The Gospel According to Mark (Part 27)

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The Gospel According to Mark

(Part 27)

Good Morning and Welcome to Jesus Church

We are on part 27 of our series on the Gospel according to Mark

• After service we would love you to join us in the commons
  • Get some food… watch your kids play on the water slide
  • And get a chance to meet people – to fellowship
• Also some exciting news… we have signed a lease for a new school
  • It was a pretty fast turn around
  • Purpose academy – Micro School ran by Christians
  • So we are super excited to have life on campus all week long

Last we looked at multiple lives Jesus touched

• The stories show us how to approach God and how God answers
  • First a woman who begs Jesus to heal her daughter
  • Second a man who is deaf and can’t talk
• And the main point that Chapter 7 ends with is…
  • Jesus does all things well
  • Which for us means… when you think of your life/struggles
  • If it isn’t well – It isn’t finished

This week we jump into Chapter 8

Mk 8:1-21

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.”

His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven”, they replied. 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 distribute to 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. The people at and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, he got in a boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dal-man-utha.

The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it. Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. “Be careful”, Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve” they replied. And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up? “They answered “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

[Pray]

Anyone here ever experience Déjà vu

It has got to be one of the weirdest unexplained phenomenon

• The few times its happened for me its been reliving a dream I had
  • Where I have a conversation or see a unique situation happen
  • And I realize I’ve seen this before… watched this before
  • I’ve said that before
• And dreams blow me away already
  • The fact your mind can make up memories and relationship
    • Inside a world that only exists in your subconscious
    • And all in what seems like real time

The story we read today… it sorta seems like Déjà vu

• It seems like Mark has already told this story
  • Thousand of people come to listen to Jesus
  • Has compassion on them (exact word used in both stories)
  • And he feeds them with fish and bread… enough for left overs
• And if you thought that… you would be right
  • Because a couple chapters before this – Jesus fed the 5000
  • Now he feeds the 4000
• And really the only main difference is that the 5000 – Jewish (Israel)
  • The 4000 are Gentiles
  • In a place called the Decapolis

Decapolis as a region of the 10 cities – Very pagan place

• Mark sets the story that people from all over the region are coming
  • Jews – Non-Jews – Greeks – Phoenicians
  • All because they want to hear and see what this guy is saying
• And this is happening for days at a time… with no food
  • To the point where its actually dangerous for them to go home
  • And b/c of this is says Jesus is “FILLED WITH COMPASSION”
• That word in the Greek… doesn’t just mean sympathy
  • Word used is “SPLAGNON” – Means your digestive track
  • Sorta like the idea in English of GUT WRENCHING
    • It literally means sick to your stomach
    • Moved from the inside out for these people

Mk 8:4-9

His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven”, they replied. 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 distribute to 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. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. About four thousand were present.

Now again remember the difference in this feeding: Gentiles not Jews

• And we see this in the way Mark writes even more than words
  • When Mark talks about “7” – We think that’s God’s number
  • But “7” was actually a symbolic word for the gentiles
  • This land was called THE LAND OF THE 7
    • Because there were 7 Gentile Nations that lived there
• So think about what Jesus is doing here
  • How many baskets picked up in feeding of 5000 – TWELVE
    • And there were 12 tribes of Israel
    • Meaning God takes care of Jews
  • And how many baskets picked up in this feeding – SEVEN
    • And there were 7 nations in this region…
    • Meaning God takes care of the Gentiles
• Marks point is that Jesus isn’t just the Messiah for the Jews
  • He is the Messiah for the entire world
  • Mean’s everything Jesus is and stands for is for EVERYONE
  • Whether 2000 years ago or here now today

But next comes a bit of a curve all

Mark 8:11-13

The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus…

• That word CAME is a very hostile military word… means to attack
• That word QUESTION means to aggressively challenge or disprove

To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.

• Which is crazy because he just fed 4000 people with a sack lunch
  • And they ask not just for a sign… but a sign from heaven
  • They don’t believe Jesus is from God or the Messiah
• They demand a sign based on what they think Messiah should be

Gilbert Bil-ez-icain

The kind of Messiah they want will never come. They are determined to find a compliant superman who is endowed with heavenly powers and will fulfill their own earthly program.

