2026 Luke 9-1, ‘Da at’-Experiential Learning and Holiness
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2026-07-05 14:40
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‘Da at’-Experiential Learning and Holiness
Luke 9:1-17
Jesus fed 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish. This is a great miracle. Still God performs miracles through man. We learn three things from this passage.
First, compassion
The disciples returned from an evangelical journey. They had gone from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. Jesus knew that they needed rest. So, he took them and went to a remote place. But the crowds learned about it and followed him.
Around 5,000 men (20,000) came to Jesus. They were uninvited and very demanding people like crying babies. Jesus and his disciples’ private time were interfered and bothered by them. Jesus could have been upset and driven them away. But he welcomed them.
Mark 6:34 says, “When he saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” Compassion is ‘Frankedizoma’ in Greek meaning, ‘wrenching pain in intestines.’ “Compassion” is the combination of ‘com’ and ‘passion,’ meaning feel pains together. Jesus participated in their agony and pain.
In Greek, there are four kinds of love; Eros, Storge, Philia and Agape. We can shorten them into two. One is ‘easy love’ and the other is ‘difficult love.’ What is difficult love? It is to love the one who betrays and hurts me, who bothers my privacy and whom I have no relationships. Jesus did difficult love. He loved the sick, the poor and demon-possessed people who were suffering and abandoned.
We have family and close friends. We love them. It is not difficult to love them. But as Christians, we need to do difficult love such as going to campus to invite students to the church or offering money to help needy people.
Let’s pray to the Lord to give us the Holy Spirit to do difficult love with welcoming spirit and compassion.
Second, a sense of responsibility
Jesus took many hours to teach them about the kingdom of God and heal many sick people. Now it was late in the afternoon. The disciples were tired and hungry. Most likely, they were upset by endlessly demanding crowd. Their patience had reached its limit.
So, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Send the crowd away, so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and the lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” The Twelve’s suggestion looked reasonable and rational to handle the situation. It was already dark. They had no food and money. The crowd was hungry and they were too. The best way is to let them go and solve their problem by themselves. To simplify, “We each have to solve our own bread problem.” This seems to be realistic but irresponsible as servants of God.
What did Jesus reply, "You give them something to eat.” The 12 disciples couldn’t believe their ears. “What!” It was a too difficult task for them. It was impossible for them to feed this large crowd with their empty pocket situation. Jesus knew their situation. But he challenged them, "You give them something to eat." What is Jesus' will for his disciples? Jesus wants them to experience God, faith, and miracle through the problem. Now, there are 5,000 hungry people before you. Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.”
The disciples must have been wondered, “Me? How? I have no money. So, I cannot feed them.” If you think it rational, please admit it quickly that you have no faith in God.
Look at verse 3. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.” The disciples went out without money and healed the sick and cast out demons. By receiving the power and authority from God, they experienced great miracles. It is experiential knowledge, ‘Da, at’. They have already solved big problems without money. Then, shouldn't they solve the current problem in the same way?
If you look back on your life, haven't you experienced victory by faith with nothing? Then, when you encounter a problem like this, shouldn't you solve it using your experiential knowledge? But we are strange. Whenever a new problem comes, we become worried, anxious and restless. Don't do that. Be like David. “Just as God delivered me from the claws of bears and lions, He will deliver me from Goliath.” This is ‘Da at,’ experiential wisdom and knowledge.
Look at verse 1. “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases," We are people who do not live by what we have in our hands, but by the power and authority from God.
The spiritual mathematical formula is: what is in my hand plus what is in God's hand. How much could you possibly have in your hand? But look at God's hand.
Folks, you are busy studying and working. You are tired. You don't have much money. Yet, Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.’ How?
The solution to any problem is Jesus. If you live a mission-centered life witnessing Jesus and the kingdom of God, you do not need to worry about food.1 Corinthians 9:14 says, “The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” If you live a mission-centered life, God will meet your needs.
