Read Mark 6:30-34
It may surprise some to think about God genuinely caring about His creation. Much too often, He is portrayed as a God of wrath and judgment—an angry and arrogant being who sits on a throne passing judgment on people. But, God is a loving God. He loved us even when we didn’t love Him. He loved all of mankind enough to allow us the choice as to whether to serve Him or not. God is a just God when it comes to sin. But, He has provided a way for a wayward and sinful man to come back into His flock. We call it God’s Plan of Salvation (GPS!) God is a God of love, compassion and intimacy. He is a God Who cares.
One reason He cares is because He knows what we face in life. He knows this because He came to this world and became one of us, living among us for a time. God Almighty actually robed Himself in human flesh so that He might live among men and die on a cross for sinners. He knew that was the only way mankind could find redemption.
While He was here, He endured more than His share of pain, poverty and suffering. He knows what it is like to do without, to be hungry; to be lonely, and to be rejected by those that He loves so dearly. He knows what it is like to be hated. He knows what it is like to suffer pain. He knows what it is like to die a human death. Jesus walked through this world and experienced what He did so that He might better help mankind the most in our time of need—and that is every day of our lives.

Some Things God Cares About

Servants who Labor in His Kingdom
He cares about their work and their Activity – The events of verse 30 take place right after the events of verse 13. Jesus sent the twelve disciples out to preach, teach and heal. Their ministry had been an unqualified success and they return to the Lord and tell Him all about their ministry in the surrounding villages.
They are excited about all they have witnessed and about the doctrine they have been teaching. I can imagine them gathering around Him while they all try to talk at once. It was an exciting time in the lives of these men.
There really is no greater thrill in life than to serve the Lord when He is blessing that service. When you stop to consider where you came from and how He saved your soul. Then, to think that He would allow you a small part in His kingdom work, is a blessing too great to comprehend.
Yet, the Bible is clear; the Lord saved us to serve Him. He purposely redeemed us so that we might serve Him in this world, When He saved us, He equipped us for a special place in His kingdom work. Our service to the Lord demonstrates the reality of our salvation experience,
Jesus gave them some advice – When Jesus hears their report and sees their enthusiasm, He gives them some strange advice. A lot of people would have suggested that it was time to seize the moment. The people were listening, the crowds were coming. It seemed like the perfect time to send the disciples out again to go and preach and heal and increase the crowds. Jesus, on the other hand, calls the disciples away for a time of rest and refreshment.
I think there are several reasons why the Lord did this with His men. I think these reasons are still valid today. Let me share them with you.
The physical stress of ministry is enormous – When the disciples returned to Jesus, they found Him surrounded by crowds of needy people. The people were coming and going at such a frenzied rate that Jesus and His men did not even have time to eat a meal. That kind of constant stress would wear anyone out.
Jesus knew that His men needed to rest their bodies if they were going to be as effective as they could be in their work for Him. So, He takes them across the lake so that they could be reenergize.
Someone told me once that 45 minutes of hard preaching is equivalent in mental and physical stress to working eight hours. I will be more effective on Sunday if I get the rest I need on Saturday night. I will be more alert and more able to serve the Lord effectively. This is one of those points that I make when I need to take my own advice. And, my wife says, “amen!”
God wants us to serve Him, but He does not want us to kill ourselves in the process! We must take the time our bodies need to rest. The fact that we are more efficient in our work when we are rested is a fact that God Himself built into our physical bodies. A tired person is not as productive as a rested one.
Someone has penned a poem that goes like this:
Mary had a little lamb.
‘Twas given to her to keep,
But then it joined the local church,
And died for lack of sleep.
OUCH!
The disciples were in danger of being lifted up in spiritual pride – If these men had been sent right back out and they had seen the same or greater results, there was a danger that they might begin to think that they were something special. The truth was, they did nothing! They were successful in the sense that Jesus was successful through them. All they did was go out in His power and He did the work. It wasn’t about them. It was all about Him! So, Jesus removed them from the limelight for a little while to help them keep things in the proper perspective.
Again, there is a word here for us today. We must never come to the place where think this thing is about us. Preachers, when you preach that great message, give Him the glory! Teachers, when things go well in your class, give Him the glory! Choir members, when you are on pitch and the Lord blesses the singing, give Him the glory.
If we are not real careful, we can fall into the trap of thinking that we are something special. If we are not careful, we can become lifted up in pride and forget that anything good that comes from our lives comes from the hand of the Lord.
All I am saying is that we must remember where the blessings of service come from. It isn’t the preacher, the teacher or anyone else who wears a suit of flesh. Our blessings come from the Lord and He alone deserves all the glory.

