Faith, Compassion, and Participation in God's Abundance
Summary
In our journey of faith, we often find ourselves in situations where we are hesitant to ask for what we need, much like my experience with my manager at Chipotle. I was offered a raise but chose not to ask for it, out of fear and a desire to appear humble. This story parallels the disciples' experience with Jesus in Matthew 14, where they faced a large crowd in need of food but focused on their limitations rather than Jesus' power to provide. Jesus, however, calls us to a life of compassion, faith, and participation in His work.
When Jesus heard of John the Baptist's death, He sought solitude, yet was moved by compassion when He saw the crowds. Despite His own grief, He healed their sick, demonstrating that God's compassion is boundless and His love for humanity is profound. This compassion is not just a feeling but a call to action, urging us to prioritize others' needs even in our own difficult times.
The disciples, faced with the practical problem of feeding thousands, focused on their lack rather than Jesus' abundance. Jesus challenged them to feed the crowd, teaching them to trust in His provision. This call to faith is a reminder that our limitations are not obstacles to God. He asks us to bring what little we have, trusting that He will multiply it for His purposes.
Moreover, Jesus invites us to participate in His mission. He could have fed the crowd miraculously without the disciples' help, yet He chose to involve them, teaching them the value of serving others. This participation is not about our ability but about our willingness to be used by God. As we serve, we become His hands and feet, sharing His love and compassion with the world.
In our lives, we are called to bring our "five loaves and two fish" to Jesus, trusting Him to use us for His glory. We are invited to be compassionate, faithful participants in His redemptive work, knowing that He is generous and powerful enough to provide all we need. Let us step out in faith, offering what we have, and watch as God does abundantly more than we could ever imagine.
Key Takeaways:
1. Compassion in Action: Jesus exemplifies compassion by prioritizing the needs of others, even in His own grief. We are called to emulate this compassion, recognizing that God's love for humanity is profound and boundless. Our compassion should lead us to action, serving others selflessly. [07:41]
2. Faith Over Limitations: The disciples' focus on their limitations highlights a common struggle in our faith journey. Jesus calls us to trust in His provision, reminding us that our limitations are not obstacles to God. We are encouraged to bring our small offerings to Him, trusting that He will multiply them for His purposes. [19:46]
3. Participation in God's Work: Jesus invites us to participate in His mission, teaching us the value of serving others. This participation is not about our ability but our willingness to be used by God. As we serve, we become His hands and feet, sharing His love and compassion with the world. [24:39]
4. Trust in God's Abundance: Jesus' provision is abundant, meeting every need with plenty to spare. We are reminded that God is generous and powerful enough to provide all we need. Our faith in His abundance should lead us to step out in faith, offering what we have for His glory. [32:28]
5. The King's Call: Jesus calls us to compassion, faith, and participation in His mission. We are challenged to trust Him, even when we feel inadequate, and to actively participate in meeting the needs of others. This call is an invitation to join Him in His redemptive work, trusting that He is both wealthy and generous enough to give us far more than we could ever ask for. [40:46]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:47] - The Unasked Raise
[02:46] - The King's Call Series
[04:45] - Jesus' Compassion
[05:41] - The Bond with John
[06:31] - Seeking Solitude
[07:41] - Compassion in Action
[08:33] - God's Love and Sacrifice
[10:00] - Call to Compassion
[10:45] - Call to Faith
[13:35] - Disciples' Limitations
[14:42] - Feeding the Multitude
[15:34] - Jesus' Impractical Suggestion
[19:46] - Trust in Provision
[20:53] - Call to Participation
[21:47] - The Miracle of Multiplication
[23:20] - Old Testament Parallels
[24:39] - Working Through His People
[25:54] - Preparing the Disciples
[26:49] - Doubt and Encouragement
[27:56] - Joining in Redemptive Work
[29:08] - Faithfulness and Impact
[29:55] - God's Masterpiece
[30:46] - Transformation and Growth
[31:42] - Abundant Provision
[32:28] - Trust and Participation
[33:59] - The Bread of Life
[35:11] - The Marriage Supper
[35:52] - The New Covenant
[36:28] - The King's Call to Us
[37:01] - Compassion and Community
[37:55] - Interruptions as Opportunities
[38:40] - Faith in God's Resources
[39:35] - Offering What We Have
[40:46] - The Story of Generosity
[43:29] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Matthew 14:13-21
- John 3:16
- 2 Kings 4:42-44
#### Observation Questions
1. What was Jesus' initial reaction when He heard about John the Baptist's death, and how did He respond to the crowds that followed Him? [04:45]
2. How did the disciples react to the large crowd needing food, and what was Jesus' response to their suggestion? [14:42]
3. What miracle did Jesus perform with the five loaves and two fish, and how did He involve the disciples in this process? [21:47]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Jesus' compassion for the crowd, despite His own grief, demonstrate the nature of God's love for humanity? [07:41]
