Boy’s Lunch Feeds Five Thousand Plus! Mark 6:33-46

Text: “And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”

Mark 10:27.

Good morning, Christian constrained by doubt!  You love the Lord Jesus with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength, and you would just love to be more able to serve Him in whatever manner, or ministry, He could impower you to fulfil.  But, in the face of impossible worldliness, hindrance, and widespread unbelief throughout the nations - that little niggling doubt within your mind/heart/spirit, constantly undermines your confidence, and plagues you with lack of trust in God to use you to awaken so many that are, Spiritually speaking, fast asleep.

If this in any small manner describes you, beloved Reader: read on, for the Word of God Himself has good news and encouragement for you.

Picture the day in question, described here in our March In Mark’s Gospel passage:  Use your sanctified imagination to make the Holy Scriptures LIVE for you!

It is hot and dusty.  Christ has been preaching and teaching a huge multitude of people that had followed Him to a very mountainous, lonely and barren place.  When this great company came unto Jesus and His disciples, the Lord immediately had compassion on them, and said to one of His disciples, Philip, “…Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?  This He said to prove him (to test Philp): for He Himself knew what he would do.”  (John 6:5-6)

The disciples were clearly faced with a totally impossible situation – humanly speaking.

Then Andrew, another of the disciples, Peter’s brother, informed them: “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?”  (John 6:9)

No doubt, when the disciples had gone among the great multitude seeking food to feed them, the young lad had willingly, and cheerfully, offered to share his packed lunch with them.  “The Lord loveth a cheerful giver…”

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: God loveth a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”            (2 Corinthians 9:7-8)

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom.  For with the same measure that ye mete (weigh, dole out) withal it shall be measured to you again.”  (Luke 6:38)

Imagine then, the amazement of all who witnessed what happened next!  First, the Lord Jesus commanded the multitude to sit down in an orderly fashion: “And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.”  (V.40)

“And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, He looked up to Heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided He among them all.  And they did all eat, and were filled.”  (Mark 6:41-42)

Wow!  Not only did everyone get something to eat – “…they did all eat, and were filled”!  Hallelujah!  Five thousand men, plus women and children gathered there, dined and were filled by the contents of a young boy’s packed lunch!  Now, this is a real Supernatural miracle!  Glory to the Lamb, Who does miraculous things!  Hallelujah! To the Christ of God!

“So he (Elisha’s servant) set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the Word of the Lord.”  (2 Kings 4:42-44)

“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”  (Mark 10:27)

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“Let us observe, for one thing, in this passage, what an example this miracle affords of our Lord Jesus Christ’s almighty power. We are told that He fed five thousand men, with five loaves and two fishes. We are distinctly told that this multitude had nothing to eat. We are no less distinctly told that the whole provision for their sustenance consisted of only five loaves and two fishes. And yet we read that our Lord took these loaves and fishes, blessed, brake, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And the conclusion of the nar­rative tells us, that “they did all eat, and were filled,” and that “twelve baskets full of fragments” were taken up.

“Here was creative power, beyond all question. Some­thing real, solid, substantial, must manifestly have been called into being, which did not before exist. There is no room left for the theory, that the people were under the influence of an optical delusion, or a heated imagina­tion. Five thousand hungry people would never have been satisfied, if they had not received into their mouths material bread. Twelve baskets full of fragments would never have been taken up, if the five loaves had not been miraculously multiplied. In short, it is plain that the hand of Him who made the world out of nothing was present on this occasion. None but He who at the first created all things, and sent down manna in the desert, could thus have “spread a table in the wilderness.” (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

Taking a boy’s packed lunch contents, and feeding 5,000 plus people with it, was nothing to the Almighty power and Supernatural will of our Lord Jesus.  All we who fall foul of doubt and fears and dreads in Christ’s service, must take heart from this evidence of Divine power.

Thought: All things are possible, Christian!  Only believe, dear friend. Our God reigns!