Folks, you need to shift your focus and concern. It is not about how much money you earn. How much money do you need to earn to buy a car, a house, live a stable life and do the work of God? It is not about the amount, but the source or origin. Where? From Jesus. For what? To do the work of God that is to feed those who are hungry in their body and spirit.
Here the main word is, ‘you.’ Jesus strongly challenged his disciples to have a sense of responsibility. It is you who should feed the hungry people. The disciples might think that the Herod government or rich people should feed them. But Jesus challenged them, “It is your responsibility.”
Jesus did not bypass their excuse that they could not feed them simply because they had no money. Jesus presses them hard to have a sense of responsibility for the hungry and suffering people because they are his disciples.
If you work hard for your own bread, it is mundane and worldly. If you work hard for someone else's bread, it is spiritual. George Müller always prayed, "Dear Lord, please give me bread." And he fed and educated thousands of orphans. Therefore, he was spiritual.
A priest was asked by a beggar for small money. Out of mercy, he gave the beggar money that could solve one meal. A few days later, the beggar came to him again for money and it happened continually. He came to know that the beggar asked for money not only from him but also from others. He was curious of how the beggar would use the money. So, he followed the beggar and saw his poor place where 9 other people were helplessly lain. The priest asked, “You yourself are not in good shape, then how can you help nine other people?” The beggar replied, “Sir, at least I can walk. If I am not responsible for these lain people, what might happen to them?” The priest’s conscience was pricked and he repented, “I am the servant of God, but how much I have the sense of responsibility for the hungry people in their body and soul?” He began to work and built a village for the sick.
Today, we hear from Jesus, “You give them something to eat.” I pray that we and our church may give something to feed the hunger in their body and soul.
I heard there are more than 25,000 students in SFU. They are young and promising outwardly but not a few suffer from fear and anxiety inwardly. Spiritually, many students are wounded and hungry under harassment of evil spirits. Out of ignorance and pride, many are eating poisonous weeds that are ungodly and secular culture that ends in destruction. Who should take care of such weary, tired, lonely and fearful students? Who should feed them?
Jesus says, “You give them something to eat!” You may point out someone else, “Gee, I am just a student. I am just a worker. I have no time. I have no biblical knowledge and money. Not me.” But it is you if you are a Christian. You give them something to eat. This is Christian’s responsibility.
The Twelves answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” According to John 6, the five loaves and two fish were brought by a boy. While the disciples were negative, amazingly a boy brought his lunch box to Jesus. It looked silly. “Hey, are you joking with me? You eat it, you punk.” No, Jesus received the boy’s five loaves and two fish, gave thanks to God, and fed five thousand people. Jesus works through man’s devotion even through such small devotion of boy.
Exodus 19:5-6 says, “If you obey me fully and keep my covenant, you will be a holy nation.” Holiness means being set apart to be used by God. For this, the person needs to be the place where he is supposed to be.
God is holy because He is always in His place. The God of the Trinity are in their own places. This is holiness. The opposite of holiness is filth that is leaving one’s proper place. The devil left the place where he belonged. Therefore, he is impure and cannot be used. The devil is ‘Hillel’ in Hebrew, meaning to praise.
The devil left the place where he should have been and sat on God's throne saying, "Hey, praise me instead of God." That is the devil.
Becoming a servant of the devil is simple. You just need to leave the place where you are supposed to be. The devil tempts us to leave the place where we should be. When someone leaves the place he belongs, people should warn him, "Hey, you're going to die! Go back quickly!" But instead, they praise him (her), "Hey, you are wise. Take it easy, man. Earn more money, study more and enjoy the world." That is work of the devil.
Holiness is being in the place God has given us and being used for His purposes. By coming to Jesus and offering his lunch box to Jesus, the boy was used by the Lord to feed 5,000. He is holy.
What are we to pursue in life? Holiness. God says, "Be holy, for I am holy." There are places God has given us. When we are in the place of worship, prayer and mission, we are used by God and we are holy. The meaning of life is being used by God. You study hard. You work and earn money. That is fine. But for what? When your knowledge and money are used by God to feed the hunger, you are holy.
