Wednesday, January 27, 2021
We’ve been looking at some of the questions Jesus asked people during His ministry on earth. When Jesus asked a question, it was never because he needed an answer. He knew all things! Rather, we’re studying them because His questions always carried a message, a teaching, something He wanted us to understand.
So in this, our last time on this topic, we’re going to look at three questions that have always sort of jumped out at me as I read the Bible. Here they are: How many loaves do you have? (Matt 15:34)
This question is found in Matt. 15:34, and the context is that a great crowd has been following Jesus due to the many signs and wonders He performed. They’ve been with Him now for 3 days and are growing faint and hungry.
So the Bible records, “Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, ‘I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.’
33 Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?”
34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?”
And they said, “Seven, and a few little fish.”
Now, I want to stop here to point out that the disciples were looking at an impossibility. Over 5,000 people—a massive crowd—were stretched out before them when Jesus said, “I don’t want to send them away hungry.”
This statement from Jesus was a real “say what?” moment.
Say what? You want us to do something about this? You think we’re going to feed all these people?
Now, the question Jesus asked them in response was designed to teach them a lifelong lesson: When in need, give Me what you have.
It was the lesson of yielding all to Him. It was the lesson of a little becomes a lot when you give it to Him!
The disciples assessed what they had and said, “We’ve got 7 loaves of bread and a few little fish.” Notice how they threw in the word “little” to describe the fish!
In other words, “Lord, there’s not enough here to feed the 12 of us, much less 5,000 people!
But it says that Jesus “commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.”
Now, I don’t know how this miracle went down, but it had to have been an amazing experience! As the disciples gave to one family, more bread and fish appeared in their baskets. Wow!
It had to have taken close to an hour or two for 12 men to work their way through 5,000 people, handing them food one by one. The Bible says, “So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. 38 Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.”
After this amazing experience, the disciples had to have gone into a huddle to discuss what had just happened. And what was their conclusion? A little becomes a lot when you place the little in His hands, for His purpose, at His command!
The second question I want to look at is: What are you looking for? (John 1:38)
Now this question from Jesus took place in John’s gospel the first chapter after John the Baptist has pointed Jesus out to two of his own disciples. He said to them, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
Following John’s pronouncement, his two disciples run after Jesus. The Lord sees them coming and asks our question in John 1:38, “What are you looking for?”
They replied, “Teacher, where are you staying?” Jesus said, “Come and see.” They went where He was and stayed with Him for a day.
Now, I believe the question Jesus asked them is one of the great questions of life. “What are you looking for?” All the two men could think to say at the time was, “Where are you staying? We want to be where you are.”
In modern vernacular it would be, “We wanna hang out with you.”
But here’s why it was a great question. Everyone is looking for something. And it’s wisdom to stop and ask ourselves the same question: “What am I looking for?”
Because you might be looking for something that isn’t beneficial, and might even detour you from looking for the most important thing of all, which Jesus said was the Kingdom of God. “Seek first the kingdom of God,” Jesus said.
You see, some would answer the question, “What are you looking for?” with the answer:
“I’m looking for lots of money and success.”
Others might say, “I’m looking for fame, to be widely known.”
Still others might say, “I’m looking for love, or a secure career, or the right marital partner, or a life of adventure, traveling the world, seeing all the sights I can.
And there would be some that would say, “I want to achieve a high level of education, to acquire several degrees, to be knowledgeable and wise.
But rest assured, EVERYONE is looking for something that motivates them every day.
Have you recently asked yourself the question, “What am I looking for? What makes me tick? What am I chasing after most in life?” The Bible says, “Examine yourselves…” A great way to do that is to ask Jesus’s question, “What are you looking for?”
The two men gave Jesus the best answer possible, “Where are You staying?” We want to follow you, be where you are, sit at your feet, spend time with you! And Jesus granted their request.
I pray for myself and all of us together that 2021 will be a year of following after Jesus, seeking Him, spending time with Him, and coming to know Him better than ever!
Now we come to one last question in our series on the questions Jesus asked: Who has touched my clothes? (Mark 5:30)