracles that Jesus will perform in Galilee.
These two specific, the walking on water, the feeding of the 5,000.
And then this kind of summary at the end of chapter 6 of this great number that's being healed.
And after this, He leaves.
He goes off to the Mediterranean coast, to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And He doesn't return to Galilee.
This is His third time He's kind of made a sweep through the region.
This is, if you will think of it in this way, kind of His last sermon presentation.
This is His last days in this region, preaching the good news of the coming kingdom of God.
So we would be remiss today if we didn't spend some time certainly talking about the amazing, incredible nature,
awesome nature of these miracles.
We see the first one that feeds all these people that are gathered.
We see 5,000 men.
Matthew makes it a little more explicit for us.
It says 5,000 men besides women and children.
Likely that every man there would have had a wife and some kids.
Most scholars estimate somewhere between 20,000 and 25,000 people had followed them around the side of the sea
and met them where they landed.
There are only two miracles that are recorded in all four Gospels.
There's only two.
First is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
All four Gospels speak of that miracle.
The second is this one, the feeding of the 5,000.
Which means that it has some special significance.
It's amazing.
It's an incredible feat that He accomplished.
But He's also done some other very incredible things.
He's raised people from the dead.
He's cast out legions of demons.
He's calmed a storm.
He's done all of this with the power of His Word.
He's going to walk on water right after this.
Incredible, incredible things.
But all four of the Gospel writers were inspired to record this particular miracle.
Next we see Him walking on water.
Again, having dominion over creation.
I, just for fun, was looking around on the internet a couple months ago
and found a group of guys that are trying to run on water.
This is like their new sport that they're doing.
And they've managed to run fast enough that they can get about three steps out into the water before they sink.
And it's kind of hilarious because they have to capture it on high-speed footage
to even know that they're staying on top of the water.
Because it's fairly, when you watch them do it, you're like,
Yep, I've done that before.
Run and crash into the water.
But Jesus Himself took a stroll in a storm out on the sea.
In fact, the record is that He intended just to pass by them.
He was just going to walk on past as they were trying to tack in this storm,
try to sail against the wind and arrive on the other coast.
But when they see Him, He enters the boat with them.
And then again, as I said, at the end here we see,
after these things happen, this summary of healing.
Anybody who heard coming to Him that they just might touch Him.
He had that kind of power radiated out of Him.
If somebody would just touch Him, they would be healed of whatever infirmary they had.
So incredible miracles. Incredible.
We have said time and time again, look at these miracles.
Look at the way in which they lend evidence to the message that He was preaching.
And that was the point all along.
Jesus worked in these supernatural ways to say to people,
listen to what I am telling you.
People thronged around Him.
Many thousands of people.
Here we see likely 20 to 25,000 people.
And if you'll catch this, they're kind of dumb.
They've left and chased Him around the Sea of Galilee
and have no provision for the day.
Right? They're sheep wandering about
and they've wandered together to meet Him on the other side of the sea.
He's constantly pressed around.
But He did all of this that people might hear the good news
of the coming kingdom of God.
We would do well to hear that from Him today.
So I want us to note three things from the text.
Firstly, notice Jesus' compassion.
Notice His compassion.
Verse 34 says,
He had compassion on them because
they were like sheep without a shepherd.
Now I just want you to put in your mind
kind of what's been going on and where Jesus is at.
He's just been rejected in His hometown.
Small town. Very little town Nazareth was.
Everybody in Nazareth knew Him.
And in fact, this wasn't the first time He had been rejected.
This is the second time He had been rejected.
He had been there about a year prior
and they tried to throw Him off a cliff.
And seemingly in some miraculous way,
He passed through them and got away.
So this is the second time He returns
and He's once again rejected.
And it actually says that He marveled at their unbelief.
That He was amazed by the fact
that they wouldn't accept Him as the Christ.
We talked when we looked at that text
that He did this to set an example for the apostles.
He's about to send them out.
He's going to give them some instruction
on what to do when they're rejected.
So He's a living example in that way.
And He goes and says,
See?
People are going to reject even the Christ.
Of course they will reject you.
And He sends them out.
And then we get this story
interjected in the middle of all of this.
It kind of...
It's almost like you go to a different scene altogether.
And we get this story
of Herod beheading John the Baptist,
which Kyle did a wonderful job with last week.
And this is the end of that.
This is the finality of that.
We see in verse 29 of chapter 6,
When His disciples heard of it,
they came and took His body
and laid it in a tomb.
And then we see the record
that the apostles returned to Jesus.
And certainly, Jesus,
if He hadn't already heard the news
that John the Baptist had been beheaded,
heard it at this point.
The apostles returned to Him
and He knows at this point
what has happened to His cousin
of some relation,
some type of cousin, friend,
the one who came before Him
and heralded His coming.
This man meant a lot to Him.
And the response is,
Come away by yourselves
to a desolate place
and rest a while.
