The Hungry Then the Difficult (Part B)

Broken ambitions broken friendships broken expectations will this is what determines the maturity of the site how we going to respond to these letdowns and heartbreak.

Still waiting these men is the grand disillusionment that's coming from an unlikely place. Jerusalem there will they will arrest their master. They never saw fail before they will murder him and they will do it in public, and the disciples going to have you. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. Now here's Pastor Rick in Mark chapter 8.

With this study called the hungry, then the difficult knowing that they would struggle if they had sent away hungry and having no intention of sending them that way. Even those outside of the covenant he's going to care for them.

First John chapter 2 verse two he himself is the propitiation for our sins, he is the one that's dealt with our sins. Personally, then John says and not for ours only but also for the whole world. We see him ministry to representatives of the whole world goes outside of the Jewish covenant Gentiles.

He cares for them and the whole world. When we talk about God's love means just that, not just the elect if it meant just the elect, he would say, God love the elect. He says the whole world. God is looking to save sinners and is looking to use his people to be a part of that process and every Christian should be concerned about that. And so here they are three days the provision spent verse three and if I send them away hungry to their own houses they will faint on the way for some of them have come from afar. How damaging it would've been to all of his work, the teachings the healings and get momentary exhausted. If they make it. What good would that do of course he's has the foresight to address this and clearly when he when it says here when Christ is saying to his disciples that some have come from afar.

How did he know that Willie had to interact with people more than likely through interacting with the people that he was ministering to someone coming up to him said I've come all away from so-and-so and it registered with him. He did not dismiss still mean something today. Those who come afar to Christ. He still notices he still cares he still has compassion. James writes in one of you says to them, those in need to pardon and peace, be warmed and filled, but you give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit someone with some critical need some urgent need. Having nowhere else to go and there in front of you and you do not meet that need.

That's negligence and negligence is always a serious thing. Verse four. When it comes to spiritual matters. Verse four then his disciples answered. How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness. You and I would've said you cannot be that dull. You are there when 5000 people of men alone were fed.

How can you ask such a question.

Matthew and Mark make no comment from the Lord. He doesn't call him out. He just keeps going forward. I so appreciate that. He's not looking to stick it to me when it's critical to bring in our will and is okay, let me know so hard. What were they overwhelmed had they seen so many miracles they no longer could keep track where they themselves exhausted, mentally I would not count that out at all.

They had you. You think having lived through the situation before they would apply. Maybe they thought he wouldn't do it for the Gentiles. Either way, one of the big things that stands out for me is that he just continues to do what he's going to do in half and I walk away as how clumsy we are now faith. I'm not ready to judge the disciples when they make mistakes every time they make a mistake there sometimes like that one was that when I struggle with what overall if I lived then what I have recognized Christ as the Messiah, as they had come to recognize him.

I would hope so, but again, the Lord does not rebuke them, he will remind them of both the feedings will get to that later in this chair looking at down at math.

Mark's gospel chapter 8 verse 18 Jesus giving them another lessons. He says having eyes, do you not see, and having years. Do you not hear and do you not remember when I broke the five loaves of the 5000, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up they said to him, 12. Also, when I broke the seven for the 4000, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up and they said seven so they remember those little details and he dismisses it here he gets back to it later. Only because it comes up, but this is pertinent to what he's dealing with. And we can move later on Mark's gospel so I look at that and I say I want to get it right the first time I do not want to dismisses miracles, but I know is I'm reading this, I say to myself, Lord. Yeah, I know you can do anything. The problem is there are times you won't. And that's where I get messed up. Stephen we mentioned him earlier. What did Christ do for Stephen. He let the stones fly. He let them kill him. He stood up to watch that happen as he received King Stephen into the kingdom. Christ got a whole another way of working with things and I'm never going to find those things out outside of his word and that requires constantly going over and repaving telling the potholes of doubt and confusion in absence of memory. It takes hard work to be a Christian and is worth it. Is there any Christian who wants to come to Christ and say I'll not do anything now I'm say your salvation be questioned. After a while it is hard-working once we grab that once we understand okay is hard work in the midst of all other things to do in life. This is still a demand upon me, and is worth it.

Narrow straits is the way the Christ is laid before us.

But once we begin to understand that is not so bad as when we find it acting like laziness is somehow going to be blessed, apt acting behaviors, though, is negligent to some our honorable would Christ we face the fact we get stronger, not weaker. Maybe after that that initial shock may weaken us, but when we regroup. Satan is afraid you're going regroup when something happens to you that is horrific or reverses. Satan is afraid that you're going regroup is good to keep like that is good to understand that we are going regroup.

The disciples did after the resurrect of the crucifixion, they were shattered but there still gathering when he appeared to them, they regrouped verse five and he asked them how many loaves do you have and they said seven now in chapter 6 when he multiplied the bread and the fish with the Jewish people was five loaves and two fish.

