Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

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Welcome

Hymn - LORD, FOR THE YEARS YOUR LOVE HAS KEPT AND GUIDED (951) - TIMOTHY DUDLEY-SMITH

Psalm Reading

Psalm 74:4–8 “Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs. They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees. And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers. They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground. They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.”

Prayer

Teen Talk

Hymn - LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING (714) - CHARLES WESLEY 1707-88

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Hymn - BEGONE, UNBELIEF (875) - JOHN NEWTON 1725-1807

Sermon Search

Reading

Matthew 14:13–21 ESV

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.

Mark 6:30–44 ESV

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

Luke 9:10–17 ESV

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.

John 6:1–15 ESV

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Sermon

Matthew, Mark & Luke: confirm the news of the death of John the Baptist

Mark 6:30 ESV

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.

The Apsotles return from their first missionary trip

They share with Jesus reports of their work

Mark 6:31–32 ESV

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.

“Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while”

Luke: Confirms this to be Bethsaida

The workload was constant

Even getting a meal was proving challenging

Got away by boat

Mark 6:33 ESV

Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.

Human passion for celebrities has never faded

They are recognised and word spreads

People come from towns all around

The people rush to where they are

Mark 6:34 ESV

When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

Matthew & Luke: Confirm Jesus healed the sick

“He went ashore”

Matthew affirms that Jesus went by boat to a desolate place

John confirms having come ashore he went up onto the mountain

Original wording when “went out” or “departed”

“He saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them”

Jesus’ sympathy is not just a feeling it is a tender feeling transformed into help action.

Compassion is not a feeling but an action:

He teaches them

He heals them

He feeds them

“They were like sheep without a shepherd”

Sheep are a dependent animal

Easily startled and worried

Prone to wandering off

searching for better food

or due to fear and feeling unable to stand alone

Jesus sees the spiritual hunger of the flock and their insecurities

Their spiritual leaders failed to giove them reliable guidance

They faield to supply their souls with nourishing food

The shepherds’ “hired hands” are too occupied with legalistic rituals and practices to be concerned about souls

Jesus teaches them many things

Words of life about the marvelous kingdom of God

A kingdom in which childlike trust in God’s sovereign care brings peace

Love is law

Truth is on the Throne

Mark 6:35–36 ESV

And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

The disciples realise the time and grow concerned about the physical needs of the people

Jesus is not responding to a need but enacting his predetermined plan

Disciples want to send them away to get their own food

They are probably annoyed by the lack of provision the people made for themselves

Mark 6:37 ESV

But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”

Jesus wants his disciples to learn the lesson “ask, seek & knock” Matt 7:7

He also wants them to learn that they must meet the spiritual needs of the people

After all Jesus describes himself as the “Bread of Life” in John 6:35

Matthew, Mark & Luke confirm Jesus tells them to provide for the people

John 6:5-9 tells us Jesus asks Philip “where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?”

Jesus wants them to really think about what they are saying

at teh end of the day, this number of people can’t buy that much food

They respond saying 200 denarii won’t be enough to give the people a snack, let alone a meal

1 denarii is an average days wage

Mark 6:38 ESV

And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”

Jesus asks for how many loaves they have

Jesus sends them to check

They return with the answer: a young child [or servant] has 5 loaves and 2 dried fish

Mark 6:39–40 ESV

Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.

Jesus commands the people to be sat down in groups

The disciples put them into groups of 50 or 100

Mark 6:41 ESV

And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.

Deuteronomy - Thank God

Thank God for his provision

Giving to God God what is his (Tithes, Honour, Praise)

Before (when planning)

When bringing in the crop (harvest)

When seeing the full benefit of the fullness of God’s Blessing

Jesus gives thanks to God for His Provision

He took the 5 loaves and 2 fish and broke them hand hand them to the disciples

Mark 6:42 ESV

And they all ate and were satisfied.

“They ate and were satisified”

Mark 6:43 ESV

And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.

They took up the left over and filled 12 baskets

Pollution is irresponsible

Littering is sinful

Wastefulness is condemnable

Greater still: provision was so bountiful that not only was everyone full, so were 12 baskets

God’s bountiful and overflowing love and provision

Mark 6:44 ESV

And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

five thousand men (15+ thousand men, women and children)

This crowd was blessed by their acceptance of Jesus

Other crowds:

Asked him to leave (Mark 5:17)

Were offended by him (Mark 5:3)

Deserted him (John 6:66)

Motivated by selfish considerations (John 6:26)

Misunderstood him and his true mission (John 6:15)

Jesus’ deep and tender love is shown to those who accept Him

“Wrath of the lamb” Revelation 6:16 is abundant for those who reject him

John shows that Jesus’ power, authority and sonship is through this miraclous event

Hymn - NO GREATER LOVE (1294) - Andy Clark

Closing Prayer

Doxology