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.

St Matthew, Chapter 14, verses: 17 - 18, The Needs of the People: Christ's Demonstration.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus feeds five thousand) Part 2.   

And the disciples did not know.  They saw with their eyes, heard with their ears, but they did not perceive with their hearts.  For they had not seen of such before.  They had not heard of such before.  They had not understood of such before by any man.  Yet Christ was before them.  Christ was with them.  Christ was in them and they did not understand.  They were surrounded by masses of people.  They were with hundreds or even thousands of fellow countrymen who were lost.  There were many with needs that they could not fill.  And the disciples were overwhelmed.  And Christ saw their needs and the needs of his disciples.

Christ understood.  Christ knew of their needs.  Christ wanted to fulfill their needs but his time had not yet come, for his sacrifice would fill the needs of all mankind for all eternity.  And the disciples did not know.  For life was in Christ.  Life flowed from Christ and he wanted to give it to the people and his disciples that they would know the truth.  The people were in need.  They needed a leader.  They needed a guide.  They needed love.  They needed.   And Christ was their to fulfill their needs.  But the disciples did not know.  The disciples did not understand.  The disciples did not see the truth of fulfillment within themselves.  So they brought their needs to Christ.

But Christ told them, you, yourselves feed them.  Christ told them, in so many words, they had to power to feed the people.  Christ told them, in so many words, they could feed the people, but they did not understand.  They did not comprehend his words.  They only thought in terms of their earthly being.  They did not see the seed that was growing within them through Christ.  For he had planted the seeds of life within his disciples and growth was taking place.  Christ had watered the seeds of life and they were growing.  Christ had nurtured the seeds of life and they were growing.  Christ had protected the seeds of life within them and the evil one wanted to destroy the seeds.  The disciples did not understand.  Christ told them, you, yourself feed the people.  And they only thought with their human minds and responded with,  "We have here only five loaves and two fishes."

Therefore, Christ had to demonstrate to them what was possible.  Christ had to show them what to do.  Christ had to lead them that they may understand who they were in him.  So he told them  "Bring them here to me."  This is what the disciples had to do, bring all things to him.  Bring all problem, bring all sickness, bring all needs, bring all sorrows, bring all to him, for he would satisfy all needs.  And the disciples did not understand that the seed in them was Christ.

I found myself in a store the other day buying something to eat.  And a man was sitting at the table.  When I approached the condiments table he spoke to me.  His first question was how much was the sandwich I purchased.  I did not know because it was not an issue with me that I should be concerned with the cost of the item.  I knew that the cost was within my means to pay because I picked a place where I could buy something to eat for under $3.00.  Yet his question to me was how much did one sandwich cost.  I told him that I did not know and gave him an approximate amount that I thought it cost.  He continued to talk saying that they reminded him of a sandwich from his home town.  He was from up north.

The conversation was nothing special but what stayed with me was my reaction.  You see, I was afraid of the conversation.  I did not know who I am in Christ.  I feared that he was about to ask me for some money to buy something to eat.  I was afraid and I was only concerned for myself.  It was not about the money, it was about the need in him that I did not see.  I did not understand who I am in Christ and who he is in Christ.  Fear entered me and I was only concerned for myself.  I wanted him to ask me for some money so that I could give it to him and he could buy something to eat.  I am accustomed to giving to beggars and street people but this was up close.  I wanted to help him but I was afraid also.  I wanted him to ask me for some money that I may give it to him and then I could be on my way and not be concerned or committed with his needs.  I was selfish and only concerned with myself.    You see, I was detached and did not want to concern myself with his needs.   For concerning  myself with his needs meant getting involved, it meant getting close, it meant becoming attached.  And I was afraid for myself.

Christ is my provider.  Christ is my protector.  Christ is in me and yet I failed to be in him.  I failed to see the needs of that man.  I failed to listen to his concerns.  I failed to open my heart to his conversation that I might help his needs.  For I feared that it may concern me and I would be involved.  How do you help a person?  How do you love a stranger?  How do you fill the needs of a person that you do not know?  How do you overcome the fear of injury, the fear of harm, the fear of loss?  How do you open yourself up to a stranger?   He started the conversation and spoke out of his need.  I withdrew from the conversation and spoke out of my fear.   

I missed the opportunity to feed the people.  I missed the opportunity to bring him to Christ.  I missed the opportunity to open  my heart up to show the love of Christ in me to another person.  I missed the opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ in me.  Be open to the opportunity!  Realize that Christ is your provider, your protector.  He will provide and protect you no matter where you are or what you are doing, if you carry him with you.  Do you carry the seed within you?  Let him show you the way.  Open your heart to the opportunity and he will lead you to overflowing love and abundant life.  You, yourself, feed the people!

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!