If you’ve ever baked bread, you know that yeast is a key ingredient. It’s amazing how a bit of granulated yeast is so powerful. It lives, it’s active, and it’s essential for baked bread to rise. In this morning’s passage, it uses yeast for caution about disbelief.
Beloved, at this point in Mark’s narrative, you would hope the disciples could identify the pattern in Jesus’ ministry and learn. If you compare the accounts of the feeding of the 5,000 and then the 4,000, in Mark 6:35 and Mark 8:4 both of them have many similarities. In both, they describe the setting as a “remote place.” In both events the disciples encouraged Jesus to “send the people away” (*1) and to “send them home hungry” (*2). In both encounters, the disciples asked about the shortage of “bread” (*3). And even if the disciples didn’t recall the comparison of the words within these two conversations, you would think when Jesus asked the same question (“How many loaves do you have?”) they would have recalled the feeding of the 5,000 (*4).
Instead of saying, “Hey, wait a minute. This should be no problem for you,” they didn’t seem to understand. When Jesus directed the crowd to “sit down,” there was another opportunity for the disciples to trust Jesus. Just as He had done in the past, He would again use their insufficient resources to show compassion for the huge crowd.
As you can see Beloved, they apparently bought into the uncertainty or “yeast” of the Pharisees and didn’t understand Jesus’ true identity. Yet, just as Jesus rejected to give the Pharisees a sign from heaven to appease their skepticism, He also warned the disciples against adopting the Pharisees’ position of unbelief. Beloved, disbelief, like yeast, can grow and multiply. It requires faith to recognize that Jesus is God the Son.
Let Us Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, once again we thank You for Your words of Wisdom. This morning we’ve added faith as we rise and prepare for our Sunday journey. Our belief is in You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen and Amen.
Beloved, life is very short. It comes and goes like an unannounced gust of wind. None of us know the hour or day when that gust of wind may enter our room and blow out our earthly light. So today, reach out and touch someone and tell them you love them, BECAUSE TELLING THEM LATER JUST MIGHT BE – TOO LATE. I LOVE YOU ALL!!! – Have a “Blessed” Sunday.
CHOF Ministry Cross-Reference Verses:
*1. Mark 6:36
*2. Mark 8:2-3
*3. Mark 6:37 & Mark 8:4
*4. Mark 6:38 & Mark 8:5