Wednesday, March 16th, 2022
WDW — February 16th, 2022
“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd…Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass…They all ate and were satisfied.”
— Mark 6:34,39,42 (NIV) —
“Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”
— John 6:15 (NIV) —
Bible Reading: Mark 6:7-44
“Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.”
Mark 6:7-44 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Mark%206:7-44&version=NIV
Friends—
Jesus was not exactly what some of the people were expecting from the King of the Jews. Many expected Jesus to arrive with an army and overthrow Herod and build his kingdom and rule. Certainly, the Jewish leaders were not impressed with how and with whom Jesus spent his time with; Jesus was drawn to the poor, the sick and the unclean. Jesus with love and compassion met people where they were and saw their needs and healed their lives. Jesus had also spent time with tax collectors and traveled with a band of men that did not at all measure up to the standards set by the Pharisee’s; thinking much of themselves and treated others more like subjects instead of their Jewish brothers and sisters.
Jesus is the great shepherd, we are his sheep. Jesus was sent by His Father, to do the will of the Father, not His own. Jesus was focused on His mission and he did not have to prove his divinity and certainly not His Kingship. Jesus was not envious of anything or anyone, He is the King of the Jews and His kingdom is not of this earth. Jesus’ message is simple and yet so profound that many have trouble grasping its simplicity. . . LOVE. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4
❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 LOVE 💙 💜 💖 🤎
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Challenge Question
How has envy robbed you of the opportunity to love?
Further Study
1 Kings 22:17 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20Kings%2022:17&version=NIV
2 Kings 4:42-44 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=2%20Kings%204:42-44&version=NIV
Psalm 23:1-6 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Psalm%2023:1-6&version=NIV
Psalm 37:1-11 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Psalm%2037:1-11&version=NIV
Psalm 73:1-28 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Psalm%2073:1-28&version=NIV
Ezekiel 34:5,23-25 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Ezekiel%2034:5,23-25&version=NIV
John 10:1-21 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=John%2010:1-21&version=NIV
Revelation 7:17 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Revelation%207:17&version=NIV
~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.
References:
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