Podcasts about five thousand

Miracles Week 8: Finding Thin Places In the eighth installment of our "Miracles" series, we delve into the concept of "thin places"—moments where God breaks into our world to reveal His love, power, and glory. These moments, though rare today, were abundant during Jesus' time on Earth, particularly through His miracles. ## **John 1:14** - The Incarnation as a Thin Place The sermon highlights the incarnation of Jesus as the ultimate "thin place." As described in **John 1:14**, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." Jesus' presence on Earth was a continual revelation of God's glory, bridging the gap between heaven and earth. ## Learning from Miracles The sermon focuses on two miracles that exemplify how we can cooperate with God to create these "thin places": ### **John 2:1-11** - Water into Wine - **Setting**: A wedding in Cana, where Jesus performed His first miracle by turning water into wine.- **Key Figures**: The servants, who filled the jars with water at Jesus' instruction, played a crucial role.- **Lesson**: The servants' obedience and trust in Jesus' instructions allowed them to witness and participate in a miracle. This teaches us the importance of making ourselves available to God, even when the task seems mundane or illogical. ### **Matthew 14:13-21** - Feeding the Five Thousand - **Setting**: A remote location where a large crowd gathered to hear Jesus.- **Key Figures**: The disciples, who distributed five loaves and two fish to feed thousands.- **Lesson**: The disciples' willingness to offer what little they had and follow Jesus' instructions resulted in a miracle. This illustrates that God can multiply our limited resources when we trust Him. ## Four Key Lessons on Creating Thin Places 1. **God's Desire for Our Involvement**: God wants us to participate in His divine work. As seen in these miracles, our involvement strengthens our faith and demonstrates that "we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength" (**Philippians 4:13**). 2. **As You Go Principle**: Miracles often occur in the midst of our daily lives. We must be sensitive to God's voice and embrace the opportunities He presents as we go about our routines. 3. **Offering What We Have**: Whether it's time, energy, or resources, offering what we have to Jesus allows Him to use it for His glory. 4. **Trusting Jesus**: Trust is foundational. Neither the servants nor the disciples knew Jesus' plans, yet their trust led to miraculous outcomes. We must trust Jesus with both our lives and our circumstances. ## Conclusion: Trust and Obedience The sermon concludes with a call to trust Jesus as the way to experience the ultimate "thin place"—a personal relationship with Him. By trusting in His sacrifice, we receive forgiveness and eternal life. This trust extends beyond salvation to every aspect of our lives, as we follow His lead and participate in His kingdom work. As we reflect on these lessons, let us strive to be available, obedient, and trusting, so that we may witness and partake in the miracles God desires to perform in and through us.

Assembly of Yahusha The Logos episode 83 Officiated by Bro. Jon Dizon 07-09-2025 ©2025 Assembly of Yahusha All rights reserved.#Yahuah #Yahusha #biblestudy #truefaithReproduction of this audio or parts of this audio is prohibited without the written consent from the author. The objective of the Assembly of Yahusha is to proclaim, advance, propagate, share, and continuously disseminate the pure teachings of Yahuah God and Yahusha Christ to all of mankind. The Assembly of Yahusha provides weekly bible study classes and live worship services through online gatherings and organized Assembly of Yahusha groups. The mission is to proclaim and share the teachings of God and the pure gospel of Christ to everyone around the world. If you are interested in exploring what is taught, please contact the Assembly of Yahusha with your inquiries at info@aoy.today

Tobi explains the feeding of the five thousand

Jesus test the disciples: Luke 9:13Jesus meets the need: Luke 9:14-16Jesus satisfies the need: Luke 9:17The miracles of feeding the Five Thousand Teach us: 1. The importance of knowing the Lord intimately. 2. The importance to trust God to provide. 3. The importance to Yield to God's will.

