Monday Devotional: Sheep without a Shepherd (Mark 6:30-44)

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.’ But he answered them, ‘You give them something to eat.’ They said to him, ‘Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?’ And he said to them, ‘How many loaves have you? Go and see.’ When they had found out, they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’ Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men (Mark 6:30-44).

It is fashionable in some circles today to speak of the “kin-dom” of God. To describe God’s community in this way, however, is to reject Jesus as king. Yes, as Christians we are adopted into God’s household. We are part of Christ’s family. But Christ is more than our kin. Here in Mark, for those with eyes to see, Jesus takes up the role of a benevolent king. In the previous passage (6:14-29) Herod threw a banquet. Now Jesus throws a banquet of his own. These two banquets demonstrate two visions of kingship, one corrupt and one righteous. Jesus is king, and he loves and cares for those who follow him in faith.