And note that at this point,
He is with them,
also going away
to a desolate place
to rest a while.
And they're interrupted
in this plan to go
and to be still
and to recharge
by a throng of people.
And I have to tell you
that this text
has particularly ministered to me
over the last couple of weeks
because I get this way sometimes.
I get just so drained.
And I'm just so tired.
And then the phone call comes.
Right?
And you just go,
Oh, not another phone call.
I don't know if I can handle
another thing.
I don't know that I have
anything else to give.
And I imagine that this is the place
that Jesus is at
at this time.
Right?
Perfectly human.
Perfectly God.
I'm sure He had much more energy
than I'll ever have in my life.
However, He was, in fact, human.
He felt pain.
He felt sorrow.
And here He's experiencing
the loss of John the Baptist.
He's been rejected
in His hometown.
And rather than
turning the crowd away,
rather than getting back in the boat
and sailing someplace else,
that's what I would have done.
I would have taken off in the sea
and stayed out there to rest.
He sees the people
and He has compassion on them.
He sees them in their state.
They're like sheep.
And if you don't know much about sheep,
sheep are fairly dumb animals.
They need a shepherd.
Sheep are left to themselves.
They get slaughtered.
Wolves come in and they kill them.
They need a shepherd.
A shepherd protects them.
A shepherd leads them
to good grass and clean water.
They don't do that on their own.
They wander around
hoping to find good grass
and clean water.
Sheep are dependent on a shepherd.
And this is how He views them.
He has compassion.
Another wonderful example of this
is when He's coming into
the city of Jerusalem.
These are His people
who are apostate.
They have rejected
what God has told them
in the Old Testament
of the coming of the Christ.
They are about to reject Jesus Himself.
It says that when He drew near
and saw the city,
He wept over it.
A heartfelt compassion.
A man who was God,
who knew how it was
that God was going to play out
redemptive history in the world.
And yet we see Him
with the people
who were coming to seek
just what they could get from Him.
Heal us.
Do miraculous things for us.
Give us food to eat.
And He had compassion on them.
He provides for their needs here.
Their temporal,
or if you prefer the word physical,
He provides for their temporal needs.
And Mark doesn't record this,
but in other accounts,
like in Luke 9, verse 11,
it says that He cured those
who had need of healing.
So He does some healing
at this time as well.
Matthew 6, verse 31-33,
which precedes Matthew's account
of the feeding of the 5,000
in chapter 14.
Jesus teaches this,
which Wes alluded to earlier.
Beginning verse 31,
Do not be anxious,
saying,
What shall we eat?
Or what shall we drink?
Or what shall we wear?
For the Gentiles,
or those outside of the kingdom,
seek after all these things,
and your heavenly Father
knows that you need them all.
But seek first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness,
and all these things
will be added to you.
So He provides for their need.
They're there stupidly
wandering into the wilderness
to follow Him without provision.
And the apostles are smart
in this regard.
They see the time that's growing late.
Very pragmatic.
Send them away.
Send them back to town.
They've got to buy provision
so that they can survive.
And Jesus instead,
in this incredibly miraculous way,
in a creation from almost nothing,
creates food to feed
20,000 to 25,000 people.
And that is a staggering number of people.
I don't know if you can even
wrap your mind around.
I can't think of a gathering we have
that's 20,000 to 25,000 people.
But do that in terms of
wedding plate cost.
Some of you are young, married,
caterers come and cater.
Let's say $10 a plate.
$200,000 worth of food.
That is a lot of food.
This was an abundance of food.
This was no small snack
split up amongst people.
They ate until they were full.
And there was food left over.
The food abounded,
which is the point
of the gathering of baskets.
Jesus not only provided for their need,
but He went above and beyond
in His blessing
as He created food for them.
So He provided for their temporal,
their physical needs.
But more importantly than that,
He was looking to meet
their spiritual needs.
And herein is a lesson.
Those of us who are ministers
of the gospel of God,
and I don't mean in a special position
like I hold,
but those of us who are Christians,
who are ministering
the gospel of God,
what we need to give to people
is their real needs,
not their felt needs.
Some people think they need
a certain,
have something that they need met,
but it's not necessarily
what they really need.
And what people really need
is their hearts addressed.
People really need
the good news
of the kingdom of God
to get inside of them
and work in them.
And this is what we see Jesus doing.
Verse 34,
the second half.
And He began teaching them
many things.
20 to 25,000 people.
He sits down on the shore with them
and begins to teach them
many things.
What was His message?
It was the good news
of the kingdom of God.
What are God's ways?
How can you bring yourself
under them?
How can you have life
and life everlasting?
Now there's some other keys
in this text
for what He was doing
and why we can know
that He was looking to meet
their spiritual needs.
Because we see some typology
play out here.
Now let me explain quickly to you
typology.
This is a super brief summary.
A type,
if we talk about
an Old Testament type
of Christ,
we're not saying
a version of Christ.
