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                                               YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT

Luke 9:10-17

Key Verse: 9:13a

                                 “He replied, ‘You give them something to eat.’”

            Many of us have studied this passage many times in the past. This might be the most well-known miracle of Jesus which is included in all four gospels. “Feeding over 5000 people with just 5 loves and 2 fish” Luke does not emphasize the disciple who brought five loaves and two fish from a boy. Instead, this miracle in Luke’s Gospel is the extension of Jesus’ discipleship training. Do you see yourself as a disciple of Jesus? Welcome to Discipleship Training! In this passage, we can learn Jesus’ hope for his disciples to be a shepherd for God’s flock. Jesus expends their hearts which are too small to bear even one sheep to bear 5000 people. Jesus stretches out their hands which are always ready receive to give and to serve the crowds. May God help us listen to Jesus’ word “You give them something to eat.” May God help us to grow as shepherd for God’s flock.

First, Jesus welcomed them all (10-11).

Look at verse 10a. “When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done.” The Twelve disciples had been sent out. Jesus gave them power and authority and sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them, “Take nothing for the journey – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic.” They went out without money, without staff, without bread, but only with message of the kingdom of God. They preached the message of the kingdom of God by depending on Jesus only.

Jesus had sent his disciples to Bulgaria. They did not take money, or extra bags. Even they did not have proper language skill. There was nothing they could depend on, but the power and authority of Jesus’ word. When they preached the message, a young professional tennis player who had really bad hot temper turned out to be a gentle shepherd and a powerful gospel messenger. Jesus had sent his disciples to Ukraine. They preached the message of the kingdom of God, not the message about how to be a millionaire. When they did so, one young girl who had been addicted to sex and sought men’s love was changed into a precious and beautiful mother of prayer. Jesus had sent his disciples to UCLA. This one has never giving up spirit. While a sheep was riding on a bicycle, she preached the message running by the bicycle. Then, the sheep who had been addicted to drug and kicked out from a college found hope of God in the message and decided to give her life for the gospel. Jesus sent his disciples to NJ. This one has not many wonderful messages, but one simple and clear message. “You give them something to eat.” He practiced Jesus’ command and preached this command with absolute attitude. He has resolved all kind of difficult and complicated matters through Jesus’ command “You give them something to eat.” Then a tower –truck driver who had believed that monkey is his ancestor, thus college education is nothing but waste of time and money, entered a college, graduated the college and became a shepherd for college students.

How do I know all these? “they reported to Jesus what they had done.” Their reports had revealed the glory and the power of the message of the kingdom of God. Jesus did not send them out for sightseeing or picnic, but he sent them out with mission to preach the message of the kingdom f God. Just like the disciples, we are all accountable to Jesus. When we stand before Jesus, he will ask us “What have you done?” Many of us struggle to write testimonies every week. Why? This is not to show off ourselves to people. This testimony can be beautiful report to Jesus: how we struggle to live by the word of Jesus, how we fight a good fight, how we failed even, and how much we need the grace of him. God may help us to have sense of history, and bring beautiful and honest reports to Jesus.

Look at verse 10b. “Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida.” Jesus knew their needs for rest since they worked to preach the kingdom of God. He was very mindful of their condition. Jesus took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida. It was to have retreat with his disciples. Something hindered the plan. Look at verse 11a. “...but the crowds learned about it and followed him.” The crowds were so enthusiastic to follow Jesus wherever he went. (They might have JPS-Jesus Positing System) Even they had ran and arrived where the disciples would come and waited for them. As we learned, Jesus had visited villages and towns to preach the kingdom of God. But here, people from all towns followed Jesus. It was the result of disciples’ fieldwork training. They went out to towns and villages to preach the message of the kingdom of God. Then people from all the towns came to see Jesus. I thank God for M. Ruth Chung’s faithful fishing regardless hot or cold whether. If we do not go out and invite sheep, who will come to our Bible study and worship? If no one goes out, no one comes. We may go out campuses like the disciples with the message of the kingdom of God. Thank God for giving the short message even M. Challenge can deliver. “Repent, and believe in Jesus.” God may bless our Fishing ministry. God may fill this room with 120 students. 

