And about four thousand men were present. As soon as Jesus had dismissed the crowd, Sermons I. CHRIST'S BENEFICENCE, 1. It embraces all human wants. He came to save from sin, but he also delivered men from its manifold effects. The dead were raised, the sick were cured, the hungry were fed. Herein signs were shown of the coming of that heavenly state in which the redeemed hunger no more, and wherein there shall be no more pain. The Church should seek to deal with human necessities as broadly as her Lord did - overlooking neither the temporal nor the spiritual. 2. It was not exercised as we should have expected. John the Baptist, "the friend of the Bridegroom," was not delivered from death, yet this crowd of men and women, who were so undeserving, were relieved from the pangs of hunger. He is kind to the unthankful and to the unworthy. 3. It was free from ostentation and from pride, A plainer, cheaper meal could scarcely have been given than this, of barley loaves and fish. The absence of luxury on this and on other occasions during our Lord's ministry is a rebuke to our self-indulgence. "Feed me with food convenient for me." As ostentation was avoided, so also was pride. Our Lord did not look dawn with contempt upon the pitifully small provision offered by the disciples - "seven loaves" and "a few small fishes." He did not put these aside and create afresh, as he might have done; but although he needed not to take the loaves, he did take them. Use to the utmost what God has already given you. Do the best you can with what you have. As you use any gift, it will increase as the loaves did which the disciples carried to the multitude. 4. It was accompanied by devout acknowledgment of God. Jesus gave thanks" over this labourer's dinner. God's presence will make the eating of common loaves a sacrament to us. Let us thankfully receive his gifts, and in his name distribute them, that our beneficence may be a humble copy of our Lord's. II. CHRIST'S ECONOMY. On this occasion, as on that near Bethsaida, the evangelists tell us that the apostles gathered up the remnants of the feast; and, judging from John 6:12, we may be sure that on both occasions they were obeying their Lord's command. In God's gifts to man there is no waste, except where our ignorance and carelessness misuse them. The leaves of a tree are not mere ornaments, as was once imagined, but are means of nourishment; and when they fall and are driven by the wind into secret resting-places, they still enrich the soil. Not a drop of rain is wasted, fall where it may. Every year we are learning more and more that what was squandered as refuse from factories and sewers was meant by God for use. Science is following in the footsteps of these disciples of Christ. 1. Economy is needed in regard to the use of our daily food. This wealthy nation is peculiarly wasteful. Servants use extravagantly anything of which there seems plenty. Artisans are prodigal in expenditure when wages are good. The middle classes and the upper classes are increasingly luxurious. All this was rebuked when Jesus taught his disciples that, although he could multiply food so easily, they were humbly and patiently to take up the fragments. 2. Economy is called for in the use of all God's gifts. Physical strength we should husband, and not squander. In seeking wealth or honor, many a man lives to repent his disobedience to this law. The whole life is God's. We have no right to force into a few years what he meant to occupy its whole length, but are called upon to work thoughtfully and lawfully. There is a great waste of mental strength also going on amongst us. Some books and papers occupy the mind only to debase it. In education we ought to seek for ourselves and others well-trained and well-developed powers, so that nothing may be wanting to our complete manhood when we lay ourselves as living sacrifices on God's altar. Spiritual sensibility, also, is wasted when it evaporates in temporary excitement. The engines which make most noise are those which are doing nothing. When steam is up it must be used. So when feeling is aroused it must be turned into activity. 3. Economy is the more requisite when gifts are diminishing. At the end of an abundant feast little was left, yet even about it the Lord Jesus was concerned. Gather up what is left of former religious teaching, which is too often lost; of good resolutions, which have been broken again and again; of old beliefs, which have been shattered, and must be rearranged; of good reputation, although so little is left; of opportunities for Christian service, which may appear slight and casual, but fairly used will multiply and grow. - A.R.
