Dinner With the King

Welcome & Announcements (Bubba)

Call to Worship (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

Prayer of Praise (Cassie Davilla)

Blessed Be Your Name

Rock of Ages

Prayer of Confession (Doubting God's provision), Stephen Keatts

Rejoice

A Christian's Daily Prayer

Scripture Reading (Matthew 14:13-21)

Pastoral Prayer (Bubba Jones)

SERMON

START TIMER!!!

Thank the church for the sabbatical and sympathy during Julia’s death

Turn to Matthew 14:13

Have you ever looked for a place to eat and found something that seemed too good to be true?

Citizens of Montreal recently experienced this phenomenon when looking up reviews for a restaurant called Le Nouveau (noo-voh) Duluth. For a time it was the number one restaurant on Montreal’s TripAdvisor, boasting nothing but five star reviews. Le Nouveau (noo-voh) Duluth promised to serve delicious “Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, and after-hours drinks” 24 hours a day. It offered “Delivery, Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Buffet, Private Dining …” as well as “Television” and “Table Service.”

At Le Nouveau (noo-voh) Duluth, diners could anticipate enjoying “Live Music,” a “Drive Thru,” “Playgrounds” and a “Beach.” You’d find wheelchair accessibility, high chairs for the kids and “Free Wifi,” along with a place that was both “Dog friendly” and “Family style.” You could count on “Validated Parking, Valet Parking, Free off-street parking” as well as a dining establishment that accepted all major credit cards and digital payments, but was also “Cash Only.”

And if all that sounds too good to be true, that’s because it was. The highest reviewed restaurant in a city of nearly 2 million people never existed. It was entirely made up by a local comedian as a commentary on the unreliability of social media. [1]

This morning in God’s Word we come upon a crowd of people eating dinner, in a story that honestly seems too good to be true.

This is no doubt a popular story. It’s been pictured on film and television, and depicted on canvases, stained glass, and storybooks without number.

It’s been told and retold millions of times, in Sunday School classes, worship services, and at the family dinner table.

Only two miracles are recorded in all four gospels: the resurrection and this story, the feeding of the 5000.

Because this story seems too good to be true, countless attempts have been made to redefine it’s meaning.

Some have said what happened in this story wasn’t a miracle at all. The people actually had enough food to eat, Jesus simply inspired them to share.

Others have said that the story isn’t meant to be understood as true. It’s actually a parable. A fictional story about how we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.

But it becomes obvious when reading this story in any of the four gospels that the gospel writers really believe this story is true.

They’re writing about real, historical places, not fictional locations like Gotham or Mordor.

They’re writing about real food, not made up dishes like lembas bread and butterbeer.

They avoid the fantastical details about how Jesus performed this miracle—something you would certainly include if you were trying to tell an entertaining story!—and simply tell us what happened.

This story may be too good to be understood, but it’s not too good to be true.

But our goal this morning is bigger than contending for the truthfulness of this story. What we want to see is the truth about Jesus that this story teaches.

Nothing can stop Jesus when He chooses to show compassion to the needy.

Two Examples:

1) Jesus Shows Compassion When it’s Humanly INCONVENIENT.

Why use the term humanly inconvenient? Why not just say inconvenient?

By definition, God isn’t inconvenienced! Everything happens precisely when He means it to. Nothing is early, nothing is late, nothing is inconvenient.

But humans are inconvenienced all the time. In His human nature, Jesus enters into a world of inconvenience!

How is Jesus inconvenienced here?

v. 13a—Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself.

Why is Jesus withdrawing to be by Himself?

Although we can’t be certain, the context suggests He’s mourning the loss of His cousin and friend John. Perhaps He wants time alone to think, to grieve, to process, to pray.

When I heard about my sister’s death, I didn’t feel like I could really get my bearings until I had time to think, to pray, and to write.

Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience. You need to think, pray, write, talk, move, act, or something.

But much like a mother with young children, Jesus doesn’t seem able to find a moment of peace and quiet to Himself...

vv. 13b-14a—But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd,...

Galilee is a relatively small lake at 14 miles long and 7 miles wide. By comparison, Ontario (the smallest of the Great Lakes) is 193 miles long and 53 miles wide. The geography around the lake is like a bowl, so it’s quite possible to stand near the shore and see where a boat is going.

SHOW GALILEE PICTURE

Somebody gets word that Jesus is crossing the Sea of Galilee to a desolate place by Himself. So they walk around the shore to the place where He is going. And by the time His boat reaches the shore there’s a great multitude of people gathered to see Him.

Remember: these are needy people. They’re not there to comfort Jesus, encourage Him, or help Him in some way. They’re there because they need Him.

What would you do in that moment? Would you turn the boat around? Would you yell at the people and tell them to go away? Would you grit your teeth and fake it until you make it?

Jesus is so unlike us. Jesus shows compassion when it is humanly inconvenient...

v. 14b—… and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

One writer says the word compassion here “denotes more than a passing pity; It refers to a depth of feeling in which your feelings and longings church within you.” [2]

This is soul-stirring, stomach-churning, heart-wrenching, body-aching, compassion.

That’s what Jesus felt as His grief and solitude was inconveniently interrupted by a crowd of needy people.

If this is true (and it is!) it has incredible implications for you and I today:

Unbeliever: There’s never a bad time to come to Jesus!

The deeper your need, the darker your sin, the stronger His compassion!

Repent and believe and He will NEVER cast you out!

Christian: There’s never a bad time to come to Jesus!

If Jesus feels this level of compassion towards the crowds what does He feel for you?

