The Miracle You Might Have Missed

Everybody doing good today? That's good. Jersey, we're growing. It used to be like three people.

Yeah. Well, welcome. I know I'm in a few new guests today. If you're new here, can you just give us a hand wave?

Welcome, welcome, welcome. We are so excited that you're here. When you walk in this door, you're family, and we're happy to have you with us. I normally play a joke and introduce myself as Pastor Fred, but that's been causing some confusion.

I'm not going to do it too, but yeah, I'm Pastor Seth. We get to honor and privilege to Pastor here, and I love our church. I love what we're about in our mission. I just feel like it's the heart of God, and we're so excited and passionate about it.

I have a few announcements here, and it looks like an extra one given to me. It looks like my wife's handwriting. A kid's church will be baking cookies December 16th at 5 p.m. through 7 p.m.

December 16th. So if your little ones are here and they want to bake some cookies, drop them off. Hot dog. Take advantage of that, parents.

You'll have a date night. Drop them off. Have some fun. Come back to 7 and get them.

They'll be all sugared up and ready for you. We have a sign up in the back. See my wife. Chris is not here this week, but see my wife.

We are doing Christmas this year, and if you're new here and you don't know, we have discipleship homes that are attached to our church, and if you want to sew into their lives and just see them, they'll give you the details, but it's a great opportunity to give back to those that you have. Chase and after God, amen. And so I just ask that you, if it's on your heart, just see one of them and they'll give you the details, and I think it would be a tremendous blessing for them. Let me see here.

We got a Christmas Eve service. If you see your paper, it says 4 p.m. But it's actually going to be at 5 p.m. So if you got a paper, it says 4 p.m.

If you don't make a note, I just want to say this. That's on you. And if you show up early, then you're just a little bit early to hang out with us, right? Amen.

Come on. When is it? It's 24th at 5 p.m. But the paper says 4 p.m.

Thursday service guys, we're going back strong at them again. I just ask that you come check it out. If you want to grow, we're here to grow. We're equipping.

We're excited for what God's going to be doing in 2025. But Thursdays are a little more intimate. We get to ask questions. We get to really get in there, and it's just a super good time.

So I encourage you, if you're looking for something to do midweek to get you to Thursday, come join us. It's a great time. And then I just got two other announcements. One, where's my man, Nick at?

Yeah, stand up, bro. If you didn't know, we got a champion among us all. Ford Hill brought home the state title. Yeah, I'm excited for you, bro.

I think it's great. God's got big plans for your life, man. I'm so excited for you. Just wanted to recognize him that any time there's a champion sitting amongst us, we got to point him out.

And he is a champion. And then the last announcement before I jump into this, I did get Ford Hill with Shoutout, but I'm a Falcon. I'm from West Virginia. So Frank, for Falcons, let's go.

We're heading to the state title. Let's bring it home, boys. I'm excited about that. I'm going to be cheering you on.

Amen, right? If you didn't know, we're football lovers around here. All right. So, yeah, I'm not going to touch on those comments.

Equipment season. I'm going to be wrapping up our equipment season today. I don't know if Fast or Fred will be. He's got another message in it, but this is going to be kind of my ending.

And I'm really excited to talk about this topic today. This has probably been the most excited I've been in a while to really share a word. You're going to be like, that's weird. I'm just being honest with you.

Just studying with him this past couple of weeks have been so awesome about this. But equipping season. Go to the next slide. If you're new here, this is what our mission statement is.

Now go back one. Equipping the one that knows Jesus to reach the one that needs Jesus. Amen. That's our heart here.

That's what we're about. And if you come, I'm just giving you a little bit to keep you interested. So you've got to keep coming back to know more. But that's really the core of who we are.

So today, we all have heard of the feeding of the 5,000. Amen. It's a well-known miracle of Jesus, one that's defining moments of his ministry. Most of us remember the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and the fish to feed the 5,000.

The church. What if? What if? I told you there's a deeper lesson.

One amen. One amen. And it's one that we can miss easily. The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is more than just a miracle.

Amen? It's a moment packed with deeper lessons about trust, provision, and the kingdom of God. See, after an exhausting mission trip and the devastated news of John the Baptist death, Jesus is meant with relentless crowds. Instead of turning them away, he responds with compassion, meeting both their physical and spiritual needs.

