Do You Still Not Understand?
Text: Mark 8:1-21
Core Idea: Jesus is a compassionate King who also calls us to serve others on behalf of Him. This is not easy because we often focus so much on our inadequacy – but He’s inviting us today to remember what He did and what He’s able to do in our lives. He is calling us to trust Him.
INTRODUCTION
Good afternoon, Lighthouse. It is good to be with you on this beautiful day. We’ve been going through the Gospel of Mark and examining the life of Jesus. Last week, we saw that Jesus left Galilee and went up north to the vicinity of Tyre (a gentile region) where He met a woman with a demon-possessed daughter. Then He moved down to the Decapolis (another gentile region) where He met a man who was deaf and could hardly talk. Through these stories, we learned that Jesus was opening the door of salvation for people from all nations, tribes, and tongues. Through Christ, we’re no longer outsiders, but insiders welcomed to enter the presence of God and enjoy the feast that He has prepared for us. Today, you’ll see that He’s still in the Decapolis – and this is very important to remember because it will help us better understand the passage. Then with that in mind, let’s turn our Bibles to Mark 8:1-21. Let me read this for us.
1 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, 2 “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” 4 His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” 5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied. 6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When He had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, He broke them and gave them to His disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. 7 They had a few small fish as well; He gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. 8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 9 About four thousand were present. After He had sent them away, 10 He got into the boat with His disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha. 11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test Him, they asked Him for a sign from heaven. 12 He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” 13 Then He left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side. 14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” 16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” 17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. 20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” 21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
Amen. This is the Word of God for you today.
Mark tells us that another large crowd gathered where Jesus was. Now, we see a more detailed description of this scene in Matthew 15:30-31 – it says, “Great crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at His feet; and He healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.” From this, we could imagine how crazy and chaotic this place must have been – more and more people coming by the day as Jesus’ fame grew. In fact, verse 9 tells us that there were 4,000 people. Now, there was a problem: they had nothing to eat, and people were getting hungry. This is the setting that begins this story – sounds familiar? It should be, at least for those who have been with us in this sermon series, because we saw something very similar in chapter 6. We’ll address all those things and more as we unpack this passage more carefully. There are three things that I want us to see in this passage:
THE FEEDING
THE TEST
THE DULLNESS
1) THE FEEDING
Let’s start from verse 1. When Jesus saw the problem, Mark tells us that He was filled with compassion. Now, let’s not rush through this too quickly. You may remember that the word “compassion” in Greek literally means “to have your bowels or intestines yearn” or, as we would put it, to have a gut-wrenching experience – describing this deep sympathy and sorrow for those who are suffering. And that’s exactly what Jesus experienced when He saw this crowd – He was moved in His heart with tenderness for them. Imagine how powerful that image is – in their suffering, He felt the suffering as if it was His own; His heart was drawn to their distress.
But let’s be honest, in the grand scheme of things, the problem this crowd faced doesn’t really seem like a big deal. Just think about the people Jesus ministered to so far: those who had various diseases and disabilities, those who were demon-possessed, those who were facing deadly threats (like a storm on a sea), those who actually died, those who were socially rejected and emotionally desperate – and yet, here was Jesus, being moved by the fact that this crowd was hungry. Some of us really need to slow down to let that truth sink in – this story shows us that Jesus cares about what you’re concerned about whether they’re big or small. Now, what’s unfortunate is that many of us believe that Jesus is compassionate in general, but we struggle to believe that He actually cares about us. You see, our tendency is to feel that the more difficult life gets the more alone we are – as we sink further into pain, we sink further into believing that we’re alone, that no one really cares. Maybe you believe that right now – “Does God actually care about my life? There are literally billions of people who have never heard of the gospel. Evil is everywhere. It’s heartbreaking to hear about the things that are going on around the world – Ukraine, Texas, the Middle East, Africa, and the countless untold stories of hurt and injustice. Not only that, there are thousands of Christians being persecuted for their faith all over the world. Would He really care about my exams, university applications, dating problems, career path problems, insomnia, travel plans, and so on? There must be so many other things that God must be more concerned about – things that seem more urgent.” If you’re entertaining those thoughts, I invite you to look at this story again because Mark shows us that Jesus does care about all of our needs no matter how insignificant they may seem to others.
