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Text Sermons : R.A. Torrey : The Feeding of the Five Thousand Mark 6:30–44

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(Compare Matthew 14:13–21; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–13)
DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS

1. Our Lord’s Care for His Servants, vv. 30–32
From what were the apostles returning? What was the first thing they did upon their return? (Luke 9:10.) What is the wisest thing we can do at the close of each missionary tour and each day’s work? To whom did they tell what they had done? To whom do men usually tell what they had done? How much of what they had done did they tell our Lord? Do men usually tell Him “all things whatsoever they have done”? Doesn’t He know it without our telling Him? What is the use then in telling Him?
Did they tell Him anything besides what they had done? What would be the effect upon the teaching of many of us if at the close of each day’s work we should tell our Lord all that we have taught? What did He say? Why did they need rest? Are vacations right? Who went with the apostles upon their proposed vacation? Whom ought Christians to always take with them on their vacation? Do you always take Him along? Was it purely for rest that He took them apart? (Matt. 14:12, 13.) What sort of a place did He take them to? Why to a desert place? (v. 31; Matt. 10:23; 12:15; 4:12.)
2. Our Lord’s Compassion for the Neglected Masses, vv. 33, 34
Did He get the seclusion and rest He needed and desired? Why did the people follow Him? (John 6:2.) How did they show the earnestness of their following? Was He vexed at them that they broke in this inconsiderate way upon His needed rest? (Luke 9:11, R. V.) Why not? Is there any hint here for us? For which did He care most, opportunities for refreshment or opportunities to do good? (John 4:6, 31, 32.) Did His own sorrow make Him heedless of the sorrow of others? What was the feeling in Jesus’ heart when He saw that great multitude? (cf. Matt. 9:36; 14:14; 15:32.) What was it about them that moved Him with compassion? What will be the feeling of every true follower of Christ as he looks upon the vast unshepherded crowd? How did He manifest His compassion toward them? (Luke 9:11; Matt. 14:14.) Which did they need the most, the healing or the teaching? Whom did He heal? (Luke 9:11.) What was it appealed to Him? Who is it He wishes to come to Him? (Matt. 11:28.) Did He spend much time at this work?
3. Our Lord as the Bountiful Provider, vv. 35–44
What anxious thoughts disturbed His disciples as evening drew on? Who had first suggested to their minds this question about feeding the multitude? (John 6:5.) What was His purpose in this? (John 6:6.) Was the anxiety of the apostles natural? Was it justifiable? What fact did they regard that made them anxious? What fact did they overlook that would have banished all anxiety? What fact do we always overlook when we give way to anxiety? (Ro. 8:31.) What was really at the bottom of their anxiety? What is always at the bottom of anxiety? (Is. 26:3.) In their unbelief whom did they undertake to advise? Do men nowadays ever undertake to give the Lord pointers on what He ought to do? Of what fact did they inform Him? Did He know all that before? Do men nowadays ever undertake to inform the Lord of that which He already knows perfectly well? What did He know that the disciples did not? (John 6:6.)
What was the suggestion of the disciples as to the way out of difficulty? Did they on any other occasion suggest the same expedient? (Matt. 15:33.) Is this a common way of getting out of difficulties in Christian work? Was this Christ’s way? Is it His way today? What startling command did He give the apostles? Was it possible to obey? Was it duty to obey? Is our duty to be measured by our ability? What is it to be measured by? Where are we to look for the ability to do that which we are unable to do but which He commands us to do? Of what may we always be sure when He gives us a command? How much can one do? (Phil. 4:13; 2 Cor. 9:7, 8.) What two things did He wish to bring them to recognize by this command? What was their reply? (Luke 9:13.) What kind of loaves were they which they had? (John 6:9.) Is there any significance as to the way in which our Lord and His companions lived in the fact that they were barley loaves? Was there enough to feed the multitude? Did He altogether discard them on that account?
What was the first thing to be done with them before they should be multiplied? (Matt. 14:18.) If we want our powers to be multiplied, what is the first thing to do with them? Did the disciples really bring the loaves? Did they lose anything by giving their own scant stores to feed others (vv. 42, 43)? Do we ever lose anything by giving at Christ’s command? (Mal. 3:10; Prov. 11:24, 25.)
What was Christ’s next command? (Luke 9:14.) Was it any test of faith to the disciples to seat the crowd? Did their faith stand the test? What is the wisest thing to do when we get any order from the Lord, no matter how strange it may appear? What must have been the feeling of the disciples and the multitude at this point? How many obeyed the order and sat down? (Luke 9:15.)
How many of the loaves and fishes did our Lord take? What do we learn from this that we must do before we expect God to increase our power in His service? Having taken the loaves and fishes, what did He do? Did He thank God merely for what was already there or in view of what was to be there? Did He on any other occasion return thanks at meals? (Matt. 15:36; 26:26, 27.) What reason have we for supposing that the way in which He did this was different from the way in which other men did it and made a deep impression upon the disciples? (John 6:23; Luke 24:30, 31.) Was it a common custom among Christians? (Ro. 14:6; 1 Tim. 4:4, 5.) Ought we to do it when we eat in public places? (Acts 27:35.)
Did our Lord give the bread directly to the multitude? Any lesson in that? How many people were fed? How much did they get? (John 6:11.) In what condition were they all when the meal was over? Did any one ever really come to Christ’s table and not get filled? Are there any tables where we can never get filled?
Why is this in some respects the most wonderful of all the miracles? What does it prove our Lord to have been? Where are our multitudes to feed? Are we feeding them? What bread is our Lord ready to minister today to every hungry and perishing soul? (John 6:35.) Who can have it? (John 6:35–37.) What does it cost? (Is. 55:1.) What will be the result of eating it? (John 6:49, 50, 51.)
CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS

1. Our Lord
His deity, 41–43; humanity, 30, 31, 41; accessibleness, 34; love of order, 39, 40; use of human instrumentalities, 41; compassion on His weary disciples, on the ignorant, on the sick, on the hungry, 31, 34, 37; power to teach, surmount difficulties, to create, to satisfy, 34, 37–42; forgetfulness of self, of His own need, of His own sorrow, 34; mindfulness of other’s need, of God’s glory, 34–42.
2. Our Lord and the Masses
Their need, 34; sufficiency, 34, 42; came to Christ, 33; loved, welcomed, taught, fed, healed by Christ, 34, 41, 42.
3. True Service
Its joy—sweeter than rest, 31, 34; its measure—not our ability but Christ’s command, 37; its support—His strength, 41; its consecration—every loaf and every fish, 41.






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