1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:17,760 Thank you for listening to this message from LifeHouse Church. 2 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,820 Well good morning LifeHouse. 3 00:00:20,820 --> 00:00:24,360 As is obviously apparent, I am not Pastor Kipp. 4 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:28,940 Like Dixie said, Pastor Kipp's voice is a little bit not there this morning, so you're stuck 5 00:00:28,940 --> 00:00:30,160 with me this morning. 6 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,880 But for those of you that might not know me, my name is Andrew Maneval. 7 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:37,400 I have the privilege of being the student ministries pastor here, which big term, but 8 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:42,200 all that means is I oversee the ministry to the youth, to the children, and at LifeHouse 9 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:44,400 here and it is a privilege. 10 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:49,220 My wife Aisha and our two daughters are Lucy and Nora are watching online today. 11 00:00:49,220 --> 00:00:50,300 They're not here this morning. 12 00:00:50,300 --> 00:00:52,760 There's some sickness at home, but they're joining us online. 13 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:56,520 And also just wanted to say a quick welcome to our East Shore family joining us over at 14 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:57,960 our East Shore campus. 15 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,360 So this morning we're going to talk about miracles, right? 16 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,280 Because everybody loves a miracle, right? 17 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:09,240 It's that moment of divine intervention when the impossible takes place. 18 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,340 When we realize that there is a power beyond us. 19 00:01:12,340 --> 00:01:17,360 When our mind is blown and unexplainable things happen. 20 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:22,420 When something or someone greater than ourselves intervenes and does what nature says can't 21 00:01:22,420 --> 00:01:24,780 be done. 22 00:01:24,780 --> 00:01:30,360 In talks on university campuses, Christian physicist and MIT professor Ian Hutchinson 23 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:35,280 asks can a scientist believe in miracles? 24 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:40,160 Hutchinson sometimes begins his talks by jokingly saying, can a scientist believe in miracles? 25 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:41,920 We can answer that pretty easily. 26 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,400 He says, I'm a scientist and I believe in miracles. 27 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:46,380 So the answer is yes. 28 00:01:46,380 --> 00:01:51,560 He notes that most of us don't understand that the Bible's view of miracles. 29 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:56,800 He says that we tend to view God as mostly hands off, standing on the sidelines, letting 30 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:58,960 nature look after itself. 31 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,040 But then on the rare occasion reaching in to tweak the things by the odd miracle here 32 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:04,160 or there. 33 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:09,880 But Hutchinson argues that according to the Bible, God continually holds the universe 34 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:11,680 in the palm of his hands. 35 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:17,780 It exists because of his continuous creative power and will. 36 00:02:17,780 --> 00:02:21,800 If he were to stop exerting that upholding power and stop paying attention to every part 37 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,160 of the universe, it would instantly cease to exist. 38 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,040 Thus, he defines a miracle this way. 39 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:33,360 A miracle is an extraordinary act of God by which God upholds a part of the universe in 40 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,700 a manner that is different from the normal. 41 00:02:37,700 --> 00:02:42,300 He adds, yes, we know more today than people did a long time ago, but what we know today 42 00:02:42,300 --> 00:02:48,080 makes the universe seem, if anything, even more open. 43 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:52,580 Well, this morning we're going to take a look at a passage of scripture that takes place 44 00:02:52,580 --> 00:02:57,840 in a remote and secluded area belonging to a little city called Bethsaida. 45 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:02,800 And Jesus and his 12 disciples, and in this particular circumstance, right along with 46 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,080 our message series this morning, it's not what it looks like. 47 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:09,240 I want you to lean over your neighbor, tell them it's not what it looks like. 48 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:11,600 If you're joining us online, drop that in the chat. 49 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:12,960 We are online hosts there. 50 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:16,120 If you're up at East Shore, lean over to Pastor Eric, poke him in the side and say, hey, it's 51 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,140 not what it looks like. 52 00:03:19,140 --> 00:03:23,900 And all the disciples could see in this situation was the big problem, right? 53 00:03:23,900 --> 00:03:28,200 But all Jesus saw was a moment for God intervention. 54 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:34,240 He saw a miracle, because miracles, it's not what it looks like. 55 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,400 This morning we're going to be in Luke chapter 9. 56 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,800 If you have your Bibles while you're turning there or your apps on your phone or whatever, 57 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,440 if you don't have anything, the words will be on the screens as well. 58 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:46,080 But as you're turning there, I'm going to give you a little context. 59 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,440 I want to set the stage a little bit, if you will. 60 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:54,200 Jesus is preparing and instructing his 12 closest followers, the disciples, right? 