Introducing the Husband Material Retreat

Speaker 1 0:00

Hey , my name is Drew Boa . I'm the founder of Husband Material , where I help men outgrow porn . Today's episode is the sermon I recently preached at the Husband Material retreat in Colorado . The theme of that retreat was you are not too much , you are enough . And those words resonated and echoed throughout the weekend . It was absolutely beautiful and my sermon is a reflection on that theme . From the book of Mark , verses 30 through 56

Reading from Mark's Gospel

Speaker 1 0:37

. So I am going to read that passage from the New Living Translation and then enjoy the sermon .

Speaker 1 0:44

The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught from the New Living Translation , and then enjoy the sermon . And his apostles didn't even have time to eat , so they left by boat for a quiet place where they could be alone . But many people recognized them and saw them leaving and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them . Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd . So he began teaching them many things . Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said this is a remote place and it's already getting late . Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat . But Jesus said you feed them With what they asked . We'd have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people . How much bread do you have , he asked . Go and find out . They came back and reported we have five loaves of bread and two fish . Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass . So they sat down in groups of 50 or 100 . Jesus took the five loaves and two fish , looked up toward heaven and blessed them . Then , breaking the loaves into pieces , he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people . He also divided the fish for everyone to share . They all ate as much as they wanted and afterward the disciples picked up 12 baskets of leftover bread and fish . A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed .

Speaker 1 2:37

Immediately after this , jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida , that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida . While he sent the people home , after telling everyone goodbye , he went up into the hills by himself to pray . Late that night the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake and Jesus was alone on the land . He saw that they were in serious trouble , rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves . About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them , walking on the water . He intended to go past them , but when they saw him walking on the water they cried out in terror , thinking he was a ghost . They were all terrified when they saw him , but Jesus spoke to them at once . Don't be afraid . He said . Take courage , I am here . Don't be afraid , he said . Take courage , I am here . Then he climbed into the boat and the wind stopped . They were totally amazed , for they still didn't understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves . Their hearts were too hard to take it in . After they had crossed the lake , they landed at Gennesaret . They brought the boat to shore and climbed out .

Speaker 1 3:44

The people recognized Jesus at once and they ran throughout the whole area carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was . Wherever he went in villages , cities or the countryside they brought the sick out to the marketplaces . They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe and all who touched him were healed . This is the word of the Lord . Thanks be to God .

Jesus's Compassion for the Desperate

Speaker 1 4:09

Do you know what it's like to be tired , drained , burned out , completely exhausted ? Some of you have felt that way coming into this retreat . Have you ever poured yourself out until it seemed like you had nothing left to give ? That's how the disciples felt when Jesus invited them to go on a retreat .

Speaker 1 4:34

The 12 disciples had just returned from a ministry tour . They've been healing the sick , driving out demons , preaching the gospel basically all the things we do here and they're tired , exhausted , completely spent and extremely stressed . There were so many people coming and going that they didn't even have time to eat . I can relate to that . And at that exact moment , jesus said let us go off to a quiet place and rest a while . In other words , come away with me , let's get out of here . I want you to feel refreshed , rested and rejuvenated . I actually care about how much energy you have and I want you to have more . So let's go somewhere special , a quiet place where words are few and it's just us . What do you say ? Isn't that a beautiful invitation ? Don't you want to accept that invitation right now , and in many ways you did by coming on this retreat accept that invitation right now , and in many ways you did by coming on this retreat .

Speaker 1 5:46

Apparently , jesus is not here to just use us . Apparently , he actually wants us , he wants to hang out with us , he wants to be with us . He wants to be with us . He wants to be with us . He wants to be with us . So he took his disciples on a retreat . They left by boat for a quiet place when they could be alone . But many people recognized him and saw them leaving and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them and , just like that , jesus' own retreat went to hell At the last minute .

Speaker 1 6:25

I know what that's like too . This was supposed to be a quiet place , this was supposed to be restful . Instead , a huge crowd shows up uninvited . They didn't even register , they didn't even check in , they just crashed the party . How impolite , how inconsiderate , how unchristian of them . We're like that crowd . We could have been polite , but we're past that . The needs are too great , there's too much at stake , we're desperate , and that's the best way to come . That is the retreat that Jesus ended up leading , and when he looks at this crowd of needy people , how does he feel as he looks at this crowd that is aggressively throwing aside social conventions because they are absolutely unable to go on without him , so undignified , how does he feel ?

