And they did all eat and were filled. And they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. Matthew 15:37
Twice in the Gospel of Matthew do we read of the Lord Jesus feeding thousands of people. The circumstances of each were much the same: a small amount of food was brought to the Lord Jesus, He blessed the bread and fish and broke it, and the disciples distributed the food to the multitudes. The only differences appear to be in the quantities of food provided and the numbers of people fed. In the first occasion, the provision was five loaves and two fish, and the diners included five thousand men plus women and children. In the second occasion, the provision was seven loaves and a few (presumably more than two) small fish, and the diners included four thousand men, plus women and children. Our text points out that another difference was the quantity of leftovers: twelve baskets in the first occasion and seven in the second. Why the difference?
Recently, several people were saved during a Gospel series not far from us. There was great rejoicing and surprise, just as there was great rejoicing and surprise during a Gospel series in Prince Edward Island when some dozen souls were saved. The surprise was because of the large numbers who were saved. We have become accustomed in recent years to appreciate the one or two who are saved in a Gospel series. The scarcity of blessing is often attributed to the difficulty in getting people from the community out to the meetings, so different from bygone decades when it was common for most people in an area to attend one or two meetings. Just as the numbers fed by the Lord Jesus were down and the amount left over for the disciples was down, so the blessings in the Gospel outreach are in apparent decline. Whose fault is that?
We can’t really fault the disciples for the smaller result. After all, they actually brought more food to the Lord Jesus on the second occasion. Neither can we blame the preachers today for smaller turnouts at meetings and fewer souls being saved. The preachers work just as hard and speak just as well as the preachers of earlier days. And the Christians in the Assemblies work just as hard to contact people, spread the word of the meetings, and to attend and support the meetings. The difference is outside of our control. Just as it was the power of the Lord Jesus that multiplied the food, so it is the power of the Lord Jesus that reaches and saves souls. When fewer were following Jesus, the blessing was less. As fewer hear the Gospel today, the blessing is less.
As summer Gospel work begins, let us remember it is not our work that produces results, nor our fault when the blessing is less than we hope. Like the disciples, let us keep bringing more to the Lord, and look to Him to bless. -Jim MacIntosh