Matt 14:13-21 - The Miracle With A Purpose
Jesus did many miracles in the course of His ministry but the feeding of the 5000 is the only one recorded in all the 4 Gospels (Matt 14, Mark 6, Luke 9 and John 6).
• All four writers find it significant enough to record it down. It was likely so because this was a miracle with a purpose.
• And the purpose is not just the feeding of the 5,000 men. If we add in the women and children, the crowd there could be over 10,000 people.
• But the purpose was not just the feeding of the crowd, although that took place it was not the main point.
What is the purpose of the miracle? Let us look closely at what has happened.
• The crowd was listening to Jesus and it was getting late. The disciples were concerned and asked Jesus to disperse the crowd.
• 14:15 “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
• This was the most sensible thing to do but Jesus replied with a rather ridiculous suggestion - 14:16 “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”
Jesus did not simply do the miracle. He first instructed the disciples to give the people something to eat.
• Who in his right mind would say this? They have nothing to give to the people. It was a task that was beyond them.
• Yet Jesus asked the disciples to do something impossible. It sounded absurd unless Jesus had a purpose in mind. Does he?
Yes, according to the Gospel of John. When John recounted the event, he wrote in John 6:5-6
• 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.
Jesus has a plan. He knew what He wanted to do. He was about to do a miracle…
• Through His hands, and then through the hands of His disciples, they are going to distribute bread to these people.
• The disciples would not be able to solve the problem and Jesus knew that.
The instruction was a TEST for the disciples. Jesus was pushing them beyond their means so that they would turn to Him and learn to trust God.
• The challenge was only given to the disciples because they knew Him.
• They had been with Him for some time now and had seen all His miracles up close. They know more about Jesus than the crowd.
If the disciples had not been with Jesus, then this request “You give them something to eat” would be absurd.
• But they had heard and seen enough of Jesus to be able to believe Him.
• They might not know Him fully but at least, they ought to know by now that He is no ordinary teacher or prophet, but the Messiah, the Son of God.
• Simon Peter did confess later in Matt 16: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (16:16)
What have the disciples seen in Jesus? Let's take a glance back from Matt 8.
• Back in Matt 8, Jesus healed a leper, the Centurion’s servant (without seeing him), Peter’s mother-in-law, and many who were oppressed by the demons.
• Jesus calmed the storm with the disciples in the boat and healed two demon-possessed men.
• In Matt 9 Jesus healed a paralysed man, a woman who had been sick for 12 years, and restored to life a young girl who has died (Jesus was delayed by the woman).
• Jesus went on to heal two blind men and a man who could not speak.
• In Matt 10 Jesus sent out the disciples and gave them the authority to drive out unclean spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
• They prayed and experienced the authority and power of the Name of Christ personally.
So finally when we come to Matt 14, having journeyed with Jesus from Matt 8, the disciples ought to have an idea of WHO Jesus is and WHAT He can do.
• For the disciples who have seen and experienced so much with Jesus, this question does not sound so ridiculous now.
• Would they turn to Jesus and seek God for help? Or would they depend on themselves again?
• Jesus wasn’t expecting them to do the impossible. He pushed them to see if they would TURN TO HIM and seek God. No wonder John says it was a TEST.
• Jesus did not test them to grade them, He already knew them. He tests them to get them to turn from depending on themselves to depending on God.
Lesson 1: LOOK TO GOD.
Do not measure a problem by our abilities.
The Lord wants us to put our trust in Him, not in ourselves, to trust Him and what He can do, and not what we can do.
• God puts us sometimes in impossible situations so that our faith in Him is stretched and tested.
• In such times we learn that WE CANNOT and only GOD CAN.
• Have you ever been there, when you are helpless and can do nothing, and your only hope is God?
• We are thrust into a state of helplessness so that we KNOW we need God.
We see the disciples trying to resolve the problem on their own, at first.
• Philip calculated in his mind: “200 denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” (Jn 6:7) That’s more than half a year’s wages.
• Andrew did something more practical. He looked around and found a boy with five loaves and two fishes.
• We start where everyone starts – by looking at our means and resources.
Jesus said, “Bring them here to me” (14:18), the loaves and fishes.
• 14:19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing.
• That’s the TURNING POINT. God multiplied what the boy offered and fed the crowd. That which can only feed one boy became a blessing to thousands.
