“MY GOD – MY PROVIDER”
LUKE 9:10-17

I. Introduction
We often speak about the difference between one who believes in God and one who has saving faith in God. We do not do that for the purpose of splitting theological hairs. We do it because the difference between the two – believing in the historical reality of Jesus of Nazareth as opposed to having saving faith in Him and His finished work – is as vast as the difference between day and night or heaven and hell.

One of Scripture’s most definitive statements about Jesus and the salvation that is found in Him is proclaimed in the opening verses of John’s gospel.
*John 1:1-4
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

In four verses we see the deity of Christ, His eternality, His role in Creation, and that He is life itself. In these few words the Bible declares that Jesus is creator God in human flesh in whom is found eternal life.

Over the last two millennia multiplied millions of people have come to believe in the his-torical reality of Jesus of Nazareth, but only a relative few have acknowledged the truths in the verses we have just read. Fewer still have embraced them by faith, and then received them for themselves. But only those who have done so are saved. Only those who have done so are true Christians.
*John 1:12
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become child-ren of God, even to those who believe in His name…

It’s pretty clear isn’t it? A person must “receive” Jesus and must “believe” in Him. But receive Him as what? He must be received for who He is – God in human flesh. Any-thing less denies what the Scripture says about Him. Believing in His historical reality has no more power to save a man or a woman than believing in the historical reality of Julius Caesar, George Washington, or John Lennon.

So merely believing about Jesus is not saving faith. Believing in Jesus, believing in His name is saving faith, because His name tells us both who and what He is. Believing in Jesus’ name means believing He is the ever-living creator God, the one in whom eternal life is found. Then by faith you receive Him and His finished work on your behalf.
Now that’s a long way from giving intellectual assent to the fact that a man named Jesus lived in Israel two thousand years ago, isn’t it? You see? His name is everything! The name “Jesus” literally means, “The Lord is salvation.” The title, “Christ” or “Mes-siah” is defined as, The Anointed One of God.” It is the Christ, the Messiah alone who fulfills the biblical offices of prophet, priest, and king.

If a person is to be saved, he or she must receive the gift of salvation from the only One who has it to give. You can get it nowhere else. Jesus is that One. Both His name and His title testify to that. So let me say it again. Believing in His name saves. Jesus the Christ is who He is, the Son of the living God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity.

The Son’s name tells us what we need to know about Him. And in the very same way the Father’s name tells us what we need to know about Him. Remember God’s answer when Moses asked Him His name?
*Exodus 3:13-14, 15c
13 Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”
14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
15c “This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all genera-tions.”

“I AM WHO I AM” translates to “Yahweh” in Hebrew and “Jehovah” in English. This is God’s personal name. When the Trinity is in view in the OT, God’s name is found in a plural form. It is “Elohim” in Hebrew. The Greek equivalent in the NT is “Theos.” It speaks of God’s power, His strength, and His absolute sovereignty. When God is called “Lord” in the OT, the Hebrew word used is “Adonai.” It stresses His supremacy and His absolute authority. The Greek equivalent in the NT is “Kurios.” These are all God’s names. They tell us who He is.

But then there are titles. Christ isn’t Jesus’ last name. It’ His title. God’s titles do not define who He is so much as they describe what He is and what He does. One of those descriptive titles, “Jehovah-Jireh,” is found very early in Genesis.

It is used for the first time on Mount Moriah. In obedience to God’s command to sacri-fice his only son, Abraham is taking Isaac to the top of the mountain. The boy is carrying the wood for the fire on his back and as they go Isaac questions his father.
*Genesis 22:7-8a,
7 And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said…, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8a And Abraham said, “God (Elohim) will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.”

But just as Abraham is about to slay his son, Yahweh speaks from heaven and says…
*Genesis 22:12-14
12 “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him, for now I know that you fear God (Elohim), since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in this place of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of the place “The LORD Will Provide,” as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.”

In Hebrew, “The LORD Will Provide,” is “Jehovah-Jireh.” Today’s passage in Luke is all about God’s provision. In it Jesus provides rest, healing, grace, and even food. We’ll see that God provides everything we need, both for this life, and for the life to come.
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II. Text
What follows is one of the most spectacular miracles in Jesus’ entire ministry. In fact, it is the only one that’s reported in all four gospels. Luke places it between the bookends of one of the most important questions anyone could ever ask.

Luke 8 ended with Herod asking, “…who is this man about whom I hear such things
(v. 9)?” Later, Luke 9 will continue with Jesus asking, “Who do the multitudes say that I am (v. 18)?” And then, most pointedly, “…who do you say that I am (v. 20)?” Jesus will “provide” the answer.
*Luke 9:10-17 (Please stand with me in honor of reading God’s Word.)
10 And when the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. And taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida.
11 But the multitudes were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.
12 And the day began to decline, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and coun-tryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a deso-late place.”
13 But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.”
14 (For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, “Have them recline to eat in groups of about fifty each.”
15 And they did so, and had them all recline.
16 And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the multitude.
17 And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.

