- Prior to this story, the disciples had just buried the body of John the Baptist who had been beheaded at the hands of Herod.
- They came and told Jesus, and they withdrew to a desolate place.
- The only problem was that a crowd of people had discovered where they were going and interrupted their little get-away.
- Verse 14 says, "When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick."
- So instead of escaping and getting away, they get overwhelmed with people.
- The number of people is given later as 5,000 men with additional women and children.... so a conservative estimate would be 10,000 people.
- In their time of pain and processing from the death of John the Baptist, they end up ministering all day.
- They are inundated with people.
- And verse 15 says, "Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “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."
- It would seem as though their time of ministry was over.
- They have given of themselves and ministered all day and now evening has come.
- They are probably exhausted and tired and still want to get away (remember, they've been interrupted)
- The reasonable thing to do would be to send everyone home to get something to eat.
- But Jesus has something greater to reveal to them.
- He is about to reveal that He is their source for everything.
- The one who is The Bread of Life is about to show them how He can supply all their needs!
- But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”
- The disciples response is, "We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.”
- Do you see that - We have Only...
- Basically, "We have nothing" for these 10,000 people - send them home!
- Jesus' response says it all...“Bring them here to me.”
- Jesus says, take your nothing and put it in my hands and watch what I can do with it!
- What is your "ONLY"?
- I "only" have this much talent
- I "only" have this much money
- I "only" have this much education
- I "only have ______", you fill in the blank.
- What if, today, you took your "only" and put it in the Masters hands.
- What if you took your emptiness and what seems like nothing to you and placed it in the hands of the one who created the universe?
- What would that look like?
- I know what it looked like to the disciples.
- Verse 20 says, "And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over."
- Today, try putting the little that you have and put it in His hands and watch what He can do with it!
- Trust Him with your "Only"
- Have a great Tuesday!
Matthew 14:17 "They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” (18) And he said, “Bring them here to me.”
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
January 2019
Categories |