“He Understands Us”  Mark 6:7-56

Sermon by Pastor Dennis Gleason -- March 12, 2006

 “And he got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were greatly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.”  Mark 6:51-52

According to a traditional Hebrew story, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one evening when he saw an old man, weary from age and journey, coming toward him. Abraham rushed out, greeted him, and then invited him into his tent. There he washed the old man's feet and gave him food and drink.

 The old man immediately began eating without saying any prayer or blessing. So Abraham asked him, "Don't you worship God?"

The old traveler replied, "I worship fire only and reverence no other god."

When he heard this, Abraham became incensed, grabbed the old man by the shoulders, and threw him out his his tent into the cold night air.

When the old man had departed, God called to his friend Abraham and asked where the stranger was. Abraham replied, "I forced him out because he did not worship you."

God answered, "I have suffered him these eighty years although he dishonors me. Could you not endure him one night?"

We are constantly amazed, as we read the New Testament, at how hard it was for the disciples of Jesus to truly understand who he was. At the end of this section, Mark reveals that even after being with Jesus for more than a year the disciples don’t really understand Jesus. The word Mark uses for the hardening of their hearts literally means:  they were dull, or stupid.

Why does Mark tell us that their heart was hardened?  It was because they did not understand the miracle of the loaves and consequently they were amazed at his mastery of the elements.

 Let’s go back and look at the events that transpired before this statement to see what we can understand about these men. These disciples are becoming Apostles. We need to understand what took place in their lives and experience with Jesus if we are ever going to understand anything about our relationship with Him.

 Mark 6:6  tells us that Jesus went out from Nazareth to the villages around teaching. That is a simple statement. But Matthew tells us that Jesus went out to the villages around teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, healing all manner of diseases; and when he saw the people he was moved with compassion for them. For they were like sheep without a shepherd, distressed and scattered.

 Jesus’ mission was one of the King’s compassion for his people. He saw them as sheep without a shepherd, a mob, disorganized and needy.  This is the inspiration for the apostolic mission to the people of Israel. Seeing the people and their needs caused him to gather his disciples and send them out on their own mission of compassion.

 Mark  6:7 tells us that Jesus called the twelve disciples together and began sending them out in pairs to preach the gospel. He gave them authority over evil spirits. As he sent them out, his instructions indicate that this is a transitory or temporary assignment. They were going out and would soon return. Out they went.

 There were some limitations to their ministry. They were to only go to Israelites; not to gentiles nor to any Samaritans.

 Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell about this first mission trip by the disciples. The disciples have been in training with Jesus for just over a year. His intention when he chose the twelve was that they would go out and preach and cast out demons. The training has come to a point at which they can now go out. They have observed his words and his way with the people as he taught and healed them. They had seen his authority in the spiritual realm, forgiving sin and bringing peace to the conscience. They had finally seen him unable to do anything there in Nazareth, his power paralyzed. But they had seen his power and now he gives some of that power and authority to them.

 So he sends them away as his representatives.

 They went in his name to represent him. That means they are now apostles…representatives…sent out ones…sent out to say what he has been saying and to do the very things he has been doing.  “They went out and preached that men should repent.” (vs. 12) That is what our text in English tells us. But the truth is that they went out and preached so that men would repent. The result of their preaching was that people repented. They did not just tell people to repent. No, the result of their preaching was that people repented. That is the sense of the text here. “They were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.”   (vs 13). They said what Jesus was saying and did what Jesus was doing. And as they went, they expanded the reach of Jesus through out the entire area.

 Look at Matthew 10 and you will see the listing of the twelve and I think the pairing of the men as they went out.

 Their going out was with the intention that people would repent

Their going out was a matter of faith. They went out believing that something would happen.

 Now, we might ask how effective they were as they went out.

 The result of their going was that “His name had become known

The interlude of verses 14-29 reveal that to us. Herod was terrified. He had killed John the Baptist. And while we won’t take time to fully expound that right now, the effect of their ministries was such that Herod, a superstitious pagan, was afraid that John had risen from the dead and might come back to haunt him. I would say their ministries were very effective.

 However, Mark reveals the fact that the Apostles gathered back together with Jesus (vs 30) and reported all that they had done and taught while they were out on their mission trips.