Are you wrestling with an issue that doesn't seem to have a practical solution? In today's devotional, Dr. Youssef reminds us that God is not limited by what is practical. If you would like more insight into today's devotional topic, listen to Dr. Youssef's sermon series Evidence of the Exclusivity of Jesus, Part 4: LISTEN NOWAVAILABLE NOW FOR YOUR GIFT OF ANY AMOUNTSome in the church today are seeking to modify Christianity to make it “relevant” to our culture. But does Christianity really need saving?In his bestselling book Saving Christianity?, Dr. Michael A. Youssef reveals the dangers of this trend with real-life examples to equip you to spot false teaching, deepen your understanding of Scripture, confidently defend the faith, and lovingly share it with others. Discover how to hold fast to the faith with Saving Christianity?while also supporting the strategic ministries of Leading The Way to passionately proclaim the uncompromising Truth. Request your copy today for your gift of any amount!*Offer valid in US, UK, and Canada through August 3, 2025.

A replay from VISIONS Summit: NYC featuring Future Commerce Co-Founder Phillip JacksonWhat happens when you bury the essence of an entire civilization fifty feet underground? Live from VISIONS Summit: NYC, Future Commerce co-founder Phillip Jackson takes us on an archaeological journey through time capsules—from the monuments of the Westinghouse's World's Fair to NASA's Golden Record floating through space. Through the lens of these cultural artifacts, we explore a provocative thesis: that commerce is culture, and in five thousand years, only brands will survive to tell our story.What We Buy Buys Us BackKey Takeaways:Commerce is culture: What we buy literally buys us back, shaping who we become as individuals and societiesBrands as time capsules: Companies like Westinghouse and Panasonic have created some of history's most comprehensive cultural documents through their time capsule projects, and brands are the most central figures in these critical containersThe psychology of consumption: Repeated exposure through performance marketing mirrors the spreading activation theory that drives curiosity and attitude formationCultural permanence: In an era of synthetic reality and AI, time capsules may represent the last authentic artifacts of human civilizationIn-Show Mentions:More from VISIONS Summit: NYCWestinghouse Time Capsules (1938 & 1968) - World's Fair, Flushing Meadows, QueensTime Capsule location in Flushing Meadows-Corona ParkPanasonic (Matsushita Electric) Time Capsule EXPO '70NASA's Voyager Golden Record ProjectThe "Story of the Westinghouse Time Capsule" bookVoyager Golden Record contents and imagesThe supermarket image on the Voyager Golden RecordAssociated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

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In this Sunday's Gospel for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Jesus performs one of His most famous miracles: The Feeding of the 5,000. We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine.

Pastor Mike Karns sets the scene for Jesus' miracle of feeding thousands of people in a deserted place. This sermon is part of the expositional series in the Gospel of Mark.

In this Sunday's Gospel for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Jesus performs one of His most famous miracles: The Feeding of the 5,000. We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine.

June 15th, 2025

Men wearing short shorts. Adobo. Woman at the weed store accidently tipped five thousand dollars.

Men wearing short shorts. Adobo. Woman at the weed store accidently tipped five thousand dollars.

Men wearing short shorts. Adobo. Woman at the weed store accidently tipped five thousand dollars. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Jesus Feeds the Five ThousandJohn 6:1-15“Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world”What a beautiful story about the compassion of Jesus Christ. There was a need, and he fulfilled it. How many times has Jesus seen our need and fulfilled it?

This week, Neeley and Chris discuss the unbelievable fight at a Pittsburgh Pirates game where a vendor loses it! Then, they cover the truly bizarre story of Belgian teenagers caught smuggling FIVE THOUSAND ants! It's the Classic Metal Show, raw, real, and ready to shock you. "Hail and Kill! Fuck You, Pal! Handjob!"Get a free Rumble Account so you can comment! https://rumble.com/register/classicmetalshow/Get commercial free versions of our episodes, advance releases and exclusive content by subscribing to Rumble Premium! https://rumble.com/premiumNOTE: Everything said here, and on every episode of all of our shows, are 100% the opinions of the hosts. Nothing is stated as fact. Do your own research to see if their opinions are true or not.#PiratesGameFight #AntSmugglingRing #BaseballViolence #WeirdNewsStories #PodcastLife

Jesus sends out his disciples with the priority and task of sharing the gospel. Just like Christ, the disciples are to go and tell of the good news of eternal life. As 5,000 people gather to hear Jesus teach, they are amazed as all are fed from an initial meal of five loaves of bread and two fish. There is always enough room and food at the King's Table, available for everyone who believes and trusts in Him for salvation. Jesus can do a lot with a little, an encouraging truth for us today.