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words. The Practical Pulpit. I. INQUIRE INTO THE NATURE OF THE CRIME OF BEING ASHAMED OF CHRIST, AND OF HIS WORDS. The duty opposed to the crime is expressed by confessing Christ before men; therefore to be ashamed of Christ and of His word, is to deny or disown Christ and His doctrine before men. There have not wanted some in all times to justify the prudence of concealing our religious sentiments, and to encourage men to live well with the world in an outward compliance with its customs, provided the heart be right with God. It is also added that to suppose it necessary for men to own their religious sentiments at the peril of their lives, is making God a hard master. What does our confession avail Him who can see the heart? But yet these are but excuses, and founded in ignorance of the nature of religion, and of the great ends to be served by it. Were we to estimate our religion by the service or benefit done to God, we might part with it all at once. He gets no more by the sincerity of our hearts than by our outward professions; and therefore upon this view we may bid adieu to both. If you think, however, that there is something in inward sincerity that is agreeable in His sight, that renders men acceptable to Him, I wonder, at the same time, you should not think hypocrisy and dissimulation with the world odious in His sight, and such vices as will render us detestable to Him. To suppose inward sincerity consistent with an external hypocrisy toward the world, is itself a very great absurdity. For what is hypocrisy But how comes it to be necessary for a man to say anything about his religion? To a clear resolution of this question we must consider the nature of religion, and the ends to be served by it. The duties of religion respect God but also the well-being of the world. Religion is a principle of obedience to God, as Governor of the world. It cannot therefore possibly be a mere secret concern between God and every man's conscience, since it respects Him in so public a character, and must extend to everything in which God, as Governor of the world, is supposed to be concerned. For surely it is impossible to pay the proper respect and obedience which is due to the Governor of the world, whilst we deny Him, in the face of the world, to be the Governor of it. But further: if any religious obedience be due to God as Governor of the world, it must principally consist in promoting the great end of His government. Again: if it be really, as it is, impossible for us to do God any private service by which He may be the better, it is very absurd to imagine that religion can consist, or be preserved by any secret belief or opinion, how cordially soever embraced. What thanks can be due to you for silently believing God to be the Governor of the world, whilst you openly deny it, and in your actions disclaim it? Even this principle, which is the foundation of all religion, has nothing of religion in it, so long as it is inactive, and consists in speculation, without bringing forth fruits agreeable to such a persuasion. Lastly: if it be any part of religion to promote religion and the knowledge of God's truth in the world, it cannot be consistent with our duty to dissemble, or to deny our faith. The man who hides his own religion close in his heart, tempts others, who suspect not his hypocrisy, to throw theirs quite out; and whilst he rejoices in this sheet anchor of a pure inward faith, he sees others who steer after him make shipwreck of their faith and their salvation. Under this head I have one thing more to observe to you, that there are in this vice, as indeed in most others, very different degrees. While some were contented to hide themselves, and dissemble their acquaintance with Christ, St. Peter openly denied Him, and confirmed it with an oath, that he knew not the Man. Thus some for fear in those days of persecution, denied their Lord; and some in these days, such is our unhappy case, are so vain and conceited, as to he ashamed of the Lord who bought them. Among these, some openly blaspheme Him; others are content to make a sport of His religion; whilst a third sort profess a pleasure in such conversation, though their hearts ache for their iniquity, but they want the courage to rebuke even by their silence the sin of the scorner. All these are in the number of those who are ashamed of Christ. Secondly: TO INQUIRE INTO THE SEVERAL TEMPTATIONS WHICH LEAD MEN TO THIS CRIME OF BRING ASHAMED OF CHRIST AND OF HIS WORDS. The fountain from which these temptations spring is plainly enough described in the text, "This adulterous and sinful generation." And we know full well, that there is not a natural fear lurking in the heart of man, but the world knows how to reach it; not a passion, but it has an enchantment ready for it; no weakness, no vanity, but it knows how to lay hold of it" so that all our natural hopes and fears, our passions, our infirmities, are liable to be drawn into the conspiracy against Christ and His word. But the other kind of temptations come upon our invitation: we make our faith a sacrifice to the great idol, the world, when we part with it for honour, wealth, or pleasure. In this circumstance men take pains to show how little they value their religion, and seek occasions to display their libertinism and