St Matthew, Chapter 14, verse: 16, The Needs of the People: Christ's ability.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus feeds five thousand) Part 1.    

The people came.  They came looking for Christ.  They heard the word.  They heard that John the Baptist was murdered and they came looking for Christ to satisfy their needs.  Christ saw their needs and was moved with compassion.  He cured their sick.  He preached the good news of the kingdom.  He restored hope.  He instilled faith.  He gave them assurance.  For chaos had come.  Doubt had come.  Fear began to spread throughout, taking away faith, taking away hope.   But Christ was there and the people sought him for guidance. 

The disciples walked at his side.  The disciples saw the miracles first hand.  The disciples heard the words of heavenly wisdom from the King of Kings, yet not really knowing him.  They watched him cure the sick.  They watched him heal the lame and oppressed.  They saw the casting out of demons.  They knew that he was different.  But they did not know.  The disciples were filled by his presence.  The disciples were at peace in his surroundings because he protected them.  The disciples knew hope from the present day worries through him, but they did not know him.  Christ filled them.  Christ nurtured them.  Christ taught them.  He gave them his blessings that they may perform miracles.  Yet they did not know.  They only knew what was before them and not what was in them.

The night was drawing near and the crowd was large.  There was no food to feed the people and the disciples became worried.  They thought about the needs.  They thought about the consequences.  They thought about the anger and frustration of the people.  The people would come upon them with their frustration and they did not know what to do.  They did not know what was in them so they feared.  The disciples came to Christ and pleaded that he release the people that they may go into the villages and towns and buy food to eat.   The disciples wanted Christ to dismiss the people and send them away for they feared of not meeting the needs of the people.  But Jesus said to them, " They do not need to go away; you yourselves give them some food."    

The disciples did not know what was in them.  They did not know the power that Christ had bestowed upon them.  They did not see the strength that he had given to them within.  They did not understand the glory of his presence that rubbed off on them.  But they wanted to send the people away.  They did not understand what to do with the people.  They did not know that they had the power, through Christ, to feed the people, to satisfy their hunger.  They only wanted to send them away, back to the pits, the trials, the temptations, the sin.  Christ said to the disciples, you yourself feed them, but they did not understand.  

Too often today lost souls come to Christ through the church.  Christ said, you yourself feed them but we do not.  They hunger for spiritual food and we do not feed them.  They are fed scrapes.  They are fed crumbs.  They are fed pieces of what is to be, only to return hungry for more.  Church people are addicted to pieces.  They are addicted to scrapes, not knowing that they can be filled and hunger no more.  But how can you feed the people if you are hungry yourself?  How can you feed the people if you are not filled yourself?  How can you feed the people if you do not know what is in you, yourself?   You will only give scrapes.  You will only give pieces.  You will only give crumbs if you are not filled and overflowing yourself.  Christ told his disciples to feed the people themselves.  They did not know they had the Holy Spirit within them.  They did not know the power of the Holy Spirit to satisfy all needs.  Do you know the Holy Spirit?  Feed the people!   

St Matthew, Chapter 11, verses: 11, John the Baptist, the messenger.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ's witness concerning John) Part 3. 

Christ has witnessed to John the Baptist.  He has told the crowds that John was the messenger that was written about in the scriptures.  He was the one who would proclaim the coming of the Messiah as was written.  John was the choosen prophet of God who would be sent before the face of Christ and would prepare the way of the Lord by preaching repentence and baptizing the people in prepapration for the coming of the kingdom of heaven.

Christ now proclaims the greatness of John.  He tells the people,  "Amen I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen a greater than John theBaptist."   Christ wants the crowds to know of John.  He wants them to understand that John was the real deal, that he preached truth and knowledge and wisdom.  John knew the Messiah.  There was no doubt or scandal in John for he was a holy man and Christ proclaims his greatness.  For of all men born before John, including all the prophets, John is the greatest.  He was loved of God and spoke God's message to the people.  There is not scandal in his words.  

So John the Baptist is great on earth, but Christ tells of John's presences in heaven.  He tells the crowds, "Yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."     John is great on earth but in heaven there is one greater.  The least in heaven is greater than John.  The least in heaven has received more glory than John.  The least in heaven has more power and prestige that John, because the least in heaven is Christ.  Christ came to serve mankind.  He came to give of himself and not to be served, though he deserves to be served and honored, he choose to give up his heavenly power and glory to come to earth to save mankind from damnation.  Christ is humility.  He is the source of all humility.  For he humbled himself for the sake of those who knew not humility.  He humbled himself for those who knew not love.  He humbled himself so that we could all have life in the father and salvation in the kingdom of heaven.

Are you humble in the eyes of God?  Do you know who is the least in heaven?  In our society today humility is not a trait to be desired.  We are to be bold.  We are to be daring.  We are to be people of passion and power.  For this is the way of the world and the way that the world tells us that we are to succeed.  Be bold!  Be daring!  Be full of power!  But do not be humble for the humble are walked upon.  The humble are laughed at.  The humble are scoffed at, ridiculed, and belittled.  They are the ones who do not succeed in this world because they do not take the world by the horns.  Christ was a humble man who died for us all.  He came to earth to show us how to live a humble life.  And he is the King of Kings and the Lord of Hosts and sites at the right hand of God.  Are you the least at work?  Are you the least at home?  Are you the least at church?  Are you the least in the market, at the mall, in the grocery store, at the club, in the restaurant, wherever you are?  Are you the least?  Christ gave us the example of humility to follow.  When will we learn the power in being the least in Christ?