More Than Enough

Mark chapter 6, which I believe is one of the most amazing chapters in all the Gospels.

Mark 6 · chapter mention

! Especially in relation to the Galilee and ministry of Christ, Galilee is a small region.

It's only about 50 miles north to south and about 30 miles east to west, but it is an impactful area in the Gospels.

There's probably about 200 small towns and villages scattered throughout that area,

but the surrounding areas, those are tight and densely populated,

but the surrounding areas are farms and pastures.

At the time of Mark chapter 6, Jesus had been ministering there about a year,

Mark 6 · chapter mention

and He would not be there much longer.

He would soon move on to Tyre and Sidon,

and Sidon and Tyre are on the Mediterranean coast up north of Galilee,

unmarked on this map, possibly even beyond the map a little bit,

north on the Mediterranean.

It was the land of the Gentiles.

And after spending some time there, He would come back through Galilee,

enter into the Decapolis area region,

and then in chapter 10 of Mark, He heads toward Judea,

before His decisive move toward the cross in Jerusalem.

So that's the setting of Mark chapter 6.

Mark 6 · chapter mention

Now, there's three reasons why I believe this is possibly the most amazing chapter in all the Gospels.

One of them is Jesus was ineffective in His own town.

That amazes me that some were changed, but few were changed because they did not believe.

That's pretty amazing to me.

The second thing that amazes me about this chapter is the great movement that took place

when He sent out the 12 apostles two by two.

powerful things happened throughout the Galilean region.

He sent His apostles to preach and to minister, and that's what they did.

He gave them authority to do it,

and with that authority, they preached repentance.

They preached the kingdom.

They healed the sick.

They cast out demons.

They had a major impact in that area.

And by the way, 11 of them were from that area,

which again is pretty amazing to me that those 11 apostles had a powerful, effective ministry in the area in which they were raised,

but yet Jesus was ineffective in the very town that He was raised in.

But that passage tells us that it was an exhaustive measure.

The Gospels tell us that.

Not only that, not only was their ministry effort exhausted, but it was exhausting

to the point that Jesus knew they needed time away.

But our passage today tells us they didn't get the rest they needed.

Not that night.

And the third reason why this chapter is amazing to me is the miracle that takes place.

Now, if you've been to Sunday school, what we used to call it,

and you've been to church long enough,

you probably know the story of the feeding of the 5,000.

And my prayer has been that familiarity would not take away from you learning possibly new truth from this story.

Don't get to the end before we get there, please,

because I'm firmly convinced that God has some things to show us today in a pretty familiar story.

But I'm telling you, I hope that that familiarity don't steal the truth of it because it is amazing.

Listen, there are only two miracles in the Gospels that are mentioned in all four Gospels.

One of them is this miracle.

The other is the resurrection of Christ.

So this stands out.

This is a big one.

And it was so impactful that after this, they tried to force Jesus to become king.

They wanted him to take over.

Not only can he provide for us, not only is he the master teacher,

not only does he relate to where we are, let's take on Rome.

He's our king.

Let's force him to be king.

That's the setting for Mark 6, beginning in verse 30.

And it says this,

The apostles returned to Jesus and told them all that they had done and taught.

That's when he sent them out.

And he said to them,

Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.

For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

And they went away in a boat to a desolate place by themselves.

Now many saw them going and recognized them.

And they ran there on foot from all towns and got there ahead of them.

When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd.

And he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

And he began to teach them many things.

And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said,

This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.

Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages

and buy them something to eat.

But he answered them,

You give them something to eat.

And they said to him,

Shall we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread

and give it to them to eat?

And he said,

How many loaves do you have?

Go and see.

And when they had found it,

they said,

Five and two fish.

Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.

So they sat down in groups by hundreds and by fifties.

And taking the five loaves and the two fish,

he looked up to heaven and set a blessing and broke the loaves

and gave them to the disciples to set before the people.

And he divided the two fish among them all.

And they all ate and were satisfied.

And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.

And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

The impact of the apostles being sent out and being used so effectively

caused the people to follow them all the way to the shore.

When Jesus tried to get them away in a boat,

the people saw them leaving.

And the people saw them traveling.

And they hurried on shore.

Some of them ran as far as eight miles to get to Jesus and his men as they landed.

And what happened next is miraculous.

What this story teaches us is not only the miraculous power of Christ,

but it also teaches us some truths about Christ.

Truths that we need to remember when we're hungry.

Truths we need to remember when we're desperate.