In this heartfelt episode of BACKtalk, host Janice Robinson-Celeste sits down with Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock to discuss his new children's picture book, We're In This Together: Leo's Lunchbox. Inspired by the biblical story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, this modern parable follows a young boy named Leo who learns that sharing—even when you don't have much—can lead to unexpected abundance.Together, they dive into topics like food insecurity, the threats to free lunch programs and SNAP benefits, the importance of early childhood education like Head Start, and why faith, compassion, and community must guide the way we raise our children—especially in today's divided climate.Senator Warnock also opens up about his inspiration for Leo's story, his memories as a “free lunch kid,” and how parenting his two young children shapes his values and vision for the future.Tune in for a conversation full of truth, tenderness, and purpose.

Today's Scripture passages are Numbers 21 - Numbers 22 | Mark 6:30-44 | Luke 9:10-17.Read by Ekemini Uwan.Get in The Word with Truth's Table is a production of InterVarsity Press. For 75 years, IVP has published and created thoughtful Christian books for the university, church, and the world. Our Bible reading plan is adapted from Bible Study Together, and the Bible version is the New English Translation, used by permission.SPECIAL OFFER | As a listener of this podcast, use the code IVPOD25 for 25% off any IVP resource mentioned in this episode at ivpress.com.Additional Credits:Song production: Seaux ChillSong lyrics written by: Seaux Chill, Ekemini Uwan, and Christina EdmondsonPodcast art: Kate LillardPhotography: Shelly EveBible consultant: JM SmithSound engineering: Podastery StudiosCreative producers: Ekemini Uwan and Christina EdmondsonAssistant producer: Christine Pelliccio MeloExecutive producer: Helen LeeDisclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

Title: Don't Be DumbScripture Reading: Matthew 7:6Series: Sermon on the MountCoinciding with the start of Lent, we are in a series on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount from Matthew chapters 5-7. In this seemingly obscure, non-sequential, single-verse teaching, Jesus teaches us not be D.U.M.B. John 6 is an illustration of Matthew 7:6. Please join us in Pastor Bill's challenge to read through the entire sermon, Matthew 5-7, at least once per week. Share your stories and takeaways on our shout out board here: https://t.ly/pvx50

John 6:1–15Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand[1] After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. [2] And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. [3] Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. [4] Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. [5] Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” [6] He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. [7] Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” [8] One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, [9] “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” [10] Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. [11] Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. [12] And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” [13] So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. [14] When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”[15] Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (ESV)

Join us for the first message in our Miracles series as we dive into the powerful story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. This miracle isn't just about food—it's about faith, surrender, and God's supernatural provision. When we bring what we have to Jesus, He multiplies it beyond what we can imagine. Get ready to be encouraged, challenged, and expectant for the miraculous in your own life!

A preaching series through the book of Matthew. Join us in Matthew 14:13-21!

Jesus has compassion on the crowds and heals them. He multiplies the loaves and fish to feed 5,000 men. Then He walks on water to rescue His disciples.Join Pastor Daryl as he journeys through the entire Bible. Visit the podcast website here. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.Read or subscribe to his devotional at simplythebible.blog. Visit the church website. If you enjoy Simply the Bible, please give us a rating and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. That helps us a lot!

March 20, 2025

The Feeding of the Five Thousand - John 6:1-15, Rev. Eugene Kim by CGS Media

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Feeding Five Thousand Series: The Gospel of Luke Scripture: Luke 9:7-17 Date: March 2nd, 2025 Preacher: Joshua Kirstine The post Feeding Five Thousand first appeared on Disciples Church.

