St Matthew, Chapter14, verse: 24, The Test of Heart: The Test begins.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus walks on the water) Part 2.  

Christ was on the land.  The disciples were on the water in the boat and they were without Christ.  He had sent them away.  He put them on a boat and sent them to the other side of the sea, alone.  For he was to come later after dismissing the crowds and going up to the mountain to pray.  But the disciples did not know that this was their test.  They did not understand the training they were receiving through Christ.  Time was short.  The sacrifice had to be made.  And the disciples must be prepared to take their places here on earth for the coming battle for the souls of men.  So they had to be tested to make sure that they understood.

They witnessed the miracle of the multiplication.  They had witnessed many miracles, the lame walked, the blind saw, and evil was cast out.  They saw these things take place before their eyes.  They heard Christ say to them, feed the people yourselves.  But they did not understand.  They did not know.  They did not believe what was happening before their very eyes, into their very ears and filling their very hearts with the glory of Christ to come.  They would become the leaders.  They would become the preachers.  They would become the shepherds of the people leading them to Christ, leading them to life.  So they had to understand, they had to know, they had to believe what was happening to them, with them, and in them.  They were being transformed.   But the boat was in the midst of the sea, buffeted by the waves, for the wind was against them. 

The wind was against them and they were being tested.  For they had not seen such wind before.  They had not known such peril before.  They had not believed that they would survive before because the boat was being buffeted by the waves.  The boat was being tossed about by the sea.  The boat was being pushed from side to side to capsize and they were with fear.  They were the 
disciples of Christ.  They had given up their all to follow him.  They were being taught the principles of the kingdom of heaven that they may carry the message to others.  But now they were alone.  Now they were without Christ.  Now they were with fear.  For they were told to feed the people themselves and they did not know how.  They were told to give them something to eat but they believed that they could not.  They wanted to dismiss the people and send them back into the world.

Would they believe?  Would they know?  Would they understand the transformation that was taking place within them?  They were without Christ and the test came.  The test of belief came upon them that they would believe in the transformation taking place within them.  Would they fear for their lives.  Would they run away in shame?  Or would they pass the test and believe.  Christ was not with them and the boat was being tossed by the waves.  Fear was coming upon them and they would not believe.  Would it become life or death?  In this moment of testing would they forsake all that they had seen and heard and believed, to turn away from Christ.  Or would they pass the test and take courage, strengthening their faith in Christ completing the transformation.

Christ was not with them and they were in the sea being buffeted by the waves.  Would you believe?  Would you hold to your faith?  Would you glorify God in your last hour?  The disciples faced the test on the open waters.  There was no place to go.  There was no place to hide.  There was no place that would protect them.  There was only the fear of death and drowning.  They were without Christ and believed that they would perish.  The miracle of the multiplication did not make them believe.  Perhaps a stronger demonstration of the power and the glory of God was needed that they may know the truth of their belief and the solidity of their faith in Christ.  Do you believe?  Do you see?  Do you know the truth of your faith.  Do you believe in Christ?  Or, do you have faith built upon sand, faith that crumbles in times of sorrow and pain and trials and tribulations.  There is but one God.  There is but one truth.  There is but one belief that gives life.  Will you pass the test?

St Matthew, Chapter 14, verses:19 - 20a, The Needs of the People: The Multiplication Miracle.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus feeds five thousand) Part 3.   

And Christ told his disciples to bring the five loaves and the two fishes to him and he would demonstrate what needed to be done.  The disciples wanted to dismiss the people.  The disciples wanted the people to leave.  The disciples wanted the people to go away, to be on their own, to leave them, so that they could find peace.  But Christ did not want the people to leave.  Christ did not want to dismiss the people.  Christ did not want to send them away because they did not have food to feed the people.  Christ was their food.  Christ was their drink.  Christ was their clothing.  Christ was their all and the disciples did not understand.

The disciples did not know.  The disciples did not totally see Christ.  They did not see who he had made them to become and therefore did not understand.  For Christ wanted the disciples to feed the people.  Christ wanted the disciples to give them drink.  Christ wanted the disciples to clothe the people, to provide shelter, to provide protection, to provide for all their needs.  And they did not understand that they could do these things or, that they would do these things in Christ's name.  So they wanted to send the people away.  They needed to have the people leave.  They needed to separate themselves from the people that they may find rest for their own needs.  But who would provide for the people?  Who would give them food?  Who would teach the ways of the kingdom of heaven if the disciples did not understand who they were and what was their mission?

So Christ had to demonstrate the power that they would be given.  Christ had to show the disciples who they would become.  Christ had to, once again, provide an example for them to follow.   And when he had ordered the crowd to recline on the grass, he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.   And all ate and were satisfied.

And so Christ gave his disciples an example to follow to do the multiplication miracle.  He showed them what to do.  And they saw with their own eyes how the miracle happened.  Yet it happened before their very eyes.  He gave them the loaves that was broken.  He gave them the fish that was broken into pieces.  And they gave it to the people.  The basket was passed around and each person eat from it.  Each person took their fill.  Each person ate their fill and the basket never emptied.  The basket never stopped multiplying.  The food continued to fill itself until the last person took from it.  And the basket was never empty.  The basket never stopped replenishing itself.  The basket continued to multiply the fish and the pieces of bread to feed the people.  This was the miracle.  This was the multiplication.  This was the work of Christ and the work that the disciples would do, to feed the people. 

We live in a rational world today.  We have science and math and history and believe that all is possible through our own ability to understand and explain our world and how it works.  Our achievements have surpassed all other achievements in the entire history of mankind.  We have achieved space.  We have reached for the stars.  We can see the distant Milky Way and other galaxies.  In our eyes our achievements are endless.  All this is given to us as men of achievement that we may believe in ourselves.  We  must believe that we can achieve.  We must believe that given time we will achieve all things.  We will tame the winds, calm the storms, understand the earthquakes, create rains and make the sun shine to our liking.  All these things we believe that we can do if we only believe in ourselves and throw off the beliefs of the past.

What, would you believe?  Christ tells us that he is the son of the one true God who is the father of all creation.  Christ tells us that the father loves us, will provide for us, will protect us if we only believe in him and heed his commandments.  And to those who do believe, he will provide a counselor to come and abide with him/her that we may know the truth.  Christ performed the miracle of multiplication of the loaves and the fishes before the eyes of his disciples.  The name of Jesus still brings forth miracles today, to the sick, and the lame, and the downtrodden.   But, we live in a world of achievements, a world that turns our beliefs away from God and towards ourselves.  How would you respond to a miracle performed before your eyes?  Do you believe that our achievements will be able to explain how it happened?  Would our science give meaning to the miracle?  Christ performed miracles.  The disciples performed miracles.  When will you realize that you are a miracle in Christ?  Come, feed the people.  Satisfy their needs!  For you are one in Christ and in Christ all things are.