The miracle, say the miracle, wasn't just for the crowd. It was a lesson for the disciples, challenging them to trust in God's provision and see abundance where they only saw lack. Abundance where they only saw lack. And today we're going to talk about this event that it reveals Jesus' identity and the faith he calls us to and the powerful truth of his kingdom.

I want to take a second here because this really, we're going to read our Bible today. Is that okay? Church. And when I say read, we're going to read this.

God really let me know that we're going to read the Scripture today. So I'm sorry this is more reading than I normally do, but I'm going to be obedient to him in what I believe he's going to call us to read. So we're going to be in Mark chapter 6, if you want to go ahead and turn there. We're going to start in verse 30.

But you know this, I believe is such a powerful miracle because it's in, it's recorded in all the gospels. And that to me just has to, it means something. But you know in the different gospels and what I was reading, it really grabbed my attention and my heart began to like, it was hard to read. Have you all been ever reading something and it was hard to read?

And it really just grabbed a hold of me that right before this miracle that we talk about so much that's so powerful and it's so awesome what he did, right? He just got news in the middle of this that John the Baptist was beheaded. And could you imagine? Listen, did you hear what I said?

I don't know if you caught me. He just got news of this and I need you to understand something. John the Baptist wasn't just a nobody. My man was a forerunner for Jesus.

Like he was that dude before Jesus came on the scene. And I just have to like, as I began to read this, I'm like, wow. And Matthew kind of touched it a little more, but it really grabbed my heart because here's here in the middle of what I believe he was going through was grief, right? If he can have a heart, it talks about in the Bible that he has a heart for compassion.

And that when he saw the crowd's heart broke, but could you imagine at the same time your heart's breaking to on this side because of what the news you just got? Yeah, we're going to get into a little more. That's not my main point today, but I have to point it out because I think it's super significant that in the midst of something like that, his focus was still, his heart was still to show and reveal who the father is. And he was able to carry out this miracle with that taking place.

So he demonstrated a divine perspective that I really want to talk about. But let's go ahead and read. Today, my message, what I called was, you can say there, the miracle you might have missed. The miracle you might have missed.

And so before we read, just give me a few pointers already talked a little bit about it, but I want us to really appreciate the depth of this. I mean, you know, understand context a little bit, but they just returned from missions trip, performing miracles surrounding the villages. They were likely exhausting and seeking a moment to rest and reflect. At the same time, Jesus had just received his devastating news of John the Baptist and it's a reminder of the dangers of proclaiming the kingdom of God.

The crowds, however, wouldn't leave them alone. People followed Jesus and crowds desperate to hear him teach to see miracles and to be in his presence. Instead of turning them away, Jesus looked at the crowd with compassion. This sets the stage for one of the most significant miracles in his ministry, one that would teach his disciples lessons.

They didn't fully grasp until much later. Are you all ready to learn a lesson today? God sent me on a mission today to say that there's a lesson in all of this. Don't miss the lesson focused on the miracle.

The miracles are great. But how many of you know that he was doing something with his disciples? How many of you know that he's doing something with you right now? Even in the midst of the miracles, there's a lesson behind that he's trying to teach because we have a purpose in our life.

Alright, Mark 6, starting in verse 30. The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. Then, because of so many people were coming and going, they did not even have a chance to eat. He said to them, come with me, buy yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.

Bless you. So they went away, buy themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

The message translation puts it this way. He went right to work teaching them. Now just a quick pause because like I said, remember, they just got done, missions, doing all this stuff, gets this news. And again, right back at it, he sees something in his heart with compassion.

Even though he's dealing with this, even though they just got done all of this, the disciples are here, all of this. It says he goes right back to work. Like I was like, man, thank you God. How many of you thankful you serve a God that don't stop?

He goes right back to work. Amen. And it says, so he began teaching them many things. By this time, it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him.

This is a remote place, they said, and it's already very late, 36. Send the people away so that they can go to their surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat. But he answered, you give them something to eat. They said to him, that would take more than half a year's wage.

Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat? I love this. The message, y'all know I love the message translation. It says, Jesus said, you do it.

Fix supper for them. They replied, Jesus, are you serious? You want us to go and spend a fortune for food, for their supper? I just love that.

And Jesus says, how many loaves do you have? He asked, go and see. When they found out they said five and two fish. Everyone say five and two fish.

