Abundance: Trusting in God's Provision
Notes
Transcript
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 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.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 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. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Have you ever found yourself standing in front of an empty pantry, wondering how you'll put food on the table for your family?
Have you ever stared at a stack of unpaid bills, feeling like the weight of the world is crushing you?
Have you ever felt like you're drowning in a sea of uncertainty, unsure of how you'll make ends meet
We've all been there at some point or another.
We've all faced moments where it seems like the needs are great and the resources are scarce.
But what if I told you that there's a different way to live?
What if I told you that God's provision is not limited by our circumstances, but is instead overflowing with abundance?
Today, we're going to explore this very idea as we dive into the story of the feeding of the five thousand from the Gospel of Matthew.
Jesus had just received some devastating news - his cousin, John the Baptist, had been beheaded by King Herod. Jesus needed some time alone, so he withdrew to a remote area to grieve.
But the crowds followed him, eager to hear his teaching and receive healing.
What You Have
What You Have
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.”
But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”
And he said, “Bring them here to me.”
Can you imagine how the disciples must have felt?
"Uh, Jesus, we don't have enough food to feed this many people! We've got five loaves of bread and two fish. That's it."
But Jesus just tells them to bring him what they have.
Notice that Jesus doesn’t correct the disciples, he simply calls on them to bring the fish and the loaves to him.
One of the aspects I appreciate most about God is that he meets us in the mundane and ordinary.
Notice how the disciples refer to their location as desolate.
This is often true.
Jesus of Nazareth.
We know there was nothign special about Nazareth.
There was nothing particularly profane about Nazareth either.
Nazareth was just ordinary.
In the same way today, Jesus meets ordinary people, in a desolate town, with ordinary disciples.
How often do we feel we have nothing of significance to bring to God?
Perhaps we look at the ordinary or mundane things in our lives and imagine that God surely wouldn’t want to meet us there.
That is where He always meets people, though.
Not in extraordinary venues locations, and among extraordinary people.
Yes, it’s in the ordinary that God does extraordinary things.
In times of scarcity, you may feel overwhelmed by the needs around you, much like the disciples who doubted how to feed the crowd in Matthew 14:15-18.
Take a moment to bring your concerns to God in prayer, surrendering your limited resources to Him.
Those are the places He will always meet you.
The same Jesus who was baptized in the muddy, mundane Jordan River, is the Jesus who cares for all of your needs in the ordinary, everyday challenges in life.
Blessing
Blessing
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.
Jesus takes the bread and the fish, looks up to heaven, and gives thanks.
Then he breaks the bread and starts handing it out to the crowd.
Notice this.
Despite what appears to be scarcity, Jesus blesses the bread and gives thanks.
Thanks for the little.
Have you ever noticed that when it seems like you don’t have enough, you forget how much you have?
I recall when I was a young Marine thinking, you know, if I were just an NCO, life would be so much better.
Then I remember as an NCO thinking, you know, if I were just a Captain, things would be so much better.
Then when I was a Captain, I recall thinking, you know, if I was just a Major…
Here’s the thing…
When we are always looking at what we lack, it makes it impossible to see what we have.
Jesus knew two things.
First, Jesus always know that we have more than we think.
Second, he knows how to take what we perceive as little and make it great.
Not just to the point of having barely enough, but to the point we are satisfied.
Satisfied
Satisfied
And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.
And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus didn't just provide enough food for the crowd.
He provided an abundance of food.
There were leftovers, in fact.
There are two aspects to this.
Firstly, of course Jesus can physically multiply things.
Perhaps more importantly, though, when we sit and commune with God regularly we find that life in Him is enough.
The presence of Jesus is the real point.
Wherever Jesus is, there will always be enough.
Lessons
Lessons
So what does this story teach us about God's provision?
First, it reminds us that God's provision is not limited by our circumstances.
The disciples thought they didn't have enough, but Jesus showed them that with God, there's always enough.
Second, it shows us that God's provision is not just about meeting our needs, but about overflowing with abundance.
Jesus didn't just provide enough food; he provided a feast.
Third, it encourages us to trust in God's provision, even when we can't see how it's going to work out.
The disciples didn't know how Jesus was going to feed the crowd, but they trusted him anyway.
So what does this mean for us today?
It means that when we're facing a problem that seems too big to solve, we can trust that God's provision is abundant.
It means that when we're struggling to make ends meet, we can trust that God will provide.
And it means that when we're feeling overwhelmed, we can trust that God's abundance will overflow into our lives.
Finally, it reminds us that God has given us enough.
I recall many years ago now hearing a sermon in which the pastor pointed toward the Lord’s Table, reminding us that what God gives to us is always enough.
When Jesus gives to us His body and blood, it is enough.
When Jesus gives us His Word, it is enough.
Reflection
Reflection
What are some areas in your life where you're struggling to trust in God's provision?
How can you apply the principles of this story to your own life?
What are some ways you've experienced God's abundant provision in the past?
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for reminding us of your abundant provision. Help us to trust in you, even when we can't see how things will work out. Give us faith to believe that you will provide for our needs and overflow our lives with abundance. Amen.