LESSON 82 Mark 6:35-38

35And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: 36Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. 37He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat.

Here is a situation where the disciples suggested that Jesus stop teaching. (Lk 9:11-12 11And the people, when they knew it, followed him: (They followed Him, because of the great miracles He did. Jn 6:2) and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

(This showed Jesus' compassion for the people.)

12And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place. )

They wanted Him to instruct the crowd of thousands to get some food from the closest villages. They had compassion on the people. But Jesus basically said there was no need for the people to leave, that the disciples could provide food for them (Mt 14:16). "You give them food."

The disciples had learned compassion, now they needed to learn a lesson of faith. "You give them to eat." Jesus was commanding the disciples to provide the food. His order included the power to accomplish it. The Word of God always contains the power that, when mixed with faith, can accomplish whatever the Word has said. Jesus was saying that the disciples had the authority to ask for a miracle for the people. Their next step was to mix that authority with faith.

Faith was a seed in them, but it needed to grow. Matt 17:18-20 18And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Lk 17:5-6 5And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. 6And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Faith is a powerful force when based on the Word of God and Jesus wanted the disciples to start using their faith in a new way. Until this time, they had done certain kinds of miracles, casting out demons, healing the sick, etc. Jesus wanted that faith to transfer to a creative miracle, where there is no seed or starter, but is generated from faith alone.

The disciples' responses:

And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? If the accounts of this conversation in the other gospels (Mt 14:13-21,Lk 9:10-17, Jn 6:5-13) are compared very carefully, we find that, when Jesus saw the multitude, He first asked Philip, "From where shall we buy bread that these may eat?" 5When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

This was an opportunity for Philip to say, "We can ask God to do a miracle," but he didn't. He failed to let his faith rise up and speak.

If he had remembered the manna and quail from God provided to the children of Israel in their need (Exodus 16:4,12 13), or if he had remembered when Elijah was fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:1-6), Philip could have prayed for God to do a similar thing for him, but he didn't.

When we need a miracle or an answer, we first need to build our faith by remembering what wonderful things God has done in the past. " He changes not." He does wonderful things today as well.

Philip should have realized that Jesus was already in agreement for a miracle by what He had said, but he didn't. He resorted to giving an account of their lack. Never focus on your lack. Focus on what God has said in reference to your situation and what He has done in the past to provide for you and others.

Philip said we don't have enough money. What he should have said is "I don't have enough faith." He basically said, "I can't." Philip was a practical-minded person. He still thought in the natural, not the spiritual. He didn't recognize this as an opportunity to excel in faith and do a creative miracle, providing food for this hungry crowd. He didn't see God bigger than his problem. He was staring at the impossible, not believing in the God Who does things that are impossible to anyone else. I am convinced that if Philip had held up an empty basket and asked God to fill it with food till all the people were fed, God would have done it.

LESSON 83 Mark 6:38

Having given the disciples a chance to step up to a higher level of faith in doing a creative miracle, to which they did not respond properly, Jesus followed with giving them an opportunity to do a miracle of multiplication, in which they would have something physical, a "seed", to start with.

16But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; Jesus repeats His command, "give ye them to eat." The disciples still don't understand what He's telling them, so Jesus sends them to survey the crowd. Mk6:3838 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see.

The disciples canvassed the thousands in the crowd to see if anyone had bread. Andrew, came back with some news, but no faith. Jn 6:8-9 8One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto Him, 9There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? Andrew could have said, "Let me ask God to use these loaves and fishes to make an abundance of food to feed this hungry crowd." But he didn't, although he knew the Old Testament story about manna from heaven. Another lost opportunity!

If Andrew had remembered God's miracle provision for the widow of Zarepath (1 Kings 17:8-16) through Elijah and for a widow of a prophet through Elisha(2 Kings 4:1-7), he might have had enough faith (Rom 10:17 "...faith comes by hearing , and hearing by the Word of God.") to call for this miracle, but he didn't. Both of these Old Testament accounts started with a little and God multiplied it. The disciples knew the principle of "seed faith," but they didn't apply it to their own situation.

