Mark 6:52, "For they
considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened."
This morning, certain
circumstances can eventually lead to other things. Perhaps one of the most
detrimental things about lying and falsehood is that it breeds more sin. Lies
lead to other lies, and even lead to other sins as well. Many times, we as
people fail to see how certain things affect things later until the event is
over. Sometimes, we can look back over the scene of our lives and see where
certain failures or successes led to other failures or successes down the road.
Many of the problems of today's modern world find direct connection with
failures in the past. For example, modern social problems as they pertain to
delinquent children, diseases, etc. find direct connection to the failings of
people to live up to marriage vows and honour the God-given institution of
marriage. However, one problem seen repeatedly today (even among many of God's
children) stems from a failure in today's world to see and appreciate the gospel
for the inestimable treasure that it is.
During Christ's
ministry, He performed a great many miracles, and there are direct spiritual
connections and applications in them. Even though the miracles literally
happened just as recorded, they do point to spiritual relevance in our lives.
Two miracles that occurred "back-to-back" during Christ's time were the feeding
of the 5,000 with five loaves and two fishes and the miracles on the sea with
Christ walking on water. Our study verse shows that a failure of the disciples
in regard to one miracle led to their problems during the next miracle. Let us
see what the relevance and spiritual application is for us today in this
lesson.
Though we cannot
devote much space to long proofs of the spiritual lesson of the miracles, let us
briefly lay out those lessons to build upon for our application. When Christ
fed the multitudes with a very miniscule amount of food, we see direct relevance
and correlation to the preaching of the gospel. The gospel feeds our souls and
cheers our spirits like nothing else in the world can do. The food that it
provides fills us in ways the world can never fill. When in application, God
uses men of His calling to distribute food and feed His sheep. Though their
efforts seem small and the amount of food so little, yet the hands of Christ
make the distribution plenteous and the bounty beyond compare. So often, the
minister feels like his studies and meditations have been so small, and yet the
Lord blesses the effort to not only feed the flock but also have more left over
than we started with.
As Christ comes
walking on the water in the sea towards His disciples in the boat, we see a
direct application and relevance to Christ coming to cheer us and comfort us
during the storms and tribulations of life. Though the floods rage and the
winds roar, yet His very presence can still things in the midst of the storm.
His sweet voice can drive away the doubts and gloom by the simple statement, "It
is I." Then, when the Saviour steps into the boat with us (takes care of the
problem we are facing), the calm is immediate and miraculous.
In the verse before
our study verse, we see that the disciples were incredulous about what had
occurred on the sea. Pulling the gospel accounts together, they had just
witnessed the Saviour walking on water, Peter walking on water, and seen an
immediate calm to the storm that they could not handle. Their amazement and
incredulity could best be described in a commonly made statement today, "I just
can't believe it!" They seemed unable to believe what they just experienced due
to direct failure to remember a past miracle from Christ's hand.
Before moving into
the spiritual realm, consider just how forgetful the disciples had been. The
feeding of the multitude had just occurred, and they quickly either forgot or
failed to keep in remembrance what they just witnessed. They also had been with
Christ for quite some time by this point. They had not just started walking
with Him during His ministry. Therefore, they had seen many things by this
point and were quite experientially aware of His power and authority. Yet, even
after all of that, they found themselves in the throes of despair for failing to
remember or consider what He had already done in their presence.
Moving into the
spiritual realm, this account shows quite vividly that people will always fall
victim and prey to the sorrows and travails of life when they fail to utilize
and consider the rich treasure of the gospel in their lives. Whenever we have
those rich times with God by His Spirit through the gospel, we experience
something that cannot be experienced or realized anywhere else. Nowhere else on
the world at that time would one have found a miracle like Christ performed in
feeding those people. His presence, power, and authority were on rich display,
and the people there present enjoyed bounty from His hand. We today experience
His power, presence, and authority within the halls of Zion through the
heralding of the gospel and receive limitless bounty from His hand.
Yet, just as the
blessing on that occasion should have sustained people beyond that setting
(their bellies were filled), so should the gospel sustain us beyond the initial
hearing of it. It should provide food for our souls for many moments to come.
The disciples even had a basket apiece to go with them for nourishment in the
future. Meditations of the gospel in the days following its heralding provide
future sustainment in the days following church service. The intent of the
gospel therefore is not just richness for the occasion but also sustainment in
the trials that will shortly follow.
So, why is it that so
many (self included) fall into the pitfall of overmuch sorrow through the storms
of life? Why is it that when Christ in His mercy, comfort, and power walks on
the storm, blesses us to walk on the storm, and eventually quells the storm we
stand in amazement in seeming unbelief of what just happened? The direct reason
is that we fail to keep in remembrance what the gospel has given us. Matthew
14's account of this tells us that Christ constrained them to enter the boat
that night and pass over the sea. He put them in the boat and told them to go!
Why in the midst of the storm should they have felt that He had forsaken them or
sent them to die? Why when He comes to them should they have been surprised?
Why after the amazing events on the sea that night should they have been so
incredulous? These are all consequences of failing to remember and consider the
power, comfort, and sustainment of the gospel.
Whenever Monday comes
(and it always does), sorrow should not be the diet of the day. Whenever
midweek arrives, life should not seem interminable and without hope. Yet, all
too often, these are the weekly rituals that we engage our minds and hearts in.
However, if we consistently consider and "chew upon" those gospel treasures that
we have enjoyed in days past, we do not become overcome with anxiety about the
storms of life. When Christ comes to cheer our hearts in the midst of the storm
and calls us to walk with Him, we do not stand in bewildered contemplation over
the scene.
Friends, the gospel
does so much for us here in this vale of tears. One of the richest things that
it does besides providing strength for today is to give comfort and sustainment
coupled with hope for tomorrow. If the same Lord has fed us so well from His
table today, He will not leave us or suffer more to come upon us than we can
handle tomorrow. May we enjoy those rich times with Him at the table, and may
we look for His coming on top of the waves of sorrow and listen for that sweet
and cheering voice that speaks peace to our souls. May we not stand unbelieving
at His power to quell problems in our lives that we cannot handle, but may we
thank Him with the same fervor in which we enjoy His sweets and dainties at the
table of the Lord. Considering that sorrow and anxiety are higher now than at
any time, it should be no surprise that the gospel is less desired or treasured
than at any other time. May we desire and treasure the gospel and keep our
heads up looking for Him during our trials in life.
In Hope,
Bro Philip
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