What Can Jesus Do?

The feeding of the 5,000 is a very famous passage. In fact, this is only the miracle, besides the resurrection, that takes place in all 4 of the gospels. David Platt: “Perhaps no story in the Bible, other than the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, confronts us with this reality of our Lord’s deity more directly than the feeding of the five thousand.” We have a lot to learn from this amazing account. 

There is nothing like having that person and that presence in your life. Maybe you don’t know what that is, or maybe you do, but no worry either way: Jesus is the one you are looking for. You see, we so often in life look to all the other options and ways to meet our needs and wants. 

This passage in scripture reminds us that Jesus can do it all. He is one we can run to for daily encouragement and provision, He teaches us the path to compassion and serving others as he did here, and he alone satisfies. There is no other place, and no other way, to be complete and to be whole. 

Being with Jesus is our primary work

We lost power this week a few different times. It’s amazing to me as I read the complaints on our neighborhood social media page. Just a little bit of power gone and everyone gets so mad. When someone touches our idols… we get mad. Anyway… It’s amazing to me that we get deeply disturbed when our power goes out and our internet goes away but nobody bats an eye when our spiritual power goes out and our God is away.

We cannot give what we do not possess. If we do not have a relationship with Christ, time spent and Holy Spirit given, we cannot give anything to others. We cannot pour from an empty cup. This work is only done in our creation of space for God in our lives. It is in our coming away and resting a while with him. That is our first and primary work in this life. 

First, “they told Him all that they had done and taught.” This is right on the heels of the passage where Jesus sent them out to do ministry. My question for you here is, do you have a lot to share with Jesus about your ministry? Is your book of life full of the pages of ministry you have done for others? Have you faithfully done the ministry God has called you to do? 

Second, we need to find our rest in Christ. There are two sides of the spectrum: the lazy who “rust out” in ministry and those that “burn out” and never take a break. Vance Havner says in his book “Jesus Only”, “If we don’t come apart, we will come apart.” I LOVE that. 

Jesus calls them to come and rest a while. Hear me this morning: it is not a sin to sabbath and to rest! It is a sin not to! We must rest in Jesus. If God rested when he created the world on the 7th day, you can rest too. I mean a REAL sabbath: turn off the junk, spend time with Jesus, pray, be in his word, contemplate his goodness… rest. 

Here are a couple of practical insights for us: (1) There is a time to work (cf. John 9:4). Laziness has no place in the Christian life. (2) We should have periods of rest because Jesus tells us to. Being a workaholic is not spiritual and actually can be sinful. Some even make ministry an idol. (3) Rest is best when accompanied both by solitude and companionship. (4) Rest is for a specific period of time. It is not permanent. (5) Even while resting, be prepared for ministry if necessary. A devoted follower of Jesus is never off duty. We are ready in season, and out of season.

Compassion is central to the heart of God

People have spiritual and physical needs and we ought to be compelled by that. Jesus had every reason to be upset with this crowd. He had just lost his cousin John the Baptist, he is a traveling itinerant preacher who no doubt is stretched thin physically, he can’t get a moment to himself… but who does he think about? Them. We need to follow the example of our good shepherd and have compassion for others just as Jesus did. No matter how we feel! 

To tie in our Old Testament reading: In the wilderness Moses pleaded with the Lord to raise up a leader “that the Lord’s community won’t be like sheep without a shepherd” (Num 27:17).

In Ezekiel 34 the Lord rails against the evil shepherds who have neglected and abused the people. He promises, “I will appoint over them a single shepherd, My servant David, and he will shepherd them.… I, Yahweh, will be their God, and My servant David will be a prince among them” (Ezek 34:23–24). That Davidic Shepherd King has now appeared in Jesus. 

Jesus arises to the people in their “Desolate place”, what desolate place is that? Their spiritual desolation. The religious leaders weren’t good shepherds with compassion, they cared only for the law and not for the people. They lacked compassion, we ought not do the same. 

