Twelve Baskets
I have often wondered at the parable of feeding the five thousand especially where the Holy Spirit tells us that after everyone ate and was filled, the disciples removed twelve baskets full.
Here is a quick description of how Pastor Sowell put it. He believed that the basket is a picture of the christian. First you have the meaningless baskets. To begin with our life is meaningless. People who followed Jesus into the wilderness took some empty baskets with them and they would have served for nothing empty as they were. Then you get the miracle baskets which refer to our life once the Lord has performed a miracle and we get born again. Then our life becomes meaningful and we can go out and teach others feeding them on the bread of life. This is the missionary basket. The twelve full baskets of left over food were taken back home to feed those people who did not come out to meet the Lord. Towards the end of life the basket becomes a memorial basket when stricken with age we cannot go out and do the same work we did. You look at the old men of God and you remember what they did in their lifetime. These are the memorial basket.
That message was a booster in the life of so many in our church. Christian: Are you a missionary basket and is your basket filled with the bread of life and of fish? Are you filled with the word of life and have you led men to Christ? Jesus said if you follow me, I will make you fishers of men.
Thank you Lord for Pastor Sowell's ministry. I finally understand why the numerous references to the twelve baskets that were lifted once Jesus had fed the thousands.
