The Obvious Jesus
033 The Obvious Jesus
Mark 6:53-56
April 19, 2026
As you know we are now in a segment of Mark’s gospel
Where Jesus is just not being seen as He ought to be seen.
We know that Herod knew of Jesus’ miracles,
· But instead of seeing Jesus as the Messiah,
· Herod thought He was John the Baptist risen from the dead.
We saw last week how even the disciples were not correctly identifying Him.
· They had “gained no insight from the incident of the loaves”.
And we have pointed out how this will sort of creep along
Until chapter 8 when finally the disciples correctly identify Jesus.
But this segment is filled with people who miss the point.
And we’ll even see Jesus at times frustrated with their failure to see.
And we could talk for quite some time here this morning
About spiritual blindness and the inability of men to recognize Jesus is.
And perhaps we will have that conversation at a later time.
But the emphasis of our text this morning is NOT the blindness of men.
Rather, the emphasis of these 4 verses
Is to reveal what everyone knew about Jesus.
It helps us understand that the blindness of men regarding Jesus
WAS NOT THE FAULT OF JESUS.
These 4 verses simply provide for us a picture of the Amazing Jesus!
It’s just a snapshot.
A general summary.
We’ve seen Mark do this before.
Mark 3:7-12 “Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and also from Judea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him. And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was.”
· We talked about how Jesus claimed to be ushering in the kingdom of God.
· And we simply asked if there was any evidence to verify that claim.
· After reading those 6 verses we concluded that there was an abundance of evidence to verify His claim.
Mark just gave us a little general summary to validate all the claims.
THAT IS WHAT HE IS DOING HERE.
It is another general summary of the ministry of Jesus
Meant to prove that He should have been obvious to everyone.
So THIS MORNING we’re simply going to listen as Mark reminds us of
What was obvious to everyone about Jesus.
So let’s look at these 4 verses and see what everyone knew about Jesus.
4 points this morning
#1 THEIR RECOGNITION
Mark 6:53-54
Jesus fed the 5,000 in the remote area east of Bethsaida.
Jesus then sent them away in the boat.
Mark 6:45 “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away.”
· “to Bethsaida” is a little misleading.
· The Greek word can also be “toward Bethsaida”
· They were in a remote place east of Bethsaida
· Jesus was sending them west, toward Bethsaida, to the sea of Galilee.
· They were actually going to set sail to Capernaum.
The only problem was they got in a terrible wind,
Were straining at the oars, and perhaps were driven off course.
Because here we find “When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored the ship.”
· “Gennesaret” was actually south of Capernaum.
· The wind had moved them off target.
But it is interesting to us that Jesus landed here,
And it only further makes our point
About the truths of Jesus being obvious.
We would expect Him to be recognized in Capernaum.
But here, even the people of Gennesaret will recognize Him.
(54) “When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him…”
There is a simple point to be made here.
The crowd recognized Him because:
THERE IS NO ONE LIKE HIM
He stands out above the crowd.
It’s not for His appearance as Isaiah makes clear,
But it’s because He can do what no one else can do.
These people get excited at the presence of Jesus
Like they get excited for no other man,
Because there is no other man who can do what He does.
THEY KNOW THIS ABOUT HIM
He is famous to say the least.
Mark has already chronicled many of His miracles for us.
Mark 1:32-34 “When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door. And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.”
· He cleansed the leper.
· He restored the man’s withered hand.
· He healed the hemorrhaging woman.
· He raised the dead.
· He calmed the storm.
· He fed the 5,000
· He walked on water
THERE IS NO ONE LIKE HIM.
He can do what no one else can do.
We also take reference to all of the demons He has cast out.
· 2,000 out of one man.
There is not another person like Him.
The crowd here recognized that.
The question for us, is: DO YOU?
Do you recognize Jesus Christ as the only One?
We talk about it in regard to salvation all the time.
John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
· Certainly He is the only One who lived a righteous life and satisfied God’s righteous requirements.
· Certainly He is the only One who bore the wrath of God and then was raised from the dead to verify His sacrifice.
No one else did that.
No one else can save.
