We are in a series called, The Simple Questions of Jesus. And if you take the time to read the questions of Jesus and personally answer them, you will understand that simple doesn’t mean easy. Last week we read the story of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Lazarus becomes sick so Martha and Mary send for Jesus. Jesus is only a couple of miles away but doesn’t respond right away. After being in the grave for four days, Jesus shows up. Martha runs out to Jesus and says, ‘If only you would have come earlier.’
Do you remember Jesus’ response? “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
It’s a pretty challenging moment because Jesus didn’t come through for Martha or Mary the way they wanted and when they wanted. We talked about what we do when Jesus seems to disappoint us.
This week, we want to jump into Mark 8. In Mark 8, The disciples experience another amazing miracle of Jesus. Jesus feeds 4,000 people with some bread and fish. When everyone was done eating, the disciples picked up seven baskets of food [I think the food ended up at New Hope Ministries]. After this, Jesus and the disciples get into a boat and go to another town. Let’s read what happens next.
Mark 8:11-21
11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12 He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.
14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” 16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”
17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
“Twelve,” they replied. 20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” 21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
To answer Jesus’ question, ‘Yes’. The disciples still didn’t understand Jesus. They seemed to always be a step behind Jesus. They struggled to understand Jesus. In the three years that Jesus walked with the disciples, Jesus was introducing God’s kingdom to them. And in the three years the disciples followed Jesus, they struggled to understand God’s kingdom. It was hard for the disciples to pull their heads out of everything they knew to clearly see what Jesus was doing. Even after having front-row seats to miracle after miracle, they just couldn’t see what Jesus was trying to show them. They were a step behind. Almost like living in a fog.
Let me give you two quick examples. After Jesus meets the woman at the well, this is what happens with the disciples.
John 4:31-33 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” NIV
Jesus’ passion, what Jesus craved, what gave Him life, was the mission of God to seek and save the lost. As Jesus is trying to introduce God’s kingdom to the disciples, the disciples can’t see it. They hear Jesus had food to eat and they think it was real food not Jesus’ passion for the lost. Jesus is trying to show them something bigger, something spiritual. But the disciples can only understand today, right now, the practical. So, the disciples were confused about Jesus. A step behind. In a fog.
Next example. The disciples are arguing over who is the greatest. This is what happens.
Luke 9:46-48 An argument broke out among the disciples as to which one of them was the greatest. 47 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he took a child, stood him by his side, 48 and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, also welcomes the one who sent me. For the one who is least among you all is the greatest.” NIV
The disciples, like everyone else around them, were focused on how to get ahead in life. And of course, they get into an argument about who is the greatest. You might think, who would do this? I’ll tell you who. A group of guys who are insecure and trying to elbow each other to get ahead in life. Jesus doesn’t even argue with them, Jesus simply shows them a child and says, ‘Work on becoming the least.’ Jesus is trying to show them something bigger, God’s kingdom. But the disciples can only focus on how to get ahead in life. So, the disciples are confused about Jesus. A step behind. In a fog.
In the story for today, Mark 8, the disciples just experienced the miracle of feeding over 4,000 people. Jesus allowed them to again experience the kingdom of God. What do they do when Jesus is talking about the yeast of the Pharisees? They immediately think about today, right now, the practical, bread. They aren’t thinking spiritually about the Pharisees being hypocrites. They can’t pull their heads out of what they know to understand God’s kingdom. A step behind. In a fog.
Jesus turned to them and asked, ‘Do you still not understand?’ The answer is, ‘Yes’. They still didn’t understand. They just struggled.
Let me ask you, do you feel a little confused about following Jesus? Do you wonder if God is with you? Do you hear what Jesus said and wonder if it’s real? Do you feel like you love Jesus and want to follow Him but it’s a struggle to see life with spiritual clarity?
I want to share three questions to see if following Jesus can be confusing. Ready?
Question 1: Scripture says, that when you accept Jesus as your savior, you have been forgiven and redeemed and God lives in you. Do you struggle to wake up every day, pray and believe everything between you and God is right? Do you live every day with courage because you know God is in you? Or do you feel like, for some weird reason, scripture doesn’t apply to you? Maybe you feel like you are a step behind, almost like living in a fog.
Question 2: Jesus says in Matthew 6 to put your money into heaven. What do you make of that? What does that mean to you? Have you ever thought that you have an investment account in heaven? Is what Jesus said clear? Has it changed how you live? Based on what Jesus said, do you live with clarity? Or do you feel like you may be a step behind, almost like living in a fog?
Question 3: In Matthew 25, Jesus shares the parable of the talents. Jesus clearly shares that we will be held to account for what we did on earth to build His kingdom. When you hear that, do you believe it’s true? Is what Jesus said clear? Has this changed your life or how you live your life? Is what Jesus said kinda fuzzy or confusing making us feel like we are a step behind, almost like living in a fog?
Don’t we struggle to follow Jesus with clarity? Aren’t these things a little fuzzy to us? You see, the stories about the disciples are stories about us. When you read how Jesus was allowing the disciples to see God’s kingdom, that’s a story about us. Do you remember when God spoke to your heart? That was God allowing you to experience the Holy Spirit. Do you remember the day you gave your life to Jesus and your sins were washed away – forever? That was Jesus allowing you to experience His grace. Do you remember reading scripture, or in worship, or when someone prayed for you and you felt God? That was God inspiring you. All of these moments are moments when Jesus is allowing you to see the kingdom of God and experience the Holy Spirit.