61 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:58,640 He prepares them to go out and do ministry work into various cities and towns in the 62 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:00,320 area. 63 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:02,880 And he gives them very specific instructions. 64 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,440 How many of you like specific instructions? 65 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,760 Specific instructions for their travels. 66 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:13,920 Actually, Jesus' instructions are a little bit unusual, I'll say, because most people, 67 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:18,600 when they go to pack for a trip or go somewhere, they prepare and they pack. 68 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,100 They have a list of needed items. 69 00:04:21,100 --> 00:04:22,100 They have a checklist. 70 00:04:22,100 --> 00:04:23,100 You go, toothbrush, check. 71 00:04:23,100 --> 00:04:24,100 Favorite shirt, check. 72 00:04:24,100 --> 00:04:25,100 Shoes, check. 73 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:29,280 Or some of you, like me, you have a checklist before you leave your house in the morning. 74 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:30,280 You're like phone, wallet, keys. 75 00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:31,280 Yep, I got everything. 76 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:32,280 We're good. 77 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:35,680 You go out the door like that, or maybe you take it one step further. 78 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:40,760 Like my wife, who loves checklists, she nerds out over checklists. 79 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:41,800 It's color coded. 80 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:42,800 It's labeled. 81 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,600 It's in digital and physical format. 82 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:47,020 It is ready to go. 83 00:04:47,020 --> 00:04:49,180 We never forget anything when we go somewhere. 84 00:04:49,180 --> 00:04:52,260 She has her checklist ready months in advance. 85 00:04:52,260 --> 00:04:55,460 But regardless of how you do it, it's a process. 86 00:04:55,460 --> 00:04:56,960 It takes preparation. 87 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:58,760 But not with Jesus. 88 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:00,640 Nope, it's not what Jesus did. 89 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,040 Let's start in Luke chapter nine, verse one. 90 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:07,920 It says, then he called his twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority 91 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:12,720 over all demons and to cure diseases. 92 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,080 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 93 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:17,520 He said to them, take nothing. 94 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:19,620 Everybody say nothing. 95 00:05:19,620 --> 00:05:24,420 Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bags, nor bread nor money, and do not 96 00:05:24,420 --> 00:05:26,360 have two tunics apiece. 97 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:31,020 Whenever you enter, whatever house you enter, stay there and from there depart. 98 00:05:31,020 --> 00:05:35,000 And whoever will receive you when you go out of that city, I'm sorry, and whoever will 99 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:40,240 not receive you when you go out of that city, shake the very dust from your feet as a testimony 100 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:41,560 against them. 101 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:47,160 So they departed and went through the towns preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. 102 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,640 Jesus calls and commissions his disciples. 103 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:54,720 He gives them power and authority and he instructs them. 104 00:05:54,720 --> 00:06:02,080 He says, preach, heal, cast out demons, do all of this and take no provisions with you. 105 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,160 Don't take anything with you. 106 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:05,160 Travel super light. 107 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:06,680 Don't even take a carry on with you. 108 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:11,600 I mean, you've ever seen a commuter go through a TSA check in in an airport, right? 109 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,720 I've seen a commuter take literally he just had his wallet and his keys. 110 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,160 I've never, never traveled that light myself, but it must be nice. 111 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:19,960 Just had his wallet and his keys. 112 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:25,000 But Jesus tells his disciples to travel with nothing but faith and the clothes on their 113 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,540 back. 114 00:06:27,540 --> 00:06:30,280 They head out on this amazing faith journey. 115 00:06:30,280 --> 00:06:34,660 They're heading into cities with no provision, no money, no food, or even planned shelter. 116 00:06:34,660 --> 00:06:37,000 They don't even have an Airbnb ready to go, right? 117 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,800 They're just going out there. 118 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:45,520 Jesus starts to teach them about faith, about God's supernatural provision. 119 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,560 I've heard stories of modern missionaries that did this. 120 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:53,400 God called them to do this very thing, to go to a foreign country, a hostile country 121 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:55,680 even with no provisions, no plans. 122 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:59,960 And Jesus just showed up every step of the way and met them here and provided for them 123 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:02,200 here and just met them every step of the way. 124 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:03,440 It was wild. 125 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,240 It was incredible how God provided for them. 126 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:07,240 It was mind blowing. 