You Need a Miracle When You Have a Little and Your Need a Lot
Series: Do You Need a Miracle? – City Church of Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN
Mark 6:34-44, When the disciples thought this had gone on long enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out in the country, and it’s very late. Pronounce the benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper.” Jesus said, “You do it. Fix supper for them.” They replied, “Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on food for their supper?” But he was quite serious. “How many loaves of bread do you have? Take inventory.” That didn’t take long. “Five…plus two fish.” Jesus got them all to sit down in groups…He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke and gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples in turn gave it to the people. He did the same with the fish. They all had their fill. The disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. More than five thousand were at supper. (The Message)
IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM
Every miracle begins with a problem.
If you don’t have a problem, you don’t need a miracle. In order to experience God’s supply, you’ve got to have a need.
Philippians 4:19, But my God shall supply all of your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (KJV)
ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM
God wants you to get concerned about the situation before he does anything about it. By this time it was late in the day, so the disciples came to Him…But he answered, “You given them something to eat.”
John 6:6, Jesus already had in mind what he was going to do. Jesus doesn’t act until we admit: “I’ve got a problem.” The disciples displayed three common reactions to a problem.
1. Procrastination
By this time it was late in the day…
2. Passing the buck
Send the people away…
3. Worry
You want us to spend a fortune…
DO WHAT YOU CAN
God waits on us to do what we can with what we have before he acts. Notice the attitude of the little boy who gave his lunch.
1. He gave what he had.
2. He gave all he had.
In the face of our problem, why don’t we do this?
We worry that we might end up going hungry.
We think “What’s the use?”
EXPECT A MIRACLE
God specializes in the impossible.
Jeremiah 32:17, …Nothing is too hard for you.
Luke 18:27, What is impossible with man is possible with God. God always responds to our faith.
Matthew 9:29, According to your faith, it will happen. Not only was the multitude fed, there were 12 baskets left over.
Who got the baskets? The Little Boy!
Jesus could have done this miracle without the disciples and without the little boy, but he didn’t. Why? Because God
likes to do miracles through people!
