76. Feeding the
multitude- 5,000- Matt. 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14
-Obviously this is a miracle of multiplication on a grand
scale that we read about here in all four gospels. Jesus is concerned for the
physical and spiritual needs of these people that had followed Him and come to
Him as a Shepherd. He felt compassion for them knowing their hearts and did not
mind their interruption to His seclusion. He took this opportunity to show them
a massive miracle and to further train His disciples in faith and
responsibility. There was an order to how the multitude was divided up and a
Divide giving of thanks as His blessed the food that was to be portioned out to
the hungry throng. When all was said and done, the five loaves and two fish
were more than enough to satisfy the masses. *Application* The twelve baskets
of abundance is significant. When we give our time, talent, and treasure as the
young boy did in this account we will be blessed beyond measure and reap an
abundant harvest that would otherwise be impossible. I heard an account of a
modern day miracle of multiplication that surrounded Hurricane Katrina in New
Orleans, LA. A gentleman was sharing with us how his mission/ministry team was
giving out blankets to a group that they knew was too large to accommodate for
the supply that they had. They prayed over the blankets and began to pass them
out. They kept passing out blankets and lo and behold every person that wanted
a blanket got one by the end of their distribution. God stills works in
mysterious ways and has compassion for our need. He generates supply in
miraculous ways when we are yielded to His ways and means. Give generously as
the young lad did and you will also see great multiplication of it. Don’t horde
things ever. This is selfish and does no one any good. Let go and let God.
Verse to Memorize-
Matthew 14:20
77. Jesus walks on
water- Matt. 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, John 6:16-21
-Matthew gives us the most vivid account of this often
referred to miracle of Jesus Christ. Christ intended to pass by them and meet
them on the other side after He had been alone on the mountain praying to the
Father in the Spirit. He had to have been tired, but His desire was to do the
will of the Father first and foremost. He forfeited His own well being to
communicate with the Father as we see in this passage. He had to calm the fears
of the disciples as they saw Him walking on the stormy sea. Matthew tells us of
how Peter had the faith to call out for a command to come walking on the water
himself to Jesus in shear faith. Peter got the command and obeyed also being
given the ability to do the physically impossible, but he started to get
frightened by his circumstances and doubt came in quickly. Jesus was within arm’s
length of rescuing His disciple and took the opportunity to ask an important
question. Jesus rebuked his lack of faith in the middle of his efforts and
asked why he began to doubt. When they got back in the boat the winds died down
and immediately they were on the shore to their destination (Matthew 14:32, John
6:21). *Application* There is much in this account that should make us reflect
and draw from. Today, our concern should be the realization that Christ is
within arm’s length of us when we step out of the boat of stability into the
unknown and sometimes stormy sea of faith. Sometimes we are confident in
obeying God’s initial commands to leave behind our security and we impetuously leap
out of the boat with reckless abandon only to get out there and realize that
what we’ve done should probably be considered impossible and impractical. It is
at those times that we often demonstrate a lack of faith that is displeasing to
the Lord. But He is always there to pick us up and make us realize that He is
worth it all and worthy of all our praise and devotion. He has a way of getting
us back on track and back to a place where we can say that He was our rescue
and deliverer, an ever present help in times of trouble (Psalm 37:39). Keep the
faith! There’s no reason to doubt Him!
Verse to Memorize-
Mark 6:52
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