Follow Jesus Series 15

Josh Owens

Clear Springs Baptist Church

Follow Jesus • Sermon • Submitted 8 months ago • Presented 8 months ago

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Jesus, Our Compassionate Savior

Text: Mark 6:31-44

Introduction

William Booth was greatly stirred by the needs of the poor of London, and realized that most churches were doing nothing to reach the “undesirables”—drunkards, morphine addicts, prostitutes, and the poor. He set out to reach them with what he called the 3 S’s: soup, soap and salvation. Thousands were saved among those that most churches had no interest in reaching. Booth gave his life for the cause of reaching others.

D.L. Moody told the story of his conversion this way: “When I was in Boston I used to attend a Sunday school class, and one day I recollect my teacher came around behind the counter of the shop I was at work in, and put his hand upon my shoulder, and talked to me about Christ and my soul. I had not felt that I had a soul till then. I said to myself, ‘This is a very strange thing. Here is a man who never saw me till lately, and he is weeping over my sins, and I never shed a tear about them.’ But I understand it now, and know what it is to have a passion for men’s souls and weep over their sins. I don’t remember what he said, but I can still feel the power of that man’s hand on my shoulder tonight.”

The concern and tears of a godly teacher resulted in the conversion of a man who saw a million souls saved in his evangelistic campaigns.

1) Jesus’ Compassion For His Laborers

Jesus has sent out the twelve in pairs to preach repentance.

The twelve have returned to report to Jesus

Jesus was concerned about their fatigue. He urged them to pause for a time of rest and revitalization.

The needed to relocate to get the proper rest.

The tasks and to-do’s were non-stop!

Jesus’ perspective was, rest is a vital part of a life being lived for Him.

This rest wast not only considering the physical, but reset for total self.

APPLICATION

1 Corinthians 10:31 “31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Q — Who believe’s we should aim at giving our best to God? Do you think it is possible when you are depleting yourself? NO NO NO!!!

You are a human BEING before you are a human DOER!

Q — How many times have you said, “I am just too busy” or “I am burning the candle at both ends?”

How many of you think that is what God intended?

He is the one who gave His people a day of total rest.

There is a difference between being busy and being balanced/healthy productivity.

Busyness is a product of you not understanding your limitations. GUESS WHAT…YOU ARE NOT INVINCIBLE!

You were never designed to be a robot.

The best productivity comes from someone who allows for margin in their life.

The white space around the edge of your Bible is called the margins; it is free space; space to breath.

Quote: “Margin is the space between our load and our limits. It is the amount allowed beyond that which is needed. It is something held in reserve for contingencies or unanticipated situations. Margin is the gap between rest and exhaustion, the space between breathing freely and suffocating” — Dr. Richard Swenson

You must give margin to the eternal priorities:

Rest, scripture, worship, prayer, giving, evangelism, etc.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

This wasn’t a times of rest reserved for self gratification, but rather revitalizing one’s self for the purposes of the ONE who has purchased you with His own blood!

This all happens “As you go...”

If you will surrender your schedule to the authority of God’s Word, God will help you trim off the useless business you think you and your family thinks is important.

Q — who here believes the days of their life are numbered?

This requires us to live focused lives!

Don’t surrender God’s gift of time to the loudest voices around you, but rather surrender to accomplishing God’s will for your life.

2)Jesus’ Compassion For The Wanderers

A. The miracle (Mark 6:33-34)

Let’s think about this attribute Jesus is exercising here; COMPASSION.

Jesus was MOVED WITH COMPASSION.

Without compassion, there would be no miracle!

“As sheep having no shepherd”

Can you imagine God lacking this attribute?

Think of the results that would come from His sovereignty:

The garden and the original state of humanity.

To love humanity beyond the fall.

Predestinating the cross for His Son.

The seasons.

The essentials for you life.

Your children’s future.

God has not, is not and will not be a God without compassion

Psalm 78:38 “38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: Yea, many a time turned he his anger away, And did not stir up all his wrath.”

Lam. 3:32 “32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.”

Psalm 103:8 “8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”

Many moments when the Bible said, “Jesus had compassion.”

Let’s notice how the miracle went down:

John 6:6-9 “6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?”

a. Jesus requires human participation (v. 37-38, 41)

He is met with numbers, facts and a weak faith.

God created every fact and can operate beyond them!

Is it ever too late while among the living to show compassion?

Never allow the little you have create hesitation in your obedience to Jesus.

b. Jesus does more with your less.

Jesus DID NOT ask His disciples to find enough. He told them to figure out what they had.

Q — Ultimately, who provided the bread and fish? GOD!!!

This perspective will remove your doubt in God’s ability to use your less.

Jesus provided beyond the need of the circumstance.

B. The message

Notice the physical results:

It benefited ALL.

It filled ALL.

There was enough to supply the future needs of his laborers.

Jesus didn’t forget about his laborers future needs.

Remember, they made no time to eat.

The wanderers missed the WONDER of the Provider.

Turn to: John 6:22-36.

They got the food, but missed the sign.

They were so focused on the physical, they missed the spiritual.

They received the bread of man, but not the bread of God.

They got so caught up with the temporary they overlooked the eternal.

Conclusion

The result from Jesus’ compassion toward both the laborers and the wanderers was not to give them the provision from another. He was there to give them what only He could provide; REST & REGENERATION!