Dear Friends,
This week we take a look at the story of Jesus feeding the multitude. The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes is the only specific miracle aside from the resurrection of Christ that is found in all four Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all tell the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand.
Jesus had been healing the sick and a large crowd of people had been following him for several days. We pick up the account in the 6th Chapter of John starting at the fifth verse. “When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!’ John 6:5-7 (NIV)
Although Philip voiced concern over the cost of feeding such a large crowd, money wasn’t the real issue. Think about this scene for a minute. There are five thousand men, not counting the women and children. The crowd had been following Jesus for several days, so any food they might have had with them would be gone. Even if they had the money, there was simply no place in this rural area to buy bread. They couldn’t just stroll into a local bakery and ask for a few thousand loaves of bread. Jesus was asking for the impossible, and God would provide.
The story continues, “Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’ Ibid verses 8-9. That little boy is one of the unsung heroes of the Bible. What made him a hero? He showed up, and he was willing to share the little that he had. Then God multiplied his generosity.
Continuing with the story, Jesus had the people sit down. He gave thanks. Then he distributed the food and everyone got as much as they wanted. What did Jesus do before he distributed the food? Jesus gave thanks.
Psalm 118:1 and 136:1 tell us, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” It seems that very few people offer grace before starting their meal. Want to get the most from your meals? Perhaps the best appetizer—one that is truly nourishing—is spending a few moments thanking God for what he has provided.
The story of Jesus feeding the multitude concludes, “When they had all had enough to eat, {Jesus} said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. Ibid verses 12-13. God doesn’t just provide – He provides in abundance—He has leftovers!
Next time you sit down to enjoy a meal, imagine Jesus feeding the five thousand. Can you, like the little boy, show up and share when you see a need? Can you, like Jesus, acknowledge that all our blessings come from God and offer Him thanks? When you have leftovers, can you appreciate that we serve a God who provides in abundance?
Recently Bonnie and I had lunch with Jewish friend and his wife. When the served the meal, there was that awkward moment when we weren’t sure if they would offer a blessing or if we should. I took Bonnie’s hand and said, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow”—the opening verse of the Doxology. Our hosts said, “Indeed,” and we enjoyed a lovely time together. Praising God is something people of all faiths understand. Thanks be to God!
Verse for the Week: Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”
Blessings, Your friends in Christ.
(Just for the record, the Doxology is not drawn from any particular verses in Scripture. It is a song of praise, written in 1674 by Thomas Ken, sung to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.)
Because He Loves Us Press 