Speaker 1 7:32

The Bible says he had compassion on them and he has compassion on us . He has compassion on you . He says they were like sheep without a shepherd . You know , sheep are kind of gross . They're dirty . I don't have a sense of smell , but I hear they smell bad . They're kind of dumb . They don't have claws or sharp teeth . They're not fast . They can't protect themselves . They are one big bundle of needs , just like us . They can't survive on their own . They're hopeless and helpless without a shepherd .

Speaker 1 8:18

That's how Jesus sees us at one level . At one level it's not very Complimentary , you know we're like sheep , but he's the good shepherd that lays down his life for the sheep , because his sheep are sons , and especially for those of you who are dads , when your son has a need , how do you feel toward him ? Your heart goes out to him , you feel compassion , and that's Jesus with us . He's not annoyed , he's not frustrated or fed up , he's not disappointed by how many times he has to meet our needs again , because nothing is too much for Jesus , no one is too much for Jesus . No one is too much for Jesus , and when a huge crowd completely interrupts his retreat , he goes with it . He might be the most interruptible person of all time . So he began teaching them many things . You are not an unwelcome interruption . When you interrupt whatever you think Jesus is doing , he's like going with it . He's here for it . He's going to teach you something in the middle of it . So it says he began teaching them many things .

Speaker 1 9:33

Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said this is a remote place , it's already getting late . Send the crowds away so they can go to nearby villages and farms and buy something to eat . The disciples see too many people , too many needs , not enough daylight , not enough food

The Miracle of Green Grass

Speaker 1 9:53

, not enough money . Jesus is not worried , though . It says . Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass .

Speaker 1 10:04

This is the part of the text that just blew my mind . I was like whoa , whoa , and some of you were like why is that mind-blowing ? Well , I used to read the bible in the original language and when I was reading it in greek , that word green , stuck out like a sore thumb . It's the word chloros , like chlorophyll , makes plants green . I mean , guys , if it's grass , it's probably green . We don't need to know that it's green grass , right ? Why is Mark talking about the color of something ? That's very strange in the Bible and in the Gospels .

Speaker 1 10:39

Well , let's think about this . The people are lying down in green grass , they're beside quiet waters . They're like sheep without a shepherd . This is Psalm 23 . Jesus is saying I am your shepherd , he's the Lord , and with him there is always more than enough . There is always more than enough . There's enough for you . The green grass is abundance . You're safe . The quiet waters are not going to sweep you away . It's going to be okay . Jesus is revealing his true identity as the true shepherd of Psalm 23 .

Speaker 1 11:21

The disciples have five pieces of bread and two fish and somehow they have everything they need . Somehow . With Jesus , it's enough . And however much you have , he can work with that . However much self-awareness you have , it's okay , he can work with you . However much sexual sobriety you have , he can work with you . However much sexual sobriety you have , he can work with that . However much marital satisfaction you have , he can work with it . However much money you have to spend on recovery things , he can work with it . However much love you have for him , even if it's this much , he can work with it . However much you believe in him or don't believe in him , he can work with it . However much you're committed to this Christian life , or maybe sometimes you want to throw it all away , he can work with it . However good or bad you feel about yourself , he can work with it . You might have this much of what you think you need , and it's enough with Jesus .

Speaker 1 12:27

So the disciples discover that the needs of all these people are not too much for Jesus . But that same night they don't get to lie down in green pastures , they don't get to rest by quiet waters . They go away in the boat in the middle of the lake and they find themselves in raging waters with no land in sight . Now they are like sheep without a shepherd . Oh , it's nice to believe that he can do things for other people , but when I'm in the middle of my storm , what then , jesus ? Where the hell are you ? Because I'm in raging waters and there's no land in sight . This is chaos . I have no certainty . I have no sense of safety . His disciples are even more desperate than the crowds .

Speaker 1 13:17

And at that moment Jesus is having his own little retreat up on the hillside . He's like oh , finally , now I get to go be with the Father , you know . Yet he continues to be infinitely interruptible . He sees them somehow from miles away . He sees that they are in serious trouble , rowing hard and struggling against the wind and the waves .