127 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:10,960 It was all Jesus. 128 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,660 These disciples go on this ministry trip. 129 00:07:13,660 --> 00:07:17,880 They go out and now they come back and they're returning and they're telling stories of God's 130 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:21,800 supernatural provisions, the wild things that they encountered and the miracles that they 131 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:23,840 performed in Jesus name. 132 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:30,800 See, Jesus was preparing his disciples for when he was gone, but they didn't quite get 133 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:31,800 it yet. 134 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,720 They didn't quite have it all together yet. 135 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:40,080 Luke 9, 10 says, and the apostles, when they had returned, told him all that they had done. 136 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,800 They were so excited to come back and tell Jesus. 137 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:47,840 Then he took them and went aside privately to a deserted place belonging to a city called 138 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:48,840 Bethsaida. 139 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:55,520 They were trying to get away, get out of the busy season, go someplace quiet, deserted, 140 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,880 go someplace quiet, maybe to celebrate what had just happened. 141 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:03,920 Maybe to celebrate the disciples coming back and doing all this ministry work. 142 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,080 Probably to get a little rest, but this wouldn't be rest. 143 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,920 This was not a vacation after a busy season. 144 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:14,000 The disciples thought they were headed to a little R and R, but with Jesus, it's not 145 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,480 what it looks like. 146 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:22,520 Verse 11 says, but when the multitude knew it, they followed him and he received them 147 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:27,400 and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who needed healing. 148 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:28,680 They tried to get away. 149 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:33,960 They tried to slip out and just get someplace to rest, but it didn't work. 150 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,880 One of the apostles must have left his location turned on whenever he was posted on Instagram, 151 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:38,880 and they found him. 152 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:39,880 They got out there. 153 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:46,560 This huge crowd of people followed Jesus to this deserted place, and Jesus has compassion 154 00:08:46,560 --> 00:08:48,440 on them and he begins to do ministry. 155 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:54,520 He begins to teach and to heal, and he does this all day long, late into the afternoon. 156 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:56,440 This was not rest and relaxation. 157 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:01,200 This was deep spiritual work that Jesus and all the 12 were doing, and I'm sure that they 158 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:02,760 were exhausted at this point. 159 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:08,040 Whenever verse 12 hits, it says, when the day began to wear away and the 12 came to him 160 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,720 and said, send the multitude away. 161 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:14,840 I love this verse because I pictured the disciples coming up to Jesus saying, all right, Jesus, 162 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:16,160 you preached long enough. 163 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:17,160 We've done enough. 164 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:18,640 Pack it in. 165 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:19,640 We're hungry. 166 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:20,640 They're hungry. 167 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:21,640 Let's go eat Mexican. 168 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:22,640 Right. 169 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:23,680 Then they go to the surrounding towns. 170 00:09:23,680 --> 00:09:28,000 They said, let the disciples say that they may go into the surrounding towns and country 171 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,560 to lodge and get provisions for we are in a deserted place here. 172 00:09:32,560 --> 00:09:40,800 Verse 13, but he said to them, as Jesus said to them, you give them something to eat. 173 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:45,280 Disciples of God to be thinking, come on, Jesus, we're tired. 174 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,240 We can't feed this many people. 175 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,400 What are we a Chick-fil-A, right? 176 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:53,640 Jesus creates an impossible circumstance for the disciples. 177 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:58,880 He gives them an unreasonable and actually impossible command. 178 00:09:58,880 --> 00:09:59,880 Feed them. 179 00:09:59,880 --> 00:10:02,080 Feed all of them. 180 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:04,280 This is not just a small congregation. 181 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:08,080 This is 5,000 men plus their families. 182 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:13,280 Most scholars estimate to be about 10,000 people in total attendance. 183 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:17,240 And these disciples reply to Jesus, try to give Jesus a reality check. 184 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:23,120 And they say, we have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for 185 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,720 all these people, for there were about 5,000 men. 186 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:30,720 They say, you don't understand what you're asking us to do, Jesus. 