The One Year New Testament

February 5

Matthew 14:13-36

Matthew 14:13-36

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

Reflection

Jesus demonstrates his power and compassion in a way that helps us see that he is one with the God of Israel. In the Old Testament, God graciously and miraculously feeds his people in the wilderness (Ex. 16:1–17:7), and now Jesus compassionately provides miraculous food for needy people in a desolate place (Matt. 14:13–21; see also 15:32). In the Old Testament, God controls the wind and the waves, and rescues those who call to him for help during storms at sea (Ps. 107:23–32; see also Matt. 8:27). Here Jesus does the same with his disciples (14:22–33).

Through Jesus, God continues to help his people at their points of need, not because of anything within themselves that makes them worthy of his help but because he is a gracious and merciful God who delights in helping the needy (Eph. 1:18–23).

Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1-2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Reflection

Once his readers have heard the important teachings about God’s gracious salvation (Romans 1–11), Paul wants them to respond to the gospel. The “mercies of God” that have been explained in the first 11 chapters should strengthen us to now present our whole selves and lives completely to God (Rom. 12:1). Part of this requires us to resist adopting the sinful tendencies of “this world” (v. 2). Instead we should be “transformed” by learning how to think from God’s perspective (v. 2), which is revealed most clearly to us in the Bible. This will result in the ability to detect and follow God’s will (v. 2).

The aim of the gospel message is not merely head knowledge, but lives that connect with God, delight in his will, and pursue his purposes.

Psalm 107:28-31

Psalm 107:28-31

28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
29 He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!

Thoughts For Prayer

The Creator of the world is not looking for us to do great things for him; he is the Mighty One who has done great things for us. Have no shame about your needs, and humbly bring your requests to the only one who is truly able to do something about them.

Missions Prayer Requests More

  • June 15, 2025

    Supported Workers: Human Coalition Cleveland (Health for Her)

    Country: United States of America

    Pray for God to provide someone with a passion for their mission to fill the nurse coordinator position. Their staff is being trained in a new process to be used in ministering to their clients. Pray for patience for the staff and that the new process will be helpful in bringing hope found in Christ to those who come for assistance. They can use new boys’ and girls’ clothing in sizes 3-24 months for their Baby Boutique. Pray that this need will be met.

    Cambodia (Asia). Population: 17,847,982 Believers: 1.6%. Spiritual darkness persists in Cambodia and must be lifted by prayer. That darkness is seen in ubiquitous spirit shrines, Buddhism’s opposition to any ideological rival, and a general moral collapse. Pray for the light of the gospel to so shine that the structures of society as well as of individuals may be decisively changed. From Operation World DVD-ROM 2010 and www.operationworld.org