FBCWest 365 | Feeding Loaves and Avoiding Leaven
Recorded On: 12/08/2019
Bulletin
FBCWest
December 8, 2019
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”
“Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come”
Praise and Worship
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm
“Jesus Saves”
“Great are You Lord”
“Let it Rise”
“Goodness of God”
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“The Life and Ministry of Jesus The Messiah”
“Feeding Loaves and Avoiding Leaven”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“Draw Me Close”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Benediction “Only Jesus”
Scritpures
Feeding of over 4,000 men and others
Matthew 15:32 And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, "I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way."
Matthew 15:33 The disciples said to Him, "Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?"
Matthew 15:34 And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven, and a few small fish."
Matthew 15:35 And He directed the people to sit down on the ground;
Matthew 15:36 and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Matthew 15:37 And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full.
Matthew 15:38 And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.
Pharisees and Sadducees seek a sign from Jesus
Matthew 16:1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.
The only sign for them is the sign of Jonah
Matthew 16:2 But He replied to them, "When it is evening, you say, `It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.'
Matthew 16:3 "And in the morning, `There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?
Matthew 16:4 "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah." And He left them and went away.
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees
Matthew 16:5 And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread.
Matthew 16:6 And Jesus said to them, "Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
Matthew 16:7 They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, "He said that because we did not bring any bread."
Matthew 16:8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, "You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?
Matthew 16:9 "Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up?
Matthew 16:10 "Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up?
Matthew 16:11 "How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
Matthew 16:12 Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Peter's Confession of Christ
Transcript of Service
We have been going through.
The life administry of Jesus here on Earth.
And he seems to do things repeatedly.
And the advantage of going through an?
Imperfect chronological analogical view of his life.
Is to see?
The power and authority has whereas sometimes we have a tendency when we preach one sermon out of the gospel another sermon. We kind of tend to think well that was a unique event.
And in the Ministry of Jesus.
Almost everything is duplicated.
Or, more.
About the only thing that we say in administry that it did in duplicate was what his mother asked him to do, which was.
Make sure that there was enough wine at the party.
But he continued to heal.
The second, the blind and the deaf and the mute and the Quadro, an paraplegics and demon possessed people in a number of different.
Aspects and so when we do this is almost like well, we heard that before and we heard that before but Unfortunately we humans.
Don't seem to learn on the first lesson.
And so Jesus is going to do something.
In a similar way that he's done before the circumstances are bit different.
But the teaching is still there and so in in Matthew Chapter 15, starting with verse 32 it says this.
And Jesus called the disciples to him and said I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with me now for 3 days. and I have nothing to eat and do not want to send them away hungry for they might faint on the way so Jesus says.
I've had these people following me now for about 3 days.
An it's A kind of an isolated place and I'm going to need to send them away. But if they don't have anything to eat then they may be too weak to have the journey.
So notice that Jesus doesn't just say I'm concerned, but he has compassion for these people.
So the disciples always ready to lend a hand say the disciple, said to him for what we get as many Lowe's in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd.
You see the disciples continue to do like we do, we look at what we don't have as opposed to what Jesus is?
Jesus is already taught that he is the bread of Heaven.
But they are convinced by looking at what they don't have they don't have enough?
And Jesus said to them how many loaves do we have taken inventory. Let me know exactly what it is that we have to work with?
And they said 7 and a few small fish.
Obviously, as we're going to see this is not enough.
To accomplish the task, but then again, Jesus rarely ask us to do something that we have enough to accomplish the task.
So one of the things that we often times try to give an excuse is we have a compassion for something.
We have a compassion for this need or that need and we say we don't have enough inventory. We don't have enough.
Ability we don't have enough stuff.
To accomplish the task.
But that doesn't diminish Jesus.
And he directed the people to sit down on the ground.
He took the Seven loaves and the fish.
And giving thanks he broke them and started giving them to the disciples and the disciples gave them to the people and I want you to notice something here.
It is the disciples who are doing the ministri distributing it to the people. The people do not necessarily know where the food is coming from there just receiving it.
But the disciples know what the inventory is they have 7 loaves and a few fish.
But Jesus doesn't distributed himself, he gives it to disciples to do.
Similarly, Jesus gives us ministries to do.
It's not that we're able to do it, he wants us to participate so that when the ministry is done, we turn around.
Great is the Lord 'cause, he accomplished this 'cause I knew what I started with and it wasn't enough to even satisfy let alone accomplish.
