In mark 6:33-44, we’re going to see that God is a God who provides. We find a marvellous example of God providing food for 5000 men plus women plus children, maybe up to 20,000 people, and he provides enough for everybody to eat with just a boy’s lunch of bread and fish. This story is found in all four gospels. The only miracle other than the resurrection found in all four gospels. So it’s very important.
Notice first
The Reason for God’s provision.
V34 “and Jesus when he came out saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus said in Matt 7:11 “if you earthly fathers know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?” He provides because he cares.
Now look at
The need for God’s provision.
V35 “when the day was now far spent.” Daylight is burning out. His disciples came to him and said “this is a deserted place and already the hour is late. Send them away that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat.” And here lies the need for provision. We all have needs. A medical condition that defies the doctors. A job search that isn’t yielding results. A financial situation that no matter how hard you tried isn’t getting better but worse. A relationship that has taken a southbound turn and you can’t seem to pull it up. We need God’s provision because we all have needs.
Now look at
The Purpose in God’s provision.
V37. “But he answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.” There’s a showstopper. You feed them. The disciples are, in the vernacular, flummoxed. V37 “You mean we should go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?” “How would we do that?” “Why would we do that?” “Where do we get the money from to do that, and how do we carry that much bread?” “And what one store will carry that much bread?” “And how long would that even take?” They’re flummoxed. Now why would Jesus say that? It’s not because Jesus doesn’t want to provide. Look at the context earlier in this chapter. V7 Jesus sent out the disciples 2 by 2, and he said in v 8, “take nothing for the journey except a staff, no bag, no bread, no copper in your money belts.” Why? Jesus is teaching them to trust their heavenly Father to provide, and they go out and they discover that the Father provided their food and money. In Luke 22:35 just before Jesus is arrested he reflects back to this time and he says, “When I sent you out without money, knapsack and sandels did you lack anything?” And they answered one word. “Nothing.” God provided.
And so this is just a short while later, and when Jesus says, “You give them something to eat,” Its a continuation of the same training in God’s provision. It’s a test. He’s giving them an opportunity to trust God again and to watch God provide. God provided their bread earlier in the chapter he’ll do it again, and he’ll do it for all these people. I believe if they’d just trusted and said, “Sure Lord, we’ll feed them. Just show us how.” They would have been the ones doing the miracle instead of Jesus. But they missed it. They’re back to porridge as they say in Ireland. Back to the old way of thinking again. In the flesh. The purpose of Jesus telling them to feed the people, is to manifest God’s power and God’s glory and God’s care and provision in their lives, and to deepen their faith, and grow their amazement at who God is. That’s why God provides for you. To draw you closer to him. That you’ll trust him, and know him as a God who cares and provides and supplies.
Now watch
The condition for Gods provision.
V38 “but 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. We know from John’s gospel that this food came from a wee boy who had the presence of mind-or maybe his mother had the presence of mind-to pack a lunch. Five barley loaves and two small fish. Two sardines. But the disciples say “What are they among so many?” See they still don’t get it.
I remember as a kid being troubled by this story. The only loaf of bread I knew was the Mother’s Pride crusty sliced loaf of bread, the size of a square 10 pin bowling ball, that the bread man brought to the door every day. And I thought this kid had five loaves of bread that size. And I couldn’t understand what this kid was doing with five mothers pride loaves of bread for his lunch. But a barley loaf was very small, almost the size of a cracker. It wasn’t very much at all. But notice, for this kid it was a lot. It was his lunch. It was all he had. And nobody else seemed to have had the foresight to pack a lunch and carry it with him all day. That’s a chore. To truck a lunch bag around all day, and now these ugly big fishermen are going to snag it off him. Now here’s the condition for God’s provision. Somebody has to give before God will provide. Every miracle in the Bible is conditional on somebody taking a step of faith before God provides. Turning water to wine. They had to fill the jars with water first. The man with the embarrassing withered hand had to stretch it out in full view before he got healed. The stone had to be rolled away before Lazarus was raised. Every instance of God’s provision is preceded by a step of faith. God wants to provide for you, and he’s waiting for you to trust him with a step of faith. You may think you have little of any consequence. That boy didn’t have much. Just a lunch. Few crackers and sardines. It’s not what you have it’s who you’re giving it to that counts. Many an opportunity to see the wonder of God’s activity and God’s provision and God’s presence and power is missed because of fear, and an unwillingness to be bold and courageous and step up, and step out in faith and say, “Sure I’ll trust him.” Here’s my contribution. It’s not much. Just a lunch. Just a word. Just a small gift. Just a letter. Just a friendly phone call. Now let’s see what God will do with it..
Then look at the preparation for provision.
