As we talked about last time, we all at times face the impossible don’t we? And no matter what we do it just isn’t enough.

Maybe a marriage implodes. Or health crumbles. Or a new enterprise collapses.

Suddenly we’re struggling trying to figure out what to do. Feeling scared and alone because nothing is working like it should.

As we looked at last time, Jesus’ disciples faced the impossible. 20,000 hungry people that Jesus just told them to feed. Yet, they didn’t have enough food even for themselves.

Suddenly they had to act on their minuscule faith. That seemed like an impossibility in itself.

Yet, I find encouragement for my own impossibilities in this story.

Amazingly, we see miracles happening inside of miracles.

First, of course, is the main miracle. 20,000 people were fed with a small supper that should have fed two. The food kept multiplying. No matter how much one person took when they passed on the basket there was more food.

Then the baskets multiplied. They started with one and ended up with twelve. Maybe others shared their food also. Maybe the disciples had more baskets. Maybe the baskets themselves multiplied. I don’t know when that happened because we aren’t told.

Third, the people were changed. They shared. No hoarding. No fighting. As long as the baskets kept moving the miracle expanded.

Fourth, the disciples were changed. They’d seen the impossible happen and they would never be the same again.

They gained an important perspective in thinking beyond their own ability to fix the impossible. Suddenly God did something completely outside of their experience and understanding.

And it all started simply because the disciples took their impossibility and gave it to the one who makes all things possible.

What would happen if we did the same?

*Matthew 14: 19-21

We all have times when we face the impossible don’t we? Often it’s not because we failed to plan properly or we didn’t try hard enough.

Yet, it happens anyway. The impossible.

And it leaves us feeling demoralized, afraid and frustrated. We think, “It not supposed to be like this.”

Jesus disciples faced exactly that. Jesus had been teaching and healing all day by the Sea of Galilee. Night was coming and the disciples told Jesus, “Everyone needs to head into the village to find dinner.”

Jesus responds, “No, you feed them.”

The disciples looked at each other bewildered then said, “Uh Jesus, we don’t have enough for ourselves. And we’re guessing we’ve got around 20,000 people here?”

Jesus responded, “Bring me your basket of food.”

So they did.

This story offers some interesting insights into facing the impossible.

Jesus says, “Bring me your problem. And bring me what you have. It’ll be enough. I’ll fill in the rest.”

How often is this the last thing we do rather than the first? How often do we thrash around in our own strategies until we’re exhausted then finally bring him the problem?

The disciples had no idea what Jesus would do but when he said that they expected him to act. Otherwise they were really going to look like fools. I wonder if that’s what holds us back sometimes?

I would add to that, they expected the unexpected. When we’re completely out of answers then we can expect God to act in a new way.

Surprisingly then the disciples were given the food back for them to distribute. They weren’t relieved of their involvement. Now they needed to act on their expectation.

And when they did they saw a miracle. Jesus worked the impossible.

He offers the same to us as well.

We’ll look at this further next time.

*Matthew 14:15-18