WEBVTT 00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:05.820 Well, I don't want us to lose sight of the importance of this chapter, which is why I 00:00:05.820 --> 00:00:10.480 want to try to take all three of these events together this morning. 00:00:10.980 --> 00:00:16.800 And I think that it's important for us to remember that the overarching context of these chapters 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:19.620 right now that we're going through, that we've actually been in for a couple of chapters 00:00:19.620 --> 00:00:26.199 now, the overwhelming context is in relation to the training of the 12 apostles. 00:00:26.199 --> 00:00:31.119 So when we study these events, there's all kinds of directions we can go, but we always 00:00:31.119 --> 00:00:32.700 want to keep an eye on the disciples. 00:00:33.379 --> 00:00:34.979 What is it that's happening with them? 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:37.039 What's going through their minds the best that we can tell? 00:00:37.140 --> 00:00:38.899 How is it that they're responding to Jesus? 00:00:39.219 --> 00:00:43.879 How is it also that they're responding to the people that Jesus is interacting with? 00:00:43.980 --> 00:00:47.840 Because the overarching context here is that Jesus is training them. 00:00:47.939 --> 00:00:54.140 He's preparing them for his crucifixion and resurrection and departure because it's after 00:00:54.140 --> 00:00:59.200 his departure that these men are going to be responsible for taking this message of the 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:00.600 gospel to the world. 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:05.640 And so it's important for us to see how is it that they are perceiving the things that 00:01:05.640 --> 00:01:10.700 Jesus is doing and what is actually happening here in their hearts. 00:01:11.260 --> 00:01:18.760 And this chapter in particular is demonstrating the progressive nature of their understanding. 00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:27.260 And sometimes we maybe give the disciples a hard time because we think that just because they 00:01:27.260 --> 00:01:32.140 abandoned everything with this radical call that Jesus gave to follow, that they abandoned 00:01:32.140 --> 00:01:36.780 everything to follow him, that that must mean that they have figured it out, that they have 00:01:36.780 --> 00:01:39.860 figured out the things that they needed to know about Jesus. 00:01:39.860 --> 00:01:44.120 And we might give them a bit of a hard time, but that's not exactly how it happened. 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:46.500 Just like it's not the way that it happens with us either, is it? 00:01:46.500 --> 00:01:51.900 When we hear the gospel and we are drawn by the Holy Spirit to respond to that and we trust 00:01:51.900 --> 00:01:55.040 Christ by faith, but we don't know everything there is to know about him. 00:01:55.180 --> 00:02:00.460 There's this whole lifetime of sanctifying, this whole lifetime of progressive growth and 00:02:00.460 --> 00:02:01.739 understanding that we go through. 00:02:02.140 --> 00:02:07.379 And what maybe is even a little unfair, at least from our perspective, is that we're seeing 00:02:07.379 --> 00:02:11.340 this transformation take place in the disciples. 00:02:11.620 --> 00:02:15.939 And so every time they fall short of maybe what the expectation is, it's a little easy for 00:02:15.939 --> 00:02:17.280 us to give them a hard time, isn't it? 00:02:17.780 --> 00:02:20.599 But the truth is, we're not very different from them. 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:29.319 And in the midst of this chapter, Jesus heals a man, a blind man, that I think is a fitting 00:02:29.319 --> 00:02:35.740 illustration and intended by Mark to be an illustration of this progressive understanding 00:02:35.740 --> 00:02:36.560 for the disciples. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:38.079 We're not going to get to it today. 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:39.539 We'll get to it next week, Lord willing. 00:02:39.539 --> 00:02:45.239 But in verses 22 to 26, Jesus comes across a blind man and Jesus goes to heal him and 00:02:45.239 --> 00:02:45.900 he touches him. 00:02:46.079 --> 00:02:50.599 And the first time that he touches him, his eyes are open, but he can't see clearly. 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:52.419 It's all blurred. 00:02:52.419 --> 00:02:55.879 And he says, I can see men, but they look like trees. 00:02:55.979 --> 00:02:59.180 He couldn't discern everything, but he could at least see a little bit. 00:02:59.479 --> 00:03:01.159 And Jesus touches him again. 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:04.180 And then his eyes are made completely whole. 00:03:04.180 --> 00:03:08.840 Now that's unique because Jesus's miracles typically were whole and complete from the 00:03:08.840 --> 00:03:09.159 start. 00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:14.420 Well, it's different with this man for a reason, because it pictures what's happening with these 00:03:14.420 --> 00:03:15.000 disciples. 00:03:15.960 --> 00:03:20.140 Their eyes had been opened by Jesus through their faith. 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:22.540 They could see, but they couldn't see clearly yet. 00:03:23.180 --> 00:03:25.080 They hadn't even made it to the cross yet. 00:03:25.140 --> 00:03:28.280 How could they understand everything that they were supposed to understand? 00:03:28.280 --> 00:03:34.340 And then of course, at the same time, they were human and they were sinful and they struggled 00:03:34.340 --> 00:03:36.920 in the same ways that we struggle. 00:03:37.259 --> 00:03:39.539 And so we need to keep that in mind as we go through these. 00:03:39.580 --> 00:03:39.800 Okay. 00:03:40.060 --> 00:03:43.960 Let's start with feeding the crowd in the, in verses one through nine, feeding the crowd. 00:03:44.900 --> 00:03:45.960 Look with me at verse one. 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:53.240 In those days, when again, a great crowd had gathered and they had nothing to eat, he called 00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:58.259 his disciples to him and said to them, I have compassion on the crowd because they 00:03:58.259 --> 00:04:01.659 have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 00:04:02.399 --> 00:04:09.519 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way for some of them 00:04:09.519 --> 00:04:10.879 have come from far away. 00:04:11.659 --> 00:04:17.079 Now in those days in verse one is a callback to Jesus's movements in chapter seven. 00:04:17.240 --> 00:04:19.219 We went through those in detail last week. 00:04:19.879 --> 00:04:27.959 He and his disciples had left the Jewish area of Galilee and had gone on this essentially 00:04:27.959 --> 00:04:35.839 120 mile walk to Tyre and Sidon and then back around to the area of the Decapolis. 