Sufficient in His Hands

Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people.

— Matthew 14:19

 

A little boy was asked what his favorite Bible story was. He said, "I like the one where everyone loafs and fishes." That is not exactly what happened with the Feeding of the Five Thousand, but it is a great story.

Jesus was at the peak of His ministry during this time, and His popularity was spreading. Multitudes of people were anxiously following Him. A large crowd had gathered to hear Him, and they were hungry.

The Other Side of Compassion

"But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval."

— John 6:27

 

The day after the miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, Jesus taught the crowd about the most important things of life. He said, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. 

 

Using God

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

— Colossians 3:23–24

 

Sometimes people will attempt to use God for personal gain. They will invoke the name of Jesus Christ when they need something from people who believe in Him. Politicians are very fond of this.

Long Lines

I don't know about you, but I am not a fan of long lines.

When I am at the supermarket, I will even go to the 12-items-or-less line, so I don't have to wait. The problem is that I usually need to get more than 12 items, but I do it anyway, just so I don't have to wait in another line!

Of course, I will still count the number of items the person in front of me is buying!

Our Generous God

The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.

— Proverbs 11:25

 

The amazing thing in the story about the Feeding of the Five Thousand is how the miracle was done. God could have done it any way He wanted. It could have rained bread from heaven. But He did it through natural means. The supernatural worked through the natural.

It Matters to God

You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?

— Psalm 56:8

 

Jesus taught us to pray as follows: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread . . ." (Matthew 6:9–11). In this template for all prayer, Jesus is effectively saying, "When you pray, always acknowledge the greatness of God. Pray for the will of God, and pray for the provision of God."

A Seared Conscience

Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.

— Luke 23:11

 

Talk about opportunity. Herod had the greatest Old Testament prophet ever, John the Baptist, locked up. He could call on him 24/7, but he had John executed—even beheaded. Worse yet, he later had standing before him God incarnate, the Creator of the universe in human form: Jesus Christ himself. But Herod just wanted Jesus to do a trick. Herod could have poured out his heart, confessed his sins, found pardon, and resensitized his seared conscience. But he did not. And Jesus did no miracles for him.

A Permanent Reminder

"Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself."

— Luke 24:39

 

What did the resurrected body of Jesus look like? The Bible tells us that after Jesus' cruel torture, crucifixion, and three days in the tomb, He was recognizable, and that His followers knew who He was.

We know that He had a body of flesh and bone. Jesus told the disciples, "Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have" (Luke 24:39).

Go Tell Peter

But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.

— Mark 16:7

 

Perhaps the most notable of Jesus' resurrection appearances is when He met Simon Peter. We all know how Peter denied and deserted the Lord. Peter was devastated by his own unfaithfulness; and he really needed encouragement.

The last sight Peter had of his Lord was as Jesus was taken away for trial. Poor Peter, his world came crashing in on him. He had so many regrets. He was never even able to tell the Lord he was sorry.

How's your Appetite?

It has been said that more have been killed by food than by poison. The second best can often be the worst enemy of the best.

That is what Jesus was talking about in the Parable of the Sower when He said, "Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity" (Luke 8:14 NKJV).

The Power of Christ's Words

Christ' passionate love for the world is evident in His statements from the Cross:

Statement One

"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34

Do you realize that you are in need of the Father's forgiveness?

Statement Two

"Today you will with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:43

Have you realized and confessed Jesus as your personal Savior?

Surrender at Gethsemane

Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch."

— Mark 14:34

 

Have you ever felt lonely? Have you ever felt as though your friends and family had abandoned you? Have you ever felt like you were misunderstood? Have you ever had a hard time understanding or submitting to the will of God for your life?

If so, then you have an idea of what the Lord Jesus went through as He agonized at Gethsemane.

Hebrews tells us, "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it" (4:15–16 NLT).

The Lord's Supper

So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.

— 1 Corinthians 11:27–28

 

Matthew 26 contains one of the most well-known events in human history and certainly the most famous meal ever eaten, the Last Supper.

As the disciples sat together, Jesus said, " 'Take it and eat it, for this is my body' " (verse 26). He then gave thanks and offered them the cup and said, " 'Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many' " (verses 27–28).

Jesus, as He often did, was speaking symbolically. To say He was speaking literally here does not fit with the word pictures He often used. After all, Jesus said He was the Bread of Life. And didn't He say that He was the Door?

