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Five Loaves and Two Fish

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on September 24, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , .

 

5-Loaves-and-2-Fish-Jesus-Feeds-the-5000Five Loaves and Two Fish

 

After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His sings which He performed on those who were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.  5 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.”

8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.”  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down in number about five thousand.  11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”  13 Therefore they fathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves and which left over by those who had eaten.  14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is come into the world.

As Philip was showing his lack of Faith, Andrew the brother of Peter was trying to find a solution to the problem.  As we saw in two previous miracles performed by Christ, when man has done all he can, Christ makes up the difference.  We saw this in the healing of the Noble man’s son and turning the water into wine.  Now again we see the same thing taking place.

First a person must exercise their faith. For the Noble man, it was believing Jesus would heal his son and so he returned to his house without Jesus.  In the turning of water into wine, it was the faith of Mary, the mother of Jesus, the faith of the servants to go fill the water pots.  When they had done all they could, then Jesus supplied the rest to complete the miracle.  In this way, mankind participates in the miracle and is blessed by the miracle because of the exercise of his faith, but also by the fact that he has done all that he can.

I learned a long time ago from another pastor that God always rewards effort.  When we faithfully do our part God will complete what we have started out by faith to do.

Andrew set out to find a solution to the problem.  He realized it was unrealistic to think they could purchase enough food and also understood that at the late hour it had become, there was little opportunity to buy enough bread to feed 5000 men, not counting women and children.

Andrew found a lad, a small boy whose mother had packed him a lunch of five loaves of barley bread and two small fish.  More than enough food for a young person.  Yet so interested in what Jesus was teaching that he failed to notice he was growing hungry.  Then when Andrew came and noticed what the boy had he asked the boy if he would be willing to share.

Herein lies another great spiritual lesson.  We must be willing to share what we have in order for it to be multiplied.  When I share, what I do have grows.  My part is small, but when I have put forth my effort, God then takes over and multiplies my small effort.  It is in this way that from one, many are blessed.  But it all starts when we by faith, give of what we have and share with others, that Christ takes over and finishes what we have started.  But it all starts by a heart that is willing to share and by faith relies upon Christ to finish what we are powerless to complete.

So Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.”  Now there was much grass in the place.  So men sat down, in number about 5000.  And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the people and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

When we share the gospel, it is similar in that we share what we have and Christ makes up the difference.  Our delivery of the gospel message may not be perfect, but when we do it with love and sincerity, then God will take the effort we have expended and multiply it.  Not for our glory, but for his.

Therefore let us diligently search for the solution to the problem of spreading the gospel message instead of wanting to turn the people away.  As the boy with the loaves and fishes, we must be willing to share, exercise our faith and see the miracle that God will produce in the lives of the people around us.

Bear Witness

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on July 30, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Christianity, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , .

March-24Bear Witness

31 If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which he witnesses of Me is true.  33 You have sent John and he has borne witness to the truth.  34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things, that you may be saved.  35 He was the burning and the shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have a greater witness than John’s for the works which the Father has given Me to finish – the very works that I do – Bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen His form.  38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

To prevent a case of he said she said, one cannot be a witness for them self.  In order for my testimony to bear any weight of legitimacy there must be another witness on my behalf.  Also the more that can testify on my behalf the more legitimate my claims become.   

This is why Christ starts out this section by saying, “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 

Therefore, there must be another that bears witness of Christ.  We have read about John the Baptizer before.  John was born, to bear witness or shed light on the fact that the Messiah, the lamb of God was about to start his ministry.  John bore testimony to the fact that Jesus was the messiah, which was confirmed at Christ’s baptism, by the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove resting upon Christ.

Therefore Christ is building up John and John’s ministry to further his own claim he had been making before the Sanhedrin.  What was this claim? That Christ is the Messiah.  John’s message of repentance and the soon coming of the messiah was the burning of the shining lamp.  It was the gospel message being illuminated before the people.  For a while, you paid attention and were willing to rejoice in the light, but soon you tired of this light, and therefore began searching for another.  As John testified and all Heaven also testified, this is the light that John prophesied of. 

