Miracles and Deliverance

Lesson 9

Lesson Text—Matthew 14:14-17

Matthew 14:14-1714 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

Lesson Text—Matthew 14:14-17

16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

Lesson Text—Matthew 14:18-21

Matthew 14:18-2118 He said, Bring them hither to me.19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Lesson Text—Matthew 14:18-21

20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Focus Verse—Philippians 4:19

Philippians 4:19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in

glory by Christ Jesus.

Focus Thought

Jesus knows what we need in advance and He is ready to supply it in abundance. We must give Him

what we have and trust Him to multiply it as He sees fit.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderIntroduction

We should never underestimate the care and concern of God for His people. Certainly, He who sees all is able and willing to become a present help in our time of need. The Scriptures are filled with examples that display this great truth.

In times of trouble, God becomes a shield; in times of concern, He brings comfort; in times of unrest, He becomes our peace; and in times of want, He becomes our supply.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderWhen the unbelievers in the Old

Testament questioned if the Lord could supply a table in the wilderness, God showed them His ability and willingness to do so. Moreover, the New Testament repeatedly reveals the truth of God’s willingness and desire to provide for His people: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderOur Compassionate

Provider“And Jesus went forth, and saw a

great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and

the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into

the villages, and buy themselves victuals. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them

to eat” (Matthew 14:14-16).

I. Our Compassionate ProviderAfter Herod murdered John the

Baptist, Jesus departed by ship into a desert place and exhibited deep sorrow over this sad event. His desire to be alone, however, was short-lived as others who sought His touch followed closely behind hoping to get an audience with Him. The Lord quickly pushed His sorrow aside when He saw the serious needs of the people.

People may demonstrate compassion toward the plight of others and yet lack the ability to provide for their needs.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderJesus Christ, however, is both compassionate and able to provide that which will minister to mankind’s problems. Viewing the people as sheep having no shepherd, Jesus was moved with compassion for them. (See Matthew 9:35-36.) The Greek word for compassion is splagchnizomai, which means “the gut feel, or a concern that comes from deep within.”

Jesus felt the limp of the crippled, the suffering of the diseased, the loneliness of the leper, and the humiliation of the sinful.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderSensing the enormity of the great task of gathering people into the kingdom of God, Jesus voiced His only recorded prayer request: “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38).

The events of the day made time pass swiftly, and as the evening encroached, the people grew tired and hungry. Consequently, the disciples suggested sending them away to the villages where they could purchase food.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderHowever, Jesus was not content to send them away hungry. He wanted to provide the necessary nourishment for them.

In his book Churches That Heal, Doug Murren wrote: “One thing that hinders the church from becoming a church that heals is a lack of compassion.”

A. The Lord Knows Our Needs

A. The Lord Knows Our Needs

As a mother knows the needs of her children, the Lord knows the needs of His spiritual children. Jesus Christ declared Himself to be the Bread of Life that would satisfy the longing in every person. Further, His knowledge of our needs is so insightful He knows them even before we ask. (See Matthew 6:8.)

I. Our Compassionate ProviderEven the Lord’s knowledge of the minute details of our lives reveals His supreme concern and care for us. He sees the sparrow when it falls to the ground, and He has numbered the very hairs of our heads (Matthew 10:29-30). Moreover, He inspired the writers of Scripture to pen words of promise and hope that He would meet our needs.

B. The Lord Provides in the Desert

B. The Lord Provides in the Desert

The long day was finally ending, and the masses of people were willing to stay through the night. Despite the hot sun, the impending cold dampness of the night, the emptiness of their stomachs, and the fact that it was a desert place, the people were content to stay. The best provisions available were some dirty river water and possibly some vegetation found along the way.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThe story evokes questions within

those of us who occupy this side of the miracle:

•Why did no one think about bringing food for the journey?

•Were the people so caught up in their expectations of what the Lord would say and do that they forgot even their most basic needs?

One thing is clear: the Lord seized this situation to produce a miracle and thereby provide abundantly for the needs of His followers.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderMany people have been recipients of God’s provisions during difficult desert experiences in life. When the people of Israel found themselves in the desert, they questioned, “Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?” (Psalm 78:19-20).

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThe Lord showed His faithfulness to His people by providing for them not only food and water, but He also made sure that their clothes and shoes did not wear out. (See Nehemiah 9:20-21.)

Nehemiah 9:20-21 “Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna

from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst. Yea, forty years didst thou

sustain them in the wilderness, so that they

lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not” (Nehemiah 9:20-

21).

