The Children’s BreadTEXT: Mark 7: 24-30 - She was a CanaaniteMatt 15:22 – ““Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”1. Lost sheep of Israel – "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (v.24).Jesus is not excluding the nations but is just moving in the order of the Father – To the Jew first then the GentileThe Children’s Bread – the provisions & promises of God - She asks for the crumbsThe Children’s Bread - Give us this day our daily bread – daily provisionsChildren’s bread - His sustenance, His provision, The bread of the covenant. Which is healing, deliverance, forgiveness.Matt. 7:9-10 – “Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (The Holy Spirit- Luke 11:12)2 Corinthians 1:20-22- For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. (NIV)Daily Bread ProvisionsDeut 29:5 – “Yet the Lord says, “During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet.6 You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God.” NIV (sermon on the mount)Deut 7:15 – “The Lord will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you.” NIVDeliverance, Healing, salvation is the children’s bread. It is your portion.Matthew 8:16-17 - When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. 1 Peter 2:24 - Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed. •Where will you get your bread from?•Who do you go to for your provisions?•Who is stealing your bread •Are there enough provision for me? What can Jesus do with bread – feed over 5000Illustration: Pastor Charlie & I in Russia - did not want to take the children’s bread from them.The Theme:•Desperation•Denigration (humility)•Determination (knowing God’s provisions) She calls Jesus the master•DeliveranceBegging for a crumbHow many of us are on God’s diet? God’s health plan & provision

Clean Hands and a Pure Heart – Mark 7Psalm 24:3-6 – “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; TEXT -MARK 7Scribes and Pharisees came to see Jesus they were from Jerusalem (70 mile journey)If hands are defiled the body is defiled, wash to the elbows"if the Pharisees touched but the garments of the common people, they were defiled, .. hence, when they walked the streets, they walked on the sides of the way, that they might not be defiled by touching the common peopleF23:Jesus says it is a matter of the heart -Unclean is a heart issue before GodBodily waste is cleaner to God than the sin of the heartJob 14:4 - Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one.Col.12:21-25- “21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”2 Tim. 3:5-7 – There will be terribles times in the last days…. having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.”12 sins of the heart – the origin of sin is in the heat motivation of man.Jeremiah – 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”The remedy – Ezekiel 36:25-26- “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”Clean hands do what a pure heart motivates

Luke 17:20-2120 Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed,21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Jesus walked on the water to reveal his disciples hardened hearts. Even after feeding 5000 plus people they stilll did not understand the majesty of Christ. Jesus will reveal the hardness of hearts to lead us into greater faith.

Mark 6:30 – “The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. “Withdrew to a solitary place - Bethsaida – (Luke):37 – “But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. (John6:6)50000 people - Matthew adds, "beside children and women", (Matt 14:21)Philip – 200 Denari,– “Philip “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” (John 6:7)What do you have? 5 loaves 2 fish & JesusThe Math - Andrew - 5 loaves 2 fish = one fish for every 2500 people and one loaf for every 1000 people. Today’s loaf of bread from our local grocery store, one slice for about every 45 people Jesus commanded them all to sit down by groups (symposium) on the green grass. They sat down in groups (garden clusters) of hundreds and of fifties. (Mark 6:39-40)100 rows of 50 – Matt 14:21 adds the phrase "besides women and children." The crowd could easily be 15,000 and 20,000 people.So How was it done? Jesus blessed the bread and gave it to the body of Christ.Could Jesus be heard by 5000 – Withdrew to a solitary place – ampitheater type of landscapeBen Franklin & George Whitfield Franklin then estimated his distance from Whitefield and calculated the area of a semicircle centered on Whitefield. Allowing two square feet per person he computed that Whitefield could be heard by over 30,000 people in the open air.Jesus engaged the 12 who engaged the rest.12 to feed over 5000 and it was already late - getting darkYou must engage the others to help.Do the people receiving the food understand the miracle that is happening?They collected 12 baskets after all were fed – Jesus is the bread for the nation of Israel.I am the bread of life –give them something to eat