And so that the distinct difference between the two miracles is not a repeat verse six so he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground and he took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke and gave to his disciples to set before them, and they set them before the multitude, I have criticisms of how the New Testament was written in the Old Testament, and so should you have your Bible solicitors grows Bible citizen if you hurt your Bible student you look at is a lot like the sequence out all the time while at the do this detective and puzzle work because you been worse off if you didn't. If I didn't force you to Rio to consider these things and think my people are supposed to think and give your brain just the figure was going to wear in the morning.

Given your brain to do other things to my glory will be afraid of that. Do you know maybe you don't get good grades in school. Well, you can get outstanding grades would Christ. Nonetheless, he saw looking for. You know the pseudo-genome is a genius to God. I stand up before the Lord, you know, I graduated junior school two years early is like anyway, he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

Why because he understands that this order robs us of blessings order. It is very it is valuable. Did you know if the enemy can scramble losses fragment does break up because disorder is going to do that many churches have gone down because of disorder.

Spiritual disorder somebody out of line, not where they're supposed to be enough of the time. Too often, methodically, he went about resolving this situation.

Paul writes to the Corinthians is is let all things be done decently and in order and that church needed as they could not support it can control themselves, they fell they could just below the passes preaching that gift of teaching is working but interrupt that because I've got a rush of a feeling, and they get up and start begin possibly not helping God help in the devil bringing in confusion disorder that it be done decently and in and in order because that's got to set the universe. If he hadn't, we would never survive, something too many churchgoers don't seem to care for the church.

The pastors oversee the church and to keep order in the house because the people if you left to ourselves, we will create disorder. One person wanted this way and another unwanted that he got a tug-of-war now and folks get offended they think because they Christians they got a say so in the assembly.

They know and you, Paul never asked permission policy what you think.

What color should we make the drapes. They never asked anybody. This is what God is leading me this is the direction we going and they loved him and go. Don't be taken by that don't don't unlock you notice if if if I'm speaking to you you're wrong I'm right I like it that way but I want you to be right with me some humor in that I'll say it later.

Again, for those of you anyway.

You know how to control the crowd. I think some Christians are so afraid the passes going to be, you know, a dictator and then come to the houses and you know what have you rearranged the living room is a terrible place for that loveseat using his authority to become sick of skittles work anyway.

He knows how to control a crowd he's preventing a stampede. Remember, keep keep this in mind is very important to point I'm going to make later on as students of the word is over 4000 people here and is controlling the stamping decision.

He took the seven loaves and gave thanks you know when he takes from us is never without a great cause when he takes something. Whatever it is from you. It is never without a greater cause. You may not see it now, you may not see it in this lifetime, but by faith we accepted.

This is fun. One thing that distinguishes us from the unbeliever we accepted.

I am the king's men and the king says this is how it's going to be.

That's not going to bed because I have enough proof in my faith and trust him.

God told the prophet Ezekiel and Ezekiel. By the time Ezekiel comes along. The Jews are in bondage and in world captivity in Babylon and throughout the Empire and the prophets. It talked about this coming and God is driving home other points because many of the Jews that were in captivity were not living righteously so he raises up a man like a Ezekiel to to address them, and God makes this comment about their captivity says I have done nothing without cause, that I have done that is a characteristic of God when he acts when he gets up to do something that is a great cause and so if he takes something from you. There's cause behind it says that he broke what he took from them.

He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, and he broke them and what he takes from us. Often times, in the interest of ministry.

There is going to be things that break ministry causes pain is nowhere around broken hearts broken ambitions, broken friendships, broken expectations, what he could do those things.

This is what determines the maturity of the same how we going to respond to these letdowns and heartbreaks still waiting these men is the grand disillusionment that's coming from an Unlikely Pl. in Jerusalem.

There they will arrest their master who they never saw fail before and they will murder him and they will do it in public, and the disciples going to have to deal with that I would not want to go through that 11 of them would handle it differently from just one of them that one Judas Iscariot, he was already outside of the 12 when it came to his heart. Christ talks about this in John chapter 6 Jesus answered them, and this is about the same time, the time stamp of that were reading our story in John six Jesus answered that I not choose you. The 12 one of you is a devil home man you imagine being in that group. Hearing this from Christ. Later on the glass when it comes to betraying. Is it me, I don't want to be that guy you don't have to be that guy was you is what you want to do again in John 12 and he said, speaking about Judas. Not that he cared for the poor. John writing, but because he was a thief and had the money box and he used to take what was put in it. They didn't know this at the time and they were pretty steamed when he found out, so my point is, Judas was not one of them at this point because he chose not to be Christ gave him every opportunity to be like-minded with these men and he bailed out. But back to the 11 who did not bail out. They would be disillusioned Judas was to but for different reasons Judas wanted Christ's concept again to whatever he was and is that it was wrong. These men, they, too, thought Christ was going to set up the kingdom and were disillusioned and maybe you maybe you come to Christ.

You read your Bible you see these great promises.

This magnificent Creator and Savior and then you are confronted with something in life and you disillusioned by how he treats what you supposed to do.

Joe and his book says it very clearly though he slay me, I will trust him.

