Sermon on January 27 by Pastor Roland Eskinazi

Scripture: Mark 8:1-21

Every Christian will have a natural desire to grow. What when we are slow to learn?
How does Jesus grow us when we are not where he wants us to be?

1. WHAT YOU WANT ISN’T ALWAYS WHAT YOU NEED! (v1-10)
Jesus is always ready to feed, but always in the right order – first teaching, then multiplying the bread.
Do we come to Jesus to get things fixed in our lives?
Or do we see our need for teaching so in seeking Him, we may have all the other things?

‘Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your hearts, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and thirst and then feeding you with manna …to teach you that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from mouth of God.’
(DEUT 8:2-3)

2. HOW YOU COME IS HOW YOU ARE WELCOMED! (v11-14)

• If Jesus’ word is not enough, is anything?
  The Bible is a miracle in both how it comes about and how God preserves it.
  Asking for more signs than what God has revealed in Jesus is sheer unbelief.
• If you test the Lord, do you trust Him?
  Be prepared! There is not an experience you go through in this week where Jesus is not testing you
  Both David and the Israelites were tested through Goliath – and David’s trust proven in the fields was ready for the battle (1 Sam 17)

3. SLOW LEARNING IS BETTER THAN BLIND UNBELIEF! (v15-21)

• You can hear everything, but go with nothing.
  Judas (the skilled one) had all the teaching and experience the others had, but never got beyond the material.
  Peter, the slow learner, fails – but goes away with what really matters.
  Eyes that see and ears that hear!
• With Jesus, slow learners can storm the world
  The key word is that little word…still. ‘Do you still not see or understand?’ (v17b)
  With Jesus, the same dull disciples will go on to on to be changed, and to take their world for Jesus.

Remember! If you are not yet a believer, today is a day to see clearly, hear distinctly and believe. And if you love Jesus and are slow to learn, don’t stay as you are.
Jesus will not leave you – but both keep you and grow you.

 

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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION
1. What are some of the similarities in the flow of events in Mark 6 and Mark 8? Why does Mark record them in this way? What does this tell us about what we need to do regularly?
2. How does Jesus compassion for the hungry crowd show itself? What should His emphasis on teaching (for three days) say to us about how He saw the needs of the world?
3. What is the difference between testing God in faith and testing Him in unbelief?
4. As we face new challenges in this week and year, how can we increase the chances that we will remember God’s mighty works from the past?

 

Photo credit FreeImages.com/Wilf Ratzburg