Sermon Notes

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

MARK 6:30-44 //Jesus feeds thousands

God is our provider

“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” 1 Chronicles 29:14

Mark 6:30-44

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages[a]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

SERMON IN A SENTENCE:

Jesus alone can provide what is needed despite impossible circumstances. 

1. JESUS PROVIDES REST FOR THE BUSY DISCIPLES v.30-32

“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.” Mark 6:31-32

“If we don’t come apart and rest - we’ll come apart.” Vance Havner

Jesus alone can provide what is needed despite impossible circumstances.

2. JESUS PROVIDES COMPASSION FOR SHEPHERDLESS SHEEP v.33-34

“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.” Mark 6:34

“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it…” Luke 19:41 NIV

“…God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us… For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” Romans 5:8,10

“No one gives grace better than the person who is deeply persuaded that he needs it himself. Self-righteous people tend to be critical, dismissive, and impatient with others.” Paul David Tripp

Jesus alone can provide what is needed despite impossible circumstances.

3. JESUS PROVIDES FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY MASSES v. 35-44

“…And they said to him, ‘Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?’” Mark 6:37

“Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.” Mark 6:39

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” Psalm 23:1-2

“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.” Mark 6:41-42

We are to apply what we have, no matter how small, knowing that God will supply what we need, no matter how big.

Jesus alone can provide what is needed despite impossible circumstances.

“’For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’” John 6:32-35

“The point of making bread, as it were, out of nothing—like God making manna (in the Old Testament), is that the Son of God has come into the world not to give you bread, but to be your bread.” John Piper