I would invite you to please take your Bible and turn with me to the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew chapter 14.
Matthew chapter 14.
And as you are turning in your copy of God's Word, let me say this morning what an absolute privilege and joy it is for me to be with you.
I send greetings from a lot of dear friends that you have at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
It doesn't take long after I open my mouth and begin to speak that you can tell that I'm from the southern states of the United States.
And so it's been a great privilege to get to know many of you last October, and I'm looking forward to the module starting tomorrow.
We have an exciting week ahead as we begin in the apostolic period, just in the apostles, and go all the way to the Reformation.
So lots of rich, glorious history.
But this morning, we look at a marvelous story in God's Word, Matthew chapter 14.
I would like to draw your attention this morning, beginning in verse 13.
If you will have your Bibles open to this passage, you'll find it extremely helpful as we look at God's Word together.
Matthew chapter 14, beginning in verse 13.
When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.
Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said,
This is a remote place and it's getting late.
Send the crowds away so they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.
Jesus replied,
They do not need to go away.
You give them something to eat.
We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish, they answered.
Bring them here to me, he said.
And he directed the people to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven,
he gave thanks and broke the loaves.
And he gave them to the disciples and the disciples gave them to the people.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
The number of those who ate was about five thousand men besides women and children.
Well, this beautiful account of the feeding of the five thousand
is probably one of the most familiar stories in all of Scripture.
This story is immortalized, as it were, for us in children's Bibles and storybooks.
And has become in our minds and in our thinking one of the great pastoral miracles of Jesus.
As we can picture him in our mind's eye,
sitting on a rock on a grassy hillside with families and lovable children kind of surrounding him.
But with closer examination into the text that's before us,
it's easy to allow that stereotypical scene really affect the way that we read the context
of the passage that we're examining this morning.
And so I want you to notice at the beginning of Matthew 14,
something that is very devastating that has just occurred.
Namely, the execution of John the Baptist.
Who we all know, of course, as the forerunner of the Messiah.
The son of Zacharias and Elizabeth.
Who was in fact the cousin of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now if you remember the event that was surrounding this horrific execution
and the murder of John the Baptist.
The event surrounding this was the birthday celebration
and a banquet that was being held by a man by the name of Herod Antipas
in his fortress palace in southern Israel around the Dead Sea.
During this lavish event, the crowd became so worked up into a scene of drunkenness and lust
at the dancing of a young girl that Herod promised the young girl
to give her absolutely anything that she asked for.
acting as a puppet on a string controlled by her mother
who had been preached against by John the Baptist
because of her adulterous affair.
She asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.
Look with me in Matthew 14 in verse 10.
And had John beheaded in prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl who carried it to her mother.
John's disciples came and took his body and buried it.
Then they went and told Jesus.
We could really call this the first banquet of Matthew 14.
A banquet of wickedness and murder and drunkenness.
But in verse 14, we come to a banquet of another kind, don't we?
The banquet that Jesus Himself presides over.
This banquet is not held in a fortress or a palace or a castle,
but it's in the open air of the rolling hills of Galilee.
The invitation to this banquet is not restricted to the intelligentsia of the day
or the high political leaders or the kings of the day.
But this particular banquet is open to all crowds without any discrimination at all.
Unlike Herod's banquet, the preeminent purpose of which was to brag about his position among the crowds,
Jesus' banquet is not provided to boast of his standing to the crowds,
but is meant to be a reminder to us of the love and compassion that Jesus has on people.
Unlike Herod's banquet that was self-serving and deadly,
the compassion of Jesus is so vividly seen in this manner in which He satisfies the vast multitudes that are before Him.
There are only two miracles that are recorded in all four Gospel accounts.
The feeding of the 5,000 and the resurrection of our Lord.
All four Gospel writers saw the great importance of the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000,
and so they include it in all of their accounts.
And what I want to do with you this morning is to simply walk through very slowly this text
as we begin to see five very simple truths.
Five things that I would like to say to you this morning
that we can hang our thoughts on that helps us walk through the text before us.
The very first thing that I would like to mention to you and draw to your attention
is separation from the crowds.
