LUKE 9:10-17 GET INVOLVED IN MIRACULOUS MINISTRY2023 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Luke 9:10-17 Get Involved In Miraculous Ministry

Well, here as we look at Luke Chapter 9 this evening, I've titled The Message Get involved in Miraculous Ministry. Get involved in miraculous ministry and I do want to encourage you to do that to be involved in a miraculous work. Of God every believer in Jesus Christ we often say is called to ministry. You can refer to every believer in Jesus as a full time Minister, although we typically think of that. As you know, someone on staff at a church full time. The reality is is that we are called to represent the Lord. All of the. Time not not even just 40 hours a week. How many ever hours there are in a week? 24/7 is easier math for me so 24/7 we are called to represent the Lord to be about our fathers business and and to be involved in the things that God has called us to, to serve him, to love him, to honor him. And to take advantage of opportunities that he gives to us. And so we're all ministers. But there is the opportunity for us many times to attempt to do the Lord's work, to attempt to do this. Things in a way that is through our own strength and our own efforts and we don't see much results. It's not very miraculous when it's our efforts that are involved or that are the primary focus of what it is that we're doing. All real ministry you could say is miraculous. There's the classic quote from Pastor Warren Wiersbe. He defines ministry this way. He says ministry takes place when divine resources meet human needs through loving channels to the glory of God and he talks about ministry in this way so that we recognize there there is the necessity of divine resources. Ministry cannot take place. With just human resources, even though you and I can have some good qualities and good traits, and we can develop some experience in talking to people and helping people in coming alongside and encouraging people, the reality is when we are attempting to do things. With our own resources solely Real Ministry cannot take place there. There has to be an element of the divine. There has to be a working of God and empowering of the holy. Hear it ministry takes place when Divine resources meet human needs and the idea here is that, well, people around us have needs, and there's a variety of needs there. There's internal needs that are unseen. There's physical needs that are apparent. There's financial needs, there's spiritual needs, there's. Mental needs emotional needs. There's a lot of needs around us and God is concerned about not just one of those needs. But he is concerned about all of those needs, and the Lord seeks to use his people to do ministry and to work and and address those needs that exist in the lives of the people around us. And So what we are called to do is to be the loving channels that would care enough about the needs of other people to receive the divine resources that are necessary to Minister. To the person that has the need there before us. And of course it is all done to the glory of God when we are seeking to do ministry to elevate ourselves to, you know, put a spotlight on ourselves. That's not real ministry. That's not what the Lord is calling us to the the real. Consideration the real. Active is for God to be glorified, and the idea there is. I am a recipient of God's work and as a recipient of God's work. I turn around and I want others to benefit and be blessed from that as well and I I want the Lord to be glorified because he has done such a great work in me. And so I pass along. The ministry, the comfort, the encouragement, the blessings, the resources, whatever might be taking place there to meet the need that is there for the. Glory of God. And so a great definition of ministry here to help us understand that as we think about getting involved in miraculous ministry, it's not a focus on really us as much as it is a focus on God and allowing God and inviting God to work through us to accomplish the things that he desires to. Accomplished and so one of the things that comes up. Of course, when you talk about ministry is the idea and the understanding of spiritual gifts. And I I have a different view, perhaps you might say than many people on spiritual gifts. As you read through them, I would believe that the primary passages of spiritual gifts. Ephesians 4 Romans 12 and 1st Corinthians 12. Speak about three different. Things not, let's put them all in one bucket and then. You know, count them up and that's how many gifts we have, but but I would put it this way. Ephesians chapter 4. Is talking about spiritual gifts, which are positions of authority within the body of Christ, and I'm not going to get into the details, and I've shared many teachings on these over the years, and so if you want to dig more into this, there's more opportunity and resources available for that, but but just to give a quick overview, Ephesians Chapter 4 Jesus gives. Gifts to the body of Christ, which are pastors and teachers, leaders, prophets. It's these positions of authority within the body of Christ so that the body can be equipped and united together and edified until we're all made perfect and complete. Then in Romans chapter 12 we have a different set of things talked about and described as spiritual gifts, and I refer to those as roles in the body and and so those are not necessarily offices like Ephesians Chapter 4 where you have this role and you always have this role. It's kind of a. A semi permanent position, no. The roles in the body are different things that are in action at any particular gathering of believers, and we'll spend more time talking about that this evening. So I'm not going to dig into that just right now, but then you have first Corinthians chapter 12. And this is the classic listing of spiritual gifts, which includes, like prophecy and tongues and discerning of spirits and those. And so I look at those and I would say that First Corinthians chapter 12, the spiritual gifts listed there