October 4th, 2020 Study Guide
The Compassion of Christ - Mark 8:1-10
INTRODUCTORY THOUGHT: We know that this is not a repeat of the feeding of the 5000; the numbers are different, and there are things that Christ says later that makes it very clear this is a second feeding. And that detail is very important because the thing that Mark emphasizes in this miracle is, again, the amazing compassion for what we would consider the incidental needs of this crowd and the unpreparedness of the disciples for this moment.
JESUS CARES FOR GENTILES AS WELL AS JEWS (Mark 8:1)
1 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered…
QUESTION: (v.1) - Who was in this great crowd?
ANSWER: (v.1) - This Gentile crowd had been drawn to Jesus by His miracles (cf. Matt. 15:29–31; Mark 7:31–37). We saw Jesus feed the multitude of Jewish people earlier in chapter 6. But now, He does the same thing for Gentiles in the area of Decapolis.
QUESTION: (v.1) - What is the significance of this feeding taking place in Gentile territory?
ANSWER: (v.1) - Jesus wants His disciples to know that His compassion is not limited to a certain group of people. He cares for people regardless of their nationality or race.
JESUS CARES FOR PHYSICAL NEEDS AS WELL AS SPIRITUAL NEEDS (Mark 8:2-3)
2 I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.
QUESTION: (vv.2-3) - How is Jesus’ compassion and concern for the physical needs of the Gentile crowd indicative of His concern for our spiritual state?
ANSWER: (vv.2-3) - In the big scheme of things, the hunger of these people is not nearly as big as Jesus ultimate purpose which is to die for the sins of mankind. Nonetheless, He cared about the physical needs of these people. He cares about all the details of our lives. He is full of compassion.
JESUS CARES AND IS ABLE TO PROVIDE (Mark 8:4)
4 And his disciples answered him, How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?
QUESTIONS: (v.4) - How many demonstrations of the power are these disciples going to need to see before they actually begin to believe? How could it be possible that they would ask this question again? How many times are we like the disciples?
WHAT SHOULD THE DISCIPLES HAVE SAID: “Lord, You are able. We’re ready to serve.”
JESUS AT WORK: Jesus has been using His miraculous power to progressively reveal to them, This is who I am. This is My character. This is My power. This is My work. You can rest in Me.
WHAT SHOULD THE RESPONSE HAVE BEEN THAT DAY? Lord, You are able. Please pray. We’re ready to serve.
QUESTIONS FOR ALL OF US: Where are you unprepared? Where do you tend to wonder about the presence, the compassion, and the power of your Redeemer? Where do you wonder about His ability to guide you, His ability to provide for you, His willingness to meet your needs? Where do you ask questions that you should not ask because you should already know?
REAL LIFE SCENARIOS:
SCENARIO #1: Maybe you're a parent, and you’re walking down the hallway to deal with another one of those battles, and you feel like you have nothing left. Do you pray? Or do you say all the wrong things to yourself, forgetting the Gospel that you've heard again and again?
SCENARIO #2: Maybe you're dealing with a boss that makes your work-life balance hard? Do you doubt the goodness of your Savior? Do you doubt His presence? Do you doubt His care? Do you doubt His ability to give you the grace that you need to face the thing that you're facing?
SCENARIO #3: Maybe you feel alone. Have you forgotten that you are never alone, for your Savior is with you?
SCENARIO #4: Maybe you're facing areas of sin, and you’ve told yourself you’re going to gain victory; you’ve laid out ways that you will obey God, and you’ve fallen once again. Are you tempted to give in, to quit, to wonder if God's promises are true?
If we are willing to be humble and honest, we would all admit that we’re often like the disciples. Perhaps we ask the same questions; perhaps we experience the same fears; perhaps there are moments when we’re hit with the same doubts - when by grace we’ve been well prepared for those moments in our lives.
JESUS SAVES AND SATISFIES (Mark 8:5-8)
5 And He asked them, How many loaves do you have? They said, Seven. 6 And He directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, He broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, He said that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.
TIME TO EAT: Well, you know what happens here. Jesus takes a small amount of bread and fish and creates, out of that, a lunch for this entire hungry crowd, again, with leftovers.
