Getting to know Jesus is just like cultivating a relationship with another person. We have to take care to feed the relationship by spending time with Him, much as we would spend time with our loved ones.
We cultivate interpersonal relationships through communication and through communion, or spending time with these people. In like manner, we too should cultivate our relationship with Jesus through communication and communion.
Feeding us is His way of communing and communicating with us. As we develop our relationship with Jesus, we will long more for His presence and for a greater knowledge of Him. Feeding on His Word is the only way that we can truly know Jesus, that our relationship with Him will remain vibrant.
Our spiritual food as Christians is the Word of God: from milk to manna to spiritual “meat,” Jesus feeds us through the Word. His word is life, because this Word is Jesus Himself (John 1: 1-18).
When Jesus feeds us, possibly the best example for how He does this is when He had fed the Five Thousand with five loaves and two fish.
Warm-Up Questions:
How do you communicate with your closest friends?
How often do you communicate with these friends?
How Jesus Goes About Feeding the Flock
1) Jesus gave thanks. (Matthew 14:19b)
Thanksgiving and praise are what ushers us into God’s presence. We may want our hurts and pains addressed and we may want the attention, but surprisingly, it is only when we give God more attention, more praise, and desire more of Him, that we are filled and satisfied. Our hurts and pains will recede into the shadows as we start our days, our quiet times, or prayers, with praise and thanksgiving.
2) Jesus gave the food to the disciples. (Matthew 14:19c)
A pastor once noted that throughout Jesus’ ministry, Jesus had focused more on teaching the disciples intensively. While He faced and talked with the people in parables, He had explained and unfolded these parables more explicitly and with greater depth to the disciples.
As a disciple, we have to run to Jesus and seek Him and seek to be fed by Him more, before we seek to deposit into other people’s lives. As cisterns of Jesus, the Living Water, we cannot pour out life into others’ if our own well is dry. Thus, before we seek to reach out to others, we should seek God first.
Seek Him through reading and hearing the Word, reading your Bible, and through prayer. Don’t let a day pass without taking from God through reading the Word, and talking to Him through prayer. Both are essential to staying in His presence.
Take care to seek His face and seek Him as a person, someone you love. It may not feel like love at first, but like any love relationship, the love grows through communication.
3) The disciples gave the food to the people. (Matthew 14:19c)
When God feeds us as disciples, it is part of our shape to impart Him to those who do not know Him. (Matthew 28:19-20) While we are in no way messiahs on our own (remember He is the only Messiah), we can “introduce” Him to our friends. Let’s aid our friends get to know who Christ really is, as the Bible reveals Him.
He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Him.. (John 14:6)
The result of the feeding:
The people were satisfied, and there was so much food left in abundance, that twelve baskets were left over. (Matthew 14:20)
When we "feed" or nourish others, we are also nourished, or refreshed, in turn. (Proverbs 11:25)
Questions for Discussion:
What are the ways that you commune with Jesus?
What are the ways that you are fed spiritually?
Assignment:
Set a date with God one time, and ask Him what areas He needs for you to submit to Him more.
Pray for an increasing knowledge of Him and for greater discernment of His will for your life.
References:
Spiritual Milk: 1 Peter 2:2-3
Spiritual Food: Romans 14:17, 1 Corinthians 10:3-4
Similar Story (Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand): Matthew 15:29-39
We cultivate interpersonal relationships through communication and through communion, or spending time with these people. In like manner, we too should cultivate our relationship with Jesus through communication and communion.
Feeding us is His way of communing and communicating with us. As we develop our relationship with Jesus, we will long more for His presence and for a greater knowledge of Him. Feeding on His Word is the only way that we can truly know Jesus, that our relationship with Him will remain vibrant.
Our spiritual food as Christians is the Word of God: from milk to manna to spiritual “meat,” Jesus feeds us through the Word. His word is life, because this Word is Jesus Himself (John 1: 1-18).
When Jesus feeds us, possibly the best example for how He does this is when He had fed the Five Thousand with five loaves and two fish.
Warm-Up Questions:
How do you communicate with your closest friends?
How often do you communicate with these friends?
How Jesus Goes About Feeding the Flock
1) Jesus gave thanks. (Matthew 14:19b)
Thanksgiving and praise are what ushers us into God’s presence. We may want our hurts and pains addressed and we may want the attention, but surprisingly, it is only when we give God more attention, more praise, and desire more of Him, that we are filled and satisfied. Our hurts and pains will recede into the shadows as we start our days, our quiet times, or prayers, with praise and thanksgiving.
2) Jesus gave the food to the disciples. (Matthew 14:19c)
A pastor once noted that throughout Jesus’ ministry, Jesus had focused more on teaching the disciples intensively. While He faced and talked with the people in parables, He had explained and unfolded these parables more explicitly and with greater depth to the disciples.
As a disciple, we have to run to Jesus and seek Him and seek to be fed by Him more, before we seek to deposit into other people’s lives. As cisterns of Jesus, the Living Water, we cannot pour out life into others’ if our own well is dry. Thus, before we seek to reach out to others, we should seek God first.
Seek Him through reading and hearing the Word, reading your Bible, and through prayer. Don’t let a day pass without taking from God through reading the Word, and talking to Him through prayer. Both are essential to staying in His presence.
Take care to seek His face and seek Him as a person, someone you love. It may not feel like love at first, but like any love relationship, the love grows through communication.
3) The disciples gave the food to the people. (Matthew 14:19c)
When God feeds us as disciples, it is part of our shape to impart Him to those who do not know Him. (Matthew 28:19-20) While we are in no way messiahs on our own (remember He is the only Messiah), we can “introduce” Him to our friends. Let’s aid our friends get to know who Christ really is, as the Bible reveals Him.
He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Him.. (John 14:6)
The result of the feeding:
The people were satisfied, and there was so much food left in abundance, that twelve baskets were left over. (Matthew 14:20)
When we "feed" or nourish others, we are also nourished, or refreshed, in turn. (Proverbs 11:25)
Questions for Discussion:
What are the ways that you commune with Jesus?
What are the ways that you are fed spiritually?
Assignment:
Set a date with God one time, and ask Him what areas He needs for you to submit to Him more.
Pray for an increasing knowledge of Him and for greater discernment of His will for your life.
References:
Spiritual Milk: 1 Peter 2:2-3
Spiritual Food: Romans 14:17, 1 Corinthians 10:3-4
Similar Story (Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand): Matthew 15:29-39
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