Three Facts to lean on:
Blessings are unlimited by the size of our need
Ex: imagine the hopelessness and helplessness of this situation…disciples overwhelmed (v. 15) Jesus was determined to prove that there is no limit to what may be accomplished when we have God’s blessings.
AP: We often view our situations as either too large for our faith or too small for God to bother with. (Many times we try to determine if the solution to our problem is within the realm of possibility before we approach God)
Genesis 18:10-14 The Message
One of them said, "I'm coming back about this time next year. When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man. Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies. Sarah laughed within herself, "An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?" GOD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh saying, 'Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?' Is anything too hard for GOD? I'll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby."
Sarah was afraid to claim the blessing in the face of insurmountable odds.
But God is not limited by the size of our need – Is anything to hard for the Lord?
Blessings are unlimited by the cause of our need
Ex: The disciples wanted Jesus to send the people away – look at verse 16…Jesus gave them the assignment to feed the people – all of them.
They made a desperate attempt (and failed) to gather enough food – v 17 all they got was 5 small cakes and 2 sardines. (Is it possible that the predicament was caused by their carelessness?)
No matter the Lord said– v 18 – bring them to me…
AP: Many people labor under the misconception that prayer is available or effective only in situations they did not cause or affect. (I would ask God for rescue – but I brought this on myself…) Praise God! This is when He is most joyful about our coming to him for help!! – we get convicted of our humanity (hopeless and helpless) we find our limits and then can discover that he has no limits!!
Colossians 2:6 - So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him
Daily we must admit our personal failures…falterings…faithlessness and ask for His sufficient grace.
God’s blessings are not limited by the cause of our need.
Blessings are unlimited by the available resources
Ex: can you see the disciples – they may want to pull Jesus aside so as not to embarrass him…Rabbi, all we have is 5 cakes and 2 sardines – these folks have to go somewhere…
God’s Blessing is not limited to the human resources available.
AP: too often we make our plans on the basis of what we think we can do rather than on what God can do through us as we obey Him. We must learn to seek the mind of God and not look at the past results as a measure of what to do.
J. Hudson Taylor (China Inland Mission)
“God’s work done God’s way receives God’s supply”
Many times we fail to ask for God’s blessing because we assume it must come through an existing or known channel.
(40 years in the wilderness)
We should not be discouraged because we cannot see how God will bring about a needed blessing. Proverbs 25:2 - It is the glory of God to conceal a matter…
What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Matthew 6:31-33 The Message
(Sermon Notes from True North Church Preached January 9, 2011)
Matthew 14:13-21
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