The Feeding of the 5,000 (12/3/2023)

The Feeding of the Five Thousand and the Compassion of Christ

Let's turn to the gospel of Matthew chapter 14 and Speaking of God's goodness. The Lord is good on this occasion. He feeds 5 ,000 people actually probably a lot more than that. But he looks upon the multitudes and it says he had compassion on them for they were like Sheep without a shepherd.

So this week we're going to begin Matthew 14 by reading verses 13 through 21. And yeah, this is the miracle of Christ feeding.

The.

5 ,000 there's several things we can learn from this passage first it shows The Lord's great compassion that he has for men even down to the little things. Giving them a meal. Of course, it also points to much bigger things in that it's a demonstration of Christ's divine power.

So by feeding such a large crowd Jesus now really he has his largest following to date. But of all the people that now look to him are all of these true Converts or were some of them coming to Christ for the wrong?

Reasons, well, we'll find out soon because after Jesus feeds them they come back the next day looking for more Food, so then Jesus puts them to the test and he wants to see whether or not. Do you want more bread or are you interested in the bread of life?

So let's begin reading. Matthew 14 starting in verse 13 says when Jesus heard it. That is when he heard about the death of John the Baptist. He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by himself.

But when the multitudes heard it they followed him on foot from the cities and when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude and he was moved with compassion for them and he healed their sick. And when it was evening his disciples came to him saying this is a deserted place and the hour is already late.

Send the multitudes away that they may go into the villages and buy food Them or buy themselves food. But Jesus said to them they do not need to go away. You give them something to eat and they said to him we have here only five loaves and two fish.

But he said bring them here to me. Then he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass and He took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples and the disciples gave to the multitudes.

So they all ate and were filled and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained and now those who had eaten were about 5 ,000 men.

Besides.

Women and children and made the Lord out of blessing to the reading of his word. Now that last statement 5 ,000 men. Besides women and children, what does that tell you? Well, yeah, there's a lot more than 5 ,000 people.

I think most commentators say that the size of the multitude could be upwards of 15 maybe 20 ,000 people. Imagine that Jesus teaching a group that size 20 ,000. So this story of Jesus feeding the multitudes.

Remember there was another time when he fed 4 ,000 right so two totally separate events. But this is one of the most well-known stories of Jesus one of the most well-known miracles In all of the new testament.

The Purpose of Miracles and the Bread of Life

And speaking of miracles just to go back to the basics. So we understand Why Jesus is doing this something I like to reinforce on a regular basis of what is the purpose? Of miracles is this what we're seeing going through the Gospels?

It's one miracle after another after another after another. So why is Jesus doing this? Well during his ministry in the ministry of the Apostles, do you really see what you could call an explosion of Miracles an explosion of signs and wonders and the purpose was to Authenticate the purpose of miracles is to authenticate what?

Yeah, the purpose of miracles is to authenticate the miracle worker for example in Mark 16 verse 20 Speaking of the Apostles the Bible says and they went out and preached everywhere the Lord working with them and Confirming the word through the accompanying signs.

So God confirms his word through the signs.

Through.

The miracles so miracles proved. What that what they were preaching it's it's true. Okay, so if a man preaches something you say well, that's is this true? Should we believe it? Well if he can work a wonder, you know that it's true.

Okay, so why does that really matter for this circumstance because after Jesus feeds the 5 ,000 he is going to preach one of his most difficult messages to-date. The crowd was given bread to eat, but Jesus really didn't come.

For some humanitarian effort just to feed people. That's really not why God sent Christ into the world. The true bread that Jesus wanted to give was what? The bread of his body. So really when he's talking about bread or later on when he talks about bread.

He's talking about giving his body giving his life dying on the cross for the sins of the people. So after this message. Right afterward, we're going to celebrate communion. And what does the bread represent?

It represents Christ's body the cup represents his blood. By eating the bread and drinking the cup this is a way of of us saying we believe we trust in what Christ did for us the giving of his body and the shedding of his blood.

So the gospel message that gospel message is what matters the most, but of course back then they don't know about this. This hasn't happened yet. So when they get the message when they get little pieces and hints of what's coming that Jesus must suffer and die.

I mean, this is a hard message for the Jews to accept the scripture says to the Jews. It's a stumbling block and to the Greeks. This message is foolishness. So the multitudes the five thousand the twenty thousand whatever it is.

