Five Loaves and Two Fish – Keys for Miracles

10 June 2012 (p.m.)

Mark 6:30-44 Miracle of multiplication

1. God wants you to experience the supernatural

· V.30 “You are designed for the supernatural”.

· V.13 Jesus plan – multiply ministry.

· Jesus gave authority to followers.

· Spiritual problems require spiritual solutions.

· Generation is hungry for the supernatural.

· Desperate need for the power of God.

2. Look beyond yourself at the needs of others

· V.34 great multitude of people in need.

· Moved – stirred to take action.

· Compassion – church? to heart of God.

· Jesus overlooked personal needs for rest, food.

· Most caught in the small world of own need.

· Western countries wealthy – self-absorbed.

· Miracles come at a cost.

· Pray – Look – eyes opened to what is around you.

3. Miracles require you to take initiative in faith

· V.36 “Send them away – buy for themselves”

· Disciples saying “not my problem”.

· V.37 “You give them to eat”.

· Jesus offers opportunity to extend faith, move into miracles.

· Until willing to engage3 in meeting needs of others – don’t see miracles.

4. Miracles require you to do what you can

· V.33 What do you have? Go and see!

· God uses what you have.

· Don’t limit what God can do.

· God expects you to do what you can.

· Make yourself available – make what you have count.

· How available are you?

5. Miracles require you to speak and act

· Notice how the miracle took place:

(i) Jesus built expectancy

V39 – make them sit down in ‘table groups’.

(ii) Jesus focussed on the source

He looked up to heaven (v41)

“Looked” = to recover sight that was lost.

(iii) Jesus spoke faith words

He blessed and broke the loaves (v41)

Bless       = praise, acknowledge God’s goodness

                = to speak well of, speak life into

                = He spoke to the loaves

(iv) Jesus required disciples to take action

He gave them to disciple – to set before them.

Miracles always require action.

The multiplication miracle took place when the disciples acted.

(v) Jesus required them to remember the miracle

12 baskets full of fragments.

Each creative miracle they gathered fragments.

Gathered fragments – tangible record of the miracle.

Mark 9:20:21 – how many baskets? Do you remember?

Remember what God has done.

It is seed for the next miracle.

Don’t focus on lack but on possibilities.

Remembering past miracles can stir faith for the new miracles.

Application

· Do you see the needs around you?

· Are you moved? Not my problem?

What is your response? Compassion?

· What do you have that God could use?

· What will you do?