Doing a Lot With a Little | Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr.

6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), ² and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. ³ Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. ⁴ The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

⁵ When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

⁷ Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

⁸ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹ “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

¹² When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

¹⁴ After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” ¹⁵ Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

¹⁶ When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, ¹⁷ where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. ¹⁸ A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. ¹⁹ When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. ²⁰ But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” ²¹ Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Sometimes when I am driving around Houston on highway 59 or 69 in Houston I look a the hotel my family stayed in when we first moved to Texas, I go by some of the old places we used to live as well. There are certain gas stations and fast food places that have a special place in my heart. When our living situation wasn't certain I remember making a lot with a little staying in a hotel while we worked out where we where going to stay. I remember doing a lot with a little when my mother sister and I had to split a fast food restaurant value meal with a refillable fountain drink from the local gas station. I know about doing a lot with a little going to college on not enough financial aid but making it work semester to semester so I could earn my undergraduate degree. I am very familiar with doing what you can with what you have.

I think we all have had to make what we had work in some way shape or form. Raising children, keeping a home, keeping a job, personal and/or professional relationship, maybe even just doing day to day tasks in this thing called life. I believe very few of us have had everything handed to us, and whatever we had

God

We get to see Jesus do a lot with a little in John chapter 6. Two of the most famous miracles of Jesus are here in this passage of scripture. Jesus feeding the multitude is in all four gospels and Jesus walking on water story is in Matthew, Mark, and John.  Earlier in John chapter 5 Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath and the people plotted to kill him. Jesus violated a rule by healing a man on the Sabbath, the religious authorities focused more on the rule violation than the person who got their life changed forever. Jesus is getting away from those people at the end of chapter 5 because it is not his time yet.

Jesus gets away from the people trying to kill him and that is where we find him by the Sea of Tiberius in today's reading. John marks the time by mentioning Passover. The location is important because of the time of year, it is Passover season, the time when believers went to Jerusalem to celebrate, however Jesus and the disciples are over 100 miles away from Jerusalem. That is a 1:30, or 2 hour drive and the disciples do not have cars. During the time of Passover the people should be in Jerusalem but a crowd is still around Jesus.

-while we have our traditional celebrations there is another world out there that can’t or won’t be in the main place for celebration.

Jesus sees that the people are hungry and take the initiative to act, compassion moves people to act. Jesus sees that the people are hungry and wants to feed them. Jesus then asks the disciples, where can we buy food? You could have a whole sermon, sermon series, Bible study, conference, and revival on these particular scriptures. Jesus asks where can we buy food, Philip complains about the price, Andrew brings up a little boy’s lunch. If that is not the struggle of the church, I don’t know what is. Jesus asked a specific question, one that should have been answered with a location, instead Jesus got complaints, one doing nothing because of the perceived price and another trying to get the job down with the “homeboy hookup.” This is the one who has never failed asking them a specific question and the disciples, the church folk can’t get out the way of their own thinking to do what Jesus asks.

How many thousands of dollars have been lost because a church didn't want to spend a few hundred? How many things has the church missed out on by not answering the specific questions? How many visions have gone unfulfilled because the negativity and lack of action prevented the idea from even getting off the ground? How many projects are there that could  have helped the community but died in committees?

Thank God that Jesus did not let the church folk stop him from performing this miracle, a sign to point people in the right direction in the kingdom of God. After performing the miracle, the people wanted to make Jesus king, it still wasn't Jesus time yet. Jesus is still trying to work without the fanfare.

The disciples ran into some rough water, in that rough water they kept pushing forward, they did not stop their trip permanently they kept working with what they had and pushed forward. In the storm, the disciples see Jesus, first on the shore, then walking on the water. The disciples are afraid at what they see, but Jesus told them not to be afraid because it is I. In the midst of the storm, a storm that is too big to handle all we can do is keep pushing forward and look to Jesus.

Jesus is the bread of life. Jesus fed the multitude and showed the  disciples a sign of who he is walking on water. Jesus took care of the physical and the spiritual needs of the people, the church could and should follow the same example. William Barber said preachers shouldn’t be worried about tithes and offerings if they are not also fighting for their congregation to get a living wage. We as a church are able to do a lot more than we are doing we just have to be willing to act.

God can do a lot with our little and turn it into something great. We have to be willing to give God what we have and let God work with it. It's no secret what God can do, what he has done for others he will do the same for you.

