The feeding of the 4000 vs. 1-9

• Learning a lesson – again…
  • A very large crowd had been with Jesus for 3 days without food…
  • He had compassion – did not want to sent them away without food – they might faint
  • He called His disciples to Him to see what they would do…
    • Jesus could have taken care of the problem without their help
    • But this was another opportunity to remind/teach the Disciples a lesson…
  • The disciples answered – where can we get enough bread in the wilderness?
    • Amazing that they would have so soon forgot the lessons of the 5000
    • Rather than looking to the answer – they were looking to the world
    • They saw the 4000 men (+ woman and kids) – they saw the wilderness – with no food
    • But they missed who was right in front of them – Jesus!
    • We might have the tendency to judge the disciples – how quickly they forgot!
    • But we are just like them – we see God do amazing things in our lives
    • But the next time we face a trial – we look back to the world for answers…
    • We constantly need reminders to keep looking to Jesus– we have a short memory
  • Jesus asked them, ‘How many loaves do you have’…
    • There is a hint here – Jesus does not ask them to find food for everyone
    • He just asks them what they already had
    • Their answer –7 loaves – they also had 2 fish – not very much among so many…
  • The same lesson they learned with the feeding of the 5000
    • If they had 500kilos of rice and 500 fish it would not have been enough!
    • But it did not matter what they had – only who they gave it to!
    • In the hands of Jesus – the NOT MUCH they saw – was MORE than ENOUGH
    • We tend to look at the challenges we face in life in light of our resources
    • How much money we have, our talents, our friends-family, time
    • And more often than not they are a lot less than is needed… that’s the point
    • Jesus wants us to learn that it is not about what we have
    • When we give the NOT MUCH we have to Him– He makes it MORE than ENOUGH!
  • Jesus had them all sit – and He took the loaves and fish…
    • He gave thanks – and gave to the disciples – who gave to the crowd
    • Notice that Jesus did not feed the crowds – the disciples did…
    • Everyone ate and were filled – with 7 LARGE baskets left over…
    • They started with 7 loaves and ended with 7 LARGE baskets!
    • The Lord wants to bless us and make our lives a blessing to others…
    • As we give the NOT MUCH we have to Jesus and he makes it MORE than ENOUGH
    • We then get to bless others with the abundance that Jesus gives back to us
    • AND there is always plenty left over as God blesses us!

Seeking a Sign… vs. 10-13

• The Pharisees & Sadducees… 
  • Jesus crossed back over to the western shores of the Galilee – Jewish country
  • For the 1^st time both the Pharisees and Sadducees – challenged Jesus…
    • These groups had very different theologies – they agreed about very little!
      • The Pharisees were ultra-conservative – strict – orthodox Jews
      • The Sadducees were ultra-liberal – “forward” thinking Jews
    • They like to attack each other – but came together in unity – to come against Jesus!
      • The amazing thing is that often people do not agree about much
      • But they will agree not to like Jesus – or you when you stand for Jesus
      • If you want to get drunk, gamble, cheat, get into fights, stay out at late at discos…
      • People don’t mind much – often cause they do (or did) the same things
      • But if you want to go to Bible studies – get baptized – then they get upset
      • It is not you – the Bible study – or the baptism – its Jesus they don’t like!
  • This is the 2^nd time Jesus was “tested” – seeking a sign from heaven – Matthew 12:38
    • They were not specific as to what exactly they were looking for…
      • But considering what had happened since they first asked Jesus for a sign…
      • Jesus fed 5000+ people with 5 loaves and 2 fish / He walked on water!
      • Cast out the demon from the Syro-Phoenician woman’s daughter
      • Fed another 4000 people with 7 loaves and 2 small fish!
      • It appears it was not really a sign from Heaven they wanted
      • If those weren’t a sign Jesus was the promised messiah – what would be…
    • The problem was not the lack of a sign…
      • Jesus could have done 10,000 miracles – they still would not have believed
      • The problem was not with Jesus – the problem was with their hearts…
      • The Pharisees and Sadducees did not want to believe in Jesus
      • They were looking for an opportunity to show Him as an fake
  • Jesus knowing that – asked them why they sought (another) sign
    • In Matthew 16:2 – Jesus notes they were able to read the signs of the ‘weather’
      • On a really hot – windy day – with dark clouds – we know that rain is coming!
      • But if it is a clear day – with no clouds – and pleasant  – no rain – obvious!
    • They could observe something as apparent as the weather
      • But they missed the simple truth that God was standing right before them!
      • Or more likely they choose not to see it…
      • Ever wonder why people miss Jesus – certainly it is not because He is hidden
      • It is REALY easy to find Jesus – Yet somehow people seem to miss Him…
      • Why doesn’t everyone want to be in church to hear about the Good news…
      • John 3:19-20 –  “Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.  They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished.”
      • It is not that they cannot find Jesus – it is that they do no want Him…
      • Men stay away from Jesus because they love their sin
      • They think that they will have to give up the wonderful sin in their life…
      • Like misery – loneliness – hangovers – bitter marriages – emptiness…
      • Yet men are convinced their sin is better than Christ!
  • No sign will be given to this generation…
    • The ‘no sign’ according to Matthew 16:4 – was the sign of Jonah – 3 days and 3 nights…
      • Just as the prophet Jonah was 3 days and 3 night in the belly of the whale…
      • Jesus would also be 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth…
      • The cross – 3 days later – the resurrection – the only sign that brings salvation!
      • We might think that if only we (or someone we know) could see a miracle
      • Or if we could just see Jesus face to face…
      • That would be all that was needed in order to really believe in Jesus
      • The Pharisees & Sadducees saw it all – and it was not enough
      • What is necessary to believe is the message of the Gospel – the Cross of Jesus
      • People don’t need to see miracles – need to hear the Good News – Romans 1:16