Separation from the crowds.
In the parallel account of this event as recorded for us in Mark's Gospel, chapter 6,
Mark says in chapter 6, verse 30,
the apostles returned to Jesus and told Him all they had done and taught.
Now, this very interesting verse tells us something else that's going on here
just prior to the great miracle of the feeding of the 5,000.
We have to go back a bit to discover what that is.
In Mark chapter 6, verse 7, Mark says,
Jesus called the twelve to Himself and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
And so here we are, the disciples who have now been ministering in the towns and villages
of the surrounding area are now coming back to Jesus
to report everything that has taken place in their individual ministries
among the people in the surrounding areas.
You see, Jesus has sent them out two by two
into all the surrounding area to teach and to preach and to work miracles.
And now they are coming back, reporting back to Jesus all that has taken place.
And because of this, the crowds of people are following the apostles back to Jesus.
And the crowds are growing numerically into an uncontrollable frenzy of people.
Mark tells us, the disciples are reporting to Jesus all their ministry activities
and the crowds are growing so large, they don't have time to get anything to eat.
And so because of this great commotion,
Jesus and the twelve withdraw from an undisclosed location on the Sea of Galilee
to what Scripture tells us is a deserted area.
Now Luke, in his story of the feeding of the five thousand,
tells us that Jesus and the disciples withdraw from this massive crowd of people
into an area known as Bethsaida.
Now look with me in Matthew 14, verse 13.
When Jesus heard what happened,
He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.
Now when we read this verse,
Matthew seems to indicate that Jesus is alone by Himself.
Even though that we know He is among the other twelve disciples.
But what I love about Matthew's account
is I think Matthew is emphasizing here
something so intimate and personal
about our Lord
in verse 13.
We see something here
of the tenderness
and the grief
and the love of our Lord
for John the Baptist
who has just died.
If you can think back upon your life
and consider times
when you've heard
about the death of a dear loved one
or a death of a dear close friend
and how you've just simply
wanted to withdraw
from the noise
and the hustle and bustle
of the crowds
just to withdraw
and reflect
and to pray
and to go into another room
or go somewhere
simply
to be alone.
And so what I think Matthew
wants us to see here
in verse 13
is simply
Jesus'
heartfelt grief
over the death
of John.
Perhaps it's a time
for Him to think
and to pray
and to contemplate
as the news of the death of John
has reached His ears.
John,
of whom Jesus said,
among those born of woman,
none has been greater.
And I also want to point out
that I see this
as a turning point
in the ministry of Christ
which we'll talk about later.
And so here we are.
Jesus has just heard
that John has been executed.
He gets into a boat
along with the twelve disciples
who have just come back
from all the surrounding villages
and they set off
onto the Sea of Galilee
this one afternoon.
That brings us to our second point.
Sheep without a shepherd.
Would you look at the end
of verse 13?
Hearing of this,
the crowds followed Him
on foot
from the towns.
When Jesus landed
and saw a large crowd,
He had compassion on them
and healed their sick.
The people recognize
Jesus and His disciples
get into the boat.
And from all the surrounding towns
and villages,
they follow Him on foot.
And Jesus and His disciples
set sail on the Sea of Galilee.
They see this massive crowd of people
forming on the shoreline.
Now, there are about 200 villages
and cities and towns
in this area of Galilee.
And Matthew says
they come from the towns.
This indicates, my friends,
that everyone from every town,
every village,
every city
come out to see Jesus.
This speaks to us, doesn't it?
Something of the great fame
of Jesus
during this period.
He never could get away
from the crowds of people.
May I put it in a perhaps
very American terminology,
Jesus is a rock star.
And every time He speaks,
every time He performs a miracle,
literally the entire town
goes to see Him.
And this enormous crowd
is following Jesus
on the shoreline,
but the other Gospel writers say
they not only are walking,
the other Gospel writers tell us
they ran to see Him.
This is not just some ordinary person
that you meet on the street.
They're running after Jesus
because they want Him
to do something for them.
And even when seeking privacy,
Jesus cannot hide.