Jesus told the disciples on the boat not to be afraid, and he told them it is I but the phrasing is better said as  I AM. Phrasing there is the same phrasing that God told Moses from the burning bush I AM that I AM,  the I AM when Jesus says he is the light of the world, the I AM when Jesus says he is gate of the sheepfold and the good shepherd, the I AM when Jesus says he is the resurrection and the life, the I AM when Jesus says he is the way, the truth, and the life, the I AM when Jesus says he is the true vine, and the I AM when Jesus says he is the bread of life. Here to take care of us physically and spiritually.

A Compassionate Christ | Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 

³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

³² So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 

³³ But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 

³⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So, he began teaching them many things.

 

⁵³ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 

⁵⁴ As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus.

⁵⁵ They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 

⁵⁶ And wherever he went—into villages, towns, or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

 

 

Compassion is an interesting word, it wasn't until preparing for this message that I learned passion comes from a word that means "to suffer", and that the com prefix means "with”, so compassion means to suffer with someone. There are some things that I know I suffer for, that I am passionate about. Family, health, things that I feel need justice. I am sure there are some things we are compassionate about, things that stir our spirits. However, true compassion will drive action, we won't just feel some way about it, we will do something.

 

In looking at compassion, we find ourselves in the Gospel of Mark again, this story is in all four gospels. The lectionary reading for the week leaves out Jesus feeding the 5000 and walking on water and only lists the scriptures before and after those events. It is easy to think the scriptures read are not important but there are lessons to learn from these as well, we can get a whole bunch from the beginning and the end and save talking about the miracles for another day. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus went home, couldn't do many miracles because people there were more concerned about the Jesus they knew back then and not the miracle worker in front of them now. Then Jesus sent his disciples out to heal the sick, sometime during this time Jesus hears that John the Baptist has been killed by Herod, who threw a big party for his birthday. John the Baptist spoke truth to power, and it cost him his life. Because of John the Baptist, I am always leery of a so-called prophet that wants to get buddy-buddy with politicians just to further their aims. I am not saying don't work with them, I work with politicians all the time to help the community, I do it to help the community, not make myself famous. John the Baptist spoke truth to power and so shall I.

 

In the text the Apostles, the disciples, the sent ones are coming back to Jesus after being sent out, Jesus told them to go around preaching repentance and if someone did not accept them, shake the dust off their feet and keep it moving. The disciples went out to the people, they did not stay inside somewhere and wait for the people to come to them, and when they were done, the disciples had fruit in their ministry. I wonder what state the church would be in if we had more people willing to go out instead of waiting for everything to come to them?

 

Now the disciples are back telling Jesus what they have done. Jesus and his disciples are traveling the countryside, casting out demons and healing the sick. Everything is so busy that the disciples aren't even able to rest and get a bite to eat. Jesus calls the apostles to hop into a boat with him and go away to a deserted place across the Sea of Galilee to enjoy some rest. Jesus tells them to get away for a bit and rest a while. Rest is good, and rest is especially good when you earned it. Jesus saw that the disciples had a need and he met it.

 

But their plans are quickly derailed. The desperately needy people of the region see where Jesus is heading and hurry on ahead of him. When his boat hits the ground, there is a huge crowd waiting for him. Although Jesus is weary, he somehow avoids being annoyed that his much-deserved day off is being interrupted. He isn’t irritated that these people are unable to help themselves. He isn’t even frustrated that the need all around him is so enormous.

 

People began to see and hear the work Jesus and the disciples were doing and the word spread, people were beating Jesus and the disciples to the towns they were going to. Large crowds gathering at these places and Jesus had compassion for them and began to teach the people and heal them. Jesus saw them as sheep without a shepherd and had compassion for them. Shepherds feed their sheep, shepherds, protect their sheep, shepherds clean their sheep. The people needed a shepherd, Jesus saw the need and he met it.

 

Jesus went to Gennesaret, which is important because that is not where they set sail, Jesus and the disciples were getting in the boat headed for Bethsaida but ended up in Gennesaret. Gennesaret was a place where no one spoke Aramaic, this was not a comfortable cozy place for ministry, even so, Jesus and the Disciples still did kingdom work there. We may not always be in the most ideal situations where everything is going to go as we planned it, but God can still get the glory and the work of the kingdom can still be done.

