Bible Text: Mark 6:30–34 | Preacher: Pastor Andrew Okai

Jesus. The Caring Savior

Mark 6:30–34

Sermon prepared by the Holy Spirit and Pastor Andrew T. Okai

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

July 22, 2018

Introduction

Grace, Mercy, and peace…

As we continue our study on the gospel of Mark, we are confronted with a truly wonderful portion of scripture. These verses tell us without a doubt that Jesus Cares about us.

In this gospel story, Jesus has sent the disciples to take the good news of the gospel. They came back very excited by what they had done and seen.

Let’s look at the two groups of people our Lord cares about so dearly.

I. Jesus care about laboring servants

Their activity: They returned very excited. From this we can gather that there is no greater joy in life than serving the Lord and seeing him bless your service. Yetthe Bible makes us aware that the Lord saved us and enabled us to serve him.
He equips us: So he equipped his disciples to serve in his kingdom. Some of us may think or feel inadequate to do the Lord’s work –Believe me, these men felt the same – for they were nothing but quick tempered, impatient, inadequate fishermen and tax collectors with no training whatsosever.
His Advice: When Jesus heard their report and saw their enthusiasm, he gave them some strange advice. It seemed like a perfect moment for them to do it again as the crowd were coming and going – but no, he calls his disciples away for a time of rest and refreshment. I think there are several reasons why the Lord did this with his men, and I think these reasons are still valid today.

The physical stress of ministry is enormous

II. Jesus cares about lost sheep

Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake and found thousands of people who had walked around the lake to wait for him. If this was you or me, getting away from the people and they followed us, we might have said or done something to make them leave. But He had compassion for them!

Compassion is not one of those words we use to describe an act of kindness, because it is deeper than that. It is sharing the same feelings of others; getting in their shoes; and possessing a desire to do something for them.Compassion is always driven by a need: for Jesus the need was that they were lost without a shepherd.

He began teaching them. What this tells us is that people are lost today because of the lack of understanding.