Advent : Faith in action
When Faith Meets the Impossible: Feeding Multitudes with What Little We Have
The story is familiar to many: thousands of people gathered on a hillside, evening approaching, and a logistical nightmare unfolding. Five loaves of bread. Two fish. And a crowd of five thousand men, plus women and children—possibly twenty thousand people in total. By any reasonable calculation, this was an impossible situation.
Yet within this impossibility lies one of the most profound invitations we'll ever receive: the invitation to participate in the miraculous.
The Discipline of Showing Up
Before we dive into the miracle itself, let's acknowledge something important: you showed up. Whether physically present in a church building or joining from home, the simple act of showing up matters more than we often realize. Research consistently demonstrates that people who regularly participate in religious gatherings experience better physical and psychological health outcomes. They're less prone to depression and generally maintain stronger overall wellbeing.
Why? Because showing up requires discipline. It means getting out of bed when you'd rather sleep in. It means preparing yourself—physically, mentally, and spiritually—to engage with something beyond the routine of daily life. It means opening yourself to social interaction and spiritual connection when isolation would be easier.
This discipline of showing up is the first step toward faith in action. It's the foundation upon which everything else is built.
The Problem with Problems
When the disciples looked at the massive crowd and their meager food supply, they saw an insurmountable problem. Their solution was perfectly logical: send everyone away to buy their own food. Case closed. Crisis averted.
But here's what we so often miss: when we think we're done, Jesus is just getting started.
The disciples' response reveals something deeply human about how we approach challenges. We fixate on problems. We stare at them like a deer caught in headlights, as if the intensity of our focus might somehow change the situation. We lie awake at night watching the clock, desperately trying to force ourselves to sleep. We glare at the oncoming driver who won't dim their lights, as though our frustration could alter their behavior.
The more we focus on the problem, the bigger it becomes. The more impossible it seems.
This isn't just a modern phenomenon. Martha, a close friend of Jesus, fell into the same trap when her brother Lazarus died. "If you had only been here," she told Jesus, her eyes fixed firmly on the impossibility of death and decay. Meanwhile, Jesus was preparing to demonstrate that death itself was no obstacle to His power.
The disciples in the boat during the storm did the same thing. While Jesus slept peacefully, they panicked, their attention consumed by wind and waves. When they finally woke Him, His response was telling: "You of little faith. Why are you so afraid?"
The Invitation Into the Miraculous
The Christmas story we celebrate—a virgin birth—is fundamentally supernatural. The Easter story we proclaim—crucifixion and resurrection—defies natural explanation. Everything about our faith centers on the miraculous, the impossible made possible through divine power.
Yet somehow, we often live as though the age of miracles has passed, as though we're left to navigate life's challenges with only our natural resources and human wisdom.
Jesus offers a different perspective. When He told His disciples, "You give them something to eat," He wasn't being cruel or unrealistic. He was inviting them into partnership with the miraculous. He was challenging them to move beyond problem-focused thinking into faith-filled action.
"If you have faith like a mustard seed," Jesus taught, "you can speak to this mountain and it will be moved." This isn't about materialistic name-it-and-claim-it theology. It's about the kingdom of God advancing against the kingdom of darkness. It's about God's people acting as His ambassadors, empowered by His Spirit, participating in His redemptive work in the world.
The Faith That Amazes
Scripture records only two instances where Jesus was amazed. The first was at the remarkable faith of a Roman official. The second was at the profound lack of faith in His own hometown.
In Nazareth, people who had known Jesus since childhood couldn't see past the carpenter's son to recognize the Messiah in their midst. Their familiarity bred contempt, and their unbelief limited what Jesus could do among them. The text says He "could not do any miracles there" except heal a few sick people.
Think about that. The Son of God, who spoke worlds into existence, who calmed storms and raised the dead—His power was somehow constrained by their lack of faith.
This raises an uncomfortable question for us today: When Jesus looks at us, does He see people filled with faith, or is He amazed at our lack of belief?
Living as Primarily Spiritual Beings
Here's a truth that's easy to forget: we are not primarily physical beings having occasional spiritual experiences. We are primarily spiritual beings temporarily dwelling in physical bodies.
This perspective shift changes everything. The temporary physical problems we face—real as they are—become smaller when viewed against the backdrop of eternity. The spiritual reality becomes more important than the natural circumstances.
