The Compassion of Jesus (Mark 6:30-44)
Thank you to everyone who brought a friend or family member to visit Grace on Easter Sunday. I loved seeing the risks so many of you took to bring someone with you.
This week at Grace, we're going to continue our series in the Gospel of Mark by going back to chapter 6 to see Jesus' provision for his disciples and the crowds at the same time. The feeding of the 5,000 miracle is recorded in all four gospels (a rarity for any event in Jesus' life, except the resurrection), and holds a special place in many of our hearts going back to childhood.
But don't mistake familiarity with the story for mastery over the passage. There is much here to challenge us, especially in how we see the needs of others, what expectations and limits we place on Jesus, and where we turn for rest.
Looking forward to exploring the riches of God's Word with you this Sunday!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 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. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 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. 35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 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. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
- Mark 6:30-44