Offended by JesusTEXT: Mark 6: 16 – “But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”THE STORY:John’s TeachingJohn 3:7 - He said to the crowds - “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”John calls Jesus the Lamb of God – tells his disciples to follow him.John’s following was huge – Apollos (acts 18:24), Ephesus (acts 19:1-7)John is arrested Mark 6:20 – “for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.”Herod Antipas, one of the sons of Herod the Great, who inherited the regions of Galilee and Perea as his territoriesHerodius – Herodias was the niece of Phillip and Herod, the daughter their own brother Aristobulus. Herod & Herodious leave the present marriage for each other. (Daughter Salome) Leviticus 18:13;16 forbids a man marring his brother’s wife, if the brother is alive. Neither can a man marry other close relatives such as a niece or aunt. This was considered incest. . .Jesus steps out of sightMatt. 4:12 - Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, John’s questions - Matt 11:3-6Glutton & Drunkard – eats with sinnersNow when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. (Is. 61:1)6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”Jesus declares JohnMatt 11, Luke 7 – John is the Matt 11:9 – More than a prophetJesus gives John’s eulogy before He’s dead13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.Disappointment – What were John’s expectation of Jesus?1.Wrath of God and judgment (matt.3:10)– instead he eats and drinks with sinners and pardons adulterers.2.Bring the Kingdom with Power3.Didn’t visit me – If you visit me in jail4.Didn’t rescue me- Still died Blessed is the one who is not offended by me. (stumble and fall)Proverbs 18:19 – “A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,”Disappointment with Jesus I did this for you•I publicly proclaimed you•I saw a miracle once…•I introduced my disciples to you•I did the right thing for God•I believed in you•The enemy beat meBlessed is the one who is not offended by me. - Matt 11:6 Rom.9:20 – But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'"Proverbs 3:5 - “trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding.

The Altar of Incense is the figure of the prayers of the saints. We must understand our place before the throne of God and the purpose and relationship we have in the plans of the Father for His will to be done in the earth.

Deliver the Kingdom - Mark 6A lesson in contrasts1. Jesus rejectedMark 6:3 - “Is not this the carpenter (craftsman), the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.”Carpenter – tekton – “craftsman” – quite possibly a stone mason –Mark 12:10 (Christ is the stone the builders rejected), 1 Cor. 3 – no foundation laid other than Jesus, Matt 7:24 (wise man building his house upon a rock), Rom 9:33 (a rock of offense to those who don't want to believe), Mark 6:4 – ““A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” Mark 6:5 –“And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.”WHY NOT? “He only did what he saw the father doing.”God will not honor a lack of faith – Heb. 11:6 – “Without faith it is impossible to please God”Mark 6:6 – “And he (Jesus) marveled because of their unbelief. (amazed, stunned)So he left…..Sending Out the 12 – the kingdom (Matt.10)“…and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.How did He give them authority? (Matt.10)He began to “apostolo” them, to give of his to them, to supply or furnish, the power of rule or government.Jude :3 = “I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.. “This is not doctrine or theological creeds but a substance of Kingdom reality.The Influence of Greek Ideas and usages Upon the Christian Church, by Edwin Hatch, 1897.How did we get from the Sermon on the Mount to the Nicene Creed in 300 years? “In investigating this problem, the first point that is obvious to an inquirer is, that the change in the centre of gravity from conduct to belief is coincident with the transference of Christianity from a (Jewish) Semitic to a Greek soil.” “The one belongs to a world of Syrian peasants, the other to a world of Greek philosophers.”The Sermon on the Mount is the declaration of an ethical law of conduct ; a way of life not a list of doctrinal or theological statements.Jude :3 = “I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.. “Faith – Heb. 11 Heb.12:1 – “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,..”Romans 12:3 – “…according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”2 Peter 1:1; "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ." "of equal value or honor." Galatians 2:20 - "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Not by faith IN the Son of God but by the faith OF the Son of God. 1 John 4:17b –“ because as he is, so are we in this world.”3. The Power of Kingdom AuthorityDust off your feet = a Nazareth ending - “woe to you” Matt.10:15 – “Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.”" It was regarded as a heathen country as unclean; like a grave. (Edersheim, Sketches In Jewish Social Life, ch.2; cf. The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Vol.1, pp.643-44)“The apostles must have no fellowship nor communion with them; must not so much as carry away the dust of their city with them.” - Matthew HenryDavid Wilkerson used to say a “diluted gospel is no gospel at all.” A diluted gospel willfully allows compromise. A diluted gospel refuses to confront sin. A diluted gospel seeks to please man at the sake of grieving God. A diluted gospel tolerates Jezebel. A diluted gospel makes you feel good even when you won’t repent. A diluted gospel is powerless. A diluted gospel is no gospel at all.”Acts 13:14,50-51"... the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium" Acts 18:1-6 - "(Corinth) Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ…But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, 'Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.'" When to move on – turn them over – spend your time on the harvest not the throns