Led and fed

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat." But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?" And he said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish." Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. - Mark 6:30‭-‬44 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Jesus' Compassion

Jesus sent the disciples out to minister to people. In this passage, they have come back from serving others. They were exhausted from ministry. Jesus takes them to withdraw and rest. But the people see this and intercept them where they are heading. The disciples were looking to recharge. This would have been dismaying to say the least. Jesus is not frustrated or upset. Jesus has compassion on them.

We may have heard of something called compassion fatigue. When you are serving people in great need, you get so tired that you become numb or sometimes even resentful. But Jesus does not suffer from compassion fatigue, his compassion never runs out. Jesus is never gets tired of hearing about your needs, troubles, or suffering. Jesus has compassion on each of us individually. He always welcomes us.

Jews of that day would have heard "sheep without a shepherd" would have thought of Ezekiel 34. This was a rebuke to the leaders of that day and age.

Jesus' sufficiency

After talking to them all day, Jesus feeds them by way of a miracle. The disciples asked were they to go to buy food from town and spend a year's worth of wages. This was likely spoken with sarcasm. The disciples did not have that kind of money. So they are presented with a clearly insufficient amount of food. A laughably small amount of food. Jesus then feeds them using this. Jesus confronts his disciples insufficiency with His sufficiency. 

It is easy to serve God when you have talents or resources. It is easy to get excited. But what about serving when you don't have enough talents, skills, resources... Serving when you don't love or care enough... When we come to God with a couple of anchovies and some stale loaves of bread, that's when we see God work. God can do great works with the little that we have. Don't stare at our insufficiency, but instead submit it to God's hand. 

Jesus: the greater Moses

Jesus led the people next to the waters and then feed them via a miracle. But Jesus was not here to free the Israelites from political oppression but eternal life & freedom from sin.

Responses to the gospel

King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some said, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him." But others said, "He is Elijah." And others said, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old." But when Herod heard of it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised." For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you." And he vowed to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom." And she went out and said to her mother, "For what should I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist." And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. - Mark 6:14‭-‬29 ESV

Herod's sin

Herod had married his brother's wife while his brother was still alive. This was unheard of. John the Baptist was the preacher of this day and age. John spoke out against this marriage. Herod imprisons John but doesn't kill him. Herod curiously like hearing from John, but doesn't change. Herod's family is deeply broken. His wife uses her teenage daughter to dance for the dinner guests. This is strange...a titillating dance from a princess. And then the daughter asks for the head of an innocent man. Herod could've turned her down. But he didn't. It would've been entirely reasonable. But Herod had no defense against sin since he capitulated to the desire for his brother's wife.

John's suffering

John was being oppressed. This is what it means to be oppressed; to suffer for someone else's sin. Herod did not have the moral fortitude to stand up for what is right. Consider the dinner guests who sat silently as this played out. They should have walked out when this innocent man was to be executed. They should have said something or some something.

We should respond with wisdom. We should object to oppression and systems of repression. We should speak up for those who are wrongly accused. John went to his death a victim of the conspiracy of a small group of people. 

Jesus was accused of a crime and never tried. He was lynched by the actions of a small group of conspirators. He was an innocent man. Jesus died a gruesome death and became a spectacle. But this is where things diverge. Nothing changes after John's death. Herod continues living in sin, his reign continues, and innocent people continue to suffer at the hands of the powerful. This points to Jesus, even if John never knew it. Through the suffering, John's difficult times pointed to the need for Jesus.

The suffering of Jesus

Jesus died as an oppressed man. He died at the hands of the powerful. Jesus was executed with all the official appearance of a horrible criminal. Jesus cried out in pain. This doesn't look like redemption or conquering sin. We don't dismiss the pain and suffering, but Jesus gives us meaning in suffering. Our suffering has a purpose. Our experience of loss, pain, oppression, may point to something greater because Christ has overcome.

Know His Mighty Works

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household."  And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. And he said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.  And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them."  So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. - Mark 6:1‭-‬13 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Danger 1: Familiarity

When Jesus arrived at home, he started teaching. This was the same as in other places. There is recognition that Jesus is doing miraculous things. But in the very next breath, they consider his background. They know his brother; they grew up with Him. So what happened is that they took offense to Him. What can this guy who we watched grow up teach us? 

So the people of Jesus' hometown had no faith in Him. They did not expect anything of Jesus. They were not expectant of anything miraculous from Jesus. So it can be with those who have been Christian for awhile or for those who grew up in the church. We can lose our awe of Jesus and God. It is not because God is not awesome, but we have become callous to the gospel and forgotten who God is. We can see this in our prayer life. Do we pray for God sized acts of power? 

Danger 2: Despising the Ordinary

Jesus was a carpenter, a blue collar worker. The people were like, who is this guy. The son of Mary was an insult. People were traditionally referred to by their father. This was probably alluding to his illegitimate birth. They did not expect Messiah to come from a poor, working family. They expected a Messiah to come like a King. 

God works extraordinary things thru very ordinary things. Could it be through these very groundhog-like days that God is seeking to do something miraculous? So we should be careful not to minimize our ordinary days. 

Encouragement: Ordinary people doing extraordinary works

The disciples had been watching Jesus perform these miracles and teach the people. And now Jesus tells them it's their turn. How does Jesus do it now? How about his modern day followers?

