I’m starting a 3-part series on the heart of God. Some of this came by revelation during dinner with a long-time friend. I love those times when you’re just chatting away and God interupts the conversation. In fact, if we believe the scripture where Jesus said when 2 or 3 are gathered in His name, then He is in the middle of it, then doesnt He have the right to be a part of the conversation?

So how many people did Jesus have following Him? I think it is easy to say a minimum of 15 thousand at any one time…probably more. And we think we invented mega-churches. When Jesus fed the 5,000…that was just men. Even if there were just a wife and one child then we hit 15K easily.

When Jesus fed the 5K, He did so using His disciples and a willing boy. So few people among such a crowd. What were they all there for? What caused such a massive turnout? What was Jesus offering that so many people were attracted to Him.

In modern churches, its not hard to observe that more people will come to a covered dish dinner than a prayer meeting. The same was true in the times of Christ. While I dont think true that on that day they were necessarily with the Messiah to get their bellies filled, it is clear that the masses were following Jesus for what they could get from Him. However, the kind and compassionate Savior saw them in a different light; sheep without a shepherd. Notice the contrast when the Master mentioned that they were hungry. The disciples basically said, “Let them go to town and get their own food.” I’ve thought about that and one questions keeps coming to my mind. Didnt the disciples plan on eating either? Maybe they did but when Jesus told them to feed the multitude, they went and grabbed a little boy’s lunch. Were they not willing to give up their own food or were they guilty of the same thing the had accused the others of?

You know the story how after all had eaten, they was plenty more still retrieved. I personally believe that this went back to the little boy who sowed his lunch. Once again, the compassion of Christ satisfied the physical needs of each individual.

Someone once made the statement that you cant give the Gospel to someone who has an empty stomach. While I absolutely believe in helping with the physical needs of the human body, I also believe that this is just a step to minister to the whole person…spirit, soul, and body. I’m not sure how you believe salvation takes place but my understanding that it is by invitation only. While the invitation is to whoever wills, the Bible also clearly says that no one comes to the Father unless the Spirit draws them. Maybe we have it backwards? Maybe we should see feeding people as just that…taking care of the physical needs of others.

Whatever reason you think it was for Jesus feeding the multitude, it is clear that He had more in mind than just filling the physical need of others. Not long after He fed them, Jesus tried to explain something deeper to His followers. He tried to explain to them how He was the living bread and unless they ate of His flesh and drank of His blood they could not enter the kingdom. There was something more He wanted to teach them. However, it seems that that crowd couldnt handle what he was saying. At one point, many left Jesus. I’m sure they returned the next time “they” needed something. Jesus asked His disciples, “Are you going to leave me too?” They in turned replied, “Where could we go? You have the words to eternal life.”

So, that many people and they still missed it. They missed the one thing that Jesus was offering that no one else could offer like He could. Stay tuned for part two……