Building the Structure for Miracles

The Principle of Multiplication

Good Morning and Welcome to Freedom Chapel. My name is Pastor Terry, my wife Michelle and I serve as the lead pastors here at Freedom Chapel. If you are first time guest with us this morning would you please fill out the welcome tab on your bulletin and place it in the black box at the back of the sanctuary. we would like to get to know you a little bit better. Church would you show some love for our guests this morning.

I have one little request for you this morning. If you are new to the church in the last year. Would you please fill out the welcome tab again for us. This time would you add you and your households Birthdates and Anniversary. We like to celebrate with you on your special days and don’t want to miss that opportunity.

Freedom Chapel exists to bring hope to our community, by being a Place to Belong, Church for the Whole Family.

Janelle would you please come up here. This morning we have a pretty major announcement for the church. These past several months, after much prayer and reflection, Janelle Burgeson has felt the Lord leading her to step down from her role as The Worship Leader. She came to me in the middle of February with this decision and has graciously set the church up to move forward as she phases herself out of the worship team. Janelle has expressed her desire to continue to lead our women’s ministry, so don’t panic the Burgeson’s have no intentions of going anywhere.

In honor of her 13 plus years of service by blessingJanelle directly after service today. We have a cake and punch in the Connection Center and would ask you to join us in showing appreciation for her faithfulness in leading us in worship. Church lets show Janelle some love.

This week we are transitioning from our series called Foundations of Blessing. Over the last several weeks we have been studying How our generosity is the foundation for which God Blesses every aspect of our lives. If you missed the last 5 weeks the messages are available on Youtube, Facebook, and RightNow Media.

The structure of everything in our lives is dependent upon the strength of our foundation, so we need to build our lives on the unchanging truth of God’s Word. We must have a firm foundation before we begin to build the walls of the structure. I believe that as the people of this church continue to trust God in the area of Tithes and Offerings we are going to begin to build a spiritual structure at Freedom Chapel that is full of Miracles.

We are already seeing God transform our generosity into Miracles.

Every month we recieve newsletters and emails from the many missionaries we support. If you have not had a chance please stop by have a look at our missions wall right outside the Sanctuary. Those newsletters are filled with miracles of transformed lives. Those transformed lives are made possible by the generosity of churches like ours that come together to support missions.

Two weeks ago we baptised 6 people. Those 6 lives speak of the miracle of rebirth and reconsiliation that is only made possible by the generosity of believers that share what they have with others instead of keeping the treasure of Jesus Christ to ourselves.

Last month over $35,000 was given in tithes and offerings here at Freedom Chapel. That is the single best month that the church has seen in generosity in the five years that I have had the opportunity to serve at Freedom Chapel. I believe that as we continue to be generous, God is going to continue to transform our offerings into stories. Stories of eternal decisions to follow Christ, stories of lives transformed right here in Central Kansas, Stories of lives transformed all over the world. Those transformed lives are going to continue to multiply as Freedom Chapel continues towards our goal of being the easiest place in Central Kansas to experience the life saving power of Jesus Christ.

AMEN?

Today we are transitioning to a series I am entitling Miracles. As we quickly approach our most important day of rememberance, Easter, I want to show you how Jesus can multiply miracles in and through people.

Turn with me to

Matthew 14:13–21 ESV

13 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. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 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.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 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. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

This is a section of scripture that most of us have heard or read at least sometime in our lives. This is quite possible one of the largest miracles Jesus performed while on Earth. Today I want to break it down for you in a different way.

First you need to realize just how many people we are talking about. Verse 21 says 5,000 Men, not counting women and Children. If we take an average here if we were counting women and Children with an average family size of 4. It is quite possible that close to 20,000 people were fed that day to the point that they were FULL.

Now let’s really dive into this story.

Jesus has just been told that his Cousin John the Baptist has been beheaded. He is trying to withdraw to pray and mourn but a crowd follows Him.

Jesus has compassion on them and heals their sick.

Church there is something that you need to grab a hold of..............

Jesus is never too busy to meet your needs?

Even in a state of mourning..............

Now let’s look at Mark’s account of this event.

Mark 6:30–31 ESV

30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 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.

Road Trip...............

So basically they start out this little get away to the middle of nowhere and they forgot to bring snacks and it was early so they were just going to get breakfast on the road.

Mark 6:32–34 ESV

32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 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.

Jesus heals and then begins to preach. Next thing they know he had been preaching all day long. The disciples were hungry and they want Jesus to cut it off and send everybody home.

Mark 6:35–36 ESV

35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

But Jesus does the most Jesus thing possible in this situation. He turns and puts it back on the Disciples.

Mark 6:37–38 ESV

37 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?” 38 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.”

Lord we found this kid and he gave us his lunch.

Mark 6:39–44 ESV

39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 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. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

Point 1

1. Something has to be offered and blessed for multiplication to begin.

This is why we Tithe the first 10%. Can you imagine if the the disciples had eaten first and brought the left overs to Jesus?

Point 2

2. The multiplication happened in the disciples’ hands.

God performs miracles in the hands of believers who are willing to be part of the solution to the world’s greatest needs.

What are some needs surrounding you that you may have the solution for?

Here is what I hear?

Pastor we should be feeding the hungry.

We should be reaching this place or that place.

Missionaries...........

I believe God is speaking to Freedom Chapel.

Be the Shephard to those without a Shephard.

Go to those who have never Heard.

Share what you have with those who have need.

Send my messengers to those who you can’t reach.

What will it look like when we begin to pass out the blessing. I believe that our greatest days are ahead of us. How are we going to get there?

We need you to keep giving.

I am asking your family to Join our family in giving at least $25 a month to our missions fund. Above your tithe. Remember generosity really begins when we give out of our portion to the 90%.

For us to continue to meet the needs of this church and community. God is calling some of you out the the comfort of your chair. He wants you to begin serve. He want you to be part of the Miracle.