As I prepared to preach the funeral for my sister, I looked out in the audience and saw tears on many faces. I saw one lady in particular that I had met decades ago; one of my grandma’s friends whose name escaped me. Those tears did little to move me. And then I saw my brother, Preston. He was my little brother. And when I saw him wipe his eyes my heart welled up with grief.

We are adopted children of the Father, little brothers and sisters of our Big Brother Jesus. If He experiences gut-wrenching compassion when He sees a crowd on a beach, what does He experience when He sees your need? RUN TO HIM!

Christian: If you’ve been loved like this, love like this!

Colossians 3:12—Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Look—you can’t show compassion towards needs you don’t see.

May mean looking less at other things (social media, TV, etc.) so you can see what is happening around you

Listen—you won’t know many needs around you if you don’t stop to listen

Learning to ask how others are doing instead of only talking about yourself

Act—do something! A text, an email, a card, a gift, a meal, a hug, etc.

Nothing can stop Jesus when He chooses to show compassion to the needy.

We know this because He shows compassion when it’s humanly inconvenient.

But also because...

2) Jesus Shows Compassion When it’s Humanly IMPOSSIBLE.

The other day Holly was talking to our kids about being kind to each other, and one of them said “Well you can’t expect me to be kind all the time.”

Our compassion has limits. Our sin stains our kindness. But it’s not only that. Sometimes we encounter needs that are so great they are humanly impossible to meet.

Jesus is encountering such a situation, but He is able to show compassion even when it’s humanly impossible...

v. 15—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.”

Jesus has been healing the sick all day. Most likely the crowd has grown bigger and bigger as the day wears on.

We call this story the feeding of the 5000 (based on verse 21), but notice that’s only referring to the men. There’s probably 20-25,000 people here!

Many of these people have been there all day and everybody’s hungry… including the disciples!

At some point, the disciples feel Jesus has shown enough compassion for the day. It’s time to close up shop.

Jesus’ compassion is limitless, but the disciples don’t really understand yet. They see a problem that He can’t solve.

Christian: Before we’re too hard on the disciples, think about you would have done in this situation!

Not a Christian: Don’t reject Jesus because of the failures of His followers!

Look at how Jesus responds...

v. 16—But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

Some people are confused about what Jesus is saying here. Is Jesus asking them to do a miracle?

John’s account tells them that Jesus was saying these things in order to test His disciples. He knew what He was going to do, but He wanted them to rely upon Him.

Yes, this was humanly impossible, but Jesus is no mere human. He is the God-Man.

vv. 17-18—They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.”

Jesus doesn’t only show compassion to His people, Jesus shows compassion through His people!

Jesus could have sent fish sandwiches from heaven directly onto the laps of each person in the crowd. But He didn’t! He used five loaves and two fishes.

John’s gospel tells us that these belonged to a young boy that was in the crowd.

Young people: You aren’t too little for Jesus to use you!

Trust in Jesus!

Use what you have to serve Jesus!

You can be too big and strong for Jesus to use you, but you can’t be too little and weak for Jesus to use you.

Jesus doesn’t only show compassion to His people, Jesus shows compassion through His people!

But it’s more than just a little boy’s happy meal. Jesus shows His compassion through all His disciples...

v. 19—Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

If Jesus can feed thousands of people with fish that never swam and bread that was never baked, couldn’t He use go-go gadget arms to deliver the food to everybody? Or couldn’t He run like the Flash? Or teleport like Dr. Fate or Nightcrawler? Or self-replicate like baby Jack-Jack?

Jesus didn’t do that. He chose to do something far more ordinary. He handed the fish and bread to twelve ordinary men.

Jesus alone is sufficient to meet our needs, but He also is gracious to meet our needs through His people!

Encourage PBC!

How has God met your needs through His people? Praise Him and thank them!!!

What needs exist in your world that God intends to meet through you?

If I step out to help meet their needs, will I have what I need for me?

v. 20—And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.

Twelve baskets for twelve disciples

Jesus provision is so lavish that even the leftover scraps are enough to meet the needs of His people!!!

“You cannot out-give God!” —used to manipulate people to give more and more to some church offering. Most of us are not on the verge of being manipulated to overextend or to give more than we have. Most of us are more likely to think that we should hold back. We can give sacrificially knowing that Jesus will meet the needs of His people!

Nothing can stop Jesus when He chooses to show compassion to the needy.

He shows compassion when it’s humanly inconvenient and humanly impossible.

But knowing this about Jesus isn’t enough.

The story concludes with an abrupt ending...

v. 21—And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Unlike other stories, nobody is marveling at Jesus’ power. Nobody is praising His greatness. Nobody is thanking Him.

John’s account tells us why: they’re receiving Jesus gladly now, but the story ends with the crowd selfishly trying to manipulate Jesus to get more bread.

They’re like the rocky soil. They initially receive Jesus with gladness, but shortly afterward fall away.

You can believe this story is true—you can be one of the men and women in the crowd eating miracle fish and bread—and still be separated from God forever in a place called hell.

It’s not enough to hear this story, or to experience Jesus’ compassion. You must run to the cross.

There Jesus showed compassion when it was humanly inconvenient. When it required flogging, crown of thorns, nails, and a spear in His side.

There He showed compassion when it was humanly impossible. When it required a sinless substitute to bear the wrath of God in our place.

Unbeliever: Repent and believe!

Christian: If you’ve been loved like this, love like this!

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Jesus Strong & Kind

Benediction (Phil. 4:19-20)