Lessons from Matthew 15: Compassion
Jesus, in His Compassion, Feeds the 4,000
Jesus left that particular spot and went along the Sea of Galilee. Again we see He headed up a mountainside and sat down. And once again we are told in verse 30 that great crowds came to Him.
I’m sure news of this miraculous healing of the woman’s daughter had made the headlines of that day and interested many people in that territory. So the people brought the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others riddled with illness and disease. They laid them at Jesus’s feet and He healed them. The people were so amazed at what they saw and experienced and they praised the God of Israel.
The dogs, the enemies of the Jews, the Gentiles, were offering up their hearts and voices of praise to God.
Ironic, isn’t it, that many Jews would lose God’s blessing and salvation because they rejected Jesus, but many Gentiles would find salvation and receive His blessings because they recognized and accepted Jesus?
Well, it appears that Jesus, His disciples, and the people had been in that place for 3 days. I’m sure Jesus had been busy teaching the Word of God, training His disciples, and healing the sick. So they were spiritually full but they had had nothing to eat. It was Jesus who called His disciples and said to them that He was concerned for their well being. He didn’t want to send them away hungry, for concern they might collapse on their way home. All that healing would be for naught if the people died of starvation!
And so the disciples, suffering from short-term memory, asked Jesus where could they get enough bread in this remote place.
Now I don’t know about you, but I think I might have turned and said, “REALLY?!” But we all know that I am not Jesus and it’s a good thing. I still have a lot to learn!
But Jesus, being the holy man of God that He is asked them only, (verse 34) “How many loaves do you have?”
Object lesson repeated!
And they replied, “Seven” (Well, a little more than last time; ring a bell guys?) “and a few small fish.” Again Jesus told the people to sit down. Not on the grass as last time for this was in a different region and a different season and the ground was dry. Jesus again took the bread as He did the last time and He offered it up and gave thanks to God, His Father. He then turned and gave it to the disciples who again served the crowd. There were 4,000 Gentiles this time, compared to the 5,000 Jews of last. And again they ate and all were satisfied. But this time instead of the 12 leftover baskets there were seven baskets leftover!
What is it that you think Jesus was teaching them and us at this point? I believe it is this:
A little, placed in the hands of Jesus, becomes more than enough!
What little is it that you need to place there? The little bit of your marriage that you have left? A little bit of your hope? The little bit of your job? Maybe it’s a child, your teenager, and you just can’t see where or how God can change these things? Won’t you place all your cares, all your concerns, in His hands and trust that He will do what is best for you?
Jesus is trust-worthy, (His Word is Truth). He is praise-worthy (He provides all we need, even when what we have is little). And He is Lord of all!
Do you have faith to believe?
Terri Hamman
Faith & Fitness Coach