JOIN THE DOTS
Opening Prayer
Father, coming to your Word today, I ask that you deepen my understanding of who Jesus is and of who I am because he died and rose from the dead for me.
Read MARK 8:14–21
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod
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?”
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Take some time to review the past week or month. What might God be wanting to teach you? Can you see any patterns emerging?In their frequent crossings of the lake, a boat served as a classroom for Jesus’ disciples. However, they seemed to keep missing the point he wanted to teach them. In chapter 4 (vv. 35–41), they were so terrified of the storm that they failed to grasp Jesus’ power until he had calmed the water. They lacked faith. In chapter 6 (vv. 45–52), they were filled with fear as Jesus walked to them on the water because ‘they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened’ (6:52). Jesus took them back to the two miraculous feedings and they still didn’t get it. Their hearts were hardened; they didn’t remember (v. 18).
Jesus wanted to warn them against the insidious unbelief of the Pharisees and the followers of Herod. These were people who saw what Jesus was doing, but failed to join the dots to see who he was. The disciples were running the same risk. They failed to see the math of the kingdom: the less Jesus has to work with, the more he produces! He himself is the bread we all need (see John 6:35).
Apply
How might your commute to work, or regular shopping trips, be the classroom in which Jesus is teaching you?
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, help me be more sensitive to seeing your hand at work and to learn in greater and greater measure how to serve you and share who you are with others.
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