Feeding 5,000
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SLIDE 1-2 Turn with me to the ninth chapter of Luke. Tonight we are going to look at the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. I think it’s interesting that this is the only miracle recorded in each of the four gospels. As we read this story written by Luke, see if you notice anything missing from how you remember it.
Luke 9:10-13 10 When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. 12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” 13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.”
Did you notice any missing details? The detail I noticed was the boy who provided the five loaves and two fish. While all four gospel writers mention this story, only John mentions the boy. We should remember that each of the writers had a different audience and thus a different purpose for their writing. As such, they may include or exclude different details. They couldn’t include everything.
While we are rarely given the exact timeline of events in the gospels, we are told what became this story — Jesus sending out the apostles. In the first six verses of this chapter, we’re told how Jesus sent the twelve men out in pairs to cast out demons, heal the sick, and preach the kingdom of God. When they returned Jesus quietly slipped off with the men so that they could be alone. They needed some time to process everything they’d seen and done. This was to be a time to tell Jesus about and if they had any questions to ask them. Jesus took them to an isolated place near Bethsaida.
The name Bethsaida means “House of Fishing.” Philip, Andrew, and Peter were all from Bethsaida. SLIDE 3
John 1:43-44 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.
SLIDE 4 By the time Andrew and Peter had become disciples of Jesus, they had moved to Capernaum. The town is mentioned seven times in the gospels.
I am sometimes tempted to think all that would be necessary to help someone believe in God is a miracle. If they could only see someone healed they would believe. But it’s not true. Bethsaida
In addition to feeding the five thousand and the healings he performed that day, Jesus also healed a blind man in Bethsaida and Jesus sent the disciples to Bethsaida when he came walking to them on the water. Despite the many miracles they saw, Bethsaida will be among the towns Jesus condemns in Luke 10. It would appear that the miracles performed there were not enough to convince the people to place their faith in Jesus.
Jesus took the apostles away from the crowds to be alone with them, but the crowds didn’t give them any time alone. They followed Jesus and his disciples.
Matthew tells us that Jesus had just received word about the death of John the Baptist. I think he wanted some time alone as well. But what did he do when he saw the crowd following him? Luke says Jesus welcomed them. He could have turned them back or simply ignored them, but Jesus received them.
We talk about people receiving Jesus or welcoming him into their hearts, but what is more important is that Jesus receives us. When we come to him, Jesus welcomes us. Amazingly, we see this throughout the gospels. In Luke 15, we find the Pharisees and the teachers of the law complaining because of it. SLIDE 5
Luke 15:2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
SLIDE 6 But we also see Jesus just as welcoming to the Pharisees and scribes. When he was invited to their homes for dinner he readily accepted. This is the promise we have. God will always receive us. SLIDE 7
Jeremiah 29:12-13 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
And James wrote: SLIDE 8
James 4:8a Come near to God and he will come near to you.
Isn’t that good to know? No matter where we are and no matter how far we may have strayed, Jesus is ready to receive us if we will come to him.
So, when the crowds gathered to Jesus he healed their sick and taught them about God’s kingdom. It was the same things he’d sent the apostles out to do. He relieved their suffering and gave them words of hope. Currently, they were suffering under Roman rule, but the kingdom of God was coming.
I can picture the disciples standing off to the side watching Jesus interact with the crowd. As the day passed by they were becoming tired and growing hungry. I like the way the KJV puts verse 12: SLIDE 10
Luke 9:12 a KJV And when the day began to wear away. . . .
SLIDE 11 Have you ever had a day that just seemed to wear on and wear you down? Some days are just like that. This was such a day for the disciples. They’re just wondering when Jesus was going to call it a day.
Finally, Andrew approaches Jesus and broaches the subject. Maybe they drew straws and he got the short one. Andrews points out how it was getting late and that the crowd hadn’t eaten all day. They hadn’t either. He suggests that Jesus send the crowd away. But, Jesus surprises him and suggests he feed the crowd.
You’re right. They haven’t eaten all day. Why don’t you feed them?
That wasn’t the answer they looking for forward. Andrew returns to the twelve and tells them what Jesus said. You can see them discussing among themselves how they were going to pull that off. How could they fix enough food for the people? After doing a little math, Andrew returns to Jesus and asks if he’d like the disciples to go buy some food. It’ll be expensive though. They estimate there are five thousand men plus women and children. Scholars think there could have been as many as twenty thousand people there that day. But that wasn’t what Jesus was suggesting. Jesus wanted the disciples to feed the crowd.