00:04:35.979 --> 00:04:43.060 And it was on that journey that Jesus healed the deaf and mute man that we studied last week. 00:04:43.620 --> 00:04:48.719 And also he cast out the demon from the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:55.060 And we remember that the primary purpose of this trip and of these miracles was again, further 00:04:55.060 --> 00:05:04.620 training for his disciples, especially regarding the fact that the gospel is for all people and 00:05:04.620 --> 00:05:07.680 that it is received by faith alone. 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:14.540 It's the lesson that is over and over and over again, being taught to the disciples on this 00:05:14.540 --> 00:05:18.900 trip, especially as Jesus is doing all these things for Gentile people. 00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:24.639 Now, this particular event that we're getting into now took place in that wilderness region 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:25.960 of the Decapolis. 00:05:25.959 --> 00:05:34.039 A vast crowd had gathered to Jesus and people were continually bringing sick and disabled people 00:05:34.039 --> 00:05:34.639 to the Lord. 00:05:34.979 --> 00:05:39.579 And he healed many, many of them of various maladies. 00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:42.679 And Matthew is the one that tells us a little bit more about that. 00:05:42.939 --> 00:05:49.879 Matthew 15 30, he writes, and great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, 00:05:49.879 --> 00:05:52.620 the crippled, the mute, and many others. 00:05:52.819 --> 00:05:56.180 And they put him at his feet and he healed them. 00:05:56.839 --> 00:06:03.879 And so perhaps even because of the disobedience of the man who was once deaf and mute, this 00:06:03.879 --> 00:06:09.159 tremendous crowd has gathered to Jesus in the mountains of the Decapolis in a desolate place. 00:06:09.159 --> 00:06:11.740 And they are bringing all of these people to be healed. 00:06:11.959 --> 00:06:15.740 They're listening to Jesus's teaching and a crisis develops. 00:06:15.740 --> 00:06:23.300 And the crisis is in relation to the fact that all the people that were coming to Jesus didn't 00:06:23.300 --> 00:06:25.620 leave after he was finished with them. 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:32.800 For three days, for three days, they stayed with the Lord in the wilderness. 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:37.620 And they kept bringing people to him and they kept listening to the teaching that he was giving 00:06:37.620 --> 00:06:41.360 because we know there's no doubt that Jesus was preaching during these moments as well. 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:47.540 And for three days, people were camped out in the mountains just to see Jesus, just to 00:06:47.540 --> 00:06:51.720 hear Jesus and to witness what it was that he could do. 00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:55.840 And after three days, they ran out of provisions. 00:06:57.000 --> 00:07:02.180 And Jesus says that if he were to send them home without any food, they would have collapsed 00:07:02.180 --> 00:07:07.560 and probably even died some of them because their journey was actually quite long. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:11.139 And there was no place around for them to get the provisions that they needed. 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:20.000 And so Jesus stating his concern and his compassion calls for those 12 apostles to come to him so 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:22.000 that he can present the problem to them. 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:23.040 Look at verse four. 00:07:23.639 --> 00:07:29.660 And his disciples answered him, how can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate 00:07:29.660 --> 00:07:30.259 place? 00:07:31.100 --> 00:07:34.560 And he asked them, how many loaves do you have? 00:07:34.699 --> 00:07:36.120 And they said seven. 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:43.399 Now, if I'm honest, I have to admit that I've really wrestled this week with the way that 00:07:43.399 --> 00:07:45.819 the disciples answered Jesus in verse four. 00:07:47.699 --> 00:07:50.139 This situation was not unfamiliar to them. 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:53.439 They had been in this predicament before. 00:07:54.100 --> 00:07:56.939 We just talked about it a few weeks ago in chapter six. 00:07:56.939 --> 00:07:59.800 They were near Bethsaida in Galilee. 00:08:00.579 --> 00:08:08.259 And they saw Jesus feed 5,000 people with only five pieces of bread and two fish. 00:08:09.019 --> 00:08:11.500 It's very similar to what's happening here. 00:08:11.959 --> 00:08:16.759 And an experience like that cannot be easily forgotten. 00:08:16.759 --> 00:08:26.019 Yet, their question isn't exactly overflowing with faith and expectation that Jesus is going 00:08:26.019 --> 00:08:26.980 to do something here. 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:29.560 And I've struggled with this just a little bit this week. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:38.299 How is it after seeing Jesus do this very thing on even a larger scale with even less food 00:08:38.299 --> 00:08:42.799 just a few weeks before, how is it that they're presented with the same situation again? 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:46.579 And they just asked, how can we do this? 00:08:47.979 --> 00:08:56.099 And I don't think what is happening here is skepticism or doubt in the minds of the disciples. 00:08:56.099 --> 00:08:57.779 I don't think that that's what's happening. 00:08:59.079 --> 00:09:04.419 I think that they're actually acknowledging their inability to meet the needs of the people. 00:09:05.620 --> 00:09:08.219 They're acknowledging the fact that they are in the desert. 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:09.699 They're in the wilderness. 00:09:09.700 --> 00:09:12.020 They have no money. 00:09:12.680 --> 00:09:14.140 And there's a lot of people. 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:21.980 It's not that they're saying this can't be done as much as they're saying we can't do this. 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:22.800 Okay? 00:09:23.720 --> 00:09:29.500 I don't think that there's skeptics of Jesus or necessarily doubting Jesus's ability. 00:09:30.160 --> 00:09:37.020 The problem is that it doesn't seem to have occurred to them that Jesus could and wanted 00:09:37.020 --> 00:09:39.040 to do this work for the people. 00:09:40.120 --> 00:09:41.620 And think about that for a moment. 00:09:42.820 --> 00:09:49.379 In the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000, it was the disciples that came to Jesus pointing 00:09:49.379 --> 00:09:50.180 out the problem. 00:09:50.420 --> 00:09:50.720 Remember? 00:09:51.580 --> 00:09:53.879 They really wanted Jesus to send the people away. 00:09:53.980 --> 00:09:56.900 And they noticed that they were hungry and they came to Jesus and they said, yeah, send 00:09:56.900 --> 00:09:57.480 these people away. 00:09:57.560 --> 00:09:58.000 They're hungry. 