THElad

‘ THE LAD, THE LUNCH, THE LORD AND THE LOST’
The ingredients for a miracle:
THE VESSEL, THE SACRIFICE, THE AUTHORITY AND THE PURPOSE.

Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat,
Jesus (THE LORD) called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
2 I have compassion on the multitude (THE LOST SOULS), because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:
3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

John 6:7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad ( THE VESSEL ) here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: (THE LUNCH) but what are they among so many?
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus (THE LORD) took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets (12 DISCIPLES?) with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

What we have here are the ingredients to a miracle. Ever wondered why some of us pray for a miracle or a healing only to come up empty. Lets take a look at this set of scriptures and see what we find.

First lets look at the LAD.( THE VESSEL) Here we have a young child, not much to look at, not much to expect from. No one would expect him to do much or give much to the kingdom of God. After all, all he had was a simple lunch, a couple fish and a few loaves, ( but what are they among so many? )
Hum looks to me like he came expecting to share.. He certainly had more than he could eat. Maybe he was expecting to have lunch with someone else. Jesus? Hum looks like he came with faith and foresight. And who said a child couldn’t give or do anything good for God?

Then there was the LUNCH. (THE SACRIFICE) but just a couple fish and a few loaves.
( but what are they among so many? ) But then again little in the hands of God is much. His lunch was the sacrificial offering to the Lord of glory. It may not have been much to start with but then again God doesn’t need much to work with. Just a TRUSTING heart and OPEN hand. A closed hand cannot give nor can it receive.
...Hey its not what you have but what your willing to give that counts! Got any lunch?

Then there was the Lord. (THE AUTHORITY) You see what many of us haven’t realized is that if you want a miracle. you first have to find the Lord. First have to have divine Lordship in and over your life. You have to be under the authority of the Lord. Submitted to the authority placed over you. Husbands love your wives, wives submit unto your husbands, children honor your parents, servants obey your masters, (employers) etc.
What some sin filled, sick people need is to recognize the Lordship of Jesus Christ.. recognize that the lord you been serving and claiming is not the Lord Jesus Christ.
You won’t find the Lord in the world, in the bottle, the drugs the illicit affairs, etc.
Hey did anybody notice anything special about these here multitudes in this story.
Well for one they came wiling to hear and accept the word of the Lord. Came willing to receive, Came willing to stick it out even after hunger pangs came calling to distract and hinder them from receiving Gods word. 3 days they waited and listened. They forgot about Hometown buffet and instead choose heavens cafe..

Hey anybody ever notice how hunger can keep some folks from believing in the word of the Lord. Maybe it all depends on what kind of hunger you have and what your hungering for? To many of us hunger for the wrong things..
Yes they may have felt the hot, humid, weary weather beating on their backs. But they would not leave, would not ignore his words. They found the Lord and weren’t about to let him go.

Then there was the LOST. (THE PURPOSE)This is what it’s all about. .
Hey You want a miracle? Let me ask you something where’s your compassion? Look at Jesus, In Mark 8: and verse 2 Jesus (THE LORD) called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude (THE LOST SOULS)

Maybe we been asking for a miracle but asking selfishly at that..
(James said we ask amiss that we may consume it upon our lust) Are you concerned more about your lust than about the lost? Hey the miracle was meant to get their attention. To get them to focus on Jesus.

To show them the love of God, to show them the power of God, the providence of God. the goodness of God. Hey what’s your miracle for. What does that miracle you want mean to show anyone. Is your miracle going to benefit the lost? Is your miracle going to speak to the lost.

CLOSING: Where and what is the missing ingredient to your miracle. Do you even want a miracle or will it cost you to much? Can you feel for the multitudes? Can you feed the multitudes? Can you or will you find the Lord? Will you submit to the Lord? Got any needs? Hey anybody want to share their lunch today? Share it with others, with Jesus?