Matthew 14:13-21 (16)
When Jesus preached to the crowd and realized they were hungry, He had compassion on them. It is out of compassion that this Good News is lived.
His followers, the leaders, wanted to send them away to fend for themselves. Jesus rejected that idea and told the disciples, "They need not go away; YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT." The followers of Jesus are to act on this compassion, if not their own, then on the compassion of the one they follow.
Then their argument was that they did not have enough resources with which to feed them and themselves.
Jesus ignored that argument and told them, "BRING THEM HERE TO ME."
He blessed it and broke it and distributed it by the work of His followers to the crowd. This, to me, is sacramental... the Word/Command and Elements shared in Grace and Agape...
And all 5,000+ ate and were satisfied, and there were 12 baskets of leftovers, more than what they started with...
1. Jesus has compassion on those in need, and His followers had better get with that program, because if they do not, they are not following Jesus... many who are goats think that they are faithful sheep - see Matthew 25:31-46.
2. There is no excuse for not helping people with what they need - the lame excuses of "it's not our job" or "we don't have enough for everyone AND ourselves" hold no meaning or value with Jesus, the one we profess to follow.
3. God provides through OUR hands and feet and mouths. God works through us in THIS part of God's Kingdom. We are COMMANDED by the Good News Law of Agape to live the compassion of Jesus with one another, and if we are not willing to follow Jesus in this, we are not Jesus' followers... making disciples means making folk who will FOLLOW Jesus' teachings, commands and examples, and baptizing them into a radical community that lives His Agape - see Matthew 28:16-20.
And Imperative is not a suggestion, but a COMMAND... simply put, it is "do this... don't do that..." If we are going to follow Jesus as Lord and not just try to hold onto Him as Savior, we must obey His commands... to be His followers, we must FOLLOW HIM.
Pastor Jamie
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