00:09:58.300 --> 00:10:00.200 And we really want to get some rest. 00:10:00.300 --> 00:10:01.640 So it'd be great if you'd send them away. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:03.300 And then Jesus says, well, how many? 00:10:03.379 --> 00:10:04.220 Why don't you feed them? 00:10:04.500 --> 00:10:05.820 And they went through the whole thing, right? 00:10:05.820 --> 00:10:08.100 Well, this situation is different. 00:10:08.100 --> 00:10:11.080 It's not the disciples that come to Jesus. 00:10:11.080 --> 00:10:12.779 It's actually the other way around this time. 00:10:13.139 --> 00:10:14.620 Jesus comes to the disciples. 00:10:14.700 --> 00:10:15.840 And what is it that he says? 00:10:16.279 --> 00:10:17.620 He says, these people are hungry. 00:10:17.860 --> 00:10:19.139 They might die. 00:10:19.139 --> 00:10:20.919 I have compassion on them. 00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:22.319 I want to feed them. 00:10:23.059 --> 00:10:24.699 I want to feed them. 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:27.179 It doesn't get much clearer than this, right? 00:10:28.059 --> 00:10:30.879 It's not that the disciples were hard-hearted here. 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:33.279 It's that they were hard-headed here. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:37.240 It's not that they doubted what Jesus could do. 00:10:37.419 --> 00:10:39.939 It's that they didn't even think at all that Jesus would do it. 00:10:40.039 --> 00:10:41.939 The thought just didn't even come to their mind. 00:10:43.159 --> 00:10:52.620 How often has God done amazing things in our lives only for us to act ignorant of his power 00:10:52.620 --> 00:10:54.000 and initiative later on? 00:10:55.600 --> 00:11:00.319 I mean, we're just talking about a few weeks before they had been through this. 00:11:00.439 --> 00:11:02.500 And it's not that they don't think Jesus can do it. 00:11:02.500 --> 00:11:05.480 It's just that they don't think anything about Jesus in this moment. 00:11:05.580 --> 00:11:08.820 All that they can see is there's a problem and we can't fix it. 00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:11.759 And then notice this question again. 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:14.820 Who can feed these people? 00:11:16.259 --> 00:11:18.100 How can one feed these people? 00:11:18.759 --> 00:11:22.259 From where can we get bread to feed these people, they ask? 00:11:23.299 --> 00:11:25.820 Is that not a picture of our spiritual condition? 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:32.220 Every one of us, starving. 00:11:32.500 --> 00:11:35.840 In a desert of sin and unbelief? 00:11:37.399 --> 00:11:42.120 And who or what can provide the nourishment that we need for eternal life? 00:11:43.860 --> 00:11:48.000 We know that good morals, religious commitment can't do that. 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:53.679 Isaiah said our morals are like filthy rags to the Lord. 00:11:54.980 --> 00:11:59.220 Paul said our religious commitment is as good as dung. 00:11:59.860 --> 00:12:01.039 It's trash. 00:12:01.720 --> 00:12:02.259 Rubbish. 00:12:02.259 --> 00:12:08.399 There's only one way to be spiritually satisfied. 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:11.120 And that's through faith in Christ. 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:16.899 And the point of both the feeding of the 5,000 and the feeding of the 4,000 00:12:16.899 --> 00:12:25.080 is that the one giving the physical bread is also the one that can give eternal life and forgiveness of sins. 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:29.520 Jesus himself interpreted it this way in John chapter 6. 00:12:29.860 --> 00:12:31.280 I am the bread of life. 00:12:31.740 --> 00:12:34.180 Whoever comes to me shall not hunger. 00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:38.420 And whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 00:12:38.419 --> 00:12:43.399 So on one hand, this is a boneheaded question on the part of the disciples. 00:12:44.699 --> 00:12:49.299 But on the other hand, the question is so significant for us to see our own condition, isn't it? 00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:52.799 We so desperately need this bread. 00:12:53.699 --> 00:12:56.179 And the only place we can get it is in Christ. 00:12:56.179 --> 00:12:58.039 They at least knew that. 00:12:58.699 --> 00:13:01.479 If anybody was going to feed the people, it wasn't them. 00:13:01.899 --> 00:13:04.599 It would have to be Jesus if anything at all was going to be done. 00:13:05.639 --> 00:13:06.259 Look at verse 6. 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:09.159 And he directed the crowds to sit down on the ground. 00:13:09.199 --> 00:13:10.579 And he took the seven loaves. 00:13:10.959 --> 00:13:13.299 And having given thanks, he broke them. 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:16.539 And gave them to his disciples to set before the people. 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:19.239 They set them before the crowd. 00:13:19.319 --> 00:13:20.620 And they had a few small fish. 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:25.459 Having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 00:13:26.179 --> 00:13:27.739 And they ate and were satisfied. 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:32.399 And they took up of the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 00:13:33.059 --> 00:13:35.139 And there were about 4,000 people. 00:13:35.739 --> 00:13:36.959 And he sent them away. 00:13:38.259 --> 00:13:43.939 Now even though the particulars of this event are varied enough to set it apart from the feeding of the 5,000, 00:13:44.939 --> 00:13:48.599 the overall similarities are quite striking, aren't they? 00:13:49.739 --> 00:13:52.199 But this repetition isn't without purpose. 00:13:52.200 --> 00:14:03.600 This event, remember, comes amid a series of miracles that have focused entirely on Jesus' work among the Gentile people. 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:09.720 And it's a continuation of the points that the gospel of Jesus is for all nations. 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:17.139 And that no prerequisites must be met before Jesus is willing to do his saving work in an individual. 00:14:17.139 --> 00:14:22.519 That's really the point of this gospel message as he's going through the Gentile areas. 00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:24.179 That's what he's teaching the disciples. 00:14:25.259 --> 00:14:27.139 And it's important for us to see this here. 00:14:28.019 --> 00:14:38.139 The Gentile group in the Decapolis were fed the exact same way that the Jewish group in Bethsaida had been fed just a few weeks before. 00:14:38.139 --> 00:14:46.159 They were fed in the same way by the same person as the Jews. 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:50.240 There was no distinction in where their satisfaction was coming from. 00:14:50.500 --> 00:14:56.840 The same Jesus for the Jews is the same Jesus for those in the Decapolis. 00:14:56.840 --> 00:15:10.460 And just like feeding the 5,000, there was plenty left over, signifying that Jesus has an endlessly abundant supply of grace. 00:15:10.660 --> 00:15:12.920 He doesn't have to limit it to just the Jews. 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:15.280 He doesn't have to limit it to just another group. 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.120 He has an endless supply of grace. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.900 He wasn't just a Savior for the Jews. 00:15:22.899 --> 00:15:26.620 Neither was he just a Savior for the non-Jews. 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:31.659 Jesus is the Savior of all people who will come to him in faith. 00:15:32.419 --> 00:15:35.740 And again in John 6, Jesus makes that clear. 00:15:37.079 --> 00:15:40.120 All that the Father gives me will come to me. 00:15:40.439 --> 00:15:44.879 And whoever will come to me, I will never cast out. 00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:47.019 This gospel is for everyone. 00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:50.259 Well, we see feeding the crowd. 00:15:50.259 --> 00:15:51.980 Now we see facing the Pharisees. 00:15:52.379 --> 00:15:53.519 Facing the Pharisees. 00:15:53.580 --> 00:15:54.240 Look at verse 10. 00:15:55.319 --> 00:16:00.059 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha. 00:16:00.779 --> 00:16:08.200 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 00:16:08.200 --> 00:16:20.460 So after sending the people home, Jesus and the disciples boarded a boat and sailed across the lake to an area that was probably just south of Capernaum and Gennesaret. 00:16:21.400 --> 00:16:31.020 And waiting there, standing in stark contrast to the receptive Gentiles in the Decapolis, were the apostate leaders of Israel. 00:16:31.019 --> 00:16:39.240 And it's another surprising picture to us of these insider-outsider groups that Mark presents throughout his gospel. 00:16:39.939 --> 00:16:56.059 We would expect that the Pharisees, the ones who were so committed to the law, the ones who were so feverishly pursuing moralism, we would expect that they would be the gospel insiders in this story. 00:16:56.059 --> 00:17:01.819 But in reality, Mark presents them as outsiders to God's blessing here. 00:17:02.779 --> 00:17:04.440 And they came to test Jesus. 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:11.980 They demanded that he give them a sign from heaven to prove his legitimacy as the Messiah. 00:17:12.859 --> 00:17:16.440 But of course, they came with skepticism, not actual genuine interest. 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:17.179 You realize that? 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:21.319 When they come demanding a sign, they're not actually looking for Jesus to perform a sign. 00:17:21.399 --> 00:17:23.399 They actually prefer that he didn't perform the sign. 00:17:23.399 --> 00:17:25.419 That was the whole point of testing him. 00:17:26.059 --> 00:17:34.819 And the ridiculous nature of their demand is magnified when you consider all that they had already witnessed Jesus do. 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:44.779 These men had been blessed to witness so many of Jesus' miracles already, but they attributed them to the power of Satan instead. 00:17:45.859 --> 00:17:47.460 What more did they need? 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:51.740 Perhaps some of them were there at the feeding of the 5,000. 00:17:51.740 --> 00:17:54.440 We know that they were there for a number of other miracles. 00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:56.580 What other sign did they need? 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:58.720 They weren't coming to Jesus with general interest. 00:17:58.860 --> 00:18:01.519 They were coming to Jesus with skepticism. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:06.259 And on this occasion, they were literally asking for a sign in the sky. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:08.180 That's literally what they're asking here. 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:15.220 Show us something cosmic, something in the sky that would actually prove you are who you say you are. 00:18:15.220 --> 00:18:28.500 But they actually wanted him to fail in meeting that demand because in his failure, they would be able to discredit him and pursue their purpose further to destroy him, as we have seen Mark say. 00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:32.200 Are you this kind of skeptic? 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:37.840 You may come to our services, our worship services every week, every Sunday. 00:18:39.220 --> 00:18:41.120 You've read what Jesus did. 00:18:42.059 --> 00:18:45.640 You've heard people say what he can do for you. 00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:56.180 But you still seem to be looking for some kind of sign in the sky that would just really, this is, I can really know for sure if he'd just do this thing. 00:18:58.920 --> 00:19:05.140 Maybe you're still trying to determine, is he really the one that can answer the problem of sin in your life? 00:19:06.140 --> 00:19:09.720 And can I just ask, what more do you need from him? 00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:13.220 What more do you need him to do? 00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:16.120 Look at what he's done. 00:19:19.180 --> 00:19:28.120 Instead of genuinely seeking understanding, too many people come to the scriptures looking for all the possible ways that they might discredit it instead. 00:19:30.579 --> 00:19:34.140 They turn their backs on the overwhelming evidence that is there. 00:19:34.140 --> 00:19:39.980 And they hold out for any chance that they might just find something that's lacking. 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:47.020 And any of you that have talked to people that struggle with this, you know how this goes. 00:19:48.080 --> 00:19:51.980 You've heard the question, how can we know he's the one? 00:19:53.320 --> 00:19:56.000 Well, have you ever seen someone else raise themselves from the dead? 00:19:58.820 --> 00:20:00.480 What else do you need? 00:20:01.800 --> 00:20:02.700 It's there. 00:20:04.140 --> 00:20:10.000 But the Pharisees, like many people, they came, they weren't really looking for an answer here. 00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:13.220 The answer that they're looking for was something negative. 00:20:13.340 --> 00:20:16.800 They wanted to actually say, no, he's not the one. 00:20:17.560 --> 00:20:21.200 It wasn't that they were actually looking for proof that he was the one. 00:20:22.360 --> 00:20:23.120 Look at verse 12. 00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:29.080 And he sighed deeply in his spirit. 00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:33.599 He said, why does this generation seek a sign? 00:20:33.859 --> 00:20:38.579 Generation here not being a physical like 20 year time frame of birth. 00:20:38.679 --> 00:20:45.740 This is generation as in a class of people, a class of people that are continuing to reject him despite the clear evidence of who he is. 00:20:45.879 --> 00:20:46.539 That's what he means. 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:48.519 Why does this generation seek a sign? 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:52.279 Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation. 00:20:52.279 --> 00:20:57.759 Now, last week we saw Jesus sigh in relation to the deaf man. 00:20:57.759 --> 00:21:04.879 He was sighing in grief over the man's physical condition, the effects of the fall on this man's life. 00:21:04.879 --> 00:21:06.319 And he was grieving over that. 00:21:06.619 --> 00:21:13.119 This week, he sighs over the spiritual condition of those who continue to reject him. 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:18.279 And in this text, the sigh is actually more emphatic. 00:21:20.039 --> 00:21:23.079 He was exasperated at their unbelief. 00:21:24.599 --> 00:21:27.119 He sighed deeply in his spirit. 00:21:27.819 --> 00:21:29.599 It's like they come demanding the sigh. 00:21:29.659 --> 00:21:31.479 You can almost just picture it. 00:21:35.739 --> 00:21:40.239 Not because he's just frustrated with them like it's always an axe to grind. 00:21:40.579 --> 00:21:42.479 I don't think that's really why he's sighing. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:50.319 I think why he's sighing here is because he actually genuinely cares about our souls. 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:55.079 To reject Christ is to reject life. 00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:57.680 It's to reject forgiveness. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:22:00.299 It's to reject the Father. 00:22:00.680 --> 00:22:01.940 Jesus knew that. 00:22:02.759 --> 00:22:06.019 And he knew the rejection and the hardness of these men's heart. 00:22:06.140 --> 00:22:11.120 And he stops and he just grieves. 00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:17.480 Nothing grieves him more than for us to reject this great salvation. 00:22:19.779 --> 00:22:22.539 Jesus declined to meet their demand for a sign. 00:22:22.539 --> 00:22:27.000 But Matthew adds something to his account that I think is helpful for us here. 00:22:27.339 --> 00:22:28.259 Matthew 16, 4. 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:28.980 I'll read it to you. 00:22:30.220 --> 00:22:32.879 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign. 00:22:32.980 --> 00:22:35.339 Matthew writes that Jesus then added this. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:41.099 But no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:43.500 Now, that's interesting. 00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:44.680 You remember Jonah, right? 00:22:45.340 --> 00:22:47.560 Jonah was an Old Testament prophet of God. 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:52.400 God had told him to go to the pagan city of Nineveh. 00:22:52.740 --> 00:22:55.380 Well, the problem for Jonah is that he didn't like Nineveh. 00:22:56.440 --> 00:22:59.019 And he didn't want people to be saved in Nineveh. 00:22:59.220 --> 00:23:03.039 And he knew if he went there and preached the message that God wanted him to preach, 00:23:03.140 --> 00:23:04.380 that God would save them. 00:23:04.380 --> 00:23:07.400 And that's not what Jonah wanted because he hated those people. 00:23:08.360 --> 00:23:12.720 And so instead of obeying God, Jonah disobeyed the Lord. 00:23:12.900 --> 00:23:14.860 And he actually went in the opposite direction. 00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:19.800 And amid his disobedience, he was thrown from a boat in the middle of a storm. 00:23:20.500 --> 00:23:24.380 God had prepared a well or a great fish or whatever it was. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:27.820 And he was swallowed up by that well. 00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:31.760 And for three days, Jonah was in the belly of the well. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:36.619 Well, after three days, God caused the well to get sick. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:37.940 He regurgitated Jonah. 00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:39.700 Jonah went on to Nineveh. 00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:41.839 And he preached the message that God wanted him to preach. 00:23:42.140 --> 00:23:46.619 And his preaching resulted in hundreds of thousands of people being saved. 00:23:47.640 --> 00:23:49.039 It's incredible, isn't it? 00:23:49.339 --> 00:23:50.079 It's an incredible story. 00:23:50.140 --> 00:23:52.599 And then he was mad because he knew they were going to be saved. 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:53.640 And then he was mad about it. 00:23:56.220 --> 00:24:00.519 Well, Jesus said that the only sign that the Pharisees or anybody else was going to get, 00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:02.859 truly, was the sign of Jonah. 00:24:03.700 --> 00:24:05.099 And what's that all about? 00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:07.619 I think it's his resurrection. 00:24:09.879 --> 00:24:13.359 I think the sign of Jonah is the death and resurrection of Christ. 00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:15.900 Jesus actually said it in another place. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:19.420 Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the well, 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:22.660 so will the Son of Man be three nights in the heart of the earth. 00:24:23.160 --> 00:24:24.400 Referring to his death. 00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:27.839 And then he would be raised from the dead. 00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:29.139 Now think about it. 00:24:29.140 --> 00:24:32.000 Jonah spent three days in the well's belly. 00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:35.300 Jesus spent three days in the grave. 00:24:36.180 --> 00:24:38.259 Jonah was regurgitated. 00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:40.980 Jesus was resurrected. 00:24:42.360 --> 00:24:45.660 Jonah's message resulted in the salvation of Nineveh. 00:24:46.940 --> 00:24:52.100 Jesus' resurrection results in the salvation of all nations, the whole world. 00:24:52.099 --> 00:24:58.539 Now, why wouldn't Mark include such a remarkable statement in his account? 00:25:00.740 --> 00:25:04.079 Matthew includes it, and we gain great encouragement from that, don't we? 00:25:05.980 --> 00:25:07.599 Why didn't Mark include that? 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:12.119 Because when it came to the Pharisees, it didn't matter. 00:25:13.459 --> 00:25:14.519 It didn't matter. 