Village Schools of the Bible

AN UNFORGETTABLE PICNIC
Lessons Learned from the Feeding of the Five Thousand
by Max Frazier, Jr.

Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-13

Summer is perhaps my favorite season of the year. The rich vibrant yellows of the black-eyed susans blending with the dark pinks of the coneflowers and the bright whites of the daisies attract the interest of not only stately butterflies but of neighbors as well.

The summer tables are spread with platters of sweet corn, dripping with butter, and bowls of fresh green beans spiced with some onions and fried bacon. And who could forget those mouth-watering burgers and brats right off the grill, or perhaps your choice is a grilled chicken breast. And to top it off, there is that piece of ice-cold watermelon. So, are you ready for a picnic? Sounds great, doesn't it?

Recently I was privileged to stand along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. As I gazed at those deep blue waters and the dark green of the hillsides, my mind was drawn back to another day, centuries ago, when a great crowd had gathered there on those very hills. They had come to listen to Jesus.

Jesus had originally come there, along with His disciples, to retreat from the cares of ministry. He had a sorrowful spirit, having just learned of the death of His cousin, John the Baptist, who had been beheaded by King Herod. The cross also was weighing heavily upon His heart, and He knew that His disciples, those twelve men whom He had come to love dearly, did not understand the purpose for His death. And, of course, the tremendous burdens associated with His ministry gripped Him in a special way. Jesus really needed some alone time. He needed time to grieve. He needed time to teach His disciples.

However, Jesus was not alone for long. The crowds soon caught wind of His being there. They came by the thousands to hear this great teacher who taught with an authority that they had not heard for years. And so, Jesus shared His heart with these dear people for the better part of a day. As the shadows of the late afternoon began to lengthen, Jesus, knowing that the crowd was becoming hungry, asked His disciples to make provisions for them. The disciples balked at the suggestion that they feed the crowd. Nonetheless a search was made to see what foods were available. They reported back to Jesus that all they had found was a small boy with a lunch of five loaves of bread and two small fish. Yet, with those elements, Jesus invited the crowd to partake in one of the greatest picnics of all time.

As I have studied this picnic-miracle that we know as the feeding of the five thousand, God impressed upon my heart three significant truths. They are lessons that can impact us today.

Jesus was a Man full of Compassion

Jesus could have resented the presence of the crowds. After all, He was there in that place for some rest. Jesus could have said that the crowds were a nuisance. He could have had His disciples shoo them away. Even the Son of God was deserving of a break from ministry for a couple of days.

But, Jesus was never too busy for people. Jesus always cared for them. He was concerned, not only for their spiritual well being, but also for their physical needs as well. Jesus cared for the whole person. So should we. We should seek to minister to the whole person: feeding them when they are hungry, visiting them when they are sick, clothing them when they are naked, encouraging them when they are weary. As they respond to our demonstration of caring, an avenue will open allowing us to share the person of Christ with them. One writer has expressed it well when he stated that most people do not care how much we know until they have known how much we care. Jesus truly modeled that truth.

Jesus accepted all Gifts no Matter how Small

Jesus recognized that the people needed food. So, He asked Philip, who was from a neighboring town, about the availability of food. Was there a McDonalds close by? How about a Cub or Rainbow Food Store? Surely there must be a pizza place at hand? But Philip was full of despair, knowing that the availability of food for such a large crowd was not at hand, and even if it had been, the expense of feeding so many people would be astronomical.

Let's do a little calculation. We know that the crowd included five thousand men, plus women and children. So, let's say that each man had a wife and two children. That would mean there could be at least twenty thousand people present that day on that hillside. Now, let's suppose that Philip could purchase a simple McDonalds value meal - you know, the burger, fries and drink - at a cost of three dollars per meal. That would figure out to be an expenditure of sixty thousand dollars. Wow! No wonder Philip was stunned!

Enter the scene a disciple named Andrew, who always seemed to be bringing people to Jesus. He had found a little unnamed boy who had a small lunch with him - just five small loaves and two little fish. Andrew had been told to find some food and he had done just that. Yet Andrew knew that these were so insignificant when measured against the magnitude of the need.

But, little is much in the hands of the Master. And we know how He blessed the loaves and the fish, broke them, and asked all to eat until they were filled. No one went away hungry that day, unless it was by his or her own choice.

What a great lesson! You may not think that what you have to give to Jesus is of any importance. But it is of great significance to Him. Jesus can take the small loaves and the little fish of your life and accomplish mighty things. All you have to do is to surrender those loaves and fish to Jesus just as the little boy did.

Jesus Considered the Place of the Disciples Important

Jesus gave to the disciples and the disciples gave to the crowd. If Jesus wanted to get something done, He had to get a man to do it. I believe that, as they kept distributing those broken pieces of bread and fish, and kept asking people, "Would you like some more? How about another piece of bread?," that God was doing a mighty work on their faith. They had observed what Jesus had to work with - five loaves and two fish. And, now they had seen what Jesus could do with that littleness. I think they may have reasoned this way: "If God can do that with little loaves and small fish, maybe He can do something with the little I have to offer?" And, friends, He certainly can.

And one thing more. Even as they served the disciples were blessed. How many baskets of food were left over? There were twelve, one for each of them. In their service, God provided for their needs as well. And who lacked a basket? It was Jesus. I think He had been nourished with the food of doing God-s will (John 4:34).

Yes, this was a most unforgettable picnic. To me, it was one of the early lessons about the nature and character of the Church. God has given each of us a gift; it is our loaves and fish. Jesus just asks that we dedicate these gifts to Him, just as the little boy did with his lunch. Then God will use those gifts to bring honor and glory to Himself.

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