Look at verse 14.
When Jesus landed and saw
a large crowd,
He had compassion on them.
I just love that verse.
Jesus is not some brash,
harsh man
who cannot be approached
or who's trying to avoid people.
No, He looks upon them
as He did Jerusalem
and He mourns for them.
Their condition,
their need,
their spiritual blindness.
Jesus is the complete opposite
of unapproachable.
He's tender.
And He's loving.
And He's full of compassion.
And the compassion is so great
that He's no longer concerned
over His own rest
or His own time
or His own grief.
But He's most concerned
with the need
that is before Him.
Mark 6, verse 34
says that He looks out
over the vast multitudes of people
as sheep not having a shepherd.
Numerous times throughout Scripture
we see that this is a theme
that's picked up
that the people of Israel
and others are seen
as vast multitudes of people
without a shepherd.
For instance,
in Numbers chapter 27
when Moses is praying for the Lord
to send Israel a leader,
it says,
Moses said to the people,
may the Lord the God
who gives breath
to all living things
appoint someone
over this community
to go out
and come in before them
and one who will lead them out
and bring them in
so the Lord's people
will not be like sheep
without a shepherd.
After the death of Moses,
the children of Israel
were sheep without a shepherd.
And Moses' prayer, of course,
is answered in the man
by the name of Joshua.
And now according to Matthew 11,
John the Baptist
was the greatest of the prophets.
This privileged messenger
sent to prepare the way
of the Messiah.
And so in a sense,
John the Baptist
is a shepherd of the people
pointing them to the Messiah.
But here we are
and what has just happened?
John the Baptist
has been executed.
He's just been killed.
Do you see
how this is the closing
of one chapter
and the opening
of a new chapter?
That final Old Testament prophet,
John the Baptist,
has now died
and he's just passed off the scene
after fulfilling
his God-called commission
to prepare the way
of the Messiah.
And here we have
Jesus who is stepping ashore
as the one true shepherd
of Israel.
And in Matthew 14,
we see this as a turning point.
Jesus is now
the new Moses.
Jesus is now
the new Joshua.
Jesus is now,
if you will,
the new John the Baptist
who will lead his people
down straight paths
of repentance and faith.
Jesus Christ,
the Supreme Shepherd of Israel
with great compassion
and tenderness
and love
in his heart
now steps ashore
to the people.
What a marvelous scene
this must have been.
The apostles tell us
that in his compassion,
Jesus sees this vast multitude
without direction,
without purpose,
without a leader,
and so he comes ashore.
And I love this.
Mark chapter 6 tells us
he begins to teach them.
In Jewish literature,
the feeding of Israel
is often associated
with their being taught
the Word of God.
And so here is
the Supreme Shepherd
of Israel
coming forth
beginning to feed
His people
by teaching them
the Word of God.
The sheep
who have no shepherd
now have a shepherd
and He begins
to feed them.
What a beautiful picture.
Now we move on
in the text
that we find
physically
there is
scarce
provision
for the multitude.
The synoptic Gospels
Matthew,
Mark,
and Luke
refer to this
miracle
as taking place
in the evening.
It's
supper time.
It's
the evening
meal time.
It's
dinner time
as
my grandmother
would call it.
Notice verse 15.
Now when it was
evening.
So here we are.
Jesus and His disciples.
We know there's
somewhere
around the city
of Bethsaida
on the northwestern
shore
of the Sea of Galilee.
This hillside
is covered in grass.
So this is taking place
at some point
between March
or April.
The disciples
are seeing
this enormous crowd.
They come to Jesus
and make
at what appears
to be
a very reasonable
request.
Jesus
send the crowds
away into the villages
that they may
buy food
for themselves.
themselves.
However,
with a bit of
closer examination,
we see
that this
statement
by the disciples
loses fact
that
Jesus
standing
before them
is the
Good Shepherd.
And all
the miracles
that proceeded
in the days
ahead
showing
and demonstrating
that He
would provide,
the disciples
seem to forget.
And they're
looking at
the physicality
of the situation.
