Discipleship and the Rabbi.
I want to read for you today out of one of my favorite little books. I hesitate to call it Scripture. I’ve been chastised for referring to this as Scripture. I’ll just say it’s a wonderful little book. It’s not accurately put together according to strict translation. It’s kind of like a sermon based on the Word. It’s a story.
So I’m reading out of what’s called the message. Thought I had my glasses with me. That’s not good.
It’s not the way. When Jesus got the news, He slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by Himself.
But unsuccessfully, someone saw Him and the Word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where He was. Where He saw them coming, He was overcome with pity and He began to heal the sick. Toward the evening, the disciples asked Him, we’re out in the country and it’s getting late.
Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper. What Jesus said, there’s no need to dismiss them. You give them supper. All we have is five loaves of bread and two fish.
Jesus said, bring them here. Then He had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish, lifted His face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They ate and they were full.
They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers and about 5,000 had attended His wonderful dinner. I want to read on now immediately on the hinge of what we just read. As soon as the meal was finished, He insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while He dismissed the people.
When the crowd had dispersed, He climbed the mountain so He could be by Himself and pray.