is a toolbox that is available for every believer that the Holy Spirit can pull any. Of those tools. Out-of-the-box, for any believer at any time, there is a need as you fulfill your role in the body of Christ that that all of those. Gifts are possible for you at any moment in time as the Holy Spirit sees fit to equip you for the task at hand. And so you have leaders in the body. Ephesians 4 you have roles like general areas where you function and and where you are serving the Lord in different capacities. And then you have all the tools that you. Need as the Holy Spirit. Gives you a prophecy and discernment and all of those things that you need in order to be able to fulfill your role in the body of. Christ and so roles in the body is where I want to kind of consider and walk through this passage. Here in Luke Chapter 9, and perhaps you're wondering like where this is feeding the 5000 and he's talking to all this roles in the spiritual gifts, like what is going on here? Well, hopefully it'll make sense. We'll get there, but. Real quick to kind of recap. Some of the roles in the body of Christ, and these are the things I would ask you to consider in talking about getting involved in miraculous minutes. Story I'm really talking about these different roles and these ways that God may call you in in your life generally, or for a particular gathering or service for a particular event or for a particular capacity in your life in some way that that there are roles that God has defined and says look. This is what it looks like when the body of Christ gathers together. These are the kinds of things that are going on. These are the kind of things that are happening and and I often suggest that if we are gathering together, but these roles are not taking place. Then what we're doing is not a church gathering. What we're doing is something else. It's a club gathering. It's a fun gathering. It's something else, right? But when the body of Christ gathers and ministry is taking place, these are the things that are going on prophecy and and these are short definitions here to kind of give a sense. For what these different roles are to prophecy in this way is to share a timely message from God for someone and and a person might have that role generally in their life that that is a way that the word often used that uses them. But also I would suggest any individual person, any individual believer. At any particular gathering, whether it. Be a church service. Men's study or a women's study or a bump into each other at the grocery store gathering? You know, whatever type of gathering any believer can be given this role for those occasions. And so the Lord might give you that role to share a timely message from God for someone that you're giving the right word at the right time. And the Lord put that upon your heart to share with somebody with you or a group. Of people that are there. Ministry the role of ministry is to meet someone's practical needs. It's just practical service and sometimes that is. Again, there is needs around us and. God cares about. All of those needs, not just the need for salvation. That's one of many needs, and the most important need. But it's not the only need and so. Sometimes the Lord. Wants us to do his work of. Meeting someone's. Practical need, and so there is this role that is fulfilled. In the ministry as well, teaching is instructing someone in doctrine or Christian living, and, you know, as a pastor, this is a predominant role that I have and that I fulfill well. I hope I fulfill. I do my. Best to fulfill, right? But also it's not limited to being on stage here, it's not. Limited to this? Structure of teaching. You know, we see the example of Priscilla and Aquila taking apollis aside and instructing him more thoroughly in the ways of the Lord, and so there is that role also for the correction and instruction in the truth of the Lord that is necessary in the body of Christ and is a role that God may call you to at any given time. At a gathering of believers, or in engaging with other people. Around you exhortation is that encouragement to help someone trust God and obey him to go forward in the things that God has for them to take steps of faith. And of course, that is a a needed role and essential part of our gatherings together in our ministry to one another. Giving is to distribute God's resources to someone similar to. Ministry meaning practical needs that again there is sometimes financial needs and God wants to use his people. To provide that, and to bless and to pass along the financial resources he has given in order to provide for the needs of others, and so that is something that God may call any of us too at any time. Again, this is might be a general role that you have in your life, or it also might be just on one occasion. That one Wednesday night, early January, 2023, the Lord called you to have this role, and you know you were able to be part of miraculous ministry and to be part of God's work in your life. The role of leading which is to direct someone in the path that God has. To them, similar to encouragement or exhortation, but it's that direction that helping people identify and and clearly see the path ahead that the Lord would have them to walk in, and then finally mercy. Showing kindness to someone that's hurting regardless of the cause, whether it's self-inflicted or some other cause. But to have that mercy, that compassion to show. Love and kindness. To someone who is hurting, and so these are roles and I show them often on Sunday mornings before service. We pray for them every Sunday and we pray that God would be working out these roles as we gather together. And I want to. Continue to to do that and encourage you. Hey, let's get involved in miraculous ministry let's. Be working towards and involved in these roles that God wants to fulfill as his people gather together and my exhortation continually. Days don't wait until you know Sunday morning and then afterwards when you're walking away from service go. I wonder if