Jonah Albrecht…Trinity 7…August 3^rd, 2024…Mark 8:1-9…Only Jesus Can Fill Those Who Are Empty

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Risen Savior, Jesus Christ Amen.

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, ² “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. ³ And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” ⁴ And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” ⁵ And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” ⁶ And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. ⁷ And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. ⁸ And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. ⁹ And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away.

INJ Who welcomes hungry souls and feeds them with His Word of forgiveness DFR:

It is often during the darkest of days that we see compassion shine through. Sometimes that compassion can come from an unlikely source. Such is the case with Oskar Schindler – the one about whom the movie Schindler’s List is based. Oskar Schindler was not one you would expect compassion from. He was a chronic drunk and often had extramarital affairs. He even worked as a spy for the Abwehr – an intelligence agency for Nazi Germany. As a member of the Nazi party, Schindler is the last person you would expect to show compassion to the thousands of Jews near the Czech and Polish border. But he did.

Oskar Schindler purchased an enamelware factory in which he employed up to 1750 workers, 1000 of whom were Jewish. Originally, Schindler opted to use the Jewish workers because he could pay them less than fair wages. But after seeing firsthand the atrocities performed by SS officers, his goal became to protect his workers no matter the personal cost. He used his connections in the Nazi Party, bribes, and even black-market trading all in an effort to keep his workers from being sent to a concentration camp and certain death. Towards the end of the war, when the SS were “clearing house,” it became more difficult for Schindler to convince them to leave his workers alone. But once again, Schindler’s compassion shown through and he did whatever he needed to in order to keep them safe.

It is interesting to see the length one will go to out of compassion for their fellow human-beings. Though Schindler’s character is not one to be proud of, his accomplishments in saving thousands of lives are certainly worth applauding.

Today we see a full picture of the compassion that dwelt in Jesus’ heart. Just reading the account from Mark might not seem like that big of a deal – after all, Jesus had already fed over 5000 people once before, this time it was only 4000. But it is the compassion of Jesus that Mark highlights. His care is for the physical need of the people who had been listening to Him teach for 3 days straight, yes. But His compassion goes far beyond the surface of physical food. Our Savior’s compassion seeks to feed the souls of those who come to Him hungry for His Word.  He takes them to His cross where God’s love and forgiveness feeds them so that they hunger no more. And that is our theme for this morning. Only Jesus Can Feed Those Who Come to Him Hungry.

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, ² “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. ³ And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.”

Our account this morning takes place in the later period of Jesus’ ministry in the region called the Decapolis. The Decapolis were Hellenistic Greek cities, meaning there were most likely quite a few Gentiles present to hear Jesus’ teaching. This gives a much deeper meaning when Jesus says, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat.”

Now, Jesus was talking about their physical need, but it goes beyond that. Jesus was so well known by now, the crowds would risk anything for the chance to see Him, be healed by Him, and to listen to Him teach – especially the Gentiles. One might wonder why they would listen to Him teach for three days, in a desolate place, without regards for their food supply? For the Jews, it makes sense. At the very least, Jesus had proven Himself to be a prophet from God – something the Jews had not had for over 400 years – of course they would go out to listen to what He has to say. The Gentiles didn’t have the Old Testament. They didn’t have an expectation of a messenger from God. And still they sought Him.

Jesus’ teaching didn’t line up with the pagan gods of the Greeks or Romans. He didn’t come demanding tribute or sacrifice, but He came offering peace with God, forgiveness for wrongdoing and a solution for life’s greatest fear – death. Jesus didn’t heap one law upon another like the Pharisees did. He came to take the burden of their sin and in its place, He says, Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

⁴ And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” ⁵ And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.”

It’s interesting, is it not, that Jesus again poses the same challenge to His disciples as He did at the feeding of the 5000? Almost as if He is giving them a second chance to show forth their faith in Him. Yet, once again, the impossible nature of Jesus’ request overshadows what they have known and seen about Jesus. But is not that the nature of our fickle minds? Do we not do the same when we feel our problem is impossible even for God to handle?

It is like an old cliché, “I’m a man, I don’t need the instruction manual!” The disciples’ faith was their instruction manual – if they relied upon it, it would point them to Jesus who had power to do what He needed to do. Your faith is your instruction manual as well. When you use it and rely upon it, it points you to Jesus, who now has all authority in heaven and on earth to help you.

⁶ And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. ⁷ And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. ⁸ And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.

I want to take some time to bring in two other sections of Scripture that help us see the importance of what Jesus did in this miracle. First, take a look at the bulletin cover this morning and the Psalm printed on it. The eyes of all look to You, O Lord, and You give them their food in due season. You might recognize it as a prayer used before a potluck meal – its purpose is to remind us that all the bounty we have in this life comes from our Heavenly Father. Every living creature looks to Him for their provision. Jesus does the same thing here. Twice, for each portion of the meal, He blesses the food, that is He prays to God to offer thanks and praise for what the people are about to receive.

Now think back to our Old Testament Lesson. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had all the food they could ask for, they lacked nothing. But the fall into sin brought a curse – man has to work for his food and it is difficult. Food might not grow, crops might be destroyed, financial hardship might bring a lack of variety – or in the case of our text, a desolate place meant no means to feed a large group of people. Every day we feel the burden of paradise lost – the wages of sin is death. Like the disciples who were overwhelmed by an impossible situation, the curse of sin breaks our backs every day. We are caught under its burden unable to get free.

But then in steps Jesus, who overturned the curse Adam and Eve brought. Sin brought toil and work for the basic necessities like food. But Jesus offered food for all to have their fill – as it would have been in perfection. Even to this day, though there be times when we barely scrape by and other times when we have more than we know what to do with. Through it all we can say with the Apostle Paul, I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content (Phil. 4:11 ESV) because God always provides.

The great crowds came to Jesus days on end because they were hungry for spiritual food and they wanted to be fed by the one who has the words of eternal life. For three days they sat there, soaking in every word from His mouth, not even realizing the growing need for food, but are totally enamored by their Lord and Savior.

Why do you seek to see your Savior? Each of you has a different story and a different path to where you are today. But we all have one thing in common – without Jesus we are starved and empty, in desperate need for someone to fill our stomachs with food. The emptiness we have is more dire than the need for physical food. Without Jesus and His compassion, we have no life within us. John warns in his second epistle, Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God.
And what are we without the goodness of our Creator, Redeemer, and Comforter? What hope is there outside of the one who deigned to dwell with man in order that He might sacrifice Himself to pay for their sins? There is none. Without the grace of God, the world would be empty – and that is exactly what eternity is without Christ – empty and void of the goodness and grace of God.

Why do we seek to see Christ? May we join with Simon Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Jesus’ compassion was with those 4000 not just to feed their bodies, but to win salvation for their souls. That compassion took Him to the cross on Calvary. He set aside His glory and dignity to endure the suffering and shame of the cross in the place of every single sinner the world over. And, as on the third day Jesus provided bread for thousands, on the third day He provided life from death for all people rising from the dead to the glory of God the Father. That’s how you know that Jesus’ compassion is for you too. For God so the loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Jesus won. He paid for your sin, He defeated the power of death, and He has given to you as your own possession, right now, eternal life in His name.

And what should we do with what Christ has given us? Let His compassion that drove Him to sacrifice all for you, flow through your life. That doesn’t mean you have to give away everything you have like Schindler did, but first seek Jesus, seek His Word, and feed your soul on the bread of life. Then you can lead others to the same source of eternal life through faith. And you know, the Lord will not leave you empty of His salvation. Amen.