MIRACLE OF THE LOAVES AND FISH
MIRACLE OF THE LOAVES AND FISH
SUNDAY, August 25,2023, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Thursday, I said to Robert Steele: “Our $4,000.00 budget for the sound system has turned into the miracle of the loaves and fish.”
That was a Word of Knowledge and a Word of Faith spoken by the Holy Spirit through me without any pre-conceived thought on my part.
This is the story behind the miracle: About three months ago, I asked Robert to take-over the job of resolving our sound challenges in our new building. I told him we had a $4,000.00 budget for the project. Well, as these things go, we have spent in excess of $15,000.00 and all to good use. The bulk of this has gone into the installation of the new speaker and the sound panels installed around the room. Robert and Sandy have volunteered their time and expertise to this project. I knew when I asked him to oversee the job that it was going to be a time-intense project. It was above my skill level not to mention the time it would take to do the leg work, telephone calls and negotiations.
When we give what we have to the LORD JESUS CHRIST, he always multiplies it. ALWAYS!!! By faith, I walked out on the project with $4,000.00.
The LORD has supplied and the project is complete to date with no indebtedness. To complete the project, an updated sound board will further maximize our ability to enhance the praise and worship sound on F.B. streaming. One of the problems has been the anointed sound in the room has not projected onto the small I-pad microphone. This is a skilled process and has to be synchronized to the room. A new sound board and synchronization comes to an additional total of $2,300.00.
It is the Holy Spirit who spoke through me that He had multiplied the faith deposit. Such is the same story behind the building of this sanctuary. Tom Terlep with the help of others has built it with his bare hands, time and strength. The provision for the building materials has been a miracle or perhaps a sign to others of God’s provision for Faith and obedience. We, like Noah, are building because the LORD GOD has use for this sanctuary. We have many prophecies of the Lord’s purpose. Others are just watching to see what we are doing. The fainthearted and naysayers will never be finishers. The Lord showed me a vision of a “Finishing angel” sent by Heaven to finish this sanctuary.
Many years ago, the Lord spoke to me that I was an Apostle of Faith. Well, I read the book, and I know that signs and wonders follow the Lord’s apostles. I could not see that the ministry of signs and wonders were following me around; so, I have not taken that title because I don’t judge myself as ever having measured up to it. Perhaps the measure of faith by our Lord is not limited by earthly reasoning. For surely the Lord’s provision is the multiplication of Faith x Faith until it is exponential.
MIRACLE OF THE LOAVES AND FISH
This miracle occupies a prominent place in gospel story. The feeding of the five thousand is described by all four evangelists.
John 6: 5-9: When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company come unto Him, He said unto Philip, Where shall we buy bread that these may eat? And this He said to prove him. Phillip answered him, “two hundred pennyworths (dinar) of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said unto Him, There is a lad here, who has five barley loaves, and two small fish; but what are they among so many?
John in his gospel identifies Philip as the apostle to whom Jesus spoke.
The Lord tested Philip’s faith and found it limited by earthly reasoning. Note the two hundred dinar is insufficient for this miracle. Jesus shows the same lack of faith to be true of Andrew. However, Andrew points out five barley loaves and two small fish. Both Apostles fail to grasp the full enormity of the Lord’s divine power.
I will pause in this story remembering the dream the Lord gave me before he called me to pastor. I should apologize that I have brought this dream up in my last two sermons, but here it is again.
Dream (1987-88?): “The Lord spoke to me in a dream that I was to open a restaurant that had been closed for many years. I was told to feed the people. There were many tables, but everything was dusty and had to be cleaned. I cleaned the room and added white table clothes. I told the Lord in the dream, “You will have to give me $200.00 a month to support this ministry.” (Two Hundred: Double blessing; harvest; hundredfold x 2.) Is it possible the dream extends into the Harvest. Could that be why it has again come to mind? Perhaps even though I spoke in a dream of provision, was it a reflection of the weakness of my faith?
Jesus sees the weakness of Philip’s faith. Later Jesus will rebuke Philp for asking Jesus to show them the Father that they may believe. John 14:9: Jesus said to him, “have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me Philip? He who has seen me as seen the Father, so how can you say, “show us the Father?”
