A Few Fish and Some Bread Go A Long Way!

I am going to continue on a theme here a bit. Trying to run out my feelings regarding corporate worship and that of small group and discipleship. I was reading Mark 6:36-44, Jesus feeding the 5000 people along the shores of the lake and I could help but think through this of Abundance and outpouring.

See here was a large crowd, you might even say that they were in a corporate gathering. I can imagine them, as it describes in this chapeter, that these followers of Jesus ran along the shorline trying to keep up with Him as they rowed along in the boat. Five thousand people coming along trying to have a moment with the Messiah so Jesus puts ashore to speak with them. Now the Bible says He was showing compassion for them as they were tired and hungry. Sound s like many of us when we come to the Lord. So he was going to help them out.

The Disciples of course don't understand what is happening. Jesus wants to take care of these people and they want to send them off as they don't have enough supplies to feed them. Know thought what so ever as to having the Messiah standing with you. They haven't learned that He is ok with this type of thing, He has a plan. So what does Jesus do first? He breaks this large crowd up into SMALL GROUPS so he can better manage the situation. Fifties and hundreds, a little large but definately more manageable then 5000 plus.

So then He gathers up his resources. Five fish and a few loaves of bread and, you may have missed this, but twelve generally well equiped Disciples. SMALL GROUP Leaders if you will. The Lord knew what He was doing, He was going to Trust in the Father and send these guys out to take care of the crowd. So a few blessing later, the pre prayer meeting and off they went with their meager baskets to feed the hungry in the name of the Lord. They went out at this point in Faith to what Jesus was telling them.

So what happens? They give evrything that they had to the SMALL GROUPS. Alll of the fish and all of the bread. From group to group they went, sparing nothing. the whole time with Jesus hanging out waiting for the lesson to sink in. The people got fed, all of them, not one was hungry. Now comes the miracle of God in my opinion, there was leftovers and enough for them to have their own meals. I will stress this point, they gave everything that they had to these SMALL GROUPS, the small groups were all filled and there was an abundance left over.

If you are missing the point with all of this I will make it clear. Jesus did not get off the boat and try to Preach to a hungry and tired congregation of people. He first broke them up into small groups and had them sit together, a get to know you if you will. Then He assigned some half equiped but faithful small group leaders to go out to the groups to feed them. Each small group leader gave everything they had to the group, each group sharing what they were given. They did this for each other and they all got filled up. Their hunger was gone and they had taken a rest from their journey.

With all of this out pouring there were leftovers. This is the interaction of the Holy Spirit. Evrybody shared and evrybody got their fill and God did not allow things to run out. So now Jesus steps up and delivers the messgae. He is ready to teach these groups and the Disciples. They are full, they have shared and come together before the preaching and allowed the Spirit to fill their souls.

This is how we are to do Church. We were given a great example and lesson to follow. We are shown here that our small groups where the real filling and rest takes place. That in these small groups, that met before the Service began was the time when the miracle occurred. A little bit of faith poured out to the group will produce an abundance afterwards. Jesus knew this, He knew the order to follow so that the message was appropriately understood and applied. The people got filled and the Disciples Faith was assured.

Small Group and Discipleship works. When we all pour out everything that we have in our small groups each person benefits. We get our fill and our hunger subsides into contenment. We gain rest through the application and wittness that we see in the daily miracles. We then can come to the large gathering, our Sunday service to hear a messgae from the Preacher. We come to Church in the appropriate manner and in the right frame of mind. Not running, hungry and tired but filled with the Spirit and ready to hear about the blessings.

Lord Jesus through Faith in your working allow us to unselfishly pour out to those around us. Let us fully accept the value of our small groups and of our discipleship of others.