Feeding the 4,000

00:00:00 Speaker 1: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. John ten ten, Dear Lord Jesus, in a world where shadows linger and the thief seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, your promise stands out as a beacon of hope, offering us not just life, but an abundant one filled with your presence, peace and joy. Lord. In the quiet moments and amid life storms, remind us of the fullness of life you came to give. Help us to see beyond our circumstances to the richness and the depth of experience found in walking with you. Teach just to trust in your provision, to rest in your peace, and to revel in the joy that comes from knowing you. Comfort our hearts, Jesus with the assurance that you are always with us, guiding, nurturing, and protecting. May we live each day in the abundance you offer, Sharing your love and light with those around us. Give us the strength to resist the thief's lies and the wisdom to embrace the full, vibrant life that you came to give. Then, your precious name, we pray, Amen, Thank you for praying with me today. This is the Jesus Podcast. Epic stories inspired by the Gospels remain here for another miraculous story. If this podcast has offered value to your life, we would love it if you left us a review. We want to hear how the Gospel is transforming lives. 00:01:56 Speaker 2: Father be opened. 00:01:59 Speaker 1: The man's eyes went wide, and he jumped back in shock. A sound like thunder echoed in the man's ears, followed by the booming, echoing sound of Jesus's voice and the crackling of earbones snapping into place. The man brought his hands to his face with a quick reactive impulse. The sounds of the world roared around him, birds chirping, wind swirling, insects buzzing, and the murmuring of the crowd behind him. The man touched his jaw. Ah, I can hear his words weren't broken coming out of his mouth. It was as if he had been speaking his whole life. Jesus didn't heal just his ears and mouth, but his mind as well. Decades of lost learning had somehow been reclaimed. In an instant. His jaw and tongue made the correct motions, his throat opened and closed at the right time. The man was so startled by the sound of his voice. He laid a hand on his chest. 00:03:13 Speaker 2: That's that's me, isn't it. 00:03:17 Speaker 1: It was an odd question, but it didn't feel odd. He had never heard the sound of his voice before. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes. Jesus stood up and helped the man on to his feet. He placed his hands on the man's shoulders and said, I know you. 00:03:37 Speaker 2: Can speak, but tell no one what has happened here. This is just between us. 00:03:42 Speaker 1: The man looked back at the crowd, they were watching from a distance in anticipation. He looked back at Jesus and said. 00:03:51 Speaker 2: How is this possible? 00:03:53 Speaker 1: They no Try your best, Jesus replied with a winking and smile. The two of them walked back to the road, where the crowd waited with bated breath to see what had happened. The young man met his father's gaze and immediately welled up with joyful tears. He ran to him and yelled, Father, he couldn't help it, His voice couldn't be tethered any longer. Jesus chuckled, figuring that it was only a matter of time. The crowd collectively gasped, then irrupted in cheers. The old man limped toward his son and held him. The two embraced for a long while, laughing and sobbing. The crowd was amazed. 00:04:46 Speaker 2: What does this mean? What else can he do? 00:04:49 Speaker 1: Jesus stretched out his arms and settled them down. 00:04:53 Speaker 2: My friends, please, I pay you not to tell anyone what you've seen to day. Let it be a blessing to your hearts. Meditate on this and consider the goodness of God that he would grant this man his ears and voice, that it stir you to quiet praise. But please hold your tongues about what you've seen and heard. 00:05:15 Speaker 1: Pet her in the others chuckles slightly. They knew better. People never kept quiet, no matter how much Jesus charged them to remain silent. Good news spreads like the common gold. He turned to the others and. 00:05:31 Speaker 2: Said, prepare yourselves for an onslaught of people. 00:05:34 Speaker 1: They all nodded their heads. They wouldn't get another mile without thousands of people flocking to see Jesus. This was the beginning of something glorious. 