"Spiritual dullness or NO INSIGHT"
There is a curious verse in Mk.6:52. Mark comments on the lack of understanding that the disciples displayed following the feeding of the 5000 earlier in the chapter. With the great miracle of feeding so many with just the lunch of a lad under their belts, they were shortly after hard pressed by a new trial of faith. It was during this trial that they displayed such a spiritual stupor that Mark felt compelled to comment on it. And remember, Mark was inspired by the Holy Spirit so his analysis was not just the musings of a confused historic author but the very heart of Jesus Himself. What was this confusion, this lack of insight, this stark failure to understand? Let's set the stage a moment.
Jesus had just fed 5000 with a young boy's lunch, experts guess he was probably in his teens but no one really knows. With 5 loaves (about the size of a biscuit today) and 2 small fish (a little larger than sardines), Jesus fed 5000 & had 12 baskets of broken pieces left over. Quite frankly, the miracle was outlandish in its size. It was so astounding that it has been recorded in all 4 Gospels. We must realize that Bible space is at a premium & that God never wastes His breath. The people were amazed & John's Gospel records that they wanted to take Jesus & make Him king of the country (Jn.6:14-15). Yet the disciples, though just as amazed, learned virtually nothing from this.
Within an hour of Jesus dismissing the crowd, a new trial awaited them. Jesus instructed His disciples to get in a small boat (they didn't have big boats on the Sea of Galilee or Lake Gennesaret) and go to the other side of the lake. He, meanwhile, stayed on shore, went up on a hill, and prayed alone. He viewed them hard at work for they were rowing against the wind. Jesus came to them walking on water (what?) at about the 4th watch of the night. That's about 3 or 4 in the morning. HE was actually going to pass them by, perhaps to meet them on the other shore when they had long last completed the difficult journey across. We don't really know His intent but it doesn't matter for they saw Him & were terrified, for they thought he was a ghost - really! But Jesus immediately set about to calm their fears by speaking to them & entering into the boat with them. When HE did that the wind ceased - and they were greatly amazed or astonished - I mean flabbergasted! That is precisely when Mark comments that they lacked insight because "their hearts were hardened." What were they clueless about?
First, they were afraid when there was no need. HE had just fed 5000. If he could do that, couldn't HE help them with contrary wind - & HE had to come to them by walking on water. It is simply amazing how quickly we forget what God has done & get into a real frenzy when we face tough times or something just contrary to where we would like to go. Sometimes the circumstances are contrary to what Jesus commands us to do. Then we really get crispy around the edges. If it is our choice, we instinctively know that God is not obligated to help us out of our self-made jam. But when God has instructed us to go in His name, & we are just trying to obey, the resistance we sometimes encounter can be really disturbing. We easily forget that God has rescued us before & that HE fully intends to make a way for us even if that way is not plain to us right now. I think Mark was recognizing a common failing in all Christians. We have poor memories & are easily 'spooked'.
Second, speaking of 'spooked', Jesus came to calm our fears. And we are afraid almost all of the time. God Almighty is on our side & we are afraid. We are afraid of ourselves, others, failure, success, the past, the future, our neighbors, what people think, phobias, disease or death, of losing out, of harm coming to our families, of the devil, etc. We are afraid of just about everything except the Lord - which is the ONE PERSON WE SHOULD FEAR! Anyway, Jesus came to calm our fears. He came to say, "Take courage. It is I, do not be afraid." There is a great verse in Hebrews 2:15, "and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives." This verse declares one of the great intentions of Jesus. HE came to deliver us from the fear of death & its prison. Fear is debilitating! And it comes in many forms & many degrees. They had no insight into the delivering power of God though the feeding the 5000 had certainly displayed His power!
Third, They failed to realize that as believers, they had entered into the eternal care of God Almighty who was now their Father! Nothing could separate them from Him - NOTHING! If Jesus would feed 5000 a lunch miraculously, will HE not care for His very disciples - who love Him, believe in Him, have come to him, & have surrendered to him at whatever level they have perceived? Of course HE would. Look at the possibilities. Jesus could just flat rescue them - which HE did! He could allow the trial & get His result from it as HE did in Paul's shipwreck at the end of Acts. That would cause His servants to get to where they were supposed to be & learn what they were supposed to learn. They could have died that day & entered straigh-way into the Presence of the Lord where there are no more tears, trials, or temptations. There was no possible outcome that wouldn't be a tremendous victory (if we truly believe in heaven). And, the ONE who fed 5000 had promised to never leave them. His coming to them on water was a physical miracle picturing the spiritual fact - the Lord GOD Almighty was now always near, ever watching & caring, never out of touch, too busy, or asleep & not involved. They forgot that HE cares! They couldn't see HIM or understand what HE was doing - so they assumed the worse - He's gone & we are done for!
Fourth, they failed to see His compassion. In F.F. Bosworth's land mark book, "Christ the Healer", he writes to build the faith in God (for the reader) that HE has sent Jesus to heal. His 4th chapter is on the compassions of Christ. Bosworth lists compassion as one huge reason to believe that God wants to heal the sick. His case is classic & I have never heard a reasonable argument against his position. You would do well to get the book & read it for that ONE CHAPTER!
These disciples just witnessed enormous compassion. Mk.6:34 speaks of this compassion. He was healing & teaching. Then, HE refused to send them away hungry. HE worked a fantastic miracle to make sure they were fed. How is it that they did not understand that HIS compassions are great towards them? Yet they did not remember. They assumed the worse. They wondered if HE would help them. They felt left to their own devices. WE are Christians - the apple of His eye! We are never left to our own devices - NEVER! The God who cared enough to come & take care of our sin - which had separated us from HIM - if HE could take care of the sin of the world - will HE not care enough to take care of our little trouble? Of course HE will, but disciples forget. We see amazing interventions; we are rescued time & again - from many troubles of our own making; we are delivered from the enemy's plans over & over, yet we forget. Why is this so?
The secret is in the phrase, "for their hearts were hardened." Keith Green wrote a song & some of the words went like this. "My eyes are dry, my faith is old, my heart is hard, my prayers are cold. And I know how I ought to be, alive to you and dead to me. O what can be done for an old heart like mine. Soften it up with oil and wine. The oil is YOU and YOUR SPIRIT of love. Please wash me anew, in the wine of YOUR blood." What a song - what a prayer! This was their trouble & it is ours as well. We must have soft, pliable, willing, hearts aflame with love from Jesus & love for Jesus! It will take His constant care & touch. THIS IS WHY THE SPIRIT FILLED LIFE IS NOT AN OPTION! His Presence must always be acknowledged & counted on.
Be of good cheer my friends. Jesus knows this tendency of ours towards a hard heart. HE has made provision to soften it up. Softening happens as we follow HIM in all our challenges. It happens as Jesus cares for us & walks on water to come to our boat when we are rowing against the wind & HAVE FORGOTTEN ALL HE HAS SHOWN US OF HIS FAITHFULNESS! Think of it! HE has gone into a mountain to pray for us & now comes to us in our hour of need - not ashamed to call us His own - come to speak, "Do not be afraid." - come to silence the contrary wind - come to join us as we move on in His Gospel quest! What a mighty Savior we have! What a need for a soft heart that remembers what HE haas said - the commands, the warnings, and His precious promises by which we come partakers of His divine nature (2Pet.1:4). Be of good cheer. Jesus specialty is softening hard hearts, refueling blank memories, & bringing us the true wisdom revealed in His good deeds. After all, didn't He come to do good & heal all who have been oppressed of the devil? So the Lord, we pray, come & renew us by giving us a fresh drink of Your Spirit! Then we shall no be hard hearted or forgetful of what you have done while we wait for our latest rescue! Jesus keep you strong my friends. Pastor Mike
