Study inMark’s Gospel

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Testing The Disciples

Chap 6v30-43Presentation 01

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IntroductionDid you know that the feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle which is recorded in all four gospels? Clearly each of the gospel writers felt that this incident was one of tremendous importance. They recognised that there was a rich lesson attached to this event . I want to suggest to you that the key to understanding its meaning is found in v37 where Jesus says to his disciples, "You give them something to eat". The following is clear from the passage:1. The disciples had identified the need of the

crowd.2. They were concerned that it was getting late. 3. The crowd had lost all sense of time, such was

their appetite for God’s word

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IntroductionNow the disciples, practical to a man, approach Jesus and tell him he should send the crowd away in order that they can fend for themselves and find food and shelter in the surrounding villages. Jesus’ reply took their breathe away, "You give them something to eat he said."

Do you see what is happening? Jesus placed the responsibility back on their shoulders and by so doing laid a significant foundation for our understanding of Christian service.

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The Provision Of InsightThis passage provides us with a valuable insight into Jesus’ concern of for the whole man; for our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.

In this regard, note that in v30, when Jesus disciples returned from an exhausting and successful evangelistic trip, he did not immediately send them out again to capitalise upon their momentum. He did not make unreasonable demands of them by treating them as expendable pawns. He showed a tender concern for their well-being. He realised that a sustained period of evangelistic activity can burn up emotional reserves and so built into their schedule a period of enforced rest.

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The Provision Of InsightRest is seen as a waste of time in our production-line world, which measures men, more and more, by the quantity of their achievement. Little wonder burnout is becoming an increasing problem in many high pressure job situations. Robert Murray McCheyne was one of the ablest ministers of the C19th but he never rested. On his deathbed at the age of 27 he bemoaned his failure to pace his life and take adequate care of his body,

"God gave me a message to deliver and a horse to ride. Alas I have killed the horse and now I cannot deliver the message".

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The Provision Of InsightPhysical, mental and emotional exhaustion are increasingly common in every department of people’s lives. There are a surprising number of Christians who feel guilty about taking a rest. They find it very difficult to strike the right balance between rest and work. It is important to recognise that their drivenness is not something that is fuelled by Jesus.

He does not thrash us mercilessly in his determination to see his kingdom built! Instead he says to the weary, "Come apart and rest awhile". He is pastorally concerned with every aspect of our lives.

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The Provision Of InsightJesus’ concern for the whole man is again apparent in v34. As Jesus and his disciples sailed across the lake, the crowd raced around the shore to meet up with him on the other side. That was at least a half marathon! Jesus looked upon them with compassion.

He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. He welcomed the spiritually hungry and who longed to hear about God's kingdom while at the same time expressing concern for their physical appetite. He refused to send the crowd away on an empty stomach. Do we share Jesus’ breadth of concern for the whole man?

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The Challenge Of AttitudeJesus was constantly challenging the attitudes of his disciples as he is constantly challenging ours. Jesus’ words, "you give them something to eat," formed the substance of that challenge. John tells us in his gospel that Jesus gave his reply in order, "to prove/ test his disciples“ Jn6v6. The test was extremely comprehensive.

1. First, it is a test of compassion. Compassion is a word that has lost much of its biblical currency. It has been reduced to a warm, tender, sympathetic, mushy feeling in our hearts for men and women in need.

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The Challenge Of AttitudeIn contrast, whenever you come across this word 'compassion' in connection with Jesus, it is immediately followed by some action of his designed to relieve distress. Jesus had compassion on the crowd because they were like sheep without a shepherd. They hungered for spiritual instruction and he immediately responded to that need.

At the end of the day, the disciples had succeeded in identifying yet another need, the need of sustenance, but they failed to echo the compassion of Jesus. They were sympathetic but were it not for Jesus their sympathy would not have been transformed into action.

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The Challenge Of AttitudeSecondly, the test exposed their understanding of Christian service. The credibility of the gospel is undermined if we say we are only interested in spiritual problems. This has happened in the past and produced a reaction known as the ‘social gospel’. Its exclusive focus is on man's physical well-being, purposefully plays down his spiritual need of salvation from his sin. Jesus is concerned for the whole man. He says, "You give them something to eat". Our responsibility for others does not begin and end with, preaching the gospel to them! We are to be concerned with body and spirit - what Jesus has joined together we dare not rend asunder. William Booth founder of the Salvation Army refused separate his preaching from feeding the poor.

