Don’t forget!

God’s blessings in your life

Mark 8:1-10

• Today we look at the story of the feeding of the 4000. You may remember we talked about the feeding of the 5000 a few months ago
• Some people have challenged that this is the same story told two different ways, but the reality is that it is two separate stories that show some large theological implications towards the reader to understand what the goal of the ministry of Jesus Christ was

1. The difference between the 5000 and the 4000

• There are Major differences between the two miracles. One was for jews the other for gentiles
• 5000 The use of the numbers 5 (loaves) & 5000 (men) refers to the Pentateuch (the 5 books) and the use of the number 12 (baskets) refers to the 12 tribes of Israel. Evidence that the 5000 were Jews.
• 4000 The use of 7 (loaves and baskets) refers to the spiritual completion and perfection when both Jews and Gentiles will be fed by Him (Bread). The use of 4000 (men) refers to the world of N,S,E & W. The use of the numbers 7 & 4 are evidence that the 4000 were Gentiles.
• Why does this even matter? The Main reason that Jesus did these two miracles was to display to the Jews that he was their messiah, and to the gentiles, that they would be engrafted and included into Israel and be saved!
• We serve a savior that desires that all would be saved!
• This is the main reason for this story to be included in Mark- That the readers would know that Jews and Gentiles would both come to salvation in Christ

1. What we should learn from both stories of the 5000 and the 4000?

• God’s ability to do the miraculous Matthew 17:20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
• Jesus power over the things of this world John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
• Christ’s ability to supernaturally meet needs Acts 3:16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
• God does miracles! 2 Corinthians 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.
• READ Mark 8:6-8 ⁸ So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. THAT’S THE MIRACLE OF THIS STORY!!!
• But there was a scripture in this story that jumped out at me this week. Where I want to spend the bulk of our time. speaks to deeply of Christian experience from OT to NT to NOW

1. DON’T FORGET WHAT GOD HAS DONE

• In this story- we see an interesting event- In the story Jesus says- 2 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”
• First thing is this- Notice that Jesus was completely aware and completely fine with people being hungry for 3 days while he was ministering?
• Often times Jesus will lead you into wilderness experiences, and let you be hungry in that time because he wants to teach you something or have you experience something-
• It doesn’t bother Jesus to have people be hungry for 3 days- but he does eventually help them
• But even Jesus knew their breaking point- “If I send them, they will faint”
• The disciples respond to him- Mark 8:4Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”
• Really? In Mark 5, when the disciples were with Jesus they questioned his ability to feed the 5000 and Jesus proved to them that he could handle it and do the miraculous!
• And NOW- just a while later- the disciples are back to square one- “what are we going to do?”
• How do you go from feeding 5000 to being in front of 4000 and completely forget what Jesus was able to do the last time you were in the situation?
• I’ll tell you how! THEY FORGOT! THEY COMPLETELY DIDN’T REMEMBER WHAT JC HAD DONE
• Lets recap what the guys have seen or heard of at this point- Jesus casts out unclean spirits, heals peters mother in law, healed many people, cleanses a leper, heals a paralytic, calms the wind and waves, demon possessed man healed, dead girl brought back, woman with blood healed, feeds the 5k, walks on water and heals a deaf mute!
• And these dudes response when they see the need for the miraculous- have completely forgotten what Jesus has done in the past and don’t know what they are going to do about it!
• Can you imagine that? Forgetting what you have seen God do?
• Its human nature- People forget!
• You will help someone and within a short amount of time, they will completely forget what you did for them?
• How did that make you feel when someone forgot?
• Something small, or something big. The kindness that you show them, is quickly forgotten, either through forgetfulness, or willful disregard. They will take what you give, and move on to the next endeavor-
• People have done this at church- Get loved, served, pay bills, friendship, spiritual growth and then turn around and say “the church never did anything for me”
• If you’ve get anything from anyone connected to this church or any church- its God doing it. Don’t ever say “the church never did anything for me” Anyone who attends helping you is “the church’
• I try really hard not to be like this- but inevitably it happens. Its life- Getting promoted at CTAS– Do something for your wife dummy – Don’t forget who held your ladder while you were climbing to the top
• Psalm 103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

