The First Step to a Miracle

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CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Daring Faith

The First Step to a Miracle By Rick Warren — Dec 31, 2015 “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them …. 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 … 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 year’s wages!’” (Mark 6:34-37 NIV) If you want God to do a miracle in your life, the first thing you have to do is admit that you have an unsolvable problem. Mark 6:34-37 says, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them …. 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 … 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 year’s wages!’” (NIV) In this passage, we learn the three typical responses to an unsolvable problem in our lives: We procrastinate, we pass the buck, and we worry. First, we procrastinate. It was already late in the day when the disciples brought the problem to Jesus. They had all day to figure out how to feed the 5,000 people. When we have a problem we can’t solve, we just keep putting it off. We delay. We pretend it doesn’t exist. We look the other way. What problem are you avoiding in your marriage? What problem in your finances have you procrastinated about? What problem in your body are you putting off addressing? Procrastination only makes problems worse. Second, we pass the buck. We blame other people. Instead of dealing with the problem, the disciples wanted to send the people away. They thought, “Hey, we didn’t invite these people out here. We didn’t promise them food.” So they didn’t take responsibility for the need. Have you ever done that with a problem in your life? The third thing we do is worry. We fret, we stew, we get anxious, we get stressed out. When Jesus told the disciples to feed the people, their anxiety went into overdrive. I can just imagine Peter doing the cost analysis. “Five thousand people! How are we ever going to get the food and keep it hot and distribute it and then clean it up?” Just like we do when we face a seemingly unsolvable problem, the disciples procrastinated, they passed the buck, and they worried. What’s the problem with this picture? They’re standing next to Jesus — the guy who can easily turn stones into bread if he wanted to, yet when he tells them to do something, they say, “Lord that’s practically, financially, and humanly impossible.” Has God ever asked you to do something impossible and you replied, “Lord, I don’t have the time. I don’t have the money. I don’t have the energy. I don’t have the education.” God wants you to do the impossible because he wants to stretch your faith. When you have an unsolvable problem, just admit it, and then wait to see how God can turn it into a miracle. Talk It Over What is a problem in your life that seems unsolvable? What do you think God wants you to do instead of worrying about that problem? The Bible says God will never give us more than we can handle. What do you think about that?   CURRENT RADIO SERIES Awesome God   CURRENT TV SERIES Abide   For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures… 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 Our world just spent the past month going through a whirlwind of consumerism mixed with religion and a dash of spirituality when appropriate. And now that we’ve emerged on the other side of December 25th, let’s try to answer this question: What is the meaning of the Christmas season? If you asked 20 people on the street this question, you’d probably get 20 answers. Some might say, “Peace on earth, goodwill to men.” Others might answer, “It’s about being with those you love.” Now there’s a lot of truth in both of those answers, but they’re really both inadequate because they miss the main point: Jesus. So I want to give you what I believe the Bible says is the real meaning of this season: In Jesus Christ, our greatest need is exposed; and in Jesus Christ, God’s greatest deed is disclosed. He came for us, He died for us, and He rose again for us. If we can start living our lives in light of this key truth, we can have Christmas in our hearts year round. So as you start thinking about those New Year’s resolutions, start living today and begin 2016 with a new awareness of what Christ did for you by coming into the world! Come away from Christmas and into the New Year with a new awareness of what Jesus did for you!