First Baptist Church Litchfield
March 15, 2026

      • Psalm 73:23–28ESV

  • How Great Is Our God
  • Jesus Messiah

      • John 6:32–40ESV

  • Christ Is Enough
  • At The Cross (Love Ran Red)
  • Give Me Jesus

  • William Carey and God’s Mercy to the Nations

    In the early days of the modern missionary movement, a young English pastor named William Carey proposed that Christians should send missionaries to the nations who had never heard the gospel.
    At a ministers’ meeting in 1787, Carey suggested that the church take seriously the command of Christ to make disciples of all nations.
    One older pastor reportedly responded sharply, “Young man, sit down. When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your help or mine.”
    Whether those exact words were spoken or not, the sentiment of those words reflected a widespread belief among many Christians at the time. The gospel, in their minds, was largely a local possession. It belonged to their culture, their people, their churches.
    Carey, however, could not reconcile that idea with Scripture. He believed that Christ’s kingdom was meant for every nation, tribe, and tongue. So he went to India in 1793 and spent more than forty years translating Scripture, preaching the gospel, and helping launch the global missionary movement.
    What Carey understood, and what many of his contemporary Christians had forgotten, is that the mercy of God is never confined to one people group. That same struggle existed in the first century.
    Many Jews believed the Messiah belonged to Israel alone. The blessings of the kingdom were thought to be reserved for God’s covenant people. But in Matthew 15, Jesus travels into Gentile territory and begins doing something remarkable. He heals Gentiles. He feeds Gentiles. And the Gentiles glorify the God of Israel. What are Matthew’s audience to make of this? What are we to make of it?
    It is natural for our fallen nature to assume that God’s mercy belongs only to certain people. Pride, ethnicity, culture, and religion tempt us to believe that the kingdom of God belongs to “our kind.” But Christ reveals that His saving compassion extends far beyond the boundaries we create. In fact, our text this morning shows us how,

    Jesus reveals that the promised Messiah of Israel is also the Savior of the Gentiles, extending the kingdom’s healing, provision, and mercy to all who come to Him.

    What began with the deliverance of one Gentile girl now spreads to the Gentile crowds. The blessings of the Messiah are reaching the nations. First Jesus, the Messiah, restores the nations with healing.

