Mark 6:33-44
Offering What You Have – Mk 6:33-44
The disciples have just experienced, first hand, God working through them. Hungry and tired, Jesus draws them aside after hearing them describe all THEY had just done.
33 The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. (NASB®)
Where can we often find God?
Life can get busy and frequently distract us from that which is important. The crowd pursues Jesus to the wilderness, where in focussed solitude we can often find God.
Am I willing to pursue Jesus?
What distracts me from hearing Him?
34 When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. (NASB®)
What impacted Jesus about the crowd?
Rather than being annoyed at the seflishness of the people, Jesus empathized with their lost condition. Unaware of their desperate situation, Jesus gave them the spiritual food they lacked.
Note: Sheep are so dependent on the Shepherd that without them, they will certainly perish.
Do I know where my life is heading?
Am I too busy satisfiying my physical needs that I neglect my spiritual ones?
35 When it was already quite late, His disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and it is already quite late; 36 send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they *said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat?” (NASB®)
What is wrong with meeting people’s physical needs?
The disciples, in contrast, began to realize that their time for a retreat with Jesus was quickly running out. Recogninizng people need to eat, they justify their own selfishness by pointing out the peoples needs cannot be met in this remote place. Focussing only on circumstances and not on Jesus, the disciples are taken aback by Jesus’ seemingly ludicrous suggestion that they solve the problem. Weren’t these the same men who had just, moments ago, told Jesus about the great things they had accomplished?
Do my circumstances define my trust in Jesus?
Am I aware of my dependence on God?
38 And He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 And He commanded them all to sit down by groups on the green grass. 40 They sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. 41 And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all. (NASB®)
How has God chosen to work?
Having the disciples confirm their limited resources, Jesus has the people shepherded into mangeable groups. Affirming our dependence on God and appreciation for His mercy Jesus feeds everyone using His imperfect disciples.
Do I recognize that all good things come from God?
Do I thank God for His continued mercy?
42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces, and also of the fish. 44 There were five thousand men who ate the loaves. (NASB®)
What was Jesus trying to teach the disciples?
Even dispite enormous obstacles and interruptions, when the disciples trust completely in Jesus, by the power of His Father, He provides exactly what is required, even for them.
Do I view service as an interuption or an opportunity to partner with Jesus?
Am I willing to trust in Jesus’ provision?