Mark 8:1-10— 11/26/2023
I think we got it now.
All right. I'm hungry. Yeah, you may need to help me out. Thanks. I'm hungry. If you just finished up with Thanksgiving most of us did. Started out pretty hungry and if you finished the dinner still hungry, you probably should have come to my house instead because we have tons of food. This is the look that I see you from Clara pretty frequently. I'm going to embarrass her a little bit. This is what she gives me when she goes I'm so hungry so hungry and I get that almost every day haven't heard it in a couple of days, I think because she got pretty. Smoking two different turkeys. I did two full lemon pound turkey and I thought you know, if if I follow the guidelines of people online a pound or so for person plenty of turkey and I panicked the day of because we had a few family coming over and I hope maybe I should turkey we're still eating the two turkeys and probably will be for another week. I've also been on a bit of a peanut butter and banana kick and so this is my attempt at a fluffernutter banana pie. Have you ever heard of a fluffernutter fairly people in Wisconsin put marshmallow fluff and peanut butter on the sandwich. I never I didn't know that was a thing, but it's my attempted of Pi version of that. And so if you're still hungry. You really don't have any reason to? But you probably should just come celebrate with us. But the reality is is even though I stuff myself for a few days here last night. I was watching the Alabama and Auburn and I looked at Tricia now.
Like I didn't I didn't want leftovers anymore. I didn't want any more turkey. I didn't do any more dressing but I was hungry. So what are you do a couple days after Thanksgiving when the leftovers are kind of getting old you get pizza Papa John's Pizza last night so I ran out and got some pizza, but the reality is we never stopped getting hungry. Right? And the other reality is that we are never fully satisfy. No matter how much we no matter how many times we eat. We get hungry again. It never stops. It never ends. It's a constant process that we keep having to go back to eat more. The other reality is is that the things we are most hungry for are always food is not the only thing that we hungry for it and artex today. We see people coming to Jesus with a hunger for revolution a hunger for miracles hunger for food. And a hunger for life, you will read with me Mark chapter 8. In those days there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat. Call disciples and said to them I have compassion on the crowd then we've already stayed with me three days have nothing to eat. They will collapse on the way and some of them have come a long distance is bubbled answered and where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to feed these people. How many loads do you have the S7? They said he commanded the crowd outside on the ground take me to seven loads he gave thanks broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. So they serve them to the crowd. They also had a few small fission after he bless them. He said these were to be served as well. They eat and we're satisfied. They collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces about 4,000 were there he dismissed them in and delete the immediately got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dominica. first Hunger for revolution If you go back a couple of chapters in Mark chapter 6 Diego covered the feeding of the 5000 a few weeks ago. Jesus gets these followers this large crowd. They've been following me around all over the Sea of Galilee and he finds a quiet place to take his 5000 closest friends. Very quiet place is a kid you go to Bible school Bible study and and they paint a picture for you. But this might look like in the text tells you that it was a grassy area and some people get this imagination that this is like a picnic with like 5000 people. Will Matthew tells us that that was the number of men that were there and there for his needs were families of people Gathering following Jesus. That number could have easily cross fifteen to twenty thousand people. So you imagine a large enough Gathering like that need a large area? I had this picture in my head. There's a grassy picnic in the park. That's not quite what the text is hinting at if you put it back to Mark chapter 6 it says in verse 34 when he went ashore. He saw a large crowd and had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things. sheep without a shepherd Jesus does the same essential Miracle two times with a short. Of time in between the two nobody really knows how much time was between the feeding of the 5000 and the feeding of the 4000. So eerily similar. The numbers are little different the number of baskets the number of bread. The number of fish. The type of bread is barley in one its regular bread in the other barley being the type of bread for people with in the Second Story. You see that the fish were small fish and it's the Greek word for sardines. And so these are probably poor people that have this poor amount of food. And this is why differences between these two accounts But there are some really incredible similarities and there has to be a reason that Jesus does the same large crowd Miracle twice. And I think it's because there's something at the heart of it that we need to know. Voices in verse 34 they were like sheep without a Shepherd need a read Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want
