Jesus - the World's Greatest Economist!
John 6 v 4 Now the PASSOVER, the feast of the Jews, was approaching.
(John 6) Jesus walked up the mountainside and sat down there with His disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was approaching. 5 Jesus looked up then, and seeing that a vast multitude was coming toward Him, He said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread, so that all these people may eat? 6 But He said this to prove (test) him, for He well knew what He was about to do.
I am a (retired) Economist. In its most simple and concise definition Economics is the study of how society uses its limited or scarce resources. In my (much younger) days I preached a message titled Jesus - the World's Greatest Economist. This was my way of acknowledging Jesus Christ as the greatest within my field of study. I completed a Master of Economics (in Tasmania) with a thesis on Unemployment in the mid 1970s.
This message was built around the feeding of the 5000 men (probably more than 10 000 counting women and children). He was faced with an extreme resource problem - how to feed so many with just a boy's (stale) lunch. He blessed and broke the bread and fish. There were 12 baskets of food OVER. No one else could have done what He did in miraculously feeding this huge multitude!!
This miracle was only achieved by the bread and fish being broken and shared, and passed to each person. The most poignant aspect was this pointed to Jesus, the Passover Lamb, who was broken on the Cross for us. In the narrative in John 6, the most important words are 'and the Passover was drawing nigh’.
All of us have known the great provision for us through Jehovah Jireh, Our Provider. As a result of Covid 19 nations have embarked on stimulus measures that are usually reserved for times of War. My nation Australia has spent well over $200 billion in trying to alleviate the social and economic impact of Covid 19. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs, and thousands of businesses have closed.
We have indebted ourselves heavily to the future. In the time we have before the Rapture, individuals, businesses, churches, sporting groups nations need to look to Jesus as the One Who can Provide – and add a supernatural dimension in our time of great need. He is still the World's Greatest Economist.
He is also the Great Physician and can heal our nations, and shift our society back to centrality of the Cross. On this foundation we see that the early Church also miraculously met the needs of all (through a change of hearts).
(Acts 4) Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need!!!!
Maranatha! Denis in Canberra!!