But it’s not even just in regard to redemption.
Jesus said:
Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
WHAT ABOUT THAT ONE?
DO YOU RECOGNIZE JESUS AS YOUR ONLY BURDEN BEARER?
I think sometimes in church
· We know the correct theological answer that Jesus is the only Savior.
· We’ve memorized John 14:6 and recognize Jesus as the only way to the Father.
· I’m pretty sure everyone in here agrees with that.
But I’m talking about more than that.
It is one of the flaws in this crowd that they totally overlooked Jesus’ eternal significance to just have Him help them in the moment.
But in the church today we overlook His immediate help
And act as though all He does is help regarding eternal things.
These people wanted Jesus today.
· They wanted help today.
· They had burdens to cast on Him today.
· And they knew He could bear them like no one else.
Hebrews 2:18 “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”
Hebrews 4:14-16 “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
We sing the hymn:
“There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no not one! No, not one!
None else could heal all our soul’s diseases. No not one! No, not one!
There’s not an hour that He is not near us…
No night so dark but His love can cheer us…
Did ever a saint find this friend forsake him?
Or sinner find that He would not take him? No not one!, No, not one!
Jesus knows all about our struggles, He will guide till the day is done; There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one!
Or this one:
“What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer”
Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged, Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer. Do they friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer; In His armes He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.”
And I wonder if you know that church?
I know that you know He’s the only way to heaven,
But what about this temporal life you live?
It would be a shame if the world could see in Jesus
What the church cannot.
DO YOU SEE THERE’S NO ONE LIKE JESUS?
Do you see that for today as well as for eternity?
It is a simple question of who and what you are trusting in.
· Do you trust in yourself?
· Do you trust in your works?
· Do you trust in your ability?
· Do you trust in your goodness?
· What about your financial advisor?
· What about your doctor?
· What about your friend circle?
· What about the logic and education of the world?
I hope you’re seeing my point.
When this crowd spotted Jesus
They didn’t debate whether to go to Him or someone else.
It was obvious to them that there was no one else like Him.
I hope that’s obvious to you.
Their Recognition.
#2 THEIR RACE
Mark 6:55
“and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to the place they heard He was.”
Stop and ponder this verse a second.
The things they do only prove that there was no one like Jesus.
They didn’t do this for any other man.
Want to see their SPEED?
· They “ran”
Want to see their SCOPE?
· “ran about the whole country”
Want to see their STRUGGLE?
· “began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick”
Want to see their STAMINA?
· “to the place they heard He was”
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MOMENT.
You’re there in Gennesaret and going about your day as normal
And all of a sudden you see a man get out of a boat.
· Somebody spots and recognizes that it is Jesus.
· And word travels fast.
And immediately you stop whatever it is you’re doing…Why?
Because you’ve got a friend who is sick.
· You’ve got an uncle who is paralyzed.
· You’ve got a sister who is blind.
· You’ve got a mother who is dying.
And you just spotted the One who has power to fix that.
So you drop your agenda and you take off running to wherever your sick friend or relative is.
· Mark says “about that whole country”.
· It may have been a long run.
And when you get to them you load them up on a pallet and you start carrying them back to Jesus.
· How heavy are they?
· How tired are you?
· How long is the trip?
And then, you aren’t even exactly sure where He is.
You saw Him get out of the boat,
But in the time you ran home and loaded up your friend and are now coming back, He has certainly moved.
Someone says “He’s at the end of town”, so you carry your friend there.
You get there and they say, “He was here earlier, but He headed out toward the ravine.”
You go there, someone say, “You just missed Him, He went toward the village.”
And you’re carrying your ailing friend all over the place looking for Jesus.
Now let me stop and ask you why you’re putting yourself
Through all of that effort and pain and agony?
YOU ONLY DO IT IF YOU ARE CONFIDENT JESUS CAN HEAL THEM.
And if you love your friend,
And are confident that Jesus can heal them
THEN YOU DO WHATEVER IT TAKES.
How many cancer patients have traveled to the Mayo clinic or some other far off hospital?
