16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:15-21)
This passage of 6 verses is a powerful and clear message of the provision of God. Can you travel back 2000 years and put your feet in the shoes of the disciples? These men are faithfully following Jesus and listening to his teachings. They look up and realize darkness is approaching fast. They urge Jesus to let these people go home so that they can eat and go to sleep at a decent hour. Jesus, with not a hint of doubt in his voice tells his disciples that they don't have to leave. Jesus then gives his disciples a command that is still echoing through the Holy Spirit today. YOU feed them. With a look of complete bewilderment the disciples explain that they only have a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. I can imagine the disciples making faces at each other, trying not to crack up. Jesus asks for the basket of food and simply thanks God, then continues to command His disciples to pass the food out. The disciples, I imagine, believe that Jesus has completely lost it at this point, but they do as they are told. They give. And give. And pass out more food. And give some more out, but the food never runs out. They continue to give but God continues to provide. The disciples that were laughing at Jesus earlier are now full of chill bumps and in complete awe of this Man they were following. There is nothing lacking in Jesus, there is only abundance.
I have always wondered why exactly Jesus did this. A weird question, I know. The disciples had no idea how to feed these people, their first response when Jesus said "YOU feed them" was to turn to what they had. Looking eyeball to eyeball with the creator of the universe, they turned to their pockets. They turned to earthly things. The disciples thought that Jesus was crazy for wanting to feed 5000 people, when in reality, they were the crazy ones. They were standing right in front of the creator of all! The resource that they have in front of them! Yet, they turned to what they already had. Jesus was teaching his disciples a lesson that could radically change our lives if we take hold of it: When God gives you a command, don't pay attention to the lack, prepare for abundance! Jesus taught the disciples that provision isn't in what you have, its in who you have. The disciples said that they have 5 loaves of bread, when Jesus says "I am the bread of life". Provision is found in Jesus! Jesus is our provision!
Now catch this, these disciples that were making fun of Jesus for thinking that they could feed all of these people, after the multitude of people ate and ATE UNTIL THEY WERE FULL... the 12 disciples collected 12 baskets of leftovers! Can you imagine Jesus, not being able to help but smiling when each disciple carried his own full basket of food to Him wide eyed not saying a word. I am sure Jesus said something along the lines of, "Would you look at that. Here you are each of you with your own basket of food. I wish there only 11, if you know what I mean... Judas..." Okay, maybe not. But would you grasp the magnitude of whats happening! Jesus provided for 5000 people when the disciples took a leap of faith and just began to give. When you give what Jesus has commanded you to give out, it will never run out! Jesus provided for 5000 people. Jesus provided for his doubting disciples. Jesus even provided for his future betrayer in Judas. The love of our God, our savior, is so vast and unimaginable. If we as christians would grasp this concept: God wants to provide for us! He has given this command, "YOU feed them."
Today, we are not talking about physical food, but food of much greater cause. We are talking about finding the bread of life. In Matthew 28 Jesus gives this command of "YOU feed them" but in different terms, "Go and make disciples of all nations..."Jesus has given this command to feed his children. The multitude is sitting on the hillside waiting to be fed. The great provider is with us, we know that the provision will not go out, the only thing that matters is that we take a step of faith and begin to give. If we give out what Jesus has commanded us to give, it will never run out. We need to stop asking "God what do you want me to give." And start asking "God what do you want me to keep?" When Jesus commanded the disciples to pick up the pieces, realize this: It wasn't about feeding his disciples, it was about collecting the LOST! It's still about collecting the LOST! It's getting late and it's getting serious. YOU feed them.
Psalm 42:1 "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God."
