Mark 8:1-9 NLT
1 About this time another large crowd had gathered, and the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his disciples and told them, 2 “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a long distance.”
4 His disciples replied, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?”
5 Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?” “Seven loaves,” they replied.
6 So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd. 7 A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed these and told the disciples to distribute them.
8 They ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. 9 There were about 4,000 people in the crowd that day, and Jesus sent them home after they had eaten.
What would you think? This preacher, teaching humility and faith, by trusting in God rather than in powerful people managed to provide lunch for you and 3,999 of your closest neighbors without any food supplies to speak of, beyond a small slack lunch. You didn't see any food trucks deliver food and you know there weren't any buildings within miles. How would you respond to this miracle? Would you listen to the preacher and embrace what he taught? Would you consider him the long promised Messiah? If you added all that you had heard about healing the lame and blind, and even the dead, what would you think then? Why was it so hard for people to embrace Jesus then? Why is it so hard now?
My hunch is that there was no amount of evidence that would convince those who refused to believe. They were committed to their own lordship and unwilling to permit any other person to be Lord over them. We have the same trouble today. Miracles will not make the difference. Only FAITH will make the difference. And this faith must be granted by God for we are not capable of generating such faith. Do you think that everyone who goes to a Christian Church on the weekend and participates in activities called "worship" are living Monday through Friday in ways that clearly demonstrate Jesus Christ is their living Lord, Master, and Best friend? How about you?
Your Servant in Christ's love
Dan
drdanelliott@gmail.com
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