During the preceding weeks, the eyes of the apostle had seen and heard the Word of life. He had witnessed the tempest stilled, devils cast out, the possessed sitting calm at their Deliver’s feet; he had seen sickness take wings and flee away. Above all, death itself was compelled to yield to life, yet Philip begins to make the poor calculation about the eight months wages of bread it would cost to feed the five thousand.
Had the Leper of Capernaum or the friends of the Paralytic, Jairus, or the Gentile centurion listened to the Savior’s question, the likelihood is that from each and all would proclaim: “You who changed the storm in a calm; You who have the elements of nature and the events of providence in Your hand; You who have the key of heaven’s treasures; You have only to speak the word, and manna will fall as before from the clouds, or the fowls of the air will fall from the sky. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing!”
Let us beware of dishonoring God by our unbelief and our earthly calculations. Oh, what liberty to totally trust him with implicit reliance on his ability and willingness to help, feed, sustain and comfort each of us all our days on earth then through eternity.
Man’s extremity if often “God’s opportunity.” “Those things that are impossible with men are possible with God. (Lk. 18:27).” “All things are possible with God (Mt. 19:26).” “All things are possible to him that believes (Mark 9:23).” Cast then your burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain you (Psa. 55:22).” Trust in the Lord and do good; so, shall you dwell in the land, and truly you shall be fed (Psa. 37:3).
The Creator of Heaven and earth could have created out of nothing enough food to feed the whole multitude. He chooses, however, to use what the boy had to give to multiply the blessing. The Lord blesses and uses what we have to give, not what we don’t have.
The Lord is teaching the disciples about their future ministry of feeding the people not based on their earthly provision, but on Heaven’s provision which has already been prepared for their apostolic ministries.
John 6: 10-13: Jesus said, “Make the men sit down.” There was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus took the loaves; and when He had given thanks, He distributed to the disciples; and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fish as much as they would. When they were filled, He said unto His disciples, “gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
Over and above… The Lord not only provides, but He also provides over and above. The Lord creates so much food that there is a large quantity of leftovers. We too learn from this miracle never to hesitate to provide hospitality or to become miserly even if we are poor. If we are left with a single loaf, let us remember that He who multiplied the loaves so bountifully continues to bless and give the increase. Christian let us never be weary in well doing, nor will our hands ever be empty if we continue to be free-hearted.
The numbers here are definitely metaphorical. That there were five loaves and five thousand men and twelve baskets left over is not coincidental. On the meal offering in the temple, there were twelve loaves (Lev. 24:5) ---divine government. Jesus the Head fed the bread through the twelve apostles. We the Church are feeding on the Word of Christ given through the apostolic ministry of the early Church and continues through Christ’s ministries today.
They took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.
The number 5,000 is used throughout the Holy Scripture to denote exponential grace. Twelve is the number of Kingdom government. That the twelve baskets were over-flowing is prophetic of the abundance of the Kingdom of God.
The crowd is symbolic of the world, fainting, wearying, hungering for the Bread of life. Jesus’ command to the disciples is, “You give them something to eat.”
Christ is the everlasting Bread.
The leftover baskets point to the inexhaustible affluence and fullness of the Divine riches. Thousands on thousands have been ministered to, and yet still the table in the wilderness is as full as ever. Millions of hungry souls have been fed, and still the promise is as ample as ever. He satisfies the longing soul with good things.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Mt. 5:6).
Still the command is “Give them to eat! “You who have no money come, buy, and eat; come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost (Isa. 56:1).
There will not only be bread enough, but to spare. I will give “more exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or think.
The young lad had given his all with an ungrudging spirit but there were no losers. Philip, Andrew and the other apostles instead of hoarding the contents of the basket offered all to the Lord. The loaves expanded in the hands of the Giver and Receiver. One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
The Miracle for a moment, lapses into the parable. Great and glorious truths in an acted parable are impressed by Jesus on the apostolic band.
John 6:27: Do not labor for the food that perishes, but that which endures to everlasting life.
John 6:35: Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church, 10115 West Hidden Lakes Lane, Richmond, TX.
www,eastgateministries.com
Scripture from N.K.J.V.