Returning to the Sea of Galilee. Feeding of the Four Thousand. July, 28 A.D. Matthew 15: Mark 8:1-9

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Marcus Randall
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1 1 Returning to the Sea of Galilee Feeding of the Four Thousand July, 28 A.D. Matthew 15:32-38 Mark 8:1-9

2 2 Texts: Matthew 15:32-38, Returning to the Sea of Galilee Feeding The Four Thousand 32. Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33. And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34. And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, seven, and a few little fishes. 35. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38. And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. Mark 8:1-9a, 1. In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2. I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3. And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

3 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: Commentary: I. While still in the Decapolis Jesus called his disciples and said to them, A. "I have compassion for these people because they have already been here with me three days and have nothing to eat." B. Jesus further said he did not want to send the multitude away hungry because, due to their weakened condition and the fact that some of them had come from far away, they might collapse on the road/way. C. Jesus is characterized by wonderful compassion! Jesus was compassionate then and he is equally compassionate now! D. The multitude had not been without food for three days. They had already eaten all the food they had brought with them and had nothing further to eat. E. The disciples answered that there was no where they could get/buy food in such a remote wilderness with which to feed the crowd.

4 The disciples should certainly have well remembered the miraculous feeding of the 5,000 earlier. 2. Numbers 11:21-23, And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord's hand waxed short? Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not. 3. Psalm 78:19, 20, Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? Can he provide flesh for his people? 4. Exodus 15:24, And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 5. Exodus 17:1-3, And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, "Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? Wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

5 Luke 24:25-27, Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 7. Jesus reproved the disciples for their lack of perception. 8. At times Jesus became exasperated by the lack of faith and the actions of the apostles. 9. He must certainly often become exasperated with us as well. F. Jesus asked the disciples how much food they had. They replied, "Seven loaves and a few small fish." 1. This was next to nothing as far as feeding the multitude was concerned. 2. Jesus made the difference! G. Jesus told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 1. Jesus took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke them, gave them to the disciples, and they in turn gave the food to the people in an orderly manner. 2. Mark indicates the loaves were first distributed and then the fish, separate prayers of thanksgiving being offered for each. 3. After the meal the disciples gathered seven basketsful of broken pieces of leftover food.

6 More food was left over than they had at the beginning. "Waste not; want not." 5. What did they do with these left overs? 6. Four thousand men besides women and children were fed on this occasion. 7. The feedings of the 4,000 and 5,000 men plus women and children give us an idea of the size of the multitude which followed Jesus. H. After the meal Jesus dismissed the multitude which had been physically and spiritually blessed by their association with Jesus. I. All of us are blessed by our association with Jesus. J. How, in what ways, have you been blessed by your association with Jesus? Note: The feeding of the 5,000 and the feeding of the 4,000 were on different occasions. 1. Matthew 16:9, 10, Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 2. Mark 8:19, 20, When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.

7 Both feeding miracles were in the same general area, but the people fed were different. 4. Jesus fed the 5,000 in the spring and the 4,000 in the summer. 5. The number of baskets of food taken up on each occasion may have been symbolically important. Both seven and twelve were numbers which symbolized the completeness and fullness of God s creation. Seven was the perfect number because of the seven days of creation. From it comes the days of a complete week and the word for Sabbath. Twelve was a perfect number in Israel. There were twelve months in a complete year, twelve tribes comprised all of Israel, and Jesus appointed twelve apostles.

8 8 Feeding of the Four Thousand Questions 1. Jesus told his, "I have on the because they continue with me now days, and have to. I will not send them away lest they in the way." 2. Jesus commanded the to sit down on the. He took and a few, gave, them, gave to his, and the to the. 3. All ate and were. baskets full were left over. men besides and were fed on this occasion. 4. Can God furnish a table on the wilderness? When has he furnished a table in the wilderness for you? 5. More food was left over than they had to start with. Jesus did not waste. How can you reduce waste?

FROM WHENCE CAN A MAN SATISFY THESE MEN MARK 8:1-9. Text: Mark 8:4. Introduction:

FROM WHENCE CAN A MAN Text: Mark 8:4 SATISFY THESE MEN MARK 8:1-9 Mark 8:4 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? Introduction: Jesus