That's the way we use
the word type
in our modern English.
We're not saying
a version of Christ.
We're talking about
a character who prefigures
or who supersedes Christ.
To speak in the typology terms,
the anti-type, right?
Which is the greater thing.
So it shows us a shadow
of something that is to come.
And they're all throughout
the Old Testament.
David is an example of that.
Moses is an example of that.
The ark.
Noah's ark is an example of that.
Jesus.
The ark is a type of Christ
that saves us
from God's condemnation.
These things run all throughout
the Old Testament Scriptures.
So,
he does a couple of things
that are interesting here
that point to this.
Right?
So we know that Moses
led God's people
out of captivity
as God's instrument
leads them out of captivity.
This great picture
of God's people
being led out of slavery
to sin
and into redemption
and to living in his kingdom.
And so,
we see them gathering together.
You can see this
in Exodus chapter 18,
verse 21,
in 100s and 50s.
And Moses
presided over the people
in this way.
He divided them
into thousands,
into hundreds,
into fifties,
into tens.
That was the way
in which he governed
over the people.
Jesus does the very same thing.
So,
Jesus is saying to them,
I am the better Moses
as he divides them up
to distribute food
amongst them.
He's also,
we see David as a type.
Ezekiel 34,
23 says,
And I will set up over them
one shepherd,
my servant David,
and he shall feed them.
He shall feed them
and be their shepherd.
And herein we find,
perhaps,
this is my very best guess
at this,
perhaps the significance
of verse 39.
Why did Mark record
that he had them sit down
on the green grass?
Is that important
in any way
to the story?
I believe it is.
I believe that Jesus
had them sit down
in these groups
on the green grass
to say to him,
I am the good shepherd.
I am the better David.
I will lead you
to the good grass.
Maybe coming to your mind
is Psalm 23,
verse 1-3.
The Lord is my shepherd.
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down
in green pastures.
He leads me
beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me
in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
I would hope
that if we were there,
being sat down
in green grass,
being fed,
being put in these groups
in this way,
and that this man
who claims he's
the Son of God,
that he is the Christ,
is teaching the coming
of the kingdom,
we would remember
Psalm 23, 1-3,
this inspired text.
They would have known
these words.
And we would go,
ah, Jesus.
Jesus is the Christ.
Look at all the things
he's doing.
He's fulfilling prophecies.
He is the greater Moses.
He is the greater David.
John 10,
verses 11-16.
Famous.
I hope you're familiar
with this.
I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd
lays down his life
for the sheep.
He who is a hired hand
and not a shepherd
who does not own the sheep
sees the wolf coming
and leaves the sheep
and flees.
And the wolf snatches them
and scatters them.
He flees because
he is a hired hand
and cares nothing
for the sheep.
In relation to that,
in contrast to that,
verse 14,
I am the good shepherd.
I know my own
and my own know me.
Just as the Father
knows me
and I know the Father
and I lay down my life
for the sheep.
And then praise God
for verse 16.
This is us.
This includes
those of us
who are not of Jewish descent.
And I have other sheep
that are not of this fold.
I must bring them also
and they will listen
to my voice
so there will be
one flock,
one shepherd.
Do you see what
he's doing for them
and he's painting
this last picture
in the land of Galilee
before he moves off
to the coast
to call them
to himself.
We see a great
gospel proclamation
in this miracle.
So what for us
is the application
then of this?
It's certainly to believe.
To be clear.
It's certainly to believe
that Jesus is in fact
the Christ.
To recognize
that all of these miracles
are led to point us
to the validity
of his message
and we're going to
address that later.
But speaking specifically
of his compassion
we ought to emulate Christ
and be compassionate.
We ought to have
the same type
of heart in us.
In fact,
Colossians 3.12
Paul says,
put on then
as God's chosen ones
his sheep
holy and beloved
compassionate hearts.
The objects of that compassion
are the church
and the world.
Those who are yet
to be part of the church.
So we want to go
and we want to share
the gospel far and wide.
We want to be compassionate.
We want to remember
where we once were
the sin that we were
delivered from
the death that awaited us
and have compassion
on others
who are awaiting
the same thing.
Do you have
eternal mindset
when you look
at your neighbors
and your classmates
and your co-workers?
Do you look at them
and say if they don't
have Christ
their eternal doom
is damnation?
It'll be miserable
forever
and you break
your heart break for them.
I don't think
that we
including myself
have hearts
broken enough
for the lost.
We don't remember
what we were delivered from.
We don't actually
understand the weight
of our sin.
We have a hard time
wrapping our minds
around what eternal
separation from God
would look like.
We don't have
compassionate hearts
but we should.
That should be
the response
to the compassion
of Jesus Christ.
Jesus finalized this
for us on the cross.
He went so much further
than a little
interruption
in his rest.
Christ.
He died on our behalf.
He died a miserable death.
The worst death
that's ever been created
in the world
he died.