V39. “Then he commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat in ranks in hundreds and in fifties. That’s so that they can properly organise the distribution system. So that the disciples can quickly move through the crowds and they can see who’s been fed and who still needs to be fed. Faith that God will provide does not eliminate our responsibilities. We still need to prepare for provision. God does His part. We do our part. A belief in God’s absolute sovereign power and control doesn’t eliminate our responsibility. In fact it makes our responsibilities all the more important. We need to be faithful, responsible, diligent, and obedient to fulfill all the duties that fall to us. To exercise our spiritual gifts, to pray, to prepare sermons, to do bible study, to serve, to love and give a word of testimony to lost people, to plan, to organise, and strategize.
Then there is the Gratitude for provision.
V41 “When He had taken the five loaves and two fish, He looked up to heaven.” How important it is to look heavenward, when we face a problem. He blessed and broke the bread. John says in 6:11 “when he had given thanks, he distributed them to the disciples.”
He gave thanks in advance. Before the miracle was done. Knowing beyond any doubt that the miracle would be done and that provision would be made, He gave thanks. Jesus often gave thanks in advance. At Lazarus’ tomb, he gave thanks before calling Lazarus out. At the last supper when he took the bread He gave thanks. That bread would become symbolic of his broken body. He’s giving thanks in advance for the most horrific event in human history. Because the Father preordained it from the foundation of the world, and he was going to use it to fulfill His purposes and bring about the greatest act of redemption in human history. Jesus is teaching us here the importance of an attitude of gratitude, not just for what God has provided, but in faith thankful for that which He has not yet provided. So either way there’s plenty of reason to be thankful. 1 Thess. 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Are you grateful? Do you appreciate what you have? Are you willing to accept even unpleasant circumstances believing that God will use them for good?
Now look at the power of provision.
V41 “He gave them to his disciples to set before them and the two fish he divided among them all.” John adds they got as much as they wanted. Can you imagine how that must have happened? Like the widow’s oil in Elijah’s day in the Old Testament. It just never ran out. It kept replenishing itself. The bread and fish just kept multiplying. Talk about a supersized meal. This is supernatural. It’s miraculous. This is the first time in history that anybody ate baked bread that hadn’t been baked. Or ate fish than had never swam in a sea. This is God at work. Every provision of God is miraculous. Whether it’s providing for 10 or 10,000. Ephesians 3:20 says “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” Whatever your need is today, God is able. He is not perplexed, nor is He handcuffed, nor is He confused. There is no problem in your life that is beyond Him, or that overwhelmes Him. That He cannot handle. He is all powerful, and He is able to provide whatever it is you need today. Don’t miss this. Whatever it is that is bothering you today, the answer lies in this great truth. God can provide. Is 41:10 says “So do not fear for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” What do you need to release to him? What is it that’s eating at you? Give it to him.
Notice The satisfaction of provision.
Vv42 “So they all ate and were filled.” They were stuffed. Like when you finish thanksgiving dinner and you push the chair back. You’re stuffed. That’s what the word means. When God provides He provides enough. He did the same in the wilderness with the manna. Each day everyone went out and gathered enough. Each one had just enough. God’s provision satisfies. In Philippians 4:11, while Paul is in prison, he says “I have learned whatever state I am in to be content.” Why? V13 says “Because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” When God provides, He produces a holy contentment. So when you’re discontented, either God isn’t providing, or you have the wrong perspective.
And finally, The reward of provision.
V 43 “and they took up 12 baskets full of fragments and of the fish.” The precision of this miracle is amazing. V44 says there were 5000 men, plus women and children. All of them got as much food as they wanted yet there’s only 12 baskets left over. Can you imagine the challenge of catering a meal for 20,000 people and have enough food for everyone to be stuffed and have only 12 baskets of leftovers. That’s just impossible. And why 12? One for each disciple. Impeccible precision. God is able. Remember how this story started. “You feed them,” He said. “Trust me. You can do this.” But they failed. And Jesus is saying, “Now do you see that I can provide all your needs?
So stop worrying. Stop fretting. Stop crying. Stop wringing your hands. Don’t be scared.” The reward of God’s provision is growth in trust, and peace and stability, and joy and contentment, that God is able and can do anything, and he will look after you. What is your need?. Lonely. Job. Marriage, relationship. Kids. Spiritually dry. Are you depressed, angry, scared, disappointed? Maybe you don’t know were you’ll go when you die. God is able, and loves you and will provide. Whatever it is you’re searching for, its God’s supply that you need. But you need to give him your lunch. Will you bring your need to him? That’s the first step. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life no one can come to the Father except through Me.” If you don’t know Jesus, I would point you to Him.