I fulfilled any roles, you know, but be praying and seeking the Lord to to identify what he has for you. Each time you gather together and and I would suggest that the Lord is. Regularly going to be putting certain things on your heart and identifying and and highlighting those roles for you that you might be able to have opportunity to Minister to someone that the Lord brings you in contact with and so whether it be just throughout your week as you go about your your normal business or whether it be a church gathering. Event or Bible study. There's these roles that God. Has in the. Body of Christ. And you have the opportunity to be involved in that to be part of the miraculous work of God in peoples lives. It's incredible and so here we have in Luke Chapter 9A, miraculous. The work of God and the feeding of the 5000 and I am sharing all of this and connecting these things because I'm suggesting to you this evening this. Miracle that takes place in the feeding of the 5000 is a valuable picture for us of how the Lord works and how he does ministry that it's not just about bread or the multiplying of bread, but this is very often the way that God engages us in his work and in the things that he wants us. To be involved in in the ways that he wants to work through us. And so we're going to walk through five things here in Luke Chapter 9 to help us get involved in miraculous ministry Point #1 this evening and verse 10 and 11 let the Lord change personal time into ministry time. Let the Lord change personal time into ministry time. If we want to be involved in miraculous ministry, there's a little bit of sacrifice involved. We're going to have to allow the Lord to make some changes to our preferences to our schedules, and we see that take place here in verse 10 and 11. Let's read it again, it says. In verse 10 and the apostles, when they had returned, told them all that they had done. Then he took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. But when the multitudes knew it. They followed him. And he received them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who had need. Of healing. Here in verse 10, we're picking up the account as the apostles come back. The very first part of the chapter verses one through six we see that Jesus sends out the disciples to preach. He sends out the 12 two by two. They're to go and to preach. The Kingdom of God. And the Lord gives them the instruction. Don't take anything for your journey, but significantly he gives them authority over all demons and authority to cure diseases. And so he sends them to preach the Kingdom of God. And they're out working miracles in the name of Jesus in all the surrounding areas. But now in verse 10 they come back. Now this is their first time being sent out. This is, you know, quite an exciting occasion. You can imagine the disciples coming back and this account, the feeding of the 5000 is recorded in all four gospels and so you get some different pieces from all the different gospels. It says that when they came back they were so. Right it they were saying, Lord, we can't even believe it. Even demons were subject to us in your name like they got to cast out demons. They got to work miracles. They had the opportunity to do miraculous things as they preached the Kingdom of God in those surrounding communities. And so they came back excited. But they also came back exhausted. And I'm sure you know what that's like to have that combination, like there was something that was just so great and so exciting, but also because it was so great and so exciting it left you just completely empty, exhausted and without energy. And Mark Chapter six, we get a little bit of insight to this in this passage. Mark Chapter six also recording here the feeding of the 5000. In verse 30. Of Mark six, it tells us the apostles gathered to Jesus, told him all things, both they had done and what they had taught, and he said to them, come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. So what Jesus was intending for the disciples. Was for a quiet place, a deserted place and for a while a period of time where they could rest. That was what was. Going on in verse 10, when it says he took them here in Luke 9. They went aside privately into a deserted place. There there was a specific intention. It wasn't just. Let's get to a quiet place. Let's get to a deserted place, but but there is a need for rest. Mark Chapter 6 verse 31. Goes on to tell us. While they were coming and going, they didn't even have time to eat. And so on their preaching tour. They were so busy there was so many things happening. There were so many good things and so many exciting things. They didn't have time to eat there. There was so much hustle and bustle so they come back. They're tired, they're hungry, they're in desperate. And so Jesus here says, let's get away. Let's take some time. Go to a private place. Where there's no people around, and so they go nearby to the the the fields in this near the city called Bethseda. But then verse 11 says. But when the multitudes knew it, they followed him. So here you can see the course that. Was set the idea behind it. We need to get some rest. Let's get some quiet time alone. But then in verse 11 it tells us. But when the multitudes knew it. They destroyed those plans. They followed him and so there was a change of plans. We intended to get away to rest, to have some quiet time. It was needed after such a busy season and exciting season. This personal time was good, was valuable. As necessary, and yet at the same time now, here are the multitudes. And it tells us that Jesus received them and spoke to. Them about the Kingdom of. God now I have to know how you picture this in your head. Sometimes, as we kind of try to imagine these things, there's like these nice clean picture perfect scenarios that happen, right? But imagine Jesus getting away with his disciples. And they're so. Excited, and so they're all talking over each other. They're all you know, and he's telling him, OK, one at a time. OK