You get into disciples and disciples gave them to the people and they all ate and they were satisfied. They didn't have a little. They didn't have just some they had enough that they did it need anymore. They were satiated.
And they picked up what was left over.
Of the broken pieces.
7 large baskets full.
And those who ate were 4000 men. Besides women and children. So we always hear about that. Jesus fed the 5000 Jesus said the 4000. No, he fed a whole lot more than that. They just counted the men at that particular time. They didn't count the women and children. He fed over 4000 with Seven Lowe's in a few fish an when everybody all 4000 + 8 and we're satisfied they had more at the end, that they did at the beginning.
For every loaf of bread, they had a basket full of pieces.
So.
The next time Jesus calls on you to perform a ministri. It's OK to take stock and inventory of what you got.
A remember what it is that he does.
Jesus doesn't call you because you're sufficient Jesus calls you because he called you.
And sending away the crowds Jesus got into the boat and came to the region of Magadan.
This isn't the last time in this message where I'm going to point my finger at you, but remember there's 3 fingers, pointing back at me.
In Matthew Chapter 16 verse one. It says this the Pharisees and Sadducees came up and testing Jesus. They asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
I love these guys.
No, I don't but I love these guys.
They came up which means they've there.
They're not from this region, they came to this place because they want to accused Jesus and they're saying that they want Jesus to perform a sign to prove he is who he says he is.
Well, what about the Times that heals to death.
And the blind and the mute.
And the demon possessed.
And the paralytics all the things that Isaiah said that the suffering servant would do what about all those signs. You say when you're looking for assigned to give you faith? Guess what?
Assign will not.
It just won't.
Assign will point you do something but a sign in and of itself will not give you faith.
And these people.
Don't care quite frankly.
That Jesus will perform a sign 'cause they don't intend to believe him anyway.
But Jesus replied to them when it is evening and you say it will be fair weather for the Sky is red and in the morning. There will be a storm today for the Sky is red and threatening.
Do you know, do you know how to discern the appearance of the Sky but not concerned that a signs of the times?
Now Jesus is really basically.
Verbally slapped him.
Because these are spiritual leaders supposedly.
And he goes you know about.
The weather.
We all talk about and others do anything but but this little saying we even have.
In our
Common Verbage today.
Red Sky in morning sailors warning Red Sky at night sailors delight.
I mean, we have this very same thing we've.
Now, after a couple 1000 years we still know any better with the weather.
Which is great? I think if you haven't decided what you want to do when you grow up be a meteorologist.
Because you can be wrong more than half the time and still get paid well.
You still haven't learned how much about the weather in Jesus, saying, You know as much as anybody else, knows about the weather. But you don't have a clue about the signs of the times.
Because.
In a few months.
The Clock will continue to tick.
When Daniel another profits will have prophesied when the Messiah will enter Jerusalem.
There seen Jesus do all of the signs and wonders that Isaiah had predicted. The Messiah would do and he's going you haven't figured it out yet.
And evil.
An adulterous generation seeks after a sign.
That's a pretty stuff review.
You're seeking assign you want some proof.
That's an evil and adulterous generation that wants that.
And assign will not be given it to except.
The sign of Jonah.
He left him and went away now this sign of Jonah.
You may think well, he rebuked them, he says. I usually going to get one sign walks away in essence Jesus gives them the greatest sign ever.
A sign that causes us today to have faith.
What is the sign of Jonah without discussing the entire story the entire book of Jonah Jonah takes off decides that he doesn't want to do? What God wants them to do.
And there's out and See and he tells them to throw him overboard and Jonah is followed by what the scripture say is a large fish, which has been changed to a whale.
And after 3 days.
Being in the belly of this fish.
He's regurgitated out on dry land.
Now, most.
People are less menu. If not most, people think that the miracle of the sign of Jonah is that Jonah Live 3 days in the belly of a big fish.
And it's possible.
I believe the scriptures clearly teach the miracle.
Is that Jonah was raised from the dead out of the belly of the fish?
Why do I say that 'cause it says that Jonah cried out from shield the realm of the dead?
But God is able to do either Miracle God can keep you alive if he wants to in God can raise you from the dead if he wants to because our God is that great.
So if you think that the miracle is that he preserved Joan of 3 days, wonderful if you think that the miracle is that God raised him from the dead. You're right and wonderful but it's he saying this is the sign.
