Message

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YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT

 

Mark 6:30-44

Key Verse:6:37a. “But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

  There is saying, “A flower grows for a year, a tree for ten years, and a man for his lifetime.” This means that raising a useful man requires a long process of education and discipline. When Jesus called his twelve disciples, he taught them the secrets of the kingdom of God through many parables. (4:1-33). Jesus also put them into “storm training” so that they might believe that he is the Son of God who controls storms and that he is the ruler of nature. (4:35-41) By healing a demon-possessed man in Gerasa, Jesus taught his disciples that he is the Mighty God and the ruler of spiritual world. (5:1-20). By healing both the daughter of Jairus, the synagogue ruler, and a woman who suffered from bleeding for twelve years, Jesus taught them that he is the compassionate God and the giver of life. Finally, Jesus sent them out two by two to preach in order that they might experience the power of God. Jesus instructed them not to take anything but a staff so that they might depend on God only. Jesus’ training of his disciples came from his divine love. Jesus loved them and helped them to grow as strong and faithful spiritual leaders and to overcome their inner fear and human limitations.

Jesus’ divine discipline for his disciples did never ended. In today’s passage, Jesus feeds five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. Through this, Jesus taught his disciples compassion and responsibility, as shepherds for God’s flock of sheep.  Jesus also teaches us to overcome our unbelief and to go and bring our own five loaves and two fish to him. Amen.

1. The disciples’ first mission report (30)

Look at verse 30. “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.” The disciples of Jesus were ordinary people. They were unschooled, humble men. But they had great learning minds and they were obedient to Jesus. When they obeyed Jesus’ instructions and went out to preach, they experienced the great power of God in their evangelistic journey. Please read verses 12, 13. “They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” Peter might have reported to Jesus, saying, “Lord, when I delivered the message of repentance, many people came to me and repented of their sins. It’s a miracle!”  John also might have followed him, saying, “Lord, when I touched a man with leprosy in your name, the leper was healed.” Then Bartholomew interrupted them, saying, “Master, I saw demons coming out when I prayed and rebuked the demons.” All the twelve were happy to report the great work of God which had been done through them during their mission trip. No one was quiet, but all were very excited and energetic in their report about the power of God. They were like children who reported to their parents about all the things which had happened at school.

  Here we learn an important lesson - that the disciples experienced the power of God when they simply trusted Jesus and obeyed him.  Like the disciples, anyone who trusts Jesus and obeys his word can experience the power of God. When I was in art college, I did not have enough time for my school study because my shepherd life in Korea demanded time and effort. But I trusted Jesus and simply believed in his promise from Matthew 6:33, which says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When I simply trusted Jesus and obeyed his promise, God enabled me to experience the power of God and have victory in my school studies, in my marriage and in my shepherd life. Our God is the living God. He cares for us and he answers our prayers. He never leaves us alone. He is with us and helps us. He wants us to live by faith, not by sight. When Jesus’ disciples obeyed and went, they experienced the great power of the Holy Spirit for the first time in their lives.

2. Jesus had compassion on them (31-34)

Look at verse 31. “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” When the disciples were on their exciting mission trip, they forgot to eat. They were not tired at all. But, after coming back from the trip, they were extremely hungry and tired. Jesus understood their situation very well and encouraged them to go to a quiet place and get some rest. Jesus was mindful of his tired disciples because he was their good shepherd who knows his sheep (Jn 10:14)

  Look at verse 32. “So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” The disciples might have thought that finally the time for rest had come. They expected to spend personal time with Jesus while leaving the crowd behind. They might have expected to have some Memphis barbeque chicken sandwiches with Jesus. But, what happened to them when they arrived? The persistent and demanding crowds were waiting for them. Look at verse 33. “But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.” Probably some Galilee paparazzi were spying on the movement of Jesus’ company.  They tracked their route and informed the crowd. Then the crowd ran on foot and reached the place before Jesus and his disciples arrived.  How might the disciples of Jesus have felt about the crowd?  Probably, they thought that the crowd was senseless, ruthless and selfish. They might have said to each other, “They are going to drain us to death!” The disciples thought that the crowd was an annoying intruder who destroyed the disciples’ private lives and ruined their rights to pursue happiness. Now the crowd became a great burden to the disciples. What did Jesus think about this?