They are not expecting the Messiah to give up his life. You know what they expected the Messiah to do, right? Yeah in their mind the Christ when he Presented himself. He would fight Israel's battles for them.

He would defeat Rome. He would usher in peace in Prosperity this was their mindset. So the point is the miracles were being done in order to prepare the people for what Jesus was going to say.

Next.

Because it's going to be a hard message to Accept so Jesus that his main mission at this point is preaching and teaching the miracles helped to attract a crowd. The miracle certainly Spoke to who he was but his main purpose is preaching the gospel.

You remember what the gospel message is at this point. What's that? What's the gospel at this point in Christ ministry? Repent, of course that in and of itself isn't the gospel. But you need to repent because of the good news that the kingdom is at hand.

Meditation, Grief, and the Shepherd of Israel

So let's go through this text Matthew 14 starting in verse 13 when Jesus heard He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by himself. So I'm sure after Jesus learns about John the Baptist death.

He's He's like us. I mean he has normal feelings anyone else would he's he's grieving. He's he's sorry John was not only a great prophet if you remember John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus so I think Christ is looking for some time by himself to Meditate to pray and by the way Christian meditation is not like Eastern meditation where you sort of sort of clear out your mind.

Or maybe you have a mantra in Eastern meditation that you repeat over and over and over again. That's not what Christian meditation is. Christian meditation is to have a focus on something or someone God and his goodness so Jesus is Retreating for some time away meditation prayer looking to the Lord his Heavenly Father for additional strength so Jesus he wants his time to himself, but It's really hard to get because Jesus now is basically and I hate to use the term.

But Christ is basically at this point a celebrity like everybody knows who he is wherever he goes. People are coming out. I mean 20 ,000 people. There's a lot of celebrities in the United States that couldn't attract a crowd of 20 ,000 so that tells you something about Christ and his fame.

So it says when the multitudes heard about it They followed him on foot from the city so these people are are committed at this point Jesus. Yeah, he's he's famous. This is really a high point in his ministry.

He has never seen as many people following him as right as right now now. We're gonna go to John chapter 6 in a moment. But Jesus when he has such a large Following what wouldn't you think you would want to keep it like I got all these people Coming to me don't mess this up.

That's what a lot of pastors would think today if they had if they were attracting a crowd like that okay. Let's keep this going right. Well That's not Jesus's mindset why. Because he knows the people have all these false ideas about who the Messiah was.

He wants people that are committed that are going to be loyal to the end. He wants people that are committed, and that will believe him when he says I must Suffer be arrested. I must die and rise again.

That's what he wants, and he just knows that this multitude is not they're not there. I mean they want food. They want to see a miracle. They're not really. Many of them are not true converts. Certainly not at this point so Jesus he reaches this pinnacle of fame and He's gonna intentionally preach something.

That's gonna make people mad. He's gonna preach something that Offends people but first look at verse 14. Because we don't we don't want to miss the fact that he loves the multitude it says and when Jesus went out he saw a great multitude and he was moved with compassion for them and He healed.

They're sick now the parallel passage in Mark 634 says he was moved with compassion. Because they were like sheep having no shepherd. That's going to be significant in a moment so remember that. Because Jesus as the Good Shepherd of Israel he cared for the flock.

And of course it's a duty. It's the duty of a shepherd to lead the flock to feed the flock and to defend the flock against all enemies. Look at verse 15 and when it was evening his disciples came to him saying this is a deserted place.

And the hour is already late so send the multitudes away that they may go into the villages and buy Themselves food. I was like we can't feed them. We have hardly anything now. Let's turn to Mark chapter 6 and We'll get the parallel passage to get a few extra details, so it's getting late.

It's a deserted place. You know they can't go to a restaurant obviously. There's no supermarkets. I mean if they didn't have the food on them. I mean, what are you gonna do? You can't feed the people so this is a logical response from the disciples.

Just send everybody home. They're gonna want to eat dinner soon. A normal response, but you know how Jesus was he always liked to challenge people and he wants to challenge their faith. Guys do you think that I can maybe do something about this?

Do you think that I can feed the multitude. Look at Mark 6? Verse 38 so Jesus testing them. He says how many loaves do you have? Okay, go and see and When they found out they said we have five five loaves and two fish.

So remember upwards of how many people? 15 ,000 maybe 20 ,000. I mean even if you just stick to the 5 ,000 what is this among? So many that's what they say, but look at verse 39. Then he commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on what?

The green.

