How a Multitude Gets Fed

Introduction

If you haven’t been here, over the last few weeks, we have been speaking on the topic of stewardship. Specifically Biblical stewardship of our finances, and the responsibilities we have as Christians concerning our money.

Stewardship (def) administration of an economy or estate; i.e. “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.”

Just as a recap, the first message was titled “Why Give?” In that we listed reasons as to why we would give of our finances unto the work of God.

“Why Give?”

Because it’s Biblical

Because of the Need

To Elicit Blessings

As an Act of Worship

These were reasons we listed as to why we would give unto the Work of God

The next message was titled “Hinderances to Giving” - Why NOT Give?

“Hinderances to Giving”

Lack of Faith

They Don’t Believe God

God’s Instructions

God’s Promises

To Repay

To Supply

Of Chastisement

Fear of Misuse

Lack of Knowledge / Understanding

Never Instructed

Misunderstand Scripture

Moral Failures

Greed

Covetousness

Financial Constraints

Priority Problems

Lack of Instant Gratification

Results are Rarely Seen this Side of Heaven

Apathy

They Just Don’t Care

Today we’re going to conclude this series on Stewardship by examining this story of the feeding of the multitude.

Today will be a little different in that we won’t be focusing solely on finances, but Stewardship ‘across the board’

You see, we’re called to be good stewards of all that God has given us - not just our tithes, but of our Time and Talents as well.

You see EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE are gifts from God, entrusted to us to ‘occupy till He comes’.

So it was in my devotions this week that I read this account in the book of Luke, and the LORD prodded my heart in that this would be a good and appropriate way in which to conclude this series.

The Title to this message is: ‘How a Multitude Gets Fed’ - and I’ll go ahead and give you the short answer, that way if you want to fall asleep, you won’t miss anything. The short answer to that question is ‘Good Stewardship’.

For those that want a little more explanation, we’re going to look first at ‘The People’.

I. The People

We see that they were a needy people

A Seeking People (v33)

They needed Help

Jesus had been in Bethsaida - (NE side of Sea of Galilee) and got in a ship and sailed to Gennesaret (NW side of the Sea) approx. 3miles away - and the people followed Him.

Not only was it a 3 mi journey, but they had to cross over Jordan and travel in a desolate place.

Now do you know why a multitude of people would cross Jordan, walk 3+miles in a desert place? Because they needed help. They needed help, and they figured Jesus could give it.

Let me just say this: Today - just like then - there’s a multitude of people that need help - and Jesus is still able to give it, just as He was then!

A Seeking people, because they needed Help

A Suffering People (Mat. 14:14)

They needed Healing

Matthew 14:14 “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.”

Jesus was / is famous for healing all sorts of maladies.

He made the blind to see

He made the deaf to hear

He made the dead alive

He made the dumb to speak

(Ill.) Some 2,000 years after Jesus walked by the shores of the sea of Galilee, Jesus did the same for me!

He made my blind eyes to see!

I was blind to truth, yet Jesus touched my eyes and made me see!

He made my deaf ears to hear!

All I cared to hear were confirmations of my wicked ideas - yet Jesus touched me and made me to hear the truth of the Word of God!

He made the dead alive!

I once was dead in trespasses and sins, but Jesus spoke to my heart and though I WAS dead, I am alive - and will live forever more!

He made the dumb to speak!

I stand here and preach unto you today not under my own power - but by the power that Christ hath imparted upon me!

And guess what - there’s a multitude of people like me that need the same thing!

There’s a Suffering People that need a healing

A Shepherd-less People (v34)

They needed Guidance

The spiritual leaders of the day were blind guides. They cared not for the people, only enlarging their phylacteries. They needed guidance.

Much like people today. Today men are taught that ‘if it feels good, do it’. Just like in the days of Judges: Judges 17:6b “… every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” This is not only what men do, but what they’re taught!

Don’t forget Proverbs 12:15a “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: …”

People today need guidance, and who is going to give it them?

A Shepherd-less People

A Starving People (v35-36)

They needed Sustenance

This people needed food.

This is what people need today. Do you know what they need? They need bread!

John 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” John 6:51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

A Starving People need Sustenance

We see a Needy People, next (if that wasn’t enough), we see the Problem

II. The Problem

There were a Lot of People

There is a multitude of people there

Mark 6:44 “And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.”

Matthew 14:21 “And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.”

Let me just say this: Golden Corral, fully stocked on a Sunday can’t keep up with those numbers!

Most say at least upwards of 20k people, which I think is as good a guess as any. 5,000 alone is a large enough number itself.

There was a lot of people

There was Little Provision

Most all can relay the amount that they had to work with - 5 loaves and 2 fishes. Even if they were larger loaves and fish, it wouldn’t have been much, but we find that in John’s account we find that the entirety came from one boy: John 6:8–9 “One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?”

So I’m gathering that they were small as it was.

There was a Lot of People, Little Provision - and it was Late in the Day

It was Late in the Day (v35)

There wasn’t much time for them to get supper. They’d walked miles, spent the day with Jesus and the day was now ready to fade into night.

Church, consider where we’re at right now.

There is aprox. 8.1 billion people in the world:

8,100,000,000 (Ill.) To count from 1 to 8.1b would take about 515 years!