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThe Lord specializes in making a way for people in the most difficult situations life may bring their way. He delights in providing for His people in the midst of their desperate desert experiences.

II. Our Faith Tested by GodOur Faith Tested

by GodSomeone once said that faith is

neither proven nor real until it is tested, and one cannot give a testimony until there is a test. Abraham, the father of the faithful and the friend of God, experienced the testing of God many times in his journey of faith. When it seemed he was unable to have a child by Sarah, he succumbed to temptation and devised a way to “help” God.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderIt was only after God had rejected his human effort that he realized God desires to prove the truth and complete dependability of His Word. His faith was tested, but he ultimately experienced the fulfillment of the promises of God. Several years after Abraham realized the promise of his child of old age, Isaac, God again tested his faith. However, this time he passed the test and proved he had learned his lesson well. (See Genesis 22:8.)

Genesis 22:8

“And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a

lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them

together” (Genesis 22:8).

I. Our Compassionate ProviderWhen Jesus sent the disciples out to preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, He commanded them to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils. This was an awesome opportunity that would test their faith, for He also commanded them to trust Him completely for all their necessities. (See Matthew 10:5-10.)

Matthew 10:5-8 “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying,

Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of

the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye

go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:5-8).

Matthew 10:9-10

“Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your

purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats,

neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat” (Matthew 10:9-10).

I. Our Compassionate ProviderBy obeying the command of the Lord to go forth, these men discovered that when their faith was tested, God also sustained it.

A Boston mother said to her little daughter, “If you had my faith, darling, you would have no toothache.” The child replied, “Well, Mother, if you had my toothache you wouldn’t have any faith.”

A. We Must Give Him What We Have

A. We Must Give Him What We Have

The greatest miracles in our lives often begin with what we have “in our hands.” Our willingness to open our hands and release what we have reveals the supernatural potential of God. Before the Lord multiplied the fish and loaves, the young lad had to be willing to open his hand to God and give up his right to what he possessed. It mattered not that the meager provision seemed inadequate.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThat he was willing to place it into the hands of Jesus is what mattered. The disciples soon discovered that the greatness of present needs has no bearing on the outcome of the situation when they placed what they had in the hands of God. The songwriter was correct when he penned the words, “Give what you have, and God will give you more.” (See Luke 6:38.)

Luke 6:38 “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure,

pressed down, and shaken together, and running over,

shall men give into your bosom. For with the same

measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you

again” (Luke 6:38).

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThe Bible repeatedly states the

principle of giving what we have to God. One way that we may test this principle is through the giving of tithes and offerings. When people bring their tithes and offerings unto the Lord, He multiplies what remains in their personal funds and stretches its effective use. Moreover, the act of our giving what we have gives God the opportunity to bless both us and others. God can help us to do more with the 80 to 90 percent that remains than we could have done alone with the entire 100 percent.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThe prophet Malachi

commanded the people to bring all the tithes into the storehouse, and then he promised there would be meat in the house. He further challenged the people to prove God through their obedience and see that He would open to them the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing so great they would not have enough room to receive it. (See Malachi 3:10.)

I. Our Compassionate ProviderWhen we give to the Lord what

we have, He will provide for our needs, often in ways we never could have provided for ourselves. Moses never would have experienced the power of God if he had not opened his hand to give to the Lord his rod. In some ways, perhaps his rod represented the temporal areas of life that so many people depend on for survival. Moses had to open his hand and let go of what he possessed to discover the fullness and abundance of God’s true provisions.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThe stones David picked up from

the brook were merely temporal, earthly rocks until David released one of them from his sling. Had David kept those five smooth stones in his shepherd’s bag, the giant never would have fallen. When he released what he had in the name of the Lord of hosts, the little rock in a sling became a mighty projectile to subdue and defeat the giant.

The willingness of the young lad to give his lunch to the Lord provided the platform for the miracle of feeding the five thousand. (See Jeremiah 17:5.)

Jeremiah 17:5

“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and

whose heart departeth from the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:5).

I. Our Compassionate ProviderWhen we place our trust in mankind and make the fleshly realm the source from which we find strength and support, we will receive only what human effort can provide.

B. He Will Bless What We Give

B. He Will Bless What We Give

The hungry multitudes had gathered in expectation before the Lord and His disciples, but it had been a long day. Now in the evening, the disciples questioned whether they should just send them away. Some commentaries suppose the attendance was possibly as many as thirty thousand people, including the women and children.

