Luke 9:13-17 But he said to them, Give you them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes… 1. The multitude in a desert place was representative to the Saviour's mind of vaster multitudes all over the earth. 2. The bread He supplied for men's bodies was suggestive of the bread He was to supply for their souls. 3. The position of the disciples, then, is the position of the disciples still — we stand between the Lord of life and the famishing multitudes. We may still hear the words ringing in our ears, "Give ye them to eat." I. IT IS A COMMAND ON BEHALF OF THE FAMISHING MULTITUDES. 1. They have not the knowledge of God. 2. They have not the knowledge of the meaning of life. 3. They have not the knowledge of the gospel. II. IT IS A COMMAND FROM THE LORD OF LIFE. 1. He has compassion on the multitudes. 2. He has provided bread for the multitudes. 3. It is His prerogative to command to give to the multitudes, III. IT IS A COMMAND TO DISCIPLES AS STANDING BETWEEN THE LORD OF LIFE AND THE FAMISHING MULTITUDES. 1. We are to sympathize with the multitudes. 2. We are to be the medium of communication between Christ and the multitudes in the distribution of bread. 3. We are to distribute to the multitudes in hope.The day is coming when the Church, turning to its Lord, shall say, "All the famishing multitudes are now fed." And after its task has been accomplished it will feel so strong in the means of extension, that there will be, as it were, twelve baskets over, out of which many more might have been fed. (R. Finlayson, B. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. |
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