Yeah, remember that. Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass, so they sat down in the groups of hundreds and fifties. Verse 41. He gave five loaves in the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.

Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. And disciples picked up the 12 baskets of bread and fish.

And the disciples picked up the 12 baskets of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was 5,000. Immediately, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to best say to. He was dismissed the crowd.

After leaving them, he went up onto a mountain to pray. Verse 47. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake and he was alone on the land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars because the wind was against them.

Shortly before the dawn, he went out to them walking on the lake. He was about to pass them. But when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out because they saw, because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, take courage. Say, take courage. It is I, don't be afraid. When he climbed into the boat with them and the wind died down, they were completely amazed.

You ready? This is my main focus today. For they had not understood about the loaves their hearts were hardened. The message translation says this.

They didn't understand what he had done at the supper. None of this had yet penetrated their hearts. Father, I thank you for today, God. I thank you for your word.

Father, it's all about your word and we thank you for who you are, God, and what you do for us. We thank you for the lessons that you're trying to teach us. As the hearts will be open today, eyes will see new things, see past miracles to the lessons that you're teaching us, Father, and that we would grow and what you've called us to. And the church said, amen.

All right, church, I'm excited. And I'm sweating. It is hot in here. And my wife made, oh, I wasn't supposed to say this.

She told me she'd kill me, but my wife made me a shirt and she brings it back and it's a sweatshirt. I'm like, babe, I'm going to be sweating like crazy. But yeah, I'm excited. So the first point I want to get to, the provision points to the provider.

He says, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. So what we're going to focus on in the miracle itself at first, Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fish to feed thousands.

But the deeper truth here is that his provision, it's not just about filling stomachs, but about revealing the heart of God as our provider. Amen, church? See, the disciples were overwhelmed by what they didn't have. One person would say, you ain't never been overwhelmed by what you didn't have.

You better be honest today. You're going to miss the lesson. They saw the size of the need and focused on the lack of Jesus. However, lifted his eyes to the provider, gave thanks and began to multiply what seemed insignificant.

We often limit our faith by focusing on our insufficiency instead of God's sufficiency. Amen? Because here's what Jesus reminds us. You ready for this?

If you don't get nothing else today, get this, please. It's not, it'll never be about what you bring. It'll forever be about who you bring it to. It'll never be about what you bring.

It'll forever be about who you bring it to. Because listen, you're bringing it to the one that can multiply. You got to know who you're taking it to. You got to know that it's not about what you don't have.

It's about who he is. And if you don't know that, you're not going to take it to him. But if you know that, you won't worry about what you don't have and you won't try to scour around to get it, you'll take it and say, God, I trust you. Thank you.

You see how Jesus, he gave thanks? He broke right, he gave thanks to the Father. He focused on the only one that can. First, he didn't look out at, oh my gosh, look at the big crowd.

How is this going to take place? How are we going to do all that? He wasn't worried about any of that. Because he knew.

Come on, Church, let's get this today. How we typically respond when life's challenge has seemed too great. Jesus responds to the lack of food, was one of thanksgiving and faith. He didn't focus on the lack, but on what God could do with what was offered.

Church, you know what I think some of the problem is? We're not offering it. We don't offer it. We think it's not enough so we don't offer it.

And that could be a variety of things, your time, your resource. Only you know. I can't get into your camp, but all I can say is that we know. But I think a lot of the problem is we're not offering it to the one.

We think it's not enough. It's not significant. What's he going to do with this? When all he wants us to know is that whatever it is.

Say whatever it is. Whatever it is. You can bring to him. And I know some of this as we get into this is going to challenge people, but Church, I'm here to tell you today.

I'm not trying to go. I guess however you take it, however the Holy Spirit's teaching it to you, take it with you. I know some people get challenged with the prosperity, the different teachings that people do, but here's what I'm here to tell you today. What we bring to him.

He is able to do. He is a mathematician and he multiplies. And he takes away if he needs to. We're about to see that in a minute.

But I'm telling you, he does what he wants to do. But if you don't bring it to him, he can't do nothing with it. Amen? So I don't know.

And maybe you are challenged today with financial situations. I bet you if you bring that to him, watch what he does. He's a multiplier. That's what he does.

That's who he is. Right? The kingdom works different than here. Don't get what I said.

