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📝 = Fill in the Blank
This morning we’re getting ready to take a look at the only miracle that can be found in ALL four of the gospels, besides The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. One must ask their self, what is it about this story?
Why is this story found in all four gospels? What is God trying to teach us? What is God trying to get us to see?
“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.”
Mark 6:34
“By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said,” and it’s already very late.”
Mark 6:35
“Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.””
Mark 6:36
“But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?””
Mark 6:37
““How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.””
Mark 6:38
“Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.”
Mark 6:39-40
“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.”
Mark 6:41
“They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.”
Mark 6:42-44
I want to speak to you today from this subject…
THE POWER OF A MOMENT
This story is beyond amazing to me. It’s many different ways to approach this text but one thing that jumped out to me was the compassion that Jesus had for the people, and the hunger that the people had for Jesus. The text makes it clear that they stayed a great portion of the day just to be with Jesus. Look at verse 35 again, it says,
“By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already VERY LATE.”
Mark 6:35
Through it all—THEY STAYED.
They stayed because they were hungry for Jesus, because the food didn’t come until VERY LATE. And I believe it was because of this hunger that caused God to move. Matthew 5:6 says,
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Matthew 5:6
I believe it was because of this hunger and this thirst that caused them to stay and allowed them to get their fill spiritually as well as naturally.
Somehow, someway they recognized that they were in moment. They recognized that this wasn’t business as usual, and all of a sudden nothing else mattered except that moment.
I pray that we’ll continue to be a church that HUNGERS for the things of God. Jon Tyson said it best. He said,
"God comes where He is wanted.” -Jon Tyson
And sense they stayed, and sense they were hungry for God, and sense they wanted God, God showed up in astronomical way.
I pray that we’ll continue to be a church that recognizes moments.
I pray that we’ll continue to be a church that recognizes moments, AND DOES SOMETHING WITH THEM.
Moments often show up unannounced among us and takes a seat.
Moments often quietly mingle around us just waiting to be recognized but here’s the thing….
📝 God inspired moments aren’t meant just for OBSERVATION but PARTICIPATION.
But what’s baffling to me that is in the midst of these God inspired moments, life itself is only but a moment.
This is why Moses made a special appearance in the Psalms and wrote Psalm 90:12,
“So TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Psalms 90:12
TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS…
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR DAYS?
📝 If all we have is a MOMENT to make a DIFFERENCE, then all we need is a MOMENT to make a DIFFERENCE.
📝 Don’t allow QUESTIONS to talk you out of moments.
“When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?” But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.”
John 6:5-6
"Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,”
John 6:7-8
Here’s the question in verse 9, are you ready…
““Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. BUT WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL THESE MAKEamong so many?””
John 6:9
Andrew said here is a boy. The story doesn’t record it, but somewhere along the line that boy had to say, "HERE I AM.” According to Mark’s gospel, Jesus told the disciples to go and see what they could find.
When the need, when the request was presented, that young boy had a choice to make. Would he speak up and say here I am. Here, you can have this, or would he allow questions to talk him out of this moment?
WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL I MAKE?
I’m just one person.
What difference will what I have really make?
What difference will what I give really do?
What difference will my little bit do in the face of such an enormous need?
Somewhere along the way, this young lad raised his little hand as he thought to himself, "I’m not going to allow these questions to talk me out of this moment.” He didn’t allow the multitude of this moment to stop him from doing what he could do.
📝 Don’t allow the MULTITUDE of a moment to stop you from doing what YOU CAN DO.
“SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.”
Mark 14:8
So this little boy takes what he has and places it in the disciples hands. Andrew says, "BUT WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL THESE MAKE among so many?”
Because not only do you have to fight through your own questions but also the questions of others who may not fully recognize the moment as you do.
They make their way back to Jesus and report according to Mathew 14:17-18 says,
““We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “BRING THEM HERE TO ME,” he said.”
Matthew 14:17-18
“And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, HE GAVE THANKS and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.”
Matthew 14:19
THANKING God for what you do have, is more important than THINKING about what you don’t have.
“They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”
Matthew 14:20
“The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
Matthew 14:21
This one little boy was carrying a solution for 15,000 plus people and he had no idea. When he left the house that day, he had no idea that April 3rd, 2022 that a church in Grantsboro NC in the United States of America would be talking about what he gave.
“Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, IN MEMORY OF HER.””
Mark 14:9
People aren’t remembered for what they KEPT. People are remembered for what they GAVE.
You’ll never realize the impact of what you’re carrying until you give it away.
📝 • RECOGNIZE THE MOMENT.
📝 • SEIZE THE MOMENT.
📝 • RELEASE THE MOMENT TO JESUS.
📝 Jesus can do more with one moment in HIS HANDS, than we ever could with it in OUR HANDS.
WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL I MAKE?
I’m just one person.
What difference will a phone call from me do in the midst of this?
What difference will what I have really make?
What difference will what I give really do?
What difference will my little bit do in the face of such an enormous need?
📝 ALL the DIFFERENCE.
WHAT’S IN YOUR LUNCHBOX?
EXCUSES, DISTRUST OR A YES?
The moment that you’re looking for can be found in obedience.
God can take one act of obedience and feed a generation.
God can take one act of obedience and change a generation.
WHAT’S IN YOUR LUNCHBOX?
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