Peter, go ahead. You start and then he starts talking. But then someone else gets, Oh yeah. I was so excited. And this happened to me too, and so they're they're kind of, you know, just telling the stories and and and talking about all the. Things that happened. And and they're looking forward to this time of decompressing and and just walking through all of these things with the Lord. But now the multitudes show up. Now we don't have to assume. Them that they were done with their conversation, that the conversation had died down. They talked about everything that they wanted to talk about. Everybody got to tell Jesus everything that they wanted to tell him about their time away and they were. All just sitting there like. Well, now what do we do? We've already talked about. Everything we want to talk about. They're just bored. OK, here comes the multitude because we're bored and so now we'll have something to. Do, that's not what happen. Their their intention is to rest, but they don't fully get to rest. Their intention is to talk about the the things and and discuss all the things that the Lord did, but they don't get to finish those conversations. You can understand it this. Way that the Heavenly Father. The path and the instruction. And so Jesus, seeing the multitude received them, he made a deliberate decision. Guys, I know we set this course and made this path. We were going this way. But we need to change that course here the Lord has set before us. The father is set before us. A turn in the course that we weren't anticipating that we weren't expecting. And so he received them and begins to minister to the crowd. He speaks to them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who had need of healing. The Lord. Recognizes the change in plan. Yes, they were tired. Yes they were hungry. Yes, they were excited to have this personal time to to talk over the things that took place. But there are many times. Where that is the case? But the ministry time is not done. Or needs to start. It means for us that. Yes, there is personal time that perhaps is deserved. Is justified. But to be involved in miraculous ministry. To be involved in the work of the. Lord, can I just let you know gently? It's going to require a sacrifice of some of your personal time and you can't sacrifice all of your personal time because that will destroy you and your relationship with the Lord and your fellowship with the Lord, like it can't always. Be like that. But but there is some of your personal time that needs to be sacrificed. In order for you to be. Engaged in the ministry. That God is calling you to. You're going to have to give up some of the time of rest or some of the time of eating or some of the time of exciting discussion and conversation. Some of your you. Know favorite occasions? Perhaps there's going to need to be a sacrifice of. Some of your personal time. In order. To engage. In the miraculous ministry that God is setting before you. There is opportunity, you know sometimes. We hear the idea well, Sundays you know that's. My only day to sleep in. I get it. Makes sense. You deserve it. You work hard. You should sleep in on Sundays if. You can, that's why we start service at 10:30. So you can sleep in. But you understand what? I'm saying that that doesn't mean that every day you have to sacrifice all of your rest. But some days you need to sacrifice your rest. So that you can engage in what God is calling you to, you need to learn to recognize and be willing. I was so looking forward to this. You know I was going to sit down. I was gonna watch this game or I was gonna watch this movie. I was going to spend some time with the family I was I was still looking forward to, you know. Going and and doing this fun event. Oh yeah. Father look you're redirecting me, you're you're you're putting another situation there in its place. And maybe it's a choice, and maybe it's not some of those things happen too, right? And now we're bitter because we didn't get to do what we wanted to do, and we're forced to do something else but. If it's out of your control, it's probably in the father's hands, and he decided you know what you don't need a trip to Disneyland. You need a trip to Minister to people. At the hospital. Let the Lord change personal time and the ministry time. Be willing to sacrifice those things so that God can do through you what he wants to do. And it might be a word of prophecy. That God's going to give you a timely. Message for someone it might be. Situation where you need to show kindness. And yes, you were so excited about going there and doing that or sitting there and doing nothing. But now you need to go be active and express emotion and and relate to someone and engage in hard serious conversation and show mercy to them. Yes, perhaps you had plans for those resources those finances, but now God says here's an opportunity to give, and so you can distribute God's resources to someone. Like you understand that right when when God gives us the role of giving, it's probably not going to be hey look, you have money lying around there that you don't even want you. You were hoping to. Get rid of it anyway, so here might as well use. It for this, right? No, no, that's not how it usually works. Usually it's we have these plans and we have these desires and then God says here's what I want you to do with this. Like but Lord, I wanted to, you know. Buy the Voltron. Toy or whatever it was, you know I wanted to to use that as a weird example, but anyways. You get the point that. There is a redirection that needs to happen that needs to take place that we need to allow the Lord to work in us in order to experience the ministry that he's calling us to. Well, point #2 moving on to verse 12 and 13 recognize your inability to meet a need. Verse 12 and 13 says when the day began to wear away, the 12 came and said to him, send the multitude away that they may go into the surrounding towns and country and lodge and get provisions for. We are in a deserted place here. But he said to