June 13, 2021

MARK: HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET!

June 13, 2021

Pastor Jonathan Falwell

 

Lessons for daily living can come to us from many different directions. Have you almost missed something very important because at first you thought it to be insignificant advice?

We now have slightly more than two weeks left as we finish the Bible in the first six months of 2021—a major commitment for many, but so rewarding! After being in the book of Matthew last week, today we will glean lessons from Mark. Each of the four gospels, though similar in relating the ministry and miracles of Jesus Christ, include His death, burial, and resurrection, but are written to different groups of people or in different ways. Mark focused on Gentile readers and therefore eliminated much of the genealogy and Jewish traditions, as those did not concern them. He presents thirty-five miracles of Jesus, all declaring the Deity of Jesus Christ as the Messiah Israel had been expecting.

Focal Passage: The Book of Mark, Mark 8:1-8

            He is Always Sensitive to Our Needs

  • Read Mark 8:1-8, then re-read verses 1-2. Why was the crowd so engrossed in the teachings of Jesus that they were able to go without food for three days? Why were they not even yet ready to leave?
  • In Mark 6:35 who called attention to the crowd’s need for food? Who mentions it here in chapter 8? Why did the disciples not need to bring the plight of the crowd to Jesus’ attention? Why did Jesus have “compassion” for the crowd?
  • Do you recall a time when you’ve been moved with compassion for someone? Can you share? Have you ever consciously desired to be more aware of the needs of people you meet? If so, what did you do?
  • Do you sometimes feel that Jesus is not aware of your needs when you are in a situation that seems urgent to you? Have you ever felt like He’s forgotten you?
  • Do you constantly examine your faith to remind yourself that Jesus knows and cares about your every need even before you ask?

We Are All Too Quick to Forget

  • Read Mark 8:4. When is a time you recall asking a question that you later felt like could have taken a prize for “World’s Dumbest”?
  • How could the disciples have forgotten the recent miracle of feeding the 5,000 men? How do you think they felt when they asked Jesus where to go for food?
  • Read Mk. 4:35-41. What was the truth the disciples were slowly accepting?
  • How are some of the ways Jesus Christ has been faithful in taking care of you? When was the last time you felt He did not meet a certain need when you thought it was critical? What did you conclude?

He Is Always Quick to Remind Us of His Faithfulness

  • Read Mark 8:5. When Jesus asked this of the disciples, do you think they were reminded of the other similar miracle? Read Mark 6:38. How would you have felt to have just replayed this scenario? Do we remind those we love that we “just had this conversation…” and perhaps speak with impatience or sarcasm? Why does Jesus not get impatient at our slowness of heart? Read Psalm 103:14.
  • How did Jesus respond to them? Can you fathom being in the presence of God, and watching this miracle take place? What do you think you would have seen?

 He Will Never Let Us Down

  • Read Mark 8:6-8. How had the disciples just exhibited a lack of faith in this situation? How do you show that same lack of faith when He has been faithful in your past? Read Isaiah 51:1. What was Isaiah saying in this verse?
  • Can someone share the difference between the leftovers in Mark 6 and these leftovers? What were the differences in the baskets? Read Acts 9:24-25. What was the similarity between the basket that held Paul, and the ones the disciples gathered up?
  • Which miracle do you think the disciples would remember longer? Why?
  • Why is our God able to do greater miracles as our faith grows? Read Ephesians 3:20. Is He restricted by anything?
  • Who is Jesus to you—the One who can calm the sea, or the One you are not sure can duplicate a miracle? Why?

Close

The lessons in this passage of the feeding of the four thousand are those we can absorb into our lives, reminding ourselves of the care and faithfulness of our God. If we start thinking of Him creating the universe, we are soon boggled in mind at His omnipotence and can get no further than being able to take the proverbial baby steps. For instance, when the disciples saw Him calm the raging sea with just a word, it brought forth the exclamation, “Who can this be, that even the wind and sea obey Him?!” Yet soon after, when He—for a second time—was going to feed a crowd, the disciples asked, “What do you want us to do, go buy bread?” The enormity of what they were continually witnessing must have blown their minds.

He is a faithful, good, patient God, and loves us much more than we can imagine. As we strive for sanctification through obedience to His word, desiring to please Him, love Him, and rest in His care, may we always look to Him to care for us, knowing He has promised to see that we have what we need for life. He has pledged that if we hunger and thirst for righteousness, He will provide everything we need. And He will never back down on His word.

 

 

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