Now let’s be honest. We still wonder, don’t we? Even after great moments with God, we still wonder. Just like the disciples, we wonder, what is Jesus up to? Don’t we still wonder, is Jesus with me? It’s like we are a step behind or living in a fog. We wonder am I worthy enough for Jesus to work through me? Don’t we often conclude, if Jesus wants to do something, it’s certainly not through me?
When you see the disciples struggling to focus on the bigger picture, God’s kingdom, the spiritual, that’s a story about us. God is on the move today. But often we struggle to see God on the move because we are busy focusing on all the things that need to get done – the practical. Our checklist. Our work. Our minds spin with all the concerns about this world. Building our 401k, getting a house, paying off the house, raising kids, constant activity, and on and on. We get so busy with all the practical things we have to do; that we don’t have time for God. We get so distracted by what is happening in our world, that we can’t think about God and what He is up to. We are so entertained with culture, success, politics, sports, streaming services, social media, me days, and on and on. We can miss what God is doing.
That’s when Jesus turns to us and wants to know, “Do you still not understand?” I think the answer is, ‘Yes’. Yes Jesus, I still struggle to understand. It’s like we are a step behind. Like living in a fog.
I want to take a step back and I want us to see the big picture. I want to share with you what God is up to. I want to start and say, what God is up to is the point of life. Everything else in our world is a distraction to what God is doing. What is God up to? Redeeming people. It’s the story of the universe. Every morning you see the sunrise, and every night when you see the sunset, the universe is quietly sending everyone a quiet message. God loves you.
Let’s read about it.
4 Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. 5 Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) MSG Ephesians 1:4-5
And because of our sin, we are completely unable to be good people, none of us. We have no ability to be holy enough to be in a relationship with God. So, God did it for us.
Romans 3:22-26 Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. MSG
That is what God is up to. It’s the point of life. It’s the point of the Church. It’s the point of every relationship you are in. It’s the quiet message of every sunrise and sunset. And please hear me when I say, everything else is a distraction to what God is up to. Can you think of anything more important than you being in a right relationship with God? Can you think of anything more important than your family, friends, and neighbors being in a right relationship with God? Can you think of anything greater that we could do at church that is more important than introducing people to be in a right relationship with God? Is there anything more important that you can give your time, money, and energy to?
Jesus wants to know, “Do you still not understand?”
The disciples just didn’t see it, did they? They were a step behind. They lived in a fog. To be fair to them, they didn’t have the New Testament or the Holy Spirit as they followed Jesus. Can I be very clear? Please don’t be offended when I say this. Today, because of the Bible and the Holy Spirit, there is no possible way we could not understand what God is up to. What was confusing to the disciples is crystal clear for us today because of the Bible and the Holy Spirit. The problem isn’t that we don’t know what God is up to, the problem is, that we don’t fully understand or believe what Jesus had done in us. Even many Christians who have been raised in the church don’t fully understand what Jesus has done for us. We just struggle to walk with clarity and courage – don’t we?
You see when you fully understand and focus on what Jesus did for you, it radically transforms your life. Allow me to quickly remind you. When you come to Jesus and ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, Jesus wipes your slate clean. Like a chalkboard, Jesus wipes it clean. You know this right? We might know that but we can make a mistake. We think Jesus still has the slate in his hands ready to write out our next sin. We think Jesus is still at the chalkboard ready to record our sins. But the truth is, Jesus destroyed the slate. Jesus destroyed the chalkboard. You live in freedom now. Everything is right between you and God. Go live life with courage. And when you allow that truth to go into your bones, you are never the same.
When I go to Jesus and repent and ask Jesus to forgive me, a couple of things happen. Never again do I live in spiritual shame because of my sin. Never again do I walk on earth feeling the guilt of not being good enough for God. Never again do I feel fear of judgment because of my sin. Never again to I believe I am a disappointment to God. I am free.
Here is what I want you to understand. What God is up to is redeeming people. It’s the point of life. It’s the point of the Church. It’s the point of every relationship you are in. It’s the quiet message of every sunrise and sunset. And please hear me when I say, everything else is a distraction to what God is up to.
Please hear me. And you play a significant role in what God is doing. God has chosen to invite us to work through us to build His kingdom. And of course, it always starts at home.
Today, because of the Bible and the Holy Spirit, there is no confusion about what God is up to. We need to daily remind ourselves that all is right between us and God and live with courage. No shame. No guilt. No fear. Our greatest tragedy isn’t our sin because Jesus took care of our sin. Our greatest tragedy is when we don’t live out the gospel.
1 Corinthians 12:27 All of you together are the one body of Christ, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. TLB
Then we come together as a spiritual family to worship and be a place for people to be redeemed by Jesus. Quickly think about this. Can you think of anything more important than helping someone discover that they can be made right with God? If you want to give your life to something with purpose and meaning that will last long after you, join a local spiritual family, God’s body, and serve it.
To close today I want you to answer three questions.
Question 1: Do you fully understand and live out what Jesus has done for you? No shame from sin. No guilt for not being good enough. No fear of judgment. No looking back to your bad choices. Just freedom. If not, your action step today is to take 2 Corinthians 5:21, read it, memorize it, and focus on it every day until you believe God’s grace.
Question 2: Do you fully engage your spiritual family? I heard someone explain church like a football game. Thousands of people are watching the game while 22 are on the field exhausted. And then he asked, ‘Which are you?’ Are you the one comfortably watching, coming and going, and complaining or are you the one leaving it all on the field for the Glory of God? If you are more like the people in the stands watching, it’s time for you to make a change and get involved. Your action step is to reach out to us and ask, what can we do here to help others find God’s grace?
Question 3: The Jesus question. ‘Do you still not understand?’