And above and beyond that
he bore the wrath
of God
that was due
our sin
in himself
that we might have life.
That we might put on
his righteousness.
That when God
looks at us
he sees
Christ
beloved
this should make us
compassionate.
This should warm
our hearts
to the purposes
of Christ.
we should love
what Jesus loves
because Jesus
first loved us.
You know what Jesus loves?
He loves his church.
He loves his sheep.
He's gathering them in
even now.
So compassion.
Secondly
notice
the need
for communion.
Now I'm not talking
in this case
of the church ordinance
that we more commonly
call the Lord's Supper here.
I'm not talking about
that type of communion.
I'm talking about
the communion
the being with God.
The charging
that we get
when we plug in
to the source.
This is such
a wonderful picture
in this text
of Christ's
co-existent humanity
and deity.
We see his need
to step away
from things.
We see the human need
for it too.
Verse 31
and then again
in verse 45
we see that
Jesus is teaching
the apostles
to take
times of
restorative
rest.
Verse 31
he says
come away
by yourselves
a desolate place
and rest a while.
It's an imperative.
It's a command.
You've gone off.
You've been doing works.
You've been sharing
the gospel.
Now rest.
You need it.
You're human
and you're frail
and you will fall
and fail
at some point
if you don't
get
restorative
rest.
And then after
this account
he goes
and he's teaching
the apostles
get very involved
in this process.
They're handing out
food.
It would have
taken hours
I would imagine
to hand out
that much food
and after that
it says
immediately
he made his
disciples
get into a boat
verse 45
and go before him
to the other side
to Bethsaida
while he dismissed
the crowd.
Now I think
that this happened
primarily because
if you look
in the other accounts
like John's account
it records
that they were
looking to take him
by force
to make him king.
This group
that had traveled
out into the wilderness
seemed to be
rebels against Rome
and they wanted
to grab Jesus
and make him king
that he might lead them.
He'd done miracles
right?
This must be the one
that's going to lead us
in triumph
in a war
against Rome.
And so he sends
the apostles away
he gets them
out of that scene
he gets them gone
right?
He was the hubbub
like he was the one
attracting all the attention
and they were able
then to go
and to rest
so he sends them away.
But what does he do
when that happens?
So they take this time
of restorative rest
and we must
do the same
but that's what we can learn
as he's teaching them
go and rest
take some time
with your family
get some sleep
college students
it's very important
I believe that
Christian people
ought to be
the busiest people
because we're working
on the kingdom of God
but take time
for rest
eight hours
you know that
most people need
eight hours of sleep
to be charged
I think I average
about six
which is not healthy
eight hours
get some rest
restore
get away
take vacations
do those types
of things
but the greater lesson
we learn is what
Jesus goes and does
he steps away
on the mountain
to pray
so we see
restorative rest
we also see
private prayer
now you've got to
keep in mind
Jesus is constantly
setting for us
example
but it's not that
he didn't need it
it's not that he
didn't need the
private prayer
and he's just
setting an example
for us
but he needed it
as well
he needed to
abide with the
father
he was getting
every directive
from the father
he needed to
step away
he needed to
spend time
in the scriptures
and in prayer
with God
communing
with him
John Owen
wrote a wonderful
book called
Communion with God
and in it he said
the love of God
is like himself
equal
constant
not capable
of augmentation
or diminution
our love
is like
ourselves
our love
is like ourselves
unequal
increasing
waning
growing
declining
his like the sun
always the same
in its light
though a cloud
may sometimes
interpose
ours as the moon
has its enlargements
and straightenings
if we're meant to love
like Christ
this is what we're
called to do
we must spend
much time
alone
with God
if we are to be
of any value
for anyone
in this world
we must first
value God
above everything
and everyone
in this world
you know how you come to
value him
to make him your
treasure above all
else
you know him
I promise if you
know God
not just know things
about God
list of facts
about him
but if you know him
if you spend time
abiding with him
if you are in
communion with him
in this way
and you know him
you will treasure him
above all else
here's the greatest
thing by very
definition
if he is God
he made all things
and therefore he is
better than all things
and not in a
slight way
but if we put him
on the scale
it would tip
dramatically
right
there's no comparison
to the thing
the things of the world
go strangely dim
in the light
of his glorious face
this is the picture
that we're getting there
we must commune
with God
to be good
for anything
in this world
Jesus said it like this
in John 15 5
I am the vine
you are the branches
whoever abides in me
and I in him
he it is
that bears
much fruit
now hear this
just let this
resonate in your brain
for apart from me
you can do
nothing
apart from me
you can do
nothing
so if we love our Christ
for what he's done for us
if we want to serve him
if we want to be effective
in the kingdom
we must abide with him
this is the very first step
in the process
we must
and if you find yourself
in a place where you
struggle with that
as I do quite often
I find myself constantly
day in and day out
doing the work of God
and everything I'm doing
is arranged around that
leading a church
and studying
and doing those things
and I find sometimes
that imperceptibly
I drift off course
and suddenly I'm just
academic
or I'm just
a businessman
planning and plotting
a course
right
I step away from the fact
that I need
to soak
in who he is
right
that when I do that
I can pour out
a sponge
I can soak up
and be squeezed out
and soak up
and be squeezed out
but I let myself
get squeezed out
and I don't soak again
right
I step away
from that
it's like a compass
many of you know
the way compasses
function
if you just turn
in a little degree
and walk ten feet
you're really in the
same place
it's imperceptible
you can't even notice
that you're off the course
but if you go a mile
that way
it's suddenly you're
getting further
and further
and further away
