Our Daily Bread

OUR DAILY BREAD

The first part of the 8th chapter of Mark tells us of the great miracle that Jesus performed when he fed 4000 men with only 7 loaves of bread and few small fish. (In one other instance in Matthew chapter 14, Jesus had fed 5000 with only 5 loaves and two fish.) Right on the heels of this great miracle came the Pharisees – the very same people who Jesus described in Matthew 23:27, "… hypocrites… whited sepulchres, which … appear beautiful outward, but are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness."

These Pharisee didn’t come to give God glory for the miracle of feeding the 4000. Their eyes were spiritually blind and their hearts were hardened and they were dead in their sin and hypocrisy. They came for one reason only: to tempt Jesus to do some great thing before their eyes to prove that He was the Son of God.

Isn’t that just like the Christians that fill so many of our churches today? These Pharisees were supposed to be representatives of the Law of Moses and they were supposed to be some of the spiritual leaders of Israel and they didn’t know God when they looked at Him face to face. How blind can we become when we are caught up in our own self-righteousness! We can’t enjoy liberty in Christ for ourselves and we won’t let anyone else enjoy theirs either if we can stop it.

The devil knows which of those in God’s house are open for his suggestions and he will never hesitate to use a hard-hearted and hardheaded Christian to create havoc in the House of God. These modern day Pharisees are far more concerned about seeing the “signs” than knowing the “sign giver”. We will chase miracle workers and faith healers all over the country to see the signs but we won’t get out of bed on Sunday morning or any other time to go and learn the Word of God.

It is no small wonder that Jesus takes a deep breath and sighs as though he was totally disgusted with their attitude and unbelief. Why do you Pharisee always need a sign?

Christian, why do we need a sign? Why can we only believe God for miracles after the miracle comes? Why can we only believe God to meet our every need only after the need is met? I’ll tell you why. It is because we are like those Pharisees who refused to accept the truth and recognize Jesus for who He was even when they confronted Him face to face. They refused to believe! They refused to change! They refused to accept God’s gift to this sinful world! And, their refusals would condemn their souls to hell! That’s a high price to pay for being hard headed!

Mark 8:13-21, "And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, it is because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, why reason ye, because ye have no bread? Perceive ye not yet, neither understand? Have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? And having ears, hear ye not? And do ye not remember?

I want you to remember that just a few hours before they set sail the disciples had seen how that Jesus, the Bread of Life, was able to perform miracles of provision for those who followed him. They had picked up 12 baskets of extra pieces of bread – and now, out in the ship, on the sea they found themselves with no bread, at least not enough to feed their hunger.

Isn’t that just like you and I? Let me tell you what I mean.

I have found that many times when there are stories in the Bible that talk about the sea, that it is making a reference to the “sea of humanity” that all of us are a part of. Just as out in the ocean, everywhere you look there is water and none of it is fit to drink, as you go through your daily life, all around you, in every direction, there are people everywhere and the vast majority of them are not yet fit for the Kingdom of God. They don’t know Jesus, the Bread of Life, and they are starving for that spiritual nourishment that Jesus can give.

How often do we come to church, or get into the presence of God wherever we are and God fills us with His Spirit, providing not only all that we need but we know that there is always more of God that we should seek to know that our souls may be spiritually satisfied. We leave church feeling encouraged, strengthened and fed with the Word of God, then we go out into the sea of people in our daily routine and we find ourselves in the same condition as the disciples!