Marcos 6

Marcos 6

Morgan - From this Verse) THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKERS, OR THOSE IN TROUBLE GETTING ALONE WITH THE LORD. MARK 6:31 - James Smith Prayer Study No. 7. Introduction 1. How familiar are the words of our text. 2. We remember them in times of sickness, when we note with thankfulness that it is “Come,” not “Go,” suggesting He is there to greet us. 3. But there are two classes suggested by the events of the context. 4. And we particularly remember our text in relation to waiting on God. I. There is Sorrow, Because of Bereavement or Other Losses. 1. By St. Matthew 14 we learn that these words were said immediately after our Lord heard of John the Baptist’s martyrdom. 2. He wanted to get away from the bustling crowd. 3. There is nothing like solitude with God for healing our soul trouble. 4. Strange, often we feel least inclined for Him at such times. II. Christian Workers, After Public Service, Require Loneliness. 1. The Apostle had returned after a successful missionary and evangelistic campaign. 2. They were jubilant. 3. He calmed them by taking them aside. 4. We will soon get flat if we do not have our times of solitude. 5. And we will soon begin to think unduly of ourselves if we do not seek for solitude. III. Even as Christians we Need Such Solitude to Regain Lost Brilliancy. 1. An archduchess possessed some of the most magnificent pearls in existence. 2. Having been left unworn for a long time, the gems lost their colour and became, as the authorities declared, sick. 3. Experts declared that the only way to restore their original brilliancy was to submit them to a prolonged immersion in the depths of the sea. 4. At the foot of a cliff, under the windows of a Castle, at a depth of 80 feet below the surface of the Adriatic’s clear waters, in a cage fixed by divers, they lay for years. 5. We lose colour and become sick through wear and tear, and lack of solitude with Him. Mark 6:31 - Human Race - Read: Mark 6:7–13, 30–32 | [Jesus] said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31 The alarm clock goes off. Too early, it seems. But you have a long day ahead. You have work to do, appointments to keep, people to care for, or all this and more. Well, you are not alone. Each day, many of us rush from one matter to another. As someone has wittily suggested, “That’s why we are called the human race.” When the apostles returned from their first mission trip, they had a lot to report. But Mark did not record Jesus’s evaluation of the disciples’ work; rather, he focused on His concern that they rest awhile. Jesus said, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mk 6:31). Lord, I thank You today for all You have given me to do. Ultimately, we find true rest through recognizing the presence of God and trusting Him. While we take our responsibilities seriously, we also recognize that we can relax our grip on our work and careers, our families and ministry, and give them over to God in faith. We can take time each day to tune out the distractions, put away the tense restlessness, and reflect in gratitude on the wonder of God’s love and faithfulness. So feel free to stop and take a breath. Get some real rest. Lord, I thank You today for all You have given me to do. Help me to truly rest in You—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We do not rest because our work is done; we rest because God commanded it and created us to have a need for it. Gordon MacDonald GETTING AWAY - "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." - Mark 6:31 Today, though, I've decided to get away from all that. I've taken my computer to a campground where I can hear birds singing and feel a warm breeze. It's amazing how the change makes it easier to read the Bible and pray. It wasn't my idea. My daughter Julie needed a getaway day -- far from the rigors of school and the pressures of junior-high life. So she brought her bike and I tagged along. While she is rejuvenating by the lake, I am finding how mind-clearing it is to escape into the quiet. Of course, the idea of getting away is not original with Julie. Jesus did it too. He took time to escape. He went to the desert to rest and think about the death of John the Baptist,and He went to the mountain to pray (Mk. 6:14-31,46). Alone with God, the world forbidden, Alone with God, O blest retreat! Alone with God, and in Him hidden, To hold with Him communion sweet. Those who wait on the Lord renew their strength. Related Resources: Multiple devotionals Mark 6:30–46 Running and Rest Mark 6:30-46 The Quiet Road Mark 6:31 Self-Care Mark 6:31 Getting Away Mark 6:31 Musical Interludes Mark 6:31 Let Up On The Throttle Mark 6:31 Let's Go Fishing! Mark 6:31 Let's Take A Break Mark 6:31-32 Slow Down Mark 6:30-32 Quiet Rest Mark 6:30-32 Slack Tide Mark 6:30-32,45-47 