B. He Will Bless What We Give

There was no way logistically that they would have enough food to feed this vast multitude of people, and yet Jesus commanded, “Give them to eat.” While the disciples searched for an answer to this problem, Andrew declared, “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?” (John 6:9).

I. Our Compassionate ProviderApparently, Andrew had observed

the meager lunch of this lad and then scoffed, “What are they among so many?” His rationale was limited by his human perception, knowing the seemingly impossible task before him. However, he was about to discover that little is much when God is in it! It mattered not to God that the fish were described as small. All that mattered was the disciples’ decisive response to place what they had found into the hands of the Master. When they brought the boy’s lunch to Him, they had all they needed for a miracle!

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThe church has within its hands

the answer to the world’s problems. Too often, we have been tempted to send people away to the psychiatrist for emotional help, to the marriage counselor for marital help, and to the government for financial help. This yielding of responsibility has possibly hindered both the growth in the church and the opportunity for the divine and miraculous intervention of God among us.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderWithout question, there is a place

for and need of the various professionals and the help they can offer the church, but never should we allow their convenient availability to diminish the operative power of God within the church! The opportunities that God places before us should never be minimized by what we perceive, possess, or lack, for the Lord is the equalizing factor.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderA man who had wasted all of his

earnings on alcohol was miraculously saved and delivered. His habit of wasting his money at the bar on payday ceased, and in its wake the family needs were supplied.

Several of this man’s friends had difficulty accepting the change in their former drinking buddy. One by one, they questioned him about his newfound faith. When they could find no fault they began questioning him about his belief in the Word of God.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderOne man asked, “Do you believe Jesus turned the water to wine?” The response was very quick from the newly saved convert. “Yes, I do!” he replied. The man who had asked the question retorted, “Can you prove it and do you understand how He did it?”

The new Christian thought for a moment about his response and finally answered, “I do not know how God turned water into wine, but I can tell you how God changed beer into furniture!”

C. He Will Break What We Give

C. He Will Break What We Give

The Scriptures repeatedly reveal a principle of giving: a person must give what he has to the Lord to gain what he never could obtain on his own. For example, Jesus said, “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:39). Only when we give our lives to Him are we able to find real life. On the other hand, when we reserve the decisions of our life for ourselves, we lose the very thing we are pursuing.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderEven Jesus, the Bread of Life,

understood that He had to give His life and be broken in order to become the Bread of Life that satisfies the hunger of the soul. (See John 12:24-25.)

Jeremiah 17:5

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it

abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life

in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” (John 12:24-25).

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThe body of Jesus Christ had to

be broken on the cross before it could be distributed to others in fulfilling the miracle of salvation. Jesus took into His hands the bread that the little lad gave and broke it before using it to feed the hungry multitude. Often, the Lord breaks that which we give to Him before He can use it for His purpose.

When Moses finally surrendered his life to the Lord, he discovered that what he possessed was insufficient until it was broken in God’s hands.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderGod sent Moses into the seclusion of the desert for forty years. In a sense, the Lord unraveled Moses one strand at a time and then made him afresh. However, Moses’ ordeal was necessary before God could use him as He desired.

David is another character in Scripture whom the Lord had to break and rebuild before He could use him for His purpose. David’s willingness to allow God to work in his life facilitated the means through which God could bless many people.

D. We Must Distribute What He Returns to Us

D. We Must Distribute What He Returns to Us

The Lord supernaturally multiplied the fish and loaves, but He used a very ordinary means for distribution. The miracle of provision was predicated on two things: (1) the lad’s willingness to give the Lord what he had and (2) the disciples’ willingness to redistribute what the Lord placed into their hands.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThe disciples discovered an

amazing thing. When they began redistributing the food, it literally multiplied in their hands. Too often, we forget that the reason God entrusts us with blessings is so we may distribute the blessings to others. We should willingly reinvest what the Lord places in our possession.

Miraculously, the fragments that remained after the people were completely satisfied far outweighed what the lad had in his lunch at the beginning.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderMoreover, had the disciples clasped their hands tightly around what the Lord had given them, they would have severely minimized the results. Rather, their willingness to share what the Lord had given them maximized the results. We too must learn to see the need and willingly let go of what is in our hands so the Lord can effectively bless and use it.

Several years ago a group of five computer salesmen went from Milwaukee to Chicago for a regional sales convention.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderAll were married and each assured his wife that he would return home in ample time for dinner.

The sales meeting ran late and the five scurried out of the building running toward the train station as the whistle blew, signaling the imminent departure of the train. As the salesmen raced through the terminal, one of them inadvertently kicked over a table upon which rested a basket of apples. A ten-year-old boy was selling the apples to pay for his books and clothes for school.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderWith relieved sighs, the five clambered aboard the train, but the last one felt a twinge of compassion for the boy whose apple stand had been overturned.