00:25:14.519 --> 00:25:22.900 Even Jesus said that there would be some that though one go to them from the dead, they still will not believe. 00:25:23.960 --> 00:25:25.779 Isn't that the point in Luke 16? 00:25:25.779 --> 00:25:29.899 He's telling this story about Lazarus and the rich man, how the rich man went to hell, 00:25:29.940 --> 00:25:35.539 and he begged that Abraham would send somebody to his brothers to tell them, tell them about the torment. 00:25:35.740 --> 00:25:38.000 And Abraham said, no, they have the Bible. 00:25:38.200 --> 00:25:43.799 And if they're not going to listen to the Bible, they won't listen to somebody even though they go back from the dead. 00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:47.480 And then what happens with these same Pharisees and religious leaders? 00:25:47.940 --> 00:25:49.299 Jesus is crucified. 00:25:49.659 --> 00:25:52.220 Three days later, he raises from the dead. 00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:53.119 And what did they do? 00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:55.859 They didn't deny his resurrection. 00:25:56.639 --> 00:25:59.740 They paid off the Roman guards not to say anything. 00:26:00.019 --> 00:26:04.259 And then they fabricated their own story so that it wouldn't become a problem for them. 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:09.740 Even though one had come back from the dead, they still wouldn't believe him. 00:26:10.099 --> 00:26:11.399 They knew who he was. 00:26:11.400 --> 00:26:13.980 There was no way they couldn't know who he was. 00:26:14.280 --> 00:26:16.380 So Mark doesn't bring it up because it didn't matter. 00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:18.600 For these men, it didn't matter. 00:26:18.840 --> 00:26:19.960 Their hearts were too hard. 00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:28.580 There are people that if Jesus appeared in this room today in a physical form, still wouldn't believe him. 00:26:29.720 --> 00:26:31.140 You know how I know that? 00:26:32.019 --> 00:26:34.080 Because the Bible tells me so. 00:26:35.120 --> 00:26:40.660 Because there were people that saw him, they knew him, but they still didn't believe. 00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:42.320 Why? 00:26:43.259 --> 00:26:44.740 The hardness of their heart. 00:26:46.380 --> 00:26:49.200 You might ask, well, why didn't Jesus just do what they asked? 00:26:52.380 --> 00:26:54.620 God doesn't act according to our demands. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:57.580 He acts according to his own divine will. 00:26:57.579 --> 00:27:01.759 But Jesus knew in this case it wouldn't have mattered anyways. 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:03.899 Their hearts were hard. 00:27:04.439 --> 00:27:05.339 And look at verse 13. 00:27:06.879 --> 00:27:12.960 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side. 00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:16.779 Aren't these some of the saddest words in the Bible? 00:27:16.779 --> 00:27:20.779 And he left them. 00:27:23.420 --> 00:27:24.619 What a tragedy. 00:27:25.299 --> 00:27:30.899 To be in the presence of Jesus, only to have him walk away because of your rejection. 00:27:30.900 --> 00:27:39.380 As far as the Gospels tell us, Jesus never had another interaction with these men in Galilee. 00:27:41.660 --> 00:27:44.580 This time when he walked away, he didn't come back. 00:27:44.579 --> 00:27:54.919 Sunday by Sunday, we invite people to come to these worship services. 00:27:56.779 --> 00:27:58.960 And I do my best Sunday by Sunday. 00:27:58.960 --> 00:28:02.480 To issue the Gospel call of the Bible. 00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:09.880 But don't be so foolish as to think that you'll hear his voice again. 00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:14.640 We've quoted Hebrews 4-7 often. 00:28:15.559 --> 00:28:20.180 Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your heart. 00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:24.819 Well, we see facing the Pharisees. 00:28:25.319 --> 00:28:27.960 Finally, we see forgetting the bread. 00:28:28.440 --> 00:28:29.259 All right, we're going to make it. 00:28:29.299 --> 00:28:30.740 We're going to make it to verse 21, okay? 00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:33.220 Look at verse 14. 00:28:35.500 --> 00:28:39.539 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they only had one loaf with them in the boat. 00:28:40.220 --> 00:28:41.799 And he cautioned them, saying, 00:28:41.960 --> 00:28:42.640 Watch out! 00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:46.900 Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. 00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:52.359 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:59.839 Now, I can't help but wonder if the disciples saw the humor in this predicament. 00:29:00.740 --> 00:29:06.940 Of all the things for them to forget, how could they forget bread? 00:29:07.960 --> 00:29:10.980 I mean, the day before, they had bread coming out their ears. 00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:17.940 And they get on the boat, and the thing that they forget to bring with them is some food. 00:29:18.160 --> 00:29:19.440 I mean, it's funny, isn't it? 00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:23.559 And it's this lack of bread that Mark uses to set up the story here. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:28.360 Remember, this is fresh off of this interaction with the Pharisees. 00:29:28.359 --> 00:29:33.519 Jesus has sighed deeply in his spirit in that interaction with the Pharisees. 00:29:33.639 --> 00:29:35.839 This is something that's heavy on Jesus' mind. 00:29:36.139 --> 00:29:41.359 And no doubt, as they're sailing across the Sea of Galilee again, this time on their way to Bethsaida again, 00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:47.699 Jesus is sitting in the boat as the men are doing their thing, perhaps enjoying a nice evening sail. 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:49.539 And he's got this on his mind. 00:29:49.579 --> 00:29:50.859 He's got this stuff on his mind. 00:29:50.859 --> 00:29:54.399 And perhaps Mark says that there was one loaf of bread in the boat, 00:29:54.500 --> 00:29:59.240 and perhaps the way that all of this begins is Jesus notices the one loaf that's there, 00:29:59.379 --> 00:30:05.139 and let's say that he picks up the loaf, and with it in hand, he uses it as an object lesson for the disciples. 00:30:05.899 --> 00:30:07.459 And what is it that he says? 00:30:07.979 --> 00:30:10.899 Holding bread in hand, perhaps, he says, 00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:12.159 Watch out, men. 00:30:13.159 --> 00:30:13.740 Watch out. 00:30:13.740 --> 00:30:18.279 Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. 00:30:18.559 --> 00:30:21.539 And Matthew adds in the leaven of the Sadducees, the religious leaders, 00:30:21.660 --> 00:30:24.660 all of those who were not proponents of the truth of Christ. 