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The continuation of lesson 25 of the Discipleship Making process, where I left you last time with the question, “How does it make you feel when you realize that you have special gifts to contribute to the world’s needs?”
In summary of the last lesson, we learned we must rest as God intended, as well as, that even in Jesus’ weariness, and need for rest, He has compassion on the crowds that follow He and His disciples, in conjunction with a day already filled with signs and wonders. It is in this new impromptu setting that we find Jesus’ next lesson in the discipleship process.
Read: Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 6:35-44, Luke 9:12-17, and John 6:3-14
As the disciples become aware of the physical needs of the people that are being taught, by Jesus, they approach Jesus with their concerns. Their first solution is to send the people away letting them make provision for their own needs. But Jesus puts a stop to that idea right away. He commands His disciples, “You give them something to eat.” He wants the disciples to accept personal responsibility for these people’s needs. From His response, Jesus evidently believed the way of love was expressed by helping those in need.
Accepting their personal responsibility the disciples present Jesus with an alternative solution. The solution like many of ours is to spend our own money in order to meet the people’s needs. But Jesus, again, puts a stop to this idea as well by forcing the disciples to think through the situation logically. Since they are out in the middle of nowhere he asks, "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?”
Having heard the disciple’s solutions for meeting the needs of others, Jesus provides His own solution. It follows a familiar pattern, living by faith:
- Ask – for a revelation or word from God. This is called a rhema: a personal revelation or word from God to an individual in a situation. It is like asking for help and waiting for the answer.
- Seek – speak God’s plan to others looking for the resources to accomplish it.
- Knock – take action on God’s plan trusting that He will fulfill His word to you.
When Jesus said, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!”, He is indicating that when a need arises look to the resources that God has already provided to meet the specific need.
In saying, "Bring them here to Me.”, Jesus is stating that He wants His disciples to bring their resources to Him. As Lord of heaven and earth He can multiply even the smallest of resources to meet their need.
Jesus had His disciples group the men by fifties and one hundreds following the Old Testament pattern of serving people (Exodus 18:17-26, Deuteronomy 1:3, 9-18).
And it is always appropriate to thank God for His provision as meager as it may appear. “And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food.”
Then Jesus started giving away what He had and in His giving what He had was multiplied. This comes from the Law of “sowing and reaping” (Luke 6:38, 2 Corinthians 9:6-12). Notice, again, Jesus gave away all that He had.
Finally, Jesus told His disciples to gather up what was left over. He wants them to recognize that whatever God supplies, He does so for a reason. So don’t waste His provision. Even though they may not see an immediate need for the surplus at the moment it has a purpose in the future.
The point of the lesson is God wants to use you to bless people and glorify His name.
With that, allow me to leave you with these two questions to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:
Why do you doubt? . . . and . . . Why are you fearful?
. . . and the homework assignment . . .
Start today to minister to the people around you with what God has already given you, regardless however small it may be.
Until next time . . . Godspeed!
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