What Satisfies You?
Matthew 15.32-39
32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” 34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.
V32 Jesus compassion was on/upon the people and it was motivated by His love.
Compassion - means; to be moved as to one's bowels, hence to be moved with compassion, means that your compassion comes from deep inside of our being (for the bowels were thought to be the seat of love and pity).
So how about you are you moved with compassion for the people who aren’t saved? If not you’d better check your relationship with the Lord because if He was moved to His innermost being shouldn’t we be also?
The Bible also says that He is unwilling to send them away because His compassion for the lost, we need to have the same attitude or else we will turn them away because of an inconvenience to us? God I hope not.
V33 the disciples were still looking at things from the natural perspective but they had seen Him feed 5000 earlier (Cf. Matt 14.13-21 in Bethsaida Cf. Luke 9:10-17, John 6:5-15).
Maybe because the people were gentiles that they did not expect Him to act with compassion on them.
R.T. France writes this [perhaps] the disciples had not “expected Jesus to use his Messianic power, when the crowd was a Gentile one.” We cannot look at people this way there is only two types of people today saved or unsaved.
V36 He took what was there and multiplied it but the disciples still had to distribute it. He has given gifts and talents. He expects us to use those gifts and continue the work He started. So are you working, are you using the gifts He gave you or not?
In Matthew 25.14-30 we see the parable of the talents, but look at this excerpt from the BGEA: “Jesus is telling us something important: we have an entrustment. Everything we have is given to us by God. Do we see ourselves as stewards or owners? The answer makes all the difference. A steward lives for the day he will return the Master’s goods to Him. An owner believes his possessions are his to spend in any way he sees fit. All we have–our material goods, our abilities, and even our very lives–belong to someone else. We are merely holding them for the day of reckoning.” (Ray Hollenbach, pastor and author.)
V37 Matthew records that the people were “satisfied”.
Are you satisfied in what God has given you to do? If not why? Just last week I had the privilege of teaching the servants class and we were discussing the topic of being satisfied. In the class Warren Wiersbe asked a question - “If God took the ministry He’s given you away how would you respond.”
I shared with the class my thoughts on the subject of the sound ministry. I have been asked to serve there and it’s a big responsibility. The sound ministry is a big ministry encompassing not only the website but also our radio broadcast. I was honest with them and I’ll be honest with you all I’m not the best sound guy but I’m trying my best and I know that there is still much I don’t know or understand but I’m willing to serve because that’s where God has placed me.
I also shared that if God was to bring someone to our fellowship that could do that ministry better I would step aside and let them have it. I also told them that I would gladly help them how ever I could to make it better, I would not become jealous or fight to hold on to it because it’s not my ministry it’s His. I mean that honestly because I love serving God and I’ll serve Him however and wherever He chooses to put me. How about you?
Are you satisfied where He has put you notice the verse doesn’t say they were happy but satisfied.
So this today ask yourself are you glad where He has placed you. Yes it may be difficult, it may be painful but are you glad, are you willing and are joyfully serving Him. If not handle your business with God and get right before Him, so that He may use you to do the work. He loves you and His desire is to see you serve Him but don’t do it because you think you have to do it because you love to serve Him.
Pastor J