"Jesus' Response to Human Distress"

Matthew 14. 13-21

K. Adrian Scott

December 7, 2025

The Feeding of Five Thousand – Acording to Mark 6. 30-

30 And the apostles regathered to Jesus and reported to him everything that they had done and that they had taught. 31 And he said to them, “You yourselves come privately to an isolated place and rest for a short time.” For those who were coming and going were many, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to an isolated place by themselves. 33 And many people saw them leaving and recognized them, * and ran there together by land from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34 And getting out of the boat* he saw the large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep ⌊without⌋ a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. 35 And the hour had already become late when* his disciples came up to him, saying, “The place is desolate, and the hour is already late. 36 Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding farms and villages and* purchase something to eat for themselves.” 37 But he answered and* said to them, “You give them something* to eat.” And they said to him, “Should we go and* purchase bread for two hundred denarii and give it* to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they* found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 And he ordered them all to recline in groups on the green grass. 40 And they reclined in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish and* looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves and gave them* to his disciples so that they could set them* before them. And he distributed the two fish to them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they picked up the broken pieces, twelve baskets full, and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.”

W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mk 6:30–44.

Introduction and Context.

John the Baptizer, the great forerunner, the one chosen by God to come into the world born just prior to Jesus so that he might prepare the way for our Lord’s ministry on earth. It was this John of whom Jesus said was equal to any other human being who had ever walked the face of the earth (“None greater than John”), and he had just been beheaded (Matthew 14. 10-11).

“And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus” (v. 12).

Note: Since the disciples knew Jesus was omniscient or ‘all-knowing’, they went and told Jesus not to inform our Lord, but to account for their activities.

Verse 13 says, “Jesus withdrew from there to be by Himself, but when the crowds heard it, they followed Him on food from the towns.”

Preaching Point.

In a display of His human nature, Jesus’ capacity for grief lent Him the desire for some time alone. Although Jesus knew the time would come, as a human being, as we all know from our own losses of loved ones, there is no way to prepare for the sudden realization of the loss of another human being from this earth. The time for John’s death had come, and out of love for John’s life and ministry and out of respect for His own sense of grief, it was timely that Jesusdrove a boat Himself and went to be alone in a ‘desolate place.’ The emptiness of His own human heart and mortal feelings was mirrored by the stark landscape of the place Jesus retreated to once John’s ministry was officially ended.

However, Jesus’ time of respite was brief because the crowds that followed Jesus on foot, had already arrived and was waiting for Him to land His boat (v. 14). This is the position we all should want to be in, that is, waiting for Jesus! Apparently, there wasn’t a boat big enough, or there weren’t enough smaller boats to transport the large crowd that had gathered to listen to Jesus’ teaching.

It was then, when the Lord saw the great crowd waiting for Him, that “he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (v. 14b).

There were a multitude of people needing Jesus to minister to their needs and Jesus healed them. Here are multitudes of people who had walked to meet Jesus despite their sicknesses and despite their diseases. They journeyed ondespite walking on painful feet and aching legs; despite some perhaps bent over and some walking canes or other means of assistance. Some walked though handicapped with eyes that were dimmed by the combination of age and poor-to-no eyecare. They walked even though there were no sidewalks or crosswalks, or no bus stops where they could rest. Some in this crowd walked in pain from old injuries, or they were hurt by an accident, or they were victims of crime. Others in this congregation ventured to walk toward Jesus who had been so victimized by life’s cruel misfortunes and who would not have made this trip if it weren’t for others; one on their left, and another on their right, to make certain everyone who wanted to meet Jesus would be successful in going to see the Healer!

Question. How desperate are you to get to Jesus?

After Jesus compassionately ministering to the sick in the crowd, it was now late in the day - “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.”

There was another problem – none of these people had eaten, and they are all hungry (vv. 15-16).

Preaching Point.

Who was on the planning committee for this crusade? Probably close to 15,000 people were in attendance and there was no food for this all-day event! The disciples recommended sending the people away to fend for themselves, but isn’t that the problem this multitude represents? They had been fending for themselves all their lives and look at the predicament that has put them! Secondly, perhaps we should call the disciples ‘the paralyzed Christians.’