• And Jesus isn’t having any of it…

…He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it. Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side. (Just like that he’s gone)

2 layers to this part of the story

• First this story represent a heart of unbelief
  • Keep in mind there is a difference between doubt & unbelief
    • Doubt is a search for truth…
    • To ask – question what is true and what is not
    • At the core it’s a struggle to believe
  • Unbelief is a stubborn hard heartedness against God/faith
    • It’s a demand that God come to you on your terms
    • And this heart is all over our world
    • People who reject God b/c he doesn’t fit their criteria
• Second this story represents Israel in the wilderness
  • This paragraph is loaded with language from Exodus
    • Test – Used all over Exodus when Israel would TEST God
    • Generation – Used for those that died of b/c of unbelieve
    • Sign – Used for God’s work in the miracles of the exodus
  • Mark is saying the Pharisees are sorta like Israel in the desert
    • That’s stunning in context…
    • Because Mark just told us of a pagan woman’s great faith
    • And now the lack of faith by Israels most devout Jews

Its not just about Pharisees – but you & me

Mark 8:14-18

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. “Be careful”, Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”

What Jesus is talking about is how you made bread in his day

• You would keep back some of your dough
  • Use it in your next batch to make it puff up into normal bread
  • Sorta like what people do today with sourdough
• But it was dangerous because it could easily go bad
  • And then it would ruin the next batch
  • So yeast (leven) was commonly used as metaphor for evil
  • B/C its subtle but corrupting… poisoning and eventually lethal

Jesus warns against the corrupting heart of the Pharisees/Herod

• So the question is… what is the leven?
  • Not easy to figure out: Pharisees & Herod had little in common
    • Pharisees – Ultra religious/nationalistic sect
    • Herod – Liberal/non-religious sell out to Rome
• The 1 point of commonality between them was their unbelief
  • They did not believe Jesus was from God or the Messiah
  • And not only that… they were against Jesus
• And he gives the warning to his disciples who DID believe
  • Now why would he say that…
  • Keep reading

They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?

Now this last line… “Eyes but fail to see, ears but fail to hear”

• That is a line right out of the Exodus story again
  • Where God has done miracle after miracle
  • Yet they aren’t able to trust in God for their future

Jer 5:20-21, 23 (One example of many)

Announce this to the descendants of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah, Hear this you foolish and senseless people, who have EYES TO SEE BUT DO NOT SEE, WHO HAVE EARS TO HEAR BUT DO NOT HEAR… But these people have stubborn and rebellious heats, they have turned aside and gone away.

• Jesus is saying to his disciples… you are like Israel in the wilderness
  • Not only the Pharisees or Herod… but you are too
  • Miracle after miracle – Yet you still don’t believe
  • After all I’ve shown you… you still don’t trust me
• And the exact same heart in the Pharisees – Its also in you
  • Jesus is frustrated and a bit angry
  • Because what the disciples are missing is so important

And when we worry about the stuff of life (food/money/future)

• When we give into worry about Jesus’ ability to take care of us
  • That Jesus is powerful enough
  • That Jesus loves us enough…
• Its Levan – Exact same subtle but lethal heart of Pharisees/Herod
  • Which… I don’t know but seems very extreme to read this
  • What do you mean I’m like the Pharisees… they want you dead
  • What do you mean I’m like Herod… killed John the Baptist
• But Jeuss point is that AT ITS SOURCE it’s the same attitude
  • A heart that says “Show me a sign from heaven and I’ll believe”
  • Same as one saying “We have no bread”
    • At its root its all the same… Its unbelief

A few thoughts on Levan (Pharisees) vs Bread (Jesus)