Grass, so let's start making connections. He was moved with compassion because they were like what? Sheep without a shepherd so Jesus as the shepherd he makes them to sit down on green grass now. Don't you already know the grass is green?

I guess it could have been brown, you know, but You know, there's nothing in the Bible that's incidental accidental or coincidental. So for this point to be made that the people were to sit on green grass.

And Jesus, you know where I'm going with this people like sheep without a shepherd. It should automatically make us think of Psalm chapter 23. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want He maketh me to lie down in what green?

Pastures isn't that what's happening here? Jesus is gonna prepare a table before them so to speak and their cup is gonna run over. Look at verses 42 and 43. So they all ate and were filled and they took up 12 Baskets full of fragments and of the fish so I love this not only was everybody Fed they were fed they were filled and they ended up with more food than they started.

I mean, this is this is a great miracle, you know, I heard years ago. They used to work with some, you know scoffers and whatever atheists and agnostics and one guy. He's like, you know, I think what happened here Jesus.

I don't know if he heard this somewhere but Jesus and his disciples they were in I think they were in front of this cave. You know and they set up shop right in front of the cave and the people would have to come to them.

So the disciples were going back that had all this food stored in the cave, you know. And they were coming up and they were giving it to Jesus and he just had this never-ending Supply because it was all stored out back in the cave and but that people it do you really think the people back then were that?

Dumb that they wouldn't figure that out. Ridiculous, but no, this is a great Miracle and it proves several things. Number one. This proves the miracle proves that Jesus speaks for God. Again the the miracle authenticates the miracle worker.

So when Jesus says something when he preaches he is speaking for God. The second thing it proves that with God all things are possible even the feeding of 20 ,000 people. With five loaves and two fish.

Third shows us that the Lord uses people to bring about his will. Christ didn't just snap his fingers and it's done rather He instructs his disciples and what to do and they have some organization sit them down in groups of 50 and he's using people to bring this about.

And number four the fourth point showing how God can take a small gift and Multiply it for his glory and for the good of others. Let's turn to the gospel of John for a moment and we're going to see where this Food came from.

It did not come from the cave. The no mention of a cave nothing like that this was actually a gift from. The Bible says a young lad so a small child basically gave up his lunch and he was willing to donate it.

So look at John chapter 6. Starting in verse 9 tells us where the food came from. John chapter 6. Verse 9. They said there is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two Small fish and they make sure they add that detail.

These are not big fit. These are small fish. But what are they among so many? What's the point here. Jesus uses the gift of a small child and He multiplies it to do one of the greatest works greatest wonders ever performed.

It tells us that God is well-pleased to use your gifts. See maybe you think though I don't have much to offer the Lord. Well, did this young child have much to offer? No, he had he had a little bit of food barely more than lunch for himself and yet he was willing to give it.

So maybe you have talents and things that you can offer, but you think they're of little significance. Well, the question is not what do you have. The question is are you willing to offer it for the Lord?

Are you willing to serve? Are you willing to be available? Are you willing to give what you have? So again at this point in Jesus's ministry is famous spread throughout the land by working this sign in front of tens of thousands of people.

Giving them what they desire. Jesus again is at the height of his popularity. So now what? Is Jesus about ready to start the first megachurch, right? He would have had the people but that's not what he does.

He's not interested in a megachurch. Nor is he interested in keeping every single one of them there partially because he knows their thoughts and by the way. Even if he had that megachurch, it wouldn't be a megachurch.

It wouldn't be a flock. It would have been basically a herd of goats because as much as Christ had compassion upon these people. He realized they don't really believe he can see their.

Heart.

False Converts, the Deity of Christ, and the Bread from Heaven

Look at verse 14. John 6 14 then those men When they had seen the sign that Jesus did they said this is truly the prophet who has come into the world now. It sounds like they believe the matter of fact, they're making a profession of faith.

Jesus is that prophet. Moses wrote in Deuteronomy about that prophet another way of saying the Christ. Well, what's the problem again? They had these same misconceptions about who the Messiah was. Nearly everybody thought the same way He would drive out the Romans all the rest.

Look at verse 15. Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force. To make him King he departed again to the mountains by himself. So you see they're not really interested in Jesus's agenda.

They're interested in their own Agenda using Jesus for their purposes. So Christ understands. They're not interested in salvation from sin. They want salvation from Rome. That's what they want not salvation from sin.

