Archive for December, 2015
“COMPASSION FOR THE MULTITUDE”
“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have been with Me three days and have nothing to eat”(Mark 8:2 NKJV).
MASS APPEAL
Jesus gives His disciples a window into his heart. This window was actually into the heart of His heavenly Father. That which would seem to be a gulf fixed between time and space(heaven and earth) was closed forever when Jesus appeared.
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” wrote John, “And we beheld His glory,the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”(John 1:14 NKJV). That glory was manifest in many ways;physical healings, deliverances, demonstrating his authority over the elements of creation as well as power over death itself. But He was never more satisfied than when the crowds gathered to hear the Word of God.
Mark records(As do the other Gospel writers) that Jesus taught the multitudes regarding the Kingdom of heaven. He made it so attractive that there was a season among the common people that it created a mass appeal. Multitudes took time away and apart with him to be spiritually enriched and fed. Their natural burdens of life gave way to the true center and most important part of life, the care of their soul. All of human history is being bent by heaven to cause humanity to decide for that which it is truly craving…False peace and false Messiahs or true peace that only comes from the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. The prophet Amos speaks of a time when people will run to and fro, thirsting not merely for natural bread or water but for a living word from the living God. All of human history will converge at the Cross or as Jesus proclaimed, “I tell you…unless you repent you will all likewise perish”(Luke 13:3 NKJV). It is not the will of God for humanity to perish(John 3:16-17). Again, the words of Jesus, regarding why He came to the earth, “”that whosoever believes in Him (Jesus) should not perish but have eternal life”(John 3:15 NKJV). The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not exclusive but inclusive. God is for you, He is not against you. He makes His mass appeal to the whole world, calling them to return(repent) to Him and be saved.
MASS FEEDING
Jesus’ compassion went beyond the spiritual needs of the crowds that followed him. He took into account their physical needs. He understood that they had stayed with Him for three days (apparently having no provision). Expressing His compassion and concern for them to his disciples that the crowds not faint along the journey back to their homes, He wants to feed them. The disciples are out of their depth to handle the situation. They only are functioning on a natural level and do what natural, carnal thinking does…Start calculating the insufficiency among themselves. In this story “Seven loaves and a few fish”(Luke 8:6-7 NKJV).
God often waits for our “insufficiency” to be acknowledged in order to teach a higher principle than human logic. The natural mind has no entrance into the things of the kingdom of God. Plus you don’t encounter the true God of miracles until you need a miracle! They must look to Him,the all-sufficient One. Jesus taught, “Apart from Me you can do nothing. If you abide in Me and My words abide in you ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you”(John 15). Sustained prayer is the key to unlocking heaven’s vault of riches.
OUT OF AND INTO
Jesus IS the answer to their crisis. Behind every crisis, Christ waits to appear. He has the disciples arrange the multitude in sitting groups;like sheep which lie down if they are to be fed(Psalm 23). He takes what the disciples have from their hands. In other words, the key for the supply to multiply was getting their “little bit” out of their hands and into His. Miracles occur when we can relinquish what we have to Jesus. He will receive our “little bit”, waving it with thanksgiving before the Father,then He blesses it in order for it to multiply. “What You give they gather in; You open Your hand, they are filled with good”(Psalm 104:28 NKJV).
GET IN ON THE ‘OVERFLOW’
The multitude was fed out of the all-sufficient supply of God(As was the children of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness). But God was also mindful of His servants. What they gave in service was multiplied back to them. The lesson being demonstrated…You can never out give God. What you give will be given back to you…in unexpected ways. So be like your heavenly Father in this great Holiday Season. Give back of your time, talent, tithe and treasure. It will be given back to you. Our God keeps good records.
(C) Copyright 2015, Walter Fletcher Jr. All rights reserved. This article may be copied and shared free of charge, provided that it is not altered in any way from its original content. Please address all correspondence to:Walterfletcherjr@gmail.com
Messenger On The Bridge 