Our Need for Private Prayer &Worship Mark 6:30-32

Text: “He that dwelleth (abideth) in the secret Place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.”

Psalm 91:1-2.

Good morning, private-worshipping Christian!  If called upon by the Pastor, or Bible Class deacon, to publicly pray in the congregation – you have no hesitation, you will pray. If called upon by the Lord, or social circumstances, to pray in the midst of an entire city full of people – you and I have no hesitation to do so.  Our faith in Christ is strong, and to be tasked to undertake any small or more seemingly important functions for Christ, we are more than willing and ready to stand in the breach; it is deemed our utter privilege to do so.  Praise God.

However.  In order to achieve any small Spiritual gain for Christ or ‘the church’ – you and I fully understand the absolute necessity to be consistently engaged with Christ in times of private and deeply personal worship and prayer with our three-Personed Lord God.

“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.  Verily (truly) I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”  (Matthew 6:5-6)

The prophet, Elisha, knew the power he received from the Almighty Lord God, when once he honoured the private and personal place of communion with his Lord God.

“And he (Elisha) went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord.”  (2 Kings 4:33)

Mighty miracles were performed, after such times of dedicated, personal and private pray.  In this case, Elisha was granted power to raise a dead child to life again!  (2 Kings 4:17-37)

Close fellowship with the Lord God Jehovah, in private and personal prayer times is a privilege many today deny themselves by laziness and lack of commitment to Christ.

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“Let us mark in this passage, the conduct of the apostles when they returned from their first mission as preachers. We read that they “gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.”

“These words are deeply instructive. They are a bright example to all ministers of the Gospel, and to all labourers in the great work of doing good to souls. All such should daily do as the apostles did on this occasion. They should tell all their proceedings to the great Head of the Church. They should spread all their work before Christ, and ask of Him counsel, guidance, strength, and help.

“Prayer is the main secret of success in spiritual business. It moves Him who can move heaven and earth. It brings down the promised aid of the Holy Ghost, without whom the finest sermons, the clearest teaching, and the most diligent working, are all alike in vain. It is not always those who have the most eminent gifts who are most successful labourers for God. It is generally those who keep up closest communion with Christ and are most instant in prayer. It is those who cry with the prophet Ezekiel, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain that they may live.” (Ezekiel 37:9) It is those who follow most exactly the apostolic model, and “give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:4) Happy is that church which has a praying as well as a preaching ministry! The question we should ask about a new minister, is not merely “Can he preach well?” but “Does he pray much for his people and his work? “(J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

Another most important point to be gleaned from this selected passage of Holy Scripture is this: the Lord God KNOWS the limits of our all-too-human bodies and minds; the Spirit of God living within us, knows us better than we could ever know our fallible selves!  He shall never drive the servant of God past breaking-point!  Listening to would-be romantics seeking to wrongly teach the glory of ‘…burning oneself out for Jesus…’ is pathetic in the light of our Bible verses selected from Mark’s Gospel for today’s study. 

“Like as a Father He pitieth His children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.  For He knoweth (knows, and continually knows) our frame (bodily/mentally limits); He remembereth that we are dust.”  (Psalm 103:13-14)

After Christ was informed by the apostles of all their exploits done in His Name; Christ Jesus immediately had compassion upon His servants and said, “…Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”  (Mark 6:31)

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“These words are full of tender consideration. Our Lord knows well that His servants are flesh as well as spirit, and have bodies as well as souls. He knows that at best they have a treasure in earthen vessels, and are themselves compassed with many infirmities. He shows them that He does not expect from them more than their bodily strength can do. He asks for what we can do, and not for what we cannot do. “Come ye apart,” He says, “and rest awhile.”” (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

What a compassionate Lord God and Saviour we serve, in Christ Jesus.  Praise His Name!

Thought: If we don’t come apart for to rest – we are in danger of just coming apart!

Faithful John the Baptist Mark 6:14-29

Text: “For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.”

Mark 6:20.

