poolsandpastures
Thoughts on the Gospel, Life, and Ministry
The NT 365 Experiment: Mark 6
God reveals himself fully to us in Jesus Christ. “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature,” and the one through whom God has “spoken” to us “in these last days” (Hebrews 1:1-5). This is true not just of Jesus’ words (revealing to us the will of God for salvation) but also of his heart, his character, and his actions. He is the perfect representation of God to us because he is God.
When we read the Gospels, we see this revelation of God in Christ clearly. The stories, the teachings, the interactions, the miracles of Jesus all combine to give us a clear understanding of who God is and the nature of his kingdom. As I read Mark 6, I thought of this revelatory purpose of Jesus and his kingdom as he commissions disciples to go on his behalf, is rejected in Nazareth, feeds the hungry people, walks on water, and heals the sick. But, I took particular interest in the feeding of the 5,000 (6:30-44). I want to make two observations.
Compassion
“When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd…” (6:34).
Jesus and his disciples had traveled by boat to a desolate place in order to rest, eat leisurely, and decompress after a tumultuous experience taking the gospel into the villages of the region. They wanted to get away. They wanted to spend a little time together. They wanted to get their bearings straight. But, the hordes of people who followed Jesus — who desperately desired something from him — would not allow it. They ran ahead and met Jesus and his disciples as they disembarked on the shore. When Jesus saw them he had compassion on them. He did not turn them away. He gave them what they needed. He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. He ministered grace to them. Though he was tired, though he wanted to spend time alone with his disciples, he took time to care for the people and did not turn them away. He treats you and me the same way.
The Kingdom Illustrated
“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 they all ate and were satisfied” (6:41-42).
In 4:30-32, Mark records a parable that Jesus taught about a mustard seed. He says that they kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds; yet, it grows to be the largest plant in all the garden, so large that it has room enough for all the nests of the birds of the air. The point of the parable is to illustrate the exponential growth of the kingdom of God in the lives of men and women. When Jesus feeds the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish, he illustrates this parable. These few and simple loaves and fish, barely enough for one person after a long day’s journey, became enough to feed 5,000 men and their families with the miraculous touch of Jesus. Jesus uses the smallest and most ordinary things to accomplish his great and extraordinary kingdom purposes.
Compassion and Kingdom Today
The takeaways from this story are simple — Jesus has compassion on all those who come to him, and Jesus does the extraordinary with ordinary things that are dedicated to his kingdom in faith. Seek to find ways to apply these two truths to your life today. Run to and press into the one who is full of compassion and grace. Look for the extraordinary and exponential growth of Christ’s kingdom in your life. Praise God for his work.
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