there's Old Testament language is being quoted here when it says they were like sheep without a Shepherd. Did you go back to Numbers chapter? 27 Moses finds out he is not going to be able to continue leading God's promise when you make an appeal to the Lord he prays to God. He says may the Lord the God who gives breath to all appointed man of the community who will go out before then and come back in before them and bring them out and bring them into the community will be like sheep without a shepherd. Lord reply to Moises take Joshua son of nun a man who has the spirit in him and lay your hands on him. See what we're trying to get from our chapter 6 or what we're starting to see is this word crowd. We're just like the people of Israel who no longer had a leader. They were like sheep without a Shepherd knows if we're going to be able to leave them politically military really going to go to lead them into the promised land and be their head figure. I needed someone delete them. We have this many men gathering together all like sheep without a Shepherd. You didn't turn over to John chapter 6 and you get a little bit more of the context. It does at the end of the account of the feeding of the 5000 in John chapter 6. If they wanted to make him King. First fourteen when the people saw the sign he had done they said this truly is the prophet who is to come into the world. There's more when Jesus rides they were about to come and take him by force to make him keep he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. I try not to jump around this much. I'm a little all over the place with the picture that you should be getting with Jesus and feeding the 5000 is not one of people sitting around with picnic basket and plaid red drapes summer picnic. This is a revolutionary crowd seeking a revolutionary. Call 25 years before this is occurring. There was another revolutionary named Judas the Galilean. I'm going to read and learn a little bit more. Him as we continue our study through mark But Judas strictly opposed the head tax. What tax was a Denarius a day's wage that you had to pay just for existing just for being a lot and these Israelites hated the fact that the Roman government has so much power over them if they could exact a day's wage just for existing. An income tax sales tax you don't have to buy anything or anything do anything you just because you exist exist have to pay another days worth of your work.
You know why the Roman government did that? Cuz I could. Play the power influence. The Israelites were helpless to do anything different. Momentum rise up people who want a revolution. They're tired of the political order of the day. They're tired of the way. Rome is exacting their well, we can do it. So what are you going to do about it attitude? And Judas the Galilean strongly opposed head tax even went into the temple in Jerusalem and cleared out all the Gentiles and all the Romans and cleanse the temple.
Sound like anyone else we may know. I believe people are from the same region of Galilee the Judas the Galilean 25 years ago Atlanta Revolution. You know, what happened to Judas the Galilean? Any and all his followers were squashed like a bug.
But these zealots people who are ready for a politically different. wife they're still around and they're still looking for someone to be their Shepherd.
These people have a incredible hunger. Revolution
it would give anything for the politics to go their way. They give anything for the kingdom of their day to go their way. I'll go single podcast this weekend when the guys made a really incredible Point dad used to quote the first line of A Tale of Two Cities. It was the best of times it was the worst of times right is the point. He made was it doesn't really matter. It's the times we live in you you don't really ever get to have a say over whether or not you like the time he only ever get to have a say whether or not you go in a good time or about time you used to live in the time you live in
And these people were hungry to upend. The political leaders of the day Jesus all that. These people need a shepherd. People need someone to feel that boy. What did Jesus grab the pitchforks and torches? Did he tell him he was going to run to Jerusalem and we're going to take over Jerusalem, and we're going to take over the Roman Governor's Palace and then we're going to march to Rome. You go back to work after 6. He says he talked to many things.
Play The Hunger for revolution second. You see a hunger for miracles before it back to Mark chapter 8. After Jesus performed the speeding of the 4000 the very next version verse 11, the Pharisees came and began to argue with him demanding of him a sign from Heaven to Tustin. You read about the similar encounter in John chapter 16 verses 25 and 30. Jesus has gotten done feeding to large crowds of people. And there's a fraction of them that all they want is to see another sign or another miracle.
Did anyone ever Truly Come to faith based on America and America loan? What these people are looking for is some incredible sign of the power of Jesus for something so far above and beyond Supernatural they would prove beyond the power of a doubt that he is the most powerful person to ever live.