1. There should be a deep dependence upon God. 

Jesus sent them out with the clothes on their back. They had to depend on God to support them and not only minister, but also to survive. So it should be for us. We need to prayerfully stand on God and walk with God.

2. There will be interdependence with other believers.

Jesus sent them out two by two. We need to go with other believers as teams. We need support from one another.

3. Deep contentment

The disciples were to stay where they were welcomed. To deal with little annoyances and small, trivial troubles. Annoying neighbors, problematic roommates. We need to stay put in ministry. To be content in God's provision.

A touch of Faith

And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live." And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well." And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my garments?"  And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, 'Who touched me?' " And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."  While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."  And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping."  And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."  And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. - Mark 5:21‭-‬43 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

There are three presentations of faith in the text today.

Small & simple faith

The woman was unable to go to the temple because of her bleeding. She had tried treatments unsuccessfully. She was also separated from family and friends. She had faith that just touching Jesus' clothes would heal her. She touched him and suddenly she was healed. Jesus stops and calls out that someone touched him. She has to fess up. And Jesus tells her that her faith had healed her. Why? Consider that they were in a crowd, all jostling against Jesus. But no one else was healed. Why? Because this woman, with this strange superstition about His garments, had faith in Jesus. It is not the strength of the faith, but the object of faith. Flimsy faith in a strong branch will uphold a falling person. But a strong conviction in a weak branch will end in a bad fall.

Stretched faith

Jairus was likely in a hurry. His daughter was gravely ill. And here is Jesus taking His time to talk to this woman. Then, it gets worse. He gets news that his daughter has died. It's too late. Jesus heals people, Jairus believes this much. But Jesus tells him to not fear. Jairus now needs to believe that Jesus had power over life and death. Jairus is led to follow Jesus back to his dead daughter. Jesus looks like He doesn't care about Jairus or his daughter. There's the voice from the crowd... Why bother the teacher any longer? Jesus can't help... Doubts can creep in. We can question whether God has our good in mind... The road ahead of Jairus is confusing and hurting.

Steadfast faith

So, Christian, God calls us further down this strange road. We have faith that Jesus has our good in mind. So when He calls us down a strange and pain filled road, we need to trust His plan... His timing. Jesus, Jairus, and the crowd come upon the scene. The household is in mourning with great commotion. He sends out the mourners and crowds. Jesus takes the child's hand and the child comes back to life.

Not only that, but Jesus calls for bread for this child. He commands life and death, but He is also sensitive to our needs. Jesus cares not only for the prominent church leader but also the outcast. The entire spectrum. Not only that, but God experienced the loss of a child when Jesus died upon the cross for our sins. Jesus feels compassion for us. He offers up life and restoration to everyone.

Jesus and the demon possessed man

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me." For he was saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!"  And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion, for we are many." And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, "Send us to the pigs; let us enter them." So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."  And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. - Mark 5:1‭-‬20 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The reality of satanic power

There are two errors that we coming fall into. 

There are those who do not acknowledge Satan or spiritual forces. Or if we acknowledge them, we don't take them seriously. If we do not acknowledge that we have an enemy, then we will not attempt to resist him. 

For some there is an unhealthy emphasis on Satan and demonic forces. They may be obsessed with Satan and his power.

Satanic and demonic forces are real. The passage here depicts it. The demon possessed man had super human strength. He could not be bound. The possessed man injured himself and likely terrorized his neighbors. Demonic forces are here to destroy what God loves. They are beyond human power to restrain. 

We are called to be watchful. To pray and be watchful for the enemy. Satan is prowling and looking to attack. Soldiers on guard keep watch for potential weakness. 

This current time during the covid 19 pandemic is one opportunity. We can slow down and spend sweet times with family and quality time with God. But these times can also be an opportunity for Satan. We are isolated and accountability is harder to find. Satan will fan the temptations in our lives. 

The reality of Jesus power

The demon possessed man came out to meet Jesus and acknowledged Jesus as the son of God. They spoke of Jesus coming to torment them. They were afraid that Jesus was coming to cast them into hell. But it was not time yet. The demon called themselves legion. This is a large army of demons. But Jesus is not fighting them. The demons within this man are fearful of the power of Jesus. They ask Jesus for permission... The demons are on a leash and God holds the leash. 

What does this mean? The devil and these temptations have no real power over the Christian. The devil whispers that we cannot overcome this sin. He says... Why even try? But this is Satan's scheme. Jesus can and will win over sin in our lives. We can find progressive victory over sin in our lives. And even when we stumble, the grace of God covers it all. We are worthy because God has made us so.

The right response to Jesus' power

When the townspeople saw this demon possessed man sitting quietly in their right mind, they were afraid. They knew that they were not in the presence of any ordinary man. The disciples had a similar reaction to Jesus calming the storm. But that's where the similarity ends. The disciples followed Jesus. The townspeople wanted Jesus to leave. Why? Perhaps the herd of pigs was more important to them than this man's life & restoration. 

There is a cost to following Jesus. Jesus is God and to acknowledge Him rightly requires us to submit our entire lives to Him. Knowing Jesus brings a healthy fear that drives out other fears.