Mark 6:30-56, Sermon Given on July 22, 2018

Sunday's sermon was over Mark's version of the feeding of the Five Thousand.  There are two major ways to approach the stories of miraculous feedings in scripture.  

The first way to view this story would be the traditional understanding of all miracles, and that is that it was a true miracle.  Jesus through His power as the Son of the Creator manifested bread and fish where there had previously been only a few loaves and two fish.  This interpretation speaks to our faith in God to provide for us no matter how meager our present resources may seem to us, this faith, this understanding has sustained and enabled countless souls through the many generations since this story occurred in Judea.  The only problem is that we can't implement this type of feeding into our own lives, none of us possesses the ability to manifest protein and carbohydrates out of the ether of space and time... so we're left unable to directly apply this miracle into our ministries.  

The second understanding of this feeding miracle is that through the example and influence of Christ, the people in the crowd were moved to share what they had brought with them, and through this sharing, all were fed.  This second vision is a course that we too can emulate, through sharing all can be fed.  It was a beautiful and Spirit-led experience that those gathered on that day experienced, and it's an experience that we too can share in today if we allow the Spirit of Christ to work through and among us.

Be a blessing to someone today!!!

In His Care,
Roy

Mark 6:30-56 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Feeding the Five Thousand
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34 As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. 35 When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; 36 send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii[a] worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” When they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And all ate and were filled; 43 and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

Jesus Walks on the Water
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray.

47 When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by. 49 But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” 51 Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

Healing the Sick in Gennesaret
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. 54 When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, 55 and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Footnotes:

a) Mark 6:37 The denarius was the usual day’s wage for a laborer