JESUS FEEDS FIVE THOUSAND MEN

PROCLAMATION

“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke them.  He gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people.  They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces that were left over.”  Luke 9:16-17 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, according to Luke, the physician.   After Jesus calmed the storm, they continued across the lake to the region of Gerasenes.  There He healed the demon possessed man who lived in the tombs. (Luke 8:26-39)  The people there asked Him to leave so the returned back across the lake. (Luke 8:37)  There was a crowd waiting for Him when He returned.  Jairus, a synagogue leader, was in the crowd and asked Jesus to heal his twelve year old daughter who was dying. (Luke 8:40-42)  Before He could get to the home of Jairus, He was touched by a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years.  When she touched the edge of His garment she was immediately healed. (Luke 8:43-48)  While He was speaking to the woman, someone from the house of Jairus came and told them that the daughter had died.  Jesus told Jairus not to be afraid, just believe, and she will be healed.  When they arrived at the house, the mourners laughed at Jesus when He said that the girl was not dead, but she was sleeping.  Jesus took the dead girl by the hand and said “Maid, arise.”  Her spirit returned to her and she stood up at once.  Then He told them to feed her. (Luke 8:49-56)  Then Jesus called His disciples together, gave them the power to cure diseases and to drive out demons, and sent them to the surrounding villages to heal the sick and to proclaim the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:1-6)  After the disciples returned, He took them with Him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, but the crowd followed them.  Jesus spoke to the crowd about the kingdom of God then He told His disciples to feed them.  Jesus took a poor boy’s lunch, blessed it, and fed five thousand men, plus their wives and children, two small fish and five barley loaves of bread and had plenty of food leftover. (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:32-42; Luke 9:10-17; and John 6:5-13)  He multiplied it and increased it, and He made a lot out of a little.

 

APPLICATION

Jesus, The Christ, performed a number of miracles.  The miracles were not done to impress the people.  They were always done to help the people, and to prove that He was The Son of God as He had said.  Christ is still performing miracles today.  However, people do not give Him the credit for them because He cannot be seen.  As we look back over our lives, we can see the hand of God performing miracles, beginning with the fact that we were wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:13-15)  He has protected us from dangers seen and unseen.  He has made a way for us in situations when there seemed to be no way out.  The fact that we are alive today is a miracle, given all that is going on around us in the world today.  Christ may not have fed us today, but He has performed many miracles for each of us.  He gave us the increase.