How is it Dino and how is it that you know that we believe that Jesus is the Messiah?
Because of this side.
Because he rose from the dead. He was in the belly of the earth for 3 days and after 3 days. He walked out.
If he did not do that.
Then you and I are in our sins.
You're in AI or continuing in our shame and we have no hope.
But if he did rise from the dead and he did then. He is the Messiah and he's worth following in his worth believing in in his worth being a disciple and he's worth trusting your life in him and if there's some day they come out. They find the body and they never will but if they find the body then our faith is in vain and the scriptures even say that the ultimate.
Sign for us.
Is assigned to Jonah?
Turn if you will to mark chapter.
8.
Matthew tells the same story, but I want to move around a little bit, just to get you to understand that.
The Scriptures are consistent.
And I'm Mark Chapter 8, starting with verse 13. It says this and leaving them again in Barton went away to the other side, so you see the stories continuing on Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are telling the same incidents in there, it is from different perspective.
And then forgotten to take bread and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. And remember, there's at least 13 people there. There's the 12 disciples, plus Jesus fast whoever else is hanging out as a disciple.
They are one of the red.
And he was giving orders to them, saying watch out. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and 11 of Herod.
Jesus is trying to teach something.
He says beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and 11 inherit.
The disciples decide to say oops. We only have one loaf of bread. There's at least a minimum of 13 of us here. It's not going to be enough and they began to discuss with one another and the fact that they had no bread.
You know something good is not going to happen.
When you see the people or the disciples discussing among themselves whenever they seem to discuss among themselves. They missed the point.
What you would think they would do is a teacher your rabbi teach us explain to us? What are you trying to say what it is that you want but no they talk with among themselves.
And among themselves, they may have the greatest explanations, but they don't have a clue.
And Jesus where of this instead of them why'd you discuss the fact that you have no bread.
Do not yet see or understand do you have a hardened heart?
There's the issue.
Do you have a hard and heart?
Having eyes do not see and having errors. You do not hear now. Jesus is speaking them almost as if he was speaking to the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Having eyes you do not see and having errors you do not here.
And do you not remember when I broke the five loaves?
For the 5000 how many baskets full of broken pieces. You picked up and they said to him 12, there right there were 12 baskets of bread left after distributed to the 12 to the 5000 and when I broke the 7 for the 4000? How many large baskets full of broken pieces. Did you pick up and they said to him 7?
And he was saying to them do you not understand yet?
Now.
I could spend the next few minutes minutes criticizing the disciples.
Instead, I'm going to take the next few minutes, pointing this way in this way.
Why is it?
That we always look at circumstances when Jesus is trying to teach us something.
We may be sick well. Why did I get sick? Maybe it is because Jesus is trying to teach us something?
Maybe I have a disappointment. Maybe I have a fan. Whatever the situation is we tend to focus on the circumstance instead of what it is Jesus is teaching. They focus on circumstance and in this circumstance what's the answer Jesus said.
I've done it before.
And I fed more than 13 people on a boat.
Or 5000 over 4000.
There's only 13 of us and I got one loaf of bread and quite frankly if they knew Jesus was. They didn't. He did need one loaf of bread, he could feed them from just speaking.
So when God is giving us an opportunity to learn what he's doing. We should be asking him. Lord what it is, you're doing what it is that I need to learn from this circumstance because I know you've done this before, I know that Jesus is healed people before I know that Jesus has performed other miracles before if he's done it before he can do it again.
So instead of concentrating on the problem concentrated on what is teaching us?
They are so concerned about bread. They don't hear the words of Jesus, which was not about bread at about 11:00 from Herod and the Pharisees.
Almost always there's there is an exception.
But almost always when the scriptures talk.
Symbolically, about Lebanon, it's about evil and sin.
Now just in case that you think that I'm going to get this out of my own knowledge, rather than what the scripture says if you will turn back to Matthew Chapter 16 verse 12.
It says this.
Then they understood they did not say to beware of the leaven of bread.
What are the teaching of the Pharisees in the sadducees?
You see Jesus wasn't concerned about bread. He was concerned about what the Leavenworth. The evil teaching of the Pharisees in the Sadducees would have impact on his disciples.
Or you see.
I'm not a cook, but I know enough to know that it only takes a little bit 11 to cause a loaf to rise.
And if you put too much in it just gotta blow the whole thing up.
A little bit of evil.
Can impact?
A lot.