No one wanted to take responsibility for feeding hungry people! This crowd of hungry and formerly sick people is an accurate reflection of the condition of all of humanity and too often the Church is saying, ‘let them fend for themselves!’ None of those people could feed themselves, just as neither you nor me could we feed ourselves, because no one had access to the source of food that would truly satisfy their hunger! This crowd is us!

Preaching Point.

But Jesus had another idea and said, “They need not go away” (v. 16)! Jesus is telling His disciples, ‘If you send them away to buy food, they will not have a chance to see my work a miracle, and when they experience this miracle, they will believe in me! I have a solution to their problem! If I can speak a sun in orbit, hang a moon in its place and through millions of stars into existence; if I can cheat time by planting hundreds of millions of (mature) trees all over the earth, and since I filled the earth with an innumerable number of animal species, each with their own life cycle that perpetuates other animal species, then surely, I can fix a meal that will feed these 15,000 people! Tell them to just ‘sit down’ until dinner is ready!!

This is what I want to tell you this morning; just sit down, ‘let go and let God!”

But where there is faith, there are also those who have doubts. The disciples said, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” There are three words we should never say to the Lord Jesus - “we only have.” But I say no matter the number, give them to Jesus!

v. 18; “And he said, Bring them here to me.”

Verse 19; Jesus blessed it. Jesus looked to heaven, he prayed and He blessed it! Have you ever asked the Lord Jesus, our Mediator to pray for you? Jesus told Peter, “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22.32). Thisis the key to victory. Give it to the Lord, no matter what it is, great or small, little or much, and let Jesus bless it!

v. 20; “And they all ate and were satisfied.” Everyone ate until they were filled. Jesus satisfies!

If you want to see a miracle in your life, pray that Jesus blesses it!

St. John, I don’t know how but some of our most faithful and precious members transitioned from life to eternity over the last few years, but instead of our giving going down, our giving has gone up! We have received more than what we started with! I must believe it is because like the little boy who gave the five loaves and the two fish, we gave what little we had to Jesus, and the Lord sent us home with 12 baskets full of leftovers.

v. 20b; “And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.”

It was not only enough food for the day, but there was enough food for the journey! Jesus will always satisfy!

Question. Do you believe He can do it? Do you believe Jesus will do it?

The little boy went home with more than he came with! He came with five loaves of bread and two fish but went home when it was all over with twelve baskets full of leftovers! Only Jesus can do this!

The Proposition.

Rather, you are like one of those people who has been walking on your journey in pain and discomfort, tired and needing to rest, and now you are hungry.

What is the solution to your weariness? Rest. Jesus told the crowd to sit down. Remember the words of our Lord, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11.28).

What is the solution to those who are sick or hurt or injured from navigating life’s steep terrain? Healing. Isaiah 53.5 says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we were healed.”

And what is the solution to those who despite their travels and still find themselves hungry and unsatisfied? Food. Jesus said this in Matthew 5.6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

And what is the result of those who receive rest, healing and food for body and soul from the very hands of Christ? Peace! This story in Matthew 14 tells us emphatically, Jesus brings us peace which is the answer to every one of our needs!

The Close.

In this passage Jesus gives healing to the hurting, rest for the weary, and food to the hungry. All three of these things encapsulated the earthly ministry of Jesus.  Jesus brings peace from trouble, as well as hope for the hopeless! This passage is also meant to be a precursor to Jesus’ agenda for all the nations of the earth - the entire world who will one day sit at his feet, rest from the weariness of life’s journey, having been healed of sin’s sickness and eat the bread of life from the hand of God, the Lord Jesus Christ! 

There is never too many weary travelers, never will anyone be turned away for lack of resources. Never can it be said there is not enough food and refreshment for the weary!  Never is the Savior too tired or distracted to listen and heal the broken, to relieve the worn, or lift the depressed! Jesus was present on the mountaintop for one reason, and that reason was to meet the needs of the needy! Jesus is still meeting with those needing healing and the hungry today!