00:05:53 Speaker 3: Do you believe that God cares for all your needs? Sometimes we feel small, resulting in feeling like some of our needs are insignificant to a god bigger than the universe. Even David considers this, and Psalm eight three through four, he writes this, when I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings, that you care for them. But Jesus reminds us time and time again that our heavenly Father knows what we need, and he'll provide for us if we seek him. You're listening to the Jesus Podcast, your story showcasing the depth of Christ's love through storytelling and the glory of God's truth through honest reflection. I'm Zach your host from pray dot com. Thanks for joining us today for another epic story all about Jesus. If you want to help keep these stories coming, make sure to follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with the friend. The podcast space is hard and crowded, so these tiny little steps that you make as followers really helps us out. So thanks for being a part of the movement. Today's story might sound a little familiar if you've been following along with our series through the Miracles of the Messiah. While Jesus has already miraculously fed around five thousand men plus women and children. We'll see him once again feed a similarly sized gathering, but don't let that stop you from being swept away in the moving story of Jesus's compassion and care. The story takes place shortly after Jesus heals the deaf and mute man into capitalists. As Jesus anticipated, word of his miracles spread quickly throughout the surrounding cities, and people were ecstatic to see and experience the healer's power for themselves. We'll have a chance to see the disciples growth over time as we see them acknowledging the familiarity of the scenario, but this time with a better understanding of Jesus's intentions and ready to jump in to participate in another miracle with their messiah. 00:07:44 Speaker 1: This was the first time they had witnessed something like it, a man of power, compassion, and love. People flock to him, reaching forward with desperate cries for help. Jesus smiled and welcomed each of them. The disciples were anxious about the crowds, but Jesus calm gave them peace. He wasn't flustered if he wasn't flustered. Then they had no reason to fear either. 00:08:15 Speaker 2: One at a time. Jesus will see all of you. 00:08:18 Speaker 1: A line of people coiled around the mountain space like a winding river. Peter smiled and ran his hands through his beard. He nudged Matthew and pointed. 00:08:28 Speaker 2: To them, What did I tell you? An onslaught. 00:08:31 Speaker 1: They brought their lame and their sick. They brought the blind and the mute. They laid them at Jesus' feet, hopeful he would heal them. As he did the mute and deaf man. Jesus sat in the sun and spoke to them individually. He wasn't in a rush. There was plenty of time. Peter stood by his side, just in case. And what started as dozens of people turned into hundreds, and then thou. The whole hillside was covered with people, Jews, Gentiles, Greeks, Barbarians. The de Capolis emptied into the valley like a broken cistern. Over four thousand men and thousands of other women and children. God is on the move, Peter mused, with a humongous smile. 00:09:21 Speaker 2: Look at what's happening. 00:09:23 Speaker 3: There could be no turning back into something like this. 00:09:26 Speaker 2: If people in the dicapolis receive them in the entire world, soon. 00:09:31 Speaker 1: Will Everyone from town marveled at him, speechless as they saw the mute speak freely for the first time, and the lame dance up and down the grassy hills. Children once blind, made eye contact with their mothers for the first time. The girl with broken knees ran into her father's embrace. Tears streamed down Philip's cheeks as he beheld it all. He raised his hands and smiled. 00:10:00 Speaker 2: There has never been any one like him. 00:10:03 Speaker 1: The disciples looked at Jesus. They weren't just in awe of him. They wondered what else was in store. Gentiles shouted and praised the Lord for the first time in their lives. Jew sat and embraced Greeks and Roman soldiers cheered when beggars were healed. In this space and time, Heaven was meeting Earth, just as Jesus promised he had told them. The Kingdom of Heaven was at hand and now here. With thousands of people of different cultures and creeds collectively praising God, Heaven was near. Hours passed into a day, yet more people were still arriving by the minute. Eager to hear Jesus preach, the disciples pitched tents and lit torches. To a random onlooker, it almost looked like a battle camp, but the only sword being drawn was the word of God, cutting through the flesh straight into the hearts of men. Three days passed and the crowds still hadn't dissipated. Each moment was a new miracle, a new teaching, a new sign from God. Jesus stood amid the gentle crowd, never too tired, never shortening his time with them. What could have been a disaster was surprisingly calm. No brawls or arguments broke out among them. It seemed like everyone understood the moment. These miracles were more significant than any single person. They had to share this moment. Time passed and Jesus was ready to return them to their homes, but most of them had gone all this time without food. Jesus was worried for their health. They couldn't return without nourishment. They'd fall by the wayside. 