1Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, 2“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”
3He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,” 6he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition. 7You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
8‘These people draw near to me with their mouth,
and honor me with their lips;
but their heart is far from me.
9And they worship me in vain,
teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’”
10He summoned the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand. 11That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”
12Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
13But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted. 14Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
15Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.”
16So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand? 17Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly and then out of the body? 18But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. 20These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”
21Jesus went out from there and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!”
23But he answered her not a word.
His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.”
24But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
26But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
27But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
28Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
29Jesus departed from there and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up on the mountain and sat there. 30Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them, 31so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, the injured healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing—and they glorified the God of Israel.
32Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have continued with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way.”
33The disciples said to him, “Where could we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?”
34Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?”
They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
35He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground; 36and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. 37They all ate and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over. 38Those who ate were four thousand men, in addition to women and children. 39Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala.
Bring What You Have
018 - Bring What You Have
Matthew 15
34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?”They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
We must come to God with what we have! Stop worrying about what you don’t have, and focus on what you do have. God doesn’t expect you to come up with anything more than He’s put in your hands. Offer what you have, and He does the rest. When God asks us to do what seems impossible, He will supply all that is needed to accomplish what He intends for us to accomplish. He simply asked His disciples what they had, and they brought it. What’s interesting is that the disciples didn’t have anything. BUT, they knew a guy who had something. They went and made the need known, and the little boy showed up with his five loaves and two fish. God multiplied the gift. Also, don’t focus on how minimal you might think your contribution is. God is the great multiplier. Remember that He made the entire universe out of nothing. God can use whatever we bring to do great results in the Kingdom of God. The boy brought what he had, and God did the rest.
The young boy came with a humble heart. He brought the mundane, and God turned it into the miraculous. He brought the menial, and God turned it into the magnificent. He can and does do the exact same thing with us. Bring what you have. Stop trying to outguess God. Come with a humble heart and let Him bless your gift. We also learn from the boy’s example that it is good to be proactive. When God puts a suggestion in your heart, err on the side of doing it. I know I have a real problem with that. I often get a hint or suggestion of doing something, and I talk myself out of it. That’s not the kind of stepping out and stepping up that should characterize the heart of a believer. And, never give with the expectation that God owes you something.
Many years ago, my wife and I owned a pump parts company. We had a long and difficult year. By year's end, we were financially and emotionally exhausted. By the time we paid the IRS their share and all the company's salaries and expenses, we were left with “five loaves and two fishes” of money. That means that it wasn’t much. But it was all we had after a year of work. We were sitting in church on the last Sunday of the year and the Lord whispered in our hearts to just give up even that. With puzzlement in our hearts, we did just that. Within 30 days, I received a call from an unexpected buyer, and the business was purchased for more than we deserved. The income from that sale paved the way for our future financial security. It doesn’t always end like that, but it did in our case. God multiplied our 5 loaves and 2 fish, turning them into baskets full. Last, but not least, like the little boy, have an open, inquisitive, proactive heart about what you can contribute. When you see a need, step out in faith and ask the Lord whether He desires for you to play a part in what He desires to do. I often tell my congregants, “I can’t help you with all of your needs, but I can help you with some.” It is a thrill to bring God what you have and leave the miracles up to Him!