Feeding the Five Thousand

This is an amazing passage. If you didn't watch the message today on it, I encourage you to go into the On Demand section of the Live page (It is a small button on the bottom of the video player) and watch it. I was going in a completely different direction when I first started planning that message (as I usually am) and then God showed up and completely changed it (as He usually does). He really opened my eyes to a way that I had never thought of this passage, but when I got done writing about it I thought, "DUH!" Haha! Anyway, I really loved this passage and will probably end up using it to teach my guys in the prayer group I lead here at Liberty U.

So let's recap:
-Who Gave the Bread?
The boy(probably the first born) was coming on behalf of the family. Think about it. We are talking about an age where the food was not wasted or eaten with any form of gluttony. Five loaves and two fish are a LOT for a boy to eat alone. And for them to write the word BOY would have implied he was younger than 13 (at thirteen they are considered men). And it is also unlikely that the son would have gone without the permission of the family and risk being punished severely.

-Why give it?
This was the act of a father showing his family that they need to trust this man that they were listening to. The father was probably trying to be a godly example for his son and leading his family in a right path (As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15). The thought was probably not going through his mind as, "Hey...he might do some kind of trick if I give him this!" They knew that what he had to teach them was WAY more important than filling their stomachs. So as they looked around and saw the people getting hungry the thought probably went something like this, "Everyone is getting hungry...and he has been teaching for so long...he MUST need something to eat. I should give him our food! The satisfaction this food will give me PALES in comparison to the satisfaction his teaching gives!"

Questions to ponder:
-Since when have we had that much trust?
-Do we believe that Christ will sustain us?
-Do we constantly worry about where the next meal will come from or are we surrendering it all to Christ?
-Parents, are you living this out as an example to your children?
-Are you not only telling your children about Christ, but LIVING OUT Christ through your own life?