· Not because it’s easy to be away from home, or because it’s cheap,
· But because you believe they can help and it’s worth the inconvenience.
Do you see what it says about Jesus that this crowd would do this?
These are people who will do whatever it takes
To get their sick friends to Jesus.
I suppose it would be fitting to make an EVANGELISTIC ANALOGY.
I would wonder if we are that certain that Jesus can save our lost friend
That we do whatever it takes to get them to Jesus?
What this verse screams is THE GREAT WORTH OF JESUS.
He is worth such an effort.
He is worth such a sacrifice.
· Those 4 friends who lowered their buddy through the roof thought so.
· That hemorrhaging woman sure thought it was worth fighting through the crowd.
SO HERE’S MY QUESTION REGARDING JESUS TO YOU.
What are you willing to endure?
What is Jesus worth to you?
I can’t help but think of that treasure in the field:
Matthew 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
· I remind you again, that this guy was not an upstanding guy.
· He’s digging for treasure in a field he doesn’t own.
· When he finds it, he doesn’t inform the landowner, he hides it so that he can buy the field.
· This is a greedy man who is only assessing values.
· But he is willing to give up everything he owns to gain the field because he knows the treasure is there.
Or the next parable Jesus gave:
Matthew 13:45-46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
· It’s a man whose only objective is to make money.
· He is in the pearl business.
· He’s not a collector.
· He’s a man who buys and sells pearls to make more money.
· He’s a merchant.
· But when he finds this pearl he’ll give up every ounce of money he has to buy it.
He wouldn’t do that unless that pearl was worth more
Than all the money he previously had.
YOU GET THE POINT.
When they saw the value and worth of the treasure or the pearl
They were willing to do whatever it took to obtain it.
Jesus is the treasure.
Jesus is the pearl.
And he is so valuable that it is worth giving up everything to obtain Him.
You see that in these people who carted their sick friends to Him.
· He is worth the inconvenience.
· He is worth the labor.
· He is worth the effort.
Paul said.
Philippians 3:7-11 “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
WHAT IS JESUS WORTH TO YOU?
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to gain Him?
· Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him?
· Leave the lusts of the world behind?
· Swallow your pride?
Their Recognition; Their Race
#3 THEIR REQUEST
Mark 6:56a
“Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak;”
This is again a phenomenal summary by Mark.
It didn’t matter where Jesus went.
· A small village.
· A big city.
· A rural market out in the country.
THERE ARE NO QUALIFIERS GIVEN.
There were no numerical limits to how many Jesus could heal.
· Everything from a small village to a big city
· It wasn’t like He was only able to get to so many a day.
There is no mention of the types of illnesses or infirmities.
· There was every kind of sickness imaginable there on those roads.
· You had everything from paralytics to blind men, everything from lepers to those who were deaf.
And every one of them was brought to Jesus.
They knew He could handle it no matter what it was.
WE CALL THAT FAITH.
And I can’t help but ask you if you know He can handle your dilemma?
Certainly we start with your SIN DILEMMA.
· Do you believe He can pay your debt before God?
· Do you believe He justify you with His righteousness?
· Do you believe He can secure eternal life for you as your high priest?
· Do you believe He can save you and save you forever?
Do you believe He will save you and save you forever?
But even BEYOND the forgiveness of your sin and the salvation of your soul…
· Do you believe He can provide?
· Do you believe He can protect?
· Do you believe He can deliver?
I know we give a lot of lip service to what we believe Jesus can do,
But when you actually haul your sick friend
And put Him in the road to touch the cloak of Jesus
There’s some real belief there.
1. Do you see that there’s NO ONE like Jesus?
2. Are you willing to do WHATEVER it takes to obtain Him?
3. Do you BELIEVE He has the power to save even you?
Their Recognition; Their Race; Their Request
#4 THEIR REALIZATION
Mark 6:56b
“and as many as touched it were being cured.”
What a scene this must have been!
Jesus just walking through a line of the sick and crippled.
They’re all reaching out to touch His cloak.
BEFORE HIM they’re on the ground, weak, frail, full of infirmity.
· As He walks by, they touch His cloak and instantly they are healed.