from where you need
to be
we must
come back
to private prayer
we must
spend time
knowing
God
if you find yourself
in that place
there's some
there's some great
rest for us
there's some great
promises
psalm 46
verse 10
God says
be still
and know
that I
am God
be still
and know
that I
am God
I will be
exalted
among the nations
I will
be exalted
in the earth
this is a great
comfort to my soul
my great desire
is that God
be exalted
among the nations
my great desire
is that God
be exalted
in this entire world
and then I go
what I gotta do
to get that done
what is my part
to play in that
what do I have to do
and I can become
exhausted because of that
and he says to me
be still
you're not God
I am
be a tool in my hand
I've got it all
under control
Psalm 127
Song of Solomon
verse 1 and 2
unless the Lord
builds the house
those who build it
labor in vain
unless the Lord
watches over the city
the watchman
stays awake
in vain
it is in vain
that you rise up early
and go late to rest
eating the bread
of anxious toil
for he gives
to his beloved
sleep
and the teaching
here is not
sleep in
right
and go to bed early
it's not the teaching
it's all he's trying to say
get up early
there's much value
in getting up early
but when you do so
because you know
you've got to do it
you know you've got to accomplish
you're anxious
about the work
that's ahead of you
he says
no sleep
sleep and rest
the Lord
is building a house
the Lord
is keeping watch
over the city
so we need these things
we need private prayer
we need restorative rest
and that's the application
for us
as we labor for the kingdom
we must also rest
in the goodness of God
in the face of Jesus Christ
that's how you charge
for spiritual work
you remember
the goodness
of the gospel
Matthew chapter 11
28-30
Jesus says
come to me
all you who labor
and are heavy laden
and I will give you
rest
take my yoke upon you
and learn from me
for I am gentle
and lowly in heart
and you will find rest
for your souls
for my yoke is easy
and my burden
is light
how do we do this
practically
how do we do this
spend time
in the inerrant
sufficient
powerful word of God
right
this has been given to us
that we might know
God
stop neglecting it
it is a gift to us
it is a grace
you have
copies upon copies
on your shelf
I was at a conference
this week
where a group
in the third world country
they had a program
where when you went
to the bookstore
you could buy a bible
and then take it
and go stick it on a pallet
and they were going to
pack them up
and send them
because the pastors
didn't have bibles
in this country
right
we were worried about
the people at this point
the members of the church
it was the pastors
that were having a hard time
accessing bibles
in this country
we have got them
in abundance
we've got copies
upon copies
you can access the internet
and get any translation
that you want
with helpful study notes
right
stop neglecting it
it is a gift
to you
and pray
respond
to what God is saying
as he speaks to you
speak back to him
God is available
and wants
a relationship with you
draw near to him
and he will draw
near to you
in A.T. Pearson's biography
of George Mueller
called George Mueller of Bristol
which I would really commend to you
it's a wonderful read
he wrote
the most intimate knowledge of God
it's possible
on one condition
that we search his holy scriptures
prayerfully
and habitually
and translate
what we there find
into obedience
there are promises
a wonderful promise
that comes
if we will devote ourselves
to this
the study of the scripture
prayerfully
habitually
and be obedient
in this
there's a promise
that's found in both testaments
Psalm 1-3
after he speaks of
the man who delights
in the law of the Lord
it says
in all that he does
he prospers
in James 1-25
it says
but the one who looks
into the perfect law
the law of liberty
and perseveres
is obedient
to the end
being no hearer
who forgets
but a doer
who acts
he will be blessed
in his doing
do you want the work
that you do
for the kingdom of God
to be blessed
to be fruitful
to be beneficial
if you love Jesus
you'll want that
if you love Jesus rightly
you will want this
to be the case
this is what we must do
and it is a joy
to do it
so we see the compassion
of Christ
we see
our great need
for communion
with God
but we also see
condemnation
thirdly
we also see
condemnation
there's this
massive group of people
and we are seeing this
time and time
again
in the gospel of Mark
this great throng
that surrounds Jesus
and they're coming
to him
for what Jesus
can do for them
in this world
they want healing
they want to show
they want to see
some new miracle
some display
of power
we would be the same way
we hear that some guys
in Dahlonega
healing sick people
like people who can't
walk or walking
we'd want to go see
that kind of thing
and they never
hear the message
they never hear
what he's actually
trying to say
and we know this
because after Jesus
is crucified
and resurrected
we see a very small
number of disciples
still gathered
150 in the upper room
I'm sure that there
were more
there were probably
some in the Gentile
region
but we don't see
much record of this
where did they go
you go from
20,000 to 150
it's a fraction
of that
were these disciples
were these true
followers of Jesus Christ
no
they were coming to him
for what they could gain
they wanted
the promises
the benefits
without the obedience
of it
this is a dangerous thing
and this is what speaks
to our church
in a great way
do you find yourself
in that position
you come for the benefit
what you think Christ
can accomplish
on your behalf
but you're not willing
to be obedient
you're not willing
to see
that the kingdom of God
is not
not on a scale
but it's a difference
you become a new person
right
you no longer live
in the realm
of this world
serving the father
of that
the devil
of lies
you now serve
Jesus Christ
and everything
in your life
bows to who he is
I fear that that's
the case
in many
many
many churches
and possibly
in ours
look
further down
we see this
this massive group
of people
we know that
not all of them
are true disciples
of Christ
but look even
at the apostles
down in
verse 52
verse 51
and they were
utterly astounded
they were
utterly astounded
at what had
happened
he had walked
on water
he had gotten
in the boat
they had already
seen so many
miracles
they were
utterly astounded
!