1 – It’s a heart of blindness not seeing

• Jesus says Do you have eyes but fail to see
  • So often I am blind to God’s work in my life
  • The signs (evidence) of God’s love/presence are all over my life
  • But I’m blind… distracted… busy… consumed… self absorbed
• And in fact quite often all I see are the dark spots
  • Where its scary… uncertain… unknown
  • And where I don’t see God’s power/presence… only issues
  • And all I can say is “We have no bread”
• Wonder if its b/c we look for God in miraculous but not mundane
  • And God is in the miracles in our life
  • But I think the miracles ARE IN the mundane
  • Oxygen… food… joy… health… God is in all of that
    • Feeding 4000 people bread and fish is a perfect example
    • Its the miraculous in the mundane… not steak/crab
• Because if you follow Jesus… even if you don’t
  • The fingerprints of God are all over your life
  • This week I pray eyes will open to miracles in the mundane

2 – It’s a heart of deafness not hearing

• Jesus says Do you have ears but cannot hear
  • So often I’m deaf to God’s voice – not b/c he isn’t talking
  • Its b/c God is quiet and life is noisy
  • And I don’t know how to hear
• We live in a very loud world – Michelle loves the phrase “No UN”
  • But think about how much noise is unnecessary
  • And in all of that we don’t hear God’s voice
  • And we need to learn the art of silence and solitude
• The Bible shows us that God is a soft spoken God most of the time
  • Why… I don’t know
  • My guess is b/c God wants an intimate relationship with us
  • And when you are soft spoken… have to get alone to hear
• Like when you are at a party (Christmas) and its loud and fun
  • But if you want to really have a meaningful conversation
  • You’ll say “Hey lets step out side and talk”
  • And I wonder if that’s what God is like with us
    • Hey lets go on a walk and talk… get away from the noise
    • This week… take some time to step outside with God

3 – It’s a heart of forgetting

• Jesus says “Don’t you remember when I fed the 5000 or 4000
  • Jesus is saying how many times do I have to prove myself
  • And so often I forget God’s faithfulness in my life
  • When you take some time to just go back and think
    • All the significant things in your life… how God was faithful
    • It’s a powerful thing to remember
    • Because its way to easy to forget
• Its why symbols can be so powerful… b/c they make us remember
  • Every time Israel won a battle they stacked rocks into an altar
    • Why – So they wouldn’t forget God’s faithfulness
  • The feasts Israel would celebrate (Passover/tabernacles)
    • Why – So they wouldn’t forget God’s faithfulness
  • This week think on his faithfulness… may it help u remember
    • When God does something significant in your life
    • Do something so you won’t forget it
• [EXAMPLE]

4 – It’s a heart to questioning… not questions

• The Pharisees “QUESTIONED” Jesus to prove him a false teacher
  • There is a difference b/w questions and questioning
  • When you question in a search for truth… that’s healthy
  • God is not afraid of your doubts and questions

Jude 1:22

Be merciful on those who doubt.

• If you doubt… God says have mercy on them
  • Because it’s a search for truth
  • And listen – God’s door is wide open to questions
• But there is a differences b/w questions and questioning
  • When you demand that God meet you on your terms
  • God do what we want/when we want/how we want
  • And that might be preached in a consumer Christianity of today
    • But it is NOT the way of Jesus
• This week instead of questioning (show me a sign of heaven)
  • Come to God with a heart of questions
  • Asking God in prayer to reveal himself… give you understanding

5 – It’s a heart of entitlement… not graditude

• Entitlement says “I deserve better.. give it to me now”
  • Gratitude says… I don’t deserve this but thank you so much
  • And how can I share this with others as well
• Problem: We live in a world that constantly says “You deserve this”
  • So we grow up thinking that… or worse
  • You deserve better
• In contrast look at Jesus… what does he do with the loaves/fish
  • He gives thanks for this pathetic amount of food
  • I would be asking God if this was a joke
  • Jesus is thanking God for 7 loaves / 3 fish to feed 4000
• What if that was the template for our lives
  • If we were to take the fish… the bread in front of our lives
  • And instead of sayings “that’s it”
  • Give thanks and see what God can do

And I don’t know where you are at…

• But all of this is such an encouragement in how we can live
  • Because when it comes down to it… it’s a simple question
  • Will you trust in God
  • Will you put your heart into a position of Bread and not Levan

[PRAY]