I want you to experience a miracle from God. It's not winning a million-dollar lottery. It is not to make huge money and buy a big house. It is to heal the sick, cast demons and feed hungry souls by the name of Jesus. The boy experienced a miracle when he brought his lunch box of five loaves of bread and two fish to the Lord. That is small but God-pleasing devotion. What is your five loaves of bread and two fish? Your worship, your earnest prayer for one person or two and your small offering could be that. Then you will see God's power and glory.
Third, obedience
Look at verse 14. But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” The disciples would have argued with Jesus, “Why? Is it necessary? We have nothing. Moreover, having the undisciplined crowd sit down is too hard.” Let’s read 15. “The disciples did so, and everyone sat down.” Here we see their obedience. This is great. They simply obeyed Jesus’ words, going beyond their human reasons.
Look at verse 16. “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people.” Jesus did not ignore such small things. He gave thanks to God and broke them and gave them to the crowd through his disciples. Miracles appeared when the disciples distributed the bread to the people. I want you to be there to deliver the bread of Jesus to many hungry people in their body and soul.
Fourth, a trap
Verse 17 says, “They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” There are two crises: the crisis of hunger and the crisis of being full. Jesus commanded his disciples to gather the left over so that they might remember who the Provider was.
Hosea 13:5-6. “In the wilderness, when I fed them, they were satisfied; they became proud; then they forgot me” We should come to God when we are hungry. But once we are full, we would easily become proud.
I think you would soon be full. You must prepare yourselves from now to be thankful and faithful to the Lord so that you may not become proud and forget God. When you are full, remember God’s grace with gratitude and dedicate yourself to the Lord even more.
Do not leave the place where you are supposed to be. Do not think only of yourselves. This is sin and the path to destruction. Remember God and feed others. And gather the leftover. Why? You might get hungry again. At that time, think, “Ah, just as God filled me when I was hungry, He will fill me again when I am hungry.”
We can be both full and hungry. That is not the important thing. Do not worry. Do not be proud, either. Seek first God’s kingdom and feed the hungry people in body and soul. Being full must not become the goal of life. Live as holy people to fulfill the mission of feeding others in the places of worship, prayer and mission.
Luke 9:1-17
Jesus fed 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish. This is a great miracle. Still God performs miracles through man. We learn three things from this passage.
First, compassion
The disciples returned from an evangelical journey. They had gone from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. Jesus knew that they needed rest. So, he took them and went to a remote place. But the crowds learned about it and followed him.
Around 5,000 men (20,000) came to Jesus. They were uninvited and very demanding people like crying babies. Jesus and his disciples’ private time were interfered and bothered by them. Jesus could have been upset and driven them away. But he welcomed them.
Mark 6:34 says, “When he saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” Compassion is ‘Frankedizoma’ in Greek meaning, ‘wrenching pain in intestines.’ “Compassion” is the combination of ‘com’ and ‘passion,’ meaning feel pains together. Jesus participated in their agony and pain.
In Greek, there are four kinds of love; Eros, Storge, Philia and Agape. We can shorten them into two. One is ‘easy love’ and the other is ‘difficult love.’ What is difficult love? It is to love the one who betrays and hurts me, who bothers my privacy and whom I have no relationships. Jesus did difficult love. He loved the sick, the poor and demon-possessed people who were suffering and abandoned.
We have family and close friends. We love them. It is not difficult to love them. But as Christians, we need to do difficult love such as going to campus to invite students to the church or offering money to help needy people.
Let’s pray to the Lord to give us the Holy Spirit to do difficult love with welcoming spirit and compassion.
Second, a sense of responsibility
Jesus took many hours to teach them about the kingdom of God and heal many sick people. Now it was late in the afternoon. The disciples were tired and hungry. Most likely, they were upset by endlessly demanding crowd. Their patience had reached its limit.
So, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Send the crowd away, so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and the lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” The Twelve’s suggestion looked reasonable and rational to handle the situation. It was already dark. They had no food and money. The crowd was hungry and they were too. The best way is to let them go and solve their problem by themselves. To simplify, “We each have to solve our own bread problem.” This seems to be realistic but irresponsible as servants of God.
