Mark 6:30-44 30  The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31  And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32  And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33  Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34  When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35  And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36  Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37  But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38  And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39  Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40  So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41  And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42  And they all ate and were satisfied. 43  And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44  And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.  

All the signs that Jesus had performed up to this point pale in comparison to the feeding of the five thousand due to the sheer number of people affected personally.  Probably well over twenty thousand men, women, and children in Israel saw firsthand the Kingdom of God manifest within their midst as they ate from the five loaves and two fish that Jesus had multiplied.  The mission that the disciples had been sent on by Jesus before this had obviously been quite successful.  They were to preach the message that John the Baptist preached: “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand!”  “Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ!”  “Come hear Him!”  And they were given authority from Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit to heal the sick and cast out demons.  How exciting it must have been for them all! (Even for Judas Iscariot who would later betray Jesus.)
Due to the great success of the disciples’ mission, they had been so busy that they hadn’t had time to eat.  Jesus had told them to go into an isolated place far away from all the towns and villages where they could rest.  They went by boat over the Sea of Galilee but the crowds saw them leaving and ran ahead of them.  Instead of dispersing the crowds so that they could rest, Jesus had compassion on them and taught them late into the day probably until it was starting to get dark.  But now what should be done?  The crowd in their haste to see Jesus had not come prepared to spend the whole day there.  Almost no one had brought any food.  Instead of just dispersing the crowds Jesus tests His disciples and tells them to feed the crowds.  After all, Jesus had given them authority before to heal the sick and cast out demons manifesting the Kingdom of God.  What would the disciples do?  They should have known the Scriptures and realized what would happen but they only thought of solving this problem by worldly means.  They estimated that it would take about 200 denarii (a denarius was a day’s wage) so about $20,000 to feed them for one meal and they would have to go buy the food elsewhere.
But how did God feed the Israelites in the wilderness in the past?  Could the disciples not see that this real life situation they were in now was very similar to what had happened to Israel many generations ago?  Israel had once been in bondage in Egypt.  After God miraculously delivered them by sending ten plagues upon Egypt the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the wilderness before entering the promised land of Canaan and yet they did not starve to death.  There were probably well over 2 million Jews that were sustained in an area where there was little food.  How did they survive?  Why did the disciples not recognize the same problem that Moses was faced with?  In the wilderness God, the King over Israel, provided the Israelites a food called manna every morning (Exodus 16).  It was a fine, flake-like food as fine as frost.  And now Jesus, the King of the Kingdom of God, would provide miraculously for the crowd.  The disciples should have recognized what Jesus was about to do.  They had no power in themselves to feed the crowds but Jesus, as the Christ, would be able to.  Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35).  But Jesus does not declare this until later when he has returned to Capernaum.  At this point, after Jesus performs this tremendous miracle, the crowds were going to make Him their king by force so He leaves them.  Any other man would have welcomed this:
John 6:14-15 14  When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15  Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.  

It would only be later when Jesus returned to Capernaum that Jesus would reveal the purpose of this miracle.  It was so that He could declare:
John 6:35, 50-51  35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. ... 50  This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51  I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

To be in the Kingdom of God is to be united to Jesus Christ through faith and to be utterly and absolutely dependent upon Him for all that we are and all that we do.  Because Jesus has done all for us in His death and resurrection, our life is in Him.  We feed on Him and live our lives in obedience to Him and He reveals Himself to us and shows His loves to us.  But this level of commitment is not what most people are looking for.  The irony of Jesus performing the greatest public miracle in Israel is that it was after this point that the crowds began to no longer follow Him.  Jesus’ hardest teaching immediately followed His greatest miracle:
John 6:66  After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 

This level of commitment and dependence upon Jesus is not what most people want to hear.  The unbeliever does not want to submit to Jesus Christ but is only interested in whatever benefits might come from Him.  You can no longer live for yourself if you are going to follow Jesus.  Every single one of us needs Jesus Christ as our Shepherd!  We are absolutely lost without Him wandering our way through this world on a hopeless path to destruction!  Jesus saw the crowds as sheep without a shepherd.  Is this how he sees you?  Do you belong to Him?

Pastor Murray Hack

Mark 6:14-29 14  King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15  But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16  But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17  For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18  For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19  And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20  for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. 
21  But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22  For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23  And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24  And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25  And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26  And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27  And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28  and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29  When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.  

