Performance In Christianity series
The Hungry - Examples of Jesus
The feeding of 5,000 men - The work of Jesus in the mountains before the feast of tabernacles (John 7:2), where He taught a crowd of 5,000 men, not counting their wives and children about the principles of the Kingdom of God. This work was a miracle, feeding over 5,000 families (2 parents, plus 3-5 children, approx. 30,000 people), and they ate until they were full.
In Matthew 14:14-21; the first of the recordings of this great work, states that when Jesus saw the great multitude, He was moved with compassion and healed their sick. Jesus addressed the needs of the people because this was the Work that God gave Him, and the body of Christ duplicates this very day. We, the collect of God, are the house of compassion.
In Mark 6:30-44; the example of the apostles coming to Jesus and sharing their success and what they had done in ministry was significant, as this gave validation to the ministry in their hands by their Teacher. In verse 37, He challenged them to feed the multitude, and they went left. The young apostles forgot what they learned and thought in earthly terms, and so it is today when we as the apostles of the day do the work without faith, we fail.
In Luke 9:10-17; we learn of the five loaves and two fishes, and the work of Jesus is established in all the Synoptic Gospels and the Historical recording of John. Here we also see the military application of organizing the men into companies of fifty. Fifty is the number that represented the year of Jubilee, and in the institution of Jubilee, everyone who was a part of the blessing was filled (Leviticus 25:1–4, 8–10).
John 6:5-14
When Jesus then lifted up his eyes and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
Prince of Peace, the Most High God, Sar Shalom (Isaiah 9:6), we thank You for the evidence of miracles. We praise You for the families that will be feed and healed by Your Word. We decree and declare blessings upon those who minister by Your example so that; by walking in Your power, the benefit of Jubilee will flow in every generation, both now and forever. Now, for the Kingdom and the Glory of God, we petition, with anointing in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior, Amen.
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