187 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:31,840 You're not reading the room. 188 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,120 You're not seeing this for what it really is. 189 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:40,680 This is impossible for us to accomplish with the provisions that we possess. 190 00:10:40,680 --> 00:10:44,080 But see, Jesus is setting them up. 191 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:48,320 Jesus is saying, this is not what it looks like. 192 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:52,760 Jesus is about to teach them about God intervention, right? 193 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:54,960 God's hand that can interject the supernatural. 194 00:10:54,960 --> 00:11:01,720 See, God's power is not bound by the laws of nature, not by natural limitations or even 195 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:02,720 logic. 196 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:08,280 See, God is the one who set those laws in place and he can take away or add to them 197 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:09,560 anytime he wants. 198 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:13,960 They are his to do with. 199 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:19,720 Jesus is about to teach his disciples a bigger lesson about impossible, about the impossible 200 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:26,640 and provision, because the possible seems impossible when we don't have the provision 201 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:28,640 we need. 202 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:35,480 See, it's not impossible to feed 5,000 people. 203 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:39,640 It can be done if you have enough food for it, if you have enough provision, right? 204 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:40,640 I looked it up. 205 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:42,880 I'm talking a lot about food today, so I hope you're not that hungry. 206 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:49,000 I looked it up, but the busiest Chick-fil-A that is available and open to the public is 207 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:54,240 in downtown Chicago and it serves an average of 10,000 customers a day. 208 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:56,760 That's a lot of people. 209 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:57,760 It can be done. 210 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:05,080 But it is more than impossible to feed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, 211 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:06,080 right? 212 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:10,480 It's almost impossible to adequately feed 15 people with five loaves of bread and two 213 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:11,480 fish. 214 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:14,760 If I invited 15 of you over to my house for lunch and I said, all right, here's what we 215 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:15,760 got, guys. 216 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,440 We got five breadsticks from Olive Garden and a can of sardines. 217 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:21,440 Who's coming over? 218 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:22,440 Yuck. 219 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,560 I don't want to be there. 220 00:12:25,560 --> 00:12:27,420 It's not possible with the revisions, right? 221 00:12:27,420 --> 00:12:28,420 It's ludicrous. 222 00:12:28,420 --> 00:12:29,420 It's not even close. 223 00:12:29,420 --> 00:12:34,120 It doesn't even make sense. 224 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:39,760 But how many of us know that sometimes the impossible is so not possible that it doesn't 225 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:40,760 even need discussed. 226 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:41,960 It doesn't even need talked about. 227 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:45,600 There's no sense in wasting our time thinking about it. 228 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:47,600 It's like me asking Ashley. 229 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,080 Ashley's been one of our youth back there. 230 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:53,240 I told her I'd use her in the sermon and she looked at me like deer in headlights. 231 00:12:53,240 --> 00:13:00,600 It's like me asking Ashley, Ashley, I got you all expenses trip for you and your family. 232 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:02,960 You guys are all going to go down to Florida. 233 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,520 Paid for the hotel, paid for everything, but you got to get there. 234 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:06,520 But here's how you're going to get there. 235 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,680 You're going to hop a ride first class on this bad boy. 236 00:13:09,680 --> 00:13:11,520 That one pretty far, but that ain't making it to Florida. 237 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:12,520 I'll tell you that, right? 238 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:13,880 It doesn't even make sense. 239 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:14,880 It's laughable. 240 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,080 It's a joke, right? 241 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:19,280 This is how the disciples were seeing it. 242 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:25,240 They had just got back from this marathon miracle tour, right? 243 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:26,240 People were healed. 244 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,960 People were delivered provision every step of the way. 245 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:33,060 But this, come on Jesus, this isn't how this is going to work. 246 00:13:33,060 --> 00:13:34,060 They had to be saying that. 247 00:13:34,060 --> 00:13:36,240 They had to be saying, quit messing with us. 248 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:37,240 This is a good one, right? 249 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:39,120 But this is crazy. 250 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:40,120 We're tired. 