Hope in the Wilderness

Around the Table
September 11, 2022

Luke 9:10-17
When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick. Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.” But Jesus said, “You feed them.”
“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” For there were about 5,000 men there.
Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.” So the people all sat down. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!

A Discipleship Lesson

Jesus Closes the Gap Between What We Have and What’s Needed.

Discipleship is the long, often painful process of moving followers of Jesus from independence to complete and utter dependence on Jesus. —Jimmy Dodd

Jesus gives us a glimpse of what’s to come

Luke 9: 7-9, 18-20
When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything Jesus was doing, he was puzzled. Some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. Others thought Jesus was Elijah or one of the other prophets risen from the dead.
“I beheaded John,” Herod said, “so who is this man about whom I hear such stories?” And he kept trying to see him.
One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.”
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!”

Jesus Transforms Our Hunger into Hope

Isaiah 25:6-9
On this mountain, the Lord Almighty will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with choice meat and the finest of wines. There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever!
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears.
He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people.
The Lord has spoken!
In that day the people will proclaim,
“This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the Lord, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!”

Our Meals Together are a Dress Rehearsal for our Future Feast with Jesus.

What should you do?
1. Come to Jesus
2. Bring what you have to Him
3. Join or Lead a Dinner Group