Jesus could not have retreat because of the crowds. They did not care about Jesus’ plan. They did not care whether the disciples were tired or not. They cared only their need. Look at verse 11b. “He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.” It is amazing that Jesus welcomed them. They were not rich and famous or the elite of society or the well-educated. They were just shameless, demanding, and burden some who needed help in many ways. Yet Jesus welcomed them. Jesus had compassion on them for they were like sheep without shepherd. Do you know what would happen to a sheep without a shepherd? If you go out streets on Friday night, you can see the answer. They will be drunken sheep. They will be angry sheep. They will be street-fighting sheep. They will be wondering sheep. Eventually they will be delicious dinner for wolves. Jesus is the God of compassion who welcomes anybody and everybody who comes to him. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” His heart is broad enough to welcome all sinners. His love is deep enough to embrace all sinners. He welcomes all sinners into his breast. Do you know why I decide to keep study the Bible? It was because of Sh. Rebecca’s beautiful welcoming smile. As you know I was really shy boy. It was because of the fear of rejection. I always felt unsecure and rejected. When I went to the center for the first time, she looked at me with big welcoming smile. Holding my hand, she said, “Welcome. Brother Sunggi.” Not only her, but every one already knew my name and welcomed me with big smiles. I could feel that I was welcomed and I was special and I was accepted. Then, right away I registered for the summer Bible conference. In the world, even in the campus, people become indifferent to each other. People become self-centered and individualistic. Let’s welcome brothers and sisters with big hearts and with big smiles. In us, they may find Jesus. They may feel secure, comfort and welcomed. Thank God for House Churches in our ministry. We may open wide our house churches and welcome campus students. Sometimes thieves come and take our computers. But still let us open the door wide and welcome.

Look at verse 11 again. “He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.” What did Jesus do with the crowd?  First, Jesus spoke to them about the kingdom of God. This crowd of people seemed to need many things like the people in Haiti. However, Jesus spoke to them about the kingdom of God as of first importance. You know what happened in Haiti. By the earthquake, 110,000 were killed, 200,000 were injured, and 600,000 lost their houses. There are dead bodies piled up on streets. Trucks dumped dead bodies like trash. There are no infrastructures, no authorities, no food, no doctors, no vaccines, and no shelters.  Watching the new, I wonder if I can give them the message of the kingdom of God as of first importance. It seems the message of the kingdom of God is impractical, un-useful, and irrelevant to them. But Jesus spoke to them about the kingdom of God.

 What is the kingdom of God and why is it more important than food or money or anything else? Study is important, but we are not made for study. All our possessions and achievements are precious, but we are not made for those. We are made for more. We are made for the kingdom of God. We are made for the eternity. Jesus came and sacrificed his life on the cross, not to make our lives successful in the world, but to give us the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God comes when we accept Jesus in our hearts. Then, Jesus rules our hearts with peace and love. Jesus drives out evil spirits, forgives our sins, purifies us from all unrighteousness, and gives us eternal life and the living hope in the kingdom of God. Jobs, school study, possessions, achievement, children, houses… All those are certainly essential, but the kingdom of God is greater than those. “What good will it be for man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”(Mt17:26) The kingdom of God is God himself. The kingdom of God is Jesus Christ. Even though we might live abundant life, it would be meaningless and empty without the kingdom of God in our heart. However, how wonderful it would be to live even one day with the grace of forgiveness instead of guilt, with peace of God instead of fears or worries. Jesus spoke them the kingdom of God. But Jesus helped them in the most important way by telling them about the kingdom of God. Contrary to the people of Haiti, Americans seem to have everything what they need. Still Jesus spoke to them about the kingdom of God. What they need most is the kingdom of God.

Along with the teachings about the kingdom of God, Jesus healed those who needed healing. Jesus’ care for the crowd of people was practical. We may learn Jesus’ welcoming heart and speak about the kingdom of God as of first importance.

 Second, you give them something to eat (12-13a).

The disciples patiently waited and expected Jesus to finish his teaching soon. But, Jesus continued until it was getting dark. The disciples began to worry about the crowds. Finally it seems they began to understand Jesus’ shepherd heart. They did not say, “I do not care.” But they cared for the crowds and their conditions. Let us think about the situation. 1) It was late in the afternoon. It was already dark. 2) It was remote place. There was no food store, and no “Holiday In”. 3) They did not have money to buy food for the crowd. 4) They were also tired and hungry. What might you suggest to Jesus? Look at verse 12. “Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, ‘Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” It sounds thoughtful, reasonable, and practical. But simply it is “Send them away” solution. What else can you suggest?

Let’s think about our situation. There are 50,000 students in Rutgers. They are not hungry, nor interested in the Bible. They are too busy. It seems no one is going to sit down, and study the bible. Instead, they are looking for party house every night. They are addicted and drunken. We are busy to do self-supporting. We have to prepare MCAT. Every week there are papers and exams. We are busy and busy and busy. It seems like our situation is worse than the disciples’.  What might be your best suggestion to Jesus? Mine was “Please wait!” “Please wait until I master English.” “Please wait until I get a job!” “Please wait until my children grow” Nowadays, I have another one. “Please let Joseph feed them!”