 Imagine six reports, none written down, only spoken.

 Take note of the reports they give:  There is nothing printed. There is no detailed account of what they said, what they did or where they went. There aren’t even any interesting stories told of what happened.

This is another place where it is probably good that we don’t have their reports. Because if we did, we would probably have a School established for adopting the methods of Andrew and Peter, of James and John, the fiery sons of thunder or of the quiet men Philip and Nathanael or so on.

Jesus then invites these men to come apart from everyone to rest. Let’s go out into the desert places. And we won’t go any where we have to walk. Let’s take the boat. You need to rest physically, mentally and spiritually. No teaching, no preaching, no praying, no thinking, no conflict with the spirit world…just quiet rest. Note the understandingness of Jesus:  He understands their need to get away from it all.  He knew they were tired. And it is OK to go rest. And so out in the boat they go approximately 12 miles to Eastern Bethsaida.

But when they arrive they are greeted by a multitude of people! The crowds of people were waiting for them. Jesus, who had called them apart for rest, understood the needs of the crowds of people and he had compassion for them.

He began to teach them.

The disciples who were resting did nothing! They were tired. They were resting. They watched Jesus give and give of himself to the crowds. For Jesus there was no rest until he had accomplished his mission.

But the disciples, the apostles, had no responsibilities that day. They were resting.

t when the day was almost over the disciples came to Jesus and said, ”The place is quite desolate and it is already late; send the people away so they can go into the villages and countryside and buy themselves something to eat.” 

 Bu

The disciples say send the people away.

But Jesus says “Give them something to eat.”

And the disciples protest. “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”  This is a question of protest. Not even two hundred days wages would be enough for the crowds of people.

Jesus asks them how many loaves they have. Their response:  “…five, and two fish.”

“Bring them to me,” he says. He blessed them and gave the food to the disciples to pass out to the people. Five thousand men and who knows how many women and children ate as much as they wanted. And there were 12 baskets full of leftovers when they were done.

Jesus then sent them back to the boat and back the way they came. And we need to note this: Jesus sent them back into the storm. That is always God’s way…the way of His will is the way of the storm.

Our text says that the disciples were straining at the oars for the wind was against them. Mark literally says they were tormented in rowing. The wind was against them. Why didn’t they go back where they had just come from? They couldn’t because Jesus had sent them that way! So, they were tormented in the very path of obedience. But it was also the way of His power, for he came after them. The wind was contrary to him too, but it did not hinder him. The waves were simply pavement for his footsteps. And then suddenly he was in the boat with them and the storm ceased.

Mark then tells us that they were amazed. Why? Mark says it was because they did not understand the incident of the loaves. These are insiders. These men have just spent over a year with Jesus. They have heard him. They have seen him. They have been witnesses to his power and miracles. And they do not understand. Mark says it is because their heart is hardened.

What do you suppose Mark means by that? The word for hardened means that they were dull, stupid and therefore they did not understand the miracle of the loaves, and consequently they were amazed at his mastery of the elements…the wind and the waves. They just don’t get it.

Remember their meeting with Jesus when they came back from preaching and casting out demons? They had been on their mission and had just returned. These men had preached, had encouraged people to repent, and had cast out demons in his power.

And all they could say in the presence of hungry people was “send them away to buy…” These men, when Jesus told them to do the most natural thing and feed them, argued with Jesus. “Shall we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread?”

These men, when they saw Jesus master the supernatural personally and for them, were amazed. These men did not understand. They were dull and stupid.

And they were the Apostles!

What can we say about that?  I think we should say, “Thank God!”

They were his disciples. He chose them. He did not make any mistakes.

That must mean that I can make it. He chooses. He equips. He uses people just like us. He gives rest to us.

And He bears with all our inability to understand him in the presence of the hungry multitudes, and the ability to understand him when he masters the  wind and the waves.

God is bigger than your struggle.

Take note of this:  If you and I don’t get it; if we don’t understand it is OK. Perhaps we are having a tough time believing him right now. Even that is OK. Not even those who walked personally with him understood it all the time.

The important thing is that God gets it!

He understands us.

He cares enough to give us the very best and is patient with us. He is kind and loving and gracious. He understands us and has great patience with us.

--Dennis Gleason