Y Give
Matthew 14.13-21
This morning we start a sermon series of questions all beginning with the word ‘Why.’ Over the next number of weeks we are going to look at why we do certain things as a Christians. This morning we are going to look at giving. Right at the start of this sermon I want to assure you that this is not another sermon on giving money to the building fund. In fact this sermon has nothing at all to do with the building fund or the finances of the parish. So you can rest easy on that score this morning. Secondly, this morning you will have an opportunity at the end of this service and over the next couple of weeks to practically apply the teaching of this morning to your giving at HT.
Matthew 14.13-21 The Feeding of the 5000
Of all the miracles worked by Christ in the NT this is one of the most well known. It is the only miracle which is recorded in all four of the gospels, and that alone should make us sit up and take notice. Each of the gospel accounts help paint the whole picture for us. But as we always do let us set this passage in Matthew in its context. At the beginning of chapter 14 we learn that Herod has had John the Baptist arrested and in order not to lose face amongst his guests has had him beheaded at the request of Herodias’ daughter. If you look at verse 12 you will see that the disciples of John come to bring the news of his death to Christ. Remember this is Jesus’ cousin, as well as the one who prepared the way for the coming of Christ’s ministry, and launched that ministry by publicly baptising Jesus in the river Jordan.
Verse 13 When Christ hears of the death of John he withdraws from the people and seeks out a solitary place – or as the KJV describes it ‘desert place.’ Christ retired to this solitary place not only for his own sake but also for the sake of his disciples. They had just returned from their first mission and they needed time to refresh not just their bodies but also their souls. Their period of quietness is short lived. As we read at the end of verse 13 the people followed Christ on foot around the lake and actually arrive at the landing point before him, verse 14. Matthew tells us that upon seeing the crowd before him Christ has compassion on them. He had sought solitude but it is denied him by the crowd pursuing his presence. Yet he has compassion for them. On one occasion the reason for this compassion is explained by Christ – that they are like sheep without a shepherd. His concern is not for his own needs, but for the needs of these people before him. Matthew also puts a little footnote in that Christ healed their sick. This would explain why in verse 15 he writes of evening approaching. When Christ had compassion on these people it was not simply a feeling but a feeling motivated into action. And that action was not short lived but an all day thing. Christ had withdrew to spend time away from the crowd, the short row across the lake was all the time he had to himself before the needs of the people crowded in on him again. Yet he once again gives freely of his time to them.
Contrast that now with the words of the disciples – read verse 15b. They realise that the people now need food but they have no means of meeting that need. Christ has spent the day meeting physical needs, in the form of healing, and the disciples would have witnessed those miracles. Yet here they are demonstrating their lack of understanding and faith. Send them away to buy their own food. They were more willing to exercise their discretion than their zeal in thinking Christ could feed this many people. What limited vision and understanding the disciples have. They had witnessed the miracle of water into wine at Cana of Galilee and yet here they are failing to have faith in Christ and his ability to meet the daily needs of those who come to him. They have just spent the day witnessing healing after healing and they still fail to understand that Christ is able and sufficient for all their needs. You see, despite what is before their very eyes, they have forgotten the blessings of the past, even the blessings of healing in the past day.
Verse 16 what a challenge Christ lays before his disciples. In John’s account (John 6) we read that Phillip began to assess the financial requirement to feed such a crowd and concludes that even a year’s wages would not be sufficient to purchase the necessary food. Also in John’s account we read that Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, brings forward a little boy who has five loaves and two small fish (like sardines probably, but not in a tin), verse 17.
Verse 18 the disciples are instructed to bring this small boys’ pack lunch to Christ. He could have worked the miracle of feeding these people without the loaves and fish provided by the small boy, after all they were not enough to meet the needs of so vast a crowd. But the lesson is clear – he wants his disciples to bring what they have to him and to exercise faith that he is able to meet the needs of the moment with what they have, not with what they do not have.
