Dear Christian friends:

In our text Jesus again shows His wonderful power. He multiplies seven loaves of bread and a few fishes to provide food for over four-thousand people. By this Jesus shows Himself a wonderful Person, Son of God and Son of Man. But, not only is Jesus wonderful, but also the people are very surprising and wonderful, because they sacrifice earthly things to get heavenly things. Very often church members give up church and Jesus to get money and other earthly things.

But these people are more interested in Jesus and heavenly things, and don't care much about earthly things. They are a wonderful example for us. They show that:


They gladly do this as we see from our text. (Explain the situation). These people were very eager to hear Jesus preach about God and to receive His blessings. They forgot about their body needs. Yes, they were risking their lives. Jesus says, "And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far." (verse 3)

Some people will say, "They are careless and foolish. They should not risk their life to hear Jesus preach." False Christians, hypocrites will say these people are foolish. False Christians don't want to get Jesus' blessings. They think they can have both earthly riches and Jesus' riches at the same time. They try to serve both God and money. They say they believe in God, but they trust only in money and earthly things. Money is their god, their idol.

So Jesus warns in Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

A true Christian will love God and desire His spiritual blessings and gladly give-up earthly things if they bother His serving God.

So, also you and I must learn to give up earthly things, so we can hear Jesus' Words and receive His rich blessings. Let me show you:

If you pray and read your Bible daily at home, you must give up ten, fifteen or thirty minutes of reading the newspaper or watching TV. You can't do both at the same time.

If you go to church on Sunday morning, you must give up sleeping in that morning or give-up a trip in the country. You can't do both.

If you are a good steward and give "first-fruits" to God to support His work, you must give up something else, maybe a new car, or perhaps some new clothes or a new house, or a new boat. You can't do both. Not many can buy all they want or need and also give ten percent to church.

Christians gladly give up earthly things for Jesus because they know His blessings are eternal while earthly things quickly pass away. Jesus and His spiritual blessings are way more valuable then earthly things.

They remember Jesus' warning in Matthew 6:19, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
(Cars, boats, fancy clothes, watches, etc.) Terrible destruction of floods, storms, inflation, accidents, theft etc.

Jesus uses very strong words to warn us about valuing earthly things too much. He knows we are all weak and easily fall into that trap. He says, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26)

Jesus seems to contradict other commandments, 4th and 5th about loving one another. He means that sometimes a father, mother, or wife may be bothered with our serving Him. They are our dearest earthly possessions. Even these dear earthly possessions we must not value more than Jesus and His heavenly blessings. Nothing on earth can compare with the value of Jesus and eternal life. If necessary we will even give up our life to keep our faith in Jesus.

"So if your eye—even if it is your best eye! causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. Better for part of you to be destroyed than for all of you to be cast into hell." (Matthew 5:29 TLB) True Christians will do this with His help. But false Christians refuse to sacrifice earthly things. They think Christians who do that are foolish and stupid.

But Jesus dose not think they are foolish. He knows that they are wise and He is very pleased when He sees people give up earthly things to get His blessings. Here in this lesson we see that is true. Jesus did not scold the people here when they had no food left.

He did not blame them or criticize them, but said to His disciples, "I have compassion on all the people because they have been here three days with Me, and now have no more food. (verse 2)

Jesus likes to see His people in trouble for His sake and He is eager and able to comfort them and help them in their trouble and need. Quickly Jesus helps them. He does a wonderful work. They have left seven loaves of bread and a few fishes and He multiplies it one thousand times to satisfy their bodily needs. So if you get into trouble because of your faith in Jesus, don't be afraid or worry. Jesus sees and knows and He will help you in that trouble. He is very pleased and pities you when He sees you get in trouble because you love Him and serve Him.

So, I hope all of us will get woken up through this sermon today. We so easily are tempted to put the wrong values on earthly things and forget the great value of Jesus and heavenly things. God pity us and help us to despise earthly things and love heavenly things most. Jesus asks, "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (Mark 8:36)

Amen.