Mark 6

Verses 1-6

• Understand that people often will not listen to messengers that they are too familiar with, especially biological family or relatives.

  • Familiarity causes people to reject the message coming from a messenger that they doubt. 

  • Notice that Jesus could not do any mighty work because of their unbelief. They disbelieved so intensely, in fact, that Luke 4:28-29 says they tried to throw Him off of a cliff.

    • You will not be able to reach people who disbelieve like this. You may speak to them once, but if they persecute you, simply move on.

      • But do speak to those who are willing.

 

Verses 7-13

• Immediately after this, Jesus sent out His disciples into the same city—Nazareth. Even though He couldn't reach Nazareth, His disciples may have had a better chance. The point?

  • Get help when you're spreading the gospel and trying to make disciples.

    • Delegate relationships or tasks to other believers that may be better suited for a certain tasks or people.

    • Someone else may even be better for reaching members of your own family, if you are entirely rejected. Remember this and act accordingly.

      • But, after you've done your part, move on from people that will not listen.

• When you spread the gospel, keep your message balanced. Remember to communicate that people should believe in Jesus and turn away from sin.

  • Also, lay hands on and pray for the sick! Healings help to spread the message.

• See teaching on Matthew 10 and Luke 10 for more details.

 

Verses 14-29

• This passage has one main point: Exposing and rebuking sin will create enemies, but it's still important.

  • Do not be afraid to tell someone when they need to repent from a sin. Just make sure that you do it out of love.

 

Verses 30-32

• Jesus was so diligent and attentive to His work that He and His disciples often didn't even have time to eat. 

  • This is a good problem to have. Do give yourself a lot of work to do, and stretch yourself to accomplish a lot. 

    • Just make sure that you take occasional times away to rest and rejuvenate.

 

Verses 33-34

• Jesus taught the crowds so many things because He felt compassion for them, His love motivated His teachings.

  • If you're going to teach someone something, teach because you love them and want to help them. Don't teach just to share knowledge for the sake of knowledge.

 

Verses 35-44

• Notice that Jesus wanted to provide for both the spiritual and natural needs of the people.

  • He fed them with the Word and with natural food (bread and fish). 

    • Take responsibility for helping people under your care with their natural needs as well as their spiritual needs. Provision in both areas is important for serving others.

• Jesus now works a miracle to provide for the crowds, teaching His disciples that they did not have to be limited by physical lack. 

  • If they had the love and compassion of Jesus, and wanted to feed the crowds, they would have believed God for provision.

    • Understand that a miracle is always possible, and can be expected, if you have compassion enough and want to help!

• See Matthew 14 for more details. 

 

Verses 45-46

• Here again we see Jesus diligently attending to His personal relationship with the Father by ending is work in a day and then going to be alone with His Father.

  • Do prioritize your communion with God in solitude. Prayer in private, is important.

  • Don't do this when you get time. Make time for it, as you see Jesus did.

 

Verses 47-52

• Since the disciples were already experiencing fear because of the storm, they saw Jesus with fear also, thinking He was a ghost.

  • When they saw something they had never seen before, and of course thought was impossible, they reacted in fear.

  • It can be scary and unsettling to see God do things we've never seen before, and especially things that we think are impossible. So, fear comes more easily when we don't believe in all that God can do.

• The disciples were fearful and lacked understanding because of their hardness of heart.

  • Hardness of heart is known, in part, by an inability to understand the truths of God.

• See teaching on Mark 8 for conclusion.

 

Verses 53-56

• We see in this paragraph how, by this time, Jesus was always being sought after by multitudes of people. Why?

• Activity begets activity. The more work that Jesus did, the more the faith of the crowds grew, and the more they pursued Him.

  • What began as many people desiring that He come to them turned into multitudes that needed only to touch the hem of His garment. 

    • This was a trend that started with one woman (Mark 5:28).

  • Go and help people, and more people will seek your help! This is a good thing.