God Works The Impossible For Us

Matthew 14:13-21

Our passage from the Gospels today is one that is familiar to most of us, probably one of the first Bible stories that we learned as young children, the account of Jesus feeding the five thousand people.  Let’s take a closer look at this Biblical account, one that we’ve probably known since childhood, but can still give us comfort and hope as adults.

As the passage opens, Jesus has just learned of the death of John the Baptist, and departs from the area to be alone, grieve, and pray (vs. 13).  The people hear this and follow after Him.  They don’t want to leave Him alone.  They had seen and heard about the miracles that Jesus had done, and the people He had healed.  Whether to receive more miracles, or because Jesus’s message spoke to their hearts, they wanted more of Him, and followed.  

How did Jesus react to the interruption to His time for rest and grieving?  Verse 14 says that Jesus “was moved with compassion for them”.   He did not get angry and send them away, nor did He ignore the people.   How do we respond when we get interrupted?   Do we brush them off, or do we help them but we’re grumbling and complaining silently inside?  Or do we openly tell them to leave us alone?  I know that I often will grumble and complain when I get interrupted.  No matter how tired Jesus was that day, and no matter how much He wished to be alone following the death of John the Baptist, Jesus looked and saw the crowds, and He had compassion on them.  He had concern and mercy for their sufferings and needs, and left His solitude to heal and minister to their needs.

That evening, after a long and exhausting day ministering to the crowds, the people show no signs of leaving.  The disciples ask Jesus to send them on home (vs. 15).  Let the crowds go into town, buy some food, and then continue on home.  Jesus then says something very astonishing - “You give them something to eat.” (vs. 16)   What?!  How could they give this huge crowd enough food for a meal?  They only have five small loaves of bread and two fish.  That’s not even enough to sufficiently feed the twelve disciples (vs. 17).  Didn’t Jesus know this?  Of course He did.  Jesus knew there wasn’t enough food with the disciples to feed the thousands of people.  He wanted everyone to know that His power, the power of God, performed a miracle.

The food that the disciples gave to Jesus, the five loaves and two fish, was obviously way too small to even seem of any help.  God used that small amount, though, and multiplied it, making it much more than enough (vs. 19).  What we feel we have to offer to God for Him to use may seem laughably insignificant and unimportant.  When offered to God, though, with a willing heart, He can use it, multiply it, and bless it to use for great things.

Perhaps you can only afford to put a few dollars into the offering on Sunday, not a large amount like some others do.  God can use even the smallest amount that is given to Him in love, and multiply it to meet some important need.  Maybe the only thing you can do to help around the church is to sweep the floor after the service, or empty the trash.  That might not seem as important as leading the singing or passing out communion.  Jesus showed that He can use whatever is offered to Him to meet the needs of the moment, and to bless others.

The people there that evening had a specific and important need.  They needed food, as they had gone for hours with nothing.  Maybe you have a very important need, but have next to no resources.  Maybe a bill that is due, and no money to pay it.  Jesus took a small amount and multiplied it to take care of that need the people had, enough food to feed them, with much left over (vs. 20).  With faith and trust in our caring, compassionate Father, He will provide for our needs, as well.

This is an even bigger miracle than most people figure.  Often this is called the miracle of feeding of the 5,000.  Verse 21 states that there were 5,000 men there, besides the women and children.  If they had added up all of the women and children, the number could be doubled.  That could quite easily be more than 10,000 people that were actually fed!  All from offering the five loaves and two fish in faith!  Imagine what our Lord could do if we faithfully offer Him whatever we have!