BEHIND HIM they are jumping up, they are skipping and dancing, they are rejoicing!
WHAT A SCENE THAT WAS!
Everyone who came and touched the cloak of Jesus was healed.
NO ONE WENT AWAY DISAPPOINTED.
I’m sure your familiar with:
Romans 10:11 “For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
The Greek word for “disappointed”
Is actually a word that means “to be put to shame”
“to make ashamed” “to blush with shame”
· It’s the feeling you get when you do something dumb.
· It’s embarrassment.
· It’s the proper emotion to foolish behavior.
Imagine if Jesus couldn’t heal or didn’t heal.
How stupid would you feel for hauling your sick friend all the way out there and telling him to touch Jesus’ cloak?
You’d be embarrassed for doing something so strange.
But no one who trusts in Jesus ever ends up embarrassed
Because Jesus comes through.
Everyone who touched Him was healed.
That quote from Paul comes from Isaiah 28.
TURN TO: ISAIAH 28
· Remember that chapter where Isaiah is preaching the people start mocking him (28:9-10) so he says God’s going to speak to you just like that (28:11-13)?
· God is going to speak to you through stammering lips and a foreign tongue to secure your judgment.
And then God directly addresses those scoffers.
(READ 28:14-15)
Those are people who are not afraid of the preaching of Isaiah, or the edict of God because they’ve got a plan for overcoming judgment.
(READ 16)
God responds by saying that there is and has only ever been
One plan for escaping judgment.
That is His righteous corner stone; the Lord Jesus Christ.
ONLY the person who believes in Him will not be disturbed.
EVERY OTHER PLAN WILL FAIL
(READ 17-22)
God says that all of their well-laid plans to escape the coming judgment
WILL BE CANCELED.
God is going to revoke them all.
IN THAT DAY
You’re going to feel pretty dumb for trusting in those futile things.
Jesus actually told the Pharisees:
John 7:36 “You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
· There will come a day when your systematic religion…
· There will come a day when your legalistic works…
· There will come a day when your belief in yourself…
· Is going to seem pretty dumb.
You’re going to be embarrassed and ashamed
That you ever put so much faith in your own ability.
BUT JUST THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE OF CHRIST.
No one who recognizes Him,
And does whatever it takes to find Him,
And trusts in Him to deliver
WILL EVER BE DISAPPOINTED.
Certainly this crowd wasn’t.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
WHAT ARE YOU TRUSTING IN?
· What is your plan for facing death and the grave?
· What is your plan for standing before your Creator?
You going to rest on your good works?
You going to try and offer God a monetary bribe?
You going to try to compare yourself to someone else?
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN?
· Well your works are filthy rags.
· Your money is of no value.
· And God won’t let you compare yourself to someone else, only Jesus.
And the shame and embarrassment of it all will be real.
But when God asks that man why He can stand before him
And that man answers, “Jesus”,
There will be no disappointment there.
THIS MORNING I just want us to celebrate what is obvious about Jesus.
This morning we’re going to take the Lord’s Supper.
It’s a feast that celebrates the satisfaction we have in Christ.
· He is totally sufficient.
· We are not disappointed.
This cracker represents His body in which He fulfilled the Law of God.
· It is the righteousness which He earned on your behalf.
· It is the righteousness that He will impute to you.
This juice represents His blood, His life which was given to pay the debt for your sin.
· He bore our sins in His body on the tree.
And we believe what He did there was effective and sufficient.
And that one day when we stand before God, it will be enough.
We will not duck our heads in shame.
We will forever celebrate the Lamb who was slain.
So this morning, we’ll have a time of preparation,
Then we’ll partake of the table
And rejoice in the great sufficiency of Jesus.
LORD’S SUPPER
· Deacons come forward
Hebrews 13:10-14 “We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.”
· Give Bread to deacons
· Deacon prayer
· Deacons pass out bread
Matthew 26:26 “While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
· Take bread
Philippians 3:7-11 “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
· Give juice to deacons
· Deacon prayer
· Deacons pass out juice
Matthew 26:27-28 “And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.”
· Take Juice
· Parting Hymn