This is #200 in the Restoration Series
Introduction: Restoration! Today we see one of the most notable miracles of Jesus. Feeding the five thousand is the only
miracle reported in all four of the gospels.
Attitudes are displayed in this miracle.
I. Attitudes
toward human need and resources - Vs 35-37
A. Attitudes toward human needs
1. Individual responsibility
B. The disciples’ response to the multitude “send them away”.
2. The multitude was interfering with ‘there
plans’ to rest.
C. How often do we find ourselves in this situation?
1. Jesus had a different attitude. Vs 37
D. Jesus said, “you feed them”
E. A corporate responsibility
F. Jesus places the responsibility to feed them on the disciples.
II. Six attitudes toward resources - Vs 37-44
A. It takes
resources to meet human needs.
1. Every person has something
they can give.
2. Each person can help and do
something to meet a need when confronted.
3. The problem is not lack of
resources, nor lack of ability or money or time.
4. The problem is attitude,
attitude toward the resources one has.
B. Attitude one:
Questioning one’s ability to give. Vs 37
1. Jesus had just said, “Give
them food”.
2. The disciples were shocked and
disturbed at Jesus’ instructions.
3. The crowd was enormous and
the task impossible.
4. The disciples reply, “Shall
we go buy food enough”. Vs 37b
5. They thought the request was
ridiculous.
6. The cost would have equaled
to six months wages.
7. Two things the disciples
forgot.
8. They forgot that they had
something, there own food and provisions.
9. They forgot the power of God
and His love and desire to meet the need.
Thought:
Remember the Widows Mite? Mark
12:41-44, Luke 6:38
C. Attitude two:
Checking to see what one can give. Vs
38
1. Jesus did not get irritated
with the disciples; He simply asked a question.
2. “How many loaves do you
have?”
3. They had resources that they
had overlooked.
a. Why? Because
they were so small and could never meet the need.
b. It was two fish and five loaves of bread.
c. The disciples and Jesus could have eaten
that themselves.
Note: Jesus did not see if it was enough, but at
the resources they had to give.
d. Jesus looked at what they had to give, not
at the whole task to be done.
e. We are to get our eyes on what we have, not
the mammoth of the task.
f. Our
attitude in giving checks our resource, what we can give, even small.
g. No matter how great the need, Christ is the
answer.
h. Set our eyes on what I can do, not on the
impossibility. Acts 11:29
D. Attitude
three: Organizing what resources one has.
Vs 39-40
1. Notice what Jesus did. Organized into small groups.
a. Made the multitude easy to serve.
E. Attitude four:
Being thankful for what we have. Vs 41
1. Note what Jesus did, He took in His hand what He had.
a. He looked to heaven and gave thanks for it.
b. At that moment it was small, it was
insignificant.
c. Outward, it would do very little.
d. Jesus took it, looked to heaven, and blessed
it.
Thought: Our resource, regardless of how small,
God can use and magnify to meet the need.
Psalm 50:10, Haggai 2:8
F. Attitude five:
The attitude of giving what one has. Vs
42, 1 Timothy 6:17-19
1. After giving thanks, Jesus took the food and gave it to the
disciples to set before the people.
2. The miracle happened, the resource multiplied.
3. All the people were fed and filled.
4. We are to give all, Jesus, The Perfect Provider.
5. The Perfect Supplier multiplies the resource. Vs 43,
Matthew 6:33
G. Attitude six:
The attitude of being careful in the handling of resources. Vs 44
1. Christ teaches resources are not to be wasted.
2. They are to be used day after day.
3. Remember that there is always a place to use elsewhere.
Conclusion: Restoration: To gain back the real value of
giving and then allowing our God to work the miracle for us. In faith we give, whether large or small,
God will honor our resource and cause it to multiply.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~