When we're empty.

When we're tired.

Truths we need to remember when we're overwhelmed.

Four truths from this account about Christ.

One is, he cares deeply.

Jesus knew firsthand the need of rest in ministry.

Being all things to all people in the hope of reaching some,

as the apostle Paul put it,

can wear you out.

And Jesus was well aware of that.

He cares for our well-being.

He cared about the apostles' well-being.

And he strived to get them away from the action after intense and productive ministry

and get them the needed rest.

He cares deeply.

What were they?

When they were not able to get that rest

because they had flocked immediately on shore by a lot of needy people,

how did Jesus respond?

Well, verse 34 tells us,

when he went ashore,

he saw a great crowd

and he had compassion on them

because they were like sheep

without a shepherd.

He saw their needs.

He had compassion on them

because he cares deeply.

And in that compassion,

the first thing that he gave them

was exactly what they needed the most

because the rest of that verse says,

and he began to teach them many things.

Luke tells us that he taught them

about the kingdom.

Now, if you want to understand

what he teaches

when he teaches about the kingdom,

the greatest way to find a summary of that

is in the Sermon on the Mount

in Matthew chapter 5 through Matthew chapter 7.

Matthew 5 · chapter mention Matthew 7 · chapter mention

You'll see very similar messages,

very similar stories

and very similar message

in the Sermon on the Plain

that Luke talks about as well.

So these were redundant themes

that Jesus used from time to time

to teach kingdom truths.

He told them through stories.

He shared with them

how the law of old,

how it applies,

not only physically

in the way that you think,

but how it applies mentally

in our lives as well.

And he gives great application

to what it means

to walk with the Lord

and what it means

not to walk with the Lord.

That's what it means

by teaching the kingdom.

Not only that,

but he taught the gospel.

And the reason why I know that

is because he came

to proclaim the gospel.

He taught them on their level.

He taught them in illustrative ways

that they could understand.

When sheep were in the field,

he would tell a story about sheep.

When you saw the wheat growing in the field,

he would tell a story about wheat.

He spoke to where they were

and understood exactly what they needed

because he cares.

He cares deeply.

When the apostles recognized

all these people

were in desperate place,

he didn't send them away

as the apostles suggested

for him to do.

He didn't leave them

to fend for themselves.

He cared deep enough

about them

to do something about it.

He saw them as sheep

without a shepherd.

Now, personally,

I don't know a lot about sheep.

I'm not a sheep farmer.

I ain't spent a whole lot of time with them.

But I have read about them a lot

because Jesus talked about them a lot.

And I wanted to understand them more.

And I will tell you,

sheep without a shepherd

are going to die.

They will not find the pasture

that they need

once they eat up what they got.

They'll die.

They need help

because they can't fight off the enemy.

And they are easy prey

for any predator.

And so they're victims

often of that.

And when they get knocked down,

they can't get up.

They need help

getting up.

They can't help each other up.

And

when they get dirty,

when they get buggy,

when they get thorny,

they need somebody

to clean them up.

They can't clean their own wool.

Somebody has to care for them.

Somebody has to lead them.

Somebody has to lead them to water.

And Scripture's clear

that

we're like sheep.

And

Christ is our shepherd.

And I am thankful today

that He will lead us

and He will feed us

and He will stand us up

when we fall down.

And He will clean us up

when we get dirty.

And He will protect us

and He'll be right there for us

because He cares

for us.

He cares

deeply.

But it won't stop there.

Another truth

that this accountant

shares with me

is

He provides

sufficiently.

Instead of sending them away,

He tells them

to feed them.

John chapter 6

John 6 · chapter mention

tells us

that He looked at Philip

and asked

where are we to buy bread

so that these people can eat?

Now listen.

The Gospel of Luke

tells us

that they were outside

of Bethsaida.

And Bethsaida

was a small

port village,

a little fishing village.

Very small.

Maybe a couple

hundredfold.

There are no remains

of Bethsaida.

No ruins there

at all.

which tells us

how small

that it was.

You've got

thousands of people

here.

Bethsaida's

McDonald's

could not handle it.

The walkthrough,

they didn't have a drive-through,

would not have been able

to handle it.

Where are we

going to

find this?

There was nothing

in that town

that could feed

thousands.

Christ knew that

and Philip

said eight

months worth

of wages,

get this,

eight months worth

of wages

would not feed

this many people.

And all they

could come up

with was a

boy's lunch.