Good morning, faithful and just Christian!  You are known as faithful, because of your faith in Christ Jesus, and at all times seeking to be obedient to His inspired Word and principles.

You are known as just, because - by God’s free and Sovereign grace alone - you have been justified (just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned) by the Crucifixion, Death, and resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living Lord God Jehovah. 

Praise God for faithful and justified Christians!  Glory to the Lamb Who was slain, but now lives FOREVER!  Hallelujah!  Amen.

J.C. Ryle Comments:

John the Baptist: 

“These verses describe the death of one of the most eminent saints of God. They relate the murder of John the Baptist. Of all the evangelists none tells this melancholy story so fully as St. Mark. Let us see what practical lessons the passage contains for our own souls.

“We see, in the first place, the amazing power of truth over the conscience. Herod “fears” John the Baptist while he lives, and is troubled about him after he dies. A friendless, solitary preacher, with no other weapon than God’s truth, disturbs and terrifies a king.

“Everybody has a conscience. Here lies the secret of a faithful minister’s power. This is the reason why Felix “trembled,” and Agrippa was “almost persuaded,” when Paul the prisoner spoke before them. God has not left Himself without witness in the hearts of unconverted people. Fallen and corrupt as man is, there are thoughts within him accusing or excusing, according as he lives, thoughts that will not be shut out, —thoughts that can make even kings, like Herod, restless and afraid.

“None ought to remember this so much as ministers and teachers. If they preach and teach Christ’s truth, they may rest assured that their work is not in vain. Children may seem inattentive in schools. Hearers may seem careless in congregations. But in both cases, there is often far more going on in the conscience than our eyes see. Seeds often spring up and bear fruit, when the sower, like John the Baptist, is dead or gone.” (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

“Let your light so shine before men, that they might see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”  (Matthew 5:16)

Note what happened when the evil king Herod heard about the Lord Jesus, and how He was travelling around the country healing the sick; preaching God’s truths; and casting out many devils from all He encountered.

“And king Herod heard of Him; (for His Name was spread abroad :) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.”  (V.14)

This vile king who had cruelly martyred the faithful and just John the Baptist, by having his executioner cut off John’s head – immediately, yet wrongfully, identified the Lord Jesus Christ as the resurrected John!  Even the unbelieving Herod had enough discernment to see that John, the servant of Christ, God’s messenger prophesied for thousands of years, closely resembled in spirit His Lord Who had come into “…His own country.” (Mark 6:1)

The same Spirit of Holiness pervaded both Christ and His messenger servant, John.  John possessed all the traits of Christlikeness, that every genuine Christian believer should manifest to the unbelieving world of sinners: John was both faithful to His Lord, and John was clearly justified by Christ, in the Holy sight of the Living Lord God Jehovah.

“Follow peace with all men, and HOLINESS, without which no man shall see the Lord.”  (Hebrews 12:14)

The faithful and just John the Baptist’s ministry was a clear fulfilment of long-time established Biblical prophecy, and John’s message from the Lord God Almighty was delivered by this Christian martyr.

“Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, Whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the Covenant, Whom ye delight in: behold (look, and clearly understand) He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.”  (Malachi 3:1) 

“In those days (New Testament days) came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.  For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.”  (Matthew 3:1-2)

J.C. Ryle Comments: “We see, in the third place, how boldly a faithful minister of God ought to rebuke sin. John the Baptist spoke plainly to Herod about the wickedness of his life. He did not excuse himself under the plea that it was impru­dent, or impolitic, or untimely, or useless to speak out. He did not say smooth things, and palliate the king’s ungodliness by using soft words to describe his offence. He told his royal hearer the plain truth, regardless of all consequences, — “It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.”

Here is a pattern that all ministers ought to follow.” (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

Thought: Christ’s ministers ought to be faithful and just to speak God’s truth!

Shaking Off the Dust! Mark 6:7-13

Text: “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them.  Verily (truly) I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgement, than for that city.”

Mark 6:11.