  Look at verse 34. “When Jesus landed and saw a crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” In this verse we learn that Jesus was different from his disciples. Instead of thinking that the crowd was annoying, Jesus had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. What is compassion? The word compassion comes from two Latin words, “suffer” and “with”. So, compassion means ‘suffer together’. To show compassion means to enter into someone else’s situation and to be involved in their suffering. In human history there have been many great people who have had compassion on poor and suffering people and left their homes to suffer together with others. When St. Francis of Asissi saw a poor beggar, he had compassion on him. Then he took all the money in his pocket and gave it to the beggar. Later, he became a joyful beggar. Mother Teresa of Calcutta had compassion on the people of India and went to Calcutta when she was eighteen. Since then, she started a religious order and gave her whole life to many sick and poor people throughout the world until she died at the age of 87. We can find many other examples.  Nevertheless, all our heroic, humanitarian and charitable benevolence is nothing but a shadow of Jesus’ compassion.

Jesus’ compassion was manifested in many ways such as healing the sick, teaching the crowd, feeding the hungry people, rebuking the Pharisees and so on. Jesus’ compassion is also well described in the parable of a Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 and in the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:1-32. In a word, Jesus’ compassion is God’s broken shepherd heart for suffering people under the power of sin and death. Jesus’ compassion is God’s heart desire for world salvation. It is also well described in John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his One and Only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  

We are not much different from Jesus’ disciples. We are often selfish, self-centered, indifferent and heartless. So how can we have compassion on people who look better off than us and seem to have no problems at all?  Yesterday, I went out to Washington University to write this Sunday message. After having lunch, I had a chance to look at the students who were playing Frisbee in the quad. They were cheerful, bright, energetic, and problem-free people. I asked myself, “How can I have compassion on them?” I believe that I am not the only one who asks the same question. How can we have compassion on seemingly happy-go-lucky young people? It is possible only when we look at them with the eyes of Jesus.  When Jesus saw the crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

 People who live without God are all lost.  People who live without God are all under the wrath of God. People who do not believe in Jesus will all go to hell no matter who they are, no matter what they believe, and no matter where they came from.  Recently in Korea, suicides among celebrities has become a hot issue. Last week, a very popular Korean celebrity hanged herself in her bathroom, leaving two young daughters. Why? She looked okay and seemed to have no problems at all. But life without Jesus makes people despair and end their lives in tragedy. When we look at people through the eyes of Jesus, they are nothing but harassed and helpless sheep without a shepherd. (Mt 9:36) May God give us the eyes of Jesus and fill our hearts with the compassion of God. May God help us to share God’s heart desire for world salvation so that we may also participate in the work of God for campus evangelism in our own generation.

Jesus had compassion on the crowd and began teaching them many things. Jesus taught the crowd before he fed them. Jesus saw the urgency of spiritual needs more than physical needs. Jesus’ teaching was intensive and ceaseless. Jesus taught them again and again until their souls were satisfied with the living water welling up to eternal life.

3. You give them something to eat (35-37)

While Jesus was teaching the crowd, the disciples’ patience ran out. They were not only tired but also hungry. But Jesus’ teaching did not seem to be ending soon. So they had a conference and went to Jesus. Look at verses 35,36. “By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away, so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” The disciples’ suggestion was reasonable. They brought many reasons to Jesus why Jesus had to send the crowd away before it got late. It was a remote place, one where there was no Schnucks or McDonalds. It was too late to feed such a large crowd all at once. Of course they had no money to buy food and drink. It was reasonable and smart to send the crowd away so that they could solve their hungry stomach problems and find sleeping space for themselves.