Jesus displays His supernatural power so that you will make Him your spiritual pursuit.

Mark 6:30-44The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 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. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 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. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 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?” 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.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 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. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

John 6 : 5 - 14 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. 7 Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little." 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, 9 "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" 10 Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost." 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world." Glory be to God forever.

If you heard our last episode, you already know the case against Toforest Johnson is riddled with problems—key witnesses recanted, no physical evidence tied him to the crime, and even the original prosecutor now says he deserves a new trial. But there's even more to this story. In this follow-up conversation, investigative journalist Beth Shelburne peels back the layers of the case and shares what she uncovered while making Earwitness. We go deep into the tangled web of unreliable witnesses, missed leads, and the political forces keeping Toforest behind bars. Beth also reveals disturbing new details—ones that never made it into the courtroom but could change everything. What happens when the truth is clear, but the system refuses to listen? And how close is Toforest to finally seeing justice? Listen in—because this fight is far from over. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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In Mark 6:32-50, we see two powerful moments that reveal Jesus' compassion and authority - the feeding of the five thousand and His miraculous walk on water. Through these events, Jesus not only meets the physical needs of His followers but also calls them to trust Him completely, even in the midst of uncertainty and fear. Just as He provided for the hungry crowd and calmed the disciples' fears on the stormy sea, He is still our provider and sustainer today. Join us as we explore how this passage challenges us to trust Jesus in every situation, knowing that He is always with us.

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Martin Wagner January 19, 2025 Faith Presbyterian Church Birmingham, ALBulletinThank you for listening! Please visit us at www.faith-pca.org.

Originally preached on June 22, 1975 at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Greenville, SC. To contact us or hear more sermons, reach out to us at wtbi.org.

“Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.” (John 6:11 NLT) Crowds followed Jesus wherever He went. People couldn’t get enough of His healing miracles. When He crossed the Sea of Galilee and headed for a remote hillside for some alone time, 5,000 men (along with an untold number of women and children) joined Him. But only one of them packed food for the journey. A young boy carried five barley loaves and two small fish. The hilly location was miles and miles away from anyplace that sold food. And even if such a place could be found, the disciples couldn’t pick up the tab for a party of five-thousand-plus. So one of them, Andrew, did the only thing he could think of. He brought the boy with the loaves and fish to Jesus. Notice the first thing Jesus did after He accepted the boy’s food: He gave thanks. No matter how meager the resources might have seemed, they were a gift from God, and He treated them like one. Then He broke off piece after piece of the five loaves and two fish and handed them to His disciples to distribute. And He didn’t stop until 5,000 men, along with the women and children, had been fed. What little the boy had to offer was more than enough to impact thousands of people. Jesus helped His followers see that it’s not how much you have that matters, but rather who’s distributing it. What seems inadequate to us may be just enough to accomplish something incredible. After witnessing Jesus’ miracle, the crowd got overly excited and tried to make Him their king. They imagined Him using His powers against the Roman Empire. But Jesus had a much greater role to fulfill, so He quietly slipped away into the hills for some much-needed alone time. He had met the people’s needs, but He had no interest in meeting their expectations. That night, when His disciples couldn’t find Him, they got in their boat and rowed back across the Sea of Galilee without Him. They didn’t get far. The Sea of Galilee was known for its sudden, violent storms. It sits 600 feet below sea level. When the sun sets and the air cools, the wind rushes in from the west and churns the waves. The disciples were headed west, toward Capernaum, so they were heading directly into the storm. After several hours of rowing, they had made it only halfway across. The physical conditions that held back the disciples had no effect on Jesus. He walked across the water toward His disciples. In the darkness, they couldn’t see that their salvation was coming. They thought the figure approaching them across the water was a ghost, until Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” (verse 20 NLT). Jesus’ followers invited Him into their boat—and into their struggles. And they immediately and miraculously arrived at their destination. Jesus’ way may seem scary at times, but when we invite Him into our struggles, He will make sure we get where we need to be. — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Father Edward Looney reads and comments on The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich.Day 184Volume 3FROM THE SECOND CONVERSION OF MAGDALEN TO THE DELIVERY OF THE KEYS TO PETERChapter 12: The Feeding of the Five ThousandLEARN MORE - USE COUPON CODE ACE25 FOR 25% OFFThe Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich Four-Book Set - https://bit.ly/3QVreIsThe Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/4bPsxRmThe Life and Revelations of Anne Catherine Emmerich Two-Book Set - https://bit.ly/3yxaLE5The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/3wTRsULMary Magdalen in the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/4brYEXbThe Mystical City of God Four-Book Set - https://bit.ly/44Q9nZbOur Lady of Good Help: Prayer Book for Pilgrims - https://bit.ly/3Ke6O9SThe Life of Jesus Christ in a Year: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich is a podcast from TAN that takes you through one of the most extraordinary books ever published. Follow along daily as Father Edward Looney works his way through the classic four-volume set, The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations, by reading a passage from the book and then giving his commentary. Discover the visions of the famous 19th-century Catholic mystic, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, a nun who was privileged by God to behold innumerable events of biblical times.Anne Catherine's visions included the birth, life, public ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the founding of His Church. Besides describing persons, places, events, and traditions in intimate detail, she also sets forth the mystical significance of these visible realities. Here is the infinite love of God incarnate and made manifest for all to see, made all the more striking and vivid by the accounts Blessed Anne has relayed.Listen and subscribe to The Life of Jesus Christ in a Year: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich on your favorite podcast platform or at EmmerichPodcast.com.And for more great ways to deepen your faith, check out all the spiritual resources available at TANBooks.com and use Coupon Code ACE25 for 25% off your next order.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   In this episode, I continue my exposition of the book of Matthew with Jesus' feeding of the five thousand in Matthew 14:13-21. Transcript:   Introduction Pictures from Apple Annies 1.    Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand, Matthew 14:13-21 13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 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. The Prophet Like Moses.  ·       Here is the second “banquet” in this chapter.  This is not as lavish as Herod's but it was much better spiritually.  All four of the gospels record this feeding.  This reveals the importance of the event.  They are in a lonely place or desert on the northeast side of the lake.  There are Old Testament parallels to this event: o  Elisha's feeding 100 men with 30 loaves in 2 Kings 4:42-44 o  Moses feeding the Israelites with the manna in Exodus 16:11, “11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.'” §  This is Jesus' way of pointing to himself as the New Moses or as the Prophet Moses predicted would come.  In Deuteron0my 18:15 it says, “15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him… 17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. 13  Jesus' Compassion 13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. ·       Jesus withdrew in order to deal with the loss of his relative and also to escape the potential political pressure or persecution coming from Herod Antipas.  