them, you give them something to eat. And they said we have no. More than five loaves and. Two fish, unless we go and buy. Food for all these. People now. The day's wearing on. They started the day tired. They started the day hungry. They were getting away. They had a little bit of quiet time and private time with Jesus. But now this multitude has come and now it's just been a long day of ministry. Teaching and preaching. Healing miracles happening. And the disciples. Tell the Lord you know it's getting late in the day. We're kind of far away from provisions and civilization. So you know it's probably a good idea. They're using very practical wisdom here. It's very practical, very realistic. They've been here all day. We're tired and hungry. They're tired and hungry too. They're going to have to travel some distance to be able to get back and find rest and provision so you know, it's not a good idea to. Starve them and then send them. Marching right so Jesus it's probably a good idea. Let's disperse the crowds. Because we don't want them fainting along the way. There's there's not gonna. Be you know easy way for them to all find food and shelter and what they need in order to provide for themselves. So they're practical this you could call wisdom. They're expressing to the Lord. I mean, if you want to be a little bit pessimistic, you could say they were all self-centered and they just, you know wanted to get rid of the crowd. And that was the best excuse they could come. Up with, but we can give them. The benefit of. The doubt I think this is really practical this you can. Make this case and say, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. It's a good idea. Send the people away. So that they have time to go get food and find a place to stay and are not stuck. In a bad spot. But Jesus gives a completely different response. Than they expected. He says in verse 13 you give them something to eat. Nah, that's not necessary. We don't need to send them away. You just feed them. Now, if you have the capacity. On the fly out of the blue to feed 5000. People at one time. You are quite impressive. Can I just tell you that? You show up at my house, I don't. Know if I could feed 5. People right now not. Not because of any other reason is other than we just haven't made to the grocery store yet. But you know, like we just, we don't have that kind of food on hand. 5000 people. That's not counting women and children. We don't know exactly how big this crowd was. We know it was 5000 men, but it was more than that. At least 5000. Plus how many other women and children there were? A few years back, reading through this account and Matthew. Started me thinking. What does that look like? How much food does it take to feed? 5000 people So I went to one of my favorite websites, papajohns.com. They say our large pizzas feed 3 to 4 adults, so we'll call it one large pizza for four people to feed. 5000 means you need 1250 pizzas. That's providing everybody eats 2 slices each. 12150 pizzas for everybody to get. 2 slices in this crowd. Papa John's can be quite expensive, so I could start my own little Jerry's pizza company. I'll charge a little bit less 999 for. A large pizza. To get 12150 it would only be 12,000 dollars, $12,000 and you can feed a a crowd of 5000, but. Have you thought about what this would look like if? I put a stack every one of those little squares that you. Can barely see. That's a pizza box. It's it's a lot of pizzas. It it would be that little figure there. That's me 5 foot eight. It would be 9 feet tall. And I forget the rest of the stacks stats, but nine feet tall 1200 boxes. It would be huge, but again, this only considers the 5000 men is not counting women and children. So you would need more than 12150 pizzas because, well, there's more than the 5000 people. So now the stack gets bigger and bigger. And and then, if you factor. In in Mark chapter, I'm sorry John. No Mark Chapter 6 it says. That they ate. Until they were filled until they were glutted, they didn't just eat 2 slices of pizza. They ate as much as it was. All you can eat pizza. So we're talking about. Obviously it wasn't pizza. But but we're talking about that kind of skin. If it was in and out that you were serving to these 5000 people, it would be more in the range of $40,000 to feed 5000 people with their double double fries and a drink. So 40 grand, $40,000 to feed this crowd and Jesus says you give them something to eat. Now it tells us in John Chapter 6 in this account. Jesus gives them that instruction. You give them something to eat. It says in John Chapter 6, verse six. He said this to test them for he knew himself. What he would do? This wasn't an actual request where Jesus expected them to have $40,000 worth. Of food on them that. They could just give to the people. We know from the other accounts they have to search out the crowd and they find the little boy with the loaves and the fish right? So that's how they get that. A little bit of searching, he wasn't expecting them to have all this food on them, but he wanted to test them. He wanted to get them thinking he wanted them to recognize. How in unable how completely? Ill equipped they were to meet this need and this is really important when it. Comes to ministry. Not just those practical things and those big needs. I mean in in regards to the practical things. There's just no way for you to meet every need that exists around you. Just you can't. You can't have enough money to give to everybody who needs money. You can't have enough bread to give to everybody who needs bread and and meet all of this needs you. You're just not. Going to be able. To do that? But but in regards to spiritual things, especially we. Need to recognize? That we are completely unable to meet needs. With our own resources. If I'm going to sit down and try to provide you some encouragement in counsel and all I have is my own wisdom and experience. You're not in for some great counsel and encouragement. You might. Feel good and. I emotionally I might be able