Posted: 17 January 2023

From a sermon given on 12 February 2023:

Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
(Luke 9:16 )

And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
(Luke 9:17)

Jesus' popularity had caused him to preach in the country side - modern day crusade. There were no buildings that were large enough to contain the multitudes. The facilities could accommodate the needs of the crowd in terms of food and accommodation. Jesus challenged his disciples to give them something to eat. "A quick analysis of their resources Indicated that they had only five loaves and two fish and therefore feeding them was a mission impossible."

Jesus told the multitudes to sit down in groups of about fifty people. He knew that God was a master provider. He looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the multitudes. And they all ate and were satisfied. "The miracle of multiplying the loaves took place in the hands of Jesus as he broke the bread and kept giving it to his disciples to distribute" (Holman's study Bible)

Out of those five loaves and two fish, Jesus created enough food to feed the entire crowd and they all ate and were satisfied. "Sometimes we look at our family background, our resources, our level of education and our social capital and like the disciples see an 'impossibility.' But if we look at Jesus and his power we will be in a position to know that He will not only feed us spiritually but also physically until we are satisfied. He is the sustainer of life."

Further readings:

And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
(Exodus 16:35)

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
(Matthew 7:11)

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
(John 6:35)