And in contrast
to the disciples'
suggestion
that the people
should go
buy food
for themselves,
verse 16,
Jesus looks at
them and says,
no,
you give them
something to eat.
This simple
command
assumes
the disciples
should serve
as extensions
of His
miracle
working
power.
Oh,
how easily
the disciples
had forgotten
just
a few
days ago
when they
went into
the villages
and performed
miracles.
But the
disciples
understand
Jesus'
command
in terms
of what
they themselves
are capable
of doing.
What do
the disciples
say?
What's their
response?
Jesus,
should we
leave and
purchase
200 denarii
worth of
bread?
They're
automatically
thinking
in physical
terminology.
It would
take 200
denarii
to feed
this many
people.
Jesus,
one denarius
was the
equivalent
of one
day's
wages.
So,
200 denarii
would be
worth about
eight months
worth of
wages.
We don't
know if
they had
this much
money with
them,
or it's
a hypothetical
question,
as was
often given
to Jesus,
Jesus,
you've
lost your
mind.
Can you
just see
Peter shaking
his head
and throwing
up his arms
in the air?
Jesus,
you've lost
it.
You've
gone crazy.
We don't
have enough
money to
feed these
people.
Now,
just to be
clear,
there's not
5,000 people
here.
But the
numbers
qualified in
the statement
that there
are 5,000
men.
So,
it obviously
does not
include the
women,
the wives,
the mothers,
the sisters,
etc.,
who were
there among
them,
which probably
equaled around
5,000.
It also
doesn't include
the vast
multitude of
children who
also would
have been
there,
which would
have numbered
around 10,000
to 15,000.
In other
words,
my friends,
this is an
enormous crowd
and the
disciples are
looking out
over at
what is
probably
about 25,000
people and
they're saying,
Jesus,
you've lost
your mind.
We do not
have enough
money to
feed them.
And so
in the story,
we leave
the disciples
with their
hands in
their empty
pockets,
trying to
figure out
how are we
going to
provide for
these people.
And that
brings us to
the fourth
point of
this event,
sufficiency
found only
in Christ.
Notice
verse 17.
The
disciples
come back
to Jesus
with a
boy's
dinner.
We have
here only
five loaves
of bread
and two
fish.
Immediately,
Jesus says,
organize the
people and
have them
sit down
on the
grass.
Now, I want
you to
notice
verse 19,
this phrase,
he directed
the people
to sit
down on
the grass.
to sit
down in
this culture
for this
type of
meal,
pointed to
the fact
that this
was going
to be a
banquet
meal.
This is
not a
usual
meal.
Jesus is
preparing for
them a
banquet.
This is a
celebration
meal.
The
banquet
meal
given
by their
king
in honor
of the
arrival
of his
kingdom.
And then
verse 19,
our Lord
takes five
loaves of
bread and
two fish
into his
hands and
he gazes
into the
heavens.
We're told
not to
the content
of his
prayer.
We can
imagine
with our
imagination
that perhaps
it's the
common
table
prayer
of
Judaism.
Praise
be to
you,
O Lord
our God,
King of
the world,
who makes
bread to
come down
from the
earth and
who provides
for all
that you
have
created.
Perhaps
that was
what he
said.
We
don't
know.
But what
I love,
if I could
give a
footnote
here,
is I
love the
parallel
between
this
banquet
meal
and the
one he
will share
in the
coming days
with his
disciples in
the upper
room before
he is
crucified.
Both
accounts
take on
the same
sequence
of events.
Taking
bread,
blessing
bread,
breaking
the bread,
and giving
the bread
to the
disciples.
And so
with these
five loaves
and two
fish,
which are
completely
inadequate
to feed
the
thousands
of
people,
in the
hands
of
Jesus,
sufficiency
is found.
After
blessing
the food,
notice what
it says
in verse
19,
he gave
them to
the
disciples.
Which is
best seen
as Jesus
is continually,
constantly,
unceasingly
giving bread
to the
disciples.
As they
distribute
what has
been given,
they come
back and
return for
more and
more.
Listen,
my friends,
Jesus is a
bottomless
well of
sufficiency,
mercy for
every single
need that
we have.