The kingdom operates different than how we operate. Amen? Point two. Trust grows in the storm.

They had not understood about the loaves. Their hearts were hardened. I could stay. I honestly wanted to stay here all day.

The guy just kept moving me forward into other things. But I'm telling you right here, they had not understood about the loaves. Their hearts were hardened. That just took me by storm.

Y'all. It grabbed the whole of me. It was like, wow. How did I always look at this and just focus so much on the mirror.

Focus so much on the miracle and miss the lesson that he was teaching. That there is so much significance in why he was teaching them. Because he was ultimately going towards the cross. Amen?

So why was he teaching them? Because they were going to be here carrying on the work. Amen? So he's teaching them.

And I got into it more. Don't beat me up, church. The miracle wasn't even a big deal. To him, that's why he's showing them.

Listen, you're talking about a lack of food. A lack of food. Do you not realize who you're looking at? Five thousand people.

And food? Church. We're talking about V1. V1.

Listen, nothing was created. It didn't come through. Him. He's teaching us church.

I don't know what it is that he's teaching you right now. But please, let's look past the miracle. Let's grab the lesson. Because there's so much more in this.

The feeding was great. I'm sure it was amazing to see. But then very immediately they get into the boat. And then a storm happens.

And this is what he says. This is his, what he gets in. He says, you must not understood about the loaf set I just did in front of you. Do you see?

It wasn't about feeding everybody the physical need to meet that. That was great. That's a miracle. But to the disciples that he's teaching a lesson to, he said, how did you guys miss that?

And because you missed it, look what it says. Go back. Their hearts were hardened. And church, as I'm reading this, I'm just wondering.

I get the world's crazy, guys. I understand it. Believe me. It doesn't take a rocket science to pull up.

I don't watch the news, but pull up the news, Facebook, or whatever. See the craziness going on, right? Everybody has an eye to point out how crazy the world is. But when are we going to start having the eyes to point out how big our God is?

When are we going to start seeing? We're great at seeing the lack. We're so good at seeing the lack of everything that's going on. And then we wonder why we walk around the feet of it.

Because he said, y'all missed what I did and who I am. So your hearts are hardened. So the very next thing that they jump into, they just see a miracle. They jump into a boat.

They're in a storm. And immediately forget. I don't know if anybody in here has experienced a breakthrough and immediately went into something else. Yeah, everyone's laughing because it's life, y'all.

But guess what? As believers, what he's teaching us, that if we learn the lesson, that when we understand who he is and what he's capable of doing, then we grow in faith and we learn as we go through things. We grow through them. Is anybody tired of just going through things?

Who wants to start growing through things? Come on, church. Who wants to start understanding the lesson that he's teaching us and what he's bringing us through so we can get to what he's called us to? Shoo.

So their response obviously came in fear. And this church, this lesson and a lot of lessons that he's teaching, it wasn't until about to feed people. It was about trust. And I said, Lord, thank you for that.

The simplicity of that, this is the thing, church. The simplicity of what the Father is trying to teach us is everything that every person I've ever meant and talked to is a big deal to them. Trust. Well, I don't trust people.

That's why I stay away from people. I don't trust people. That's why I act this way because I trust issues. Y'all, many times I've heard that.

And it just so happens to be that our Father is the best teacher in the world and he's got lessons upon lessons upon lessons and he's teaching us about trust. He's trying to teach us the very thing we long for in our lives. Everybody wants to feel secure. Everyone wants to feel I can trust something.

I can trust somebody. Well, guess what? You ain't going to be able to trust nobody if you don't learn the lessons from the one who created trust to know how to give trust to put that into the things that it's necessary to put it into. See, just as the disciples struggle to trust, after seeing the low small appliance, we too often forget God's past faithfulness in the midst of our storms.

And remind you guys, I'm going to keep bringing it up. Jesus in the middle of this, that news is still there. His forerunner. On the path is this still has to be like, he's still pushing through this.

He's still in the middle of this still focused on God. He remains steady and focused on the task at hand, teaching us, again, it's a lesson how to respond in faith, not fear. See faith built during moments of God's provision equips us for future challenges. If you wonder, I'm just letting it sit in for a minute.

Faith built during moments of God's provision equips us for future challenges. See, the disciples struggle to connect the dots between the loaves and the storm. If you want to know something cool, he wasn't done teaching them yet. The loaves for the lesson.

