Message

---

JESUS FEEDS THE FOUR THOUSAND

(The Compassion of Christ)

Mark  8:1-10

Key Verse: 8:2 “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.”

  Thank God for resuming our Mark’s Gospel study after a long break. In the previous chapter we learned that Jesus healed a deaf and mute man with great compassion. Do you remember how Jesus healed the deaf and mute man? He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha” (which means, “Be opened!”) At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly (7:33-35). By healing this deaf and mute man Jesus showed his compassion and a great shepherd heart for the man. When Jesus had a shepherd heart, nothing was impossible.  

  In today’s passage Jesus feeds the four thousand with the seven loaves of bread. Humanly speaking it was impossible to feed the four thousand with the seven pieces of bread. However, when Jesus has a shepherd heart, nothing was impossible. Today we will study about Jesus’ compassion, his prayer and disciple’s beautiful co-working.

First, I have compassion for these people. (1-3) After Jesus healed the deaf and mute man, he commanded those who had brought the deaf and mute man to him not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement saying, “He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (7:36,37) After hearing the news about Jesus, the more people gathered around him until they formed a big crowd. Indeed, they were like sheep without a shepherd. (Mk 6:34)

  Then, how did the good shepherd Jesus help his sheep? Look at verses 1-3. “During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “ I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” Jesus said that he had compassion for them. Jesus knew that the crowd had been with him three days and that they had nothing to eat. Jesus understood their poor and hungry situation. Jesus also knew that they could not go far to get food with such a poor condition. Jesus deeply concerned about their needs.

Reverend Dr. Billy Graham once said that compassion means to suffer together. Indeed, the word “compassion” comes from two Latin words “suffer” and “with”. However, if we only feel sorry for the poor and the needy and do nothing for them, we cannot say that we have compassion for them. As for Jesus, to have compassion is not only to have a pitiful feeling for the crowd, but also to concern about and meet their needs. In the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke’s Gospel, when a priest and a Levi saw a wounded man on the road, they should have a pitiful and sorry feeling for the poor guy. But, what did they do after that? When they saw the man, they passed by on the other side as if they did not see him at all. That is not an act of compassion. Unlike them, a Samaritan came where the man was. When he saw the wounded man, he took pity on him and went to him, bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. His care for the man continued. The Samaritan put the wounded man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper saying, “Look after him, and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.” (Lk 10:30-35) This Good Samaritan shows us that to have compassion is not only to have pity on the man, but also to concern about his needs and to take care of him to the end.

One of our church members regularly sends a certain amount of money to Africa through World Vision in order to support one poor child. He is not a rich man, but he has a beautiful heart and Jesus’ compassion. On the contrary, I was a little bit disappointed with our poor Christmas offering for children in North Korea. As you know over one million children in N. Korea are destined to starve to death. So last year Korea UBF sent 60 tons of corn to North Korea through the Good Samaritan Fellowship to feed the starving children there.  What really matters is not money, but heart. When we have a great shepherd heart and when we have the compassion of Christ, nothing is impossible and nothing does matter. Amen.

 

Jesus had compassion for the crowd. He already knew what he was going to do because he had compassion for them. Jesus was about to meet their needs. Jesus was ready to feed them. But, he did not do it all by himself. He needed his disciple’s participation.

Second, little matured disciples (4) Look at verse 4. “His disciples answered, ‘But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”  If we compare the disciple’s answer to the previous one in chapter six when Jesus fed the five thousand, we sense that they began to concern about others. In the past, when Jesus said to them, “Give them something to eat,” the disciples answered, “Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” (6:36) At that time, the disciples did not share Jesus’ concern about the crowd. They did not want to be responsible for the crowd’s needs. In fact, they had no motivation to help others. But, this time they were different. They did not complain about the crowd. They shared Jesus’ compassion and his concern about the crowd. They just worried about their own helplessness. Here we see that the disciples grew up spiritually and became mature to show certain progress.

  Last year our young disciples struggled to overcome their own problems. But these days, their struggling topic was changed from concerning their own interest to others. They began to struggle to concern about others. Degi and Ben decided to read the entire Bible this year in order to teach the Bible to others. They want to live a shepherd life. In the past, Pangaa lived according to her feelings and emotion.  But, these days she struggles to control herself and live according to Bible teaching. The young disciples’ spiritual growth and progress became a glory to God and great encouragement to all church members.

Third, Jesus co-worked with his disciples (5-10) How did Jesus start to co-work with his disciples in feeding the four thousand? Look at verse 5. “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied.” It seems to be nothing to ask his disciples, who did not have any resources to feed the four thousand with. But it is the beginning point of co-working. To say something to others seems to be easy. But saying a few words to another remarkably creates a relationship between man and man and between man and God. Jesus knew that his disciples had not many resources with which to feed the four thousand. But, Jesus humbly initiated co-working with them by asking their opinion.  One of our church members frequently asks someone who is in need. “How have you been? Do I have something to do for you?” Even though he did not have many resources to help him with, he asked this with his compassionate heart.  

  In co-working we must first pray together with our co-workers and talk together about many trifles. Yesterday we had an annual membership meeting. We prayed together and discussed about a yearly plan for our ministry. After the meeting we shared a Chinese food and talked about many humorous things to strengthen our relationship and the spirit of co-workership. Co-working begins with talking together and sharing food together even with a small piece of bread.

   Look at verses 6,7. “He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them.” Before distributing seven loaves to the crowd, Jesus gave thanks to God. For what did he give thank to him? Jesus gave thanks to God for feeding the four thousand hungry people. Jesus thanked God for his disciple’s participation. Above all, Jesus gave thanks to God for displaying the work of God by feeding the four thousand with seven loaves.  Thankful minds and prayerful spirit always encourages others in doing the work of God.

  Jesus did not ask about fish, but his disciples brought a few small fish as well. The disciple’s volunteering spirit followed after Jesus’ prayer. The disciples willingly and joyfully cooperated with Jesus in feeding the crowd. They must have been very hungry, too. They did not eat for three days, too. But, they forgot their hungry feeling while feeding others. They reminds of the Apostle Paul’s instruction to the saints in Philippians church, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Php 2:4)

  The disciples experienced the joy of co-working with Jesus and with his fellow members. In the past, they frequently competed each other regard to hegemony among them. It was not easy to work together. But, in feeding the hungry crowd, they became one in heart and in spirit. They learned how to work together and how to grow as a truly great man. Above all, they were very happy because they did something for Jesus and for others by overcoming their own problems. They were happy because they shared Jesus’ compassion and served God’s flock of sheep.

  Jesus’ blessing was overflowing. His blessing was abundant. Look at verse 8. “The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciple picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” When we co-work well in doing the work of God, I believe, that God will surely bless our ministry, our family, our students and children, our business abundantly. God will make us a source of blessing for the world. I believe that when we share Jesus’ compassion and work together, it is a matter of time to establish double numbers ministry by 2010. God will bless St. Louis UBF ministry abundantly, just as seven basketfuls of bread were left over after feeding four thousand people. Amen.

  Today we learned that compassion is not only to have sympathetic feelings, but also to concern about other’s needs. Faith is not abstract. Faith is very practical. When we have Jesus’ great compassion, nothing is impossible. There are many spiritually wounded souls and hungry people around us. I pray that God may help us to share Jesus’ compassion on those people. I pray that God may make each of us a Good Samaritan for them. Above all, may God help us to continue to build up the beautiful spirit of co-workership among us. Amen.

   

---

Attachment

• pamk8am-2009 (1).doc