The first outstanding event of Jesus feeding of the five thousand, occurs right after the report of the twelve apostles, who had just returned from their first missionary tour. This is a glowing account of their work and their teaching. Matthew says that Jesus withdrew to a desert place apart when he heard of the death of John the Baptist. In this desert place the multitudes flockedout from the cities, and this excited the tender compassion of Jesus because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Mark says that he taught them many things on that mountain side. His work here continued until the day was far spent, upon which the disciples besought him to send the multitudes away to buy food. Here begins the beautiful story of “Feeding the Five Thousand,” which is told by all four of the evangelists and this is the only event from the earthly ministry of Jesus told in all four gospel. There are certain facts and lessons here that need to be emphasized. First, notice Jesus test of his most senior disciples Philip and Andrew. Second, this miracle provides a back drop for Jesus’ great discourse of John 6 on the Bread of Life. Third, we see how Jesus appreciated and valued all people. Fourth, Jesus wants to supply the total need of people. Fifth, Jesus wants things being done decent and in order. Sixth, Christ, the great wonder-worker uses a child’s ministry to supplying the needs of his people.
Most Scripture references that mentions children speaks of caring for them, protecting them, training them and valuing them. There are some that refer to the ministry of children. Like When Hagar and her son, Ishmael were in the wilderness, fleeing the wrath of Sarah; the Scripture reads, though Hagar was crying and praying, “God heard the voice of the child.” It was the child’s cry for help that got God’s Attention. (Ge 21:17) After Samson repented, he was left blind and helpless, it was a lad that held his hand and guided him to the pillars of the temple. God used a child’s ministry to destroy the Philistines. (Jg 16:26) When the nation of Judah and Jerusalem were headed for the destruction, God send Jeremiah who was just a little lad to speak to the nation warnings of his coming judgment. (Jer 1:7) When the crowd was massive, the disciples tired and confused, and the multitude was restless and hungry, Jesus is going to use the ministry of a young boy with a lad’s lunch to save the day. I want you think about what God can do with a little.
To surprise of everyone, Jesus said, “GIVE YE THEM TO EAT! The bewildered, tired disciples were looking for rest, and feels the great crowd should be sent away. It gets late, the disciples haven’t eaten, nor had they haven’t had any private time with Jesus, tired, hungry, emotionally drained and probably a little cranky. The disciples come and tells Jesus, send the people into town to get food for themselves. Sometimes we can cover selfish motives with religious sentiment. Jesus said: They do not need to depart you give them something to eat. Sometimes we can be guilty of being nothing more than religious well-wishers, kind of like what James said: Depart be ye warmed and filled, we wish you well, I’ll mention you in my prayers. That’s called dead faith.We cannot be true disciples of Jesus with this dead faith, He wouldn’t allow it then and he doesn’t allow it now.
First, we must recognize what we have available to us. Take inventory of what we have. Before we can do anything, we must take inventory, we must know what we have. Like the widow in 2Kings 4, She needed a miracle to get her out of debt, the first requirement was to take inventory, (what have you in your house). We may have had a lot of great things in the past, but what do we have now? What I use to have doesn’t help anybody; it’s what I have now that can be used for the master’s service. The Widow had a little pot of oil and it was enough!
The disciples reported: There is a lad here with five barley loaves and two fishes. This is where the miracle starts, with what we have no matter how small or how little it is, All God requires is for us to take what we have and give it to him. It’s not our responsibility to make the bread, or multiply fish, we are asked to bring it to Jesus. Often, we feel like Philip, there is not enough money to enough bread; like Andrew, who said (what are 2 fish and 5 barley loaves among so many). If we are not careful, we can allow the immensity of the task to keep us from doing anything. This pandemic has paralyzed some people. If we become paralyzed, we will misuse the opportunities we have, misuse the resources we have and sit in inactivity.
Multitudes of Christians look at the greatness of the needs of humanity and then they look at what they don’t have and based upon what they do not have they excuse themselves from doing anything. God never ask us for what we don’t have, God already knows what we don’t have. God usually calls our attention to what we do have. What we have is where our responsibility starts.
Secondly, we must give the little we have to Jesus. True faith does more than acknowledge the problem it becomes part of the solution. We must give the little we have to Jesus. The disciples saw the problem, but they did not see themselves in the solution. Out of every 100 who see the problem, only one will actually become part of the solution. Give ye them to eat. Jesus made them responsible for the problem. That’s where we are today, we are responsible, we are the light, and the salt. If there is no light where I am then it’s because my light is hid, if there is nothing being flavored where I am it’s because I am not being salt. People use to sing, “this little light of mine, I going to let it shine.” Your little light can be the beginning of a turn around. Don’t discount what you have available.