Brothers and sisters, we are loved by the Redeemer who cares about the details of our lives. He cares about what you’re going through right now and what you’re about to face in life. The pressure from work, the weightiness of parenting, the worries that keep you awake at night, the exhaustion that comes from your duties at home, school, work, and even at church, the unbearable expectations from people, the helplessness and hopelessness you feel from the situation you’re in, the disappointments and discouragements from the people you trusted and love – yet in all of these things, Jesus cares – He is compassionate. This is why it’s not just okay but it’s good to bring all of our needs and concerns to Him. Thomas Goodwin actually says this: “Christ gets more joy and comfort than we do when we come to Him for help and mercy.” Or as Dane Ortlund writes, “This is what He loves to do. His joy and ours rise and fall together.”
Now, how is that possible – how can He just continue to give? Because His compassion is not a finite resource. It’s not like He has no more compassion left for us because He was busy dispensing all the compassion He had on more “important” things. Psalm 116:5 says, “The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.” His compassion for us will never run out. The same Jesus who wept at the tomb of Lazarus will weep with us in our despair. The same Jesus who touched the leper will put His arm around us when we’re hurting. The same Jesus who had compassion for those who were hungry will have the same compassion for us in all of our needs. In other words, compassion is what flows out of Him when He sees you. Isn’t that amazing?
Now, this story shows us something else as well. After Jesus saw the needs of the people, after feeling compassionate for them, Jesus brought that need to His disciples’ attention. Do you see that? He could’ve served the crowd Himself, but Jesus called His disciples to see what He saw and to have compassion for the things He was compassionate about. This is discipleship – Jesus doesn’t just teach us the things we should know; He also teaches us the way we should feel. Then one of the things that we should continue to pray for is not only for us to grow in knowledge but in compassion for others – to be able to empathize, grieve, and be concerned for the needs of others. Brothers and sisters, is there a need that the Lord has been leading you to see today? Is there someone God has been nudging you to reach out to? What burden is God putting on your heart? Don’t neglect those promptings because He may be sending you on behalf of Him. In fact, this may be the very reason why you’re in the career you’re in. Then as a teacher, a nurse, a salesperson, a stay-home mom, a student, how do you view the people around you? Do you see their needs? Are you meeting those needs? But this could also be the very reason why God has put a pause on your career – maybe because there’s a need in your home with your marriage or parenting. This might be the reason why you’re where you are in your life, why you went through what you went through, and why you were blessed with certain things or lost certain things. In other words, wherever we are, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we’re called to serve others on behalf of Him, to represent Him, and to be a channel of blessing for Him.
Now, as I mentioned in the beginning, this story seems awfully similar to the feeding of the five thousand. And this has caused many critics to question the authenticity of the Bible – “Mark must have forgotten that he already recorded this event before – see, the Bible is full of flaws.” But we must recognize that these aren’t two versions of the same story – there are too many differences for that to be true. For example, the size of the crowd is different – 5,000 men (which could’ve meant that there were 15,000-20,000 people including women and children) vs. 4,000 people. The number of loaves and fish is different – 5 loaves and 2 fish vs. 7 loaves and a few small fish. The amount of time spent in the wilderness is different – 1 day vs. 3 days. The number of leftover baskets is different – 12 vs. 7. And most importantly, the people who received this miracle are different – Jews vs. gentiles. These were two different historical events that happened two different times in two different places with different details. Then why did Jesus do the same thing twice? Why did Mark intentionally choose to record these two similar stories in his account?
Two reasons. First, it was another reminder that we’re inadequate, but God is not. When Jesus called them, the disciples should’ve known what Jesus was about to do because He had already done it before. They’ve seen it with their own eyes – the miracle of feeding the 5,000. Yet the disciples still responded with doubt and cynicism – verse 4, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” Then we can’t help but ask, “How can they so easily forget how powerful Jesus is?” It was because they were so overwhelmed with their own inadequacy that they failed to see who Jesus was. In other words, they focused so much on themselves that they took their eyes off of Jesus. Brothers and sisters, the good news is that Jesus is never limited by our limitations. Our inadequacy is not a problem for Jesus. In fact, He’ll multiply what we have so that we can serve others. Look at the story again – the disciples gave what they had, Jesus multiplied it, and He gave it back to the disciples to bless people. This reminded me of what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.” We must never allow our inadequacy or weakness to be an excuse not to serve. Instead, come to God with your inadequacy because He’ll be able to do far more than you could’ve ever imagined.