Good morning, publicly scorned Christian!  You know, in a most personal way, how much it hurts to be publicly scorned; openly ridiculed; and blatantly ignored – as you live a Christ-honouring life before men, and as you seek to share the Gospel message of Christ and Him Crucified for the sins of “His people”. 

Your heart’s deepest desire is to see the souls of fellow sinners all around you – in your home; in the workplace; or in the town/city in which you abide - hearing the Gospel of Eternal Salvation in Christ and being glorious delivered from all sin.

“The fruit of the righteous (made righteous in Christ Jesus) is a tree of life; and he/she that winneth (wins, and continues to win) souls is wise.”  (Proverbs 11:30)

However, as we seek to fulfil our God-given ministries as Christ’s servants, so often we are confronted by ignorance and unbelief; hardened hearts; and outright Satanic oppositions to the Gospel message of Salvation we are tasked to preach/teach.  This is merely an observable fact of a serving Christian’s life; and all who will try to serve the risen Lord Jesus, shall face such hurtful oppositions.

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try (prove, test) you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.”  (1 Peter 4:12-14)

Personal Testimony:

The author of Marching In Mark’s Gospel, was a “…chief among sinners…’ indeed; a political terrorist that no man could tame; a militant servant of Satan for 32 years of my life.

Then, within a maximum-security prison here in Northern Ireland, UK, in 1979, the Lord God quickened my dead spirit, called me to Salvation in and through the Atonement Sacrifice of Christ Jesus; and during the 42 years since then, I have been seeking to serve my Lord and Saviour, in the preaching and teaching of His inspired Word.  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins…even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).”  (Ephesians 2:1;5)

As I sought to share the Gospel one day in a prison workshop, as we waited to return to the main section of the H Blocks – one prisoner began to deride my Christian faith.  I persevered with this prisoner, in the sight and hearing of many other terrorist prisoners, but he continued on in showing vile and utter contempt for my Christian faith, and the Gospel message I was trying to share with him and the others.  He was becoming more and more bitter and vocal with his ridicule and cursed and swore at me in denouncing the Gospel truth.  So, the Lord guided me to take an extreme course of action towards this inmate’s foul opposition.

As the rest of the terrorist inmates looked on - interested in how I would deal with this crude and blatant detractor - I calmly sat down in the sawdust of the joinery workshop floor; slowly took off my prison boot; and, looking all the while straight and unwavering into the belligerent detractor’s eyes, proceeded to shake the sawdust out of my prison boot.

“What are you doing!”, the guy said.  So, I told him in no uncertain terms: “I have loved you enough to share the Gospel message of forgiveness of sins through the Cross of Christ Jesus; even as you have cursed me; and poured contempt upon God’s message of Salvation.  By your public detractions and refusal to accept the Word of God concerning your sins; and according to the Word of Christ contained in my Bible; I hereby shake off the dust of my feet for a testimony against you.  You shall NEVER ever again hear the Gospel of Salvation in Christ from my lips, until you come to me in full repentance of your unbelief and scorn.  May the Lord have mercy upon your sinful soul.  Amen.”  

“And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them.  Verily (truly) I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgement, than for that city.”  (Mark 6:11)

The belligerent inmate, and all those other terrorist onlookers, suddenly turned pale, as the Spirit of God brushed by their souls with a knowledge of Eternal doom.  I slowly put my boot back on, and made my way out of the prison workshop.

“And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man…”  (Genesis 6:3)

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“We have the Bible in our houses. We hear of the salvation of the Gospel fre­quently every year. But have we received it into our hearts? Have we really obeyed it in our lives? Have we, in short, laid hold on the hope set before us, taken up the cross, and followed Christ? —If not, we are far worse than the heathen, who bow down to stocks and stones. We are far more guilty than the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. They never heard the Gospel, and therefore never rejected it. But as for us, we hear the Gospel, and yet will not believe. May we search our own hearts, and take heed that we do not ruin our own souls!” (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

Thought: Public reproof is an integral part of serving Christ Jesus.  Receive it as a gift.