These events took place after Jesus sent out the twelve disciples on a journey to the surrounding places with the message that people should repent.  As then went Jesus Christ manifested the Kingdom of God in their presence apart from Himself (He enabled them to cast out demons and heal the sick even though Jesus was not physically present with them).  As a result of the disciples’ actions word came to King Herod of this man named Jesus of Nazareth.  King Herod was a figurehead king appointed by the Romans who ruled in parts of Israel at that time.  (He was also called Herod Antipas.)  He ruled over the regions of Galilee and Perea. 
There is perhaps no better contrast to help you to understand this new kingdom that Jesus Christ was establishing (the Kingdom of God) than to look at the wicked life of King Herod.  King Herod epitomizes the kingdom of this present world. He was married to the daughter of Aretas (the king of Arabia mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11:32) but desired his brother Philip’s wife Herodias.  He divorced his previous wife and married Herodias who was his niece and sister-in-law.  John the Baptist had confronted Herod Antipas in his sin but he would not repent.  He tried to silence John the Baptist by putting him in prison but did not kill him because he was afraid of the crowds who liked John.  But his wife Herodias, who was not afraid of killing John the Baptist, tricks Herod Antipas by having her own daughter Salome seduce him through a provocative dance while he was drunk at a party.  He grants her any request and it results in the death of John the Baptist.  It would appear that evil had triumphed and yet later the king of Arabia attacked King Herod in battle for disowning his daughter.  Herod Antipas was defeated but still remained under the protection of Rome.  He eventually was forced to flee into exile as his nephew Herod Agrippa came against him and Agrippa was appointed by Rome to reign in Galilee and Perea in his place.  A life of lustful desires and chaos led ultimately to despair and destruction.
Does this not describe the lives of all who live in the kingdom of this world?  We convince ourselves that the way to glory is within our reach and yet if the unbeliever could see the end state of their lives apart from Jesus Christ it would be only despair and destruction.  How many people really in the end are content and happy with the person that they have become?  If you will not repent of your evil ways and corrupt nature and turn to Jesus there is no peace.
And yet what about John the Baptist?  On the surface it looks like the end of his life was a failure.  He died in prison and was beheaded.  In spite of all this God was glorified in his life!  This was the way to glory as he fulfilled the greatest role in the nation of Israel of all the Old Testament prophets.  John the Baptist introduced Jesus Christ to the world and testified that He is indeed the savior of mankind!  The manner of death was not a condemnation against the life that he lived but rather reveals that the kingdom of this world is always opposed to the Kingdom of God.  No one wants to be told that they are by nature evil and that we must turn to Jesus Christ for salvation.  Until we are willing to acknowledge this, there is no way that we can know the glory to be revealed in the Kingdom of God.  For those who will not repent they will always come against the children of God.
And so as we come to understand the true way to glory in God’s Kingdom we must recognize that there is a cost.  If we look to follow Jesus with all of our heart it will mean condemning the evil ways that the kingdom of this world promotes.  To be in the Kingdom of God means opposing the kingdom of this world.  It will mean suffering and hardship but it will all be worth it!  
How much evil have you seen in your lifetime?  How much have you been taught about the ways of wickedness just as Herodias taught her daughter Salome?  Can you not see that they will only lead to despair and destruction?  Repent of these evil teachings!  Seek the ways of God!  Turn to live a holy and righteous life under the authority and teaching of the Scriptures and you will be led into the way of glory in the Kingdom of God!  
Herod Antipas lived in turmoil over the death of John the Baptist.  He thought that Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead.  His sins haunted him and yet he still would not repent.  His heart only became more hardened to the Gospel.  It’s hard to even comprehend but this is the same man who was present in Jerusalem during Jesus’ crucifixion (Luke 23:6-12).  Not only had he killed John the Baptist but he would treat Jesus with contempt and mock him, adorning him in a purple robe and having a crown of thorns put upon His head.  Do you see how the world mocks Jesus Christ?  Is this the true state of your own soul?  Or are you indeed among those who love Him and will do anything for Him because of what He has done for you?

Pastor Murray Hack

Mark 6:7-13 7  And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8  He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9  but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10  And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11  And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12  So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13  And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.  