Scripture says

it was five

barley loaves

and two fish.

Now those

loaves

are not those

big sour

dough loaves

that all you

ladies are making

now since you

attended that

class.

Fellas,

how's that

working out

for you?

I'm still

paying $10

a loaf.

But anyway,

who can let

me go home

with them

today?

They were

small loaves.

like a biscuit.

And these

fish were not

tuna.

They tell me

tuna can weigh

as much as

1,000 pounds.

No,

these were

very small

pickled fish.

Often used

as a relish.

Let me put it

in our terms.

The boy had

sardines and

crackers is what

he had.

Now,

I'll tell you

that

I got enough

rednecks in

here to say,

man,

that sounds

good.

It's good

lunch.

Until they

begin to share

with somebody

else.

And that

changes

everything.

That ruins

a fishing trip,

brother,

when you got to

share your

can of sardine.

this is all

they had.

But I want

you to hear

me.

All they

had was

enough in

the hands

of the Lord.

It reminds

me of

2 Kings

2 Kings 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4.

Elisha,

the follower

of Elijah,

that got a

double portion

from him.

God used

Elisha in

such powerful

ways.

And a lady

came to him

and said she

had nothing.

But her

debt was so

deep that she

was going to

have to sell

her two sons

into slavery

to pay her

debt.

And Elisha

asked her,

he said,

what do you

have in your

home?

And she

said,

all I've

got is a

single jar

of oil.

He said,

well then go

to all your

neighbors and

collect as

many empty

jars as you

can find.

So they

did.

And he

said,

when you

get all

those empty

jars,

he said,

go into

your house

and shut

the door.

And as a

family,

take that

jar of oil

and pour it

into an

empty jar.

And when

you fill that

jar,

pour it

into another

one.

And when

you fill that

jar,

pour it

into another

one.

And then

pour it

into another

one.

and then

pour it

into another

one.

And then

sell that

oil and

pay your

debt.

It

happened

just like

Elisha told

her that it

would happen.

God always

provides

sufficiently.

God cares

deeply.

He

provides

sufficiently.

a third

truth from

this text

is this.

He

orders

purposefully.

I want

you to

get this.

Verse 39

and 40

says this.

Then he

commanded

them all

to sit

down in

groups

on the

green grass

so that

they sat

down in

groups by

hundreds

and by

fifties.

Now,

I want

to get

something

straight.

How many

people were

there that

day?

Because what

scripture says

is 5,000

men.

Okay?

We're

going to go

deep in the

language here.

Okay?

In the

Greek language

that word

for men,

you know

what that

means?

Men.

That's what

it means.

It don't

mean people.

It is

distinctive.

It means

men.

And I

want you

to see

what Matthew

14,

21 says.

It says,

and those

who ate

were about

5,000

men

besides

women

and

children.

So,

in that

culture,

what was

prominent in

that culture

would be

that those

men,

most of

those men

brought their

wives.

And most

of those

wives brought

their children.

children.

And so,

you had

a lot

more people

than 5,000

people.

At least

10,000

people.

Upwards to

15,000 to

20,000

people.

Some have

estimated as

much as

25,000

people.

Most

people.

And Mark

tells us

that he

told them

to sit

in groups

of 50

and 100.

Now,

I want you

to imagine

20,000

people

sitting in

groups of

50 to

100.

That means

that there

were 200

to 400

groups of

people

there

that day.

He is

bringing

order

to the

chaos.

Tens of

thousands of

people

crushing

each other,

jamming

together

dangerously

to get

to Christ

and to

see what

they can

get from

him.

Because,

be clear,

these are

not faithful

people.

They are

wanting

people.

What can

you do

for me

now?

somebody

told me

they went

to the

George

Strait

concert

last

night

and

they

live

about

25

minutes

away

from

the

stadium

and

they

got

home

an

hour

and

a

half

later.

Okay?

Got at

2.30 in

the morning.

That's

why your

pastor didn't

go to

George

Strait.

Okay?

Because

Sunday

was coming.

That's

chaos.

Leaving

that place

is chaos.

Can't

even see

the final

song

if you

want to

go

home.

know?

It's

chaos.

Nothing

wrong

with it.

It's

chaos.

As

they

chaotically

clamor

together,

he

says,

sit

down

orderly.

You

know

why?

And I

want you

to hear

this.

We

don't

serve a

God of

chaos.

1

1 Corinthians 14:33

Corinthians

14

verse

33

says

this,

for

God

is

not

a

God

of

confusion,

but

of

peace.