 

Christianity is about proclaiming the Gospel and helping people in need. A compassionate Jesus was willing to help his disciples, a compassionate Jesus was willing to help people from towns and villages that spoke his language, a compassionate Jesus was willing to help people who didn't speak his language. Christ's compassion helped him to act, not just feel for the people from afar. This was only a glimpse of Christ's compassion because we would see Christ's compassion on full display at Calvary, aka Golgotha, aka the place of the skull, when Jesus would willingly give himself up for all of us to have access to eternal life.

 

Where could we be if we went out to the people instead of waiting for them to come to us? Where could we be if we allowed our compassion to drive us to act instead of waiting for someone else to do it? Where would we be if we didn't wait for the perfect opportunity, in the perfect place, at the perfect time to do something for God?

 

Doing What's Possible | Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr

Mark 6:1-13

6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.

² When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 

³ Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

⁴ Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 

⁵ He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 

⁶ He was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 

⁷ Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

⁸ These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 

⁹ Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 

¹⁰ Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.

¹¹ And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

¹² They went out and preached that people should repent. 

¹³ They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

 

There is a phrase I think of from time to time, "familiarity breeds contempt." Basically, the longer someone is around someone else or something else, the more familiar they get with it and begin stop appreciating as much as they used to. I have some friends and family members that don't think I can preach very well, don't understand how I am on the board of directors for some of the organizations I am, and get surprised at the work I do. Why? Because they only know me as the snot-nosed, nappy head, kid with a lisp that they knew before and can't imagine him being much else besides that. We all do it.

 

Get a brand-new car, get it washed every week, inside smelling great, tire shine on it. Get a new house, everybody must take their shoes off on the way in, don't track outside inside my house. The point is when you have been around it for a long time the newness of it fades. Doesn't have to be material things though, this happens with people too, you can get a promotion on the job, and you friends start to say you are acting funny. I am sure there are some people here who don't hang around the people they used to because you changed, and they couldn't handle it. 

 

We see some familiarity causing contempt in the Gospel of Mark. The passage I read for you at the beginning of this sermon is in Matthew and Luke but there is a little more time between Jesus coming home and Jesus sending the Disciples out. In chapter 5 Jesus healed Jairus's daughter and the woman with the issue of blood and is now coming home. Jesus starts off teaching in the synagogue and later tries to perform some mighty works, but it is not going as well as it did in chapter 5. Chapter 6 is a little different because Jesus is trying to so this in his hometown. 

 

This was new Jesus was different to the people of Nazareth, a lowly carpenter teaching in the synagogue so the text says they took offense. In the Greek the phrase "took offense" can also mean they stumbled, or they fell away. Don't we know him? Isn't this Mary's boy? People are familiar with Jesus and because they are familiar, they even insult him. Watch the text they mention everyone Jesus is related to, name his mother, his brothers, mention his sisters, but they don't name his father. That is not by omission, but intentional, they are calling Jesus a fatherless child while they are talking to him. 

 

The people did not understand the source of Jesus power and wisdom and because they did not understand it, they chose to be familiar than see the move of God. The people chose what made them comfortable over what would make them conquerors. Tradition over triumph and because the people in the village went that way they missed out on miracles. What have we missed out on because, "we have never done it that way before?" The people in Nazareth thought they knew Jesus, and didn't expect anything good from him, and because they expected to nothing, they got what they expected. Jesus was only able to do a few things there and had to move on. Dejected but not distraught Jesus and the Disciples kept doing work. Don't let the little faith of others keep you from doing what God has set out for you to do. Take what you can, do what you can, while you can. If it doesn't work, shake the dust off your feet and keep pushing. Take what you need

 

Faith empowers action, faith is more than just saying I believe, it is doing something along with that belief. Are you willing to do what God says to do using only what God told you to have? Faith empowers actions, the people in Nazareth did not have much faith in Jesus, sure they were surprised but faith is more than having an emotional reaction to something. Faith empowers us to act. We should be able to exercise our faith, no matter how much or how little we must go out into the world and make a difference. God loves us and gives us power to do great things for the Kingdom of God. 

 

Jesus sent the Disciples out with power and authority to cast out demons, to heal the sick, and to do great work for the kingdom and that same power that flowed through them is the same power that flows through us. You may not want to heal the sick and cast out demons, but I bet you could help somebody in need. I bet you could volunteer a little more, I bet you could share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with someone you haven't talked to about it before. Doing what is possible puts us in a position where God will transform us from people who think real change is impossible, to people who are doing the work of God — even when it looks like the odds are against achieving anything. What is waiting out there for you to finish? How might your decision about that be driven by what is possible for you now? How might God be in that decision?