    I. Jesus, the Messiah, Restores the Nations (Matthew 15:29–31)

    Matthew tells us in Matthew 15:29–31 that Jesus remains in Gentile territory. The Lord walks beside the Sea of Galilee and then ascends a mountain and sits down. Matthew writes, “Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there” (Matthew 15:29). When Jesus sits upon a mountain, it signals that something significant is about to take place. The King is taking His seat, and His kingdom is about to be revealed, not to the Jews, but to the Gentiles.
    Matthew then records how the Gentiles respond to His presence. Word spreads quickly that Jesus is nearby, and great crowds begin to gather around Him. But notice what they bring with them. They come carrying their broken loved ones. Matthew tells us, “great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet” (Matthew 15:30). Children are carried by parents. Elderly family members are supported by relatives. Friends carry friends who cannot walk on their own. All of them are brought to one place. Matthew says they lay them at the feet of Jesus.
    That detail is striking. They place them at His feet because they know instinctively what every sinner must eventually learn. When we reach the end of our strength, there is only one place left to go. We fall at the feet of Christ.
    And what does Jesus do? Matthew tells us simply and beautifully, “and he healed them” (Matthew 15:30). The broken are restored. The crippled are made whole. The blind see. The mute begin to speak. The lame rise and walk again.
    The entire scene feels deeply familiar to anyone who knows the Old Testament. Jesus ascending the mountain reminds us of Moses climbing Mount Sinai. Moses ascended the mountain to meet with God and mediate His covenant to Israel (Exodus 19:3; 24:12–18). Throughout Matthew’s Gospel we have already seen that Jesus is the greater Moses. Moses delivered Israel from Egypt, but Jesus delivers His people from sin (Matthew 1:21). Moses mediated the old covenant, but Christ mediates the new and better covenant (Hebrews 8:6).
    Yet there is an even clearer echo in this passage. Matthew wants us to hear the words of the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah 35:5–6, the prophet describes what will happen when the Messiah comes. He writes,
    “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy” (Isaiah 35:5–6).
    Isaiah was describing the arrival of the kingdom of God. When the Messiah appears, broken bodies will be restored and suffering will give way to joy.
    Now look again at Matthew’s description. “The mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing” (Matthew 15:31). Matthew is intentionally showing us that the promises Isaiah made are being fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus.
    What is even more remarkable is Isaiah spoke those promises to Israel. Yet in Matthew 15 these blessings are taking place among Gentiles. Matthew you wants you to see,
    The same Messiah who brings restoration to Israel is bringing restoration to the nations.
    The kingdom of God is expanding beyond the borders of Israel. The mercy of God is crossing cultural and ethnic boundaries. The blessings promised to Abraham are beginning to flow to the nations just as God said they would. God promised Abraham, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). What we are witnessing in Matthew fifteen is the beginning of that promise unfolding.
    And how do the Gentiles respond?
    Matthew tells us, “the crowd wondered… and they glorified the God of Israel” (Matthew 15:31).
    That phrase, “the God of Israel,” is significant. These Gentiles are not praising pagan idols. They are glorifying the God of Israel. They recognize that the power they are witnessing comes from the one true God. Jesus’ miracles were never merely displays of power. They were signs pointing people to the glory of the one true God.
    Jesus Himself said that His works revealed the Father. “The works that the Father has given me to accomplish… bear witness about me that the Father has sent me” (John 5:36). Every healing, every miracle, every act of compassion reveals the character of the God of Israel. And here in Gentile territory, the nations begin to recognize Him. The God of Israel is becoming known among the Gentiles.
    This was always God’s plan. From the beginning, the Lord intended that the nations would worship Him. The psalmist anticipated this day when he wrote, “Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you” (Psalm 67:3). One day people from every nation would glorify the Lord together.
    The scene on that mountain is a preview of what heaven will one day look like. The apostle John describes that moment in Revelation 7:9, where he sees “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” What begins on this mountain in Gentile territory will one day culminate in a global chorus of worship.
    Christ says to the lost, weary, and broken sinner, both Jew and Gentile, give me your tired, your hungry, and your poor. I will restore you, and complete you.
    Church, our Savior is not distant or indifferent or aloof toward us in our misery. When Jesus sees the broken, He moves toward them in mercy. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we have a High Priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15–16). We can bring our burdens, our fears, and our struggles to Him knowing that He cares for us, moreover, he restores us.
    Jesus does not stop pouring out his blessing on the Gentiles with restoration. He feeds them miraculously in the same way he fed the Jews.