Jesus had sent His disciples out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to preach that the only way one could enter into it was by repentance and receiving Christ as Lord and Savior. In the process of going out with the truth, the disciples became apostles. Instead of staying with Jesus to learn (as disciples), they went out to preach and teach (as apostles).
*Luke 9:10
10 And when the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. And taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida.

Bethsaida was probably located on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had already done many miracles there. Since it was home to four of the twelve (Peter, Andrew, Philip, and Nathaniel), it is likely that they had preached the gospel and performed miracles there as well. But unbelief ran rampant in Bethsaida. In fact, Jesus later singled out Bethsaida as more deserving of judgment than the pagan cities of Tyre and Sidon.

The reason for this is clear. It comes down to us through the centuries as a warning to all who consciously and deliberately reject the truth of Jesus Christ and His gospel. The religious people of Bethsaida who knew about Jesus but chose to reject Him would face a stricter judgment than those who had never heard of Him. That is why Jesus said, “…it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city (Luke 10:14).”

I cannot imagine how hell will be worse for some than for others, but the Bible teaches again and again that such is the case. For you and I to attempt to explain or to somehow quantify what that means would be an exercise in futility. But this much is clear. We are responsible for what we know. This is why unbelief, when it is wrapped in false religion, is so utterly damning. (back to Luke 9:10)

The apostles return and they are exhausted. Jesus, seeing their weariness says, “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while (Mark 6:31a).” The constant crush of the crowds and the ongoing demands of the ministry wear on Jesus. But each time He tries to get away for a period of time, He is pursued by the multitudes.

Now that word of the apostles’ ministry is known the very same pressures are starting to close in on the twelve. It’s getting so intense that they aren’t even able to meet their most basic needs. “For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat (Mark 6:32b).” Jesus is aware of each and every one of our needs. And since He is Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider, He meets them all. He can do so because, as our Great High Priest, He knows our frailties.
Hebrews 4:15
15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weak-nesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

You all know how valuable a little rest, a time of relaxation, and a meal with friends can be, when the stresses and strains of life begin to wear on you. Such rest is the plan in Luke 9:10. But it seems the crowds have a different plan.
*Luke 9:11
11 But the multitudes were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.

Certainly there are some among the multitudes who are genuine believers and are seeking Jesus for all of the right reasons. But most are not. Most are just superficial hangers-on, thrill-seekers, and those out for whatever they can get from Him. We know that because the day after Jesus feeds the five thousand, they will be back seeking another free meal.
John 6:25-29
25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. (He answers their real question. “When is the next free meal?”)
27 “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal.”
28 They said therefore to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” (“What do we have to do to work our way to heaven?”)
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” (back to Luke 9:11)

No matter how weary He was, and no matter how shallow and superficial the crowds, Jesus, always compassionate, welcomed them and healed their sick. No matter how much grace God pours out on us, there is always more to be had.

There is so much doctrinal truth to be found in the great hymns of the faith. One of my favorite is, “Grace Greater than Our Sin.” The first verse begins with, “Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt.” The fourth verse starts with, “Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe.”

Romans 5:20 says, “…where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” If you have received Christ as your Lord and Savior this is the blessing of God that belongs to you.

Do you need spiritual rest? Jesus provides it. Do you need spiritual healing? Jesus provides it. Do you need God’s grace? Jesus provides it. But there’s still more.
*Luke 9:12
12 And the day began to decline, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and coun-tryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a deso-late place.”

Luke’s description of the “declining day” means that nightfall is coming. But the multi-tudes are so captivated by Jesus and the miraculous healings they are witnessing that none of them are leaving to return to their homes or nearby villages for the evening meal.

As is so often the case in our own lives, the apostles are too focused on temporal things.
To be sure, their concern for the ongoing practical needs of the people is commendable. But you don’t solve a problem by pushing it away, do you?

Doesn’t it seem like these men have awfully short memories? Shouldn’t they know that Jesus can solve this problem? Had they already forgotten what the Lord had done at the end of Luke 8 when He raised Jairus’ little daughter from the dead? Beyond that, had they already forgotten the miracles they themselves had been empowered to perform on their just completed mission trip?

From our perspective, looking back at this moment, we might say to the apostles, “Hello! What’s wrong with you guys? Is it that you still don’t know Jesus can do anything?” That’s just the point – it is that they still don’t know Jesus can do anything. Although they’ve been temporarily empowered to perform miracles on their mission trip, they do not yet have the eyes to see and or the wisdom to understand that you and I have today.

