“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.
John 6:9-11 (NASB)
Yesterday’s Sabbath sermon at the Mustard Seed Christian Fellowship was delivered by our own brother, Trevor Black. The full service can be found HERE.
Trevor expounded from John’s account of the feeding of the 5,000 men, plus others. In this familiar story, the disciples are seeking the easy answer to the feeding of a vast crowd (far more than 5,000 men when you add women and children), but their Lord had other plans in mind to teach a valuable lesson to His followers. They saw the need of the crowd as a burden, but Jesus saw it as an opportunity to serve God.
The disciples are aghast at Jesus’ suggestion that they should feed the people; it seems they have forgotten the miracles that they have already seen at the hands of Jesus. This was a test of their faith in extraordinary circumstances; something that we may face in our Christian walk too. In this story, Jesus is seeking their participation in His ministry, even though as God He does not need their help. The Triune God does not need us, yet He seeks us in love. This point is an exciting meditation indeed! In this miracle and in His actions in our lives, we witness the very real extravagant grace of God.
Dear Reader, let us meditate upon our Lord’s compassion in our daily lives. How blessed we are that He can take our little and provide in an extraordinary way beyond our expectations!
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Devotional Treasures
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