You Want Jesus Until He Tells You to Feed the Crowd

You want Jesus, but you want Him on your terms. You want His peace without His ruling hand. You want His bread without trusting His provision. That tension already lives inside of you and Matthew 14 will not let you run from it.

Jesus learns that John the Baptist has been killed. Executed for telling King Herod the truth. The Bible says Jesus withdrew to a solitary place, by Himself, but they followed Him there anyways. The people always do. They need healing. Relief. Answers. Comfort. When Jesus sees them He doesn’t turn away. He is filled with compassion and healed their sick. ~Matthew 14:14. Grace meets need before it’s earned. That is who Jesus is.

But compassion doesn’t equal permissiveness. The day comes to an end. Hunger arises. The disciples want to send the people away so they can provide for themselves. Jesus responds with authority and says something that cuts into human weakness. “They need not depart; give ye them to eat” ~Matthew 14:16. That is impossible. Five loaves. Two fish. Thousands of people. This is the point where fake religion stops and true faith kicks in.

Jesus took what they had, blessed it, broke it, and gave it back through the disciples. As a result, they ALL ate and were filled ~Matthew 14:20. Not tasted and hugged their hungry bellies. They were filled! Listen, this story isn’t about bread. It’s about Christ. He was showing them what Jesus plainly declares later. “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger” ~John 6:35. You cannot spiritually feed yourself. You cannot save yourself. Everything you have to offer falls short. Only what He offers is enough.

Word spreads about the miracle and they want more. John tells us they wanted to take Jesus by force and make Him king. Jesus declines. He sends them away to go pray alone. If you think that last part doesn’t convict you then you have missed the entire chapter. The same crowd that just ate His miraculous bread isn’t trusted with His mission. Wanting Jesus doesn’t equal submitting to Jesus.

Night falls and the disciples find themselves paralyzed on the Sea of Galilee. Waves crash over the boat. Wind whips their faces as they row in exhaustion. Jesus is nowhere to be found because, as soon as they drop anchor, He goes up on a mountain to pray. Here is where many people freak out. They traveled, listened, followed, and now their King is silent. Suddenly, Scripture says Jesus comes walking toward them…on the sea ~Matthew 14:25. He doesn’t come after the storm has passed. He comes WHILE they are in the storm. The Son of God doesn’t calm the storm before revealing Himself.

Peter yells out in distress. The disciples think He’s a ghost. Jesus calmly speaks truth every terrified heart needs to hear. “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid” ~Matthew 14:27. The Greek is literal. It translates, I am. It is I means I AM. God’s divine name from Exodus. Jesus wasn’t trying to cheer them up. He was revealing who He is.

“Truly you are the Son of God.” ~ Matthew 14:33

Peter steps out of the boat and miraculously walks on water toward Jesus. For a second they’re alright. Faith is higher than fear. But then Peter sees the wind. He starts to sink and screams out, “Lord, save me” ~Matthew 14:30. That verse is still in the Bible for a reason. Jesus instantly stretches out His hand and grabs Peter by the collar. Keep going. Now comes the kick in the pants. “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” ~Matthew 14:31. Stop and let that soak in. Jesus saves doubters. He fixes what you break, but He doesn’t ignore sin in your life. He disciplines believers.

Jesus climbs back into the boat and instantly the wind stops. The disciples fall at His feet and worship saying what we all should come away from this chapter saying. “Of a truth thou art the Son of God” ~Matthew 14:33. Friend, that is the point. Identity. Forget the miracles. Forget the feelings. Who do you think Jesus is?

When they arrive on land crowds once again swarm them. They brought their sick people. They begged just to touch Jesus’ clothes. And everyone who touched Him was completely healed ~Matthew 14:36. Power comes because of who Jesus is. Not because of who you are.

There is no gray area with this passage. Either Jesus is your religious crutch or your everything. Either you take what He gives or bow before who He is. He doesn’t want your leftovers. He doesn’t bless your honey-do lists. He died to feed desperate hungry people, reveal Himself in the storm, rescue sinking souls, and receive worship.

You will either be in the crowd begging for bread while rejecting His kingship, or you will step out of the boat and be so desperate you are willing to cry out, “Lord, save me.” John 3: 36 doesn’t leave us with any other option. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Jesus isn’t holding back anything. Will you keep following Him for what He gives you or bow down to Jesus for who He is? Believe and live. Reject and sink. Let the storm come. It will reveal who you really are.

Matthew 14:13-36
Genesis 44:1-45:28
Psalm 18:37-50
Proverbs 4:11-13

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Summary:
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
Jesus Walks on the Water
Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret

Overview: Matthew 14-28 –  Click Here

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