Week 6
Mark 6:34 “When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.”
The better one understands God from the teaching of the Scripture, the greater our awe of Him. God’s greatness, God’s transcendence, and God’s holiness inspire amazement and fear! When we see Him, truly see Him through the teaching of the holy text, we find ourselves shrinking back in humility and unworthiness. This is a very spiritually healthy response to the Person of God because it prepares our hearts for God’s grace.
But then we come to our text today and find that the holy second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God, in incarnate flesh shows incredible compassion, love, and concern for people. Jesus saw the people, not just as sinners, but as lost and needy sheep; He saw their real need, and His heart BROKE for them! Let us think for a quiet moment of the transcendent God having a broken heart; surely, this drives us to ponder the mystery of the incarnation. The Son of God came not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:17).
Note the simile – “like sheep without a shepherd”, this is how Jesus saw the people. They were wandering, stumbling about life without direction, purpose, and vision. They could not make sense of today, and they had no hope for tomorrow; they were LOST. So, what did Jesus do? How did He help them? The text says, “He began to teach them many things.” Here is the practical application of what Jesus said to the devil when tempted, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).” Daily life is to be lived in the sunlight of eternal truth (Psalm 119:105)! The moments of our days must reflect the reality of what is eternally real and true, or else, we are no better than animals, living to eat and survive. Jesus’ teaching touched the real root of the problem: their need to understand, embrace, and live the Word of God. He was their TEACHER; thus, He was their Savior. He taught them the truth to save them from the mental and moral darkness of lies and falsehood.
Let us this day not live as sheep without a shepherd, for we have THE SHEPHERD, the Lord Jesus Himself! Let us read His Word (the Bible), and learn from Him, for He is gentle and humble in heart. And when we do this, we will find rest for our souls (Matthew 11:29).
Prayer: Dear Lord, we are sheep that are lost, directionless, and without understanding, until You become our Shepherd. We delight in Your shepherd ministry to us! Please, from Your Scripture, teach us, lead us, and guide us in the ways of Your holiness and truth. We will learn from You, we will follow You, and we will seek to be conveyors of Your truth to others. Thank You for loving us, saving us, and guiding us! Lead us in this life until the day You call us home to heaven.