Msg #2036 Feed Five Thousand
What The Bible Says
Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
 
The feeding of the five thousand recorded in Matthew 14 has more impact when one reviews the rejection of the King and Messiah in 12, the results in the kingdom taught in parable in 13, and the vile slaughter of John the Baptist in 14. The depravity of man was on full display, as it is today, but the compassion of the Lord Jesus Christ was undiminished. I would that Christians displayed it undiminished today.
In all four gospels Jesus told the disciples to meet the needs of this multitude, and their response was, “we can't”, “we can't”, “we can't”, and “we can't”. It should be obvious he does not want to hear that response. Look at the principles found in Matt 14:15-21. He assigned the disciples to the task and asked them to bring him the resources that they had. Their resources were wholly inadequate for the job, but he insisted on using them anyway. Our puny resources in the hands of an almighty God, set out for his almighty purposes, meet the needs of multitudes. It is by his power, not mine, it is the Bread of Life who provides bread, the Fisher of Men who provides fish. When the disciples collected the twelve baskets that remained after the needs were met, they knew a miracle had occurred. When God uses the likes of me to see a soul saved it is as much a miracle today. When one sees a life born-again-saved and so changed that they follow the Lord in believers baptism, start telling friend and family what happened to them, reading their Bible incessantly, and praying with other born-again believers in a Bible believing church, the obvious miracle is such a blessing that they start rehearsing John 3:16-18 to everyone they meet. Let's get cracken.
 
An Essay for week #36 Sep 6, 2020
Msg in audio at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/audio

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A weekly 300 word essay- The Penny Pulpit
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