Easter Brings Hope

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live."

— John 11:25

 

Easter is not about brightly colored eggs, wearing pastels, or enjoying a big meal, although it could include these. Easter is about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

For some, Easter will be a great day, spent surrounded by family and friends. But for others, it will be a sad day, because Easter is a reminder of a loved one who has died and is now desperately missed.

Death seems so cruel, so harsh, and so final. That is what the disciples were feeling when they saw their Lord, whom they had left everything to follow, hanging on the cross. They were devastated. Death had crushed them. But if they would have gone back in their memories, they would have recalled an important event and statement Jesus had made.

What Breaks God's Heart

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes."

— Luke 19:41–42

 

As Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the crowds were celebrating. They were laughing. They were cheering. They were having a great time. And what was Jesus doing? He saw the city, and He wept over it. Here was the crowd, whipped into a frenzy, and Jesus was weeping. The crowd was rejoicing, and Christ was sobbing.

Why did Jesus weep when He saw Jerusalem? Being God and having omniscience, Jesus knew these fickle people who were crying out, "Hosanna!" would soon be shouting, "Crucify Him!" He knew that one of His handpicked disciples, Judas, would betray Him. He knew that another disciple, Peter, would deny Him. He knew that Caiaphas, the high priest, would conspire with Pilate, the Roman governor, to bring about His death. And, He knew the future of Jerusalem. Looking ahead 40 years, He saw the destruction that would come upon the city at the hands of the Emperor Titus and his Roman legions.

A New Relationship

Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.' "

— John 20:17

 

On the morning of the Resurrection, Jesus didn't allow Mary to touch Him. He was essentially saying, "It's not going to be the way it used to be. You can't hold on to Me in the old way. It's a new covenant."

Then He made a radical statement: "Go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God' " (John 20:17). For Jesus to call God His Father was one thing. But He said, "I am ascending to My Father and your Father. . . . " In other words, "He is your Father now too."

Wholehearted Devotion

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene. . . .

— Mark 16:9

 

Of all the people Jesus could have appeared to first after His resurrection, He appeared to Mary Magdalene. It is interesting to think about, because among the Jews of the day, the testimony of a woman was not held in high regard. In fact, some of the rabbis falsely taught that it was better for the words of the Law to be burned than to be delivered by a woman. Yet Jesus chose a woman to be the first herald of His resurrection.

It is also worth noting that women were the last at the cross and the first at the tomb. Mary had courage that many of the men did not have when Jesus was crucified. She stood by Him through it all. In fact, the Bible tells us that after He was crucified, Mary "observed where He was laid" (Mark 15:47). She watched as they took His crucified body from the cross and wrapped it and placed it in a tomb that belonged to Joseph of Arimathea. And Mary, along with the other women, was at the tomb very early on Sunday morning to demonstrate her love for Jesus by anointing his body with spices (see Mark 16:1–2).

The God Who Suffers

He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief . . . Surely He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows.

— Isaiah 53:3–4

 

When we think of God, we usually consider that fact that He is righteous, holy, loving, and good. But here is something else to consider about God: He is the God who has suffered. We don't tend to think that a perfect Creator would experience such a human trait as human pain and suffering. After all, why would you suffer if you did not have to?

But God has suffered, and more deeply than any of us could ever imagine. In his book The Cross of Christ, John Stott said, "Our God is a suffering God." And I think he is right.

A Heartfelt Act

Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.

— Matthew 26:13

 

As you read the New Testament, you can't help but notice how little it says about the major events of world history. You might think Scripture would mention Rome and all its mighty conquests. But it doesn't.

Instead, God brings out nuances that are entirely different.

Here in Matthew 26, for example, we find a unique story that God wants us never to forget (see verse 13). It was the incredible sacrifice that a woman made for Jesus. What was it that she did that so impressed the Lord? Was it a miracle or some great teaching? No. It was a heartfelt act.

Hope Beyond This Life

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

— 1 Corinthians 15:13–14

 

Not only does the Bible tell us we will live beyond the grave, but it also tells us there is hope beyond this life. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead proves there is life beyond the grave for the believer. The Bible says, "He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17:31).

No doubt this is why the devil has tried to discredit the Resurrection over the years. This is why, ever since the first century, he has been spreading his rumors about what happened to the body of Christ. And one of the oldest rumors of all was that His body was stolen by the disciples.