The Miracle With A Purpose

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.