Isn't the
story of
Scripture
that our
Lord again
and again
lavishes
grace upon
grace and
hope upon
hope and
love upon
love and
bread upon
His
children.
Here is
their
king,
their
shepherd,
spreading a
banquet
celebration
meal on
this grassy
hillside.
Not in the
glittering halls
of a palace,
but among
ordinary,
common,
ordinary
people.
Why?
Because He
wants them
to know
that their
shepherd
has arrived.
Now, I want
you to notice
the conclusion
here.
It involves
three
statements
as we
see
satisfaction
fulfilled
in Christ.
What does
it say
happens
next?
Verse 20,
they were
satisfied.
They were
satisfied.
One of the
great biblical
images of
joy in the
eternal kingdom
is a
banquet
where the
people eat
as much
as they
wish to
eat.
Don't you
wish you
could do
that now?
There is a
marvelous
passage
in Isaiah
chapter 25
verses 6
through 9.
On this
mountain,
the Lord
Almighty
will prepare
a feast
of rich
food
for all
peoples,
a banquet
of aged
wine,
the best
meats,
and the
finest of
wines.
On this
mountain,
He will
destroy the
shroud
that
enfolds
all peoples,
the sheet
that covers
all nations.
He will
swallow up
death
forever.
The
sovereign
Lord
will wipe
away the
tears
from all
faces.
He will
remove the
people's
disgrace
from all
the earth.
The Lord
has spoken.
In that
day,
it says,
they will
say,
surely this
is our
God.
We
trusted in
Him.
And He
saved us.
This is the
Lord.
We trusted
in Him.
Let us
rejoice and
be glad
in His
salvation.
compassion.
Listen,
my friends,
the meal
here that
Jesus
provided is
not a
snack that
tides them
over until
they can go
into the
villages and
buy for
themselves
food.
The bread
that Jesus
gives
satisfies
the soul
and is an
expression of
His compassion
and it's
given in
such measure
that there
are baskets
left over.
Notice
verse 20.
The disciples
pick up
twelve basketfuls
of broken
pieces that
were left
over.
I think
it's perhaps
a bit
misleading if
we try to
go into the
symbolism of
why there
were twelve
baskets and
all of the
rest of it.
I think
the emphasis
here in
the text
is on the
superabundance
of the
sufficiency
and satisfaction
that is only
found in
Jesus Christ.
Do you
remember in
the wilderness
wanderings,
as we've
already heard
this morning,
the children
of Israel
wandering around
for forty
years,
every single
morning they
would go
outside of
their homes
and they
had to pick
up manna
off of the
ground.
Every single
morning.
And if they
did not eat
that,
it began
to grow
old and
stale and
moldy and
bugs would
consume it.
The next
morning,
they had to
go out and
gather the
manna again.
But the
bread that
Jesus
provides,
the abundance
Jesus supplies
in knowing
Him is
enough.
What is
He saying
to these
people in
Galilee?
He's saying,
I am
better than
Moses.
I am
better than
Joshua.
I am
better than
Ezekiel and
John the
Baptist.
I am
enough for
every need
that you
have.
And then
notice verse
21,
there were
five thousand
men.
The women and
the children
ate right
along with
the men.
Sometimes
what's
interesting,
friends,
is what's
not in
the text.
And here
we see
something
missing.
There's no
mention as
to the
crowd's
reaction.
Throughout the
Gospel accounts
and all the
miracles that
are recorded
for us by
our Lord,
there always
seems to be
a reaction
of amazement,
it says,
or astonishment,
it says.
But you see,
this miracle is
not confirmed
by the
crowd's
reaction,
but by a
description of
what happened.
Here,
you have
five thousand
men are
fed and
satisfied,
and there
were
leftovers.
Very quickly,
now that we're
at the end,
let me just
simply give
you a couple
themes here
that we've
picked up on.
First of all,
this massive
miracle reveals
to us
something of
the greatness
of Jesus.
all the
miracles of
Moses and
Joshua and
Elijah and
Elisha and
John the
Baptist,
even if you
will,
they pale in
comparison.