Jesus Walks on Water

Speaker 1 13:47

My friend Jesus sees you straining and struggling against the wind and the waves of your sexuality , against the wind and the waves of the chaos in your life . He knows how big this is for you and he is coming toward you , just like he came toward the disciples walking on water . He's not distant , he's present . Apparently he intended to walk past the disciples , which is interesting . Why would he do that ? I actually don't know , but I assume he must have had a level of confidence that they were going to make it , even if they couldn't sense his presence . He was still there in the middle of the storm and he is with you now . His words to the disciples are his words to you Don't be afraid , take courage , I am here .

Speaker 1 15:01

After Jesus climbed in the boat and the wind stopped , the disciples were totally amazed , for they still didn't understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves . I scratched my head about that for a while . What's the significance of the miracle of the loaves ? I scratched my head about that for a while . What's the significance of the miracle of the loaves ? And why does that have something to do with the storm ?

Speaker 1 15:20

Well , jesus is the true shepherd of Psalm 23 . And whatever you're going through , if it's a desert of scarcity and you feel like you don't have what you need , or there's chaos and storms unfolding around you , the Lord is your shepherd . I want to share a paraphrase of Psalm 23 with you that was written by Dallas Willard the Lord is my shepherd . I have life without lack In his green pastures . I've eaten my fill , so I lie down At his still waters . My thirst is satisfied . He heals and reintegrates my broken depths in his eternal life , so I can walk in paths of righteousness on his behalf . Even though I go through loss , hunger , disease , aging and death , I will fear no evil because you , jesus , are with me . Your strong rod and protective staff put me at liberty . Your abundant provision is a feast for me , so I'm happy to share with my enemies . This is my favorite part and the part that I really want you to hear . You give me hot showers and warm , fluffy towels , joyful experiences and deep relationships to make me feel clean , special and powerful . Clean , special and powerful . My cup runs over so I can be generous without ever running out . Surely , this world is a perfectly safe place for me to be , because I dwell and abide with God in the fullness of his life and kingdom forever . That's life without lack . That's the significance there is enough and you are enough , even in the most dire circumstances .

Speaker 1 17:20

This story ends the way it began , with a crowd of desperate people who ran throughout the whole area carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was , wherever he went in villages , cities or the countryside . They brought the sick out to the marketplaces . They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe , and all who touched

You Are Enough with Jesus

Speaker 1 17:41

him were healed . Here's what I want you to take away from that . Begging does not bother Jesus . If you want healing and freedom , now is not the time to be polite or to present a polished Christian front . Now is the time to be desperate . If you're in a storm , if you want healing , he can handle you , he can work with you .

Speaker 1 18:10

You might say to yourself . I'm too weak , I'm not strong enough . I'm too sinful . I'm not good enough . I'm too feminine . I'm not masculine enough . I'm too emotional . I'm not stable enough . I'm too far behind . I'm not successful enough . I'm too fat . I'm not fit enough . I'm too thin . I'm not successful enough . I'm too fat . I'm not fit enough . I'm too thin . I'm not muscular enough . I'm too ugly . I'm not attractive enough . I'm too awkward . I'm not cool enough . I'm too old . I'm not young enough . I'm too young . I'm not old enough . I'm too much and not enough .

Speaker 1 18:45

Whatever qualities you feel you lack , however much you have is enough when you're with Jesus and a crowd of people gathering around him . He's got the time for you , he's got the space for you . He's got the grace for you . Whatever storm you're facing right now , whatever you're going through , is not too much for him . He is the good shepherd and he wants you exactly as you are right now the imperfect you , the authentic you , the needy you . You are not too much because you are God's beloved son . Because you are God's beloved son and in you he is well pleased , amen .

Closing and Retreat Information

Speaker 1 19:36

Thank you so much for listening to this recording .

Speaker 1 19:39

If you would like to join us live at a Husband Material Retreat . We have two opportunities for you in 2026 . In the spring , the Husband Material Retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains will take place in late April . And in the fall , the Husband Material Retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains will take place in late April . And in the fall , the Husband Material Retreat in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado will take place in late September . You can learn more and register now to get a discount at husbandmaterialcom slash retreat . Always remember you are God's beloved son . In you he is well-pleased .