HE CARES ABOUT LOST SHEEP
verses 33-34
Just as rest is important, a good attitude about people and their Spiritual needs is vital, too.
Even as His men make their escape from the crowds, they did not slip away unnoticed. The people saw them leaving and recognized that the boat carried Jesus. The people ran around the shore of the lake and were waiting on Him when He arrived on the other side.
It was about 4 miles across the lake by boat. On a windless day, it would have taken quite some time to make that trip. It was about ten miles around the shore of the lake. Fast walkers would have made the trip a faster than the boat. This is just what happened that day. When Jesus and His men neared the shore, they saw that a large crowd was waiting to meet them. According to verse 44, this crowd may have numbered between 15,000 and 20,000 people!
Many people would have been angry if their plans for rest were interrupted by these crowds. Many people would have seen the crowds as an interruption and a nuisance. Some people would have just ignored the people and their needs. Not Jesus!
The Bible tells us that Jesus “was moved with compassion toward them”.

Sometimes, however, when we see a person with a need, there are several emotional responses we have. I hope the emotions we feel in this situation are the right ones. Let me list them briefly.
Apathy – This word refers to an absence of emotion. You see the need, but you do not care. You are unmoved by it. There is a lot of apathy in our world today.
Sympathy – This word refers to a harmony of feeling. In other words, you see a need and you know how they feel because you have felt that way too.
Empathy – This word speaks of an emotion that is stronger that sympathy. When you empathize with someone it means that you hurt with them. It means that you share the pain they feel.
Compassion – The word compassion, as it is used in the Bible means, “To be moved inwardly; to yearn with tender mercy, affection, pity and empathy.” It refers to the deepest possible feelings. The phrase, “moved with compassion” means to be moved in the “inner organs”. It has the same idea as our modern expression, “From the bottom of my heart.”
Someone defined compassion as “Sympathy coupled with a strong desire to help.” Since sympathy refers to “The capacity to share feelings, to enter into the same feelings, to feel the same thing”. So, compassion is “sharing the feelings of others and possessing a desire to help them in their trouble.”
Let’s consider the Lord’s compassion for these lost sheep.
A. The Reasons For His Concern –
verses 33-34a
When Jesus looked at the people, He saw them as a flock of lost sheep. He was stirred by the vision of them as helpless lambs, with no one to care about them.
Oh, they had their religious leaders. But, those men did not care about the people. The Pharisees, the scribes and the Sadducees only cared about the people doing things their way. They wanted the people to march to their tune; obey their rules and keep lining their pockets, so they could continue to live their lavish lifestyles. This kind of leadership is soundly condemned by God in Ezekiel 34:1-10.
When the Jewish religious leaders looked at the people of Israel, all they saw was a people that existed to serve them. When Jesus saw the people of Israel, He saw them as they really were: lost sheep in need of a shepherd.
The image of lost people as sheep is powerful. As you may know, sheep are about the dumbest animals on the planet. They have no sense of direction. They are also absolutely defenseless. There is no animal as needy and as dependent on human as the sheep. When Jesus refers to lost people as sheep, He is not trying to insult them, He is merely telling the truth!
Sheep without a shepherd are lost and cannot find their way – Apart from the ministry of the Heavenly Shepherd, no lost person would ever find their way to God. The lost are hopelessly lost and they need a Shepherd to come and rescue them. Thank God, that is just what He does.
Sheep without a shepherd are defenseless – Apart from the intervention of the Heavenly Shepherd, no lost person would ever be able to avoid the wrath of God and the fires of Hell. The lost are in terrible danger! Religious activity, good works, good intentions and being a good person will never be enough to keep you out of Hell. The only antidote for the poison of sin is the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is your only hope and the only way of salvation. When a lost sheep comes to Him for salvation, they receive security and protection.
Sheep without a shepherd are dumb – Apart from the ministry of the Heavenly Shepherd, the lost person does not even know that he is lost. This truth must be revealed to them by the convicting work of the Holy Spirit.
The Reach Of His Concern –
verse 34a
As I read this verse I get the sense that while Jesus saw the crowd, He also saw much more. Jesus saw a huge group of people, but He also saw the individuals in that crowd. As He looked out at that throng of people, He saw every broken heart, every physical ailment, every emotional need, every spiritual problem; He saw it all! He saw the crippled child. He saw that abused wife. He saw the depressed father. He saw the rebellious teenager. Jesus looked at a crowd, but He saw the individual!
A quick survey of the Gospels reveals the boundless love and compassion of our Savior. He cares,
He Has Compassion For The Scattered Ones – Matthew 9:36; 15:32
He Has Compassion For The Sinning Ones – Matthew 18:23-35
He Has Compassion For The Sick Ones – Mark 1:40-45
He Has Compassion For The Suffering Ones – Luke 7:11-13
He Has Compassion For The Seeking Ones – Mark 10:17-22
Jesus cared for them all! Color or ethnicity did not stop His care for them. Sinful lifestyles did not stop Him from caring about their soul! Social status had nothing to do with it. God cares for you. He cares for me.
The old song says, “Does Jesus care when my heart is pained, Too deeply for mirth and song; As the burdens press and the cares distress, And the way grows weary and long? Oh, yes, He cares! I know He cares! His Heart is touched with my grief. When the days are weary and the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares.

He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life.
Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water.
Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest. Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King.
Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons.
Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears.
Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world.
Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd.
Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death.

You are loved with an everlasting love! God loves you, and has a perfect plan for your life. Not just words, but the truth! You can rest assured that He cares.