Introduction

Hello, everyone. Let us continue our study of Mark, Chapter 6. The theme of this chapter is “People’s Confusion When Confronted with the Lord Jesus.” People have a particular tendency: they assume that what they know is all there is to know. In fact, there is far too much they do not know.

Humanity has been busy for thousands of years, yet we have not gone beyond the solar system. The people who busied themselves are all dead, and even our spacecraft have not left the solar system! The vastness of the universe makes us realise how much we do not know. We do not understand even the material world, let alone the spiritual world, which leaves people still more bewildered.

When the Lord who created the universe and everything in it became flesh and came among us, people’s reactions were peculiar. Brothers and sisters, we must recognise how much we do not know. If we nevertheless insist on our own views, the outcome will certainly be tragic. What the Lord Jesus did when He came into this world was without precedent and will never be surpassed. No one can compare with Jesus in what He did.

The Confusion of the People in Jesus’ Hometown

Jesus came to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. Think about it: if a truly great man came from your hometown, the people should welcome him enthusiastically. He would be the pride of Nazareth! Yet when He arrived, their reaction was peculiar.

When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard Him were astonished and said, “Where did this man get these things? What is this wisdom given to Him? What mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the elder brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon? Are His sisters not here with us?” (Mark 6:2–3)

Did they not know about Jesus’ miracles? They did! Did they not know that His deeds were earth-shattering? They did! But when they saw Jesus, they thought, “He was making furniture in our house just last year! Did He not do our carpentry and make our dining table? He made quite a good bench, too. Is He not a carpenter?” So they were confused.

On the one hand, they saw that Jesus had performed many miracles. On the other, they thought: He is that carpenter. Last year He was renovating our house. How has He become a preacher this year? Are His younger brothers James, Joses, Judas and Simon, and His sisters, not living among us?

People are easily confused. Yes, He was a carpenter. But now He had His disciples with Him, performed many miracles, healed many people and cast out many demons. The demons cried out, “Jesus, You are the Son of God!” Yet in His own hometown, because He was a carpenter who had grown up there from the days when He wore split-crotch trousers, they failed to recognise that Jesus Christ is God! People are simply too foolish.

Through the miracles Jesus performed, God wanted to tell us many things. The most important was that He is the Son of God and would be crucified for our transgressions. But the moment something puzzles people, they lose their footing. We often encounter this ourselves. With people, it is better not to know every detail of their background. Once you do, you say, “Oh, he is nothing special.”

I, too, find this astonishing. When I preach the gospel and the message of Jesus Christ, people notice a fault in me and then dismiss both me and what I preach. If they do not know me well, they think I am a great man. Then they spend their days thinking, “Oh, I am going to meet the pastor. I must do this and that.” In fact, I am ordinary-looking, coarse in speech, and quite ordinary in how I live and work.

This world is interesting. Even the most beautiful woman shits and farts. Jesus Christ, having become flesh, surely also shat. Is that a reason to look down on Him? But that is how people think: if He is a holy man, how can He shit? Then they become bewildered. People are easily bewildered. All it takes is one thing they find surprising.

Here is another example. Someone understands Chapters 1 and 2, but encounters something in Chapter 3 that he cannot understand. That is the end of it. Now he no longer understands Chapters 1 and 2 either. Nothing makes sense any more. I have found many people like this. They understand what they are learning at first. Then one thing later on escapes them, and everything they previously understood becomes incomprehensible. Is that not baffling?

We must therefore learn to keep separate matters separate. The miracles and mighty works of Jesus Christ prove that He is the Son of God. That is beyond doubt. Do not become confused simply because Jesus Christ grew up in your hometown, wearing split-crotch trousers as a child. Brothers and sisters, be on guard against confusion. The devil’s most effective weapon is to confuse people. One thing they cannot explain, and they are lost.

Sending the Twelve Disciples Out to Preach the Gospel

When Jesus Christ went to His hometown, would the disciples with Him also become confused? The local people said privately to them, “Is He not the carpenter? He made my table last year and our bench the year before. I even paid Him. He grew up here. We know Him very well. How has He taken up this line of work?” The disciples, too, became confused.