Thirdly, We Must Allow Jesus Bless What We Have. Jesus blessed the food and gave it to the disciples and the disciples gave it the people, and the people did eat! I love that phrase, they did eat. What that means is while we are excusing ourselves for not witnessing, and not sharing Jesus because we believe nobody wants to hear it. There are multitudes who are hungry and who will eat, when they are offered the bread of life. People are not looking for religion, not looking for church, nor philosophies nor traditions, but the bread from heaven, Jesus Christ. We find this same thought repeated in John 4:10. Jesus said to her: If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. (That means that Jesus who knew the heart of this woman, said that If she knew the gift of God she would have asked for the living water) It wasn’t that she didn’t want it, it wasn’t that she wasn’t interested (It was that she hadn’t heard the good news yet).When she heard and had knowledge of the gift of God she received living water.
Finally, Gather Up The Fragments That Others May Eat. They did eat until they were filled. God wants to meets every need of humanity: physical, spiritual, and emotional. Only God can fill every need. Notice, this very often describes the church who have eaten and are full. We have become full, satisfied, satisfied to know that we are saved, going to heaven. Unfortunately many times this same satisfaction begins to produce in us indifference, wastefulness, and we begin to take this great salvation for granted. We actually become neglectful of the precious promises and like that crowd on that day, crumbs or fragments of that precious bread was ignored, brushed aside.
Jesus said “gather up the fragments.” Jesus saw something valuable in every crumb. I don’t mean to call people crumbs, but I do want to make an application here. There are many that society has overlooked and counted off, and just swept away as useless. The warning for us is that we the church must not be guilty of this same thing. Jesus said Gather up the fragments that none be lost: lost, destroyed, wasted, or perish.)2 Peter 3:9 Says: “The Lord is not willing that any should perish or (be lost) but that all should come to repentance or (be saved).” The good news for us is this, You don’t have to be a theologian, you don’t have to have a degree or be a pastor or teacher, or evangelist, all you have to do is be willing to gather up the fragments of the bread and share with others. (Just be willing to share your crumbs). What to you may seem so small and insignificant is the difference between life and death for someone who is starving for bread. One of the greatest revelations concerning the crumbs is that the same power that is in the loaf is in the crumbs. Remember the woman who came to Jesus her daughter was demon possessed, The Lord said it is not meet to take the children’s bread and to give it to the dogs, she said truth Lord, yet even the dogs under the table eat the crumbs that fall from the children’s table. What this woman was saying in essence was (Give the children the loaf just give me the crumbs) Jesus said: For this saying the devil is gone out of your daughter. There is enough power in the crumbs to set the demoniac free, to deliver the drug addict, to heal the sick.
Let me say it another way: One drop of his blood is enough to make the vilest sinner clean, one drop of his blood can deliver the drug addict, set the homosexual free, open blind eyes, unstop deaf ears. One drop of his blood is enough to raise the dead. Jesus said: They need not depart (Give ye them to eat).
This means (we have what the world needs) we must make it available to them.
Jesus gave the bread and the fishes to the disciples and the disciples gave it to the people. In closing (If we are going to give life to the world) we must have a personal intimate relationship with the one who is life. We must spend time in the presence of Jesus, and then we will be able to give others the bread of life.
The miraculous feeding story begins with the actions of a lad with a meager offering. A boy between 9 and 12 years old had the seed of a miracle in his hands. All he needed was an opportunity for ministry. Our world is full lads and lassies that can be equipped for ministry, evangelistic ministry. Jesus is still saying, “Give ye them to eat!” This is where our responsibility begins. Who would not be willing to support a ministry with such unlimited possibilities to feed the starving world living bread? What price would be too great? Today we had a wonderful privilege to continue a great ministry. We were not responsible for creating it….Individually, you may not have the power to multiply it…But collectively, we can place what we have to give in the Lord’s hand. Little become much when we do! There are thousands waiting to hear a clear presentation of the gospel. Billy Graham once said, “If prayer is there, if the sinner are there, If the gospel is clear…the harvest will be amazing.”
I believe a saved scientist, can best reach a unsaved scientist; I believe a saved teacher, can best reach a unsaved teacher; I believe a saved policeman, can best reach a unsaved policeman; and so on; I believe a saved, trained children, can best reach other unsaved children….Will you help train and equip them? Jesus is still saying, “Give ye them to eat!” This is where our responsibility begins. I know there many causes that you can support; many asking for your money; many are good. The challenge is choosing what’s best. The little boy of our text choose the best action, he placed his lunch in Jesus’ hand.
