The Power Of Repetition
Part of Ninety Day New Testament Challenge
January 19, 2020

THE POWER OF REPETITION

Mark 8:1-26

8 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:
3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?
5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.
7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.
9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.
11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.
13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.
14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.
15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.
17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?
18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?
19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.
20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.
21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?
22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

1. A Repeated Lesson (vv. 1-9)

  • In essence, Jesus repeated what He did with the feeding of the 5,000. The location changes. The people change. But the miracle and message are pretty much the same.
  • The point is redoubled and the lesson repeated– Jesus uses our resources to provide .

2. A Refined Lesson (vv. 10-21)

1) The Pharisees’

(vv. 10-13)

  • The Pharisees refused to see because the ultimately refused to believe.

2) The disciples’

(vv. 14-21)

  • Jesus tells his men to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herodians. Jesus wants to prepare them for future clashes with the religious and civil authorities.
  • Using leaven and bread, He warned them about the subtle, corrupting influence of the Pharisees and their political opposites, the Herodians.

  • While Jesus was driving home a spiritual truth, his men were thinking about lunch and how one loaf could not feed 13 men.

  • Note what is happening here: they are failing to connect the dots about the teachings of the Pharisees and they are failing to connect the dots about the power of Jesus to overcome their inadequacies.

3. An Applied Lesson (vv. 22-26)

  • The disciples apparently bring a blind man to Jesus for healing. They don’t have the resources to meet the man’s need, but they

    Jesus does and that He has the compassion to move on this man’s behalf.

  • Jesus touches him a second time. Why the repeated touch?

  • The disciples’ spiritual gradually gave way to effective only after repetition.
  • As they remained in the presence of Jesus they began to understand more and more.

    1) There is no

    too great for God to handle.
    2) There is no for us to ever forget.
    3) There is no to what God can provide.
    4) There is no God will give up on us when we don’t get it.

Bottom line: brings vision.