He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. He marvelled at their unbelief. Then He went around the surrounding villages, teaching. (Mark 6:5–6)

Jesus Himself was astonished, thinking, “Is there something wrong with the miracles I have performed?” In fact, the twelve disciples also had their doubts.

Jesus called the twelve disciples to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them, “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no food, no bag and no money in your belt. Wear sandals, but do not put on two tunics.” He also said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place.” (Mark 6:7–10)

“If any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.” So the disciples went out and preached that people should repent. They cast out many demons, anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:11–13)

Performing miracles is a good thing. Although faith is not founded on miracles, miracles do have a profound impact. I rather admire those who believe in the Lord yet cannot cast out demons, cannot heal the sick and cannot do anything at all! They have no miracles whatsoever. They are even confused by miracles because these lie beyond their understanding.

The twelve disciples went out with their doubts and discovered that casting out demons worked. But there was another problem: they had brought no money. What would they eat and drink? There was no need to worry. God had already made provision. When they returned, they found that they had not spent a single cent. People really had welcomed them and provided food and drink.

Nor had they worn two tunics. How foul should one tunic smell after a month of wear? Yet it did not smell. Remarkable! It was just as new when they returned as when they set out. A rough fellow like Peter would normally do a bit of work and rub his collar black, then wipe his runny nose on his cuffs until they shone. Yet after a day of wear, his tunic was still new. After another day, it was still new.

In the days of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, they wore their clothes for forty years without them becoming foul, and their shoes did not wear out. It turns out that the things we take for granted count for nothing before the spiritual world and its laws.

We must thoroughly dismantle these supposedly self-evident assumptions: that a tunic must smell after two days of wear, for instance. People simply cannot comprehend it. The disciples experienced all this and cast out many demons, yet they remained confused. What exactly was happening? Let me tell you: regardless of what Jesus did, and regardless of whether His hometown accepted Him, He was still God, who became flesh, came into the world as a man and dwelt among us.

Brothers and sisters, many people have reached the point of putting blind faith in science. They think, “That does not exist. It is impossible. I have never seen it.” Your faith in the Lord must reach the fundamentals. Jesus called twelve disciples, and they could do these things. Had He called seventy, seven hundred or fourteen thousand four hundred, they could all have done the same. This establishes one thing: Jesus Christ is God!

If you read widely in theology, you will certainly find people trying to prove that Jesus Christ is God. But how do they prove it? They cannot! Through the things He did, Jesus Christ was shown by His mighty power to be the Son of God. The gospel we preach is a gospel of great power. Yet some have turned it into a powerless faith without miracles, and then regard those who perform miracles as heretics.

There was once a student studying in Japan who came to believe in the Lord with us. He had depression, but recovered after prayer. He then returned to his hometown in Zhejiang. After returning, he called me and said that his grandfather could no longer get out of bed. I prayed, and his grandfather was able to get up. The local preachers were standing right there.

Three hours later, however, he blocked me. A preacher had told him, “Those who perform miracles are heretics. Those who cannot perform miracles are orthodox.” I could not understand it. What, exactly, was contrary to the Bible? In reality, it was merely contrary to the ideas in their heads. So I became a heretic. But that does not matter.

I thought to myself: when he had depression, those village preachers did nothing. When his grandfather lay in bed howling in pain, they did nothing. I did something, and that made me a heretic. Let me tell you: even if Jesus stood before them, they would call Him a heretic. They quote Scripture chapter and verse to argue that miracles are unnecessary in this age.

Brothers and sisters, can you believe that you can survive without money in your hands? Can you believe that you can go out and heal the sick and cast out demons? You have authority. People do not live by money. Even if you lose your job, there is no need to worry. But some think, “Without a job, I have no income. What am I to do? Will I not die?” You will not die! I have seen far too many such cases.

Brothers and sisters, change your thinking. God sustains all of us. If God sends us out, will we lack anything? What Chinese Mingding Doctrine believes goes beyond the laws of physics, chemistry and biology, yet is entirely consistent with the theology of Jesus Christ.