At the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry great crowds flock around Him to see what He would say and do.  The crowds were amazed!  Jesus selected 12 men (Mark 3:13-18) and began to teach them and others who followed Him about the Kingdom of God.  Jesus was the King of a new kingdom- a perfect eternal kingdom and Jesus manifested this kingdom in their midst.  His actions revealed what the future perfect Kingdom of God would be like where all those in His Kingdom obey God perfectly out of their love for Him and where peace reigns eternal.  Jesus gave the disciples a basic understanding of the Kingdom of God and now He sends them out.  Why?  Why would Jesus send the disciples out to draw greater attention to Himself when there were already large crowds following Him and yet many of these people had no real interest in the Gospel message?  Also, Jesus would have eventually reached these places without sending the disciples ahead anyway.  Why didn’t the disciples just stay with Him and continue to be taught especially as they still knew so little?  Jesus had a purpose in it all.  I believe He sent them out two by two in order to expand their understanding of the Kingdom of God.

The disciples had begun to understand the Kingdom of God through the words and actions of Jesus but what is this kingdom like?  In the Old Testament there were prophets empowered by the Spirit of God who performed great signs and wonders and proclaimed the Word of God to the people but those who believed the message in the nation of Israel did not have this same enduement of power.  These Old Testament prophets were types pointing to the great anti-type to be revealed in Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.  But the Kingdom of God as revealed through Jesus Christ would be different.  Not just a few individuals within the nation of Israel would reveal the greatness of God but all those in the Kingdom of God throughout all the nations who would repent and believe in Jesus Christ:
Acts 2:17-18, 38-39 17  “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18  even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. ...38  And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 

But at this point none of the disciples had been baptized with the Holy Spirit.  Also, in their midst, was the one who would betray Jesus and thus would later be proven to be a false convert.  He was among the twelve and yet had never been born again (Judas Iscariot).
So what was Jesus teaching His disciples at this point?  They had recognized the Kingdom of God manifest through Jesus by the great signs he performed in Mark 5 but now the disciples would see the Kingdom of God was manifest through their own actions as they went out.  Jesus gave them authority over the unclean spirits (even Judas Iscariot).  This Kingdom was different from what they had known from being a part of the nation of Israel.  Also, they did not see these things happen under John the Baptist.  (Many of the twelve would have been previously disciples of John who was the last of the Old Testament prophets).  This was something new and strange to them!  They went out preaching a message of repentance (the same message that John the Baptist preached) and yet as followers of Jesus they witnessed the Kingdom of God manifest about them as they proclaimed this message!  The Christ had come to establish His Kingdom!  The greatness of God and His plan of salvation was being revealed!  
The journey that Jesus sent His disciples on was not a long one.  The disciples were to not take anything with them.  It was a quick tour by which Jesus would draw people to Himself who were under conviction of sin and at the same time expand the disciples’ understanding of the Kingdom of God.  But a significant part of their training was to understand that not all will believe.  Jesus showed them how the people of Nazareth had rejected Him before sending them out (Mark 6:1-6).  And as they went on this journey they would likewise see many who would reject their message.  Their excitement in finding the Christ in Jesus of Nazareth would not likewise be found in everyone they met and they could not tell who would believe and who would reject the message until after it had been proclaimed.  As they preached the Word of God and shared about Jesus Christ they would have been surprised as people whom they thought should believe but refused their message and others whom they assumed would not believe accepted the message.  They were to shake the dust of their feet at those who rejected the message showing the judgment of God was upon them and for those who received them would be blessed.  Jesus could have told them exactly which homes they should visit as He told the disciples later exactly the home to visit to prepare for the last supper before His crucifixion (Luke 22:7-13) but the disciples needed to experience firsthand that the Gospel message was for all people and yet there will always be those who receive the message and those who reject it.  They needed to understand more clearly God’s plan of salvation.  For the disciples would have assumed that all the Jews would believe their message as they all were supposed to be looking for the coming Christ.  But God’s Kingdom is not of one nation or family or people group but rather individual souls from every nation.  And more clearly they needed to understand how many of the Jews would never believe.  They needed to understand that those who rejected Jesus as the Christ were of the kingdom of this world and would be cast into eternal hell even if they were a part of the nation of Israel.  
Do you understand what Jesus was teaching His disciples at this point?  There will always be those who will welcome the Gospel and those who refuse to hear.  Do you recognize that God can manifest the Kingdom of God through you?  Do you see how amazing the Kingdom of God is- this kingdom in which Jesus Christ reigns?  Do you recognize the authority over darkness that Jesus Christ possesses and can reveal in your midst?  Praise Him!  Worship Him!

Pastor Murray Hack

Mark 6:1-6 1  He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2  And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4  And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5  And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6  And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. 

