Feeding the Multitude

 

Matthew 14:14–21; 15:32–38

The Savior provided two similar miracles. So what took place and what can we learn from it?

A question to ask yourself while reading this post 

"If Jesus Christ can feed over 5,000 with just five loaves and two fishes, then He can help me with________________."

First let’s compare the two miracles-------------

	Matthew 14:14-21	Matthew 15:32-38
How many people were present?	5,000 men beside women and children	4,000 men beside women and children
What did they need?	They needed their sick healed and they needed food to eat.	Food
What were they able to offer in an effort to meet that need?	They were able to take 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes and make it enough that they could feed the 5,000 plus have 12 baskets full of extra.	Took 7 loaves of bread and a few little fishes and 7 baskets were still filled after everyone had eaten.
What words or phrases describe the Savior’s feeling toward the multitudes in their time of need?	The Savior was moved with compassion.  “They need not depart, give ye them to eat.”	He had compassion on the multitude because they continued with him for 3 days and had nothing to eat. He would not send them away fasting for fear they would faint.
What words or phrases describe what the Savior was able to provide for the multitudes?	He healed their sick. He took the 5 loaves and 2 fishes, and looking up into heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.” ”And they did eat and were filled.”	“he took the 7 loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude.”

We can see that the available food was insufficient to feed the multitude, yet with the Lord’s help the insufficiency was overcome.

So how is our human effort insufficient in receiving the glory of God?

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Redemption Cometh in and through the Holy Messiah. (2 Nephi 2:6) Divine grace is needed by every soul in consequence of the fall of Adam and also because of man’s weaknesses and shortcomings.

Jesus kept the law perfectly.  He was the Lamb without blemish or spot.  In his entire mortal life he never violated the law.  Then he “suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam.” (2 Nephi 9:21) Even though he was not guilty Christ suffered the penalty for all violations of the law and he did this for us so we could be resurrected again and so we can live with our Heavenly Father in the eternities.

The bread and fish were insufficient in feeding the multitude but because of the miracle of Christ, there now was plenty. All were filled.  In turn we cannot make it back to our Heavenly Father or accomplish all he wants us to do on this earth without Christ picking up the difference. We do our best, and then he fills in the rest.  We offer our one loaf, he returns us with many loaves.

How does the Lord help us overcome this insufficiency?

In Ether 12:27 we read: And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Overcoming the insufficiencies will take work on our part.  We will need “a broken heart and a contrite spirit.”

Through grace & mercy Christ can give us strength to overcome our weaknesses and to handle the challenges of life.  We can look at this grace as an enabling power.  It will enable us to hold on to eternal life and give us the power to accomplish all the Lord wants us to accomplish here on this earth. This enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity.

This enabling power helps the bad to become good and the good to become better.  David O McKay said “The purpose of the gospel is…to make bad men good and good men better, and to change human nature.” We can accomplish this through a change of heart which means we come to him with a “broken heart and a contrite spirit.” 3 Nephi 9:19

The Lord wants to empower us ---- but we must let him into our lives and we must “follow Him.” We follow Him by serving, reading our scriptures, praying, fasting, attending church, and repenting on a daily basis.

We must not believe that our resources are too little to serve Him or that our problems are never too large for God to handle.

We can receive strength and assistance through him to do good works that we otherwise would not be able to do ourselves.  His power will strengthen us to do, to be good, and to serve beyond our own individual desire and our own natural capacity.  By grace we are all strengthened and saved after all we can do.

We must bring our lives to God in a spirit of obedience and sacrifice, no matter how insignificant we may think our gifts or talents are.  When we do our best first then we can expect God to do far beyond what can be imagined.

If we will do all of this then Jesus the Christ will empower us so we can overcome our insufficiencies and he will pick up the difference.

Scripture Heroes who relied on Christ’s enabling power.

1. Nephi  the son of Lehi (1 Nephi 7:17) “O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound.”
2. Alma who was strengthened and given increased capacity to bear their burdens. (Mosiah 24:14-15) “I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs…and now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.”
3. Alma – He did not pray to have afflictions removed, but prayed for strength. (Alma 31) “O Lord, wilt thou grand unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people…the Lord gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith.”
4. Daniel and the Lion’s Den was a man of integrity who worshipped God even though the law forbid it. (Daniel 6)  
   “He went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done.…My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt… So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.”
5. Job who was tested beyond measure yet he did not curse God. (Job) “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him… He also shall be my salvation”
6. Ruth who left everything behind for something far great. (Ruth 1) “And Ruth said… for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God…Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also...”
7. Elijah was a man who availed himself in such a way to God. As a result, Gods used him mightily. (2 Kings 1)  “Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king.”
8. Noah a man who took God seriously. (Genesis 6) “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord…Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he."

What Bible hero is an example to you? Send me your favorite and I will add them to this list.