He finally asked one of them to call his wife and tell her he would be a couple of hours late. He returned to the terminal and later remarked that he was glad he did. The boy was blind. When the man saw the apples scattered all over the floor, he began gathering them and noticed that several were bruised and split.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderReaching into his pocket, he said to the boy, “Here’s twenty dollars for the apples we damaged. I hope we did not spoil your day. God bless you!”

As the man started to walk away, the blind boy called after him, “Sir, are you Jesus?”

III. Our Abundant ProviderOur Abundant Provider

Sadly, the people of God often struggle to perceive God’s abundance. It is easier to focus on what we do not have than on what we do have. Some people tend to remind God of what He has not given them rather than thanking Him for what He has provided. The person who learns to trust God for all his needs finds a measure of joy and contentment that others only pursue. He understands that the God who sees the sparrow when it falls and cares for the lily in the field most certainly will not forget him.

A. His Supply Exceeds Our Needs

A. His Supply Exceeds Our Needs

Perhaps the greatest discovery a person will ever make is the understanding that God’s ability to supply exceeds one’s needs. God’s supply is never in danger of depletion, but the meeting of our personal needs depends on our willingness to trust Him. Although He challenges us to entrust Him with whatever He has given to us, the realization of the miracle is possible because of the abundant supply within His storehouse.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThe stars of the sky, the sand of the sea, and the volume of water in the oceans all testify to the vast abundance of God’s supply. We minimize His supply and inhibit His miraculous power only when we refuse to trust Him. (See Psalm 50:10; 105:37; Philippians 4:19.)

Psalm 50:10

“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10).

Psalm 105:37

“He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble

person among their tribes” (Psalm 105:37).

Philippians 4:19

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his

riches in glory by Christ Jesus”

(Philippians 4:19).

B. His Rewards Exceed Our Expectations

B. His Rewards Exceed

Our Expectations “There is that scattereth, and yet

increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul

shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself” (Proverbs 11:24-25).

I. Our Compassionate ProviderSolomon illustrated two

lifestyles: one has to do with lack and poverty while the other speaks of prosperity, fullness, and increase. The person who learns the art of “scattering” the seeds of opportunity and blessing the lives of others will discover the source of increase and excess. On the other hand, the person who refuses to invest in others and to allow God to have control of his possessions finds poverty and want.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderIn the miracle of the loaves and

the fishes, Jesus illustrated a lesson to both the little lad and the disciples that would prove invaluable to them for the rest of their lives. At the center of that lesson was God’s desire and ability to supply every need in their lives. Further, they discovered that God often exceeded their greatest expectations. The God of the Old Testament, who had supplied oil for a widow woman and caused the walls to fall flat around Jericho, stood before them that day.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderHe was certainly the “I Am,” the same yesterday, today, and forever! (See Hebrews 13:8.)

A new missionary was assigned a car that would not start without a push. After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. For two years, he continued to use this ingenious procedure.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderIll health forced this missionary

to leave his post, and a new missionary arrived to replace him. When the outgoing missionary proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new missionary began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, “I believe the only trouble is this loose cable.” He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to the first missionary’s astonishment, the engine roared to life!

I. Our Compassionate ProviderConclusion

During the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay, the contractor fell way behind schedule because several workers had accidentally fallen from the scaffolding to their deaths. Engineers and administrators could find no solution to the costly delays. Finally, someone suggested that the contractor hang a gigantic net under the bridge to catch anyone who might fall.

I. Our Compassionate ProviderIn spite of the enormous cost, the engineers eventually opted for the net. After it was installed, progress from that time onward was hardly interrupted. A worker or two fell, but the net saved their lives, allowing them to continue working without fear or worry.

In the same way, Jesus is able to provide for us a safety net that allows us to continue our work for Him without fear. He really will provide for us! He wants us to succeed in our spiritual walk, and He wants to bless us!

I. Our Compassionate ProviderThe multiplication of the fish and

loaves by the hand of Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry revealed the very character of God toward humanity. Every time He handed another basket to the disciples and reached for one more, it testified of His being God. His works declared that He was more than just a prophet! Certainly, the believer who has received this truth in his heart is bolstered to continue to work in the kingdom of God without fear or worry. (See Ephesians 3:20-21.)

Ephesians 3:20-21

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly

above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be

glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen”

(Ephesians 3:20-21).