When It Is Not Enough: Jesus and the Feeding of the Five Thousand

When It Is Not Enough: Jesus and the Feeding of the Five Thousand

A sermon on Matthew 14:13–21 by Roland Rossmiller

Matthew 14:15–16, 19–20 (ESV) "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.' But Jesus said, 'They need not go away; you give them something to eat.' ... Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said a blessing, and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied."

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Where Do We Turn When Our Needs Seem Greater Than Our Resources?

Where do we turn when our needs seem greater than the resources we have? Most of us know that question. Not enough strength for another medical problem, not enough patience for someone who depends on us for their care, and not enough faith for our grief and uncertainty or death. We look at what we have, and we might say, "It is not enough."

This is exactly what the disciples saw on the mount: a large crowd, a deserted place, evening coming, people hungry, food was scarce. The disciples concluded it's not enough. They forgot one important thing: Jesus was with them. The disciples saw scarcity. Jesus saw needy people that he loved. The disciples saw five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus saw an opportunity to give the people his compassion.

So where do we turn when our needs seem greater than what we have, our resources? We turn to Jesus. He sees us. He receives our requests and our need, and He satisfies. He provides for us.

Jesus Sees Us in Our Need

Jesus had withdrawn after hearing that John the Baptist had been killed. Yet when the crowds followed, he did not send them away. Matthew tells us that he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Jesus did not see an inconvenient crowd. He saw people, their sickness, weakness, sorrow, and need. He had compassion on them, and he moved to act for them.

The same Jesus sees you. He sees the one who feels lonely, even in a room full of people. He sees the one grieving someone who has died. He sees the one whose body no longer does what it used to do. He sees the one worried about a child or a grandchild who has wandered from the faith, and he sees the one who smiles and says everything is fine, while carrying a heavy burden inside their heart.

Sometimes suffering may make us question his compassion. We pray, and the pain remains. We pray with love for someone, and they keep rejecting God's word instead. We wonder if Jesus has forgotten us. But God's compassion is not measured by how easy our lives are. His compassion is measured by how clearly we see the cross.

At the cross, Jesus saw our desperate need. He saw sinners trapped under guilt and the devil, people who could not rescue themselves, who deserved God's punishment. And Jesus had compassion on us. He did not send us away. He took our sin. He carried our guilt. He suffered our punishment. He died our death, and He rose to give us forgiveness and eternal life. When you wonder whether Jesus sees you, look at the cross. The one who gave himself up has not forgotten you.

"Only" Five Loaves and Two Fish

When there does not seem to be enough, bring your need to Jesus. As evening came, the disciples said, "This is a desolate place. Send the crowds away, so that they can buy food for themselves." Their suggestion sounded reasonable, but Jesus said, "They need not go away. You give them something to eat." And the disciples didn't know what to do. They replied, "We have only five loaves and two fish."

That little word only tells us the whole story. Only five loaves and two fish for thousands of people. They were right about their limitations. Their mistake was forgetting who stood beside them.

We use the same word. I have only a little strength, only a little time, only a little faith. I am only one person. What difference can only I make? Our limitations are real. The Christian faith does not ask us to pretend we are stronger or more capable than we are. Faith does not deny our weakness. Faith remembers who is with us.

Faith Brings Everything to Jesus

Jesus said to the disciples, "Bring them here to me." The disciples and their small supply could not feed the crowd, but the food was placed in Jesus' hands. Faith does not say, "I have enough." Faith says, "Jesus is enough." Faith brings our weakness, fear, guilt, grief, and uncertainty to Him. We may think we must first overcome our doubts and repair our lives before Jesus will receive us. But Jesus does not say, "Bring me your strength." He says, "Bring everything here to me."

Bring him your sin, your fear, your weakness. The strength of faith does not rest in the believer; it rests in the Savior. We receive by faith. We do not wait until we feel especially strong or gifted. We place what we have into Christ's hands and trust Him to use it. The result does not depend on our greatness; it depends on His compassion, His word, and His gracious power.

More Than Enough

Jesus took the five loaves and two fish. He looked up to heaven, said a blessing, and broke the loaves. And then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And Matthew says about it, they all ate and were satisfied. Twelve baskets of pieces remained. Jesus had provided more than enough.

This miracle shows that Jesus is the compassionate Lord of creation. It also points beyond our physical hunger. It is right to pray for earthly needs — Jesus teaches us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." What does this bread mean? Food, clothing, shelter, health, family, work, and everything needed for our life.

Yet, if every earthly need were met, we would still have a deeper need. Food can only satisfy for a time, but it cannot forgive sin. Medicine may extend life, but it cannot give eternal life. Money can give temporary security, but it cannot give peace with God. Our deepest need is forgiveness, rescue from death, and eternal life. Jesus provides these gifts through His saving work.

Jesus Gave Himself for the World

Jesus gave more than bread to the crowd; He gave Himself for the world. On the cross, His body was given for us, and his blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. On the third day, he rose. Because Jesus lives, death does not have the final word over those who belong to him.

And Jesus continues to deliver His saving work through His means of grace. In His Word, He speaks forgiveness and creates faith. In Holy Baptism, He joins us to His death and resurrection. In the Lord's Supper, He gives us His true body and blood for forgiveness.

The disciples saw scarcity. Jesus saw people in need, and he did not send them away. And he does not send you away. Bring your sin to Jesus; he gives forgiveness. Bring your grief; He gives comfort. Bring your fear of death; He gives a promise of the resurrection. Bring Him your weakness; He gives you Himself.

So, where do we turn when our needs seem greater than the resources we have? We turn to Jesus. Jesus sees, He receives from us, and Jesus provides for us. There is more than enough.

May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.