We sell you a lot of his miracles. or any of his miracles that kind of miracle
Is Jesus just a popular magician? Hey, you look at what I can pull out of my sleeve. Is Jesus a magician to just stand in front of a bunch of people and make a quarter disappear or makes the Eiffel Tower disappear or goes poof and creates to 11 lb smoked turkeys from nothing. I mean, is that what Jesus does with the time he's on her? Is that how he shows and demonstrates his power? If you think about how you would show demonstrate your power, I would almost guarantee you it'll be completely different than the way Jesus. Am I right?
Watch me build a house with a wave of my magic wand. Let me see by the thousand people. I don't need any fish or bread to start with I'll just walk among them and speak it into existence. Did you take his miracles and you sort of reimagine what he could have done? You realize that there was purpose in the way. He did his miracles to begin with. Because his miracles or never a demonstration of his overriding power. They were showing what kind of world he was trying to create. Over and over again. Jesus doesn't go to powerful people and make them more powerful. Jesus doesn't go to healthy people and make them more healthy. We think about miracles and if they are Supernatural acts that her many theologians describe and rather as Jesus reinstituting the way it was supposed to be.
We look for a miracle asking God to do something Supernatural. When in fact all Jesus has been doing his entire Ministry is taking the unnatural and making it natural and you better watch The Lion King song circle of life. Right right you with all that song. OK Google song, right? We're all part of this circle of life. We're all living and dying and turning into manure.
That's the song.
Is that our future? Is that a future that you're really excited about? The reality is is Jesus didn't come to bring the supernatural. He came to bring the natural. So what has become unnatural. Anytime we suffer anytime. Someone become sick. Anytime someone dies anytime. Anytime we suffer.
We have that feeling it's not supposed to be this way. Jesus miracles that they prove that they're simple to make sick people. Well, they make poor people hold. demon possessed people well
People are looking for some major sign. Maybe they were thinking back to when he was baptized and they want to see this demonstration the heavens opening up and the spirit of God like a dove descending on Jesus. Maybe they want to hear this is my son in whom I am well pleased but the reality is Came to bring about what was truly natural from the beginning. Third there's a hunger for food. You go back to John 6:30 with me.
John 6:30 What sign then are you going to do so that we may see and believe you asked. What are you going to perform? Our ancestors ate the man in the wilderness just as written he gave them bread from Heaven to eat.
Jesus said to them truly. I tell you Moses didn't give you the bread from heaven. But my father gives you the true bread from heaven for the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven. And gives life to the world. I Jesus we saw that you found a bunch of people. We know what happened. We know we can't explain it. But what sign are you going to do? Make this belief.
You even even our ancestors got some Supernatural bread. Why do they hate the head tax so much because if you don't work and you don't make money you don't eat. Right, I think a day off of work and I still making money you take a day off of work you get a day of vacation in the first century. You take a day off of work and you just don't get to eat.
Denarius is a big deal. Oprah bread is a big deal. We think of a loaf of bread is a carbohydrate. It may be hurting her waistline. Bring up Brad is like well, I'm on an Atkins diet. So I'm not going to touch that. This is their whole life is keeping him going the same as keeping them alive. Play Jesus, you know, what? If you're not going to give us a sign then just give us some bread like you gave the 5,000 and like he gave the 4,000 and we'll just eat any Eddie and follow you around and never after work and never have to work.
Jesus said to them truly. I tell you Moses didn't give you the bread from heaven. But my father gives you the true bread from heaven for the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gets life in the world. You got all tied up. You're pushed it up. You got it all messed up. You got that bread that God gave you was so that you didn't have to work and so she'd have to worry and it so you didn't have to do anything but eat the manner that came down. Is that what you thought? What's the point the man? I was supposed to be a sign in and of itself. It was pointing to the Natural reality that wants to come.
Immerse 35 I am the bread of life. Jesus told them no one who comes to me will ever be hungry and no one who believes in me will never be thirsty again.
You think you're hungry for a revolution? You think you're hungry for these Miracles? You think you're hungry for just food? What you're really hungry for is a new life.