00:30:25.120 --> 00:30:26.279 Watch out for these men. 00:30:26.940 --> 00:30:29.480 Watch out for these errors, he says. 00:30:31.980 --> 00:30:35.579 And as we understand this particular warning, 00:30:36.500 --> 00:30:42.440 we sense the urgency and gravity of Jesus' words. 00:30:42.440 --> 00:30:46.880 It's made up of two emphatic statements in the Greek text. 00:30:48.039 --> 00:30:49.740 He's urging them earnestly, 00:30:50.279 --> 00:30:50.900 Watch out. 00:30:51.799 --> 00:30:52.360 Beware. 00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:53.960 This is important. 00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:56.200 Listen to what I'm saying. 00:30:57.220 --> 00:30:59.620 And he uses this metaphor of yeast. 00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:04.880 Just like a little bit of yeast will greatly affect a large amount of dough, 00:31:05.160 --> 00:31:09.720 so a little bit of influence from false teaching can have dramatic results on our lives, 00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:10.840 on our spiritual lives. 00:31:10.839 --> 00:31:13.559 That's the point of the message that he's getting across. 00:31:13.839 --> 00:31:18.759 And I just want you to ingrain in your mind here the seriousness of which Jesus is speaking. 00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:21.039 And he's got this bread, and he's saying, 00:31:21.179 --> 00:31:21.379 Listen. 00:31:21.859 --> 00:31:22.519 Listen to me. 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:23.299 This is important. 00:31:23.679 --> 00:31:24.399 This is important. 00:31:25.379 --> 00:31:27.139 Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. 00:31:27.140 --> 00:31:32.580 Why would Jesus give such a stern warning to these men? 00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:36.340 Although they were closer to Jesus than anyone else, 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:39.700 they were still susceptible to the dangers of error. 00:31:42.140 --> 00:31:45.900 After all, one of them is going to betray the Christ soon, 00:31:45.900 --> 00:31:48.580 and he's going to actually contribute to the crucifixion. 00:31:48.579 --> 00:31:55.319 Their leader, Peter, struggled for years with the legalism that was endemic to Judaism. 00:31:56.539 --> 00:32:00.960 They needed to hear this over and over and over again. 00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:06.880 And there will never be a time when we are beyond the need of warning against false doctrine as well. 00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:12.840 If the men who walked with Jesus for the better part of three years were susceptible to it, 00:32:13.180 --> 00:32:16.220 you better believe that you and I are susceptible to it as well. 00:32:16.860 --> 00:32:19.079 Be careful who you listen to. 00:32:19.880 --> 00:32:21.799 Be careful who you read. 00:32:22.519 --> 00:32:27.920 Be careful the music that you allow yourself to listen to under the guise of worship. 00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:31.700 It's not all what you think it is. 00:32:33.060 --> 00:32:34.259 Be careful. 00:32:35.160 --> 00:32:36.100 Watch out. 00:32:36.360 --> 00:32:37.500 Because a little leaven, 00:32:37.960 --> 00:32:41.700 a little leaven can have dramatic results on your spiritual life. 00:32:42.980 --> 00:32:43.539 Now, 00:32:44.500 --> 00:32:47.779 it was important for the disciples to understand this, 00:32:48.300 --> 00:32:50.019 but they completely missed it. 00:32:51.140 --> 00:32:52.100 Now think about it. 00:32:52.660 --> 00:32:55.580 Maybe they haven't noticed up to this point that they forgot the bread. 00:32:55.579 --> 00:32:58.259 Mark just says it to introduce the section. 00:32:58.679 --> 00:33:01.419 But Jesus perhaps picks it up as an object lesson. 00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:03.000 Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. 00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.359 And he's being serious with them. 00:33:05.240 --> 00:33:06.199 Emphatic with them. 00:33:06.619 --> 00:33:07.619 Giving these imperatives. 00:33:07.859 --> 00:33:08.759 And what do they do? 00:33:09.159 --> 00:33:10.359 What do our kids do to us? 00:33:11.319 --> 00:33:14.879 They started fighting about who forgot the bread. 00:33:14.880 --> 00:33:17.740 I mean, 00:33:17.800 --> 00:33:18.180 really? 00:33:20.940 --> 00:33:23.480 I know you parents know what this was like for Jesus. 00:33:24.940 --> 00:33:26.700 Many times we get serious with our kids. 00:33:26.800 --> 00:33:27.100 Ashlyn, 00:33:27.180 --> 00:33:27.740 listen to me. 00:33:28.020 --> 00:33:29.040 Watch out for this. 00:33:29.920 --> 00:33:30.140 Hey, 00:33:30.180 --> 00:33:31.100 what's for dinner tonight? 00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:35.880 Jesus is saying, 00:33:35.980 --> 00:33:36.260 listen, 00:33:37.100 --> 00:33:38.480 beware. 00:33:38.480 --> 00:33:44.620 And they see the bread and they completely miss what Jesus is trying to teach. 00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:46.980 It goes right over their heads. 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:48.759 And look how Jesus responds. 00:33:50.200 --> 00:33:51.839 They were so focused on lesser things, 00:33:51.900 --> 00:33:53.200 they missed the most important things. 00:33:54.259 --> 00:33:55.200 Verse 17. 00:33:56.579 --> 00:33:57.180 And Jesus, 00:33:57.360 --> 00:33:57.940 aware of this, 00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.500 said to them, 00:33:59.360 --> 00:34:02.559 why are you discussing the fact that you don't have bread? 00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:07.500 Do you not yet perceive or understand? 00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:09.840 Are your hearts hardened? 00:34:11.119 --> 00:34:11.920 Having eyes, 00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:12.779 do you not see? 00:34:12.980 --> 00:34:13.820 Having ears, 00:34:14.059 --> 00:34:15.000 do you not hear? 00:34:16.139 --> 00:34:17.340 Do you not remember? 00:34:19.380 --> 00:34:22.039 When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, 00:34:22.340 --> 00:34:25.179 how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up? 00:34:25.199 --> 00:34:26.119 And they said 12. 00:34:27.840 --> 00:34:31.960 You got to imagine that it took a little bit to get the 12 out of their mouths at this point, right? 00:34:33.460 --> 00:34:35.259 And the seven for the 4,000, 00:34:35.320 --> 00:34:38.500 how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up yesterday? 00:34:39.779 --> 00:34:41.059 And they said to him, 00:34:41.840 --> 00:34:42.259 seven. 00:34:44.059 --> 00:34:44.860 And he said, 00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:47.199 don't you get it? 00:34:49.320 --> 00:34:50.480 Don't you understand? 00:34:52.400 --> 00:34:57.400 There's this rapid fire succession of questions that had to have pierced their hearts, right? 00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:59.679 That was the point that Jesus asked them. 00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:01.259 He was piercing their hearts. 