Jesus then asked how much food they had with them. So, Andrew returns to the other disciples and they start looking for food. All they can find is one boy with five loaves of bread and two fish. When Andrew told Jesus, Jesus had the disciples seat the crowd in groups of fifty.
Luke 9:14-17 14 (About five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Imagine just the five thousand men. Fifty men would have taken up more than half the pews on one side and there were a hundred groups of fifty — not counting any women and children. Jesus then takes the bread and the fish and after giving thanks, he began handing them out to the disciples.
I want to say something about giving thanks before we eat. I guess there has always been a difference of opinion about saying a blessing before a meal. Saying a blessing does not make you more spiritual than someone who doesn’t. And not saying a blessing doesn’t make you less spiritual than someone who does. However, the example we have in the gospels is that Jesus always gave thanks before eating. Jesus gave thanks on this day before handing out the food. He will also give thanks before handing out the food when he feeds the four thousand. Jesus gave thanks during the Passover which would be his last meal before being arrested. And when he was invited to stay and eat with the two men on the road to Emmaus he gave thanks before eating. We also have the example of Paul giving thanks before he ate. Apparently, it was a common practice to give thanks before eating though there is no command to do. However, there is a command to give thanks generally: SLIDE 12
Ephesians 5:20 Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
SLIDE 13 Since we should always be giving thanks to God who provides everything we have, giving thanks before we eat is at least three times a day when can remind ourselves to do so.
So, Jesus can the loaves and fish to the disciples who then handed them out to the crowd and somehow the five loaves and two fish were more than enough. All four gospels record that when the people finished eating the leftovers filled twelve baskets. What they started with would barely cover the bottom of one basket and they ended up with twelve baskets of leftovers. How does that happen?
When we looked at this story in John last spring, I gave several suggestions people have given to explain away this miracle. Some have said the disciples had the food hidden in a nearby cave and brought it out without the people knowing it. Some have suggested that the people actually did have some food but were hiding it because they didn’t want to share. The miracle then is how the generosity of this one boy changed the hearts of the people so that they would want to share. Even if that were true, the problem is if there was enough food for everyone to eat and have twelve baskets left over it would have been hard to hide. Another suggestion is they only had a small bite, just enough to get a taste and sustain them. But, that’s not what the Bible says. The word the gospel writers used means they ate till they were filled.
Two Sundays ago Mary Anne and I went with the staff from East River Park to eat at the Farmer’s Daughter. If you’ve been you know they will keep bringing food until you ask them to stop. I ate way too much. There is eating till you are full and then eating till you are past full. That’s what I did and that’s the word the gospel writers used to describe how the crowd ate that day. They ate till they couldn’t eat anymore and then the disciples picked up the twelve baskets.
Before I close I want to make a few points of application.
SLIDE 14 First, God calls us to do more than we are capable of doing.
Asking the disciples to feed the crowd was asking them to do something that was beyond their ability. However, that’s the way God works. God asks his people to do more than they are capable of doing. God asked Noah to build a boat, collect two of every animal, and have enough food to feed them for over a year. God asked Abraham to leave his father and travel to a distant country where he would be the father of a multitude when he and Sarah couldn’t even have one child. God asked Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He asked the Israelites to defeat the city of Jericho by marching around it for seven days. You know I could go on and on. The Bible is filled with stories of God asking his people to do more than they were capable of doing. And that’s what Jesus did when he instructed the disciples to feed the crowd that day.
What would you have done if Jesus had suggested that you feed those five thousand men? Wouldn’t you have started figuring out how much food you would need to buy at the store? But again, that’s not what Jesus was wanting.
Is there anyone who thinks the disciples could have the crowd that day? On their own, it would have been impossible, but they weren’t on their own. Jesus was with them. Noah and his family were able to build an ark and take care of all those animals because God was with them. Abraham and Sarah had a child in their old age because God was with them. Moses was able to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness because God was with them. And the Israelites defeated Jericho by simply marching around it for seven days because God was with them. And God is with us. When God calls you to do that which is beyond your ability, remember that he is with you.
SLIDE 15 Second, God is able to do more.