So much so that that Levin still effects us today.
What do you mean pastor Joe?
Where you see that gospel says this?
That Jesus came.
To die?
And we varied and rise again that we might be with him that our sins might be forgiven that with our faith in Christ. We are considered children of God with our faith in Christ. There is now no condemnation. For those who are in Jesus that we are free. We are free from this being slaves of Sin and to be slaves to God.
But what it is that most people think about when something bad happens. God is out to punish me know God is out to redeem you.
God sent his son to redeem you, he doesn't worry about punishing you but we keep thinking. Oh, I need to follow the law. I need to do this. I need to do that. I need to do the right things and God says no just follow me.
The law can be summed up in love. the Lord Your God with all your heart. All your mind yourself and all your strength and Love your neighbor, as yourself.
Do those things are good.
You don't do those things may need to wonder about.
Or your love is.
That 11 has impacted us for over 2000 years.
So much so that it impacts.
Remember sitting in a few it affects pastors, it effects worship leaders, it effects. People who no longer sit in the Pew because they think they're either man. I gotta run worthy and they take off.
We don't do what we're supposed to do as his disciples.
Because I'm not good enough.
Jesus didn't call and good enough, he called you in Maine.
We need.
A Passover.
That says.
As the Jews do figuratively we should do actually.
What happens is before Passover?
The wife.
And I know we live in a male dominated society and whatever but usually it's the women who cleaned the house. 'cause this space, it if we guys. Did you still wouldn't be happy with it, but you you? You clean the house and then demand as? What their man typically does they leave just a little bit of loving and he takes it and he throws it out. The front door and he's done a big deal. I've cleaned my house 11.
Maybe we, as Christians.
At least yearly if not more often.
If you look at our lives and see how much lemon has been placed in our lives that shouldn't be there.
And not figuratively cast it out of our home, but casted out of our lives.
Unfortunately, disciples.
Have difficulty understanding even though they have eyes.
And they have ears.
Couple of days ago we were.
Watching a movie.
And I made this a statement that is a phrase.
That you don't hear a lot of.
Too often.
And the IT was during a movie and and this one actress.
And the movie was.
Attempting to manipulate.
This gentleman who had captured her.
Thinking that she was really smart and he was dumb and she was manipulating him.
An he got her point.
But the problem was instead of doing what it was, she had manipulated. I'm thinking to do, he just killed her.
And I said.
She was too smart by half.
My grandson goes.
What does that mean grandpa?
So is there explained it to him.
Now I have a pretty bright grandson.
He may not catch it the first time because it's an odd scene.
And I suspect by the second time if he hears it, he'll catch on.
It was just the same.
Weather ekattor not big deal.
Jesus is teaching.
Verbally and he's teaching symbolically.
And he's teaching.
And they just seem to not get it.
So hopefully.
By hearing this message you and I.
Will start paying more attention to what not only Jesus says.
Of what he does.
To see what he's teaching us.
And one of the most simple things is.
I got this.
There is nothing too hard for me.
I'm going to ask you to participate, Administry where you don't have sufficient inventory to accomplish it. It's OK because he does.
He doesn't need your supplies, he needs your heart.
He doesn't need your supplies you need your eyes.
He doesn't need your supplies, he needs your ears.
And we need to see and we need to listen and we need to see the signs of the times.
Now, most of us.
Most people think they don't have to worry about the signs of the Times because just one moment. Jesus is going to rapturous all out of here and wonderful.
But there is another sign of the time.
That we need to be paying attention to.
And that sign is.
There will be a trumpet sound.
The sound of a show far.
And the dead in Christ will rise and those of us who remain will be gathered together and we will be lifted up and we will be with Jesus from that point forever.
The thing about the sign of Jonah.
We have been given over 2000 years, the opportunity to respond to this sign.
That sign.
You don't need it before that sign.
It's probably too late.
So instead of worrying about the weather.
Maybe we should worry about the signs of the times.
And no matter what the signs of the Times are.
We should appreciate.
That no matter what the circumstance where there were in a boat and it's stormy or when a boat and it's safe or wear at a wedding feast or where at a place where people are crying out help me Jesus.
That we are in his presence.
And we should always seek to have him draw us nearer.
Mirror.
And here.
Because let's face it.
We humans when left her own devices tend to.
Emphasize the wrong things of when, where what Jesus and hear what he has to say, and what he has to do.
And we're safe.
Now God's People said.