Tuesday, December 25, 2012

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012      I Again Miraculously Fed Thousands     

Page 140      Matthew 15:29-37; Mark 8:1-10

This is the second mass feeding in the last week of our reading, but the story is more than Jesus just “doing it again.” The people had been in the countryside with Jesus for three days. Jesus’ use of scripture from the Messianic prophecies of Isaiah, make it clear that for three days Jesus, the Messiah, had been teaching the people about the Kingdom of God. (Compare verses 30-31 with Isaiah 35:5-6 and the response of the people in verse 31 with Isaiah 29:23b) The Messiah has a personal concern for his people. When the Messiah reaches out to meet the needs of his people, he involves his disciples in the process. He asks his disciples to identify their resources.

The disciples still are looking in the wrong direction. In the first feeding (Matthew 14:13-21), the disciples focused on “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish” (Matthew 14:17 NRSV, emphasis mine). In today’s reading, their focus was on “Seven loaves, and a few small fish” (Matthew 15:34, emphasis mine). Nevertheless, Jesus blesses their resources and sends his disciples to feed and care for his people. As in the case of the first mass feeding, there is an abundance of food left over.

In time, the disciples will grow in their faith and will learn to keep their eyes on Jesus, and not just their resources. (See Hebrews 12:2)

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in today’s reading attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

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