God's

not

chaotic.

And let

me just

give you

a clue.

When

things get

chaotic,

God's

not in

it.

It's a

sign.

It's a

sign.

When I

see people

make sporadic

decisions that

are not

wise,

go from

one thing

to another,

it's

not

God.

Mark that

down.

Remember

that.

When

everybody's

in a

hysteria

about

everything,

God's

not

in

that.

God

commands

them to

sit.

And you

know what

they did?

They

sat.

And by

them

sitting

in those

groups,

it made

aisles for

them to be

able to

distribute the

food they

needed to

be able to

distribute.

Well,

what is

God telling

you to

do in

the midst

of your

chaos?

And the

question is,

when He

says it,

and you

sense His

calming voice

speaking to

you,

what do

you do

in response

to that?

There's

always purpose

behind His

order.

None of

the gospel

accounts say

that they

ask,

why should

we do

that?

They

sat

down.

It's a

trait of

the Lord.

when the

world was

without form

and void,

and by the

way,

the word

form there,

without form,

means literally

chaos.

When the

world was

without form

and void,

you know what

happened?

He spoke

and order

came.

When the

storm raged

wildly,

chaotically

on the sea,

Jesus spoke

and the

storm

stopped.

In the

midst of

your chaos,

remember

something,

God orders

purposefully.

He does

it for a

reason.

It's not

simply to

exert the

sovereignty and

authority of

God.

It's to

bring order

water in

the midst

of our

chaos.

One more

truth I

want you

to see.

He

satisfies

abundantly.

It says,

and they

all ate

and were

satisfied.

It does

not say

everybody got

a nibble.

satisfied.

It says,

Jesus

satisfied.

Fellas,

that word

there for

satisfied is

the same

word they

use when

they put a

bag around

an animal's

head that's

full of

feed and

they eat

the bag

full of

feed.

It is the

same word

that's translated

in the book

of Revelation

gorged when

it's talking

about the

feast.

several

years ago,

me and

a friend

began day

hiking the

Appalachian

Trail in

Georgia.

And we

did it over

several years.

We only

could do

it.

I lived

in Mississippi

at the

time.

We could

only do

it once

a quarter,

maybe every

six months

or so.

Sometimes we

skipped a

year.

And one

guy that

does it all

the time

said,

man,

it's like

y'all

starting over

every time.

And he

said,

yeah,

you're

right.

Feels

like it

when we're

done.

We did

all of

Georgia

except for

the last

eight miles.

And the

problem with

the last

eight miles

is when

you get

the last

eight miles,

you're nowhere.

You're eight

miles from

anywhere.

And we

just never

want to

do 16.

We did

13 one

time in a

day and

we paid

for it.

So we

did eight,

10,

12 miles

every time

we went.

12.

And I

read this

story and

I realized

that when

I began

to study

it and

realized that

they had

traveled eight

miles to

get to

Jesus,

running and

working to

get to

Jesus.

And they

were worn

like that.

I thought

about the

eight miles.

That was

kind of a

minimum for

us.

The eight

miles when

we would

hike.

And again,

it took us

70 miles,

so it took

us several

times and it

went over a

few years.

And I'm

a binge

and purge

guy,

you know,

so some

days I'm

watching what

I eat and

some days I'm

not and all

this kind of

stuff.

And so there

were days when

I would watch

my chloric

count and

there were

days I

wasn't eating

many carbs

and all that

kind of stuff.

And I

remember one

time pulling

up to a

fried chicken

place when

we got

done.

There's a

Zaxby's that

if you hike

that area,

you go by

that Zaxby's

every time.

And that

became the

place where

we would

stop to

eat after

we had come

off that

trail.

He was

trying to

figure out

what I

could eat

and all

that.

He said,

as many

calories as

you burn

a day,

eat whatever

you want

to.

And we

did.

And every

time we'd

stop at that

restaurant or

whatever restaurant

we'd stop at,

we'd gorge

ourselves,

we'd eat.

Why?

Because I'd

burned 80,000

calories or

whatever it

was, you

know?

That's the

word that's

used.

God

that's what

the men

did.

That's what

the women

did.

That's what

the children

did.

And they

were satisfied.

God

satisfies

abundantly.

The

apostle Paul

told it this

way.

He said in

Philippians 419,

and my God

will supply

every need

of yours

according to

his riches

and glory

in Christ

Jesus.