But there’s another reason why Mark recorded this story here: because he wanted to clearly show that Jesus was paving the way for the gentiles to receive salvation. Mark wanted to make it crystal clear that not just the Jews, but the gentiles were also the recipients of His Kingdom and grace. Look at verse 8, “The people ate and were satisfied” – just as the Jews were in Mark 6:42. Through Jesus, outsiders were becoming insiders – welcomed to feast at His Table. Then other than being thankful, is there anything we can learn from this? Absolutely – mainly that we should begin to extend our compassion and service to those who are different from us. This really is why, as a church, we intentionally made our Community Groups intergenerational, why we invite our children and youth to join our service, and why we do a 3-minute fellowship after service – it’s to encourage people to move out of their comfort zone to serve those who may be different from them. I pray that this will become evident in our community more and more – that nothing will hinder us from joyfully loving one another.
2) THE TEST
Mark tells us in verse 10 that Jesus and His disciples went to the region of Dalmanutha, which is believed to be a Jewish region. Then it’s not surprising to see Jesus being harassed by the Pharisees once again. Verse 12 – it says that they came to test Him by asking Him for a sign from heaven. What this means is that they were saying, “Show us a sign that will convince us that you’re really from God.” Now, we must remember that they’ve seen so many signs already – miracles that pointed Jesus to be the Promised Messiah, the Savior King. They saw the miracles, but they missed the point. Then what they were really demanding wasn’t just another sign but a sign that will persuade them – a sign that they wanted to see. In other words, they were really saying, “We think the Messiah should be like this. Show us that you meet those criteria. Show us that you meet our standard, our expectation.”
What does that mean for us? We must be able to see that, sadly, this is how some of us approach Jesus. We’re not ready to receive Him for who He says He is; rather, we’re constantly testing Him to see if He really is worthy of our worship. So, we say things like, “God, I’ll trust you if you do this or that for me – if I do well on my exam, if I find someone, if I get into this job, if you provide children, if you heal me, and so on. Give me a reason to believe you, trust you!” Friends, let me ask you, “Are you trusting Jesus or testing Jesus today?” It’s one thing to come to Jesus with our needs but it’s completely another to test Jesus with our needs – do you see the difference? This is so important to see because it shows us that one’s lack of faith isn’t just a matter of lack of evidence – at its heart, it’s an unwillingness to surrender all the things that we hold dear. Friends, what’s one thing you’re still unwilling to surrender to God? Your career, your children, comfort, reputation, health, or wealth. Are you so protective over these things that your prayers sound almost like a threat to God? Is your life so dependent on these things that your mood, attitude, and even your relationship with God change according to how strong your grip is over these things?
If you are, this is a really scary place to be, because look at how Jesus responded in verse 12. “He sighed deeply” and, verse 13, “left them.” Imagine Jesus’ response to the Pharisees: “Are you serious? Are you not paying attention? Didn’t you see the healings? Didn’t you see the exorcism? Didn’t you see the feeding of the 5,000, the 4,000? Didn’t you hear me teach and preach? What more do you need? If you can’t see God at work in Me, no evidence will convince you anyway. Your demand for more signs is nothing but an expression of your unbelief. So, nothing else will be given to you.” Jesus wasn’t going to tolerate their hostility, their decision to stand against Him – so, He walked away from them.
Then I want to speak to those who may still be on the fence – waiting for something to change your stance on Jesus. I want you to know that everything we need to know to trust Jesus has already been given to us in the Bible. I invite you to turn to the Word and get to know Him – turn to Him and He will begin to clear away the fog and silence the questions and doubts in your heart. In fact, He’s already knocking at the door of your heart – He’s seeking you. I know this because you’re here – listening to this. He’s drawing you closer to Him. Then I pray that you would stop delaying –turn to Him today and ask Him to open your eyes to see the truth.
3) THE DULLNESS
Mark points out that the Pharisees weren’t the only ones who didn’t understand – His own disciples missed the point as well. Now, they weren’t willfully rejecting Jesus like the Pharisees, but they were just incredibly slow and dull. Let me show you what I mean. Verse 14 – the disciples realized that they forgot to bring bread except for one loaf. Maybe that started this blaming game – “Andrew, I told you to put the leftover baskets in the boat.” “I thought it was Matthew’s turn.” “What? No, it wasn’t. And if you knew the baskets weren’t in the boat, why didn’t you just do it yourself?” “Stop fighting. Who cares at this point? I guess we’ll have to starve until we cross the sea.” The irony, of course, was that the Bread of life was in the boat with them – they should’ve known that they had nothing to worry about.
