To The Sheep Who Tried to Lead, Part I
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place
and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns
and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd,
he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. [Mark 6:30-34]
The disciples had just returned from their first commissions. They were excited, but exhausted. Jesus wanted them to have some time to rest, to spend time alone with him. So he took them across the lake to find a secluded place. But their time alone was interrupted by the people seeking Jesus. The multitudes wanted Jesus. They wanted to be near him, they wanted to be healed by him, they were drawn to him. Although he was tired, Jesus didn’t send them away, he had compassion on them. He showed the disciples, by example, how to treat those seeking him.
That is what I love about the gospels. Jesus didn’t conform to the self righteous rules of the religious leaders, He made time for everyone. It didn’t matter where their place in society was or how sinful they were. These people were still important to him. Jesus taught his disciples by example. And it was a lesson that had to be taught over and over again. And now, even though he was tired, Jesus saw that there was a greater need demanding his attention. He showed us what to do. Teach the people. Have compassion on them. Feed them.
The disciples had a lot to learn about the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus wasn’t just teaching multitudes, he was also instructing his disciples on how to treat others. And there was a lot that these guys needed to learn and unlearn. Every encounter Jesus had with people, was a teaching moment for the disciples. So after a long day ministering to the people, the disciples realized that they were hungry. And not only were they hungry, but so were the thousands of people who had followed them out to this remote spot. The disciples pointed out the obvious problem, and Jesus told them to provide the means to feed the multitude. I can just see Peter sputtering to Thomas about the impossibility of it and Judas calculating what such a feat would ultimately cost him. Naturally, they missed the point—it was a teaching moment. Jesus wanted them to not only look for a solution. But to be apart of the solution. In Mark 6:35-44, we see the story unfold:
“By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages!
Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
"Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.
So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.”
Man, old habits die hard. The disciples had just witnessed an incredible miracle. They were on the biggest spiritual high of their lives, which got them thinking about other things. Food out of minimal supplies. Healing at a moments notice. Just think, no army could stand against them with Jesus as their king. The Romans would be defeated. No one would be able to stop them, they of course would have important roles in the new kingdom, Judas was right, this was going to be the best day ever!
It was a tough lesson to learn. But the disciples needed to let go of their preconceived ideas about the Messiah. They were ready to force their ideas of earthly glory on Jesus. But they weren’t given the chance. Jesus knew what was on their hearts and told them to leave. He would stay and dismiss the crowd. What a let down. Earthly glory within their grasp and Jesus ruined it. Discouraged, they lingered, hoping that Jesus was going to change his mind and declare himself king. But he didn’t. Finally they left, bitter with disappointment. Fighting with each other, miserable with self-pity. Unable to see the dark clouds and stiff wind ready to blow them off course.
I’m going to stop the story here. Because we often skip over this part. The disciples were planning on making Jesus King. They were going to force him to do something against His will. Force Him to change His mind. That is why Jesus told them to leave. And they were to go right then, before the winds changed and the sea got rough. But they delayed. Hoping that Jesus would come to see reason. How the disciples were acting reminds me of certain church members who tried to force our pastors from their ministry. To put it bluntly, they tried to force God to change his mind about who HE calls to serve Him.
The idea of trying to force God to do anything against His will should make us all stop and take a much closer look as to where that kind of discord is coming from. Who is sowing such ideas in our church and why are they doing it. Have you ever stopped and wondered why the disciples were continually at each others throats about dumb stuff that had nothing to do with the topic at hand? Do you know who the discord sower was? It was Judas. He was the one who made a point of discouraging the other disciples. Judas was always starting the “who will be the greatest” arguments, leading the disciples to forget about the things Jesus had just taught them and focusing their hopes on earthly glory. In the Desire of Ages, Ellen G. White talks in great length about the character of Judas and why Jesus allowed him to stay, even though he did not specifically call Judas to follow him. She also talks about what changed Judas and when it was that his words and actions became a stumbling block to the other disciples.
