"You give them something to eat." -Jesus in verse 16.
I'm learning this is classic Jesus teaching style. Make a completely unreasonable request. Don't solve the problem or answer the question straight up. Draw the student in, get them involved, let them squirm a little bit. Then, when they are at their end, deliver the goods. This is Jesus' way--exciting and exasperating, scary and wonderful.
The disciples were thinking small. They were only concerned with dinner, only worried about a bunch of people being mad at them if they couldn't come up with enough food. Jesus pushes them to think much, much bigger. It's about so much more than dinner. If he can feed 5,000 people, what are the possibilities? Stop sweating the small stuff, and start thinking big...really big.
Has God given you a BHAG - a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal? If you're watching and listening, you're probably going to get one. What is that thing Jesus asks you to do that you believe is unattainable and unreasonable? In what way is he saying to you, "you give them something to eat"? For me, and hopefully for many of you, it's been establishing a church on the west side of League City with a small group of Christ-followers and almost no resources. I'm still amazed what He is doing with our little loaves and fishes.
Whatever your BHAG is (and I encourage you to share it in a comment), do what the disciples did. Be honest about how intimidating it is to you, but don't walk away. It's after that moment when Jesus does the cool stuff.
If you missed today's message, or even if you didn't, click this link for audio recordings from our Sunday gatherings:
http://web.me.com/bgartman/SpringsMedia/podcasts/podcasts.html
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