Up to this point in the book of Mark the crowds in Israel were amazed at everything Jesus was doing.  The scribes and the Pharisees who taught the people had come against Jesus because His teachings were contrary to what they taught but the crowds on the whole were amazed at Jesus of Nazareth!  They flocked to see Him and to find out what He would say and do.  But were they following Him for the right reasons?  Then, in Mark 3 we read how Jesus taught His disciples the significance of the Kingdom of God- this spiritual eternal kingdom in which He is the King.  Jesus manifested the Kingdom of God in their presence through very challenging circumstances recorded in Mark 4 and 5.  But now as Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth what kind of response did He get?  Everyone is proud of someone from a small town who makes it to the NHL or another professional league and they install signs or plaques in their honor but this is not what happened with Jesus.  Instead of honor he was treated with disgust.  They took offense at Him.  Why?  Does this make any sense?  Beginning at Jesus’ baptism the Christ, the Saviour of mankind, was being revealed to the world and He spoke with authority and performed amazing signs and yet the people from His own community still rejected Him.  Why?  Did He bring shame to their name?  What was their problem?
It ultimately came down to the difference in who Jesus was revealed to be now vs. the Jesus that they claimed to know.  The parallel account is given in Matthew 13:53-57 but Luke 4:16-30 describes Jesus’ first encounter with the people of Nazareth following His baptism and temptation in the wilderness.  Jesus returns home alone after defeating the devil in the wilderness and He preached in synagogues along the way and the people glorified Him and His message but when He came to Nazareth it was a different story.  In Nazareth, on the Sabbath, He reads the prophecy from Isaiah (58 and 61) and the Psalms (146) that spoke of the coming Christ and He declared that He fulfilled these Scriptures.  But then Jesus went on to say that they would not believe that He is the Christ and that they would reject Him just as the prophets of old were rejected by their own people.  He saw their end from the beginning and they became so angry that they tried to kill Him (Luke 4:29).  So why would Jesus now return to Nazareth with His disciples only to be rejected again?  The people still would not believe.  Nothing had changed.  Why go see them again?  I believe that Jesus was teaching His disciples about the true nature of unbelief and showing His disciples through the response of the people of Nazareth what would ultimately lead to His death in Jerusalem.  Israel as a nation would reject Him just as Nazareth did.  This is His first teaching upon the suffering that awaited Him.
We all like to think we understand the world around us but we fail to grasp the effects that the corruption of sin has had upon all of us as a result of the fall.  The more familiar we are with something the more confident we are that we know the truth in regards to it.  So it was with the residents of Nazareth.  In their eyes Jesus could not be the Christ because they knew Him.  They knew His family.  They could honestly say that they knew this carpenter and what He was like and yet they did not know Him at all.  They now heard the stories of all the amazing signs that Jesus was doing in Galilee and yet they still could not believe.  It was impossible to believe for they claimed to know Jesus.  As the evidence grew as Jesus’ ministry continued that He was indeed the Christ the more stubborn they became in their false beliefs about Him to the point where Jesus marveled at their unbelief.

The Good News of Jesus Christ is only received by someone who is willing to re-evaluate everything that they know.  Not just to learn something new but to examine everything around them with new eyes: new spiritual eyes as the Holy Spirit opens their understanding to the Truth.  And the danger always is that if you become more and more familiar with the Word of God but only know it in a superficial way and it never moves you in the depths of your soul to see a need of salvation through Jesus Christ you will just like the people of Nazareth become more and more steadfast and stubborn in your unbelief.  It was the Jews familiarity with the Scriptures in this manner that made them so confident in the end that Jesus could not be the Christ.  Their familiarity with the Word of God which should have led them to salvation only increased their unbelief.
So be wary of what you already know or what you think you know.  Jesus had performed great signs and wonders teaching His disciples about the Kingdom of God but He could not here in Nazareth.  He could do no mighty work here because it was already a wasteland spiritually because of their unbelief.  The same danger applies to the Church today.  Our familiarity with the Scriptures should lead to our salvation and a manifestation of the Kingdom of God upon the earth.  But if our understanding of Jesus Christ is nothing but a false understanding we will end up becoming the very ones who will oppose the true Gospel message and we will only become more hardened in our false views of Him.  
Do you see the dangers of unbelief?  Does this apply to you?  Do you really know Jesus Christ or do you just think that you know Him?  Don’t become steadfast and stubborn in your unbelief!  Don’t let your past experiences prevent you from knowing Jesus Christ for who He really is!  May Jesus be marveled at your belief instead of your unbelief!  Search the Scriptures daily for the salvation that is to be found in them!  Come to know the God who loves you and wants to save you!  Jesus Christ died and rose again to save sinners from their sin.  He is the only way that anyone can be saved!  In Him alone is the way open to heaven and a life filled with joy and peace and love as we come to know Him and to love Him!  May you know His presence and receive His grace!  

