Pentecost Week Thirteen - Facing Impossible Needs

Does anyone remember this comedy sketch? Lucy and Ethel are working on a candy conveyor belt and become overwhelmed by the speed at which the candy is arriving. They can’t keep up, so they start eating the candy and stuffing it into their dresses to hide it. I think the disciples feel a little overwhelmed today!

New Testament Reading: Luke 9:12-13
Old Testament Reading: Numbers 11:21-23

Wednesday: Facing Impossible Needs

IHave you ever faced a problem so overwhelming you didn’t even know where to begin? What is the first thing you do? Do you do what the disciples - get anxious and panic and try to think of something - anything to fix the problem.

What was their practical solution? Send the people away. Not such a good solution.

Jesus’ response must have startled them: “You give them something to eat.”

What????

Historical Context:
Feeding a massive crowd would have been an enormous challenge. We spoke about this yesterday - logistically it was what? ... impossible!

Moses had a similar problem - too many mouths to feed and not enough food.
He doubted the Lord’s ability to provide meat for the Israelites wandering in the wilderness.

At the time, the Israelites were a nomadic people, moving through barren desert regions where food sources were scarce. Moses questioned how God could possibly meet the needs of over 600,000 people, but God’s response was unequivocal: “Is the Lord’s arm too short?”
This rhetorical question reminded Moses—and now reminds us—that God’s power is not limited by human constraints.

Both Moses and the disciples were confronted with seemingly impossible needs. And both stories are filled with doubt and anxiousness clouding one key point - God is with them!

Yes, in both stories, we will see how God turned scarcity into abundance, teaching His people to trust His provision.
But in Luke's story I think most of us are missing one key point. Once again - it's not about us, it's not even about Jesus - it's about being Better Together!

When Jesus says, “You give them something to eat,” He isn’t mocking the disciples’ limited resources or setting them up for failure.
 Instead, He’s inviting them to be active participants in His mission.  By involving them in the miracle, Jesus is teaching a profound lesson: God doesn’t just work for us—He works through us.

Jesus could have fed the crowd without the disciples’ help. Yet, He intentionally draws them into the process, teaching them to trust Him and to step out in faith.

This is a pattern throughout Scripture: God delights in working through His people, even when they feel inadequate (e.g., Moses at the Red Sea, Gideon’s small army, or David with his sling).

The disciples, like us, were quick to focus on what they didn’t have. “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they said, essentially declaring, “This is impossible!”

But Jesus’ response challenges their mindset: instead of focusing on their lack, they are called to trust in God’s abundance.

This moment teaches a crucial lesson: when we offer what little we have, God can multiply it far beyond what we imagine. The disciples’ small offering becomes the foundation for one of the most astounding miracles in Jesus’ ministry.

Modern Context:
This story isn’t just about what happened in the first century; it’s a model for how the Church is called to act today. Jesus still says to His followers, “You give them something to eat.”

We often feel like the disciples: overwhelmed, under-resourced, and unsure where to start. But Jesus reminds us that the little we have—time, talents, gifts—can be multiplied when we place it in His hands.

I say it all the time… the Church is called to be His hands and feet, meeting both physical and spiritual needs in the world.

We all face “impossible” situations today—whether it’s financial struggles, broken relationships, or health crises. Like the disciples, we often focus on what? What we don’t have! We convince ourselves that our resources are too small to make a difference.

But Jesus invites us to shift our perspective. The same God who fed the Israelites in the wilderness and the five thousand by the Sea of Galilee is at work in our lives today. He specializes in transforming impossibilities into opportunities for His glory.

Reflection:
Are you facing an “impossible” situation right now? Are you trusting God’s provision to change the way you approach it? Not the problem - your approach!

What resources, however small, can you offer to God today?

Prayer:
Lord, when I face impossible situations, remind me that nothing is too difficult for You.
Help me to trust in Your power and provision, even when I feel inadequate.
Teach me to step out in faith, knowing that You are always faithful and capable of meeting every need.
Amen.