Mark 8, if you got your Bible, start there. I'll give you a second. Verse 17 through 19. This is Jesus.

And if you notice chapter 6, so we're shortly after that, chapter 8. Why are you talking about having no bread? And if, I don't even have to give you context. I just, I just, all I gotta do is read.

Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many basketball pieces did you pick up?

Church, follow me here. He's doing a miracle. He's teaching his disciples. They get in a storm.

He refers back to the miracle, which was the lesson. Tells them, like, you didn't understand. That's why your hearts are hardened. We're two chapters later.

Why are we still talking about bread? Why is this still, why is it still in the conversation? Do you still not see or understand? Church, why are we still talking about bread?

Are you learning the lessons that the Father is teaching you? He's trying to tell you something. He's not just doing something. He's teaching you.

He said, yes, this is, this is, I did this to show you. Who I am, what I'm capable of. Why won't you trust me? See, it looks different, right?

We got over this thing and understand because I know how it looks like. But the next thing that comes our way, we don't know how to get over because it looks different. And all he's saying, hey, oh, you got to do, trust. But I don't know what it looks like, God.

He said, no, you're asking me what it looks like. Do you forget? Did you forget back here the lesson that was supposed to be learned? Because if you would have, this wasn't a bit of problem, this wasn't a bit of problem, and guess what happens in the midst of problems?

We miss being an opportunity as a weapon to give the miracle or release the thing that God's trying to do because we forgot the lesson way back when. He's calling us to equip us to learn a lesson. To when we get into situations, we now can trust and now we can release what God's trying to do. But see, we can't if we're still talking about bread.

I get one amen. Come on. Who said that? I'm a preach right to you.

See, this is where the miracle takes a turn for the disciples. He turns their attention back to the lesson of the loaves, challenging them to connect the miracle to the broader principle of his provision. This is where the deeper meaning behind the miracle comes to life. Jesus directly addressed the disciples' failure to connect the miracle of the loaves with their present need.

They were just worried about food, even though they had just witnessed Jesus multiply the loaves. Jesus was trying to teach him that he is sufficient for every need, say every need. In times of trouble, we tend to fixate on the problem. How are we going to get through this?

What are we going to do? But Jesus, say bud Jesus. Y'all didn't say bud Jesus. There you go.

Question challenge us to shift our focus. We're going to be able to get what God has already provided in the past and trust that he will provide again. Do you see guys? It's always about trust.

Everybody in here, I guarantee you, is going through something. Amen. That was a hard amen. I get it.

Because life's challenging. But it's only continued to be challenging if there's no trust. There's going to be challenges, but the challenge gene comes in when there's a disconnect from trust. Because we have things that just, we don't always say it this way.

We don't ever get to choose most of the time the size of the giant or what hits your home. But we do always and forever will always get to choose how we respond. And this, as you see, there's been time after time that we're seeing in this text that it was a lesson that was trying to be taught and they missed it. So guess why?

If they missed it there, they missed it here and that's why he's at the point of saying, why are we still talking about this? And I don't know, maybe you're at a point in your life and you're like, I don't understand why this keeps happening. Well, I'm going to say, have you forgot what God spoke to you or showed you? Maybe go back to the last time that he did a miracle where he did something in your life and start and pick up from there again.

Because he taught you something there that was going to help you get to here. And if you're stuck here, then remember here and it's going to help you get to here. Do you see how it works? The kingdom of God works backwards.

All right. You ready for this one? The bread is about more than you. John 635 says, I am the bread of life.

Whoever comes to me will never go hungry. See, the miracle doesn't end with the feeding of the 5,000. It's a sign pointing to something greater. The bread of life himself.

Jesus wants us to see beyond the miracle to the spiritual truth that reveals. The miracle of the loaves wasn't a sign pointing to Jesus himself. It was a sign to Jesus' point himself, the bread of life. He wasn't just providing physical bread.

He was showing us that true fulfillment comes from him alone. Him alone. Church, are you seeking Jesus for what he can give you or for who he is? Shift your focus.

Look at your neighbor, say shift your focus. Not on sleep. See, guys, with challenges or open well we need. It's easy to get distracted by the immediate problems.

But Jesus uses his moment to minister to others. We are called to trust in him as the ultimate sustainer. Who alone can fill our hearts with peace and satisfaction? Now we're going to jump into something fun.

