Matthew 14:13-21

• verse 13: The miracle of calming the storm was a public miracle... people were following Jesus on foot AND in boats.
• verse 14: Jesus had compassion, not anger, for the crowds following Him around all the time and not letting Him have any time alone. He healed their sick (Matt 15:30 also the lame, blind, mute, crippled...He healed them all. Disease was practically banned from Palestine for that time.). Mark notices again and again that "He healed them all". The healing happened at such a rapid rate tht fear would fall upon the multitudes. Andrew is only mentioned 3 times in Scripture, and each time he is bringing people to Jesus (his brother, a boy, and the Greeks).
• verse 19: Jesus "took", "looked", "blessed", and "broke"...these are all point in time action. The "gave" is continuous action: bread and fish kept being created from His hands. Estimate that 5000 men + 5000 women + 10000 children (= 20-30,000 people) were satisfied.

  Lessons: rest and relaxation are not wasted time. Sometimes we must also sacrifice rest and relaxation for other's needs. The ministry IS dying to self. Obey God even when you don't understand. God uses people to accomplish His work, but you must be usable and available or He will use someone else. Become useable. (2 Timothy 2:20-21)

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