Remember: Jesus Christ is the God who performs miracles. Through His mighty power, He reveals that He is the Son of God and that the gospel He preaches is the true, orthodox gospel. We have “stepped beyond the Three Realms and are no longer bound by the Five Elements”; we have all become divine beings. We live in the most spiritual realm and must understand this deeply. If the god you know has no power at all, that is a tragedy.

Many years ago, I preached a sermon entitled “You Are All Gods.” Everyone was bewildered, but those were Jesus’ words. The blood of Jesus Christ flows in you. The mighty power of the Holy Spirit works in you. The power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is upon us. What is there left to be confused about?

If you are powerful and can heal the sick and cast out demons, will that little “wealth-god demon” not obey you? Even the god of wealth must bring you money. The god of wealth is only a petty demon. No one in the spiritual realm thinks much of him, yet people insist that he is wonderful.

King Herod’s Confusion

Herod was no fool. He was a man with considerable ambition. He had refurbished the temple and done the sort of work Nehemiah and Ezra had done. King Herod was quite formidable. Let me read this to you:

Jesus’ name became widely known, and King Herod heard about Him. He said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why these mighty powers are at work in Him.” Others said, “He is Elijah.” Still others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets.” But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” (Mark 6:14–16)

King Herod believed that John, whom he had killed, had risen from the dead. Had John the Baptist performed miracles? He had performed many, although the Bible does not record them. Why did the Israelites regard John as a prophet? Because he had performed many miracles. Why did King Herod say, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why these mighty powers are at work in Him”? In other words, John the Baptist’s miracles had made a deep impression on Herod. Herod enjoyed listening to John preach. He was a man who sought something.

For Herod had sent men to arrest John and bind him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but she could not, because Herod knew that John was a righteous and holy man. He feared him and protected him. When he heard John speak, he did many of the things John said, and he listened to him gladly. (Mark 6:17–20)

How, then, had another man called Jesus appeared? And how were His miracles even greater than John the Baptist’s? Herod was confused. In fact, had he been given the opportunity, he would also have invited Jesus to preach. He knew about the spiritual realm.

Yet King Herod killed John the Baptist. He had married his younger brother’s wife, and John had said that this was unlawful. Herodias also had a daughter, who danced before Herod. Her dancing pleased him so much that he said, “What do you want? I will give you even half my kingdom.”

The daughter went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” Because her mother hated John, she asked for his head. Herod then sent someone to bring John’s head. In truth, Herod was torn. He still wanted to hear John preach. How had he ended up killing him? But he felt obliged to honour his promise. With so many guests present, he could not go back on his word. He became trapped by the words of his own mouth, and was deeply confused.

Brothers and sisters, understand this: miracles are not meant to confuse people. They are meant to show how real the spiritual world is! King Herod was confused as well. But what was so extraordinary about Jesus Christ, God incarnate, performing a few miracles? Herod thought John the Baptist had risen from the dead. Jesus was far greater than John the Baptist!

He is our God—the very God worshipped daily in the temple—who became flesh and came into this world. No one could perform the miracles Jesus performed. No one could compare with Him. The holy men of every age were no match for Jesus Christ.

Had King Herod known that He was the Son of God, God incarnate, he would have fallen before Jesus Christ. Had he developed a serious illness, he would certainly have asked Jesus to heal him. But Herod did not have that grace. He needed nothing, and therefore did not go to see Jesus.

Brothers and sisters, if you lose your job, that is grace giving you an opportunity to know God. If you fall ill, that is grace giving you an opportunity to know God. If you encounter difficulties, that is grace giving you an opportunity to know God. If you still have anxieties about your livelihood, put them down. If you have lived from yesterday until now, you can live until tomorrow. Nothing is a problem, because God sustains us in the spiritual realm.