This is what faith requires: taking our eyes off the immediate physical problem and remembering that our God is bigger, greater, and more powerful than whatever we're facing. It means approaching every situation believing that God will either move the mountain or create a way through it. And even if our earthly life ends in the process, our faith story continues.
Growing in Faith
So how do we grow in faith? How do we become people who step forward even when we can't see what's ahead?
First, focus on Jesus. Not on what preachers say about Him, but on who He actually is as revealed in Scripture. Study His supernatural birth, His life, His teachings, His actions, His death, and His resurrection. Let the reality of who He is sink deep into your consciousness.
Second, focus on people who took Him seriously. Read the stories of those who acted on God's word, not just those who believed it intellectually. Paul and Silas sang in prison and witnessed God break open the gates. Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water. The early church turned the world upside down not through clever strategies but through Spirit-empowered faith.
The Power of Faith-Filled Action
One modern author noted that long before he personally witnessed miracles, he began believing and praying as though the miraculous power of God was still real. Over time, he began to see that power manifest in his life and ministry.
This is the path forward: not waiting until we feel we have enough faith, but acting in the faith we have, trusting that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us.
A church without faith is a church without power. But a church made up of people filled with faith becomes the greatest force on earth—not because of human cleverness or ability, but because it operates in the power and authority of God Himself.
The Challenge Before Us
What do you perceive as too big for God? Is it a person too far gone in sin? A sickness too advanced? A social problem too entrenched? A political or financial situation too dire?
The story of five loaves and two fish feeding twenty thousand people says there is nothing—absolutely nothing—impossible with God. And He wants us to walk in that faith, advancing His kingdom, being His ambassadors, following in His footsteps even when it makes no sense to our natural minds.
That's what faith is: stepping forward when you can't see the next step, trusting that God is leading you forward.
The question isn't whether God is powerful enough. The question is whether we're willing to move beyond our problem-focused thinking and step into faith-filled action.
The disciples started with what they had—five loaves and two fish—and watched Jesus multiply it beyond imagination. What do you have in your hands today? What small act of faith is Jesus inviting you to take?
Don't wait until you have everything figured out. Don't wait until the path is clear. Take what you have, offer it to Jesus, and watch Him do the impossible.
Because when we think we're done, He's just getting started.
Yet within this impossibility lies one of the most profound invitations we'll ever receive: the invitation to participate in the miraculous.
The Discipline of Showing Up
Before we dive into the miracle itself, let's acknowledge something important: you showed up. Whether physically present in a church building or joining from home, the simple act of showing up matters more than we often realize. Research consistently demonstrates that people who regularly participate in religious gatherings experience better physical and psychological health outcomes. They're less prone to depression and generally maintain stronger overall wellbeing.
Why? Because showing up requires discipline. It means getting out of bed when you'd rather sleep in. It means preparing yourself—physically, mentally, and spiritually—to engage with something beyond the routine of daily life. It means opening yourself to social interaction and spiritual connection when isolation would be easier.
This discipline of showing up is the first step toward faith in action. It's the foundation upon which everything else is built.
The Problem with Problems
When the disciples looked at the massive crowd and their meager food supply, they saw an insurmountable problem. Their solution was perfectly logical: send everyone away to buy their own food. Case closed. Crisis averted.
But here's what we so often miss: when we think we're done, Jesus is just getting started.
The disciples' response reveals something deeply human about how we approach challenges. We fixate on problems. We stare at them like a deer caught in headlights, as if the intensity of our focus might somehow change the situation. We lie awake at night watching the clock, desperately trying to force ourselves to sleep. We glare at the oncoming driver who won't dim their lights, as though our frustration could alter their behavior.
The more we focus on the problem, the bigger it becomes. The more impossible it seems.
This isn't just a modern phenomenon. Martha, a close friend of Jesus, fell into the same trap when her brother Lazarus died. "If you had only been here," she told Jesus, her eyes fixed firmly on the impossibility of death and decay. Meanwhile, Jesus was preparing to demonstrate that death itself was no obstacle to His power.
The disciples in the boat during the storm did the same thing. While Jesus slept peacefully, they panicked, their attention consumed by wind and waves. When they finally woke Him, His response was telling: "You of little faith. Why are you so afraid?"
