https://open.spotify.com/episode/7oMl5wkc6c7n8EdGaIfGeV?si=c0qN-s6uRECd2fvBUOGAYg "You give them something to eat." David W Palmer (Matthew 14:15–16 NKJV) When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted pla…
(Matthew 14:15–16 NKJV) When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food." {16} But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."
In this passage, we see that the disciples were still struggling to understand who gives the orders in a Lord/servant, King/subject, Master/apprentice, Trainer/trainee relationship. They tried to give Jesus an instruction: "Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."
However, his response to their attempted order shows who the Lord is: "You give them something to eat." That one statement changed the dynamic; He was rightly giving the orders to them, not the other way around. Then, not only did it put a responsibility on them, it also clearly revealed that they would be able to do this. (His commands carry with them the holy, self-fulfilling power needed to obey them.)
We note that Jesus said to "give" them something to eat. Their idea was that the multitudes should "buy" food for themselves—using their own money, and taking responsibility for themselves and for their families. But Jesus's heart was to bless them by giving them what they needed. We note also that by this instruction, Jesus was giving his trainees another assignment—a supervised training and assessment task—with him close at hand to evaluate their performance, coach them, and help them if necessary.
John's gospel gives us some more detail of this interplay of instruction and response. Philip also tried some advice, negotiating, and questioning:
(John 6:5–7 NKJV) Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" {6} But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. {7} Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."
This is an extremely important passage. Note Jesus's question to Philip: "Where"; "Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?" The Master was asking a question about location. A dilemma for all assessors comes when the trainees give a wonderful answer, but to a question that wasn't asked. Let's listen to Philip's response: "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them." He answered the "where" question with a statement about how much it would cost.
Philip fell into a pattern of thinking that can so easily ensnare us all. Because he was focused on labor, earning, and paying for things, he didn't hear Jesus's actual question. Instead, he stumbled; he became stuck, focused on how he was going to pay for what Jesus was telling him to do. This is a very treacherous mindset—one that can easily divert us all. To free our thinking in this, let's look at some of Jesus's teaching about receiving:
(Mark 11:24 DKJV) "Therefore I say to you, What things so ever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them."
What was that you said Jesus? Was it the things we "pay" for that we receive, or was it the things we "pray" for? Jesus did make his assignment for them about giving the multitude something to eat, but he didn't say they should pay for it. So, what happened?
(Matthew 14:17–18 NKJV) And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." {18} He said, "Bring them here to Me."
This is a fascinating, but very simple process. We are talking about how to give as instructed, how to feed a multitude, and how to fulfill your assignment without paying for it by your own efforts.
When Jesus told them, "You give them something to eat," they finally understood and accepted the actual assignment. However, what they already had in their possession was minuscule compared to the immense supply needed for the task, but they offered it to Jesus. He said, "bring them here to me." Jesus is still in control, and giving the instructions. Now they are obeying him, and thus putting themselves under his protection, provision, and grace, etc.
What they had didn't meet the need, but at least they willingly put it into Jesus's hands. The Master then did his part. He did it that day in a physical, visible, tangible body. His followers could literally see and hear him doing it; but for us, this is a picture of doing the same thing despite not seeing him or hearing him in the natural realm:
(Matthew 14:19–20 NKJV) Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
As long as Jesus is giving the commands, and people are obeying them, his role of Lord is in full operation. And we always remember Heb. 5:9: He is able to give "eternal salvation"—rescue, healing, deliverance, safety, and provision— "to all who obey him" (NKJV).
We must remember that when Jesus asked them to give him the little they had, he wasn't a fallible preacher with an impure motive using manipulation. No, this is God's Son—the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This is love in action, showing how operating in his kingdom, and under his lordship results in needs being met abundantly. We need to follow the pattern in this story to fulfill the assignments Jesus has given us. If what you have doesn't meet the need for the assigned task or mission, bring it to Jesus and put it into his hands.
Next, he blessed the loaves and fish. That is, he spoke faith-filled words of blessing over them. This is the living word in operation. If it was the original blessing from Gen. 1:22, 28, etc., then he said, "Be fruitful and multiply." Releasing God's word like this under the anointing of the Holy Spirit is infinitely powerful and creative. We can and should imitate what Jesus did here—speak God's word of blessing over what we put into his hands.
Jesus then "gave" the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples "gave" it to the multitude. Scripture doesn't say exactly when the multiplication took place. But obviously, if it was when Jesus blessed it, it would have become so much that it would have buried him. So it must have happened in the hands of the disciples and recipients as they were giving it to the multitudes. That would have been an enjoyable and exciting assignment—one filled with much more joy than trying to pay for it themselves. No doubt they began very tenuously until they saw the miracle unfolding before them, but then the joy would have overflowed with much praise and thanks to God.
(Matthew 14:20 NKJV) So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.
Today, I encourage you; no matter what assignment Jesus has for you, if what you already have cannot "pay" for it, then "pray" for it. Put what you have into the hands of Jesus, agree with his living words of blessing, and speak them out. Then take what is broken and blessed, and begin to minister it. It will multiply as you give out what he has entrusted back into your hands. God bless you today as you embark on your next supervised mission; "Be fruitful and multiply!"
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