for they did
not understand
about the
loaves
but their
hearts
were hardened
and that phrase
they did not
understand about
the loaves
really
vexed my
mind
these last
couple of
weeks
what?
I believe
that Mark
was inspired
by the Holy
Spirit
to write
these words
in this
way
the original
text
means that
I looked
it up
that's
what it
means
they did
not
understand
about
the loaves
so here's
this interjection
for him
to help
us understand
what was
going on
why did
they not
understand
and I will
tell you
that the
question
in verse
51
of
chapter 4
they said
after he
calmed the
storm
on the
sea of
Galilee
who then
is this
that even
the wind
and the
sea
obey him
they were
still
questioning
who
Jesus
was
they've
already
been sent
down
on a
mission
trip
and they
still don't
have it
clear in
their minds
who
Jesus
is
Jesus
is
the
Christ
and they
didn't
quite
get it
at this
point
so I
want you
to go
with me
we're
going to
do a
little
work
in John
chapter 6
starting
in verse
22
I want you
to turn
with me
there
John
chapter 6
verse 22
this is
John's
account
what followed
right after
the same
story
right
so we're
looking
if you
look at
chapter 6
Jesus
beats
5,000
Jesus
walks on
water
and the
beginning
of verse
22
here's
kind of
the story
following
this
okay
so verse
22
on the
next day
the crowd
that remained
on the
other side
of the sea
saw that
there had
been
only one
boat
there
and that
Jesus
had not
entered
the boat
with his
disciples
but that
his disciples
had gone
away
alone
other boats
from Niberius
came near
the place
where they
had eaten
the bread
after the
Lord had
given
thanks
so when
the crowd
saw that
Jesus
was not
there
nor
his
disciples
they
themselves
got into
the boats
and went
to Capernaum
seeking
Jesus
so
there was
only one
boat
and they
knew
Jesus
didn't
get in
it
he
dismissed
the
apostles
while he
was
dismissing
the crowd
they got
in
they took
off
they knew
he didn't
get in
that boat
but then
where did
he go
so some
other boats
come by
and they
get in
and they
follow him
over to
Capernaum
to look
for him
verse 25
when they
found him
on the
other side
of the
sea
they said
to him
rabbi
when did
you come
here
Jesus
answered
them
truly
I say
to you
you are
seeking
me
here we
go
not
because
you saw
signs
but because
you ate
your fill
of the
loaves
do not
labor
for the
food
that
perishes
but for
the food
that
endures
to eternal
life
which the
son of
man
will give
to you
for on
him
God
the
father
has
set
his
seal
then
they
said
to
him
and
this
sounds
like a
really
good
honest
question
what
must
we
do
to
be
doing
the
works
of
God
what
must
you
do
to
be
doing
the
works
of
God
but
look
at
Jesus'
response
as he
knows
what's
going
on
in
their
hearts
Jesus
answered
them
this
is
the
work
of
God
that
you
believe
in
him
and
whom
he
has
sent
so
there's
the
work
of
God
that
we
believe
that
Jesus
is
the
Christ
this
is
not
what
they
wanted
was
to
be
able
to
do
!
what
must
we
do
to
also
turn
loaves
into
more
and
more
loaves
to
eat
our
fill
so
they
said
to
him
then
what
sign
do
you
do
that
we
may
see
and
believe
you
what
work
do
you
perform
our
fathers
ate
the
manna
in
the
wilderness
as
it
is
written
he
gave
them
bread
from
heaven
to
eat
so
they
quote
some
old
testament
scripture
right
the
sign
of
Moses
was
that
God
gave
manna
for
them
to
eat
what
sign
do
you
do
as
if
what
he
had
done
the day
before
wasn't
enough
Jesus
then
said
to
them
truly
I
say
to
you
it
was
not
Moses
!