John bore witness that the Father testifies of me and has send me.  But as prolific as John’s teaching and preaching was, it pales in comparison to the works of Him who sent me which is the Father and by the Father’s will, I have performed the miracles you have witnessed.  Therefore the very works that I do bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent me. 

As the members of the Sanhedrin heard these words their hearts grew hard. Unbelief crept into their minds and so they rejected Christ that day.

You and I are not able to see the miracles that Christ performed but we are able to read the testimony of those that saw them take place.  Yet all around us our churches are filled with lives that have been changed by coming into contact with Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

So as you read this and contemplate upon the things seen and learned, we each are faced with the same decision the Sanhedrin had to make nearly two thousand years ago. 

Based on the body of evidence and the testimonies of those present, will you accept Christ as your messiah, Lord and Saviour. 

Like the Jews of old, will your acceptance only be for a season, or will it last the rest of your life?

With Authority

Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on July 27, 2018
Posted in: Christian, Christianity, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , .

authorityWith Authority

22 “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 22 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has pass3d from death into life. 25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graces will hear his voice 29 and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. 20 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

As Christ stood before the Sanhedrin He unfolded before these illustrious men of Israel, the plan of salvation and the true role of the Messiah. In Verse 19 Christ had started speaking by saying “Most assuredly,” or “truly, truly, or “Verily, verily depending on your version of the Bible. Christ was attempting to gain the listeners and readers attention. “Hey, look, pay close attention for this is important for you to understand! “For the Father Judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.” Why would this be? How is it that the Father who has been working non-stop for the restoration of mankind has committed this act of judgement to the Son?

There is a two-part answer to these questions. First the Son, being Jesus Christ is one like us, having been tempted in all ways as we are. This allows Him to understand the trials and temptations that we have endured.

But verse twenty-three gives us the second answer to these two questions. “That all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

The Jew’s claimed to Honor God, yet when Christ came to teach and show them the truth regarding God the Father, they rejected Christ. By rejecting Christ the Messiah they rejected God the Father. Therefore, if you profess to Honor the Father, then you should honor the Son.

Yet so many Christians claim to honor the son, yet they continue to live the same life they did before coming to Christ. Jesus, to drive the point home, again uses the term Most assuredly. “I Say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but has passed from death into life.

When we accept Christ as our saviour, then our lives should be changed. The old part of us that was made up of sin, was washed away in the watery grave of baptism. When we are lifted out of the watery grave of baptism, we are a new person. “It is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me” are the words written by Paul (Galatians 2:20 paraphrased).

As Jesus is standing before the Sanhedrin, He is stating a principle that should have shocked His listeners. Not to anger unless the anger was directed toward themselves because of their own lack of understanding. Christ is saying, “As I have surrendered to My Father listening to His words and doing what he would have me to do, this is what we all should be doing. We should listen to and submit to the word and will of Jesus. Because he is heavens representative to us. He shows us the Father in his every word and action. Because Christ has lived as you and I live, but remained free from sin. He remained free from sin, because he submitted His will to the father and therefore the Father has given to Him the authority to judge, because he is one like us and therefore can understand us yet remained sinless.

Christ stated that those who hear, believe and then become doers, then you will have everlasting life. This declaration is more than a promise of things to happen in the future. It is an assurance that the believer now and here may begin to enjoy life that is eternal in quality, because he is united spiritually with His Lord, whose life He shares. “The Spirit of God, received into the heart by faith, is the beginning of eternal life.

The passage “From death to life” is not only a bodily transformation at the future resurrection (second coming of Christ) but is also an experience through which every true Christian has already passed and the fruits of which he continues to enjoy. Spiritually the crucial change from death to life comes when a man is born again. This is the point Jesus made to Nicodemus and to the woman at the well. Now before the Sanhedrin, he once again pleads for them to accept Him as the Messiah, because the Father has given all power to grant eternal life unto the Messiah.

Yet Christ says, I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I Judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father that sent Me.

Just think how much more we could be as Christians if we followed the example of Christ. Where we put away our selfish desires and listen to the still small voice of our creator as he guides and directs us in all ways. But this is only possible when we submit to the will of God. Daily keeping in contact with our Lord and Saviour.