I’ll Show You Again

 

I’ll Show You Again!

I want to be perfectly honest with you – I am not the most patient of people. It frustrates me when people don’t “get it.” But, with great wisdom, and a truckload of grace, I must understand that some will never “get it.”

And, the stories from the gospels about the miracle of fish and bread, are proof of this truth:

Let’s Set the Stage

Mark 6.30-44

John the Baptizer had just been killed. Herod, exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, did not want to refuse her [his wife’s daughter], had John beheaded. Mark 6.26-27

Jesus’ disciples heard this horrible news and immediately went and took John’s body and laid it in a tomb. Next, they went and told The Master. Jesus, in His grief and His wisdom, looked around at the gathering mob and said to His people, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest.” Mark 6.31. And, then they shoved off the shore and drifted out into the sea.

Five thousand men, and most likely with wives and children, were so eager to hear Jesus that they began to run to the other side of the sea to meet Him there. Rather than being irritated and thinking, “Can’t I ever be alone?” Jesus was moved with compassion and spent the day ministering to them.

Lord, it’s getting late and we are starving and we are quite certain this multitude of people are hungry as well – we must send them home.

Jesus said to His people, Give them something to eat. 

The rest, we can say, is history. The disciples found five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus blessed what He had and, not only fed the crowd but had 12 baskets of bread and fish left over. (One for each?)

Then What?

1. Jesus walks on water (6.45-52)
2. Many touch Him and are made well (6.53-56)
3. Jesus teaches that defilement comes from within (Mark 7.1-23)
4. The Syro-Phoenician woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter (7.24-30)
5. Jesus heals a deaf mute (7.31-37)

I’ll Show Them Again

Mark 8.1-10

I am not sure how much time has passed BUT, (just saying), if I had had an eye-witness to 5,000+ people being fed from 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, I think I would have remembered…

I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat – and they live too far away to send them home for food.

Lord, how can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?

Now, I can’t help but wonder if Jesus didn’t turn His holy face, roll His holy eyes, and whisper to The Father, “Here We go again…”

The rest of this story is basically the same. The disciples gathered seven loaves of bread and a few small fish, Jesus blessed what they had and fed four thousand, plus women and children, and had seven large baskets of leftovers.

Back in the boat…

Jesus and His disciples left the multitude and sailed to Dalmanutha where immediately upon their arrival the Pharisees met them and began disputing Jesus, testing Him, and asking Him for a sign from heaven. (Here)

Pronto, Jesus gets back in the boat and left the Pharisees and sailed to the other side of the lake (sea). The subject of food comes up (again). 8.13-17. I can’t help but wonder (again) what happened to the seven baskets of leftovers because the 12 only have one loaf of bread between them. But, of course, Jesus has already moved on and is talking about something entirely different.

How do you not remember?

Here’s where it gets real…

Having eyes, do you not see? And, having ears, do you not hear? (DRUM ROLL) And, do you not remember when I broke the 5 loaves for the 5,000 and when I broken the 7 loaves for the 4,000? HOW IS IT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND?

How is it you do not understand? In chapter 8, verse 17, Jesus asked His twelve, “Is your heart still hardened?” I am going to go out on a limb here and say: Holy Spirit has not come yet to teach and bring discernment – so the disciples “didn’t get it.”  (Here)

What is my excuse?

How many times do we have to ‘take the test?’  As Christ-followers we are told if we lack wisdom, to ask for it. We are told to discern. The one thing I do not want to do is take the same old tests for the same old lessons, over and over and over again. All of these Gospel stories are lessons for us. These give us the information and Holy Spirit brings the revelation and our lives experience transformation.

The take-away’s

1. Do what the Lord tells me to do and if He hasn’t told me anything new recently? Then, keep doing the last thing He told me to do.
2. God can be trusted.
3. Some folks will never ‘get it.’
4. Pray and ask for wisdom and discernment.
5. God’s Word is Truth.
6. If Jesus did it once? He can do it again.
7. Receive His grace and ask again.
8. God will bless the little. Zechariah 4.10

The Season of Lent is upon us! Take the Journey with Jesus. Click on the image for the book on Amazon.