Beacon Hill Assembly of God

This miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish to feed 5,000 is recorded in all four Gospels.

· All four Gospels also agree that the crowd consisted of over 5,000 men, plus women and children.

· We are talking about 5,000 family units – probably over 20,000 people.


View the miracle from the perspective of Jesus and his disciples.

· Prior to the miracle Jesus had commissioned his disciples to minister among the people.

THE NEEDS OF THE FEW GAVE WAY TO THE NEEDS OF THE MULTITUDE.

The compassion of Christ superseded the immediate needs and weariness of the disciples.

Likewise, we are to be motivated in ministry by the same level of compassion.

JESUS’ CHALLENGED THE DISCIPLES: “YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT.”

· According to John 6:6: He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. (NIV)


THE DISCIPLES RESPONDED IN THE NATURAL

NOTE: Both the distribution of the bread and the collection of the reserve were done by the hands of the disciples


THE MIRACLE of the multiplication of the loaves and fish was not for the spiritual benefit of the multitude, but for the disciples.


HOW DO WE TAP INTO THE BOUNDLESS RESOURCES OF GOD?
· Through faith and following the example he sets forth in scripture


GOD IS A GOD OF MULTIPLICATION:
The bread and fish multiplied, not when Jesus prayed BUT when he blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude


Robert Morris: Two Principles of Multiplication

1. It has to be blessed before it can be multiplied.

2. Only what is given away can multiply.

The narrative regarding the multiplication of the loaves and fish has to do with a supernatural multiplication of natural resources in order to fulfill the commission of Christ.

· Multiplication of our material wealth (like money), multiplication of our time, multiplication of our talents and abilities are needed to fulfill the mission that God has placed before Beacon Hill Assembly of God

· We cannot fulfill what God has called us to do simply through the means of addition; we have to see our resources multiplied.


There is something in scriptures that is designated “offerings” that is over and beyond our tithe. This is when we give to missions, or projects or special speakers. When we give our offerings, God will multiply that which is above our tithe to meet the needs of His Kingdom.


It is the same thing with our time, talents and abilities. We can give God just a portion of our time – but if we surrender a sacrificial gift of our time, talents and abilities – then he will multiply those resources in His kingdom.


The multiplication of the loaves and the fish, didn’t happen in the hands of Jesus, but in the hands of his disciples.


Jesus wants to multiply resources and abilities to meet the needs of the people in our world and extend the mission of His Kingdom, but in order to do so, we must begin to operate in this realm of faith.


WE ARE FACED WITH A MULTITUDE. A multitude of need, a multitude of challenges, but also A MULTITUDE OF OPPORTUNITIES

· Like the disciples, we will go to Jesus and declare the need. Jesus will turn to us, like he did the twelve – the twelve he commissioned and empowered – and say, “you feed them.”

WHAT WILL BE OUR RESPONSE?