The classroom for the disciples. See the feeding, and I've said this numerous times, it wasn't about meeting physical need. It was a classroom for Jesus' disciples. A lesson about trust provision and the nature of his kingdom.

Amen? He wasn't only concerned with feeding the hungry. He was teaching followers and us. How to live out our faith in a world full of problems, grief and challenges.

The lesson in this miracle is about trusting God to provide in the most unlikely of circumstances and understanding that his kingdom works on a different set of principles than the world. What seems impossible to us is nothing to God. Let me help give you a little visual here. Go to the next slide.

Yeah, welcome to a math class, y'all. My wife is a teacher, so I get to hear about her things all the time. So I was like, you know what? Jesus said, take them to math class.

So we're in a classroom. This is a test. I will be great in it. Jesus math.

Two. Help me out here, y'all. Plus five equals, how much? Wait a second.

Two plus five equals 5,000. And really 5,000 plus 12. Math gets a leftover. So help me here.

Help me here. How we can see something like that. And we can talk about it. And we're all like, remember the feeding of the 5,000?

Almost anybody I know is like, oh, yeah, that was so awesome. But have you ever broke down the math equation and looked at it? Because when I did it blew my mind. I'm like, two plus five, 5,000.

Wait a minute here. How did they see that and miss it? How did they physically watch? I'm trying to put myself there.

5,000 people. Two fish. Five little pieces of bread. Multiplasm.

And they have leftovers. How do we miss church? How do we miss a simple math equation that doesn't make sense? There's no logic to it to us.

How do we miss the lesson there and put it to anything that you're dealing with right now? He takes two fish. Five little bits of bread. That's seven to me.

But I could be wrong. Nowadays it can be what you want it to be in some places. But to me, it's seven. Maybe that ain't feeding my family.

A teenager alone is eating that. And they pick up 12 basketfuls of leftovers. How do they pick up the leftovers and distribute that out and then get in the boat and forget what just happened? That blows my mind.

Because he said he gave it to them to distribute and they picked up the leftovers. How could you see that immediately and forget? Because we're not focused on who he is. Didn't you just read?

He said, I am the bread of life. He's showing them the lesson. He said it ain't about feeding them. You're looking at the bread of life.

You're looking at the bread asking if it's enough. I am more than enough. I took your five little pieces, broke them, distributed them. I'm the bread of life.

Why aren't you looking at me? Church, he's teaching us a lesson. Listen, it's awesome what he does. The miracles are great.

But nothing in your life will ever be better than seeing him for who he truly is. Seeing him for who he truly is. Don't you see the ultimate lesson? The loaves.

You didn't understand the loaves. You didn't understand the loaves. You didn't understand the loaves. Why?

Because he's leading them up to tell them, hey, I am the loaves. You're missing it. You're missing it, Church. Come on.

This is the Kingdom economy we're talking about. In Jesus' Kingdom, the math doesn't add up. Five loaves and two fish don't equal five thousand meals. But with Jesus, they do.

One amen, holy cow. With Jesus, they do. This miracle reveals the truth that God's provision often defies our understanding of resources. The multiplication of loaves wasn't just about filling stomachs.

It was about showing the disciples with God nothing is impossible. See, I just want to add something in here as I was studying if it's okay. After everyone had eaten and was satisfied with disciples collected 12 baskets of leftovers. The leftovers were not accidental.

I don't believe God does anything by accident. They were intentional. Jesus wanted the disciples to see that when they trusted him, even their smallest offering could result in an overflow. And I don't know, but I'm just going to share this.

Don't beat me up. I even believe that the 12 baskets could have symbolized the 12 tribes of Israel. Reminding the disciples that God's provision is for all his people. He's a numbers guy.

He's a mathematician, y'all. For us, the leftovers are a reminder that God's work, God works beyond our expectations. He takes what we surrender no matter how small and multiplies it. The abundance of his kingdom isn't just for survival.

It's for thriving and being equipped to pour into others. I'm going to be getting ready to close. Wait, if you want to come up. Just stay right there for a second.

I'm going to leave you guys with some final thoughts. While the miracle of the loaves is often remembered for its physical provision, there's a deeper lesson that might easy be missed. One that applies directly to our own lives today. See, the disciples saw the bread multiply, but they almost missed the deeper lesson.