to, you know, provide some things for you, but. But there's no lasting value. To my own resources. It's just. A patch, it's just temporary it it does not provide real help. We need to come face to face with this reality. Many times we are convinced we have the answers that people need. We look at somebody else's life and boy we could tell them how to live their life 100 times. Better than they're living their life, right? But that's not what people need. People don't need our wisdom. That's why it's prophecy, not a word from Jerry. A word from the Lord. Exhortation not. Not an emotional stirring that is temporary, but but something that helps someone to trust God and obey him. Not some compassion that is just on the surface level, but but a compassionate kindness that reflects the heart of God that helps people to turn to God and receive from God. His kindness leads us to repentance and helps us in our time of need. Paul says in second Corinthians we comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received from the Lord. And so as we connect with people around us, and as we desire to see the Lord's work Done, ministry happening, divine resources, meeting human needs through loving channels to the glory of God. And we have to recognize, for those divine resources to be at work, we we need on our part to recognize our resources are not divine. And so, Lord, you need to provide the word that should be shared. You need to provide the insight for what practical need needs to be met. You need to provide the instruction for this situation. You need to provide Lloyd. It's you who has the resources. I'm completely unable, I have not. The resources necessary. To meet the needs. Of the people around me, I can't do it. You can't do it. Sometimes we think we can, but we need to. Come face to face with this reality. We are unable. We can do nothing of eternal value. In our own strength and with our own resources. Moving on to point #3 in verse 14 and 15. Start obeying the Lord before you see a miracle. Verse 14 says for there were about 5000 men. Then he said to his disciples, make them sit down in groups of 50 and they did so and made them all sit down. Now picture the disciples here. You give them something to eat, Lord. We scrounged around. We did the best we could. We found this little boy 5 loaves 2 fish. We're just talking about these little biscuits. Couple of small fish. What is this among so many? But it would take $40,000 to go buy food for this crowd. We don't have that kind of money. And one of the other gospels they talk about it as 200 denarii. That's 200 days wages. So my math isn't crazy. We are talking about. A huge amounts of money, a huge amount of resources to feed this crowd. The Lord doesn't tell them at that. Point it's OK guys, I was just you. Know kind. Of pulling your leg a little bit. I just want to see you sweat a little, but I got under control. Here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna work this miracle. You're going to see it before your eyes. These five littles are going to feed everybody. It's going to be. Amazing, just wait and see that none of that is record. They come back. Speechless like there's all we can find is this little 5 loaves and two fish. And the Lord says. Make the people sit. Down in groups of 50. The board. Where's the food that I mean, does it? Why are we going to make them sit down? When we don't have the food to feed them, we don't want to give them false promises. I mean, you know what it's like when you're hungry and you get let that hope of having that hunger met, right? And then that. Those hopes are crushed, you know something happens. The restaurant was actually closed and you know that's happened. Vincent Spaghetti, one of our favorite places to eat. One time we went we were hungry, takes a while to get there, we show up. Oh that's right, they're actually closed this time of the day. They're not gonna be open for a couple. More hours and so here we are stored. Up all you know. Built up all this anticipation. We're hungry. And then it's closed. Ohh that's the worst Lord, if you sit them down now and build up their hopes and then alright, there's five loaves and two fish for everybody to share. Like that's not going to go well, Lord, they're not going to have a good travel back afterwards. This doesn't resolve anything. If I was one of the disciples, I. Think I would be. Pressing Jesus for more answers, let me see the pizza 1st. And I don't mean the one pizza guy with the one box of pizza. It's like let me see the 180 boxes of pizza 1st and then we'll talk about sitting the crowd down that that that would be much more comfortable and make a lot more sense. Let's figure out how we're going to make this happen first. But Jesus doesn't. Give them the blueprint of all that's going to happen. He doesn't lay out his whole plans, he just gives the command. Make them sit down in groups of 50. Now imagine the time that that takes. Going amongst a group of 5000 people. Say OK, you you you you you 5123456 OK you go ahead and have a seat here. OK, now the rest of you over here. OK, take give it a. Little bit of space here we. Need a little eye away so one. 234 do that. For 5000 feet, there's some time involved here. You gotta imagine there's questions. What if what's going on? Why are we sitting down? Why are you grouping us in 50? Like what? We don't want to. Talk about it. We're all hungry. We're a little bit hungry. We're just doing what we're told and it's a good example. Here they. Set the people down in groups of 50. They don't know how it's going to work. They don't know what the Lord has in store, but first 15 says and they did so. This is faith. Faith is obedience to God at his word. When you don't necessarily understand why, you don't necessarily understand what's going to happen next, but you know the Lord said it. And so you do it. The disciples here model for us faith start obeying God before you see the miracle. Don't require that the miracle be there in front of you now. In a practical