Provision for the Multitudes

Feb 6

Feb 6 Provision for the Multitudes

As I prayed about what I was meant to speak here today, I was led to the passages in scripture that retell the feedings of the multitudes. There is a lot to unpack here, but I believe the main points I will be speaking on today, will be important to remember during 2020 and beyond. My prayer is that mindsets would be shifted to align with His mindset and that we would walk in greater understanding of His character and nature.

There are so many portions in scripture where God the Father, God the Son demonstrate parts of His character or nature. It is essential as believers for us to be reading the Bible, from beginning to end because by doing this we gain a better understanding of who He is.

The word is alive and active, so every time we read it we can gain a different perspective of who Jesus is. His word is like a prism. The more we look at it, the more likely we are to see different aspects of the prism.

The retelling of the feeding of the multitudes is just like a prism. The feeding of the 5,000 is retold 4 times, one time in each gospel. The feeding of the 4,000 is retold twice, once in Matthew and once in Mark. This is not a mistake or a major typo, this was intentional. These passages were meant to be examined closely. We were meant to study it and look at it from different angles. We were meant to learn about different aspects of Jesus. We were meant to learn more about the nature and character of Jesus and as a result, like mirror, show us something about ourselves.

So today, I don’t have time nor think it is wise to show you all the things that can be found in these passages, but I do feel called to bring some things to your attention, with hopes that you will go and study it for yourself and receive even more.

Let’s do this.

Today we will look at the two retellings of the feedings of the multitudes.

Here are some things you should know before discussing.

Yes, there are two separate occasions where Jesus feeds the multitudes.
In one account, He feeds the 5,000 and the other He feeds the 4,000
In the feeding of 5,000 He has 5 loaves and 2 fish. He is near the sea of Galilee (very important) and He has 12 loaves left over.
In the feeding of the 4,000 He has 7 loaves and a few fish. He is in the wilderness (wooded area-possibly meaning not near water) and He has 7 loaves left over.

You have to read all the accounts in the gospels to get this information (and more), but for today we will read one of each.

Let’s start with Matthew 14:13-17

Man, imagine being there for this. Jesus just lost His cousin, He is longing for some time alone to process it all.
His disciples are right there with Him and probably longing for the same.
However, the multitudes followed Him and Jesus has compassion on them. He sees their great need and begins to heal them.
It is getting late, they realize these people have traveled away from their villages to be with Jesus. The disciples recommend sending them home in time to eat and return to their homes.
But Jesus says something so fascinating at this point.
Read v. 16
“You feed them.” I am sorry, what? 12 disciples in a remote location, off the sea of Galilee need to feed 5,000?
I am sure for a moment they thought...it will take us forever to catch enough fish to feed these people, but Jesus doesn’t ask them to fish at the sea. He asks “How much bread do you have?” (Mark 6:38)
They go and find they have 5 loaves and 2 fish.
Jesus replies “Bring them to me.” (v.18)

This is powerful stuff right there and we can learn so much from this dialogue.

“You feed them.” This was a large and difficult challenge for the disciples. One they could not do alone. Yet Jesus asked them to do it and He provided.
Something I have learned in 2019, which I pray we can all take with us into 2020 is that when God calls us into something (no matter how crazy or impossible it may seem) He provides His presence and His provision. If He calls us into something we DON’T have to question how, with what money or time, we just have to trust and obey.
Recently, God told me not to settle in choosing who would deliver this baby. He told me to pursue what was on my heart. A month or two ago I was filled with worry about how we would afford to pay for this baby’s delivery. God spoke straight into my heart and said “Who called you to get pregnant? Who called you not to settle? I responded, You did. He spoke “So you can be confident that my presence and provision will go with you”.
We can judge the disciples all we want, but we have all been there. Questioning, wondering, worrying, but that is not our job...our job is to be obedient and trust that His presence and provision comes wherever He calls.
Secondly, the disciples see this miracle of fish and loaves and learn more about His nature and character. They learn that Jesus provides MORE than enough. Because that is who He is. The God who provides more than enough.
He tells the disciples “Bring it to me” and man, that is a lesson we need to learn. We need to learn to bring to Him what we say is not enough and we will see Him make it more than enough, every time.

Two things so far I need you to take into 2020:

Whatever He may call you into this year, remember His presence and provision comes with it.
We can always bring to Him what we know is not enough (surrender it to Him) and we will see Him make it more than enough.

Now let’s Read Mark 8:1-9

Now this retelling always trips me up. Come on now disciples. Three chapters ago Jesus multiplied 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed 5,000. Now He needs to feed only 4,000 with 7 loaves and a few fish. Y’all the odds were in their favor. He has to feed less people this time and has more than He started out with, but the disciples don’t seem to remember that. They are perplexed. How will you ever feed such a crowd? My oh my, what will we do?

Come on now.

BUT before we go in on them, reflect. How many times in 2019 did you panic over situations, circumstances, provision that were similar to previous issues you have faced?

Sickness
Financial issues
Broken Relationships
Discord

How many times have we panicked over these things only to surrender it to Him and have Him come through for you time and time again?

I have. Until a couple of years ago I decided, enough is enough. Every single month I’d worry about not having enough. Every month I tried my best to surrender it to Him and trust Him (after days of anxiety) and every single month He came through. What a waste of time, energy and mind space.

One month, I was done with my mindset. I told Joshua “I am done. I am done freaking out every month to only have Him come through for me. I am gonna trust Him. This month I am gonna live in faith and praise Him before the breakthrough even happens because I know my God. He has placed me in this season and so His presence and provision comes along with it!” Amen!

So what can we learn here?
We must remember and recall all the times He has come through for us and past lessons we have learned about His character and nature.
I have a running list in my journal of every time He provides for us. Everything is on there from someone bringing us a pot of rice, dropping off groceries, to free maternity clothes, to my husband being gifted a new iPad. It all makes the list because that is where I go when I need to praise before my breakthrough. When I need to reflect on His character and nature, when I need to thank Him for all He has done and will do.

Okay last point-stay with me (this one is my favorite)

It is interesting because in the 2nd account of the feeding of 4,000 the biggest change is the location.
The first time the disciples were near the sea of Galilee. The 2nd time they were in the wilderness.
Listen, it is very likely that the disciples panicked the 2nd time because their location had changed.
See, the first time the disciples were near the sea, they could fish, possibly figure it out for themselves. It was near their comfort zone.
But the 2nd time, they were in the wilderness. Far away from the sea, far away from their comfort zone (easier to trust in your comfort zone). These fishermen had no experience in the woods. They weren’t hunters, they were fishermen.
Their location had changed, but their provider had not.
WE NEED TO KNOW THIS! No matter how different the setting or circumstances may be from the last time He will provide, He will provide because that is WHO HE IS. The setting can change, but who He is will never change.

This coming year, choose to remember that wherever He calls you, His presence and provision will follow (doesn’t matter the setting or location or circumstance-in your comfort zone or not), choose to surrender to Him what you say is not enough and He will make it more than enough and choose to remember His character and nature. Who He is doesn’t change. He is faithful and true year after year. He provided and took care of you in 2019, He will do the same, if not greater in 2020.