    II. Jesus, the Messiah, Feeds the Nations (Matthew 15:32–38)

    The crows glorifies the God of Israel in verse 31. Now Jesus calls his disciples to express his concern for how the crowd is going to eat dinner that night. They have been traveling with Jesus three days. They are in a desolate place, meaning they do not have access to real food. The only food the disciples have is seven loaves and a few fish. Matthew says there are over 4,000 men besides women and children. The crowd was likely 15,000 to 20,000 people. No matter how you looked at it, there was not enough food, practically speaking, to feed everyone. But Jesus is not just a practical Messiah. He is a miracle working Messiah.
    When Jesus looks at the crowd, he does not see them as a massive problem to fix. He sees them through the lens of heaven’s compassion.
    The Greek word translated “to have compassion” is splanchnizomai. It comes from the noun splanchnon, which in its literal sense refers to the inner organs or bowels (see Acts 1:18). In the ancient world, people often used parts of the body to describe deep emotional realities. Much like we speak today of the “heart” as the center of our emotions, the ancients believed the inner organs were the seat of love, sympathy, affection, and compassion.
    The term splanchnon came to represent the deep inner movement of mercy and tenderness toward another person. Scripture reflects this usage in several places, where the word refers to profound affection and compassion (see Luke 1:78; 2 Corinthians 6:12; 7:15; Philippians 2:1; Colossians 3:12).
    The verb splanchnizomai, therefore, describes a compassion that rises from deep within a person’s being. It appears only in the Synoptic Gospels, and outside of a few parables told by Jesus (Matthew 18:27; Luke 10:33; 15:20), the word is most often used to describe Jesus Himself.
    This tells us something important about the character of Christ. His compassion was not shallow or sentimental. It was a deep, inward movement of mercy that compelled Him to act. When Jesus saw the crowds wandering like sheep without a shepherd, He was moved with compassion and began to teach them (Matthew 9:36; Mark 6:34). When He saw the hungry multitude, His compassion led Him to feed them (Matthew 15:32; Mark 8:2). When He encountered the sick, the blind, and the suffering, His compassion moved Him to heal them (Matthew 14:14; 20:34; Mark 1:41; Luke 7:13).
    In other words, when the Gospels say that Jesus had compassion, they are telling us that His mercy arose from the deepest part of His being and moved Him to relieve the suffering of others. Take note in our text, the others were those outside of Israel-sworn enemies even. Oh, brothers and sisters, that we would pray for God to give us such hearts of compassion toward our neighbors, and our enemies!
    Jesus’ compassion compelled Him to feed the crowd of Gentiles sitting at His feet. But the disciples quickly recognize the problem. There are only seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Humanly speaking, the situation appears impossible.
    If Jesus were merely a rabbi or a Jewish philosopher, this task could never be accomplished. Even the logistical power of the Roman Empire would struggle to feed such a crowd in the wilderness. But as Matthew has already shown us throughout this Gospel, Jesus is not an ordinary teacher.
    Jesus is the incarnate Son of God.
    He is fully human, yet fully divine. The apostle John tells us, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The eternal Son of God stepped into human history and took on our nature. Paul describes this mystery in Philippians 2:6–8, explaining that though Christ existed in the form of God, He did not cling to His equality with God but humbled Himself by taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient even to the point of death on a cross.
    Throughout Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus has already revealed His divine authority. He has walked on the water (Matthew 14:25). He has cast out demons with a word (Matthew 8:16). He has healed the blind, the lame, and the diseased (Matthew 14:14; 15:30). Each miracle testifies the God man.
    Now Jesus will demonstrate His divine authority once again.
    With only a few loaves and a handful of fish, He will feed thousands. What seems impossible for man is effortless for the Son of God. By multiplying the bread and fish, Jesus reveals that the One standing before them is no ordinary rabbi. He is the Lord of creation, the One who provides abundantly for His those in His care.
    Jesus then instructs the crowd to sit down. He takes the bread in His hands and gives thanks to the Father. The disciples begin distributing the food, passing it from person to person throughout the massive crowd. Matthew tells us that everyone ate and was satisfied (Matthew 15:36–37). No one leaves hungry. In fact, the provision of Christ is so abundant that when the meal is finished, the disciples gather seven large baskets full of leftovers (Matthew 15:37).
    Such abundance reminds us of an important truth about the kingdom of Christ.
    No one goes hungry in the presence of the Savior. When Christ provides, He provides more than enough.
    At this point it is difficult not to think back to the Canaanite woman earlier in the chapter. When she came to Jesus pleading for her daughter, she spoke with remarkable humility and faith. She said that even the dogs are content to eat the crumbs that fall from the children’s table (Matthew 15:27). She believed that even the smallest portion of Christ’s mercy would be enough.
    Now look at what Jesus is doing here.
    What once appeared to be crumbs has become a feast.
    Instead of a single Gentile woman receiving mercy, thousands of Gentiles are now sitting before Christ. Instead of crumbs falling from a table, Jesus invites them to sit down and eat until they are satisfied. What began with a humble request for scraps has become a banquet of grace.
    The Messiah who came first to Israel is now revealing that His mercy extends to the nations.
    And when I see this scene, it naturally lifts my eyes beyond this mountain to something even greater. This meal is a small preview of the great celebration that is still to come. Scripture tells us that one day every tribe, nation, and tongue will gather around Christ at the wedding supper of the Lamb (Revelation 7:9; 19:9). On that day the redeemed from all nations will sit at the table of the King, and the Lord Himself will satisfy His people forever.
    The feeding of these Gentiles is not a miracle of bread and fish. It is a glimpse of the coming kingdom, when the grace of Christ gathers the nations and the people of God sit down together at His table and are satisfied in Him.

    III. Jesus, the Messiah, Satisfies All Who Come to Him (Matthew 15:36–39)

    Verse thirty–seven says, “And they all ate and were satisfied” (Matthew 15:37). The people were physically hungry, and Jesus satisfied them with bread. Their stomachs were empty, and Christ provided food until every person in the crowd was full.
    But Jesus knew something important about that bread. It would only satisfy them for a moment. A few hours later they would be hungry again. Physical bread always works that way.
    In John’s Gospel, Jesus addresses this very issue after feeding another crowd. He confronts their motives directly. He tells them that they were seeking Him not because they understood the sign, but because their stomachs had been filled. Jesus says, “You are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves” (John 6:26).
    Then Jesus redirects their thinking. If they had eyes to see, they would realize that the miracle of bread was pointing to something far greater. He tells them that He Himself is the true bread from heaven. “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).
    In other words, Jesus is saying, “I did not come to only fill your stomach. I came to satisfy your soul.”
    That raises an important question.