Physically these people also had a need. Did you know that Jesus has compassion for our spiritual needs AND our physical needs? Our passage today says there were 5,000 men, that means including women and children there were probably 15-20 thousand hungry people. What a need! It is one thing to recognize a legitimate need. It is another to do something about it (cf. Jas 2:14–17).

Question, can the disciples take care of this need on their own? They cannot. But you need to do what you can do. I love the little boy with 5 loaves and 2 fishes. “What are we supposed to do with this?!” Give it to God. Give him all you got. Whatever is in your hand, God has given it to you and you need to do what you can do. 

The disciples lived this out by being obedient. It didn’t make sense on paper! 5 loves and 2 fish, what can I do with that God?! My little 10% tithe can’t change much, my serving as a greeter is a small thing, my little time reading and praying can’t change the world. My serving one neighbor won’t change the world. Wrong. Do what you can do, with what God has placed in your hand. 

God is concerned and provides for your physical needs. Often in our wealthy nation we forget that it is the Lord’s provision. We should thank him and show our gratitude. We should use what God has given us to meet the physical needs of others around us. 

Jesus alone satisfies

We just focused on our role, but after that we need to trust God with what he can do. Warren Wiersbe is exactly right in his book titled “Be Diligent”: “Jesus looked at the situation, not as a problem, but as an opportunity to trust the Father and glorify His name.” The place of desolation has become a banquet where the kingdom of God is enjoyed and celebrated. Only God can do that. “All ate and were satisfied.” None left hungry, God did a miracle. 

David Platt, “Where we see a lack, Jesus sees abundance. Where we see human problems, He sees and accomplishes divine possibilities. A little can become a lot with Jesus!” A little can be made a lot with Jesus. 12 baskets full after, one for each of the apostles, or possibly the 12 tribes of Israel. 

Listen to me this morning, you have no greater need in this life than Jesus, and He alone will satisfy you. In John’s version of this narrative, John 6:15 informs us that this miracle made such an impact on the crowd that they attempted to take Jesus “by force to make Him king.” But Jesus would refuse their advance and stay the course to the cross to fulfill His divine destiny.

They thought their greatest need was a king, someone to free them from Rome, someone to feed them and meet their earthly need, but no! Your greatest need in this life is a savior for your sin and his name is Jesus. 

Sally Lloyd-Jones writes in the storybook Bible, “The Bible is not a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a story.… You see, the best thing about this story is—it’s true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling the one big story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.”

Jesus showed His love and came to the rescue in a desolate place to feed the five thousand. He showed His love and came to the rescue in a lonely place on a hill called Calvary. There is a great hero in the Bible. He is our God. He is our Rescuer. He is our Shepherd. He is our Savior. He is Jesus.

Spurgeon said, “Come, then, weary hungry sinner. You have nothing to do but to take Christ.… Open your mouth and receive the food! Faith to receive what Christ provides is all that is needed” (Spurgeon’s Sermons). Isaiah 40:11 says, “[The Lord] protects His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them in the fold of His garment.” Let Him gather you. Let Him carry you.

Conclusion

So here we are this morning, the questions are pointed today. First, are you creating space to answer Christ’s invitation to join him in a solitary place and rest? He is asking that question to all of us, each and every one of you. It isn’t just for those going through a hard time, it is for everyone. He wants to be your good shepherd and lead you and restore you. 

We also are asked in the second portion of this message if we are carrying a heart of compassion like Christ did. Despite trying to get away from the crowd and get some time to himself, he was filled with compassion because he saw that the people were like sheep without a shepherd. Do you have compassion for lost people or those in need? If so, how are you displaying that compassion in tangible and actionable ways?

Lastly, we came to the conclusion that Christ alone satisfies. The disciples were asking the wrong questions, “how will we feed them? We need some money!” No. We need to turn to Jesus alone for our satisfaction and wholeness. He meets our physical needs, emotional needs, and our spiritual ones. Have you looked to Christ and Christ alone to satisfy? Or have you drifted off course to other things?