There Will Be Water If God Wills It
Text: Matthew 14:13-21 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Matthew 14:13-21
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Matthew 14:13-21
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand (Listen)
13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
(ESV)
We actually had this same miracle as our sermon text back in March, but then we were looking at it via the gospel of John. The account in John and the account in Matthew are virtually identical but they do use the account to focus on different lessons. This is due mostly to the context of the account rather than details within the account.
In the gospel of John the account comes after the women at the well, and before a long discussion about how Moses provided manna in the wilderness. All of this highlights how Jesus is the one greater than Moses who gives the spiritual food that is greater than physical food. That is what we focused on back in March.
In Matthew’s account, he reminds us about Herod killing John the Baptist as a lead in to this account. Afterwards he records the stilling of the storm, and how Jesus landed in Ganesaret and healed many people there. On top of this in the account Matthew doesn’t mention Jesus teach whereas John does. All of this reinforces in our mind the contrast between Jesus the king who cares and provides for his people and Herod as an example of the kings of this earth who rule in selfishness. Jesus who provides and gives and the rulers of this earth who take and kill.
Yes Jesus cares first and foremost about the word. But he also cares enough to give us all that we need for this life
There Will Be Water Because God Wills It
And Jesus does provide for us, everything we need. This is a joyful and wonderful thing because it means that we are free to spend our lives not in service to ourselves but in service to our Lord and our neighbor. Jesus provides what we need we don’t have to worry about that so when we work, it isn’t in a desperate selfish attempt to make sure that we get more than the other guy, or even in a desperate attempt to make sure we have enough. We can instead let go of our worries about what I need, and always instead consider how this will affect my neighbor.
As a business man, am I selling my customer a good product at a fair price, or am I just trying to get as much as possible out of them
As an employer am I giving my employees a fair wage for their work, or am I getting by with the minimum in order to make sure there is more profit for me
As an employee am I working diligently despite whether I think my employer is giving me a fair wage?
As a citizen am I thankful and supportive of my government paying my fair share of taxes recognizing that not only do I need the service the government provides but so does my neighbor, or am I actively seeking every possible loop hole that I think I can get away with
These are all examples of the way our attitude should change when we remember that we don’t have to worry about what we will wear or eat
We have many wonderful examples of a godly attitude towards earthly things in the scripture, but we will stick to three today.
- The Good Samaritan
The first is the Good Samaritan, who did not consider money to be something to be grasped or held on to but freely gave it all up to help his neighbor in need. He didn’t foolishly throw it away but he did use it all on this man, unconcerned with what he would eat or where he would sleep.
- Abraham
There are many examples from Abraham’s life. How he did not waste it foolishly, but neither did he worry about it. He let Lot choose first, not worried about getting the better land. He didn’t consider his cost in going into battle but only Lot, and again afterwards he didn’t care about the spoils of war but about Lot. He didn’t waste his money but neither did he worry about it, neither did he love it above his neighbor.
- Jesus
It wasn’t robbery for Him to have all the wealth of God. Yet He gladly gave it up for us all. While on this earth he didn’t stop to think, how can I make money but how can I serve, and then left the problem of food up to God the Father. He Didn’t think at all about His goals and dreams but about what He could do for us.
Let this mind be in you: Because God gives you all that you need, you needn’t worry about daily food and can instead freely give. Give service to God. Give service to your neighbor.
AMEN
The Peace of God that surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus