Jesus – The Provider

Intro: (Start w/Blank)

A young woman brought her fiancée to meet her parents.

After dinner, her father asked the young man into his study for a chat.

"So, what are your plans?" he began.

"I’m a theology scholar," the young man replied.

"Admirable!" the father said, "But what will you do to provide a nice home for my daughter?"

"I will study and God will provide," he explained.

"And how will you afford to raise children?"

"God will provide."

The men left the study and the mother asked her husband, "How did it go?"

"He has no money or employment plans," the father said.

"But on the other hand, he thinks I’m God."

Discussion:

I don’t know if you have ever been just overwhelmed by the things demanded from you. The boss walks in – “I want those reports – Tomorrow” “I want your stats to rise, and he gives you a plan of action based not on your own personality and skills but something he pulled out of the blue. The spouse says that he/she wants to move and do something that you thought was just a memory. The teacher comes into the class room as asks for something you didn’t think was due. And the thoughts that could run through your mind could possibly be just short of overwhelming. Who do you go to when you are overwhelmed? When things seem just impossible, way out of your league, or beyond your natural abilities…who do you move towards?

This morning our text takes us to a story about Jesus the provider. You see (Advance) – The power to make a difference comes from Jesus, not us. Turn with me in your Bibles to (Advance) on 2 slides break at vs. 13 Luke 9:10-17 (read)

This story is one of the few that is shared in all four gospels. And on the surface it’s what the editors of your NIV bibles say – “the feeding of the 5,000”. It’s a simple story about Jesus providing. As I was studying and reading and looking up words, I was thinking….This is just a story or is it something more. Does it have something else that could speak to us this morning in Piggott? Could this speak to us where we are in this church, as we are in this church? I believe the answer is an overwhelming YES! I see three things this morning that we should know about our Lord and Savior. I want to look at Jesus as the provider and see the things he provides for us. The first is: (Advance)

I. Rest (10-12)

Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer, since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose power of judgment...Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller, and more of it can be taken in at a glance, and lack of harmony or proportion is more readily seen." These are the words of Leonardo da Vinci, and no idler he; he excelled as a painter, sculptor, poet, architect, engineer, city planner, scientist, inventor, military genius, and philosopher. Leonardo Da Vinci.

a. Example of God himself

(ask this question) – In the creation story – what did God do on the seventh day?

Claus Westermann says in his commentary – “It is because of God’s rest on the seventh day that his day is holy. The holiness of the seventh day is related to the whole of the now complete work.”

i. What do you mean rest?

1. Possibly sleep – a tired body, a tired mind, a tired heart. – you sleep and might feel restored and ready to go again.

2. Possibly “Away Time” – a time away from whatever it is – you leave and come back, you might have a different perspective.

While those are good things. While those things serve a purpose, let me suggest that Biblical rest is removing those things that cause unrest in the first place. Jesus offers an invitation. (Advance)

Matthew 11:28 – "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Real rest is accomplished when you give to God the control that you never had to begin with. In case you didn’t realize this – you don’t have control over everything. Unfortunately, we are reminded of this when things, situations and people in our lives change. (Advance) A wise man will understand who has the power to change things.

God told the Israelites in (Advance)

Isaiah 30:15 -- "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…

b. Example of Jesus

Jesus withdrew from the crowds and prayed. He found his rest by talking to the father. He found peace in speaking to God in heaven. I wonder if we could gain something by finding our rest in him. This week will present to you times when you just want to give up, but I wonder if this week instead of filling yourself with worry, instead of filling yourself with stress, instead of being overwhelmed by whatever it is – you pray to God and say – “Dear God, please help me with this situation…Allow me to see your will.” What I am suggesting church, (Advance) your thorn bushes won’t all turn to roses, but possibly you might see something God wants to accomplish through you.