Don’t measure a problem by our abilities and resources. And don’t underestimate what God can do when we offer our little to God.
• Whether your 5 loaves and 2 fishes have to do with your treasures, time or talents.
• Offer them into God’s hands and let Him bless them and use them to accomplish His purposes for the greater good.
LOOK TO GOD, Jesus challenged the disciples. Don’t just look at yourselves.
A group of students were given this quiz in their cooking class: “How long should a 1 kg beef roast stay in a 160-degree oven for the centre to reach a temperature of 60 degrees?” (that is, for the beef to be cooked to medium)
One student did a series of experiments. Another went out and bought some beef and used an oven, a thermometer and a watch. Another went into the library, got out a spreadsheet, did calculations on the conductivity of roast beef and tried to figure it all out.
But the one boy who got the quickest answer was the one who picked up the phone and called his dad who works as a chef: “How do you cook a roast beef to medium?”
Jesus was not expecting His disciples to solve this problem. They cannot and He knows that.
• He challenges them to think beyond themselves and what God can do.
• What are we depending upon today? Our abilities and resources, intelligence and skills? Where is our faith placed, in ourselves or in God?
Learn from Jesus. Trust in God. Offer what we have to God and let Him do the rest, whatever that may be. We look up to heaven and pray for a blessing.
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14:19b-20 …Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.
The disciples experienced it first-hand. Jesus broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples and the disciples passed them to the people.
• The disciples saw the food multiplying as they distributed it. It was a miracle of God. It was a miracle happening through their hands.
When everyone ate and was satisfied, there were 12 baskets full of the broken pieces left over.
• If God performed the miracle, then He could have stopped at the point when everyone was fed. He could have provided just enough.
• But God blesses the people with more, more than enough. You can eat to your heart’s delight and there will still be more.
• God did not provide barely sufficient. He is gracious and generous. There will be enough for everyone and more.
Lesson 2: DON’T LIMIT GOD.
He can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Eph 3:20).
We limit God when we doubt He will provide. We limit God when we worry and fear for our needs. We limit God because of unbelief.
• We find it hard to trust Him and prefer to solve our problems with our efforts.
• We usually do that until we come to the end of our rope and then we will cry out to God.
The disciples learnt that day, that with 5 loaves and 2 fishes placed in their Master’s hands, He can accomplish what He has already planned out to do.
• Paul reminded us in Eph 3:20 that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.”
Acts 12 tells us of one interesting incident.
• King Herod arrested the apostle Peter and kept him in prison. The believers gathered to pray.
• God responded by sending His angel to release Peter. Peter walked to the house where the prayer meeting was taking place.
• Acts 12:13-16 13And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed.
They were praying but not expecting God to act.
• And yet God did immeasurably more than all they ask or imagine…
CONCLUSION: What can we learn from today’s miracle?
1. LOOK TO GOD AND TRUST HIM
• Do not measure a problem by our abilities.
2. DON’T LIMIT GOD
• Give to God what we have and let Him do His work.
• He can do immeasurably beyond what we ask or imagine.
• We become more like Christ when we love and meet the needs of people.
I like to add one more point for our friends here, those who are not Christians.
• John 6:26-27 Jesus said to the crowd who followed Him: 26 …“Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him, God the Father has set his seal.”
• Everyone loves free food but that’s not the ultimate goal of life. God wants us to know him and have an eternal life with Him.
• We need to believe in Jesus, the Bread of life, who comes from God, to save us from sin and give us this life with God.
John 6:35 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.”
• He’s not talking about physical but spiritual fulfilment when we come to know Him. Jesus Christ is our Saviour and our only hope of salvation.
• He has said, He is the way, the truth and the life. No one can return to the Father except through Him. (Jn 14:6) You can believe in Jesus today.
Prayer:
We praise You, Lord, for being compassionate and kind, for being the faithful God who loves us and provides for us.
Thank you, Jesus, for the blessings of life as well as the gift of life eternal with you and our heavenly Father. Because of You, we can face tomorrow with confidence. Because You live, all our fear is gone, for we know, Lord that You hold the future. We trust You with all our hearts.
Help all who are seeking You find the grace to believe You, Lord, as their Saviour. In the Name of Jesus Christ, we pray, AMEN.
You can listen to the sermon with slides at https://youtu.be/NJ33JRUmSyA