who
gave
you
the
bread
from
heaven
but
my
father
gives
you
the
true
bread
from
heaven
for
the
bread
of
God
is
he
who
comes
down
from
heaven
and
gives
life
to
the
world
they
said
to
him
sir
give
us
this
bread
always
they
still
had
no
idea
what
he
was
talking
about
right
now
they're
saying
please
this
manna
that
came
down
and
constantly
fed
and
provided
for
the
people
of
God
give
us
bread
constantly
right
what
a
great
world
that
would
be
if
food
just
dropped
in
our
laps
in
that
way
Jesus
said
to
them
I
am
the
bread
of
life
whoever
comes
to
me
shall
not
hunger
and
whoever
believes
in
me
shall
never
thirst
but
I
said
to
you
that
you
have
seen
me
and
yet
do
not
believe
all
that
the
!
Father
gives
me
will
come
to
me
what a
beautiful
gospel
coming
kingdom
of
God
presentation
that is
here's
the
response
so
the
Jews
grumbled
about
him
because
he
said
I
am
the
bread
that
came
down
from
heaven
right
there's
another
type
for
you
the
manna
is
a
type
of
Christ
they
said
is
not
this
Jesus
the
son
of
Joseph
whose
father
and
mother
we
know
how
does
he
now
say
I
have
come
down
from
heaven
Jesus
answered
them
do
not
grumble
among
yourselves
no
one
can
come
to
me
unless
the
father
who
sent
me
draws
him
and
I
will
raise
him
up
on
the
last
day
it
is
written
in
the
prophets
and
they
will
all
be
taught
by
God
everyone
who
has
heard
and
learned
from
the
father
comes
to
me
not
that
anyone
has
seen
the
father
except
he
who
is
from
God
he
has
seen
the
father
truly
I
say
to
you
whoever
believes
has
eternal
life
I
am
the
bread
of
life
your
fathers
ate
the
man
in
the
wilderness
and
they
died
this
is
the
bread
that
come
down
from
heaven
so
that
is
my
flesh
already
begins
to
speak
of
his
death
now
do
you
see
now
why
the
apostles
mark
records
it
because
they
didn't
understand
the
loaves
because
this
is
what
Jesus
was
preaching
to
them
giving
them
sustenance
of
the
bread
is
that
he
was
teaching
to
them
I
am
the
bread
of
life
verse
52
the
Jews
then
disputed
amongst
!
themselves
saying
how
can
this
man
!
give
flesh
to
eat
so
Jesus
said
to
them
truly
I
say
to
you
which
is
a
way
of
saying
no
seriously
unless
you
eat
the
flesh
of
the
son
of
man
and
drink
his
blood
you
have
no
life
in
you
whoever
feeds
on
my
flesh
and
drinks
my
blood
has
eternal
life
and
I
will
raise
him
up
on
the
last
day
for
my
flesh
is
true
food
and
my
blood
whoever
feeds
on
me
he
also
will
live
because
of
me
this
is
the
bread
that
came
down
from
heaven
not
like
the
bread
the
fathers
ate
and
died
whoever
feeds
on
this
bread
will
live
forever
Jesus
said
these
things
in
the
synagogue
as
he
taught
at
Capernaum
when
many
of his
disciples
heard
it
they
said
this
is
a
hard
saying
who
can
listen
to
it
but
Jesus
knowing
in
himself
the
disciples
were
grumbling
about
this
said
to
them
do
you
take
offense
at
this
then
what
if
you
were
to
see
the
son
of
man
ascending
to
where
he
was
before
it
is
the
spirit
who
gives
life
the
flesh
is
no
help
at
all
the
words
that
I
have
spoken
to
you
are
spirit
and
life
but
there
are
some
of
you
who
do
not
believe
for
Jesus
knew
from
the
beginning
those
were
who
did
not
believe
and
who
it
was
who
would
betray
him
and
he
said
this
is
why
I
told
you
that
no
one
can
come
to
me
unless
it
is
granted
him
by
the
father
so
here
we
have
kind
of
centric
circles
we
have
a
larger
group
right
a
group
of
Jews
it
says
that
are
debating
this
having
a
very
difficult
time
with
the
teaching
and
it
narrows
down
a
little
bit
because
the
disciples
a
bigger
group
he's
not
speaking
of
the
twelve
at
this
point
a
larger
group
they
say
this
is
a
hard
saying
and
who
can
listen
to
it
and
his
response
to
them
is
not
all
of
you
believe
you
don't
understand
what
I'm
saying
to
you
because
not
all
of
you
believe
that's
why
I
told
you
no
one
can
come
to
me
unless
it
is
granted
him
by
the
father
and
then
we
see
a
smaller
circle
the
apostles
right
verse
66
after
this
many
of
his
disciples
turned
back
and
no
longer
walked
with
him
they
proved
themselves
to be
apostate
they
had
received
the
good
news
of
the
kingdom
and
they
turned
it
away
they
were
rocky
soil
they
sprang
up
for
a
while
remember
our
parable
the
!