    What does it mean to satisfy the soul?

    Satisfying the soul in the Christian life, comes through a fundamental reordering of our desires. The human heart will never be satisfied by collecting blessings, experiences, or things. True satisfaction comes only when Christ Himself becomes the object of our affection.
    Many people pursue the things that come from God rather than God Himself. You love his gifts, while denying the Giver. You long for peace, assurance, joy, stability, or particular answers to prayer. Yet even when those things are received, something still feels incomplete. That is because the human heart was never designed to be satisfied by fleeting material gifts (Eccl 3:11). It was designed to be satisfied by the Giver.
    There is a profound paradox in the Christian life. Chasing God’s good things in this world will not satisfy your heart. But one perfect Person who possesses every perfection will. Paul says it this way: “In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). When you possess Christ, you possesses the One in whom every spiritual treasure exists in fullness.
    Your heart longs deeply for love, belonging, companionship, and security. Those longings ultimately find their home in Christ. Rather than pursuing the fruits of the spiritual life one by one, the believer receives something far greater. In receiving Christ, you receive the One in whom all treasures exist in fullness.
    This satisfaction reaches deeper than emotional happiness. Scripture often describes the deepest longings of the soul with the language of hunger and thirst. Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6).
    That promise begins now, but it will be perfectly fulfilled when Christ returns and His kingdom is fully revealed. On that day every longing of the redeemed heart will be satisfied forever.
    If infinite divine love could not satisfy the human heart, then the human heart would be incapable of satisfaction at all. But God created the human heart to find its rest in Him. As Augustine famously said,
    “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.” Augustine
    True and lasting satisfaction is found only in Christ, where everything is perfect, beautiful, ordered, and eternal. In Him the restless heart of every Jew and Gentile finally discovers what it has been searching for all along. And when you find it, you are satisfied.
    There is a beautiful consequence to your satisfaction in God. He receives glory. When you find your soul’s rest in Christ, and the world sees that in you, Jesus is made much of.
    That is why I think John Piper’s theology in a nutshell is absolutely spot on:
    “ God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him.” John Piper

    Three Ways to Live Satisfied in the Messiah Who Came For The Nations.

    When Carey urged the church to take the gospel to the nations, he was told to sit down and leave the salvation of the heathen to God. Many believers in his day assumed that the mercy of Christ belonged mainly to their own people.
    But Matthew fifteen shows us something very different.
    On that mountain in Gentile territory, Jesus healed the broken, fed the hungry, and satisfied thousands who did not belong to Israel. The Messiah of Israel revealed Himself to be the Savior of the nations. The bread of the kingdom was not reserved for one table. It was meant to feed the world.
    That is the truth Matthew wants us to see.
    Jesus is the Messiah for the Gentiles. The same Christ who restored and fed Israel now extends His mercy to the nations.
    The people sitting on that hillside were a preview of what God had always promised. One day men and women from every tribe, nation, and language would gather around Christ and glorify the God of Israel. Carey simply believed what Scripture had already revealed. The Messiah came not only for one people, but for the world.
    So what should we do with this truth?

    First, we must come to Christ ourselves.

    Some of you are still trying to satisfy your heart with crumbs. You are chasing success, security, comfort, or religious activity, hoping those things will quiet the hunger in your soul. But Jesus says He alone is the Bread of Life. Come to Him. Trust Him. Only Christ can satisfy the deepest hunger of your heart.

    Second, we must bring others to Christ.

    In this passage the crowds brought their broken loved ones and laid them at Jesus’ feet. That is still the mission of the church. Your family members, your neighbors, your coworkers, and the nations of the world are filled with people who are spiritually broken and starving for life. Our calling is to bring them to the feet of Christ through the gospel.

    Finally, we must embrace the global heart of Christ.

    The Savior who fed those Gentiles is still gathering people from every tribe and nation. The question before us is simple. Will we sit comfortably at the table, or will we participate in bringing the nations to the feast?
    William Carey once said,
    “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.” William Carey
    Matthew fifteen shows us why.
    The table of Christ is big enough for the nations. The bread of Christ is sufficient for the world. And the Messiah who satisfied that Gentile crowd is still satisfying hearts today.
    So come to Him. Bring others to Him. And join the mission of the King who is gathering the nations to His table.
  • Grace Greater Than Our Sin
First Baptist Church Litchfield
pastorjason.fbcl@gmail.com
217-324-4232
http://www.firstbaptistlitchfield.org/
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