Verse 19 – here is the central part of the miracle. Christ instructs the people to sit down, John tells us an incidental detail here that there was plenty of grass for them to sit on. He takes the bread and fish and looks up to heaven and giving thanks – a blessing – a traditional Judaic blessing at meal times is short before the meal and long after the meal. The object of the blessing is not the food but God who has provided the food. For Jews, and I think we would do well to follow them here, it was unnecessary to say ‘bless this food to our bodies’ as it was already considered to be a blessing from God to their bodies. Their prayer of thanksgiving was to God for its provision. The “brakhah” was a traditional blessing = Praised be you, Adonai our God, king of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. When Christ has given thanks to God the Father for the provision of this bread and fish he breaks it and now asks the disciples to distribute the bread and fish amongst the people who are seated all around them. I want you to note a few things from this. First, we should note that Christ asked them to bring what they had to him. He did not require them to bring more than they had but to bring what he had already provided to them. It was not the amount that counted it was, and is, the bringing of it to Christ. Secondly, even though it seemed so meagre an amount amongst so many Christ still gave thanks for its provision. Thirdly, it is in the hands of Christ that the miracle is worked but it is in the hands of the disciples that the blessing of this miracle is distributed. Do you see that? Christ had worked the miracle of providing for the needs of these people, he could easily have worked the miracle of distributing the food without the disciples, but he doesn’t. Why? Why include them when initially all they wanted to do was send the people away hungry. I think it was to allow them to experience the grace of God in Christ in meeting the needs of these people. It was to strengthen their faith as each time they fed someone there was still enough to feed the next person, until all were satisfied and 12 baskets of fragments left over. It would have taken sometime for 12 men to distribute food to 5000 men, besides the women and children and every hand filled with bread and fish just filled the hearts of the disciples with awe and wonder. Can you imagine being one of those men? Each empty hand and stomach filled and yet there is more to give. Just like the widow who in sharing her oil returned to find there was still more in the jar. It was in the pouring out that the oil increased. It was in the sharing of bread and fish that it was increased to feed this vast crowd. Thus grace grows by being acted upon. God multiplies the seed sown and not the seed hoarded. The exercising of their faith increases their faith in Christ. Their minds racing – what kind of man is this who can do such a miracle? The joy and the laughter as each time they reach into the basket there is enough to feed the people. Their initial scepticism giving way to expecting faith with each person fed. This miracle was as much about the building up and encouragement of the disciples as the feeding of the hungry people.
Note what it says in verse 20 – they all ate and were satisfied. When Jesus met their needs no one was left hungry. He met their needs fully. God is no miser with his blessings. In fact we read that so abundant was his blessing that 12 baskets were left over. Why 12? Might have been because there were 12 disciples, even Judas. Might have been something to do with the new covenant and the new Israel. But note too that the overabundance does not justify waste – they collected what was left. Then in verse 21 we read that Christ once again withdraws from the people. He returns to what he had started that very day – to be in a place of solitude with his father.
Application.
There isn’t anything really complicated about the application of this miracle to our lives. This morning I want however to put it in the context of the mission we are going to have at the end of this month.
Financially the SV have set aside a necessary amount to cover the cost of the mission, with the exception of the meal and men’s breakfast. So this morning I am not going to apply this passage to finance at all. If you want you can give financially to the mission but that is not what I am asking of you this morning.
There are simple lessons here about giving. Christ does not ask the disciples to bring what they do not have to him for blessing and distribution. They bring what they have and he works the miracle with that. This morning he asks the same of you and me. Bring me what you have and allow me to thank my father for it and I will give it back to you so that you can be the means of blessing to another. So what can you bring to Christ this morning? Let me very practical – put your hand up if you can lift a chair, table or cup? Then you can bring that and offer it to Christ as part of the mission. There are tables and chairs to be set up for certain events. Some people need to make a cup of tea and hand it out at some of the events. Put your hand up if you can walk? Then you can give out and invitation to someone. Put your hand up if you can talk? Then you can pray for someone to come to Christ at the mission and you can ask someone to come along. Simple things but in the hands of Christ they become a miracle worked for his kingdom here at HT. So this morning on your way out, or over coffee, sign up to what you can give to Christ for the mission. Bring your loaves and fish and witness the miracle that Christ will work with them through your hands at the mission. You see ‘little is much in the hands of Christ.’ It is easy, all too easy, to be like the disciples and to leave the responsibility to others. This morning Christ calls you to take up the responsibility of bringing what you have to him and obeying his command to feed these people.
There are hungry people, spiritually hungry people, who will come to these events. But they will not come if you do not invite them. The needs will not be met if you do not bring what you have and present it to Christ this morning. This passage should be both a challenge and an encouragement for us all to get involved. The choice is yours this morning.
Amen.