You're hungry for a wife that you know, you're supposed to have. She never will. You're hungry for a wife for the Natural Life. As it was supposed to be from the beginning of time. And you don't know where to where to go looking for it. Looking for 47 to John truly. I tell you anyone who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life your ancestors ate the Manna in the wilderness and they they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that anyone may eat of it or not. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone needs to this bread, he will live forever the bread that I will give for The Life Of The World Is My Flesh and that the Jews argue among themselves. How can this man? Give us his flesh to eat. The news said to them truly I tell you unless you eat the Flesh of the son of man and drink his blood. You do not have life in yourselves. The one who eats my flesh and drinks. My blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day because my flash is True Food and my blood is true drink one of these My Flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him just as a living father sent me and I live because of the fathers of the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. It's not like a man that your ancestors and they died the one who eats this bread will live forever.
The sound like Jesus came to lead a revolution.
At least one that's politically and militarily motivated. Is it sound like a Jesus that came just do a bunch of Miracles and show his signs and wonders and power does it sound like a Jesus and came just to make sure you had something to eat. Or does it sound like a Jesus that wants to give you an entirely new life you hunger for a new life? We all do. You hunger for he go back to slide into you hunger for social and political change and coming up and every single person in here. It's probably not happy with the direction the country may be going you made love the political candidates in power. You may hate the political candidates in power and you may be sitting here thinking somebody could just lead a revolution it all be alright.
How many governments? I thought they had it figured out and Fallen how many empires have conquered the world that no longer exist?
We don't want that and hunger for it, but that alone is not going to get it done. You made me hungry for a miracle to take care of a lot of the spiritual suffering the physical suffering the middle suffering. You better be hungry for ice spiritual and psychological change. But that alone isn't going to get it done. You made me hungry for suit material things. You may need more to do what you want in this life. But the reality is is you don't need just one of these.
You need a new life. And Jesus over and over again tells us. We can have it in him. The new life that he is talking about comes from eating his flesh and drinking his blood. You were down a 60 there for me when many of his disciples heard this they said this teaching is hard. You can accept it. Sure, sounds like cannibalism his body drinking his blood is he talkin about?
What is he talking about what Jesus is saying is you have to take me in.
You have to take me in. I have to be the same that powers your whole life.
A revolutionary military political change will not power your life. Assign, a powerful Miracle something that it upsets. What you think is the natural order and seen Supernatural That's not going to power your life. Even the food that could come straight from God as Mana is not enough to power everything in your life.
my body and my blood
that'll get it done. What is anyone sees on me? Will live because of me.
apps with the braids all about that's how Jesus is the bread of life. Because he can Empower you to have a new life.
We see it demonstrated all the time Christ followers become revolutionary. They get involved in politics and they get involved in the social order and they get involved in social causes and guess what they make the world a better place. We wouldn't have hospitals. We wouldn't have many of the institutions that we have if Christians hadn't been transformed to a new life to become revolutionary.
We have all sorts of spiritual psychological mental change because Christians have poured themselves into showing people how Jesus can Empower their lives. The New Normal with people who are Christians feeding those were need giving them the physical sustenance they need because they have a new life.
But the reality is is any of those things while good will not satisfy. but the bread that Jesus gives at least twice 1/8 and we're satisfied.
So we've been asking this question who then is this? The king who satisfies our every hunger. Doesn't matter if your hunger is something different. It doesn't matter. This is what you're hungry. It doesn't matter what your hunger is. I bet we can show you a way that Jesus will satisfy. Is the king who satisfies our every hundred? You probably can guess why this morning? We're going to be the worst supper after the sermon because as they were eating on the nineties betray Jesus Took bread blessed and broken. If you go back to the feeding of the 5000 to the feeding of the 4000. He takes the bread He blesses. You know what the Greek word for blesses Eucharist?
blesses and breaks it 82 disciples and said Take and Eat This is my body. And he took a cop and have to give him things he gave it to them and said drink from it. All of you. This is my blood of the Covenant which is poured out for many for the Forgiveness of sins. But I tell you I will not drink from this through the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you in my father's Kingdom. after singing A Hymn They went out to the Mount of Olives.
Doesn't listen to encourage you to necessarily become a Christian, but it was to show you where your life is. It's in him.
You can focus on changing the world for the better in any number of ways. You're trying to fill up a hunger that we all have. The only thing that will satisfy and satiate that hunger is Jesus himself. This morning as we go to the table to partake of his the memorial of his body in his blood. Remember he is the thing that powers your new life. If you have any need coming out while we stand alone.