Pastor Murray Hack

Mark 5:21-43 21  And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22  Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23  and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24  And he went with him. 
And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25  And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26  and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27  She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28  For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29  And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30  And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31  And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32  And he looked around to see who had done it. 33  But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34  And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” 
35  While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36  But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37  And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38  They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39  And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40  And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41  Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42  And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43  And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.  

In Mark 5 Jesus continues to reveal to His disciples the secret of the kingdom of God.  After crossing the sea of Galilee to set free a demon possessed man in the country of Gerasenes, He returns by boat and a large crowd again forms around Him as soon as He arrives.  Jesus’ reputation had grown so that it was becoming increasingly difficult to go about because of the crowds that followed Him hoping to see some exciting new thing!  But most people were following Him for the wrong reasons.  But the disciples by this time were beginning to understand the reality of the Kingdom of God which was unknown by Old Testament prophets.  As Jesus spoke to them and walked with them and performed miracles the Kingdom of God was manifest in their presence.  Here Jesus reveals the Kingdom of God not through a terrible storm being silenced or a person possessed with about 2,000 demons set free, but through a girl who was about to die and a woman with a serious blood issue who could not be healed no matter where she looked for help.  All of these incidents were situations where a great problem existed.
As Jesus was on His way to the house of Jairus, whose daughter was on her deathbed, a woman touched the garments of Jesus and she was healed.  The Holy Spirit had shown her that if she even touched His garments she would be healed and she obeyed and was healed.  This was a secret to everyone except Jesus and the woman who had been healed.  So Jesus stops at this point to help the disciples further understand the Kingdom of God.  As Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” the disciples must have been amazed to see the woman come forward.  How could this be?  All kinds of people were touching Him as He passed through the large crowd pressing in around Him and yet the Kingdom of God had been somehow manifest in this single touch of His garments!  This Kingdom is not of this world.  The secret Kingdom of God had been revealed in a large crowd through this single act.  
And yet while she had been healed Jairus’ daughter had died.  The joy over the healed woman turned to mourning for the dead twelve year old girl but this did not trouble Jesus.  He was not done teaching them about the Kingdom of God.  There is no darkness in His Kingdom.  Jesus arrived at Jairus’ house and let those who were mourning know that the girl was asleep.  He spoke in a spiritual sense and then heals her in secret with just a few of the disciples present and warns them not to tell anyone to attract a crowd.  He performed this miracle to help them to understand the Kingdom of God- not to bring greater attention to Himself.  He could have brought out the body of the young girl and healed her in the presence of all but this would not have revealed the Kingdom of God to those who saw but only a miracle.  His purpose in teaching was far greater.  You see the contrast in the healings.  The woman with the blood issue was healed in the midst of a great crowd and yet as her issue was an internal one it was done in secret and nobody knew and yet with the young girl she was raised from the dead in private away from the crowds for the healing was external and very visible.  Why is this the case?  Because only the true believer will see the Kingdom of God.
John 3:3  Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 
To those who belong to God, we will see His Kingdom manifest in our presence as Jesus Christ forces back the darkness here upon the earth and redeems those He intends to save.  This is what occurred as Jesus taught His disciples.  He will teach us in the same manner as He prepares us for His perfect future eternal Kingdom which He will reveal when He returns to this earth one day soon.  To those who do not belong to God, who will not repent and believe in Jesus Christ, they will not see His Kingdom manifest in their presence even if they happen to see a miracle of God.  They are blind to spiritual things and are deceived.  They are lost and know nothing of the love of God as revealed in Jesus Christ.
But at this point Jesus does not reveal to His disciples the suffering that awaits Him.  He is revealing the Kingdom of God to them in the most basic manner.  They were not yet ready to know of the sacrifice that all in His Kingdom will face before we enter into that future glory.  
If only we all understood the Kingdom of God we would not fear but would believe.  Do you believe and know of what I am speaking of or are you oblivious to what only God can do?
Pastor Murray Hack