251 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:41,880 It's been a long day. 252 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:46,360 We thought we were coming out here to chill and compress and decompress, but instead they've 253 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:50,000 been ministering to people all day long. 254 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,080 Let me tell you what. 255 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:58,740 God is just getting started where our impossible starts. 256 00:13:58,740 --> 00:14:03,620 God is just getting going when we hit our, it's insane to even think like that. 257 00:14:03,620 --> 00:14:04,880 God is just stretching his arms. 258 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:10,920 He's just getting ready to do something when we think it's even crazy to consider, right? 259 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:16,320 When we are faced with a ridiculously impossible situation and God is in it, it might not be. 260 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:19,320 It might not be what it looks like. 261 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:23,880 When it resembles a mess instead of a miracle, it might be time to buckle up, get your faith 262 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:25,240 ready. 263 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:32,340 Because if God gives you the crazy ludicrous command like feed them all, feed the 5,000, 264 00:14:32,340 --> 00:14:36,760 you might have a miracle in disguise. 265 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:38,880 The disciples realize Jesus ain't joking. 266 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:39,880 He ain't playing. 267 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:40,880 He is for real. 268 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:42,880 He is saying, feed them. 269 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:45,880 He expects them to feed them, but they're protesting. 270 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:50,040 But Jesus isn't budging on the idea. 271 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:53,840 Verse 14 picks up and he says, then he says to his disciples, make them sit down in groups 272 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:55,280 of 50. 273 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:58,960 And they did so and made them all sit down. 274 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,240 Jesus has the disciples organize the crowd. 275 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:02,240 He numbers them. 276 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,160 He puts them into groups, maybe for a couple of reasons. 277 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:07,800 The first reason I can think of is it's practical, right? 278 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:09,560 You got 10,000 people. 279 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:11,160 Jesus is preparing to do this miracle. 280 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:13,440 You're going to need to get access, right? 281 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:16,920 Maybe you need to get access like a stadium where they need rows to get in there to distribute 282 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:18,560 the food that they didn't have. 283 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:25,280 I also think that Jesus wanted his disciples to know the number, to see the true size of 284 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:30,400 what he was about to do, to sweat it out a little bit, to freak out at the size of their 285 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:31,400 problem. 286 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:35,160 They were probably counting and thinking, this is worse than we thought. 287 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:37,160 What the heck are we doing, right? 288 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:38,160 Why aren't we doing this? 289 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:39,800 We're going to look so dumb. 290 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:46,200 But Jesus had them do this, I think, so that they would realize the size of their lack, 291 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:53,960 so that they could later understand the size of the miracle, the size of their God. 292 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:59,280 They don't understand what Jesus is doing, but they obey Jesus' command to organize the 293 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:01,120 people. 294 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:06,960 When we are faced with the impossible, just do what Jesus says to do, right? 295 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,160 That's exactly what the disciples do here. 296 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:13,640 When we are faced with the impossible, just do what Jesus says to do. 297 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:15,580 Do it where Jesus says to do it. 298 00:16:15,580 --> 00:16:17,580 Do it when Jesus says to do it. 299 00:16:17,580 --> 00:16:20,020 Do it how Jesus tells you to do it. 300 00:16:20,020 --> 00:16:23,020 Do it with whom Jesus says to do it with. 301 00:16:23,020 --> 00:16:26,760 Just do what he commands. 302 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,840 I love how the Gospel of Mark records this. 303 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:33,800 Mark 6.39 says, then he commanded them, he commanded the disciples. 304 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:38,120 He says, to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass, in the green grass. 305 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:42,680 So they sat down in ranks in hundreds and in fifties. 306 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:47,640 Jesus tells them where, when, and how to do this, and with whom his command should be 307 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:49,280 carried out. 308 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:55,920 He doesn't leave them to speculate, but he also does not give them the end result. 309 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,840 Do what Jesus specifically says to do, and only do that. 310 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:03,000 Sometimes we get caught up in thinking, well, I'll help Jesus out. 311 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,120 I'll do the next step on my own, right? 