Church, hear my heart today. Are you missing the deeper lesson? God's done something in your life before you have something to grab a hold of. And that something wasn't just a time that he just blessed you for no reason.

He was teaching you. Grab a hold of the lesson that he was teaching you because he's preparing you for what's ahead. He's a good father. He's a good teacher.

He used every situation to teach his disciples that he is the ultimate source of provision and peace regardless of the circumstance. See, Church, what he did in the fiend of the five thousand, there was a lack, right? So he added. He multiplied it.

And then in the storm, whole another situation, you could only just attach it to, there was too much happening. He stepped in and he calms it. So he adds in one situation. He takes in another situation, if you will, subtracts the winds and the waves.

Says they calm down. And it was so cool to see that because I'm like, oh wow, he multiplies. And then he subtracts. We're talking about food here.

Then we're talking about like elements of the wind, the waves. We're talking about things. And there's one thing that was a common denominator in both of them. And that was Jesus.

That he's the one. He's the focus Church. Don't you see? He's able to add.

He's able to take. He's able to stop the storm that you feel like you're drowned in. And then when you feel like you don't have enough, he's able to multiply it. Because that's who he is.

That's what he does. Two plus five equals five thousand to him. That's nothing. He can multiply.

He can divide. He can add. He can do all of this Church. The question is, will you trust him with it?

Remember, it's not about what you have to bring, but it's who you're bringing it to. Because he's everything. And thank God that he wants to teach us. He wants to show us.

I'm telling you, Church, if you don't see how much he loves. It blows me away. And I'm not going to jump back into it. But like I said, here in the worst news in the world, he sees a need and instantly goes there.

Because it's heart of compassion. What if we, Church, began to do that? What if we began to see him and trust him for who he is? That when things did come into our camp, it didn't take us sideways.

We were to still focus on the one that provides thanking. What if we just started watching the teacher and how he responded? What if we just did that simply did that? And learned the lessons that he was teaching us.

I bet the circumstances and the situations that come your way, you're going to start seeing. You know how another scripture says, consider it pure joy. Because once you attach him to the ultimate provider, that you can trust him, that way is going to come to you, he's going to take and use it. He's going to use you.

And he said, I can take two fish and five lips of bread. And there will be leftovers. Lord, thank you. Father, we thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That you subtract.

Thank you. That you're just everything to us. See, the lesson is clear. Whether we're facing something or we're overwhelmed, Jesus is the constant.

He's the common denominator who brings balance, provision and peace. It's not about what we have or don't have. It's about trusting who he is. Don't let the miracle stay in the past.

Stay with me, Church. Don't let the miracle stay in the past. Reflect on how God has already provided for you. And let that increase your faith for what you are facing today.

Trust that Jesus, the bread of life will sustain you no matter the circumstances. He's teaching us a lesson, Church. He's got so much more for our lives. And listen, you might be here today and you might say, man, I miss the lesson.

Or maybe you're stuck in a place and you're like, I don't understand what's happening, God. Today is calling you to trust him. He's calling you to trust him. Two fish, five lips of bread.

Father, thank you, God. If you're here today and he's saying, why are we still talking about bread? He's calling you to trust him. And Church, I want to pray for you.

If you miss the lesson, it's okay. Listen, if the math equation still adds up to seven, it's okay. But today I want to point you to the provider. He wants to add something to your life today.

He wants to tell you that whatever you bring to me, you surrender to me. My promise is he's the only one that has never left any of his promises undone. And today you might be a guy, people hurt me. Well, guess what?

Today he's bringing you back to a place to say you can trust again. Because I'm the provider. Trust my provision. See what happens is you put your trust in the wrong thing.

But if you place it in my hands, watch what I'll do with it. Because what he wants to do, Church, I believe in the next season, as he's bringing us through in the 2025. We can't still be talking about bread. He's bringing us through to something new.

And I'm so excited for what he's going to do, Church, but he needs believers. He needs us for a horse to be postured towards him, for us to trust him, for us to say, God, I give you it all because I know what you're capable to do with it. In my hands, I do no good with it, but in your hands, you multiply it. You turn it into what it should be.

You're the only one that can do it, Father. And I trust you, God. No longer will I look at my circumstance or my situation and see the lack when I'll bring it and surrender it to you.