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Matthew 14:13 - Feeding the 5,000 - Day 185

Hello again,

Hoping to catch up this week.  Do not have to work, so should have time to do a couple of devotions each day.  This is another providential selection.  Created the note back on 3/4.  And then found out last Friday that John's version was going to be topic of sermon on 3/14.

Observations:

Jesus' response to the murder of John Baptist.

He had been in Nazareth where he was rejected by his townfolk. He could not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

He withdraws to a desolate place but people hear about his departure from Nazareth and somehow get there before he does.  The "great crowd" is waiting for him when he lands.  How did this great crowd get organized so quickly and then actually walk to this desolate place from various towns without bringing provisions?  How could so many people be able to leave home to make this trek?  Could I get 5,000 men from various towns to show up in one place using only face to face contact?

How odd that he went from a town where people rejected him to a desolate place where a "great crowd" came to him.  From a place of unbelief to a place of belief.  From a place of few works to a place of a great miracle.

He has compassion on the people who tracked him down.  And they even brought their sick with them.  

Sermon - desolate is really desolate.  Not just "out of the way".  You really have to want to go there.

Only miracle that is all 4 gospels.

Conclusions

None of this can be explained in natural terms.  It is not just the multiplication of the 5 loaves and 2 fish, but getting that many people to one place without provisions so that they would need a miracle.

Humanity of Jesus - rejection in Nazareth leading to withdrawal from his hometown must have been disappointing combined with death of John Baptist.  The need to be alone with the Father.


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