What did Jesus reply, "You give them something to eat.” The 12 disciples couldn’t believe their ears. “What!” It was a too difficult task for them. It was impossible for them to feed this large crowd with their empty pocket situation. Jesus knew their situation. But he challenged them, "You give them something to eat." What is Jesus' will for his disciples? Jesus wants them to experience God, faith, and miracle through the problem. Now, there are 5,000 hungry people before you. Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.”
The disciples must have been wondered, “Me? How? I have no money. So, I cannot feed them.” If you think it rational, please admit it quickly that you have no faith in God.
Look at verse 3. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.” The disciples went out without money and healed the sick and cast out demons. By receiving the power and authority from God, they experienced great miracles. It is experiential knowledge, ‘Da, at’. They have already solved big problems without money. Then, shouldn't they solve the current problem in the same way?
If you look back on your life, haven't you experienced victory by faith with nothing? Then, when you encounter a problem like this, shouldn't you solve it using your experiential knowledge? But we are strange. Whenever a new problem comes, we become worried, anxious and restless. Don't do that. Be like David. “Just as God delivered me from the claws of bears and lions, He will deliver me from Goliath.” This is ‘Da at,’ experiential wisdom and knowledge.
Look at verse 1. “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases," We are people who do not live by what we have in our hands, but by the power and authority from God.
The spiritual mathematical formula is: what is in my hand plus what is in God's hand. How much could you possibly have in your hand? But look at God's hand.
Folks, you are busy studying and working. You are tired. You don't have much money. Yet, Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.’ How?
The solution to any problem is Jesus. If you live a mission-centered life witnessing Jesus and the kingdom of God, you do not need to worry about food.1 Corinthians 9:14 says, “The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” If you live a mission-centered life, God will meet your needs.
Folks, you need to shift your focus and concern. It is not about how much money you earn. How much money do you need to earn to buy a car, a house, live a stable life and do the work of God? It is not about the amount, but the source or origin. Where? From Jesus. For what? To do the work of God that is to feed those who are hungry in their body and spirit.
Here the main word is, ‘you.’ Jesus strongly challenged his disciples to have a sense of responsibility. It is you who should feed the hungry people. The disciples might think that the Herod government or rich people should feed them. But Jesus challenged them, “It is your responsibility.”
Jesus did not bypass their excuse that they could not feed them simply because they had no money. Jesus presses them hard to have a sense of responsibility for the hungry and suffering people because they are his disciples.
If you work hard for your own bread, it is mundane and worldly. If you work hard for someone else's bread, it is spiritual. George Müller always prayed, "Dear Lord, please give me bread." And he fed and educated thousands of orphans. Therefore, he was spiritual.
A priest was asked by a beggar for small money. Out of mercy, he gave the beggar money that could solve one meal. A few days later, the beggar came to him again for money and it happened continually. He came to know that the beggar asked for money not only from him but also from others. He was curious of how the beggar would use the money. So, he followed the beggar and saw his poor place where 9 other people were helplessly lain. The priest asked, “You yourself are not in good shape, then how can you help nine other people?” The beggar replied, “Sir, at least I can walk. If I am not responsible for these lain people, what might happen to them?” The priest’s conscience was pricked and he repented, “I am the servant of God, but how much I have the sense of responsibility for the hungry people in their body and soul?” He began to work and built a village for the sick.
Today, we hear from Jesus, “You give them something to eat.” I pray that we and our church may give something to feed the hunger in their body and soul.
I heard there are more than 25,000 students in SFU. They are young and promising outwardly but not a few suffer from fear and anxiety inwardly. Spiritually, many students are wounded and hungry under harassment of evil spirits. Out of ignorance and pride, many are eating poisonous weeds that are ungodly and secular culture that ends in destruction. Who should take care of such weary, tired, lonely and fearful students? Who should feed them?
Jesus says, “You give them something to eat!” You may point out someone else, “Gee, I am just a student. I am just a worker. I have no time. I have no biblical knowledge and money. Not me.” But it is you if you are a Christian. You give them something to eat. This is Christian’s responsibility.
