A Tale of Two Banquets (2)

 

Mark 6: 14-29

 

In the Armenian sermon, we discussed a banquet that led to the death of an innocent man John the Baptist. I called it “a banquet of death.”

 

Now before we go to the next event, I want to tell you that each gospel writer has his style of arranging the stories and events. Dr. K. Bailey calls this collection of events a mosaic. Each of the stones of the mosaic is beautiful by itself. Yet, when all the stones come together one can see the wider picture that the master intended to show.

 

Just before this banquet event, Mark describes how Jesus sent the twelve to mission work.  He sent them two by two. We read in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a

9 Two are better than one,
       because they have a good return for their work:                             10 If one falls down,
       his friend can help him up.

Jesus knew that the mission field was going to be tough. Therefore, he sent them two by two intentionally. He knew that they would need encouragement.

Then in the middle of the two events, sending the disciples (6b-13) and the gathering of disciples (30-44), Mark decides to tell us the story of Herod and John the Baptist. Well, when this brutal murder (I call it murder) happened, it was the talk of the town. 

In reality, our life is similar. The news usually pick and choose the main events and they stress them so much that they become the main topics of the day. Let me tell you something, it affects our minds and feelings; also, it affects our conduct. This is not what happened to the disciples.

Now in verse 30 we read the following. “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.”  I was expecting that they would come and talk about the death of John the Baptist. The story of the John the Baptist ends very sadly. “…On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.” This is it; this is the end of the story. The talk of the town was “do not stand against the rulers of the day; they will kill you.”

When we look at our passage in chapter 6 starting verse 30, the disciples came back with good news. Their attention was not diverted by the day’s events. Listen carefully. Everyday something new comes to divert our attention. Everyday some kind of bad news can make us depressed. On the other hand, everyday we can be faced with wonderful news of some kind of success and that event can divert our attention. Watch out CACC. Let us not lose our focus. Instead of talking about failures, the disciples shared with Jesus how had God used them.

Lately some of our CACC groups are studying the Book of Acts. In chapter 21 when Paul in his third missionary journey, he is led by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem. He knew that he would be arrested and that suffering was waiting for him. On his way, there were disciples who, out of love for him, advised him not to go. But, Paul’s focus was to arrive to Jerusalem and inform the disciples what God was doing in Asia and Europe. What I mean is that his focus was on serving God despite the consequences.

When Nor Yerk was invited to Iran, Many told us not to go. They said that once we have the Iranian visa stamp in our passports we will could not apply for the US visa. I obeyed God, and the band went for evangelism, and God used our us. Now I face difficulty because of this visa, but who cares, I need to obey to God.

Jesus was excited with the news. He wanted to take them a quiet place to rest and eat. They took the boat to be alone, but a new crowd found them. Now Jesus wanted to be alone with the disciples. Yet, Mark writes,                                                                  “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like a sheep without shepherd.” (34). Right here started the second banquet. Jesus asked them to the “people sit down in groups on the green grass.” (39)

It reminds me of Psalm 23.

          The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

         2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
       he leads me beside quiet waters,

Here we have a new banquet. This time the Lord, the Shepherd, the genuine shepherd, (who is not hired), is the real one who asks his sheep to lie down on the grass. He is going to feed them.

 

In this imagery of the shepherd and sheep let me give you some examples:

1. Sheep need a leader who leads them in this dark world. A sheep without a shepherd cannot find the right way.

2. Sheep need to be protected in the wilderness.

3. Sheep cannot find the green pasture. We need the real food that only God can provide.

 

Who are these people? All kinds of people are there. There might even be the secret police sent by Herod who feels insecure with his position. It does not matter. I love Jesus’ approach. He had compassion on the people who did not have a shepherd. People were lost. People were afraid from the death of the John the Baptist. People were looking for answers. People were looking for a Messiah that would rescue them from the Roman Empire. Jesus was compassionate and practical in providing love and care.

He provided abundantly whatever they have, fish and bread. Jesus as a shepherd took care of his people. He provided meat and bread. Does this ring a bell in your head?

 

Let us remember Moses who was leading his people from Egypt. Two important events happened in Exodus.

The first one when they were facing the sea and God rescued them from the sea. The second one is when they were hungry God gave them meat and bread.

Jesus is providing the same elements, meat and bread. There is a difference though. In Exodus Moses prayed to God and God provided. Here Jesus is the one who is providing. Jesus is God the Son who is providing. In fact, we see the Eucharistic elements. Jesus is not just feeding them; he is preparing them for the last supper, when he broke the bread.

 

This is a tale of two banquets- quite different from each other.

One of them is the banquet of Death, the banquet of drunkenness, the banquet of a palace where power was misused, the banquet of selfishness.

The other one is the banquet of Life. Christ is the shepherd, the good shepherd who saw that sheep needed care. He prepared the table with his presence and his blessings.

 

Stay close to Jesus. He invites you to a banquet of life. He will provide the food and bless you abundantly.

Amen