The Invitation Into the Miraculous
The Christmas story we celebrate—a virgin birth—is fundamentally supernatural. The Easter story we proclaim—crucifixion and resurrection—defies natural explanation. Everything about our faith centers on the miraculous, the impossible made possible through divine power.
Yet somehow, we often live as though the age of miracles has passed, as though we're left to navigate life's challenges with only our natural resources and human wisdom.
Jesus offers a different perspective. When He told His disciples, "You give them something to eat," He wasn't being cruel or unrealistic. He was inviting them into partnership with the miraculous. He was challenging them to move beyond problem-focused thinking into faith-filled action.
"If you have faith like a mustard seed," Jesus taught, "you can speak to this mountain and it will be moved." This isn't about materialistic name-it-and-claim-it theology. It's about the kingdom of God advancing against the kingdom of darkness. It's about God's people acting as His ambassadors, empowered by His Spirit, participating in His redemptive work in the world.
The Faith That Amazes
Scripture records only two instances where Jesus was amazed. The first was at the remarkable faith of a Roman official. The second was at the profound lack of faith in His own hometown.
In Nazareth, people who had known Jesus since childhood couldn't see past the carpenter's son to recognize the Messiah in their midst. Their familiarity bred contempt, and their unbelief limited what Jesus could do among them. The text says He "could not do any miracles there" except heal a few sick people.
Think about that. The Son of God, who spoke worlds into existence, who calmed storms and raised the dead—His power was somehow constrained by their lack of faith.
This raises an uncomfortable question for us today: When Jesus looks at us, does He see people filled with faith, or is He amazed at our lack of belief?
Living as Primarily Spiritual Beings
Here's a truth that's easy to forget: we are not primarily physical beings having occasional spiritual experiences. We are primarily spiritual beings temporarily dwelling in physical bodies.
This perspective shift changes everything. The temporary physical problems we face—real as they are—become smaller when viewed against the backdrop of eternity. The spiritual reality becomes more important than the natural circumstances.
This is what faith requires: taking our eyes off the immediate physical problem and remembering that our God is bigger, greater, and more powerful than whatever we're facing. It means approaching every situation believing that God will either move the mountain or create a way through it. And even if our earthly life ends in the process, our faith story continues.
Growing in Faith
So how do we grow in faith? How do we become people who step forward even when we can't see what's ahead?
First, focus on Jesus. Not on what preachers say about Him, but on who He actually is as revealed in Scripture. Study His supernatural birth, His life, His teachings, His actions, His death, and His resurrection. Let the reality of who He is sink deep into your consciousness.
Second, focus on people who took Him seriously. Read the stories of those who acted on God's word, not just those who believed it intellectually. Paul and Silas sang in prison and witnessed God break open the gates. Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water. The early church turned the world upside down not through clever strategies but through Spirit-empowered faith.
The Power of Faith-Filled Action
One modern author noted that long before he personally witnessed miracles, he began believing and praying as though the miraculous power of God was still real. Over time, he began to see that power manifest in his life and ministry.
This is the path forward: not waiting until we feel we have enough faith, but acting in the faith we have, trusting that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us.
A church without faith is a church without power. But a church made up of people filled with faith becomes the greatest force on earth—not because of human cleverness or ability, but because it operates in the power and authority of God Himself.
The Challenge Before Us
What do you perceive as too big for God? Is it a person too far gone in sin? A sickness too advanced? A social problem too entrenched? A political or financial situation too dire?
The story of five loaves and two fish feeding twenty thousand people says there is nothing—absolutely nothing—impossible with God. And He wants us to walk in that faith, advancing His kingdom, being His ambassadors, following in His footsteps even when it makes no sense to our natural minds.
That's what faith is: stepping forward when you can't see the next step, trusting that God is leading you forward.
The question isn't whether God is powerful enough. The question is whether we're willing to move beyond our problem-focused thinking and step into faith-filled action.
The disciples started with what they had—five loaves and two fish—and watched Jesus multiply it beyond imagination. What do you have in your hands today? What small act of faith is Jesus inviting you to take?
Don't wait until you have everything figured out. Don't wait until the path is clear. Take what you have, offer it to Jesus, and watch Him do the impossible.
Because when we think we're done, He's just getting started.
No Comments