312 00:17:05,120 --> 00:17:07,360 Jesus said do this, but I'll do this too. 313 00:17:07,360 --> 00:17:09,020 Do it without knowing the end result. 314 00:17:09,020 --> 00:17:10,640 Do it by faith. 315 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,300 Do it even if it doesn't make sense to you. 316 00:17:13,300 --> 00:17:16,360 Just do what he says. 317 00:17:16,360 --> 00:17:17,360 Here's the real kicker. 318 00:17:17,360 --> 00:17:18,360 Here's the real hard one sometimes. 319 00:17:18,360 --> 00:17:21,640 If Jesus didn't tell you to do nothing, don't do nothing, right? 320 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:23,040 Don't do it. 321 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,440 Don't take that step in faith and say, well, I'm going to take this step and see if Jesus 322 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:27,440 will meet me out here. 323 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:28,560 That's not what Jesus told you to do. 324 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:30,440 Don't do it. 325 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:37,200 If you walk with God long enough, sooner or later, he will command you to do something 326 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:39,600 that does not make sense to you. 327 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,120 He might tell you to go somewhere that doesn't make sense. 328 00:17:42,120 --> 00:17:43,760 He might tell you to talk to somebody. 329 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:48,040 You'll feel that prompting, that tugging, to talk to somebody. 330 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:50,480 He might tell you to do something at a time that doesn't make sense. 331 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:55,020 Where you're like, my schedule is so busy, but I feel like I have to do this, right? 332 00:17:55,020 --> 00:17:57,660 But I can tell you, God never misses it. 333 00:17:57,660 --> 00:18:02,160 He knows exactly what we need to do, when we need to do it, where we need to do it, 334 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:04,360 and with whom. 335 00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:08,440 So we don't miss the miracle that he wants to show us. 336 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:09,960 What if the disciples would have refused? 337 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:11,720 What if they said, you know what? 338 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:12,720 We're going home. 339 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:13,720 Send the people home. 340 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:15,080 We're embarrassed. 341 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:16,840 This is, we don't have any food to feed you. 342 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:19,680 Go on home, get out of here, right? 343 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:20,680 What if they did that? 344 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:24,920 They would have missed the miracle altogether. 345 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,240 What if they said, we're not going to be responsible for them being hungry and stuck in the wilderness 346 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:29,240 overnight. 347 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:30,240 This day is gone. 348 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:31,280 The day is gone. 349 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:32,280 It's too far gone. 350 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:34,640 It's too late to do this. 351 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:39,160 They're probably all saying to themselves, like we do so many times, this makes no sense 352 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:41,520 to me. 353 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:48,440 Sometimes I need to get the me out of the way to obey his command. 354 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:55,000 Actually all of the time, I need to get little old me out of the way to obey his command, 355 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:57,480 right? 356 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,620 Do it anyway, what Jesus asked you, even if it doesn't make sense to you. 357 00:19:00,620 --> 00:19:02,060 Do it anyway. 358 00:19:02,060 --> 00:19:04,840 Because with Jesus, it's not what it looks like. 359 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:09,240 Your miracle might be on the other side of that command from Jesus. 360 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:17,120 Our obedience to Jesus may be the only thing between us and that miracle. 361 00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:18,960 The stage is set, right? 362 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:21,960 The people are all seated. 363 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:23,320 They're ready for the miracle. 364 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:27,680 Luke 9 16 says, then he took, this is Jesus. 365 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:29,700 He takes the five loaves and two fish. 366 00:19:29,700 --> 00:19:34,600 He came up to heaven, he blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set 367 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:37,160 before the multitude. 368 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:41,760 This verse teaches us something important about a miracle. 369 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:50,120 A miracle can only happen when we are willing to give Jesus what is in our hand. 370 00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:57,320 They only had five loaves and two fish, not even a drop in the bucket for what they needed 371 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:00,400 to complete the task that they were asked to do. 372 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,440 Not even close, not even close. 373 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:07,920 So inadequate that it's almost funny, that it's almost a joke, right? 374 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,000 They put their inadequate, they're not enough. 375 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,520 They're ridiculously small provision. 376 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:15,120 They put it in Jesus's hands. 377 00:20:15,120 --> 00:20:18,000 And Jesus does two things with it once he gets a hold of it. 378 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:22,760 He blesses it and he breaks it. 379 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:28,360 He blesses it because he blesses everything that is turned over to God, right? 