Jesus is seeking solitude in his grief.  However, when he sees the crowds waiting for him, Jesus' compassion is triggered and he puts aside any thoughts of “me-time” and instead he heals, helps and feeds the crowd.  Jesus reveals how when tough times hit, we want solitude and we also want people around us to comfort us.  His motives rise to the surface as he reveals compassion to the crowds and heals, teaches and feeds them.  Jesus' ministry was a combination of preaching, healing and teaching.  What can we apply here? o  There is a time for solitude and recovery o  There are times when we are called to serve even in the midst of difficulty, persecution, tiredness and sadness. o  Compassion needs to drive our behavior.  It's easy to get cold and clinical when we see people in need.  We let ourselves off the hook by pointing out people's mistakes and failures that led to their problems.  Jesus could have done that with every one of us.  He still has compassion on each one of us.  Don't get to the point where you are driving away people from you because there is no compassion in your heart.  15-18  “Give and it will be given to you.”  15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”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.  ·       The disciples are tired.  Jesus is tired and grieving.  They want to send the people away.  Jesus says they don't need to.  They don't even have enough food to feed themselves and Jesus asks for that. Jesus follows an Old Testament Pattern when he asks his disciples to give him what they do have.  This follows a pattern seen in 1 Kings 17:10 in a story about Elijah, “10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”13 Elijah said to her, “Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.'”15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. Keep the bread and skip the miracle o  The lady only has a handful of flour, she's about to die of starvation and the prophet says, I know that, but feed me first.  If you want to see amazing things happen, it starts with giving up everything you currently have.  You have to sacrifice.  You have to take that first step of faith.  You have to let go of what you are counting on, worshipping or putting your trust in.  Jesus said in Matthew 9:29, “According to your faith will it be done.”  You have to make that initial investment of faith, even if it's really small.  Like the woman in the story, who only had a little flour and oil, she sacrificed it and gave it to Elijah.  God saw the faith and multiplied the little she had.  Miracles start with faith.  Jesus will often ask you to “prime the pump” by sacrificing something important to you before he opens up the blessings. §  Financial blessing:  “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse and see if I won't open the floodgates of blessings.”  Malachi §  Spiritual growth:  Let go of the sin in repentance and God will open the door to heaven for you. §  Relational blessings:  Give up the bad relationship and allow God to bring you someone or something better §  Example 19-21  The Original Lord's Supper.  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. ·       The verbs used here, “take, gave thanks, broke, gave” all are replicated at the last supper and when he had a meal with the two disciples on the way to Emmaus in Luke 24:30, “30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.”    Paul repeats this format in 1 Corinthians 11:23-24, “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”   This is a foreshadowing of the LORD's supper.  Scholars consider this a foretaste of the Messianic Banquet in Matthew 26:29.  The Miracle ·       Simple food.  Have you ever tasted “Ezekiel” bread?  It's pretty plain.  The bread these people were eating was like that, barley bread and plain fish.  That was it.  It wasn't like Herod's delicious dinner.  Jesus offered very plain fare.  Sometimes we don't serve people because we feel like it has to be super fancy.  It has to come straight out of Pinterest or Better Homes and Gardens.  This keeps us from serving people and connecting with people more often.  We are overshooting it.  Next time, just serve your basic food, that's all that's needed. o  Pictures of James' dinner ·       God works through people.  Who gave out the bread?  The disciples.  God works through imperfect people to do miracles.  ·       Mystery Miracle.  How did the miracle happen?  We don't know.  What did it look like?  It must have been amazing, but only God knows. ·       The miraculous power of a full stomach.  All ate and had their fill.  12 baskets get picked up afterward.  This isn't like the communion bread we are “snacking” on Sundays.  Everyone had a full stomach and there is much more food left over than there was when the disciples handed Jesus the little they had.  They were satisfied.  Food brings people together and provides temporary satisfaction and contentment.  That's the power of food, fellowship and Bible teaching, it builds unity, joy and satisfaction.  It's a powerful combination.  It's how you build a church.  You build it on brotherhood, the Bible and breaking bread together.  There were five thousand men plus women and children.  Jesus said, let nothing be wasted.  They picked it up and used it later.   Conclusion: We've seen two banquets, one fancy and one plain.  One brought destruction and one brought life, healing and deeper faith.  ·       Jesus has the power to provide in abundance, to amaze us with his miracles. ·       He works through people to help others ·       His compassion is what drives him and us ·       Push through tiredness and resistance to give ·       Give what you have.  You can keep your bread but you'll skip the miracle ·       Serve people don't send them away ·       Believe Jesus has the capacity to multiply and meet our needs   Next Steps: ·       Grow in compassion.  Learn to serve and give even when you are tired, grieving and running low on resources.  Jesus sets the example. ·       Bring people to Jesus, don't send them away.  In a couple of weeks we are going to have a neighbor day.  This is a small recreation of this meal in the desert.  We bring people to hear Jesus' words and then we feed them.  Let's bring people because we feel compassion for them.  Let's not imitate the disciples who said, “send them away.”  Let's bring people to Jesus and serve them.  Let's have the heart of Jesus in his desire to meet people's spiritual and physical needs.