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The Challenge Of AttitudeThirdly, Jesus indirectly challenged his disciples view of God. For our service invariably takes its cue from our concept of God. Our service becomes a great public billboard that says, 'this is what our God is like!’ The notice the disciples were posting was saying to a needy world, ‘God is not interested in your daily needs’. But he is as Jesus made clear in the Lord's Prayer: the God who is approached for forgiveness also wants us to ask him for ‘daily bread’. What kind of advertising job are we doing? A Christian aid worker who had ministered relief to a Muslim family in Africa was asked, 'Why are you doing this for us, we are Muslims.’ He replied, 'Because the God I worship loves and cares for you.'

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The Challenge Of AttitudeA final challenge is implied in these verses - a challenge to faith. Faith that trusts God to provide for our material as well our spiritual needs. Some people find it easier to trust God for one and not the other.

We can sometimes see all sorts of practical difficulties facing the work of God and despite evidence of God working in other situations we find it hard to believe he will work in ours!

We are filled with pessimism and close the door on God’s ability to do anything. If we trust God for spiritual blessing can we not trust him to meet material needs as well?

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The Establishment Of PrincipleThis incident also lays down very important principles for Christian service. First, small resources are no handicap to great blessing! The disciples had access to only 5 loaves and 2 fish. The disciples frustration was expressed by Andrew, "how far will they go among so many” Jn.6v8. But from this meagre resources 5000 men [plus women and children] were fed. We dare not explain this miracle away, as William Barclay has, by saying, when the crowd saw the willingness of the disciples to share, then they all took out their sandwiches and did likewise! Why do some people find it so hard to believe the text, which teaches that the God who made the world out of nothing can bring great blessing from limited human resources.

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The Establishment Of PrincipleWe read, “the crowd were satisfied“ v17. My wife and I were invited to visit friends. We thought we had been invited for a meal and had not eaten before going out. As the evening went on there was no sign food appearing. Eventually, only a cup of tea was served. We were too embarrassed to mention our error. We went home ravenous. The tea hadn't satisfied our appetite!

But this crowd was satisfied. They could eat no more - 12 baskets were left over. Jesus can satisfy the greatest needs from the smallest resources.

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The Establishment Of PrincipleDid you know that the modern missionary movement, which began in the C19th, and which had the effect of reaching out to evangelise millions of people, began with a cobbler called William Carey and the sum of £13. From such small beginnings a great work developed. It's so easy to excuse missed opportunities for service within the church by complaining about our inadequate resources. Individuals and church fellowships are in effect saying to God, 'Send this need or that one away, because we cannot meet their need.' How does God reply? He says, 'You do something for them'

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The Establishment Of PrincipleOf course small resources do not automatically create great blessing. Only when the disciples placed their meagre resources into the creative hands of Christ did blessing follow. It was in his hands that the food multiplied and it is though his hands that necessary blessing comes.

We may shake our heads, when we look in the mirror, and say as I often do, "Surely you don't think you will be of any use to Jesus, how pathetically meagre your resources are". I have to remind myself of this incident! We are to place our lives, our resources, and our gifts into the hands of the multiplying Christ.

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The Establishment Of PrincipleI once watched a sweeper clearing out a courtyard in Pakistan. In his hand was a brush made up of local reeds. In themselves these reeds are incredibly fragile, but when they were bound together and fashioned into a brush which was then placed in a skilful hand it became a formidable instrument.

Think of your church fellowship in that light. Your individual gifts and abilities may seem meagre but taken together and placed in Christ's hands what might he accomplish? Do not let your puny resources cause you to become dispirited. Place them in the hands of the multiplying Christ!

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ConclusionWhen you are faced with an apparently enormous, practical difficulty ask, "Am I being tested by God?" We may accept in principle that God tests and proves his followers for their spiritual development. But we do not readily or quickly accept that God may be testing us by placing the difficulty before us. When we hear him say, "You do something". Do we sink into a quagmire of pessimism or rise above it in buoyant faith? Our response is dependant upon whose hands we see ourselves in! We either see ourselves in the hands of cruel circumstances or in the hands of the multiplying Christ. If we belong to Jesus then we are unquestionably in the hands of the multiplying Christ and what we do in his strength and in his name will enjoy his certain blessing.