Matthew 14:14-36
Jesus comes off of the loss of John and goes off to pray. Sometimes we need to be alone. And Jesus needed time to recoup from his cousins death. But it wasn't for long. Because as He returned, the needs of others didn't halt when someone else was suffering.
He felt compassion for them. Suddenly, His cousins unjust death was in the past as people who needed healing gathered. And He healed them. But the peoples’ enthusiasm for the healing caused many to chase Jesus out of His imposed isolation.
And they were hungry. They chased Him into desolate places without thought to bringing food and now it was late and they were hungry. The disciples urged Him to send the crowds away for food, but Jesus turns this into a lesson.
He tells them to get food for the masses. They were stunned. They were probably thinking logistically about locating food and distributing it when Jesus corrected them. Now when they said “we have these fish and this bread” they were doing so as an excuse.
See Lord, they were saying, we can't feed anyone because this is all we have. So Jesus says, bring it to me. How many times do we make excuses for not doing something we know God wants us to do? His answer is always the same, “Bring it to Me.”
What little thing do we have that God can take and increase to meet the need we have? What impossible task do we have that we need resources to meet? For the apostles, the need was lunch. And not only was it enough, it was more than required as each apostle was able to gather a full basket each of the leftover food.
And now the day is over and Jesus sends the apostles to the other end of the lake while he dismissed the crowds and ascended a mountain to pray and night fell. He has spent the day mourning his cousin, and before he had the chance to recover, He was healing, preaching and passing out miraculous provisions so Jesus was exhausted.
And then at a time when the storms on the sea had turned the lake into a churning rolling sea Jesus came to them on the water. And as they saw Him approach, they panicked thinking the dark form upon the water was a ghost. Now, was Jesus doing this as a test or did He simply say, well I have to get to the other side so I'm just gonna cut across the water as a shortcut.
So Peter, ever the impetuous man he was, calls out, if it's you, call me out there. And He does. And many of us know the story, that Peter got out and walked on the water but noticed the storm around him and began to sink.
We could note that Peter was the only man brave enough to ask to step out. But we can't mention the victory of his faith without also mentioning the quick nature of doubt that caused him to sink. Why?
Could it be that the others held back with a little bit of schadenfreude, or “well I didn't have the faith to step out, but at least I didn't fail as spectacularly as Peter just did.” Leave it up to those who would never have the faith to step out, to insult the progress of the one who did.
So what is the lesson of this sad chapter of Matthew? That when God calls upon us to do anything, He will provide a way to complete it. Whether it's through multiplying resources or calling us out to do the impossible. If we have the faith to ask and the continued faith to act in spite of what we see happening around us, He will provide. And the miracle we get to see will be greater than just walking on water.
[14] When He came ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. [15] Now when it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is secluded and the hour is already past to eat; send the crowds away, so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” [16] But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go; you give them something to eat!” [17] They *said to Him, “We have nothing here except five loaves and two fish.” [18] And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” [19] And ordering the crowds to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looked up toward heaven. He blessed the food and breaking the loaves, He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. [20] And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces: twelve full baskets. [21] There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children. [22] Immediately afterward He compelled the disciples to get into the boat and to go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. [23] After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. [24] But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. [26] When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. [27] But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” [28] Peter responded and said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” [29] And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. [30] But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” [31] Immediately Jesus reached out with His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” [32] When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. [33] And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are truly God’s Son!” [34] When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. [35] And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent word into all that surrounding region and brought to Him all who were sick; [36] and they pleaded with Him that they might just touch the border of His cloak; and all who touched it were cured.
Jesus comes off of the loss of John and goes off to pray. Sometimes we need to be alone. And Jesus needed time to recoup from his cousins death. But it wasn't for long. Because as He returned, the needs of others didn't halt when someone else was suffering.
He felt compassion for them. Suddenly, His cousins unjust death was in the past as people who needed healing gathered. And He healed them. But the peoples’ enthusiasm for the healing caused many to chase Jesus out of His imposed isolation.
And they were hungry. They chased Him into desolate places without thought to bringing food and now it was late and they were hungry. The disciples urged Him to send the crowds away for food, but Jesus turns this into a lesson.
He tells them to get food for the masses. They were stunned. They were probably thinking logistically about locating food and distributing it when Jesus corrected them. Now when they said “we have these fish and this bread” they were doing so as an excuse.
See Lord, they were saying, we can't feed anyone because this is all we have. So Jesus says, bring it to me. How many times do we make excuses for not doing something we know God wants us to do? His answer is always the same, “Bring it to Me.”
What little thing do we have that God can take and increase to meet the need we have? What impossible task do we have that we need resources to meet? For the apostles, the need was lunch. And not only was it enough, it was more than required as each apostle was able to gather a full basket each of the leftover food.
And now the day is over and Jesus sends the apostles to the other end of the lake while he dismissed the crowds and ascended a mountain to pray and night fell. He has spent the day mourning his cousin, and before he had the chance to recover, He was healing, preaching and passing out miraculous provisions so Jesus was exhausted.
And then at a time when the storms on the sea had turned the lake into a churning rolling sea Jesus came to them on the water. And as they saw Him approach, they panicked thinking the dark form upon the water was a ghost. Now, was Jesus doing this as a test or did He simply say, well I have to get to the other side so I'm just gonna cut across the water as a shortcut.
