Jesus is more than enough

People manage to fall out over the smallest of things.

No one had packed sandwiches for lunch! Actually Mark tells us that they had one loaf in the boat (8:14) in a way that sounds like it was yesterday’s bread and in any case how are they going to distribute one loaf amongst all the disciples?

 “When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.” Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16 v 5-12)

Do you get worked up over not having enough? Are you worried about not eating lunch?

Don’t you remember …?

I love the Message translation: “Why are you fussing because you forgot bread? Don’t you see the point of all this? Don’t you get it at all?”

Remember the provision stories in your own life. Carry them with you at all times.

They had all been there at the feeding of the 5,000 and the 4,000 which started with a small amount of food and which resulted in basketfuls left over.

Jesus is more than enough.

If he can do this for 5,000 and 4,000 don’t you think he can do it for 12 disciples?

It is like they had forgotten that whole experience as they argue and discuss what they should do for lunch. Jesus was on board their boat. He is always enough. But for some reason they hadn’t understood that the miracles Jesus did for others, he could do for them.

This lack of recognition was more than a weakness it was a sin which Jesus likened to that of the Pharisees and Sadducees. He called it yeast. But more of that tomorrow.