00:35:01.260 --> 00:35:03.520 This is very different than what he did with the Pharisees, right? 00:35:03.600 --> 00:35:05.120 The Pharisees just turned around left. 00:35:05.460 --> 00:35:06.680 He's not doing that with the disciples. 00:35:06.840 --> 00:35:07.960 That's important to notice. 00:35:08.980 --> 00:35:10.520 He wants to pierce their hearts. 00:35:11.180 --> 00:35:11.800 But notice, 00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:13.420 these were some of the same statements 00:35:13.420 --> 00:35:16.360 that he once used to tell the disciples 00:35:16.360 --> 00:35:19.700 how he would judge unbelievers with parables. 00:35:20.260 --> 00:35:20.960 Do you remember that? 00:35:21.320 --> 00:35:22.920 In Mark chapter 4, verse 11, 00:35:23.080 --> 00:35:23.900 he said to them, 00:35:23.900 --> 00:35:26.800 to you it has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, 00:35:26.880 --> 00:35:28.220 speaking of the disciples. 00:35:28.220 --> 00:35:30.079 But for those outside, 00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:31.920 everything is in parables, 00:35:32.119 --> 00:35:34.639 so that they may indeed see, 00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:36.119 but not perceive, 00:35:36.559 --> 00:35:37.960 and may indeed hear, 00:35:38.260 --> 00:35:39.360 but not understand, 00:35:39.700 --> 00:35:41.240 lest they should turn and be forgiven. 00:35:41.239 --> 00:35:43.799 And so Jesus looks at the disciples now, 00:35:43.819 --> 00:35:44.759 and he essentially asks, 00:35:45.019 --> 00:35:46.659 are you no different than the outsiders? 00:35:47.259 --> 00:35:48.719 Are you no different than them? 00:35:49.539 --> 00:35:51.119 Having eyes, do you not see? 00:35:51.619 --> 00:35:53.159 Having ears, do you not hear? 00:35:53.679 --> 00:35:57.719 Are your hearts hardened as well? 00:35:59.059 --> 00:35:59.679 And of course, 00:35:59.759 --> 00:36:02.919 he knew that they weren't like the outsiders, 00:36:02.919 --> 00:36:06.379 and his purpose was not to cause them to doubt. 00:36:06.380 --> 00:36:10.460 He had distinguished them from the crowds. 00:36:10.599 --> 00:36:11.599 He's the one that said, 00:36:11.740 --> 00:36:14.880 to you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God. 00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:16.599 But at this moment, 00:36:16.599 --> 00:36:19.180 they were acting as if they hadn't understood anything at all. 00:36:21.720 --> 00:36:24.440 It wasn't that their hearts were hardened toward Jesus, 00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:29.280 but that their hearts were dull to the spiritual realities 00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:30.980 that he had been teaching them all along. 00:36:32.860 --> 00:36:34.619 They were just spiritually dull. 00:36:36.380 --> 00:36:39.140 And then he confronts the foolishness of their misunderstanding. 00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:44.180 After they had witnessed him feed 5,000 people 00:36:44.180 --> 00:36:47.480 with almost nothing on two separate occasions, 00:36:49.619 --> 00:36:53.220 why in the world did they think he was worried 00:36:53.220 --> 00:36:54.559 about them forgetting bread? 00:36:56.760 --> 00:36:58.539 And it is humorous, isn't it? 00:37:01.420 --> 00:37:04.940 It's humorous until we recognize how much like them we are. 00:37:06.380 --> 00:37:09.500 Jesus says, 00:37:09.720 --> 00:37:11.500 I don't care about bread. 00:37:12.260 --> 00:37:14.240 Why do you think I care about bread? 00:37:14.440 --> 00:37:15.900 That's not what this is about. 00:37:16.780 --> 00:37:17.820 Don't you get it? 00:37:18.980 --> 00:37:20.599 Don't you see who I am? 00:37:22.480 --> 00:37:23.800 Isn't that what it was about? 00:37:25.019 --> 00:37:26.500 Don't you see who I am? 00:37:28.680 --> 00:37:31.260 Don't you recognize that all of these other people 00:37:31.260 --> 00:37:34.500 are telling you that I'm not who I say I am? 00:37:35.500 --> 00:37:37.540 And when I fed the 5,000, 00:37:38.320 --> 00:37:40.440 could you not see who I am? 00:37:41.040 --> 00:37:42.680 When I fed the 4,000, 00:37:42.760 --> 00:37:44.340 could you not see who I am? 00:37:44.360 --> 00:37:46.180 And you're so distracted with these other things. 00:37:46.220 --> 00:37:47.080 You're missing it. 00:37:47.220 --> 00:37:47.920 You're missing it. 00:37:47.960 --> 00:37:48.840 Don't you get it? 00:37:51.720 --> 00:37:54.640 Before we find it easy to criticize them, 00:37:54.700 --> 00:37:56.360 let's stop and think for just a moment 00:37:56.360 --> 00:37:59.440 how we often mimic this behavior. 00:38:01.260 --> 00:38:04.140 One moment we praise God for miraculous provision, 00:38:04.640 --> 00:38:07.599 only to despair in the next 00:38:07.599 --> 00:38:09.620 over whether or not he'll meet a lesser need. 00:38:11.700 --> 00:38:13.460 He just fed 4,000 people, 00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:14.320 and now they're frustrated 00:38:14.320 --> 00:38:15.579 because they only got one loaf. 00:38:16.920 --> 00:38:18.000 Don't we do that? 00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:20.940 God just really does something fantastic, 00:38:20.940 --> 00:38:23.260 and then something really insignificant 00:38:23.260 --> 00:38:24.260 comes along the way, 00:38:24.340 --> 00:38:24.840 and we just, 00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:26.679 we get mad at him, 00:38:26.719 --> 00:38:27.719 or we get frustrated, 00:38:27.980 --> 00:38:29.159 or irritated, 00:38:29.559 --> 00:38:31.980 and start to doubt whether he loves us. 00:38:32.539 --> 00:38:34.380 I mean, how fickle of a people are we? 00:38:35.860 --> 00:38:37.280 Some of us have been taught the truth 00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:38.440 of the Bible our whole lives, 00:38:38.579 --> 00:38:41.880 but we live as if it's had no impact on us at all. 00:38:44.039 --> 00:38:47.480 We get so distracted by lesser things in life, 00:38:48.000 --> 00:38:51.019 that we fail in obeying Jesus' command 00:38:51.019 --> 00:38:53.280 to seek first the kingdom. 00:38:55.139 --> 00:38:56.159 Isn't that ultimately 00:38:56.159 --> 00:38:57.579 what he was trying to tell them here? 00:38:59.860 --> 00:39:01.559 Seek ye first the kingdom of God 00:39:01.559 --> 00:39:02.400 and his righteousness. 00:39:03.559 --> 00:39:05.239 All these other things you're worried about, 00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:06.699 I'll take care of those things. 00:39:07.219 --> 00:39:08.400 You seek the kingdom. 00:39:08.840 --> 00:39:09.500 In other words, 00:39:10.039 --> 00:39:11.519 pay attention, men. 00:39:12.219 --> 00:39:14.380 Pay attention, disciples. 00:39:15.719 --> 00:39:16.159 Look. 00:39:17.260 --> 00:39:17.699 Listen. 00:39:18.920 --> 00:39:19.360 Understand. 00:39:20.920 --> 00:39:23.260 And we'd do well to learn this lesson ourselves, right? 00:39:23.800 --> 00:39:24.119 Thank you. 00:39:24.119 --> 00:39:24.400 Thank you.