Beware of the Leaven… vs. 13-21

• The Leaven of the Pharisees & Sadducees… vs. 13-16
  • Jesus and the disciples left – perhaps quickly – and the disciples forgot to bring bread
  • Jesus told them to beware the leaven of the Pharisees (religion) and of Herod (world)…
    • Take heed – look with your eyes – observe…
    • Beware – cautiously pay attention to – don’t overlook or miss
    • Leaven – also called yeast – the main ingredient that causes bread to rise
      • Yeast is a micro-organism – plant – begins to decay when it touches flour
      • The gas given off by the process causes bread to puff up and rise
      • A little leaven is all that is needed to saturate a whole batch of bread dough
      • Often used in the Bible as a picture of sin – imitating the ability to spread
      • Decay – and cause men to be puffed up with pride
  • The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant…
    • They kept reasoning among themselves (imperfect) what Jesus meant…
      • They did not know what Jesus was talking about – but they also did not ask…
      • The most logical assumption they came up with – they forgot to bring bread
      • There are a couple of problems with the disciples “logic”…
      • First they were only looking at the natural
        • They were so caught up in their own mistake – their circumstances
        • That they missed the lesson that Jesus was trying to teach them
        • Often when Jesus is trying to teach us something in our lives
        • We only see our mistakes – rather than the lesson He is teaching us
        • If we mess up – we think that God is disappointed in us
        • Rather than considering what He might be trying to teach us
        • Perhaps the simple lesson – learning not to trust/rely on ourselves
      • Second they depended on their reason – rather than seeking God’s
        • When we don’t understand what is happening in our lives
        • We attempt to reason out our circumstances – why is this happening…
        • We go so far as to ask others what they think – but we miss God
        • He has the right answer all along – if we would just ask Him
        • Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD…”
          
• Do you not understand… vs. 17-21
  • Jesus knowing what they were talking about – asks them…
  • Remember – the 5 loaves and the 5000 / the 7 loaves and the 4000…
    • How many basket did you take up – the answer was 12 and 7
    • The point is simple – Jesus was not worried about bread
    • If he could take so little (5 or 7 loaves) and feed 9,000+ people
    • He was not concerned about whether they remembered to bring bread!
    • The Lord is not concerned about being able to provide for our daily needs
      • He can feed thousands with 12 loaves of bread…
      • It is not struggle for God to provide for everything that we need
    • He is concerned about us growing stronger in our relationship with Him
      • I know many people who work on Sunday because they needed more money
      • But when you ask them if they are any richer for their efforts… not a one
      • Then ask them if they have a close relationship with Jesus… not a one
  • How is it you did not understand that I did not speak to you about bread…
    • The disciples remembered how many men had been fed – but they missed the point
    • They only saw the physical and missed the lesson Jesus was trying to teach them
    • Beware of the teaching/influence of the Pharisees (religious) & Herod (the world)…
    • Jesus warning is to be careful of the influence of religion and the world
    • Religion trying to teach us we can be good enough to get to heaven – self righteous
    • The world trying to teach us to live for today – eat/drink – not worry about heaven
    • The truth is there is only one way to heaven – faith in Jesus Christ… 
    • And Jesus wants to draw us closer to Him – then providing for our needs is a given!