Let’s be clear. That has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with their individual per-sonal intelligence. It has everything to do with the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God opened their eyes when He came to them at Pentecost. He opened yours when He came to you the moment you were saved. But at this point, all they know is that they can hardly feed themselves, let alone the thousands of people that currently surround them. So they tell Jesus to, “Send the multitude away…(v. 12).”
*Luke 9:13
13 But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” (Mark – 200 denarii is 8 months wages. Sarcasm?)

“You give them something to eat!”? There is some theological debate over the meaning of Jesus’ statement, but there are at least three plausible answers.
• Jesus did not want them to so quickly aside their responsibility to care for others in need. We know from our own life experiences that problems just don’t disappear because we ignore them.

• Jesus wants them to apply His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 7:7-8
7 “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.
8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.”

• The third possibility as to what Jesus means by “You give them something to eat!” is more symbolic. The apostles already have some bread and fish. Could Jesus be telling them that since He is the Bread of Life and since He has made them to be “fishers of men,” that they must be the means by which the people will receive both physical and spiritual food?

There is truth, isn’t there? Has the Lord Jesus not made each one of us a “fisher-man?” And what is our “bait,” as it were? It’s the gospel. All we have to offer is Jesus, the Bread of Life. He said, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst (John 6:35).”

Consider the symbolism here with me. The day is coming to an end. The people are hungry. You know that the Bread of Life has come down from heaven. You have the spiritual food they need. So go “fishing” and, “You give them something to eat!”

In v. 13 the apostles bring Jesus what they have – five loaves and two fish. This is hardly enough to feed them, let alone the multitudes. But they obediently bring it to Jesus. The application couldn’t be any clearer, could it? You may not have much. But if you give it to Jesus, do you think that He just may be able to do something wonderful with it?

Before we go on to v. 14 there’s another thing worth pondering. The apostles know it will take money to buy food for these people. They know five loaves and two fish won’t do it. But they’ve been told to feed the multitude. They will learn that the food Jesus is talking about doesn’t cost money. It can’t be bought with money. It can only be bought with His blood. The food Jesus is talking about is free to all who will receive it by faith.
*Luke 9:14-15
14 (For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, “Have them recline to eat in groups of about fifty each.”
15 And they did so, and had them all recline.

This is a huge crowd of people. The five thousand mentioned by Luke are men. He does not include the women and children. But Matthew says… “And there were about five thousand men…aside from women and children (Matthew 14:21).” So it is reasonable to assume that there are least fifteen to twenty thousand mouths to feed.
*Luke 9:16
16 And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the multitude.

The first lesson from this verse is that our most basic provisions are from God, and we are to thank and bless Him for them. “Jehovah-Jireh” is truly our Provider. The beauty of Luke’s account of this stunning miracle is the simplicity with which he tells it.

Look again at v. 15. The apostles have obeyed Him. Now, in v. 16, Jesus takes what God has provided and blesses it. He thanks God for it. And then comes the food. Jesus gives it…and then He gives it…and then He gives it…and then He gives it. It just keeps coming, more and more and more. It’s an endless supply of what is needed. Right here before the apostles’ eyes the Son of God is displaying His omnipotence in creating “ex nihilo” – something from nothing. He had created the grain and the fish from nothing, and now He is standing before them continuing the process.

Do you see? That’s what God’s grace is like. How much grace do you need today? Is your need little? He provides more grace. Is your need great? He provides more grace. Is your need far beyond any human ability to meet or even comprehend? He provides more grace. And His grace is always greater than our sin. “Marvelous, infinite, match-less grace, freely bestowed on all who believe.”
*Luke 9:17
17 And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.

The Greek word translated “satisfied” is “chŏrtazō,” a word used to describe the way cattle were fattened. The point is that there was enough for the people to literally gorge themselves.

Just as He did when He fed the five thousand, Jesus has enough spiritual food to feed you, to fill you to overflowing, and to satisfy your soul. He had more than the crowds at Bethsaida needed that evening two thousand years ago, and He has more than you need here in Lake Geneva today. He has so much that there will always be some left over.

How much was left over on the day Jesus fed the five thousand? There were twelve baskets full. That was provision enough for the apostles.
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III. Conclusion
There is enough for us too. Jesus our provider promises to give us all that we need for this life – not all that we want, but all we need. But when you and I step off this earth and into His presence, He promises to give us eternal rest, eternal healing, eternal grace, and eternal food. He will provide it all.

Can you say, along with the hymn-writer, “Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider, His grace is sufficient for me.”?

~ Pray ~