“FOOD FOR THOUGHT”

Mark 6:30-44

2/10/2008 Pastor Jack Harpold

Usual style of fast action in Jesus’ ministry takes a lull in the first 29 verses. Jesus returns to Nazareth, sends out the Twelve to preach and they report back.

In the first verses, when comparing Jesus’ return to Nazareth with Luke 4, critics claim a contradiction in Scripture saying the two accounts conflict. It is really two different visits Jesus made to Nazareth. Luke 4 relates the first visit when He went alone. No miracle was performed and left when they tried to kill Him. On His second visit His disciples are with Him, He healed "a few sick folk," and remained in the area. Matthew agrees. On both occasions He entered the synagogue and taught – on both occasions He was rejected. This is not a conflict but two separate visits. The first time He left, He went to Capernaum and established His headquarters. He returned to reach His hometown people. It was “His country.”

It was Jesus’ custom to go to the Synagogue on the Sabbath. He needed worship and it was the place to reach people. His teaching amazed those who knew Him. His words, works, wonders all brought confusion to His fellow citizens. They didn’t believe Nazareth could produce anyone like Jesus. They were judging by themselves. Nazareth hadn't been good to them – they figured there couldn't be one like Jesus. They had no faith in one of their own. They thought they knew Him. They had seen Him grow up as a boy.

The passage reveals Mary had other children. These were half brothers and sisters. Likely Jude (Judas) is the author of the Letter of Jude.

In verse 4 the common colloquialism of our day is apropos, "An expert is an ordinary fellow from another town.“ Sometimes we are more effective away from home.

Verses 5 and 6 is a remarkable passage because it tells us Jesus couldn't perform any miracles in Nazareth because of their unbelief.

The only limitation to omnipotence is unbelief. Faith is the one requirement to release the power of God in salvation. In Isaiah 53 that reveals God's great salvation, the prophet opens the chapter with: "Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1). Who will believe it? Unbelief shuts off Omnipotence. Unbelief insulates and isolates the power of God. It still does today!

Now Jesus went to the villages teaching. Jesus set an example. Imagine, the Lord of Glory, the Son of God ministering in little villages. He could have sent a telegram over to Rome and hired the Coliseum for a really big meeting!

Dr. C. I. Scofield, the man responsible for The Scofield Reference Bible was to be guest speaker in a church in North Carolina. It was a rainy night and only about 25 people attended. The young preacher leaned over and apologized for the small number. Dr. Scofield replied, "Young man, my Lord had only twelve men in His school and in His congregation most of the time. If He had only twelve, who is C. I. Scofield to be concerned about a big crowd?”

In verse 7 Jesus sent out His disciples with the message of repentance - the same message He had been preaching. He sends them two by two. He gave them power over unclean spirits, which seems to be the very highest power they could exercise.

Why the command to travel light? It indicates the urgency and importance of their mission, and their total dependence upon God. Later we find they were told to take these things because they were going on a longer journey.

Verses 10–13 indicates this is a serious and a solemn trip they are to take. To reject the grace of God invites His judgment. The same is still true today. They preached a message of repentance, and miracles authenticated their message. Repentance is part of the gospel message; contained in the command to believe.

The fame of Jesus had spread throughout the area not just to common people - even Herod heard about Jesus. What is the reaction of King Herod? The murder of John the Baptist had taken place. And Herod thinks he has returned.

Herod was very superstitious. But there was a lot of mingled reaction by the people about Jesus as to who He was. There is that same reaction today. We find different people have different view-points and different explanations of the Person, the presence, and the power of the Lord Jesus.

Notice that John boldly denounced sin in high places. He had denounced Herod for taking Herodias, his brother's wife. This enraged her so she plotted his death.

Did Herodias keep Herod from turning to God? Herodias had asked her daughter to dance before him because she knew what a lecherous, lustful old man he was. He gave her a blank check to ask anything she wanted. The mother was prepared. Her brutality and evil boggles the mind.

Another weakness of Herod is revealed here. He was afraid of what his friends might think and say. He had a false sense of values about an oath.

The killing of John the Baptist was cold-blooded murder!

Mark now returns the narrative to the ministry of Jesus. The apostles make their first report. It is impossible to understand how really busy Jesus was and how great the demands were. He withdrew to an uninhabited place in an attempt to rest with His apostles. It was futile attempt. The crowd followed around the sea, and they were there to meet Jesus and the disciples when they landed. The reaction of Jesus was one of complete sympathy. This is the reason He fed them. He first met their spiritual needs by teaching them. Then He met their physical needs by feeding them.

He commands the disciples to do an impossible task. They must learn, as we must learn, that He always commands the impossible. The reason is obvious. He intends to do the work. This is a miracle. The Creator who made the fish at the beginning and caused the grain to multiply in the field, now by His word creates food for the crowd. This may have been the first time many in this crowd were ever filled.

In Mark’s account there is no mention of Peter walking on the water. Mark got his information on the human plane from Peter, and Peter just left out his part of the story.

Notice verse 48 where it says, "He saw them straining at the oars." Those men were mingling their sweat with the waves breaking over their little boat. They actually thought they were going down. But He saw them toiling and rowing. I love that! What is your struggle today? You may be in a hard spot right now. You may be facing temptations and problems that are too great to bear. You may find yourself out on a stormy sea and you feel as if your little boat is going down.

I have some good news. "He saw them straining." He sees you. Jesus knows your problems. You don't have to send up a flare to let Him know. He already knows. Commit your way to Him today. That is something we need to do in times of darkness - just commit your way unto Him. "He saw them straining." Only Mark, by the way, records that. Then we find that He came to them and He entered into the ship with them. And Mark says that they were "completely amazed" when Jesus came walking on the water and as he stepped into the boat the storm ceased its raging.

In the conclusion of this chapter we find He went over to the land of Gennesaret.

You and I today can't even envisage the number of sick people that He healed. I understand there is one denomination that has offered one thousand dollars to anybody who will come forward and show that he has been healed by a "faith healer." I understand the thousand dollars has never been taken. It's amazing, isn't it, when you hear all this propaganda today that is going around. In Jesus' day one could have brought together thousands of people that He had healed. He was genuine. It was real. That is the reason the enemy never denied that He performed miracles.

Jesus wants to work in your life today.