During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”

“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied.

He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When He had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, He broke them and gave them to His disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; He gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. About four thousand were present. After He had sent them away, He got into the boat with His disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test Him, they asked Him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” Then He left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

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Jesus was aggravated that the Pharisees were asking for a sign. How many times do we sit and wait for Jesus to show us a sign? We want Jesus to do something elaborate in our lives so we know what to do or not do. Jesus has already done the elaborate…He went to the cross. We have been told to follow Him and take up our cross daily…loving Him and loving others. Some may spend their whole lives waiting on a sign…only to miss out on the wonderful grace of God. Stop waiting and start doing.

Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on Him.

After He took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (Which means “Be opened!”) At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more He did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf heat and the mute speak.”

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Why did Jesus do the extra in this healing? He didn’t have to elaborate with the fingers in the ear or the spit on the tongue. What I think is that Jesus wanted the man to know that he had just had an encounter with God. He wanted the man to feel His touch…feel His presence near. For you and me, we have an opportunity to experience His presence every single day. Don’t take that for granted. Make your time with Him a priority…and experience His powerful presence in your life.

Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet He could not keep His presence secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about Him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

“First let the children eat all they want,” He told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

“Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Then He told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

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Jesus is testing the faith of this Greek woman here. You see, she was nothing more than a dog to most Jews. She was not important…except to Jesus. He wanted to see if she was willing to push her faith past the social norm…and she did. In Matthew’s account, Jesus declared her faith being the key to her daughter’s healing. How about you? Are you willing to go out on a limb because of your faith? Will your faith take you places that society won’t? Jesus is leading…are you willing to follow?

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of His disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as is written:

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”

Isaiah 29:13

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

And He continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)- then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.

Again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”

After He had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples asked Him about this parable. “Are you so full?” He asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declares all foods clean.)

He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come-sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

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Jesus tells the religious leaders that they had let go of God’s commands for their own traditions. I think this is one of the biggest obstacles for the church. Tradition becomes something that is worshiped and held sacred, and it often times can become just as important, if not more important than truly being obedient to God. Here’s a challenge for you: when you attend a church service, ask yourself what is command and what is tradition. What is held as important? What’s not? Should things be changed? Find out for yourself what is important and what isn’t.

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, He went up on a mountainside to pray.

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and He was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn He went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass them, but when they saw Him walking on the lake, they thought He was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw Him and were terrified.

Immediately He spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. And wherever He went-into villages, towns or countryside-they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged Him to let them touch even the edge of His cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

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Scripture said the disciples were amazed because their hearts were hard and they hadn’t understood the loaves. I wonder how many times in our life Hod has moved, and we missed it because our faith wasn’t in Him but in other things? I wonder how many times we have missed God move because our focus was on our own circumstances and not on the power and sovereignty of God? I wonder how many times God has moved and we have missed it because of anger and disappointment, shame and regret? It’s time open up our hearts to God…allow Him to move in and around our lives. It’s time to wake up and pay attention…God is on the move. Are you aware?

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things.

By this time it was late in the day, so His disciples came to Him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

But He answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to Him, “That would take more than half a years’ wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” “How many loaves do you have?” He asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five-and two fish.”

Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

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I want to focus on the very first sentence in this passage. It says the apostles gathered around Jesus and told Him all that they had done and taught. Remember, Jesus had sent them out to share the good news and drive out demons. I want you to imagine, what it must’ve been like to be able to report back to Jesus face to face and tell Him of all the people you discipled and ministered to. We may not be able to look Jesus in the eye as we report today, but rest assured that Jesus is just as proud. He wants to hear of your success stories, and even the unsuccessful ones. He wants to encourage you and motivate you. Remember who it is you live for!! Let it be a motivation to share the Gospel even more. He’s ready to hear!!

King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name has become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in Him.”

Others said, “He is Elijah.”

And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”

But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”

For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

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John was not afraid to confront Herod himself about his sins. John has no fear when it came to sharing repentance with those around him. Yes, his end was not a great one. But can you imagine the victory he experienced in the presence of Almighty God? Living for God is not always glamorous and sometimes it doesn’t seem very rewarding. But God, in His faithfulness, has given us an eternal reward that is waiting for each of us. Let go of the worldly chains holding you back…starting living for the name of Jesus!

Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to Him, He began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

These were His instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff-no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

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Jesus sends them out but teaches them at the same time. He is showing them that money has no power compared to the Gospel. Neither does comfort or acknowledgment. The Gospel is the power of God. To change someone’s heart that is all you need. God will do the rest. Maybe instead of focusing so much on the gimmicks and programs, the church should be more focused on the Gospel message. It is the power of God that can change hearts.

Jesus left there and went to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given Him? What are these remarkable miracles He is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him.

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

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Jesus struggled to do miracles because the people had such little faith. What that proves to you and me is that we can’t just continue living worldly lifestyles and expect God to just show up every time we need Him. Yes, His grace is always freely offered. Yes, He will always welcome us back. But…could it be the reason you haven’t felt like God has been present in your life isn’t because He has moved…but because you have? Could it be that He is still right there, waiting…but it’s you and me that continues to move further away? Don’t be like Jesus’ hometown and lack the faith for Jesus to perform miracles in your life, but live with courageous faith and watch what He can do through you.

When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around Him while He was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet. He pleaded earnestly with Him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around Him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from suffering.

At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

“You see the people crowding around you,” His disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at His feet and, trembling with fear, told Him the truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

He did not let anyone follow Him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at Him.

After He put them all out, He took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with Him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha Koum!”(which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”) Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

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The thing I want to point out here is that in Jairus’ darkest moment, Jesus says to not be afraid and believe. In other words, no matter what we are facing in life…we can face it without fear because our faith is in the One who is above all else. Easier said then done…but that’s a kingdom mindset that we have to work to develop in our life. You want to stand out from the world? Be fearless because of your faith. People will flock to that.