They weren't interested in repentance. They weren't interested in the kingdom except that they wanted a different type of kingdom right then and there so they have their own Agenda instead of truly following Christ what they could do for him.

It's the other way around what Jesus could do for them and that's the way a lot of people are you know? I'll believe in Jesus. I'll follow Jesus as long as he does all this stuff for me, right? Well, Jesus can do a lot for you.

Jesus has done a lot for me. Jesus can do many things and bless people but really he is the Lord. So we do what he says not the other way around look at verse 26. Jesus answered them and said most assuredly I say to you you seek me not because you saw the signs.

But because what? Because you ate of the loaves and were filled. And he says do not labor for the food which perishes but for the food which endures to everlasting life. Which the Son of Man will give you because God the Father has sent or set his seal on him.

And they said to him what shall we do that? We may work the works of God. Okay, that's a good question verse 29 Jesus answered and said to them This is the work of God that you believe in him whom he sent.

Like I'm not asking you to do anything at this time except believe in me and that includes believe what I'm about to say. Therefore they said to him what sign will you perform then this all this really gets me.

I mean after what he just did day before okay. Well what sign what miracle. Hello, didn't you just anyways? This isn't the first time we've read that you know how people are so they say what sign will you perform them that we may?

See it and believe you what work will you do and? Ultimately he's gonna talk about his work on the cross. He doesn't come right out and say it. But that's what he is going to be alluding to in a moment.

So what work will you do verse 31 our fathers ate the manna in the desert as it is written? He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said to them most assuredly I say to you Moses did not give you the bread from heaven.

But my father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Then they said to him Lord give us this bread. Always now do they understand what he's talking about.

No they don't not at all. I mean, they're talking about it's like when Jesus was talking to the woman about the the the Water you will never again thirst. Well. Give me this water that I can get at once and that way I don't have to keep going back to the well and dry.

That's not what we're talking about. He's talking about something spiritual. This bread is his his body, but they're thinking. You know carnally they're thinking about bread. So what is this food? Well, it is Christ giving his body for the sins of the world.

So the people clearly they're not interested. They're not interested in obedience. They didn't seem to respond to John's message of repentance. They're not really responding to Christ's message of repentance.

They just want to see a miracle to get fed. You do these things for us to make our lives easier. Support it, but they did make a profession of faith saying that Jesus is that prophet right we did read that.

Here's the thing supporting Jesus as King is one thing believing that he's the Son of God is something completely different and that's what Jesus is going to allude to.

Now.

There's two things that a person has to do. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. I mean, that's the plain gospel message, but these people they needed to repent. Number one so that's their life what they believed what they were trusting in they needed to repent and turn to Christ.

But part of that was believing Who he really is not just a human King who's going to do great things like David. They had to believe that he's the Son of God so they had to repent and believe in his Deity and that's what they were not willing to do so because of that that would make them a false False convert and that's going to come out.

You know there's many false converts. Just speaking about this for a moment. There's many false converts in the church today. They believe that Jesus is a means to an end. They will give lip service to Jesus, but they're not willing to obey him.

They believe certain things about him, but not the essential things again like his deity. I've seen people over the years when it comes to parts of the Bible like love your neighbor as yourself. Well, they love that that's that's wonderful.

1st Corinthians 13 the love chapter. They're all about that God so loved the world. I mean these are passages of Scripture that nobody really Argues with or gets upset about right, but when they come to passages like a hard statement in the Bible.

Then they're offended then they get mad they start gnashing their teeth. Have you seen this if you encountered this you know. We're talking about love and grace everything's fine, but when you come to a hard statement Totally totally different reaction, that's what's gonna happen to Jesus right now and again.

This is the mark of a false convert verse 35 and Jesus said to them. I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger and he who believes in me shall never Thirst, but I said to you that you have seen me and yet what?

You do not believe now. They already said well. He's the Prophet. We believe he's the Prophet. Jesus saying yeah. You don't really believe in me. Now Jesus can do that see we don't want to go around saying well I know you say you believe in God, but I just don't really think you do like that's not really our job.

We can't read hearts and minds. Jesus could do that so he's able to say You say one thing, but I know that's not true. Okay, so Look at verse 37 all that the Father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out.

In other words if you really believe. You'll you'll still want to follow me after I say this Verse 38 for I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me so boom. There it is Jesus is declaring his deity that I came down from heaven.

