One Day In The Life Of Jesus

 

Have you ever had a day - one day - in your life that you will never, ever forget?  Perhaps it was a day of great joy...like your wedding day, ot the birth of a child.  Perhaps a day when some historic event took place...like the day Kennedy was shot.  Perhaps it was a day of sorrow or tragedy...like the day someone you loved died. Maybe it was a day when you accomplished something personally...a day of achievement.  I'm sure we've each had at least one unforgettable day.  Well, I'd like for us to look at one very special day in the life of our Lord here on earth.  One day which for Him was filled with great sorrow, compassion on others, two momentous and miraculous events,  and of frustrations with His disciples.  This day, and the events which transpired,  was recorded in all four gospels.  It was recorded in Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, and John 6.  It was no ordinary day.  It was an unforgettable day.

 

Just prior to this, Jesus had sent his disciples out in pairs to teach.    He had gone to Jerusalem on the Sabbath, and had healed the lame man at Bethesda.  Because of this, and His claim to be the Son of God, the Jews were seeking to kill him.  (John 5)  Jesus had boldly defended his equality with God. 

 

Jesus had left Jerusalem.   The disciples came to Jesus with very bad news.

 

Mat 14:1-13  At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the news about Jesus,  and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead; and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him."  For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.  For John had been saying to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they regarded him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Thereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.  And having been prompted by her mother, she said^, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist."  And although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths, and because of his dinner guests.  And he sent and had John beheaded in the prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl; and she brought it to her mother.  And his disciples came and took away the body and buried it; and they went and reported to Jesus.  Now when Jesus heard it, He withdrew from there in a boat, to a lonely place by Himself; and when the multitudes heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities.

Jesus was grieving the loss of his cousin and forerunner, John.  Imagine the anguish he felt - his kinsman had been cruelly beheaded for Jesus's sake...Certainly this caused grief in His family - Elizabeth and Mary were very close, and Jesus's brothers and sisters undoubtedly would know why John had been arrested!  When we ask, "does Jesus care?'  Think about this day - thye day He lost his cousin, John.  Yes, Jesus cares...I know He cares...His heart is touched by my grief...This sad event alone would make this an unforgettable day.

 

Mark 6:31-32,  And He said^ to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while." (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)  And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves.

 

Mat 14:14  And when He went ashore, He saw a great multitude, and felt compassion for them, and healed their sick.

 

Jesus tried to get away for some private time, but for Him, there was no privacy.  So, He did what He always did, He considered others instead of Self. He had compassion for them, and healed their sick.

 

Mat 14:15-21  And when it was evening, the disciples came to Him, saying, "The place is desolate, and the time is already past; so send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!"  And they said^ to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  And He said, "Bring them here to Me."  And ordering the multitudes to recline on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes,  and they all ate, and were satisfied. And they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets.  And there were about five thousand men who ate, aside from women and children.

 

It was supper time.  The crowd was hungry.  Jesus could have sent them away...surely, He was entitled to some time alone, or some time with His family.  But no, our Lord took advantage of this time to perform a great miracle, the feeding of the five thousand men (about 15-20,000 in all.)

 

 

 

Mat 14:22-23  And immediately He made the disciples get into the boat, and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  And after He had sent the multitudes away, He went up to the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.

 

Night had fallen.  Finally, some time to be alone - time to pray privately and go to His Father for comfort and solace. 

 

Mat 14:24-33  But the boat was already many stadia away from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary.  And in the fourth watch of the night (3-6:00 AM) He came to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were frightened, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."  And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."  And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said^ to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"  And when they got into the boat, the wind stopped.  And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!"

 

Mark 6:51 (NASB)  And He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were greatly astonished,  for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened."

 

His disciples still didn't understand!  They were yet carnal.   They were with Him every day, but their just didn't understand yet what was happening.  The had glimmers of insight now and then, but Jesus certainly sometimes became impatient with them.

 

John 6:22-40  The next day the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone.  There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.  When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled.  "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal."  They said therefore to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."  They said therefore to Him, "What then do You do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform?  "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.'"  Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.  "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."  They said therefore to Him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread."  Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.  "But I said to you, that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.  "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.  "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.  "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

 

 Jesus knew His mission.  He never stopped trying to teach men the truth about Himself. 

 

Mat 14:34-36  And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.  And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent into all that surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick;  and they began to entreat Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were cured.

 

A new day had dawned.  But Jesus didn't have time to grieve the loss of His friend and cousin, John.  He apparently had gone without sleep the night before.  The crowd pressed in.  They were sick, poor, miserable.  They had come to see the Prophet who had claimed to be the Son of God.  They wanted to follow Him where ever He went.