Do you remember
what I told you
at the beginning?
John the
Baptist had
been executed
as a signal
of the closing
of one chapter
and the opening
of a new.
Jesus is seen
here as
Israel's
final,
complete,
great
shepherd.
Jesus is seen
here,
my friends,
as our
great
shepherd.
Hebrews reveals
to us that
he's God's
final word.
God has
promised
to send
a shepherd
for his
people,
and now
he's giving
his people
bread and
fish.
Another theme
that we learn
from the
disciples is
simply this,
I am
always
inadequate
for the
task that
Jesus has
for me.
Always.
Sometimes
we're
overwhelmed,
aren't we,
at the
task that
Jesus has
for us,
or the
calling to
which he
has called
us to.
And just
like the
disciples,
when asked
to do
something,
or to say
something,
or to go
somewhere,
on behalf
of our
Lord,
we stand
with our
hands in
our pockets
trying to
find the
money to
do it.
Jesus,
I can't
speak,
Moses said.
I can't
go back
to Egypt.
I stutter
when I
speak.
Isaiah,
woe is
me,
for I'm
a man of
unclean
lips.
God,
I can't
go tell
them.
David,
have mercy
upon me.
Oh God,
I am a
sinner.
The Apostle
Paul,
I am the
chief of
sinners.
Every
person God
calls in
Scripture
recognizes
themselves
as inadequate
for the
task to
which they
are called.
But oh,
the Apostle
Paul reminds
us in
2 Corinthians
3,
not that
we are
sufficient
in
ourselves
to claim
anything
is coming
from us,
but our
sufficiency
is from
God.
Listen,
folks,
if God
has called
you to do
something,
if God
has called
you to
say
something,
if God
has asked
you to
go
somewhere,
I promise
you,
on the
authority
of His
Word,
that He
will
super
abundantly
be sufficient
and supply
for whatever
you need.
And finally,
Jesus is
always,
my friends,
more than
adequate
in every
task
and in
every challenge
that we
face.
Ephesians
chapter 3
verse 20
tells us,
now to
Him who
is able
to do
far more
abundantly
than all
that we
can ask
or think
according to
the power
at work
within us.
We are
completely
inadequate
for every
single thing
to satisfy
the people.
Do you
want to
share the
Gospel
with
Kerageline
and to
go out
from here
to the
surrounding
villages
and towns
and areas?
Do you
want
Kerageline
Baptist
Church
to make
a difference
in the
community
and among
the people?
I dare say
we would all
say amen
to that
desire.
Let me
tell you,
you are
completely
inadequate
to do
any of
it.
But oh
my,
the glorious
good news
is that
Jesus Christ
the Son of
God
has come
in flesh,
robed
Himself
like us
to make
us sufficient
for every
task that
we have
to which
we are
called to.
He has
went to the
cross and
substituted
Himself.
He has
risen from
the dead
and now
He reigns
as the
glorious
sovereign
of the
universe.
He is
soon
returning
for His
people
to set
up His
eternal
kingdom.
My
friends,
we
win.
So we
go
with the
good news
of the
gospel.
Depend
upon Him.
Look to
Him.
Cling to
Him.
Trust
Him.
and He
will
satisfy
you
with
eternal
pleasure
and
eternal
joy.
What a
beautiful
story
of His
sufficiency
and His
adequacy
for all
of our
lives.
Let's
pray together.
Our
Father,
we thank
You for
our time
this morning
in Your
Word.
what
glorious
good news
that we
have in
the
gospel.
What
glorious
good news
we have
in the
sufficiency
of Christ
for all
of our
needs.
Father,
what a
privilege it
is to be
here this
morning and
to worship
You with
brothers and
sisters in
Christ.
And I
pray,
Father,
that the
good news
to us
this morning
would so
equip us
for the
task ahead
that we
would find
and discover
our complete
sufficiency
is only
in You.
We thank
You this
morning for
our time.
We pray in
Jesus' name and
for His sake.
Amen.
Thank you, Dustin.
and what
an encouragement
it is to us
when we
leave today.
Thank you.
...