05/09/2024 Midtown Church Thursday Night
Series- Beyond Belief: Understanding God’s Great Generosity
More Than We Can Imagine
Pastor Tyronne Gross Jr.
Main Text: Luke 9:10-17 (NIV)
When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.
12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”
13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.”
They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 (About five thousand men were there.)
But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Biblical Background: The Miracles of Jesus Are Really
A Demonstration of God’s Love, Grace, and Generosity
The Kingdom of God Showing Up on Earth
Pointing to Salvation, Showing that Christ is Truly God
Recorded in All Four Gospels
Generosity sees the need and meets the need – A look at Christ’s example.
1.) Compassion in Action
Luke 9:10-11
When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.
Luke 9:3-6
He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.
“Empathy is the ability to sense other people’s emotions and to understand what they are thinking and feeling. Compassion is to understand what someone else is feeling or experiencing and to feel compelled to do something about it. Generosity is the spirit and action of freely and frequently giving to others, not just with money, but with time and kindness too.
Practicing one of them is good.
Practicing two of them is better.
And practicing all three? Well, that’s the sort of thing that can change the world….”-Author Unknown
2.) Faith in Provision
Luke 9:12-14
Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”
13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.”
They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 (About five thousand men were there.)
But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”
John 6:7
Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
John 6:8-9
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
3.) Blessing and Abundance
Luke 9:14-17
(About five thousand men were there.)
But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
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