Turn It Off Mark 6:34 - Compassion - Mark 6:34 And when He went ashore, He saw a great multitude, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. The difference between Christianity and paganism is well illustrated in the actions of one religious sect in India that hires people to pick up unwanted or dying insects! They are then fed and cared for. This is in a country where people starve to death on the streets every night! Christianity teaches that all that exists was created for the use of people. Their needs must concern us, not the needs of insects. In the fishing villages along the coast of France are many little chapels. Most of them display plaques with this phrase inscribed on them: "To the Castaways." The plaques list the names of sailors lost at sea, or perhaps the names of others saved from shipwreck who have built a memorial to their deliverance. Every church ought to be dedicated to the castaways; the spiritual castaways, the social castaways, the economic castaways. A few years ago the Associated Press carried the story of a dramatic rescue in Allentown, Pennsylvania. An eight-year-old boy had fallen into a creek and been sucked into a large drainpipe. His whole body was submerged in the pipe and he was in danger of drowning. His twelve-year-old playmate extended his hand. Though the playmate could not get him out, he held the boy safely until help came and he was rescued. The church may be thought of as the extended arm of Christ to a world badly needing to be rescued. Pictures we take sometimes disappoint us. The eye edits out things that the camera leaves in—poles and wires and trees and traffic. So compassion edits out some of the bad we see in others so that we may focus on the good. Self-Care - Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. Mark 6:31 After my husband underwent emergency heart surgery, I spent an anxious night by his hospital bed. Mid-morning, I remembered a scheduled haircut. “I’ll have to cancel,” I said, raking my fingers distractedly through my straggly hair. “Mom, just wash your face and go to your appointment,” my daughter said. Sometimes self-care means allowing others to help carry our burdens. “No, no,” I insisted. “It doesn’t matter. I need to be here.” “I’ll stay,” Rosie said. “Self-care, Mom. . . . Self-care. You’re of more use to Dad if you take care of yourself.” Moses was wearing himself out serving alone as judge over the Israelites. Jethro cautioned his son-in-law Moses: “You will only wear [yourself] out. The work is too heavy . . . you cannot handle it alone” (Ex. 18:18). He then explained ways that Moses could delegate his work and share his heavy load with others. Though it may seem paradoxical for the Christian, self-care is essential for a healthy life (Matt. 22:37-39; Eph. 5:29-30). Yes, we must love God first and love others as well, but we also need to get adequate rest to renew our body and spirit. Sometimes self-care means stepping away and graciously allowing others to help us with our burdens. Jesus often slipped away to rest and pray (Mark 6:30-32). When we follow His example, we will be more effective in our relationships and better able to give care to others. Dear Lord, refresh my spirit today. Help me to bring balance to my life as I juggle my responsibilities. Thank You for Your love and care. Don’t try to do everything—take time to refresh your body and spirit. INSIGHT: It is hard to imagine the complexity and variety of tasks Moses faced as he led the Hebrew slaves to freedom. The Israelites had been gone from Egypt less than three months (see Ex. 19:1) when the load was already too great for one person to bear. This prompted Jethro’s wise counsel that Moses share the load with others. By Cindy Hess Kasper Rest "Come ye yourselves apart...and rest a while" (Mark 6:31) is a must for every Christian. If you don't come apart, you will come apart—you'll go to pieces! I have no sympathy with those who say the devil never takes a vacation. I am not following the devil but the Lord, who said, "Come ye yourselves apart...and rest a while." If we cannot go away for a vacation, we can take an "inside vacation" and find grace to help in time of need. God gives more rest than time will allow! Some of us would do more for the Lord if we did less. The Christian in particular and the Church in general both need to stop chopping wood long enough to whet the blade. Hours out for the Word and prayer and a week out from regular church work to revive the saints is a wise investment. The psalmist wrote, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Ps. 91:1). We cannot rest in God until we nest in God. To nest is to settle, to abide. "Our eyes are upon thee." We know not what to do, but He knows. No sleeping pill can rest a man like knowing that! The Lord Jesus knew how to rest for God, a forgotten art. Many a Christian would best glorify his Lord by a fishing trip. Maybe fishing in the creek would improve our fishing for men. We can get closer to people by getting away from them for awhile. (Vance Havner) "Come Ye Apart" - "Come ye yourselves apart... and rest a while." Mark 6:31 If you don't come apart, you will come apart—you'll go to pieces! Some of us would do more for the Lord if we did less. We have gone in for quantity production but the quality suffers. Keeping everlastingly at it brings only high blood pressure. Our Lord did not undertake to do personal work with everybody or to heal everyone in Galilee. Elijah must hide himself (1 Kings 17:3) before he could show himself with power (1Ki 18:1). We do not hide ourselves nowadays and when we go out to show ourselves, all that we do show is ourselves; the Spirit of God works not in us. The Lord Jesus knew how to rest for God—a forgotten art. Many a Christian would best glorify his Lord by a fishing trip. Maybe fishing in the creek would improve our fishing for men. We can get closer to people by getting away from them for awhile. Martha gets overwrought in the kitchen and needs to turn to Mary and sit awhile at the feet of the Lord. So much church work is like a squirrel in a circular cage, plenty of activity but no progress. Statisticitis is developed with symptoms not unlike St. Vitus' dance. There is plenty of speed in Isaiah 40:31: We shall fly, run, walk; but it follows "waiting upon the Lord." "Study to be quiet"! (1 Thess. 4:11) (Vance Havner) According to tradition, when the apostle John was overseer in Ephesus, his hobby was raising pigeons. It is said that on one occasion another elder passed his house as he returned from hunting and saw John playing with one of his birds. The man gently chided him for spending his time so frivolously. John looked at the hunter's bow and remarked that the string was loose. "Yes," said the elder, "I always loosen the string of my bow when it's not in use. If it stayed tight, it would lose its resilience and fail me in the hunt." John responded, "And I am now relaxing the bow of my mind so that I may be better able to shoot the arrows of divine truth." If we are to function our best, time is needed to rest. THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT - "Come ye yourselves apart, and rest awhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat."—Mark 6:31. THERE IS something in our blood which cries out at certain times for |rest and change. We may love our home, our work, and chance of doing our share in the toil of this work-a-day world, but when the summer comes we long to escape from the crowded city, the arduous toil, and pine for respite and rest. The love of Nature is a sacred heritage from the love of God, and it is His voice that calls to us: "Come, My children, Be glad with Me, breath the scented air which I have flavoured in its passage through clover-fields, gorse, and heather; rejoice in the woods and flowers, golden sunsets and purple mountains; the glory of the ocean and the sea-shore." But we must be unselfish, if we would really enjoy our holiday. It is difficult to resist the temptation to obtain the best possible return for our money, and a little over, even at the expense of others. Always think of some one else--the short Zacchaeus who cannot see over your shoulder! The child who loves to look out of the carriage window; the invalid who cannot stand the draught! the tired mother with the restless children! Look out for daily opportunities for showing the gentleness, sweetness, and unselfishness of the Lord Jesus. Make time to be alone sometimes. It is a mistake always to be in the presence of another. The soul must be still and quiet. There are accents in the voice of God so deep and still, that the breathing of a companion may make them inaudible. But it is delightful to have a choice friend and companion with whom you can hold sweet fellowship, and "there is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother." He will draw near and walk with you, and as He talks with you by the way, your hearts will bum within you. Remember those who are in poverty, in sickness, and in need, and amidst your own gladness and joy, send a portion unto them for whom nothing is prepared (Neh 8:10, 11, 12). PRAYER - What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits to me?I will praise, and bless, and give thee Thanks, all the days of my life. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power. AMEN - F B Meyer. Our Daily Walk. RELATED RESOURCES: Quiet Time: 7 Minutes With God Thoughts on the Quiet Time In His Presence: Spending Time With God Mark 6:32 They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves. Hiebert - They departed into a desert place by ship privately