How did Jesus reply to them? Look at 13a. “He replied, “You give them something to eat!” The disciples had just said, “Send the crowd away.” But Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.”  Here we learn several things from Jesus.  In the first place, Jesus wanted his disciples to have a sense of responsibility for the crowd of people. Jesus said “You.” It means that it is you who would feed 5000 people. “Raise up 120 disciples of Jesus” “Raise up 7000 missionaries” It is really amazing and wonderful work of God. Who would do this? Jesus said, “You”, not someone else. “Feeding 5000 people” is really amazing miracles. Who would do this? Jesus said, “You.”  It means that it is you who would be a shepherd for those. If you do not help and feed them, who will? Look at the situation again. The campus is like remote place. There is no one, but you who would lead the sheep to Jesus. There is no one, but you who would protect them from wolves. There is no one, but you who feed them with the word of life. You are the one who would do this, not someone else. We are greatly privilege to do his work. The words “sense of responsibility” may sound dutiful. But a sense of responsibility comes from love. I love my daughters, so I work hard to feed them. When we love God, we will work hard to feed sheep. In John 21, Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” Peter answered, “Yes, Lord. You know that I love you.” Then Jesus said, “Feed my lambs! Take care of my sheep! Fee my sheep!” When Jesus said, “You give them something to eat,” it meant we must have a sense of responsibility for the flock of God’s sheep.

In the second place, Jesus wanted them to learn a shepherd’s heart; a giving spirit. Jesus said, "You give them something to eat." Jesus wanted them to learn the spirit of giving. The spirit of giving does not come from bank account balance. The spirit of giving does not come from big salary. If so, here no one can give. This spirit of giving comes from the shepherd heart. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Why did God give his one? He loved the world. Jesus gave his life on the cross. Why? He loved us so much. A shepherd’s heart compels one to give for the sake of others. God gave his son. Jesus gave his life. Jesus taught his disciples to give.

In the third place, Jesus wanted them to live by faith. When Jesus said, “You give them something to eat,” he knew that the disciples had nothing. Then why did he command “You give them something to eat”? When Jesus commanded “You give them something to eat!” did he expect his disciples come up with 5000 fish sandwiches? Did he expect them to perform miracles?  Did he expect them to offer million dollars? He just wants them to bring what they have, five loaves and tow fish by faith. Sometimes we think that we have nothing to give to Jesus or what I have is too small to make a difference. In fact, there is no one who has enough time or money. But everyone has its five loaves and two fish. When we accept Jesus’ command “You give them something to eat” and bring what we have. That makes difference. That makes miracles. That is what Jesus blesses.

One missionary has served her sheep with delicious food absolutely at every 1:1 bible study time, thought she has no job. One missionary gives his artistic ability for invitation-card. Another gives money to support gospel workers. Someone gives precious Saturday to participate “5Loaves and 2Fish Orchestra”. Someone gives an open door to serve sheep anytime. Someone gives his voice to worship God. In UBF ministry, our one to one Bible studies look small. But God has blessed our one to one Bible studies to lead many to Christ and to raise many missionaries all over the world. God has taken what they gave and has blessed many to come to Jesus. Our five loaves and tow fish small, but there is great possibility when we bring it to Jesus. Jesus wanted them to feed the crowd of people, not by enough resources, but by faith.  Miracles occur when we obey Jesus’ command, “You give them something to eat.” If we take the five loaves and two fish to a secret place and eat them by ourselves, nothing would happen. Jesus challenges us “You give them something to eat!” He knows we do not have much. But how are we going to respond to Jesus’ command?  Jesus wants us to learn how to give what we have for his sheep. Let’s see how Jesus blessed the five loves and two fish faith.

Third, Jesus and his disciples feed the 5,000 (14b-17).

Look at verse 14b. "But he said to his disciples, 'Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.'" First, Jesus told them to have the people sit down in groups of about fifty each. This time, the disciples did not talk back to Jesus. They simply obeyed Jesus’ word. The disciples made five thousand men and many women and children sit down. Look at verse 16. "Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people." Jesus accepted the five loaves and two fish. Then Jesus looked up to heaven. Jesus thanked God for what he had and believed God’s blessing. Why did Jesus look up to heaven? It is because the real help comes from above, God. God’s help comes from above when we look up to heaven. Looking at others dose not resolve anything. But when we look up to God, when we fix our eyes on Jesus, help comes from God. After Jesus gave thanks, Jesus gave the bread and fish to his disciples to set before the people, and a miracle happened. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

When Jesus performed many other miracles, the disciples were just watching in the audience. But this time, Jesus helped his disciples to participate in the miracle: they brought five loaves and tow fish, let people sit down, distributed the food to the people, and picked up the leftover. Thought Jesus could work by himself, he worked together with his disciples to raise them up as shepherd for the crowds. Participating this miracle, they could learn how to work by faith, how to work with God, and remember God and his blessing. Still we can participate in this wonderful miracle. How? “Five loves and two fish” That is the secret of God’s wonderful ministry. Those who obey Jesus’ challenge, “You give them something to eat!” they will experience God’s mighty power. There will be miracles.

Now we pray to make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. We cannot do this.  But when we bring five loaves and two fish to Jesus, he can bless America to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Jesus said to us "You give them something to eat." May Jesus grant us a sense of responsibility and a shepherd heart for America. May Jesus help each of us bring five loaves and two fish to him by faith and experience the overflowing blessing of God.