380 00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:30,080 Really turned over to him completely. 381 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:36,120 If we release anything into his hands, it will move towards blessing. 382 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:41,080 When we release full ownership over to Jesus, when we turn over a situation, we turn over 383 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:46,520 a relationship, we turn over whatever is going on over to Jesus, we release our control of 384 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:47,520 it. 385 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:48,880 We give it to him fully. 386 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:53,760 It has to move towards blessing because he knows more what to do with it than we do, 387 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:54,760 right? 388 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:59,840 Because anything in his hands becomes sanctified, it gets sanctified, he purifies, he brings 389 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:00,840 it to life. 390 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:06,080 But we have to be ready because if we put something in God's hands, he may break it 391 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,820 before he can bless it. 392 00:21:08,820 --> 00:21:12,960 They put their pathetic provision, they're not enough, their embarrassment in Jesus's 393 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:17,480 hands, but in Jesus, it's not what it looks like. 394 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:23,120 Because yes, Jesus blesses it, but he also breaks it. 395 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:28,460 Jesus may break what we place in his hands before he can bless it. 396 00:21:28,460 --> 00:21:32,360 He might need to break it up before he can multiply it. 397 00:21:32,360 --> 00:21:37,360 He might have to crush it before it can grow like breaking hard soil before you put in 398 00:21:37,360 --> 00:21:39,120 fresh seed. 399 00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:42,480 You might have to destroy it and put it back together on the potter's wheel before it can 400 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:44,280 become a new thing. 401 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:49,160 He might have to pull it apart back to its very fibers before he can put it back together 402 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:53,240 the right way, put it back together his way. 403 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:59,520 Our first instinct is to hold on to it, to hold on to our stuff and say, we don't want 404 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:04,240 a chance losing this little thing we got, this small provision we have, because it might 405 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:06,240 not go back together again, right? 406 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:10,240 We say things like, don't you know how long it took me to get this, Jesus? 407 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:14,520 Now you want me to hand it over so you can bust it all up? 408 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:16,800 It's taken me years in this little bit of relationship. 409 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:20,320 It's taken me years to accumulate this five loaves and two fish. 410 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:25,360 I spent years in this career and this profession and this business, these circumstances, years 411 00:22:25,360 --> 00:22:26,920 and years. 412 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:29,760 I know it's a mess, but it's all I got, Jesus. 413 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:31,200 And you want me to let go? 414 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:34,400 You want me to put it in your hands so you can bust it all up? 415 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:42,960 Church, the answer to that question is absolutely yes, because he won't bless it unless you 416 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:47,880 let him bust it up, unless you let him break it. 417 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:48,920 They give it all to Jesus. 418 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,660 They don't hold on to it, right? 419 00:22:51,660 --> 00:22:55,200 They put all of their faith in it because they had to know they were probably going 420 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:56,320 to eat last. 421 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,560 If this five loaves and two fish ran out, they were eating last. 422 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:03,120 So they don't hold on to it saying, hey, I got to save a bite for me. 423 00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:04,840 No, they give it all to Jesus. 424 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:10,640 They release total control of the situation and give it all to Jesus. 425 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:12,080 And Jesus takes all of it. 426 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,280 He breaks it and he blesses it. 427 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:17,680 And the disciples begin to distribute it. 428 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:25,680 917 says, so they all ate and were filled and 12 baskets of leftover fragments were 429 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,320 taken up by them. 430 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:32,200 There was not only enough for the 10,000 plus, but there was extra. 431 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,480 There was more than enough. 432 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,560 What Jesus makes the disciples gather up. 433 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:39,680 I love this part. 434 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:41,160 Why does he make them gather up the leftovers? 435 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:42,160 Right? 436 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:43,840 Why does that matter? 437 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:45,560 Because they need to know. 438 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:49,400 You need to do what Jesus says to do. 439 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,160 He needs to give him what is in your hands. 