00:12:10 Speaker 2: They can't travel home like. 00:12:12 Speaker 1: This, Jesus said to his disciples, gesturing to the thousands of people lacing the valley. 00:12:18 Speaker 2: They've been with me for three days without a proper meal. They'll faint on the road if they leave. Now, let's give them something to eat. 00:12:25 Speaker 1: The disciples were tired. They couldn't fathom feeding that many people after three days of organizing them. Peter looked down the slope at the thousands of people seated on the side of the hill. Where are we going. 00:12:39 Speaker 2: To get enough bread to feed them in such a desolate place as this. 00:12:43 Speaker 1: Jesus called for Philip, how much food do we have? 00:12:47 Speaker 2: Is there enough to feed these people? 00:12:49 Speaker 1: Philip smiled, like listening to a story he already knew, the happy ending to we. 00:12:55 Speaker 2: Have seven loves of bread and a few small fish. 00:12:59 Speaker 1: The rest of the disciples looked at each other, realizing they had heard this all before. Jesus returned Philip's smile and turned to the crowd. 00:13:10 Speaker 2: Everyone sit now, before you return to your homes, and share the good news I've told you. 00:13:17 Speaker 1: Enjoy a meal. 00:13:18 Speaker 2: Your souls have been nourished, but now it's time to replenish the body. 00:13:23 Speaker 1: The crowd sat, squinting up at him in the sunlight. A hush settled over them. They fell so quiet you could hear the wind stirring the reeds in the grass. Jesus took the basket of seven loaves and gave thanks for it. 00:13:41 Speaker 2: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. Give us nourishment, life and purpose in you, For Yours is the kingdom and the glory and the power forever. Amen. 00:14:03 Speaker 1: Jesus broke the bread into pieces with his hands and gave it back to his disciples. The men each went in a different direction with their bread and handed it off to different sections of the crowd. They broke it, passed it on, and broke it, and passed it on. The loaves and the fish traveled through the crowds into hundreds, passed thousands. It continued down through the crowd until everyone was fed. Peter squinted in the sunlight, estimating the number of them. At least four thousand families were fed, tens of thousands of people with full bellies. Philip tore a piece for himself. He folded it into his mouth, and its buttery, creamy mixture melted on his tongue and down his throat. He had never tasted something so wonderful, so satisfying. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep or the fact, it had almost appeared out of nowhere, like manna from heaven. It was hard to resist not taking another bite and another. He scanned the crowds once again, amazed at jesus power. Everyone ate mouths full of bread. The disciples reassembled with Jesus and brought strangely more food back with them than they had departed with. They each looked from basket to basket, seeing seven full baskets of broken pieces. Afterward, seven the number of completions. Seven loaves turned into seven baskets. He's done it again, Peter whispered to Philip. 00:15:54 Speaker 2: He already healed it. 00:15:56 Speaker 1: He gave them more than enough. Still, he gave them more. Jesus glanced at Peter in Philip his eyes sparkled with joy. 00:16:06 Speaker 2: I haven't just come to give life, but life more abundantly. 00:16:11 Speaker 1: Then Jesus sent the crowd away with full bellies, and there was still some sunlight in the sky for their way home. 00:16:25 Speaker 3: As if feeding five thousand people wasn't an incredible act, Jesus astounds once again by feeding a crowd of four thousand men, after he had already spent all day with them, healing their sick, lame, blind, death and mute. Miracle after miracle after miracle came forth from the hands of the healer. But Jesus wanted his disciples to learn that he always had more to give. He wanted to show them that the work was never done. And Matthew nine were told that Jesus had compassion for the people, viewing them as sheep without a shepherd, and it was with that compassion that he turned to his disciples and said, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send