Finally, seeing that none of His disciples had faith to believe for even a miracle of multiplication (remember these were the same men who had just gotten back from a trip of preaching the Word, casting out demons, and healing the sick!), Jesus Himself did the miracle that they could have done, had the disciples focused their faith on the God of miracles and not doubted. They knew God provided for His children. The scriptures taught that. Ps 23:1-2 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want (lack). 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Ps 103:1-5 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;

They had read and heard of the miracles God had done for the children of Israel in the wilderness. Ps 105:40-41 40The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.

Ps 78:24-25 He had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. 25Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them food to the full.

Why then didn't the disciples believe that they in their need could ask for a miracle of creation from God? Why don't we? We have the same Word and the same Lord as they did. Don't put your eyes on your problem or need, but put them on the God Who is all powerful and Who can do the impossible. Believe!

 

LESSON 84 Mark 6:39-45

39And he(Jesus) commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. 40And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. 41And 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. 42And they did all eat, and were filled. 43And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.

Matt 14:21 21And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

45And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.

Let's look at the lad who gave his loaves and fishes to the Lord to use. The boy had more than anyone else in the crowd, yet he only had enough for himself. He might have thought if he gave all that he had to the Lord, he would have nothing left. Yet he gave all that was his to the Lord--and his little became a lot and blessed him and many thousands of others.

What is your "bread and fishes" that, if you give it to the Lord, He will make something out of it that will bless many people? I knew an older lady who lived in a nursing home after she had had a stroke. She couldn't speak or move very well, but she could smile. She let that smile be her ministry to all those she encountered. At her memorial service, many people commented on how her smile had brightened their day and how they were changed for the better for having known someone like her. She gave what she had--a smile--to the Lord and He blessed people by it. If you give all you have to the Lord, then He can multiply your "loaves and fishes " to bless you and help others.

The Bible account mentions that twelve baskets of fragments were gathered up after the crowd had eaten all they wanted and were filled, but does not tell who got them. At first, because there were twelve, I thought that the apostles got one each. But that doesn't follow the Lord's teaching of sowing and reaping. The one who sows the seed gets the harvest. (Read the account of Peter loaning his boat to Jesus and what Jesus gave him in return. Luke 5:1-11) So I think that the twelve baskets of food went to the lad as his reward for giving all that he had to the Master. 2Cor 9:6-7 6But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

You may think that this kind of miracle can't happen today. My brother knows a pastor who was working in a soup kitchen serving the homeless and needy. Not having enough, they put what soup they had in a big pot and prayed that God would multiply it. They served 100s of people. As the pot emptied, they put more water in it. They continued to do that until all were satisfied. The soup tasted as good and thick at the last as it did at the first. Everyone was served all they wanted. God multiplied their soup.

In a town in Indonesia, a gospel team went to preach at a small village. As was the custom, the team stayed with a local pastor. The pastor's wife was embarrassed because she hadn't enough to serve a meal to so many. She knew she had only four tapioca roots. One of the team went to the pastor's wife and said the Lord had told him she had four tapioca roots in her cupboard. She was to make a loaf of bread. "That will be sufficient for all."

She thought if the Lord told him about the roots, she'd better obey the Lord and make bread. She also had only enough tea and sugar to make two or three cups, not enough to serve the twenty that were there. She made the loaf of bread and the tea. The Lord told her to break the loaf into pieces and serve it with the tea. Every time she broke the loaf in half, the half in her right hand became a whole loaf. Then she broke that loaf. The left half was served, the right half became another whole loaf. As she saw what was happening, she began to cry and praise the Lord while she continued to break the bread. The tea pitcher never ran out of tea. God supplied their needs and there was some left over to bless the pastor's household.

Notice Jesus brought order to the crowd. (James 3:16 implies that confusion is a characteristic of the devil's work, so be careful to be orderly in your work. If you're unsure as what to do next, stop and ask the Lord for direction.) The men sat down in groups. Of course, the women and children would do likewise. The order insured that everyone got served and enabled a quick count of how many were fed.

Next, Jesus took the "seed" of the five loaves and two fish that He had and "looked up to heaven." Whatever you have to work with, even if only a little bit, it is enough and God can multiply it, if you will look up to heaven in faith, ask and believe that God will help you. Why would God encourage us to ask, if He weren't willing to do what was best for us? Hebrews 4:16 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Matthew 7:7 7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

In John 11:41-42 (at the raising of Lazarus), " Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. "

Jesus blessed the five loaves and two fish. He gave thanks for the provisions.

