The Creative Power of Christ
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Big idea: Jesus Christ has the power to create
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
By him all things were created. Jesus is the creator of all things. He existed in eternity past, and holds the very universe together. Today we are looking at the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000, the only miracle other than the resurrection to be featured in all 4 gospels. That tells us that for the gospel writers, this story was important for them to show who Jesus was. In Luke’s gospel, this story is wedged between two narratives about the thoughts of who Jesus was. Last week we considered Herod, who wondered about Jesus. Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the disciples, particularly Peter, and who he thought Jesus was. It seems that Luke, putting the feeding of the 5,000 between these two stories, one in which Herod, who was not saved by his curiosity, and the other, in which Peter shows the insight given him by God, was driving home the point that Jesus had proven himself by many miracles, but in this case, it was a miracle that impacted a mass of people, not just one person or family.
We don’t normally think of our food as supernaturally supplied. We should thank God for his provision. If we eat at all, it is because of his gracious providence in which he provides us every good thing we have. In fact, it could be said that a miraculous feeding is going on today. As of this morning, the world’s population is said by chat GPT to be 8.12 billion people. If this is close to accurate, and I haven’t counted personally, that means that God has kept alive this many people, not only providing them the food to live, but the air, the water, the heartbeat, and the breath.
In him all things hold together. So as we consider this story this morning, that is familiar to most of you, let us remember that even though we are not out on a field, having gone to hear the teacher and not planned for our own lunch, still he provides for us. If we are alive, it is because of his mercy and grace.
On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida.
When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.
Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.”
But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.”
For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”
And they did so, and had them all sit down.
And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
You may recall that in the beginning of chapter 9, Jesus had sent the 12 out to preach, and to heal and to have power over demons. Now they excitedly return with the testimonies of their ministries. And as we often do after a period of hard work, Jesus is going to take them to “withdraw”, sort of meaning take a break from people.
On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida.
I’m sure this was a precious time for the 12, as they celebrated their first-hand experience of the Kingdom of God. However, it is not long before the crowds find them. It is impossible to keep exciting things under a lid, and the news had spread. Soon people heard where Jesus and his disciples were, so they head to the hills to join them. It seems no one wanted to miss out on the chance to see and hear from Jesus, and perhaps be touched by him for healing.
When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.
He speaks of the kingdom of God
He shows them the kingdom of God
He had already demonstrated miraculous power over nature in the healings.
But now the 12 realize the day is late, and they are thinking about the practical concerns of the crowd. How would they be fed? There was no food court here, no fast food or catering.
Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.”
It is not a bad thing that they suggested this. If 5,000 men, plus women and children, were not fed, or sent away, there would be a mass casualty event. Either the people are sent away, the 12 reasoned, or they would have problems.
Jesus then tells them they should take care of this, not by sending the people away, but by feeding them.
Luke 9:13 (ESV)
But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” For there were about five thousand men.
Of course, buying food for that many people is not really a possibility anyway. For one, that would cost money. Think of it in today’s cost. 5,000 men plus women and children. Maybe 10,000 or more people. If they were here right now, and we found some way to feed them, even for $5 each, we would bust our budget to do so. Our treasurer would be concerned I am sure.
But it was not only an economic problem. There was no where they could even get that much food with no notice. Even if we did have 10,000 people here, and decided it was worth it to spend $50,000 on them to feed them, who could even bring us that much food with no notice? And we are in a suburb, they were out in the country.
Jesus is not worried, though.
Luke 9:14 (ESV)
… And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”
OK, now we see that Jesus has a plan. The disciples obey Jesus’ command.
And they did so, and had them all sit down.
And of course, most of you know the rest of this story.
And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
Kent Henry:
Luke, Vol. 1—That You May Know the Truth Miracle (Divine Provision) (vv. 13–16)
Jesus was in their midst, and around him were the twelve apostles. Jesus lifted his eyes to Heaven and probably gave the traditional blessing that is preserved in the Mishnah: “Blessed be you, O Lord our God, king of the world, who causes bread to come forth from the earth” (Berakcot 6:1).4 This was followed by a thunderous 5,000-voiced “Amen.”
Luke, Vol. 1—That You May Know the Truth Miracle (Divine Provision) (vv. 13–16)
Think of this in the flow of Luke. Jesus is the Lord of nature, so that the raging sea calms at his command (8:22–25). He is the Lord of supernature, casting out evil spirits, again with a word (8:26–39). He is the Lord of providence, ordering the tapestry of life (its times, its meetings) to accomplish his will (8:40–56). He is the Lord of life as he restores a woman’s health (8:40–48) and the Lord of death as he raises a young girl to life (8:49–56).
Now here he is the Lord of creation. This miracle was not ex nihilo (out of nothing), but it might as well have been, because material creation flowed from his hands just as the universe itself had. “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16, 17).
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
There are many more scriptures that speak of God’s provision to people.
for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
If we are alive, God has provided for us. This story is about the feeding of the 5,000, but God is presently keeping 8 billion people alive. Some of them are his elect, those he has chosen for salvation, and some will never repent and be subject to his eternal wrath.
RC Sproul: Jesus said that rain falls upon the just as well as the unjust. If we have two farmers living side by side, laboring each day to bring forth produce from the soil, we know that both farmers require the light of the sun, as well as a sufficient amount of rain to bring forth a healthy crop. If the two farmers are distinguished in terms of faith, one being a regenerate believer and the other an unregenerate non-believer, we don’t expect the sun simply to shine on the believer’s fields and the rain simply to moisten his crop, while at the same time God withholds the gifts of rain and sunshine from the unregenerate. On the contrary, both farmers reap the benefits of the grace of God. He owes neither farmer the gifts of rain and sunshine, as both of those come from His sovereign bounty. Nevertheless, He pours out these gifts to both believer and unbeliever, commonly. So, in this respect, when we speak of the love of God in His beneficence, His beneficence is common, that is, the whole world benefits from God’s grace to a certain degree.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Jesus, before he died on that cross, was creator, and sustainer. In him all things hold together. Now he is head of the church.
And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
He is the beginning of the church, he was the first resurrected, and that gives us confidence of our own future resurrection if we have faith in him. He must be preeminent, above all.
I am not head of the church. The elders lead the church, but they are not head of the church. Tom Flanders, our DS, John Stumbo, our President, they are not head of the church. Neither is the pope or anyone else. Christ is the Head of the Church.
He is its founder and sustainer.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
Everything the God the Father had, Jesus had.
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
He makes peace with God available, which we can have if we put faith in him. So he reconciles us to God, and saves us from the wrath of God. That is who Jesus is. He is more than that, but for now, this is what we will focus on. He is the creator, the sustainer, the head of the church, the reconciler. That is who Jesus is. And who are we? Or for the believer, who were we then and who are we now?
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,
he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,
I love to be reminded of who I was, that I can rejoice all the more for who I am in Christ. I was alienated, hostile to God, doing evil deeds, but now I am reconciled, and will be presented to God by my Savior Jesus, who will have made me holy and blameless and above reproach before him, not by works done by me in rigtheousness, as Paul wrote to Titus: Tit3.5
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
And how will I get there? If I stay faithful to Christ and continue in the faith and am steadfast.
if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Jesus has many roles for the believer.
Creator
sustainer
Savior
Reconciler
Justifier
Sacrifice
Prophet
King
Glory be to this Jesus! Glory be to Christ our Lord!