workers into the harvest field. The disciples were quickly learning that Jesus's words weren't an exaggeration. There were thousands into capitalists alone, and millions more around the world who would need the healing power of the gospel. But the workers are few, and that's almost an understatement, considering that they begin with only twelve people. In Matthew's account of this story, we're told that the people were amazed with Jesus and responded by praising God. For a lot of people, there's a genuine sense of gratitude, and that's a good response to have when God works in our lives. But it shouldn't end there more than being thankful like we would when a friend lends us a hand or helps us move. God deserves our worship and praise for the wonderful things He does in our lives. In Revelation four, the apostle John records his vision of the throne room of Heaven, where he writes down the words of twenty four elders who worship at the feet of God. These twenty four elders represent the entirety of God's people, and verse eleven we read that they are singing, You are worthy, our Lord and God to receive glas honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. Jesus isn't just someone who does good things. He is the embodiment of good, the definition of good. This alone should set apart His good works in our minds as more than mere acts of kindness. They're the very power of God moving through our lives to bless us physically and spiritually. When God does something tremendous in your life, be thankful, but above all, be worshipful. Pour out praises to the King of kings, the creator of all things. When Jesus performed miracles, he was affirming and proving his divine nature. He wasn't just there to help people physically. He was there to lead them to salvation that could only be attained through him as the sacrificial Son of God. He was more than a miracle worker. He was more than a good teacher. He was more than a prophet working with power from heaven. The authority that Jesus held and exercised through his teachings and miracles were indicative that he had come from Heaven as the Son of God, sent by the Father and filled with the Holy Spirit. The apostles even used this as evidence of Jesus's godship on the day of Pentecost. In Acts two twenty two, Peter says, fellow Israelites, listen to this. Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. But still, Jesus performed miracles with the needs of the people held close to heart. As always he was propelled to minister to others through compassion. He knew the heavy burdens that each heart held. He felt the weight of pain, suffering and those in need of healing. And it's a testament to just how much He loves us that before anyone asked him to perform this miracle, he recognized the hunger of the people after three days with him without a proper meal. Unlike many of his other miracles, he didn't wait for another to come to him to express their need. He just simply acted in compassion with tender care. Though God wants us to bring him our needs, he doesn't only meet them when we ask. Yes, we it should be coming to God in prayerent supplication, as Paul writes in Philippians for six. But God isn't sitting up in heaven with his arms crossed waiting for us to come and beg him before he relents and response to our requests. God is with us in every moment, and he's aware of what we need, and he's working to provide for us even before we ask. He will not and cannot leave or forsake us. He will always be faithful with us because of who he is. It's his nature. So continually come to God and remember your dependence upon him. But don't think for a second that he isn't already preparing a way to satisfy your heart and fulfill your needs. Like a loving father, he is proactive and caring for his children. It's interesting to note that this is the second time Jesus performs a miracle like this, and it wasn't because he was like a magician who only had a few different types of tricks. Jesus is driving a point home. The first time Jesus fed the five thousand, it was to a group of Jews. The second time he feeds the group of four thousand, it's to a group of gentiles. Jesus came to seek and save the lost jew and gentile alike. He came for all the nations. The same spiritual food is made available to everybody. Jesus wants to satisfy every single nation's need, every single person's need. He doesn't choose favorites. He doesn't pick who's gonna bless in who he's not gonna bless It all requires he sees needs, He meets them, so feel free and bold to come to him. Thanks again for listening. You know what to do, follow, subscribe, Share it with a friend, and see you next time.