Pandemic Preaching - Running Out of Food

 Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

"About this time another large crowd had gathered, and the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a long distance.”

His disciples replied, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?”

Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?”

“Seven loaves,” they replied.

So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd. A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed these and told the disciples to distribute them.

They ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. There were about 4,000 men in the crowd that day, and Jesus sent them home after they had eaten."

Mark 8:1-9

Both Mark and Matthew recorded that Jesus fed a multitude of people, twice.

The first was a group of people estimated at 5,000. Then this one (ftom the excerpt above) about a thousand less, at around 4,000 men (not counting the women and children).

10 Takeaways

There are at least 10 things we can take home (to feast on) from this narrative.

1. There was another large crowd who was listening to what Jesus had to say. And I dare say that such crowds might not have been unusual. We've seen this kind in sports arenas, convention centers and big tents back in the day.

2. People or at least those people went out of their way to hear what Jesus was teaching.

3. These people were gone for days following Jesus around (like groupies), and they kept at it even when they run out of food.

4. The disciples of Jesus were still questioning Him as to how to feed this hungry crowd, even after they already saw Him feed a bigger crowd of people.

5. Someone also gave up the food they have to give to Jesus, when He asked for it. This is the only time we saw Jesus ask for food -- to help feed them and a multitude of hungry people.

6. The people listened to what Jesus told them to do, to be fed.

7. Jesus said grace. He thanked God for their food. He blessed the food. (Not a bad idea to pray for our food before we eat them as we don't know how safe they are and considering everything going genetically modified).

8. Jesus had the food distributed to the hungry.

9. People ate, until they were full.

10. The food was more than enough. And they were sent home full.

The followers of Jesus needed only to spare what they have (their time and a few pieces of bread, and small fish).

Jesus does the rest (the heavy lifting).

Yes like what the previous message was telling us: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (necessities) will be added to you."

People need not go hungry with physical food when they first seek after spiritual food -- the manna that comes from above, the bread of life, the Word of God, Jesus of Nazareth.

Multitude of people still following the (Spirit of the) Lord

Pandemic Preaching