way, how does this work out? Thinking about roles in the. Let's say you do have that sense. From the Lord. I know I'm prepared as I come to service. The Lord wants me to show mercy to someone. If I'm going to show mercy to. Someone, but who is it? And the Lord might identify somebody. And he's place them on your heart. You come prayed up and you're prepared but. He may not actually give you the details and say how you're going to show mercy. Or it might be. You know the Lord? Put a message on your heart, but. You don't know who it's for. Or it might be the Lord says, hey go. Pray for that person. But you don't know what you're going to pray. That there is. The need for us. To start to obey before we. Have the whole story before we have the whole picture. I don't know how I'm supposed to show you mercy. I don't know how I'm supposed to minister to you. I don't even know if it's prophecy or exhortation or leading or mercy or teaching or a ministry. That you need. I I don't know what you need, but I know the Lord's led me in your direction and so I'm going to talk to you. I'm going to start to obey. I'm going to engage in that I'm going to. See what the Lord develops. As I take the first steps of obedience. How many times do we withhold from praying in a group setting or praying for someone individually? Because we can't think past, you know, dear Jesus. What do I say after that? I don't know what say after that, so I'm not going to pray. But sometimes you need to say those first words, like the priests crossing the river. You need to put your feet in the water up to your ankles. You can't, you got to got to get in there first and then the Lord parts the the Jordan River. Then the Lord. Then you get to see the miracles but. But you have to start with obedience to what the Lord has already revealed to you. Well then you have to continue on to faithfully deliver what the Lord gives you. Verse 16 to says. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish looking up to heaven. He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. After they're seated, then notice that. Then in verse 16, then he took the five loaves and the two fish. So Jesus is this hanging out there while the disciples are running around getting everybody seated. And then he takes the five loaves and the two fish. And now he's going to workout the miracle. He blesses them. He breaks them and he begins to give them to the disciples to set before the multitude. And so the. The picture here is that Jesus doesn't spend 2 hours. Breaking the bread. You know there's this huge pile of bread. Until it's finally enough to feed everybody, the picture here is Jesus breaks off, some gives it to the disciples. OK, go give this to part of the crowd and then the next disciple comes. He breaks off another piece. He give this to the crowd and and there is this ongoing. The disciple runs and gives that. Then he runs and gets back in line with the other disciples. OK, he gets another piece of bread. He takes that out and there's. Just back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Where the disciples are showing up, the Lord is giving them what they need, and then they're rushing it out to the people. Who need it? This is the way that God works. As we take those steps of faith. We begin those conversations. We begin those prayers we begin to interact. We begin to step forward in what God has set before us. Then as the need. Is there, as the work is ongoing, God is providing in that moment? Again, usually I want to see the. Storehouse in advance. So I can have that kind of confidence and know. OK, I can come back here but but Jesus doesn't give them a storehouse, he gives them. What they need for that right then? And they run that to the crowd. They come back, he gives them OK. Here's another one. Go take that to the crowd. Here's another one. Go take that to the crowd. And and their role was to just faithfully deliver. They didn't have to manufacture the bread, they didn't have to figure out the plan. They didn't have to. Figure out where it was all coming from, or explain it to anybody. All they needed. To do was receive what the Lord was. Giving them and take that. To the people who needed. It this is. What we are called to do to faithfully deliver what the Lord gives us. But you don't. You can't faithfully deliver what the Lord gives you. If you don't start in faith, start obeying the Lord to begin with, and so there is this. Necessity for us to step out in faith to. Be led by the Holy Spirit to engage. In conversations, to be looking for opportunity that that we can then engage in these roles of prophecy or ministry or exhortation or leading or giving or mercy. And and we're not going to have all of it in advance. We're not. Going to have all of it prepared. There are times where God gives us everything in advance and calls us to prepare. And of course, in those cases we. Need to prepare. But many of the times it's not like. That that's not how. God wants to work, he he likes. To work in the moment so many times. And so it's important for us. To recognize those opportunities. To step out in faith as we feel the the prompting of the Lord as we experience the leading of the Holy Spirit. And so to begin, I don't know what I'm going to say. I don't know how I'm going to share the gospel. I don't know how I'm going to pray for this person. I don't know what word they need from the Lord, but I know God's put this person on my heart. I know God's called me to interact with them. I know God's called me to engage with them. So I need to do that. I need to start the process. And then I need to be faithful to deliver what God gives to me. Whatever it is that he wants, he will develop in that. And I need to be relying upon him and praying. Through that whole. Conversation that whole interaction and being faithful to deliver what it is that the Lord wants me to deliver in the midst of that. Well, finally point #5. Verse 17. Trust the Lord to finish the work. Completely verse 17 says so they all ate and were