FAITH FOR THE INCREDIBLE Mark 6:30-44
Last week we focussed on overcoming the impossibility through faith. In today’s study, we will be looking at Faith for the Incredible. In our lead story, it seems as if the apostles gathered to Jesus to console Him following the assassination of His cousin – John the Baptist. It was a bid to strengthen the Lord and comfort Him with testimonies of great things that had happened based on His teachings that they had activated through faith in Him.
Jesus and His disciples departed to a deserted place – imagine the criticism of those who opposed Jesus. How come this miracle worker was unable to save His own cousin? However, there were people who looked for Him. Isn’t this the situation today – whilst many fail to acknowledge Jesus or intentionally rebel against Him, many of us have realised that it is in Christ we live, move and have our being – Acts 17:28.
It was meant to be a private time between Jesus Christ and His disciples, but the crowd followed still. Please note that you may be hurting and needing rest but if you have a little child – it will be irresponsible to abandon the child. “Shoo away” was the disciples’ reply because they felt enough was enough and it was late – Mark 6:36. They felt they were in the wrong place and there was nothing they could do, though they had just testified to Jesus – Mark 6:30. The disciples saw it as a big challenge to meet the immediate need of the crowd, Jesus did not see this as a problem but as an opportunity to trust the Father and glorify His name. Christians’ new definition for problem – “opportunity to trust God and glorify His name”.
The rest of the story is truly incredible! Five loaves and two fish fed five thousand men with up to twelve baskets full of fragments left over. Please note that faith for the incredible will produce surplus.
Discussion:
- Hebrews 11:1-3, 6 talks about the essence of faith. Psalm 37:5 | Proverbs 3:5-6 mentions about ‘trusting in the Lord’. Is it possible to have faith and still not trust?
- How are you to comport yourself when there is a demand on you in your challenging times? Jesus was grieving His cousin, and the disciples felt the time was no longer right for the crowd to remain. What lessons can we learn from this narration? Are we being taught to put our divine task above all else? Mark 6:33-37.
- Identify all the actions taken to produce the incredible – Mark 6:38-44. These actions suggest that a number of steps of faith and total trust in the Lord must take place if we are to receive the incredible.
- Identifying, appreciating and managing our resources (Mark 6:38) including time and avoiding wastage is important. Do you ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to help in these 3 areas especially when you hit a ditch? What is your testimony?
Prayer.