This is something that no mere prophet could say. Jesus then offers them eternal life in verse 40 and then look how they respond verse 41 then the Jews what? Complained about him because he said I and the bread which came down from heaven and they said is this not Jesus the son of Joseph whose father and mother we know.

How is it then that he says I have come down from heaven now do they believe Jesus at this point? And now it's clear they they don't believe he's telling them and they don't believe they are rejecting his deity.

You cannot be saved and reject the deity of Christ. I'd want you to hear that. This is a lot of churches all throughout New England in the United States. They give Jesus lip service and they sing the same songs that we sing.

They don't believe in the deity of Christ. That means they don't truly believe Who Jesus is I? Came down from heaven and they complained about it, so they don't believe he is divine. Millions of people today they will say about Jesus.

He was a he was a good man a wise teacher. Maybe even a prophet, but they don't believe he's God in the flesh. Jesus says about such people in verse 35. You do not believe. Because believing is not just about believing Jesus existed.

It's about believing Specific things about him placing your full trust in him. So now Jesus been talking about it. He's gonna preach something very offensive. Here's the test. Okay, you believe in me.

Let's see in five minutes if you still say you believe look at verse 50 50 through 52. This is the bread Jesus still speaking. This is the bread which comes down from heaven that one may eat of it and not die.

I am the living bread which came down from heaven if anyone eats of this bread He will live forever in the bread that I shall give is my flesh. Which I shall give for the life of the world. Jesus is talking about again giving his body.

To die on the cross. That's what he's talking about. If you believe if you believe the gospel the death burial and resurrection of Christ, you will be saved. You will have eternal life, but you must believe.

That's what Jesus is talking about. And after telling them this look at verse 52. It says the Jews therefore Quarreled or fought among themselves saying how can this man give us his flesh to eat?

They're not getting it.

They're not getting it. Verse 66. After hearing this You realize Jesus is preaching a sermon that's intentionally stepping on their toes to see what they're gonna do. Here's what they do. Verse 66. From that time many of his disciples went back and walked with him.

No.

More.

These were False converts who quote-unquote, you know, they believed For the wrong reasons or believe the wrong things. Fair weather followers who did not believe in the divinity of Christ. Nor did they accept him as the Good Shepherd.

He led them beside the still waters. They just refused to drink. They refused to drink of the water of life. So we don't have time to go over at all or just about out of time. But John chapter 6 if we looked at the whole chapter.

Along with John chapter 10 really the entire gospel of John. It's very clear. There's only two categories. There are sheep and there are goats. What makes someone a sheep. What makes someone that they have truly believed in Jesus.

They follow him wherever he leads they believe whatever he says. The multitudes they just wanted another meal. They just wanted to see Jesus, you know become king so they could further their own political Agenda as soon as Jesus does something that they didn't like preach something.

They didn't like they bailed out. They were goats. But who are the sheep in this story look at verse 67 after they turned away Jesus. Then he turns to his twelve disciples and he says do you want to go away too?

But Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and know that you are the Christ the son of the Living God. Like what wherever you lead us Lord, we will go we believe in your deity.

We believe you are the son of The Living God so in conclusion, this is what a true convert looks like. This is what commitment looks like Peter. Peter had a lot of flaws. Peter made a lot of mistakes said and did things He shouldn't have done all the rest, but Peter truly loved the Lord Peter and the rest they followed Jesus in good times and in bad, you know, that's the test.

So notice the church went from 20 ,000 people down to 12 In an afternoon and Christ was okay with that because the church is the body of Christ.

True.

Believers and if a false convert Gets offended by something that's preached. I mean that I mean that's not that's on them. The multitudes were fed By Christ for a day Peter and the others were fed by Christ spiritually for a lifetime and indeed for Eternity, let's look at verse 51 again and we'll close John 6 51 and Jesus said I am the living bread Which came down from heaven if anyone eats of this bread He will live forever and the bread that I shall give is my flesh Which I shall give for the life of the world.

Let's pray. And Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the gift that you gave to this world. You sent your only begotten Son to live a perfect sinless life and to die an atoning death and Lord as we celebrate the Lord's Supper help us to Remember help us to appreciate the suffering of Jesus on the cross he did that for us and Lord if there's someone here today who has never Placed their full trust in Christ for the remission of sin Lord, I just pray that today they would finally make that profession of faith the true profession.

Not that Lord. I'll follow you if you do things for me and if everything's going good know that they would believe Truly believe and be willing to follow Christ all of their days Lord change their heart.

It's in Christ name. We pray. Amen.