The Way to a Man's Heart

Mark 8:1-13

Did you know Jesus fed 9,000 people with 12 loaves and four or five fish?  Lots of us have heard the story of feeding 5,000 with five loaves and two fish, but not everyone realizes that Jesus does it again, this time feeding 4,000 with seven loaves and a few more fish.

In the 8^th chapter of Mark, Jesus is worried about the crowd that has followed him for three days with nothing to eat.  He doesn’t want to send them away hungry.  He’s afraid they’ll collapse on the long journey home.  While Jesus is obviously concerned with their physical needs, a parallel can be made to him not wanting to send them home spiritually hungry.  He wants them to “taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8).

He also wants to give them spiritual strength for the long journey ahead.  In today’s passage, Jesus uses the disciples to distribute nourishment for the body.  After his death, these same disciples will go out and continue Jesus’ ministry of filling people’s spirits. They will distribute the love of God and the people will be satisfied.

But in every crowd, there are doubters and naysayers.  The Pharisees fill this role when they approach Jesus and begin to question him and ask him for a sign.  Jesus replies, “Truly I tell you; no sign will be given” (v. 12).

Those who believe have seen the wonders that Jesus performed and recognize him as the one true God.  They have followed him for days, asking nothing in return.  Jesus rewards their loyalty with a sign that nourishes their body and later nourishes their soul.

Jesus wants us to share in the awesome wonder of watching him turn seven loaves and a few fish into a meal that satisfies thousands.  Jesus won’t let us go hungry.  He will fill us up and send us out, so we can share the blessings of his love.

Healing Through Faith and Love

Mark 8:22-26

Did Jesus really need to put saliva on the eyes of the man in order to heal him from blindness? Some healing Jesus did was through touch. Other times Jesus never even saw the person he healed and still other restorations occurred after Jesus’ cloak was touched by an ailing individual.

The common thread throughout all the healing of Jesus is obviously Jesus himself, but two other components were always present as well; Agape Love and Faith. 

Agape, meaning the highest form of love. The type of Love our God offers us-unconditional. 

Faith in every instance was sincerely present within someone involved.

In order for healing to take place, faith that it can happen need not be within the receiver, but must dwell in someone who is praying for and believing in the healing power of God. That was true then, and still is today. 

Perhaps the physical cures in the Bible occurred to guide people into relationship with God, but it was about total healing of the mind and soul, not just the body. 

Please consider that the same power to facilitate God’s healing lives in us. The gift of the Holy Spirit is here for all, to be used as a vehicle to heal. We need each other. We can do God’s work for one another right here. Right now!

The Same Power  by Jeremy Camp

Read/Listen to Mark 8: 22-26