Lunch With Jesus

What is your favorite meal?

Just think about this and how your favorite meal may depend on the season. I know we have some favorites in our house. Last week for FFTS I can tell you hamburgers is a favorite, around 340 meals served.

All four Gospels tell this story!

It was important to all the Gospel writers to include this story to show who Jesus is. You can read the parallel accounts in: Matthew 14.13-21; Mark 6.32-44; Luke 9.10-17 I would encourage you to read these stories.

Key: the Passover is near.

This puts the whole story in proper context. Numbers 11 and Exodus 11 and Exodus 12 provides the details. This is a time when the nation of Israel looked back and in the days of Jesus look forward to a time when all would be right in the world.

Jesus cares and has compassion on people.

We msut see this part of the story. Jesus was going to live out a life of compassion and care for others. You and I must do the same. He was going to meet their needs.

Jesus was testing his disciples.

Verse 6 lets us know Jesus was not curious on how to take care of the need but whether the disciples were growing in their faith of Him.

The task seemed impossible.

Philip says it would take about 8 momnths pay, about 200 denarii or the equivalent of around $25,000-60,000 in todays standards.

Jesus is capable of the impossible.

A little bit of faith can go a long way.

Andrew if we were to give them grades may get about a C. He had enough understanding that Jesus could do something but admits, this won’t be enough.

Jesus “re-enacts” the manna of the wilderness.

If this was at any other time maybe we wouldn’t see this but I think we must notice the standard.

The people had “correct” knowledge but wrong motives.

We too can be like this. They had a right understanding but wrong motives.

Jesus will not be forced to do anything.

The same is true today.

We must not rush into our own ideas of what Jesus wants for us.

Some of my worst plans have come because I rushed the discernment process.

We must not let the impossible get in the way of Jesus.

At the same time we must seek Jesus and know if it is His will we can do anything. Small faith with a big Lord changes the world. The question is: did Jesus command it?