So Peter, ever the impetuous man he was, calls out, if it's you, call me out there. And He does. And many of us know the story, that Peter got out and walked on the water but noticed the storm around him and began to sink.
We could note that Peter was the only man brave enough to ask to step out. But we can't mention the victory of his faith without also mentioning the quick nature of doubt that caused him to sink. Why?
Could it be that the others held back with a little bit of schadenfreude, or “well I didn't have the faith to step out, but at least I didn't fail as spectacularly as Peter just did.” Leave it up to those who would never have the faith to step out, to insult the progress of the one who did.
So what is the lesson of this sad chapter of Matthew? That when God calls upon us to do anything, He will provide a way to complete it. Whether it's through multiplying resources or calling us out to do the impossible. If we have the faith to ask and the continued faith to act in spite of what we see happening around us, He will provide. And the miracle we get to see will be greater than just walking on water.
[14] When He came ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. [15] Now when it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is secluded and the hour is already past to eat; send the crowds away, so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” [16] But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go; you give them something to eat!” [17] They *said to Him, “We have nothing here except five loaves and two fish.” [18] And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” [19] And ordering the crowds to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looked up toward heaven. He blessed the food and breaking the loaves, He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. [20] And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces: twelve full baskets. [21] There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children. [22] Immediately afterward He compelled the disciples to get into the boat and to go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. [23] After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. [24] But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. [26] When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. [27] But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” [28] Peter responded and said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” [29] And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. [30] But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” [31] Immediately Jesus reached out with His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” [32] When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. [33] And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are truly God’s Son!” [34] When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. [35] And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent word into all that surrounding region and brought to Him all who were sick; [36] and they pleaded with Him that they might just touch the border of His cloak; and all who touched it were cured.
Matthew 14:14-36
Jesus comes off of the loss of John and goes off to pray. Sometimes we need to be alone. And Jesus needed time to recoup from his cousins death. But it wasn't for long. Because as He returned, the needs of others didn't halt when someone else was suffering.
He felt compassion for them. Suddenly, His cousins unjust death was in the past as people who needed healing gathered. And He healed them. But the peoples’ enthusiasm for the healing caused many to chase Jesus out of His imposed isolation.
And they were hungry. They chased Him into desolate places without thought to bringing food and now it was late and they were hungry. The disciples urged Him to send the crowds away for food, but Jesus turns this into a lesson.
He tells them to get food for the masses. They were stunned. They were probably thinking logistically about locating food and distributing it when Jesus corrected them. Now when they said “we have these fish and this bread” they were doing so as an excuse.
See Lord, they were saying, we can't feed anyone because this is all we have. So Jesus says, bring it to me. How many times do we make excuses for not doing something we know God wants us to do? His answer is always the same, “Bring it to Me.”
What little thing do we have that God can take and increase to meet the need we have? What impossible task do we have that we need resources to meet? For the apostles, the need was lunch. And not only was it enough, it was more than required as each apostle was able to gather a full basket each of the leftover food.
And now the day is over and Jesus sends the apostles to the other end of the lake while he dismissed the crowds and ascended a mountain to pray and night fell. He has spent the day mourning his cousin, and before he had the chance to recover, He was healing, preaching and passing out miraculous provisions so Jesus was exhausted.
And then at a time when the storms on the sea had turned the lake into a churning rolling sea Jesus came to them on the water. And as they saw Him approach, they panicked thinking the dark form upon the water was a ghost. Now, was Jesus doing this as a test or did He simply say, well I have to get to the other side so I'm just gonna cut across the water as a shortcut.
So Peter, ever the impetuous man he was, calls out, if it's you, call me out there. And He does. And many of us know the story, that Peter got out and walked on the water but noticed the storm around him and began to sink.
We could note that Peter was the only man brave enough to ask to step out. But we can't mention the victory of his faith without also mentioning the quick nature of doubt that caused him to sink. Why?
Could it be that the others held back with a little bit of schadenfreude, or “well I didn't have the faith to step out, but at least I didn't fail as spectacularly as Peter just did.” Leave it up to those who would never have the faith to step out, to insult the progress of the one who did.
So what is the lesson of this sad chapter of Matthew? That when God calls upon us to do anything, He will provide a way to complete it. Whether it's through multiplying resources or calling us out to do the impossible. If we have the faith to ask and the continued faith to act in spite of what we see happening around us, He will provide. And the miracle we get to see will be greater than just walking on water.
[14] When He came ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. [15] Now when it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is secluded and the hour is already past to eat; send the crowds away, so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” [16] But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go; you give them something to eat!” [17] They *said to Him, “We have nothing here except five loaves and two fish.” [18] And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” [19] And ordering the crowds to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looked up toward heaven. He blessed the food and breaking the loaves, He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. [20] And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces: twelve full baskets. [21] There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children. [22] Immediately afterward He compelled the disciples to get into the boat and to go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. [23] After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. [24] But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. [26] When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. [27] But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” [28] Peter responded and said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” [29] And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. [30] But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” [31] Immediately Jesus reached out with His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” [32] When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. [33] And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are truly God’s Son!” [34] When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. [35] And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent word into all that surrounding region and brought to Him all who were sick; [36] and they pleaded with Him that they might just touch the border of His cloak; and all who touched it were cured.
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