So what do we do? How do we not become like these disciples who forget the power of JESUS

1. Remember what God has done

• The Bible makes it abundantly clear that we should constantly be remembering what God has done for us in the past.
• Jewish culture is really good at this. They observe the Passover every year. They remember that they were delivered out of Egypt into the promised land
• We are Israel! That’s who we are! But we don’t remember the stuff of the OT- We just read it instead of REMEMBERING it and OBEYING it that we MUST REMEMBER
• Moses preached to Israel in Deuteronomy 4 as they were preparing for entering promise land
• Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,
• The expectation for the nation of Israel is that they would teach their kids and grandkids the faithfulness of God. Constantly- all day- every day- so they WOULDN’T FORGET
• Deuteronomy 11:19 You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
• Moses told them-
• Deuteronomy 6:12 then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
• Here’s the promise of Scripture- That GOD wont FORGET- He knows what he promised- he knows what his end of the deal is- and he’s going to REMEMBER
• Deuteronomy 4:31 (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.
• Psalm 78 talks a lot about the people of Israel forgetting God and making God angry
• the story of US- God speaks, we do, we forget, he rebukes, we repent, God speaks, repeat
• Psalm 78:58 For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.
• What had Happened with the Nation of Israel? They questioned God’s faithfulness! Just like these disciples! They wondered if God was still God and he could do what he could do!
• Psalm 78:19-21 Yes, they spoke against God: They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? ²⁰ Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out, And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?” ²¹ Therefore theLord heard this and was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel,
• God had made it clear what he had been attempting to do: Psalm 78:7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments;
• God wants us to remember what he has done for us! To HAVE HOPE and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENT

What happens when you don’t remember?

• Forgetting leads to unbelief, then rebellion.
• Even though the children of Israel had just witnessed the miraculous 10 plagues of Egypt and escaped 400 years of slavery, they “soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against Him at the Red Sea.” (Ps.106:7)
• Immediately following their Red Sea miracle, they lost hope when there was no water source.
• Repeatedly, the children of Israel forgot the miracles God had just done for them, and they grumbled, wanted to turn back, and demanded new leadership.
• Forgetting makes us do foolish things. At Mt. Sinai, the people got tired of waiting for Moses and “traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating ox!” (Ps. 106:20)
• How quickly the people forgot what God had done!
• Forgetting causes us to get impatient and not wait on His direction. Psalm 106:13 They soon forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel, (Ps. 106:13)
• Impatient people do stupid things.
• Forgetting ignites God’s anger. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done such great things, such wonderful things … such awesome deeds, so “He declared He would destroy them.”
• READ Ps. 106:21-23
• Thankfully, Moses stepped in time after time and saved the people from God’s wrath.
• Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.

• What happens when you DO remember?
• Psalm 78:7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments;
• HOPE- When you remember- you constantly have HOPE Because you remember God’s faithfulness through the trials of your life!
• Can you remember how many times God has helped you?
• Blessings, jobs, food, living spaces, stuff, parents, school, stuff, you’re here today! You haven’t died! But ONE little calamity and you FORGET- GOD YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING FOR ME
• WHAT??? God has done A TON- its YOU who has forgotten- its YOU you isn’t remembering!
• Think of David against Goliath- 1 Samuel 17:37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
• We’re supposed to remember! 1 Corinthians 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
• Isaiah 49:15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.
• Psalm 119:93 I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given me life.
• READ YOUR BIBLE- WRITE DOWN WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU
• Because heres what else happens!
• When you remember what God has done, you have hope and You keep his commandments!
• Psalm 119:16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
• Serving God is a JOY when you remember what he has done for you- how he has set you free
• God has delivered me, protected me, set me free. Helped me. Watched over me. Blessed me. Sent me. Showed me. “Look what the Lord has done”
• When you’re remembering what God has done, you don’t want to SIN because you know how God has forgiven you in the past- you don’t want to go back to where you came from!