Mark 6:30-44

Mark 6:30-44

King Herod's fit of conscience was caused by the excitement and reports of the Apostles’ ministry. Mark returns to the life of Christ after the description of John and Herod. Jesus calls for a retreat and a season of rest. Healthy bodies and minds require healthy boundaries. Sometimes the most spiritually Biblical thing that one can do is to take a nap and have a good meal. But the press of people interrupts even the Lord’s plans.

The people are clamoring for something meaningful. They walked around the Sea of Galilee to find where Jesus would land. How much of our media/entertainment/ sports/celebrity culture is a symptom of people looking for something of substance. Often the church is offering only a spiritual version of the media/entertainment/ sports/celebrity culture. In His compassion Jesus responds by teaching. He sees the people running amok, chaos rules their lives. Like sheep with no Shepherd, people with no direction, He is moved to the core of His emotions. He responds by teaching. 

Don't miss this point! Into the chaos of the lives of directionless people, the starting point for Jesus was not healing, music, feeding the masses, or entertainment; but rather, He taught them. This is a lesson the church needs to never forget. No one will deny the value of the social aspects of the ministry of the church and they can reinforce and remind sheep of the main point. But the only cure for the people in chaos is the Lord and He comes via teaching. The act of feeding the 5,000 is a study unto itself and is a metaphor for the feeding of the Body of Christ.

In short, there was an impossible situation and into that impossible situation Jesus introduces possibilities: Divine-human cooperation. In such a situation our contribution is not that grand. It is reflective of where my head and commitment is. What are five loaves among so many? Even in the giving the disciples are doubtful. The Lord does not need a lot or even much or in reality anything from us except willingness. Without our being willing to surrender what little we have God isn't working with us, He is working in spite of us. We have to be willing.

"Lord, help me cooperate with You by being willing to surrender to You. AMEN"