That’s a Lot of People

Best statistic I could get is that aprox. 15% identifies as Protestant

How many do you think that identify as Protestant are actually saved?

There’s Little Provision

Lastly, Know that there is nothing that is preventing the return of the LORD.

There is no sign to be seen, no soul to be saved, nothing. He could come at any minute!

Church, It’s Late in the Day!

We see a Needy People, (if that wasn’t enough), we see the Problem, Next we’ll look at the Process

III. The Process

What I’m talking about is how you feed a multitude

Church, you could hear the numbers that I just gave out and say ‘There’s no WAY we could make an impact on them! That’s impossible!

Might I remind you, that’s exactly what the disciples thought here! John 6:9 “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?”

What difference could this possibly make??? Said Peter.

But know this church: Little is much, when God is in it!

So how does it happen? Let’s examine the process that took place

A Directive (v37)

Jesus said ‘Give ye them to eat’ - you do it.

Jesus wasn’t willing to leave them to their own devices

Jesus wasn’t willing to put the burden off on someone else.

Jesus called on HIS PEOPLE to feed the multitude!

Too many Christians are pointing too many fingers to other people as to who the burden should be upon. (YOU should be telling them about Jesus preacher, THEY should be going to the mission field, THEY should be giving financially)

But the thing is, if you’re one of Jesus’ disciples, He’s directing YOU!

There is a Cost as a Christian

There is a Cross to bear

There is a Job to be done

There is a Mission to be Accomplished

And that falls upon you and I!

(Ill.) At the end of the Gospel of John, after Jesus’ resurrection, we see that Jesus took Peter to the side and told him he would give his life for Christ. Well, John was following and the Bible says: John 21:20–22 “Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.”

In other words ‘Peter, what does that matter, I’m talking to you!’

What happens at churches down the road doesn’t matter. Christ has given them the same directive, yet I cannot concern myself with what they do with it - nor can I my neighbor. What matters is WHAT I DO WITH IT!

We see a Directive

A Decision

Ultimately, what they did was they decided to give to Jesus what they had.

Let me tell you - this is the easiest, hard decision you’ll ever make.

Most people would look at that 5 loaves & 2 fish and say ‘Well, this ain’t going far, I’d better hold back a loaf or two just in case’.

The Decision was to give to Christ COMPLETELY. THEY GAVE COMPLETELY. THIS IS NOT ONLY WHAT WAS RIGHT, BUT WHAT WAS NECESSARY!

As Christians, we must be willing - not to give Christ part of our lives, BUT ALL OF US! EVERYTHING WE GOT!

Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

They Gave Jesus everything. Next, look at what Jesus did with it

A Dedication, Division and Duplication (v41)

After receiving the offering:

Jesus blessed it

Jesus brake it

Jesus multiplied it

(Ill.) Understand church, that God Created things to have order. I’m not real smart, but I understand the basic laws of math. 2+2=4 - all the time every time.

But the God that Created the Laws of Nature is not Bound by the Laws of Nature

5 loaves and 2 fish = 1 meal for a boy naturally speaking. But supernaturally, 5 loaves and 2 fish = 20k meals, and could have been 50k or 100k.

God’s math & our math aren’t the same. God is able to do what we cannot! We have limits, He had none - HE’S GOD!

Whatever you have if you give it to the LORD - your Time, Talents, Treasures - God can use them in ways to which you could never dream! If you will simply Decide to give it to God, He can work miracles in & with you!

A Dedication, Division & Duplication

A Distribution

All got fed. The need was met.

You know there are needs without our church that needs met.

I’m not just talking about money, I’m talking about laborers, workers in the church - but the need is not met because to few are willing to give of themselves to fill it!

There are needs on the mission field that need met

Listen, God is big enough to meet the need, but the order is what it is:

He has Given us Directive

We must Decide to Give it to God

God THEN (and only then) will bless, break and multiply

The needs are met

That’s the Distribution process.

(Ill.) Various entities have distribution processes.

US Mail has theirs (inefficient)

UPS (efficient)

And God has his - and this is it.

We see a Needy People, we see the Problem, we see the Process, lastly, we see the Product

IV. The Product

As Paul Harvey would say - this is the ‘Rest of the Story’

A Congregation Filled (v42)

Notice, everyone didn’t get a little. This wasn’t a minor miracle, it was a major miracle! Everyone was FILLED!

You know what filled means right? (Ill.) I’ve eaten a little, and it’s left me wanting more. I’ve eaten till I’m full, and I’ve been satisfied.

Listen, when you do things God’s way, God supplies sufficiently!

God can and will meet every need abundantly when you do things God’s Way!

The Congregation was filled.

A Collection of Fragments (v43)

Not only was everyone else’s needs filled, but they’re need was filled till overflowing!

5 loaves, 2 fish turned into 20k+ meals and 12 baskets of leftovers!

Listen, when you give to God, God gives back far more than you could ever give! You simply can’t out give God!

I’ll remind you of:

Malachi 3:10 “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be meat in mine house, And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, If I will not open you the windows of heaven, And pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

Luke 6:38 “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

Do you believe God?

Conclusion

What are you holding back in giving God? Why? Why are you holding back?

What does God want from you? Is it your Time, is it your Talents? Is it your Tithes?

A multitude can’t get fed if God’s people won’t commit unto God what they have. What will you commit?