filled and 12 baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by. This miracle was so extensive, so complete, these five loaves, a little pieces of bread, 2 fish feed the crowd of 5000, maybe 10,000, maybe even 15,000 depending on how many women and children were there. The 40,050 thousand, $60,000 worth of food is distributed, and then there's leftovers. They were all filled, they they had all they could eat. And there's 12 baskets leftover. Jesus finished the work completely. He fed everybody and there was more than enough. You know, sometimes. Dealing with people around us. We can look at their situation. We can look at what they're going through. And we can have this feeling of despair. How could their needs ever be met? They just seem beyond help beyond reach. I don't even can't even imagine. That it's even possible. Like little. Loaves and couple of fish with a crowd of 5000. What could this do? But may I remind you no matter who it is. That is there before you that God is putting upon your heart God. Is well able. To do exceedingly abundantly above all, you could ever ask or think all they could ever ask or think he has more than enough to meet their needs. He has more than enough to resolve that situation to work miraculously, so much so that in a sense, you could say there's leftover miraculous power. There's there's leftovers when God is at work. It's not just barely enough. It's not just enough to get kind of halfway there. It's not just you know, let's just scratch the surface, it's. Fulfill the need completely and fully. And leftovers as well. Trust the Lord to finish the work completely. Here in this case the disciples got to see the result they got to see the crowd fed. They got to see the leftovers. Of course, many times for us in ministry results are not always that obvious. We might see the basketfuls here. But we will for sure see the basketfuls in eternity. We can trust the Lord to finish the work completely. You know Paul said some plant. Some water. Some reap. In in the work of ministry that God is doing in the lives of people around us there there is different phases in the work, but but it's all part of the work and it it is all important pieces of the work that God is doing. We may not see the harvest. But the harvest will come. As we respond to what the Lord is saying and get involved in miraculous ministry. Harvest will come, he will finish. The work he begins in those people. He will finish that. Work he will bring the healing the restoration. He will do the work that he is seeking to do, and we might just be. One part of. It we might not see the end result. But listen, God is going to finish the work completely. And we have an opportunity. To be part of that. To be part of his miraculous work and so. This evening I encourage you as you think about the feeding of the 5000. Get involved in miraculous ministry. This is not just the occasion of you know this miracle of bread. This is a pattern. This is an example for us to understand. The Lord's continuing to do this kind of work meeting different kinds of needs in the lives of people around us. And you have a chance you have an opportunity to be part of that work. He enlists you into the work, let God change personal time and administry time. Consider the sacrifices. Consider the costs. But it's worth it. To respond to the father's plans and change those plans. That you had and yes. It's needed rest hunger. All of those things. But when the Lord is directing you. Let him lead you. Into those times of ministry. Recognize though, that you can't do it on your own. It's not your resources that they need. It's not because you are the smartest person in the bunch, or you have the all of the answers, and it's just a quick and easy thing. If they'll just let you make decisions for them. The needs that people have go beyond what we're able to perceive and know the needs are deep in their heart and we can't see their heart or understand their heart. And so. We need to be reliant upon the. Lord, start obeying him. Before you see the miracle before you understand the whole plan before you see what needs to be done and just faithfully give what the what gives you. Continue to look to him. Let him provide each word, each sentence, each prayer. Let him provide the resources that are needed to meet needs that maybe you don't even know. Like why they don't? Doesn't seem like they need $20.00, but Lord OK? I'm just going to faithfully deliver what you gave me. It doesn't feel. Like they need this message. I don't think they need me. To pray this. For them, but I I mean you're putting. It on my heart so I'm going. To be faithful. To deliver what you give me. And I'm going to trust. You to finish the work. My job is not to finish the work. My job is to do my part. To do what the Lord has set before me, and to do that. With his help. Relying upon him. And his strength. For his glory, Lord, I pray that you. Would help each of us. To be involved in miraculous ministry, Lord, you want to do. Miraculous things in our lives and through our lives. There's people that you've placed all around us who have needs far beyond what we can see and understand. And what you want to work in them to share your love with them. What you want to demonstrate? That you are. Indeed, God that you can speak the end from the beginning. You want to speak prophetically to people around us. Lord, you want to minister kindness and compassion to people around us. You want to provide for practical needs to demonstrate Lord that you do care, that you're there in the midst and that you know what's going on that they're not. Out of your sight, Lord. You want to minister to all of these needs and meet all of these things that exist in the hearts of the people around us. And So what? Give us. A desire and a compassion. A love like you have or that we would earnestly desire spiritual gifts that we would seek to fulfill these roles. To be part of the. Work that you want to do in the lives of the people around us. I pray this in Jesus name.