2. In what ways does the story of feeding the 5,000 challenge the disciples' understanding of faith and provision? [19:46]
3. How does Jesus' invitation to the disciples to participate in the miracle reflect His desire for us to be involved in His work today? [24:39]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you were hesitant to ask for help or provision. How can you learn to trust in God's abundance rather than focusing on your limitations? [01:47]
2. Jesus showed compassion even in His own time of grief. How can you prioritize others' needs in your life, even when you are facing personal challenges? [07:41]
3. The disciples were asked to bring what little they had to Jesus. What "five loaves and two fish" do you have that you can offer to God for His purposes? [15:34]
4. How can you actively participate in God's mission in your community, becoming His hands and feet to those around you? [24:39]
5. Consider the interruptions in your daily life. How can you view these as opportunities for gospel work rather than nuisances? [38:40]
6. Jesus calls us to step out in faith. What is one area in your life where you need to trust God more fully, and how can you take a step of faith this week? [39:35]
7. How can you cultivate a heart of generosity, believing that God is both wealthy and generous enough to provide more than you could ever ask for? [40:46]
Devotional
Day 1: Compassion Beyond Comfort
In times of personal grief or struggle, Jesus exemplifies a profound compassion that transcends His own needs. When He learned of John the Baptist's death, He sought solitude, yet His heart was moved by the sight of the needy crowds. Despite His own sorrow, He chose to heal the sick and minister to those in need. This act of compassion is not merely an emotional response but a call to action, urging us to prioritize the needs of others even when we are facing our own challenges. We are invited to emulate this boundless compassion, recognizing that God's love for humanity is profound and limitless. [07:41]
Matthew 9:36 (ESV): "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."
Reflection: Think of a time when you were overwhelmed by your own struggles. How can you intentionally show compassion to someone else in need today, despite your own circumstances?
Day 2: Trusting Beyond Limitations
The disciples, when faced with the daunting task of feeding thousands, focused on their lack rather than Jesus' ability to provide. This mirrors a common struggle in our faith journey, where we often see our limitations as obstacles. Jesus challenges us to trust in His provision, reminding us that our small offerings can be multiplied for His purposes. Our faith should not be hindered by what we perceive as insufficient, but rather, we should bring what little we have to Him, trusting in His abundant provision. [19:46]
2 Kings 4:42-44 (ESV): "A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, 'Give to the men, that they may eat.' But his servant said, 'How can I set this before a hundred men?' So he repeated, 'Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, "They shall eat and have some left."' So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord."
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you feel limited. How can you offer this limitation to God today, trusting Him to work through it?
Day 3: Serving Beyond Ability
Jesus invites us to participate in His mission, not because of our abilities, but because of our willingness to be used by Him. He could have fed the crowd without the disciples' help, yet He chose to involve them, teaching them the value of serving others. This participation is a call to become His hands and feet, sharing His love and compassion with the world. Our service is not about what we can do, but about our openness to be used by God in His redemptive work. [24:39]
1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ."
Reflection: Consider a way you can serve someone in your community this week. What steps can you take today to begin this act of service?
Day 4: Abundance Beyond Expectation
Jesus' provision is not just sufficient; it is abundant, meeting every need with plenty to spare. This abundance is a testament to God's generosity and power, reminding us that He is capable of providing all we need. Our faith in His abundance should inspire us to step out in faith, offering what we have for His glory. We are encouraged to trust in His ability to do more than we could ever imagine, knowing that He is both generous and powerful. [32:28]
Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV): "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when God provided for you in an unexpected way. How can this memory encourage you to trust in His abundance today?
Day 5: The Call to Compassionate Faith
Jesus calls us to a life of compassion, faith, and active participation in His mission. This call challenges us to trust Him, even when we feel inadequate, and to actively engage in meeting the needs of others. It is an invitation to join Him in His redemptive work, trusting that He is both wealthy and generous enough to give us far more than we could ever ask for. As we respond to this call, we become part of His story of generosity and love, sharing His compassion with the world. [40:46]
Isaiah 58:10-11 (ESV): "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."
Reflection: What is one specific way you can respond to Jesus' call to compassion and faith today? How can you actively participate in His mission in your daily life?