The Twelves answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” According to John 6, the five loaves and two fish were brought by a boy. While the disciples were negative, amazingly a boy brought his lunch box to Jesus. It looked silly. “Hey, are you joking with me? You eat it, you punk.” No, Jesus received the boy’s five loaves and two fish, gave thanks to God, and fed five thousand people. Jesus works through man’s devotion even through such small devotion of boy.
Exodus 19:5-6 says, “If you obey me fully and keep my covenant, you will be a holy nation.” Holiness means being set apart to be used by God. For this, the person needs to be the place where he is supposed to be.
God is holy because He is always in His place. The God of the Trinity are in their own places. This is holiness. The opposite of holiness is filth that is leaving one’s proper place. The devil left the place where he belonged. Therefore, he is impure and cannot be used. The devil is ‘Hillel’ in Hebrew, meaning to praise.
The devil left the place where he should have been and sat on God's throne saying, "Hey, praise me instead of God." That is the devil.
Becoming a servant of the devil is simple. You just need to leave the place where you are supposed to be. The devil tempts us to leave the place where we should be. When someone leaves the place he belongs, people should warn him, "Hey, you're going to die! Go back quickly!" But instead, they praise him (her), "Hey, you are wise. Take it easy, man. Earn more money, study more and enjoy the world." That is work of the devil.
Holiness is being in the place God has given us and being used for His purposes. By coming to Jesus and offering his lunch box to Jesus, the boy was used by the Lord to feed 5,000. He is holy.
What are we to pursue in life? Holiness. God says, "Be holy, for I am holy." There are places God has given us. When we are in the place of worship, prayer and mission, we are used by God and we are holy. The meaning of life is being used by God. You study hard. You work and earn money. That is fine. But for what? When your knowledge and money are used by God to feed the hunger, you are holy.
I want you to experience a miracle from God. It's not winning a million-dollar lottery. It is not to make huge money and buy a big house. It is to heal the sick, cast demons and feed hungry souls by the name of Jesus. The boy experienced a miracle when he brought his lunch box of five loaves of bread and two fish to the Lord. That is small but God-pleasing devotion. What is your five loaves of bread and two fish? Your worship, your earnest prayer for one person or two and your small offering could be that. Then you will see God's power and glory.
Third, obedience
Look at verse 14. But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” The disciples would have argued with Jesus, “Why? Is it necessary? We have nothing. Moreover, having the undisciplined crowd sit down is too hard.” Let’s read 15. “The disciples did so, and everyone sat down.” Here we see their obedience. This is great. They simply obeyed Jesus’ words, going beyond their human reasons.
Look at verse 16. “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people.” Jesus did not ignore such small things. He gave thanks to God and broke them and gave them to the crowd through his disciples. Miracles appeared when the disciples distributed the bread to the people. I want you to be there to deliver the bread of Jesus to many hungry people in their body and soul.
Fourth, a trap
Verse 17 says, “They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” There are two crises: the crisis of hunger and the crisis of being full. Jesus commanded his disciples to gather the left over so that they might remember who the Provider was.
Hosea 13:5-6. “In the wilderness, when I fed them, they were satisfied; they became proud; then they forgot me” We should come to God when we are hungry. But once we are full, we would easily become proud.
I think you would soon be full. You must prepare yourselves from now to be thankful and faithful to the Lord so that you may not become proud and forget God. When you are full, remember God’s grace with gratitude and dedicate yourself to the Lord even more.
Do not leave the place where you are supposed to be. Do not think only of yourselves. This is sin and the path to destruction. Remember God and feed others. And gather the leftover. Why? You might get hungry again. At that time, think, “Ah, just as God filled me when I was hungry, He will fill me again when I am hungry.”
We can be both full and hungry. That is not the important thing. Do not worry. Do not be proud, either. Seek first God’s kingdom and feed the hungry people in body and soul. Being full must not become the goal of life. Live as holy people to fulfill the mission of feeding others in the places of worship, prayer and mission.