Jesus told

us that

he came to

give life

and to

give it

more abundantly.

And I

want you to

see how

abundant

that it

was and

that it

is.

Verse 43

says this,

and they

took up

twelve

baskets full

of broken

pieces and

of the

fish.

Twelve

baskets.

Now that's

not a big

basket.

it's the

equivalent to,

some of y'all

will know what

I mean when I

say this,

to a lunch

pail.

If you

don't know

what that

is, a

lunch tote.

Okay?

Insulated.

With a

fifty dollar

mug.

That's

what it

is.

And there

were twelve

of them.

Does that

number ring a

bell?

How many

men were

serving the

group with

Jesus?

Twelve.

They all

took out

takeout

and went

home.

and it

was

precisely

enough.

Because I

told you

that God

orders

perfectly.

His

precision

is amazing.

He

satisfies

abundantly.

So

remember,

he cares

deeply.

Don't you

ever doubt

the love

of God?

Don't

you ever

doubt it.

He

sees us as

sheep without

a shepherd.

He cares

for us

deeply.

He

provides

sufficiently.

Never have

a doubt.

I like the

way the

first Peter

five,

seven says

it in the

New Living

Translation.

Give all

your worries

and cares

to God

for he cares

about you.

what's

worrying you

today.

Give it

to God.

If he

can feed

an arena

full with

a boy's

lunch,

what in the

world are

you concerned

about?

He

orders

purposely.

When God

speaks order

in your life,

listen to

his guidance.

He's

right.

He

satisfies

abundantly.

He

satisfies

every need.

Every need

we have.

By the

way,

he is

our

greatest

need.

And if

you've

never

given your

heart and

life to

the Lord

Jesus

Christ,

that's

where it

starts.

That's

where that

more than

enough kind

of relationship

starts.

Sometimes I

ask questions

about that to

people.

I say,

have you

ever given

your life,

have you

ever become

a Christian?

I've

been a

Christian

all my

life.

You

know what?

I feel

like I've

been married

all my

life.

That's a

good thing.

But the

reality is I

hadn't

been.

There was a

starting point.

October 28,

1995 was

the starting

point.

if you're a

Christian today,

it's because

there was a

starting point.

If there's

never been a

starting point

in your life,

you've never

surrendered to

Christ.

And the

reality is the

greatest need

that we have

is the Lord

Jesus Christ.

greatest need

that we have

is to ask

him to forgive

us of our

sins and to

come into our

life and to

change us.

To empower us

with the spirit

of God to be

able to rely

upon him for

all things.

To give him

not what we

got, but to

give him who

we are.

It satisfies

our greatest

need.

It's the

starting point.

You don't

have to know

the date and

the time for

it to be

sufficient, but

you better have

a date and

time for it to

be sufficient.

It has to

have a starting

point.

It don't come

by church

attendance.

It don't

come by

baptism.

It don't

come by

holding

leadership

positions.

It comes

by surrendering

your life to

Christ.

If you have

done that,

have you ever

made that

public?

Have you

ever told

me bye

bye?

Jesus said,

if you're

ashamed to

me before

men, I'll

be ashamed

of you before

my father,

which means

that in

reality it

never really

took place.

The first

step to make

that private

decision

public,

by Jesus'

example and

by his

commission is

to be

baptized,

to recognize

that relationship

publicly through

baptism, a

physical picture

of what happens

to us spiritually.

If that's

never happened

to you, it's

your next step

of obedience

to follow

God.

Maybe you're

here and

God's drawing

you to First

Baptist Church.

Listen,

Brian mentioned

four years,

four years,

that I've

been able to

be your

pastor.

God's been

good.

Four

fabulous years

and I thank

you for being

part of that.

God's drawing

you to

Pickens

First

Baptist Church.

He's doing

a move here

and I thank

God for that.

He's leading

you to come.

Be obedient

and follow

him.

But then

there's maybe

stuff in your

life when you,

there's your

stuff.

stuff that

he needs

to bring

order to,

needs that

he needs

to supply.

Maybe you've

been running,

trying to catch

him,

running down

the shore.

You need

relief.

You need a

touch.

Surrender all

that to God

tonight.

At this altar

with me praying

in your seat

wherever,

just be obedient

to follow God

and whatever

he'd have you

to do.

Heavenly Father,

thank you

that you are

more than

enough.

For whatever

it is we need,

help us to be

obedient as you

speak to our

hearts and lives.

In Jesus' name,

amen.

Amen.