Quotes
"Now, like I said, that pay was not great. It was about $13 an hour. And looking back, we could not have made it on that pay in Houston. But through a mixture of fear to appear selfish and ungrateful, naivety about the cost of living in the city of Houston, as well as contentment to live on what God had given to us. He had provided for us through all of that time and he was continuing." [00:01:17]
"Two weeks ago, we started a new series called The King's Call, where we are going to be seeing how the opposition to Jesus just builds and builds and builds, and how then he also takes the time more and more to focus on his disciples, to teach them directly, those with faith, to follow him and to understand. And also, one of the things we see, that we will see a lot, starting really after this, is that Jesus starts to test the faith of people who come to him asking for healing." [00:02:51]
"Despite his own sorrow and exhaustion, Jesus responds to the crowd's spiritual and physical needs. He had compassion on them. Now, this is far from the only time that we hear of Jesus's compassion on humanity. For humanity, we see it in Matthew 9, verse 36, where it says that Jesus had compassion on the people around him because they were lost like sheep in need of a shepherd. They were harassed and helpless." [00:07:56]
"Jesus is compassionate towards his people and toward the lost. And he calls his followers, to do the same. He calls us to have compassion on those. Our king's heart is moved by the needs of his people and he calls us to share in his compassion. Jesus does not call Christians to be crusty old curmudgeons. He calls them to love deeply." [00:10:16]
"for them more than they care for themselves jesus then calls his disciples to faith we see in the next verses 15 through 18 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 and they said to him we have only five loaves here and two fish and jesus said bring them here to me" [00:11:10]
"Jesus shifts the responsibility to the disciples instead of on the crowd. he shifts it to his followers to provide for the needs of those who have come to see jesus now this is really a key to understanding the miracle because every step of the way in this miracle from here on out he includes the disciples and as we get into we get more detail on mark's account because this is the only miracle that's recorded in all four gospels did you know that this is the only one that had such an impact that all four gospel writers included it" [00:15:34]
"now for some of us that barely cuts it as a meal for one of us what are they to do with such a meager offering Jesus tells them exactly what to do with it in verse 18 bring it to me bring it to me and so in the call to faith Jesus our King challenges us to trust him to provide he does not expect us to provide the how he provides the how if the first question you ask when you feel a ministry need when you sense a ministry need and you're trying to figure this out if the first thing you ask when God makes it clear there is a way that we need to do ministry if the first question you ask is how you're focused on the wrong things because Jesus is the one who provides and it is through our faith in him that he will do so he just wants us to come to him and to ask" [00:17:45]
"Jesus could have provided the food miraculously, like have everyone sit down, clap his hands, and then poof, the feast is before them. Right? Right? Right? In the most efficient way, right? But instead, he has his disciples walk back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, carrying these baskets back and forth as they fill up each time. And as they leave an empty basket and they come back, they're like, how's this full again? And then I can just imagine at times, maybe one of the disciples is, Jesus is, he's like, come on, I got more. And he's like, why don't you meet me halfway? Like, I'm getting tired of this walking. But yet, Jesus called his disciples to serve the people who strove to be near Jesus." [00:23:39]
"Jesus has invited all of his disciples to participate with him in his redemptive work. Not in being the power to save ourselves. Like, we don't redeem ourselves. We are not the ones who redeem others. Jesus alone is the one who saves people. But Jesus has invited us in to join him in his redemptive work of being a faithful minister of the gospel to the lost around us." [00:27:44]
"how do we view ourselves so think about this Jesus the compassionate king calls us to share his heart of compassion to trust him to provide even when we feel inadequate and to actively participate in his mission to meet the needs of others if you're going to think on one verse this week think on this Matthew 14 16 but Jesus said they need not go away you give them something to eat you're called to participate so what will you do with the king's call this is your challenge what will you do with the king's call will you step out in faith offering the little you have to see it multiplied in his hands do you trust that God wants to give far more than you're willing to ask" [00:40:42]
"Brothers and sisters, let's bring our five loaves and two fish to Jesus and watch him use us for his glory in our families, our community, and our world. Let us trust him alone for the work to be done. Let us be willing to be compassionate, faithful participants in Jesus's mission, in his work of redemption to all of the earth. And let us trust that he is both wealthy enough and generous enough to give us far more than we could ever ask for." [00:42:34]
"Father, you are so good. We're so thankful for all that you have done for us. We pray that we would be faithful in following you. God, we pray that we would be encouraged, in knowing that we are far, though we are far from perfect, so is everyone else who has followed you. And it's not about us and our ability and our perfection, but it's about you, Lord, and your ability and your perfection." [00:43:29]
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