infidelity, in order to make their way to the favour of a corrupt and degenerate age. This behaviour admits of no excuse. But whenever infidelity grows into credit and repute, and the world has so vitiated a taste, as to esteem the symptoms of irreligion as signs of a good understanding and sound judgment; that a man cannot appear to be in earnest concerned for his religion without being thought a fool, or suspected to be a knave; then there arises another temptation to make men ashamed of Christ, and of His word. No man likes to be despised by those about him. There is a contagion in ill company, and he who dwells with the scorner shall not be guiltless. Had our Lord been merely a teacher of good things, without any special commission or authority from the great Creator and Governor of the world, it would have been highly absurd to assume to Himself this great prerogative of being owned and acknowledged before men. When, therefore, we read that our Lord requires of us to confess Him before men, the true way to know what we are to confess, is to reflect what He confessed Himself; for it cannot be supposed that He thought it reasonable for Himself to make one confession, and for His disciples and servants to make another. Look, then, into the gospel, and see His own confession. He confessed Himself to be the only Son of God, to come from the bosom of the Father to die for the sins of the world; to have all power given to Him in heaven and earth; to be the Judge of the world.(The Practical Pulpit.) But this confession of Christ — this not being ashamed of Him and of His words — is different in different generations and different societies. In the earliest age of all, the offence was the offence of the cross — that men should not he ashamed to confess that they believed that He who was crucified was the Son of God, and that they hoped to be saved by His very cress. Since then, this offence has ceased in outward form, but in reality it has reappeared under different forms of religious cowardice. In licentious ages and societies men have been ashamed of the self-denying words and example of the Lord; in superstitious ages, of upholding the purity of His religion; in heretical ages, of manfully contending for the faith of His true godhead; in later periods of our history men seem to have been ashamed of confessing that we are saved through Christ alone; and in this age, and in learned and scientific societies, are not men ashamed of confessing those words of Christ, and of His servants, which assert the supernatural in our holy religion?(M. F. Sadler.) Plans of Sermons. I. THE PERSONS DESCRIBED. Those who, from shame —(1) (2) (3) II. THE DOOM THREATENED. It is certain, awful, just. (Plans of Sermons.). People Elias, Elijah, Herod, Jesus, John, PeterPlaces Bethsaida, Caesarea Philippi, Dalmanutha, Decapolis, Sea of GalileeTopics Dismissed, Eaten, Eating, Fed, Present, ThousandOutline 1. Jesus feeds the people miraculously;10. refuses to give a sign to the Pharisees; 14. admonishes his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod; 22. gives a blind man his sight; 27. acknowledges that he is the Jesus who should suffer and rise again; 34. and exhorts to patience in persecution for the profession of the gospel. Dictionary of Bible Themes Mark 8:9 1416 miracles, nature of Library The Religious Uses of Memory'Do ye not remember!'--Mark viii. 18. The disciples had misunderstood our Lord's warning 'against the leaven of the Pharisees,' which they supposed to have been occasioned by their neglect to bring with them bread. Their blunder was like many others which they committed, but it seems to have singularly moved our Lord, who was usually so patient with His slow scholars. The swift rain of questions, like bullets rattling against a cuirass, of which my text is one, shows how much He was moved, if not … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Patient Teacher, and the Slow Scholars The Gradual Healing of the Blind Man Christ's Cross, and Ours On the Words of the Gospel, Mark viii. 34, "If any Man Would Come after Me, Let Him Deny Himself," Etc. And on the Words 1 On the Words of the Gospel, Mark viii. 5, Etc. , Where the Miracle of the Seven Loaves is Related. Profit and Loss The Measure of Sin. Religious Dangers The Cause of Spiritual Stupidity. The Final Controversies in Jerusalem Prayer --The All-Important Essence of Earthly Worship Eight Easter Lessons Learned at Emmaus. Luke xxiv. 13-35. The Second Touch Epistle xxiii. To John, Bishop. The General Service to a Monk-Martyr. The Four Thousand The Leaven of the Pharisees Men as Trees The Confession and the Warning the Rebuke of Peter Zealous Protestants The Greatness of the Soul, Links Mark 8:9 NIVMark 8:9 NLT Mark 8:9 ESV Mark 8:9 NASB Mark 8:9 KJV Mark 8:9 Bible Apps Mark 8:9 Parallel Mark 8:9 Biblia Paralela Mark 8:9 Chinese Bible Mark 8:9 French Bible Mark 8:9 German Bible Mark 8:9 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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