sower
in
chapter
4
sprang
up
for
a
while
and
then
some
tribulation
comes
a
hard
teaching
a
difficult
thing
to
understand
and
they
walked
away
verse
67
so
Jesus
said to
the
twelve
do
you
want
to
go
away
as
well
Simon
Peter
answered
him
Lord
to
whom
shall
we
go
you
have
the
words
of
eternal
life
and
we
have
believed
and
come
to
know
that
you
are
the
holy
one
of
God
praise
God
the
closest
to
him
of
course
we
see
the
account
of
the
twelve
really
eleven
he
addresses
that
in
the
following
verses
but
they
had
gone
from
seeing
this
amazing
miracle
getting
in a
boat
seeing
Jesus
walk
on
the
water
not
understanding
the
loaves
they
didn't
get
what
was
going
on
there
and
sometime
in
between
they're
able to
make
this
proclamation
we
get
this
response
from
Simon
Peter
to
whom
shall
we
go
if
we
leave
where
would
we
go
you
have
the
words
of
eternal
life
and
we
have
believed
and
come
to
know
that
you
are
the
holy
one
of
God
you
are
the
Christ
and here
we see
that
great
realization
of that
happening
here
so we
see
in
our
text
you
can
turn
back
there
if
you'd
like
we
see
these
two
condemnation
people
who
do
not
believe
Jesus
is
the
!
the
!
that
is
the
guilt
that
gets
placed
on
them
the
weight
of
their
sin
has
bought
this
penalty
and
they
don't
believe
and
they're
damned
forever
what's
the
application
there?
what's
the
application?
believe
that's
the
application
believe
don't
be
found
in
that
number
if
you
don't
know
that
Jesus
is
the
Christ
and
that
includes
all
things
of
the
gospel
if
you
don't
get
the
fact
that
your
sin
is
separated
from
you
God
eternally
and
that
Jesus
is
the
way
back
into
relation
with
him
to
be
who
we
were
created
to
be
to
have
joy
to
have
satisfaction
to
have
peace
to
be
able
!
to
worship
God
as
we
were
created
!
for
you
are
more
human
more
as
you
were
meant
to
be
when
you
believe
in
Christ
believe
I
plead
with
you
believe
John
16
5
through
11
Jesus
said
this
we
see
an
amazing
picture
here
of
people
that
witnessed
incredible
things
in
person
I
would
love
to
be
able
to
jump
in
a
time
machine
and
go
and
get
to
be
a
bystander
and
witness
all
of
these
things
but
you
know
that
we
have
something
better
than
that
this
world
has
something
better
than
Jesus
in
person
John
chapter
16
beginning
of
verse
5
this
is
Jesus
speaking
but
now
I'm
going
to
him
who
sent
me
and
none
of
you
asked
me
where
are
you
going
but
because
I
have
said
these
things
to
you
sorrow
has
filled
your
heart
he
said
to
the
apostles
I'm
going
away
sorrow
has
filled
your
heart
nevertheless
I
tell
you
the
truth
it
is
to
your
advantage
that
I
go
away
for
if
I
do
not
go
away
the
helper
will
not
come
to
you
the
helper
being
the
spirit
of
God
but
if
I
go
I
will
send
him
to
you
and
when
he
comes
he
will
convict
the
world
concerning
sin
and
righteousness
and
judgment
concerning
sin
because
they
do
not
believe
in
me
concerning
righteousness
because
I
go
to
the
father
and
you
will
see
me
no
longer
concerning
judgment
because
the
ruler
of
this
world
is
judged
we
have
the
inerrant
authoritative
sufficient
word of
God
who speaks
of Jesus
Christ
these
wonderful
accounts
historically
voracious
accounts
of the
life of
Jesus
Christ
more
than
that
we
have
the
spirit
of
God
who
brings
conviction
in
this
world
who
shows
us
the
way
concerning
the
truth
believe
and
if
you
find
yourself
this
morning
in
any
sense
in
any
dark
place
in
your
life
you
know
that
you're
a
Christian
the
call
to
you
is
to
believe
as
well
repent
and
believe
repent
and
believe
this
is
the
cycle
of
the
Christian
life
turning
from
our
sin
and
turning
to
God
he
is
worthy
to
be
!
and
he
is
praised
through
the
person
and
the
work
of
Jesus
Christ
the
greatest
display
of
his
love
and
of
his
power
was
accomplished
on
the
cross
death
resurrection
right
it's the
great
culmination
the high
point
of the
story
believe
that
Jesus
is
the
Christ
let's
pray
together