“Christ's oft-repeated statement that His kingdom was not of this world offended Judas. He had marked out a line upon which he expected Christ to work. He had planned that John the Baptist should be delivered from prison. But lo, John was left to be beheaded. And Jesus, instead of asserting His royal right and avenging the death of John, retired with His disciples into a country place. Judas wanted more aggressive warfare. He thought that if Jesus would not prevent the disciples from carrying out their schemes, the work would be more successful. He marked the increasing enmity of the Jewish leaders, and saw their challenge unheeded when they demanded from Christ a sign from heaven. His heart was open to unbelief, and the enemy supplied thoughts of questioning and rebellion. Why did Jesus dwell so much upon that which was discouraging? Why did He predict trial and persecution for Himself and for His disciples? The prospect of having a high place in the new kingdom had led Judas to espouse the cause of Christ. Were his hopes to be disappointed? Judas had not decided that Jesus was not the Son of God; but he was questioning, and seeking to find some explanation of His mighty works. [DA 718.1]
Notwithstanding the Saviour's own teaching, Judas was continually advancing the idea that Christ would reign as king in Jerusalem. At the feeding of the five thousand he tried to bring this about. On this occasion Judas assisted in distributing the food to the hungry multitude. He had an opportunity to see the benefit which it was in his power to impart to others. He felt the satisfaction that always comes in service to God. He helped to bring the sick and suffering from among the multitude to Christ. He saw what relief, what joy and gladness, come to human hearts through the healing power of the Restorer. He might have comprehended the methods of Christ. But he was blinded by his own selfish desires. Judas was first to take advantage of the enthusiasm excited by the miracle of the loaves. It was he who set on foot the project to take Christ by force and make Him king. His hopes were high. His disappointment was bitter. [DA 718.2]
Christ's discourse in the synagogue concerning the bread of life was the turning point in the history of Judas. He heard the words, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.” John 3:16. He saw that Christ was offering spiritual rather than worldly good. He regarded himself as farsighted, and thought he could see that Jesus would have no honor, and that He could bestow no high position upon His followers. He determined not to unite himself so closely to Christ but that he could draw away. He would watch. And he did watch. [DA 719.1]
From that time he expressed doubts that confused the disciples. He introduced controversies and misleading sentiments, repeating the arguments urged by the scribes and Pharisees against the claims of Christ. All the little and large troubles and crosses, the difficulties and the apparent hindrances to the advancement of the gospel, Judas interpreted as evidences against its truthfulness. He would introduce texts of Scripture that had no connection with the truths Christ was presenting. These texts, separated from their connection, perplexed the disciples, and increased the discouragement that was constantly pressing upon them. Yet all this was done by Judas in such a way as to make it appear that he was conscientious. And while the disciples were searching for evidence to confirm the words of the Great Teacher, Judas would lead them almost imperceptibly on another track. Thus in a very religious, and apparently wise, way he was presenting matters in a different light from that in which Jesus had given them, and attaching to His words a meaning that He had not conveyed. His suggestions were constantly exciting an ambitious desire for temporal preferment, and thus turning the disciples from the important things they should have considered. The dissension as to which of them should be greatest was generally excited by Judas.” [DA 719.2]
I had an “ah-ha” moment when I finished reading about the discord that Judas continually sowed amongst the disciples. When we think of Judas, we often think only of his betrayal of Christ in Gethsemane. But we don't spent a lot of time thinking about how Judas ended up being a traitor. His act of betrayal started long before that night in Gethsemane. When I talk with people in our church about what happened to our pastors, they suggest that maybe the discord came from outside our church. Maybe it didn’t come from one of our members. It would be nice to think that way, because if we don’t really know who it was, then we can stay safe and comfortable inside. But just look at the followers of Jesus. The discord was sown by someone close to Jesus. After all, Judas was a trusted member of the group, he was the treasurer. The other disciples looked up to Judas, they admired him and trusted his judgment. The story of Judas shows us what happens when we try to direct God. Judas was just a sheep. But he thought that he knew better than his Shepherd. That was his downfall. And it will be ours as well if we continue down the same path.
Because whether we like it or not, our World Church is in the midst of its own version of the “who will be the greatest” argument. A trusted member, who was looked upon with great admiration, sowed a very affective seed of discord. And they did it years ago, before many of us were born. The idea was simple, but the results have been devastating and will ultimately destroy our Church, if we allow that discord to stay. It all started with someone suggesting that God can not use women to further the work of the Gospel. And over the years, that piece of discord has spread, until it has wrapped such a tight noose around our Church that the life is being choked out of it.
This is our current reality. We are being suffocated over a seed of discord that should never have been given the chance to take root. And because we are choking for air, we are unable to see how deep and treacherous this discord is. We think that more rules and regulations will miraculously free us. We think that punishing congregations for choosing air instead of suffocation is perfectly acceptable. We think that we know better than God. So instead of reaching out and proclaiming the Good News about Jesus to all the world. We are over in a corner arguing about who can tell that news. Our Church is about to self destruct over something that is absolutely the stupidest, most ridiculous thing to fight about.
And you know what? We are just like the disciples after the feeding of the five thousand. Instead of preparing for the storm that is about to blow us off course—we are grumbling and fighting against each other, doubting all the miraculous things that Jesus has done. Unable to see the dark clouds or feel the stiff wind of resistance.
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For those of you who don’t own a copy of The Desire of Ages and would like to read more about the disciples and why Jesus called such a rough bunch to be his closest followers, I have attached the links to those chapters.
He Ordained the Twelve: https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/130.1369#1369
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