440 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:58,560 You have to let him break what needs to break so he can bless it. 441 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:03,580 Welcome back and the praise team if you come in. 442 00:24:03,580 --> 00:24:10,120 If you are in the house this morning and you are able, would you please stand? 443 00:24:10,120 --> 00:24:15,880 Pastor Elrik is going to come up at East shore now as well. 444 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:20,320 And church, we were praying. 445 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:24,840 Our that was praying in preparation for the sermon yesterday. 446 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:29,800 I just felt this gnawing, this tug, this passion 447 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,520 to preach this sermon because I know there's some of you 448 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,760 in this house that need a miracle for something. 449 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,980 And this is Jesus saying, give it to me. 450 00:24:38,980 --> 00:24:39,820 Turn it over to me. 451 00:24:39,820 --> 00:24:43,160 Let me do with it what you have not been able to do with it. 452 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:49,840 Or maybe you're in the house this morning 453 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,000 and you don't know Jesus, and you don't know 454 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,640 this miracle worker that I'm talking about today. 455 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:59,180 The Bible says that today is the day of salvation. 456 00:24:59,180 --> 00:25:00,760 And I don't want you to leave this house this morning 457 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:03,060 without hearing an opportunity to do that. 458 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:08,000 And all you need to do to do that is you need to admit 459 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:09,680 that you have sinned, that you have wronged God. 460 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:11,880 The Bible says that we have all sinned 461 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:13,680 and fallen short of God's glory. 462 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,760 But God gave us a gift through Jesus Christ 463 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:19,760 who died on the cross for us 464 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:22,340 so that we could live forever with him in heaven. 465 00:25:22,340 --> 00:25:24,320 Because when he died on that cross, he didn't stay dead. 466 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:26,560 He came back to life. 467 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:29,980 And that everlasting life is available to us this morning. 468 00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:34,080 If you want that everlasting life this morning, 469 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:35,100 that opportunity is there. 470 00:25:35,100 --> 00:25:36,060 I would love to talk to you. 471 00:25:36,060 --> 00:25:38,200 Pastor Kipp would love to talk to you. 472 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:39,720 Miss Dixie, Zach, the prayer team, 473 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:42,080 we would love the opportunity to pray with you. 474 00:25:44,540 --> 00:25:46,440 But how I wanna close out this morning. 475 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:48,740 In a moment, I'm gonna pray. 476 00:25:48,740 --> 00:25:49,920 I'm gonna pray a prayer of closing. 477 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:52,160 But church, if you were in the house this morning 478 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:54,060 and you need that miracle for something, 479 00:25:54,060 --> 00:25:55,240 maybe it's not for you. 480 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:56,820 Maybe it's for somebody else. 481 00:25:58,220 --> 00:25:59,120 I want you to come forward. 482 00:25:59,120 --> 00:26:00,040 I want you to come here. 483 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,500 I want you to just, in an act of surrender, 484 00:26:02,500 --> 00:26:05,220 in an act of giving it over to God, 485 00:26:05,220 --> 00:26:06,300 I want you to come down here 486 00:26:06,300 --> 00:26:08,400 and I want you to just give it over to God. 487 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:09,920 In prayer, our prayer team will come. 488 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:11,780 They'll be willing to pray with you about it. 489 00:26:11,780 --> 00:26:13,740 But I wanna open this up, open this altar up. 490 00:26:13,740 --> 00:26:16,320 It's not big, we don't have a lot of room. 491 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:18,880 But I bet it was crowded when Jesus fed them 10,000. 492 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:25,360 As I pray, I want you to make your way. 493 00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:26,840 If you need a miracle for something, 494 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:29,000 I feel strongly about this this morning. 495 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:30,200 If you need a miracle for something, 496 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:31,760 is there something in your life? 497 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:33,600 If it's your family, if it's your finances, 498 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:35,600 if you need Jesus to do a miracle, 499 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:37,560 if you need God to reach into your life 500 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:40,560 and do something that doesn't make sense, 501 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:42,360 I want you to come down this morning. 502 00:26:42,360 --> 00:26:47,360 I want you to come down this morning. 503 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,240 Thank you for tuning in to this message 504 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,480 from Life House Church. 505 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,040 We pray that you were impacted powerfully by this message. 506 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:59,000 If you have been personally affected by our ministry 507 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:00,760 and you would like to partner with us 508 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:03,840 as we love God, love people every day, 509 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:12,840 visit our website at www.lifehousecog.com.