  We live in an age of reason. We have many reasons not to take care of others. We are busy - too busy to care about others’ interests. We have many responsibilities with our own duties and tasks. Also, other people seem okay and seem to have no problems. Some even look busier than us. So we have many reasons which excuse us from not to reaching out on campus to meet students. Like us, the disciples were reasonable, yet irresponsible.  How did Jesus respond to his disciples’ reasonable request?

Look at verse 37a. “But he answered, “You give them something to eat…” Jesus did not merely say to them, “give them something to eat,” but pointed to the disciples, saying, “You give them something to eat.” By saying this, Jesus wanted to teach his disciples to have responsibility as shepherds. A good shepherd is a responsible shepherd. A truly good leader is a responsible leader who has compassion on his people and protects them, provides for them, and guides them. Jesus himself showed us a good example of how to be a responsible shepherd. He said in John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” The good shepherd is a responsible shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus wanted his disciples to become good shepherds and responsible shepherds, not just reasonable theologians. That is why Jesus said to his disciples, “You give them something to eat.”

What was the disciples’ response? Look at verse 37b. “…They said to him, “That would take eight months of a man’s wage! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”  According to John 6:7, this idea came from Philip, whose nickname was “Computer” among the twelve. They counted the people in the crowd and the cost of food for each person quickly. Then they concluded the cost, “eight months of a man’s wage! Period” Then, they checked their pockets one by one. They found nothing but dirt. Finally they reached their conclusion, “That’s a Mission Impossible.” They brought another reason to Jesus saying, “We have no money, sir.”

How did Jesus reply to his disciples? Look at verse 38. “How many loaves do you have? he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five-and two fish.” Jesus did not accept their excuses or reasons, but challenged them to be responsible to the end. Jesus asked them, “Go and see.” What Jesus meant was that they should not just sit down and despair, but go and find out what they have. What Jesus meant was that they should not calculate, but obey Jesus’ word and that experience the power of God once again.

Jesus does not want us to just sit down and despair, but to go and see. We have to go out and see what we can do for Jesus. We have to go and see what we can bring to Jesus for feeding spiritually hungry and thirsty souls. When the disciples went out, they found out five loaves of bread and two fish, which belonged to a little boy according to John’s gospel. The disciples brought the five loaves and two fish to Jesus by faith. Indeed, how far would the bread and fish go among so many? (Jn 6:9) But, it is very important for the disciples to obey Jesus’ word and bring the five loaves and two fish to Jesus. Jesus also wants us to bring our own five loaves and two fish to him. We have one to one Bible studies. Our one to one bible studies does not seem to be significant or effective for feeding many students in campus. But to the eyes of Jesus, that’s enough for feeding all people. Some bring their small morning prayers to Jesus as their five loaves and two fish. Others bring their testimonies to Jesus. Still others bring their music. Jesus will accept all these and bless them and use them for taking care of numerous people who are in need.  May God give us ‘go and see’ spirit instead of just sitting down and despairing. May God help us to bring our five loaves and two fish to Jesus. Amen.

Look at verses 39,40. “Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.” It is not easy for us to control even fifty people, especially those who are desperate in need. But, the disciples worked together and made the crowd sit down in group. Through this event, Jesus helped his disciples how to work together in doing the work of God.

What did Jesus do with the five loaves and the two fish? Look at verse 41. “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.” Jesus blessed the disciples’ faith to bring the five loaves and the two fish. Jesus gave thanks to God for feeding the crowd. Look at verses 42-44. “They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.” In this way, Jesus fed the five thousand with the five loaves and the two fish. When the disciples obeyed and went, they experienced another miracle before their eyes.

In today’s passage we learned Jesus’ compassion. Compassion is a not theoretical attitude, but a practical involvement. Let us pray that God may fill our hearts with Jesus’ compassion. Let us also pray that Jesus may help us to grow as responsible shepherds for God’s flock of sheep. May God bless each of us when we go and see and bring our own five loaves and two fish to Jesus. Amen.

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