GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 8-1
First Things First
First Things First
Historians point out that Julius Caesar marched with his legions, endured the long campaigns, often shared the same rations, and experienced the same hardships as his soldiers. During the long, harsh winter of 1777-78, George Washington stayed with his men, sharing their sufferings at Valley Forge. When General Andrew Jackson led the “American Army of the Gulf” to fight in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, he marched with, ate with, and lived with his soldiers. He won their respect and admiration. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was often called the “soldiers’ soldier.” Troops admired him for his leadership, care for his soldiers, and his competence. Other leaders, like these, paid attention to those around them. There is a sign that reads, “One cannot lead until he has followed.” There is an aphorism that one cannot understand another person until he has walked a mile in his moccasins.
According to Mark, Jesus and his disciples made the long walk from Sidon to the Decapolis, on the northeast side of the Sea of Galilee. During his three-day stay, a large crowd gathered. This was the same area in which Jesus earlier cured the demoniac. When the man wanted to follow Jesus, Jesus told him to go back and tell his family what great things the Lord did for him. Could his evangelistic efforts have contributed to the great crowd? (Mark 5:1-20) Then there was the healing of the deaf and mute man. There may have been other wonders accompanying Jesus’ teaching.
For three days the crowd gathered and finally exhausted their food. The focus of this story is on Jesus, who has the message of reconciliation to the Father—the message of eternal life. “In those days again, when a great crowd was there and not having anything to eat, calling his disciples, he said to them.” (Mark 8:1) What? He focuses on their bellies? They had nothing to eat? The abrupt insertion of this event must contain an important lesson. Jesus focuses here on the physical well-being of his audience. Modern people are inundated and overwhelmed with stories of physical suffering—wars, starvation, the spread of disease, and inadequate medical care.
A young boy walked along the beach. He stopped to pick up a starfish that a wave had splashed ashore. He picked the small creature up and threw it back into the sea. A man asked the boy what he was doing, and the boy said he was saving the life of the starfish. The man said there were a lot of starfish on the shore, so throwing one back would not make a difference. “No,” the boy said, “but it will make a difference to that one.”
Building an Egyptian pyramid began with moving the first shovelful of sand. Building the Empire State Building began with the first truckload of concrete. The solution to all the world’s problems may be beyond the reach of any single person, but one problem may not be. If the Son of God focused on the empty bellies of his audience, surely there is a message there for his followers.
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