Just another normal day in the life of Messiah Jesus, who satisfies all who follow Him. A little can become a lot in the hands of the Creator God.
JESUS CARES FOR GENTILES AS WELL AS JEWS (Mark 8:1)
1 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered…
QUESTION: (v.1) - Who was in this great crowd?
ANSWER: (v.1) - This Gentile crowd had been drawn to Jesus by His miracles (cf. Matt. 15:29–31; Mark 7:31–37). We saw Jesus feed the multitude of Jewish people earlier in chapter 6. But now, He does the same thing for Gentiles in the area of Decapolis.
QUESTION: (v.1) - What is the significance of this feeding taking place in Gentile territory?
ANSWER: (v.1) - Jesus wants His disciples to know that His compassion is not limited to a certain group of people. He cares for people regardless of their nationality or race.
JESUS CARES FOR PHYSICAL NEEDS AS WELL AS SPIRITUAL NEEDS (Mark 8:2-3)
2 I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.
QUESTION: (vv.2-3) - How is Jesus’ compassion and concern for the physical needs of the Gentile crowd indicative of His concern for our spiritual state?
ANSWER: (vv.2-3) - In the big scheme of things, the hunger of these people is not nearly as big as Jesus ultimate purpose which is to die for the sins of mankind. Nonetheless, He cared about the physical needs of these people. He cares about all the details of our lives. He is full of compassion.
JESUS CARES AND IS ABLE TO PROVIDE (Mark 8:4)
4 And his disciples answered him, How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?
QUESTIONS: (v.4) - How many demonstrations of the power are these disciples going to need to see before they actually begin to believe? How could it be possible that they would ask this question again? How many times are we like the disciples?
WHAT SHOULD THE DISCIPLES HAVE SAID: “Lord, You are able. We’re ready to serve.”
JESUS AT WORK: Jesus has been using His miraculous power to progressively reveal to them, This is who I am. This is My character. This is My power. This is My work. You can rest in Me.
WHAT SHOULD THE RESPONSE HAVE BEEN THAT DAY? Lord, You are able. Please pray. We’re ready to serve.
QUESTIONS FOR ALL OF US: Where are you unprepared? Where do you tend to wonder about the presence, the compassion, and the power of your Redeemer? Where do you wonder about His ability to guide you, His ability to provide for you, His willingness to meet your needs? Where do you ask questions that you should not ask because you should already know?
REAL LIFE SCENARIOS:
SCENARIO #1: Maybe you're a parent, and you’re walking down the hallway to deal with another one of those battles, and you feel like you have nothing left. Do you pray? Or do you say all the wrong things to yourself, forgetting the Gospel that you've heard again and again?
SCENARIO #2: Maybe you're dealing with a boss that makes your work-life balance hard? Do you doubt the goodness of your Savior? Do you doubt His presence? Do you doubt His care? Do you doubt His ability to give you the grace that you need to face the thing that you're facing?
SCENARIO #3: Maybe you feel alone. Have you forgotten that you are never alone, for your Savior is with you?
SCENARIO #4: Maybe you're facing areas of sin, and you’ve told yourself you’re going to gain victory; you’ve laid out ways that you will obey God, and you’ve fallen once again. Are you tempted to give in, to quit, to wonder if God's promises are true?
If we are willing to be humble and honest, we would all admit that we’re often like the disciples. Perhaps we ask the same questions; perhaps we experience the same fears; perhaps there are moments when we’re hit with the same doubts - when by grace we’ve been well prepared for those moments in our lives.
JESUS SAVES AND SATISFIES (Mark 8:5-8)
5 And He asked them, How many loaves do you have? They said, Seven. 6 And He directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, He broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, He said that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.
TIME TO EAT: Well, you know what happens here. Jesus takes a small amount of bread and fish and creates, out of that, a lunch for this entire hungry crowd, again, with leftovers.
Just another normal day in the life of Messiah Jesus, who satisfies all who follow Him. A little can become a lot in the hands of the Creator God.
Recent
Archive
2021
January
February
March
April
2020
September
October
November