Feeding Five Thousand with Five Loaves and Two Fish

The apostles gathered around Jesus and told Him everything they had done and taught. He said, “Come away with Me privately to a deserted place and rest a while.” For so many people were coming and going that they had no time even to eat. So they went away privately by boat to a deserted place. But many people saw them leaving and recognised them. They ran there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. (Mark 6:30–33)

When Jesus came ashore, He saw a large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. By then it was late, and His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and it is already late. Send the people away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” (Mark 6:34–36)

Jesus answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii’s worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” Jesus said, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five loaves and two fish.” Jesus instructed them to have everyone sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of a hundred and of fifty. (Mark 6:37–40)

Taking the five loaves and two fish, Jesus looked up to heaven, blessed them and broke the loaves. He gave them to His disciples to set before the people, and He divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. The disciples gathered up the broken pieces of bread and fish, filling twelve baskets. There were five thousand men who ate the bread. (Mark 6:41–44)

Those who put blind faith in science will say this is impossible! But the Lord who created the universe and everything in it brought existence out of nothing. From nothing, He brought forth all things. It is beyond imagination and contrary to ordinary reasoning. But our God is the God who brings something out of nothing! Even without those five loaves and two fish, God could still have sent manna from heaven for the Israelites to eat. They did not lack that knowledge. They had simply forgotten.

Let me tell you: those disciples were deeply confused. Five loaves and two fish fed five thousand people, and the leftovers filled twelve baskets. They thought, “Why did I not see it happen? Where did the extra food come from? Was there a camera recording it?” They were bewildered. It is a tragedy when a person does not believe in miracles. What people need most in their lives is miracles.

When we have food and drink, three meals a day, and spend our time eating our fill and lying down to rest, we need no miracles. But when you truly reach a dead end, you will believe in miracles. How greatly people need them!

There were so many people there. If the five thousand men had each brought a wife, that would make ten thousand. If each had also brought a child, that would make fifteen thousand. The hills would have been thick with people! They were listening to the teaching. As Jesus preached, their stomachs began to rumble. They thought they had better get something to eat. But where could they find it?

Could a restaurant prepare meals for fifteen thousand people? No. By then, everyone was hungry. If they had to walk another three to five hours to find food, they would collapse from hunger. How greatly people need miracles!

I particularly like miracles because they solve problems. Do you think Jesus Christ was detached from the practical needs of ordinary life? He was not. Jesus Christ fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. Whether it was five loaves and two fish, three loaves and two fish, or one loaf and one fish made no difference. There simply happened to be five loaves and two fish there.

The child holding those five loaves and two fish truly believed in miracles when Jesus took them. He believed that Jesus Christ would not deprive him of his right to eat the bread. “I have only five loaves and two fish. They are barely enough for me alone. I have been hungry all day but have held back from eating. I did not want to eat while Jesus was preaching either. I was saving them until I could no longer bear the hunger. Now Jesus has taken them.”

This child had tremendous faith in Jesus. He thought, “Let Him take them. He certainly will not take advantage of me.” He did not know how Jesus would ensure that he lost nothing. Later, the child went home carrying a basket of bread and fish.

Whether or not you are a disciple, if you are confused, resolve that confusion. The only thing that can resolve it is this: Jesus Christ is God. Let me remind you again: Jesus Christ is God! The One we trust is Jesus Christ, who became flesh and came into the world as a man. He has great power and rose from the dead. So do not refuse to believe.

Once a person has God, life becomes simple. Is there still confusion? No. We know that this Jesus Christ is God. He provides for us, and we will lack nothing throughout our lives. But if miracles have no place in our thinking, our condition is miserable.

Some miracles I have experienced were beyond anything I could imagine. At that time, we were genuinely poor. Monthly offerings were about five thousand Singapore dollars. More than half went on rent, and a little more on internet fees. We could barely keep going.

Later, I felt that the premises were no longer large enough, so I rented a bigger place. The rent alone was over five thousand dollars. Then a tremendous miracle happened. From that month onwards, we received more than eight thousand dollars in offerings every month. I looked around and saw the same people. What had happened? To this day, I cannot explain it. Later, miracles continued to happen, time and again.

Whether it is the church or each of us individually, God sustains us all. If you worry about how to stay alive, you truly need to believe in the Lord! God really is the God who brings something out of nothing.