So, Jesus decided to use this opportunity to teach them something. Verse 15, “Be careful. Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” As you know, yeast makes the dough rise. Now, a picture of yeast was very common in the Bible – but it was often used negatively to refer to the way evil, no matter how small it may be, permeates and impacts everything it touches. Then Jesus was using the Pharisees and Herod as an example by saying, “The yeast of unbelief has gripped their hearts and it has taken control over their entire lives. As a result, they’re willfully rejecting me, turning away from me. Don’t be like them. Don’t let unbelief blind you and lead you away from me. Remember who I am and what I can do.” Sadly, the disciples didn’t get it. Verse 16 – they thought that Jesus was upset because they didn’t bring bread – “I told you He would be upset.” Now, we can be pretty hard on these disciples saying, “Why don’t they get it? Why are they so dull, so forgetful?” But if we’re honest, we are unbelievably forgetful – especially in those moments when things are not really working out the way we desired and hoped, when we struggle or experience pain, or when we’re at our lowest points. We focus so much on what we want God to do that we completely forget what God has done over and over again in our lives, and how it was always good. We forget how dependent we are on Christ. We forget how powerful, yet compassionate He is. Then as disciples, it’s absolutely crucial for us to find ways to remember God’s faithfulness from the past. We need to do this because remembering His past faithfulness is the first step in recognizing and enjoying His present faithfulness and it’s what will sustain us as we put our hope in His future faithfulness. Does that make sense? Remembering what He did before will help us now and tomorrow.
Then what are some things we can do practically to help us remember the gospel truth better – the ways that He has been faithful to us? This article from the Desiring God offers 6 things we can do to remember God’s past faithfulness.
Think. Intentionally think about those moments when God displayed His power in your life (Ps. 77:12).
Thank. Regularly thank God for what He has done (Ps. 9:1).
Tell. Tell others the joy of those memories because it will leave a greater impression in your heart (Josh. 4:21–22).
Traditions. Make it a tradition to make certain events (like birthdays or putting up a Christmas tree) an opportunity to share stories of God’s faithfulness with one another.
Transcribe. Make it a habit to write out your prayer requests, and then record how God answered those prayers. It’s a visible reminder that you can look back at any time especially when you’re discouraged.
Taste. The Lord’s Supper is a profound way of remembering what Christ has done for us. Here, our senses of touch, smell, and taste are all involved as we hold in our hands the bread and the cup.
Brothers and sisters, it is good for us to remember – and we should do this more intentionally. But the Bible wants us to know something better: that God remembers us. Even when we fail to remember God, He remembers us. Listen to these powerful and beautiful words that God spoke in Jeremiah 31:20, “Is not Ephraim My dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore My heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him.” Isn’t that amazing? He remembers you. Then how can a holy, perfect God do this for us – those who have sinned and rebelled against Him? Because Jesus Christ was forgotten on the cross in our place. He was forsaken for us so that we may be remembered. He was punished for us so that we may be forgiven. He was broken for us so that we may never go hungry. He died for us so that we may live again. And because of His death, God, the Creator and the Sustainer of the universe, remembers us – remembers to provide for us, comfort us, convict us, strengthen us, lead us, fill us with His Spirit, use us for His Kingdom purposes, and refresh us with His presence. He will remember to do all these things and more simply because of what Christ has done for us. So, by all means, let us keep on remembering especially when it’s hard to trust Him, when darkness seems to hide His face, when we’re overwhelmed with anxiety, fear, and worries. Let us help others remember what Christ has done for them. But as you do, know that you are secure in His hands no matter what because God remembers you.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, Jesus is a compassionate King who also calls us to serve others on behalf of Him. This is not easy because we often focus so much on our inadequacy – but He’s inviting us today to remember what He did and what He’s still able to do in our lives. He is calling us to trust Him. Then let us go to Him remembering that He alone satisfies our hearts, and let us go out in His name, taking this gospel truth to the world, because He alone is worthy to be praised.
Discussion questions
What’s occupying your heart and mind the most these days? Share and pray for each other – knowing that our God is a compassionate God.
Jesus sees the needs and invites us to meet those needs on behalf of Him (Mk. 8:1-3). How do we grow in compassion for others? Is there a need that God has made you aware of in others?
How does remembering His past faithfulness help us believe that He is and will continue to be faithful? What current situation are you facing in which He is asking you to trust Him again?
What is one thing you want to remember from this passage?