Trust Soros to go Peterson Wilson them going of the words of life.

Nobody is saying what your subpoena did not say whereas we going to go you got the miracles got a goodie bag is what you say is true. That's the deciding factor. So being his disciple includes continuing in submission, regardless of whatever emotional or physical pain you may incur Judas again excuse the refuse these terms but Joe and Joseph embraced it. I made Joseph his principle of faith did not save him all the things he believed about the God of Abraham didn't seem to benefit him one bit his own family threw them away. Send him into slavery.

If he died in the salt mines somewhere tough luck, and then he did he think he gets arrested for a crime he didn't commit and he just kept trusting God he didn't like it. He tells the jailer of the Butler Vanunu needs to look when he is free. Butler is freed and Joseph stuck in the prisons tells us, don't forget me in this place. When you get back to Farrell.

Don't forget me because he wanted out.

I just wanted his freedom. She could go home how long he lived this way we don't know what it was years.

We do know that I draw from that. When I have my pity parties, and I want my pity parties is a little hat. This little string always pinches the skin does not but anyway I struggle with how much work I think I put into ministry over the decades, and seemingly to me have a disk proportionate fruit. I read about the priest and how they would have the pomegranates on the bottom of the rope, which was to symbolize the fruit of ministry on behalf of the people struggle with personal shortcomings or lack of spiritual strength.

Sometimes I'm just upset with God, and I know not supposed to be, which adds to me being upset and yet it's 1 foot in front of another for the king because I'm his man and I'm interested in him and he is interested in me, and if he takes me any breaks me then right over that done, just like he wanted because I trust him when I stand up in heaven and all the dust from this curse life is settled somewhere else because it won't be in heaven, I will be in heaven. Still the king's man this is true for every believer that there is. So Paul says that I may know him, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death. That's what were talking about. Disillusionment is a death of the flesh. Our review I did this right. I did that right and this is what I get from it. I we your man, I'm your child.

I'm your manservant on your maidservant. Whatever the case may be, so it says here in verse six and he gave to his disciples to set before them fellowship in ministry and they will drink from his cup. Also, they will suffer in Christ as in the years to come. So we here we are seeing a picture of ourselves. He gave to his disciples set before the night gives us the gospel and all that it includes he sets it before us and where to partake of that gospel and then were to give to others, but we can no more save souls and we can create a star but we can serve the gospel. We can do that that is more glorious than creating a star to leave the solo stars of burnout and that's the end of it.

Well, I mean I'm sure there's some scientific details about Stardust, but overall the parishes with the using but the soul does not in this lesson was what they needed and he was saying there's a need here and you can't fill it.

I am going to fill it but I'm going to do it with you and I'm not going to do it without you. He could adjust through rental hamburgers and everybody's pocket and been done with it. Of course that be silly and he didn't do it that way. Ministry would not depend on their ability, but their availability.

Anybody can hand out bread and fish pretty much not any by me for some exceptions, but overall, these 12 men could put it was their availability that made that happen in another lesson.

A lot of Christians don't get or just don't have time or not available lived things that need to get done coming to the same sure is nice and clean coming to the church the bathroom to clean somebody's doing that we don't have the bathroom O-Matic.

We just know conflict shove it down the hallway. Let it do its thing.

We got real servants that have to go in there with riot gear on and take care of business.

So, could you think about it.

Christ working through those who made themselves available Christ ministering to the multitudes through them the same way today.

Christ could use them has his instruments because they made themselves available.

King Saul did not.

We talked about this Wednesday night. Saul king Saul was supposed to be the leader as God's people were the instruments in God's hand to execute judgment on the Amalekite people for their wickedness with little off the chart and now had to be dealt with but because of selective obedience. King Saul hindered God's work which cause problems. Generations later, in the age of Mordechai and Esther and so I don't want to be a king Saul in any level. It says he and they set them before the multitude, which is the objective. Verse seven. They also had a few small fish and having blessed them, he said to set them also before them. Decedent was kind of the way it's written is like well I didn't want just put that with the fish. I'm in the bread. What is this is fragmented. It seems in reading it and you pay and start digging into this is the new addition to the bread taking the bread and blazing in bus blessing and he does it with the fish also.

I think it is true. The Lord does not do for us what we can do for ourselves, or else you know you I would never have to go to a gas station again how nice would that be you just drive by your full and better still is the run out of gas. So anyway it's it's it is the fact that there's something that we're supposed to be doing then then we're supposed to be doing it. This was one of the problems with Moses. When God when Moses wouldn't circumcise his son. God was going to kill him as pretty serious.

Moses was to be the leader of the covenant people and he was neglecting to do critical tasks. Moses didn't care for was not for his wife. We would not have had the story of Moses.

But God knew this, of course, so the disciples could not multiply the fish in the bread they could serve to the multitudes for Satan to the Aden were filled took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. I think verse eight is a summary of what has already taken place. Move thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick.

We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio you could search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast app that's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time. As Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of Mark Rocky on cross reference radio