Celebrating the Compassion of Christ - May 3, 2020

Celebrating the Compassion of Christ

 

Mark 6:30-44

Thesis: We celebrate that fact that our God always takes care of us! He always has our best interest in mind!

 

1. “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." (vs 31b)
2. Jesus recognized that the disciples had been tirelessly teaching, preaching and healing people. (vs 31a)
3. God knows how hard we have been working.
4. Jesus invited them to spend time with him.

         “Jesus said, Come with me”

1. Jesus chose to just meet with the disciples alone, “By yourselves”.

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:20)

1. Jesus has planned a spiritual retreat for his disciples so they could rest.
2. God gave us one out of seven days to rest.

     “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.” (Exodus 20:11)

2. To Keep our bodies and minds strong we must rest.
3. However, upon arriving at their retreat location they were met by a needy crowd of people.

 

1. “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them,” (34a) 
2. Jesus recognized that this large number of people needed Him more than he needed rest.

“because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” (vs34b)

1. Compassion will compel you to help those whom you love.
2. The disciples recognized the crowd had physical hunger needs and had compassion on them. (see vs 35-36)
3. The disciples were developing the heart of Christ for others.
4. As we become more like Christ we will become less concerned about self and more concerned for others.
5. Jesus once again challenges the disciples to engage in ministry.

         “But he (Jesus) answered, ‘You give them something to eat.”

 

III. “Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.” (vs39)

1. Jesus continues to provide direction to the disciples on how to serve.
2. “Have them sit in groups” is God’s plan for humanity.
3. God created us to be in community. That is why he created Eve for Adam. That is why he created the family. That is why he created the Church.
4. That is why “social distancing” has been hard.
5. However, God says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for activity under heaven…a time to embrace and a time to refrain.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 &5b)
6. Jesus directs them to “Sit on the green grass.”

         “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters”, (Psalms 23:2)

1. Jesus then prays and then feeds them until they are full.
2. Everyone was physical, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually fed and renewed, including the disciples.

     “They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” (Mathew 14:20)