While what God calls us to do is more than we can do it’s not more than what he can do. Whatever we can do, God can do more. Paul put it this way in his letter to the Ephesians: SLIDE 16
Ephesians 3:20-21 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, SLIDE 17 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
SLIDE 18 God is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. God isn’t able to do a little bit more, he’s able to do exceedingly more, and abundantly beyond anything we could ever think of. Jesus told the apostles: SLIDE 19
Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
SLIDE 20 I think what’s most surprising about the disciples is that they had just returned from a trip where they were casting out demons and healing the sick. They had seen God work through them in ways they never imagined and couldn’t have predicted. But here, when Jesus once again called on them to have faith, they could not imagine Jesus being able to work through them to feed all those people. But who can blame them? Who would have imagined Jesus taking a few loaves and fishes and feeding five thousand men with them? The disciples didn’t.
What do you think the disciples should have done that day? When Jesus asked them to feed the multitude what do you think they should have done differently? I think that may be our biggest problem. Our faith and imagination are too limited. We can’t imagine God doing anything other than what we’ve already seen him do. So, when we have a problem we have a problem thinking of a solution. As Jesus told the disciples when they asked why they were unable to cast out a demon from a man’s son, we need faith: SLIDE 21
Matthew 17:20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
SLIDE 22 We need to have faith that God will give us what we need to serve him.
I hope you know the name George Muller.
George was born in 1805 in Germany but lived most of his life as a preacher in England. He didn’t grow up as a Christian though. As a young boy, he often stole money from his dad. As a teenager, he sneaked out of a hotel twice without paying for the room. One time he was caught by police and put in jail. As a college student, George loved going to bars, drinking, gambling, and being the life of the party. He also loved making fun of people, especially Christians.
One day, a friend invited George to go to Bible study. He went only because he wanted to make fun of the Christians later. But to his surprise, he liked the Bible study. For the first time, he saw people who really knew and loved God. He attended each evening and before the end of the week, he knelt at his bed and asked God to forgive his sins. His life changed immediately. He no longer went to bars or made fun of people. He spent more time reading his Bible, talking about God, and going to church. Soon he found that his friends did not want to be around him anymore.
When George told his father that he had decided to become a missionary, his father became very upset. He wanted George to have a high-paying job and not be a poor missionary. He told George that he would not give him any more money for school. George knew he had to do what God was calling him to do, even if his dad didn't support him.
George went back to college without knowing how he was going to pay his tuition. He did something he thought was a bit silly for a grown man to do. He got on his knees and asked God to provide. To his surprise, an hour later a professor knocked on his door. He offered George a paid tutoring job! George was amazed! This was the beginning of George Mueller's dependence on God.
After graduating from college, George married and eventually began preaching at a small church in Bristol, England. The only way to pay his salary was to rent pews. The wealthy rented the pews up front while the poorer members had to sit in the cheap seats in the back (I think it’s the other way around today). George asked them to stop renting the pews even though it was the only way for the congregation to pay him. He trusted God to meet his needs, and God did. George and his family never missed a meal and were always able to pay their rent. George began to sense, however, that God had something else for him to do.
Each day as George walked the streets, he saw children everywhere who had no mom or dad. They lived on the streets or in state-run poorhouses, where they were treated badly. George felt God calling him to open an orphanage to take care of the children.
George prayed, asking God to provide a building, people to oversee it, furniture, and money for food and clothing. God answered his prayers. The needs of the orphanage were met each day. Sometimes a wealthy person would send a large amount of money, or a child would give a small amount received as a gift or for doing chores. Many times food, supplies, or money came at the last minute, but God always provided without George telling anyone about his needs. He just prayed and waited on God.
One of the more famous stories of his dependence on God took place one morning as the children got ready for school. George was informed that there was no food for the kids to eat. George asked the housemother to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. When they were all seated and quiet, George began to bless the meal they didn’t have. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. “Mr. Mueller,” he said, “last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in.”
Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.
George never knew how God would provide, he just trusted that God would and God never let him down.
More than 10,000 children lived in the orphanage over the years. When each child became old enough to live on his own, George would pray with him and put a Bible in his right hand and a coin in his left. He explained to the young person that if he held onto what was in his right hand, God would always make sure there was something in his left hand as well.
That’s how we should live as well. God will ask us to do more than we are capable of doing, but God will never fail to provide what we need.
(George Muller: https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/church-history-for-kids/george-mueller-orphanages-built-by-prayer-11634869.html)