Jesus Walks on the Sea

Immediately, Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After saying farewell to them, He went up the mountain to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on shore. He saw the disciples struggling at the oars because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, He came towards them, walking on the sea, intending to pass by them. (Mark 6:45–48)

When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they thought He was a ghost and cried out, for they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately, Jesus said to them, “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid!” Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were utterly astonished, because they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were still hardened. (Mark 6:49–52)

The disciples had eaten the bread and were rowing with confusion in their hearts. Then the wind and waves rose. Rowing became hard work. However hard they rowed, the boat would not move forward. They exhausted themselves. What had happened? Confusion attracts demons! Jesus walked towards their boat, across the water. When they saw Him, they thought He was a ghost. People believe in ghosts but do not believe in God. When Jesus came over, they were utterly astonished because they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were still hardened.

Jesus did not merely teach principles. He gave proof through miracles and was shown by His mighty power to be the Son of God. We must be certain of this. Were five loaves and two fish not child’s play for Him? What was there to be confused about? If you could remove your confusion and learn to believe, how joyful you would be!

People find something to be confused about today, and something else tomorrow. Why not build some faith today, and more faith tomorrow? What is the problem with Jesus walking on water? Jesus fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish. Even if He had fed fifty thousand, what would be the problem?

Someone says, “That does not fit my logic.” That is because your logic is rubbish. Jesus is the Son of God. What is there to be confused about? From the day I believed in the Lord, I knew that God is mighty, great and awesome. Blessed are those who trust Him! Believing in miracles is logical. Refusing to believe in miracles is rubbish.

Jesus walked on the sea. Why do you not try it yourself? If you say, “I cannot. I will sink,” then you are as hardened as the disciples. In fact, these disciples followed Jesus Christ while each pursued his own calculations. They did not know that Jesus Christ had come into the world to be crucified, to shed His blood and sacrifice Himself for us, bearing our transgressions.

One of them even talked nonsense: “Jesus must have performed a conjuring trick. He was using magic. He must have prepared plenty of bread, and somehow it was passed out.” See how vile the thoughts in people’s heads can be!

Let me tell you: keep it simple. Jesus Christ is God. He could not only feed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish; He could also walk on the sea! All physical laws belong to the material world. The spiritual world operates by entirely different laws.

Healing Leaves People Without Confusion

People eat a piece of bread and become confused, wondering where it came from. But when their sickness is healed, they are not confused. They think, “He healed my illness. That is beyond doubt.” Let me read this to you:

When they had crossed over, they came to Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognised Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and began carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. Wherever Jesus went—into villages, towns or the countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him to let them touch even the fringe of His garment. And all who touched it were healed. (Mark 6:53–56)

Those who are ill suffer greatly. There is a saying: “Whatever you have, do not have an illness; whatever you lack, do not lack money.” It captures what people truly feel. Jesus certainly knows our needs. Therefore, brothers and sisters who are ill must come before God with faith. Our God is the God who heals. He promises in the Bible to heal us.

Healing the sick and casting out demons are essential parts of the gospel. The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the dead are raised. This is the gospel we believe! When people are in suffering and pain, they are less inclined to become confused. How desperately they long to be healed! Even if “the sick turn to any healer they can find,” they must still turn to someone. They think, “I spent so much money on doctors without being cured. Now Jesus has come. Never mind the five loaves and two fish. I want to be healed!”

If they really are healed, will they still be confused? He is God! Why were these people healed? Because their sicknesses were laid upon Jesus. Their sicknesses arose because they had come under a curse through loving the world, indulging the flesh and disobeying God’s word.

When we are healed, God is seeking to lead us to repentance! If someone receives healing yet still does not know that Jesus Christ is God, and still does not understand that believing in the Lord is an immense grace, that is stubbornness in the extreme! Even now, there are plenty of people who were nearly dead, were restored to life through God, and eventually abandoned Him. We do not use moral pressure to compel people. We simply say: blessed are those who believe!

We must understand that all the confusion people experience when confronted with the Lord Jesus comes from not knowing that He is God, not knowing that He rules over everything, and not knowing how all-powerful the authority He gives us is! So, brothers and sisters, let us stop clinging to this business of staying alive. Put down those anxieties, worries and distress! When we know that Jesus Christ is God and act according to His words, we will certainly see miracles!

That concludes our Bible study for today. May God bless you all!