Jn 6 :11And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down . . . Jesus didn't overlook any opportunity to thank His Father for His goodness. Having a thankful heart is very important.

Ps 95:2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,

Phil 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

1 Thes 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 

LESSON 85 Mark 6:45-46

45And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. 46And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

If we read John's account of the time immediately after the feeding of the 5000 men, we see the reason for Jesus sending the crowd away. John 6:12-15 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 14Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. 15When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

Jesus knew that this was not the time for Him to become a ruling king. This was a similar temptation as the devil presented to Him in the wilderness. (Mk 1:12-13, Matt 4:8-9) Jesus turned it down then, and He turns it down at this time. He knows He will reign on earth one day, but He allows His Father to direct the timing of it. He does not sin by rushing ahead of His Father's will. Jesus trusts His Father's wisdom and planning.

Having sent His disciples by boat to Bethsaida, Jesus sends the crowd away and then goes up a mountain to pray for a while. Jesus knew the need to refresh Himself in His Father's presence. Have you learned that principle? Whenever we are tired, we need to spend some time in the presence of the Lord to get refreshed. Psalm 16:11 11Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

There is also a refreshing in the Word of God. Isaiah 28:9-13 9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: ...This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing:...

Some people are refreshing by their loving conduct toward others. 2Cor 7:13 13Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

When you need refreshing, pray and spend time with the Lord, and be in the Word. Seek to be refreshing to others by what you do and say. Let Jesus live through you. Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

LESSON 86 MARK 6:47-53

Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. 48Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. 49And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; 50for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 51Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. 53When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.

1. What time was it?

2. Where was Jesus? What had He been doing, after the disciples left? Read Matthew 14:23

3. What big event had happened previously?

4. What were the conditions of the disciples boat ride? Why didn't the disciples rebuke the sea and wind as they had seen Jesus do in Mk 4:39?

5. Why did Jesus walk on water?

6. What was the disciples' response when they saw Jesus? What is your response when you see the Lord doing something different than you have seen before? God seems to like variety. He doesn't always do the same thing the same way as before. The Bible is full of examples of that.

7.How did Jesus respond?

8.When Jesus enters their boat, what happens?

9. How did the disciples react?

10. What does this sentence mean? 52For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

Answers:

1. evening, getting dark.

2. On land----Praying on top of a mountain.

3. Feeding of 5000 men and many more women and children

4. Opposing wind, darkness falling

b. So many times we forget to apply what we have been shown. The disciples must have thought only Jesus could do such powerful things. What He wanted them to realize was that anyone who walked in obedience to the Father and who trusted the Word of God and the Holy Spirit could do the same. That's why we can pray for tornadoes to disintegrate, or rain to come to our drought-stricken land, as Elijah did. James 5:16 states: The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Do you see that it is the prayer of a righteous person that has power? Note that he prayed earnestly, he didn't give up. Read the account of Elijah's prayers in 1 Kings 17-18. In 1 Kings 18:42-45, you will find he prayed seven times for the rain to come, and he didn't give up till he got his answer.

Prayer is powerful. 1 John 5:14-15 4And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. Psalm 84:11 11For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 12O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. John 14:11-14 12Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

5. How He was to get to the other side? He had told the disciples He would meet them on the other side. (Mt 14:22) So He had a need to get over the Sea of Galilee, but no boats were available.

At some point He heard that He was to walk on the water to get to the other side. Was this the devil trying to kill Him as he had tried to do before? (Matt 4:5-6, Mk 4:37, Lk 4:28-30) Or was this the voice of His Holy Spirit directing Him to travel in a new and totally different way?

I'm sure He tested the word that came to Him to make sure it was from God, as we are also supposed to do. First, Jesus may have tested His motivation. He had no reason to choose walking on water as a way to impress anyone, because all had been sent away. Anyway, His motivation was always to please His Father, not to impress people. John 8:29 28Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

John 5:30 30I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Heb 10:9 9Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.

Psalm 40:7-8 7Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me, 8I delight to do thy will, O my God

No doubt, Jesus considered scripture, as to what it taught. From Exodus 14:21 and Joshua 3:23, Jesus knew God could part the waters of the Sea of Galilee for Him, so He could walk through it on dry land. God had done that for the children of Israel more than once (Red Sea and Jordan River).

Maybe Psalm 77:19 came to mind. " Thy way is in the sea and Thy path is in the great waters..." Perhaps He recognized this as a prophecy of Himself to be fulfilled at this very time. Maybe He also remembered Isaiah 43:2,16 2When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee...15I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. 16Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

Once He was sure it was the Word of God to Him, it then became a test of Jesus' faith. Would He follow the Word of God, or would He doubt the instruction because it was different than what He had ever been told before? Jesus was full of faith and firm in it. He never let doubt enter into Him. He knew His Father's heart and character. He had no reason to doubt His Father's love in what He would tell Him to do. Jesus knew that, since this was the leading of the Holy Spirit, walking on the water across the Sea of Galilee was possible, even though, as far as we know, He had never walked on water before.

The important point is that Jesus was sure the instruction was the Word of God and, therefore, brought with it the power to do it, so He trusted and obeyed...and without fear He walked on the water as if it were a highway. Jesus passed this test of His faith.

Jesus had many tests of His faith over the three years of His public ministry. He passed them all. We can, too, if we are careful to test the word we receive to make sure it is from God, and is based on the principles of the scriptures. I heard a pastor give some instruction about how to test words to determine if they are from God. If you obey it, will it glorify God? Are you doing it to impress people or please God? Does it match up with the written Word of God or contradict it? Will it produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit in you? (Galatians 5:22-23) Will it bring you closer to God? There are probably some other questions that should be asked as well, (Let me know if you have some) but these are a good place to start.

In the account in Matt 14:28-29, Peter asked for a confirmation, and he received it. If we're not sure we heard correctly or are making a proper request, we can ask for a confirmation. (Read about Gideon's experiment with fleece, when he asked for a confirmation- - -Judges 6)

6. They were troubled and scared and yelled.

7. When you care about people, you don't want them to be scared. You would reassure them, as Jesus did. He immediately said, (in our vernacular), " It's Me. Don't be scared." He knew that seeing Him walking on the waves was a surprise and was startling to them. He didn't rebuke them. He reassured them.

8.The wind ceased. When we ask Jesus into any situation we are in, the storm in us subsides, the contrary wind ceases. He brings peace to the troubled soul, because He's the Prince of peace. Sometimes the situation itself will change, sometimes it doesn't, but primarily we are the ones who change. When we surrender the problem to the Lord and let Him deal with it, peace comes--because trust has been given. Phil 4:6-7, Isa 26:3, Rom 15:13

9. They were amazed beyond measure and they marvelled at what they had seen. A similar account in Mt 14:33 says, when they (Jesus and Peter--see Mt 14:25-31) were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

10. Their heart was hardened because they didn't learn the lesson that came with the feeding of the 5000. They missed what Jesus wanted them to understand. When we are given light, when we see God at work, we are to learn from that and seek understanding as to how it applies to us, how we can use it in our lives. Applying it when the opportunity comes gives us a chance to grow in faith and wisdom, which in turn brings more light to us, and so it continues.

The disciples didn't learn from the feeding of the 5000 that they could ask for miracles, too. So when another opportunity came to apply that truth in rebuking the wind and waves, their hearts were hardened and they didn't respond to what the Holy Spirit was telling them. Hardening always results when we don't respond to the Holy Spirit's instruction. Hebrews 3:7-8 7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice, 8Do not harden your hearts...

Jesus wanted the disciples to grow spiritually and to understand that their faith or lack thereof was what was limiting them. He wanted them to follow Him in every way, not just physically. He was seeking partners in the walk of faith, those who would believe, even for what looked impossible. He wanted to reproduce His kind in the earth, people of unswerving faith in the Word of God. Peter's walk on the water, albeit very short, was an example of that. (Mt 14:25-31). You and I are partners with the Lord Jesus in the walk of faith. May we be like Him, unswerving in our faith, as we follow Him. Have you ever walked on water? Have you ever followed the Lord in something that was totally new to you, and followed His instruction in faith, without doubting? To walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.