Oakbrook Evangelical Free Church

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John 6:1-13 “After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. “And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. “Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. “Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.    

         “Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” “He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. “Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” “One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ““There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” “Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. “Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. “And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” “So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.” ESV

 

Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17

The Gospel writers recorded 35 of Jesus’ miracles. Of the 35, there is only one that appears in all four gospels-this one. Why? My only explanation is that it was a favorite of all the gospel writers. I like this miracle because it is bigger than life. The task was so large, feed 5000 men and their families. Philip estimated that it would take 8 months  wage to feed them all. No doubt, it was so large a task it wasn’t even worth trying. It’s about the greatness of our God and how His people can do great things when we submit to His will.

To some extent, I can’t escape doing the same thing today. Our God is a great and mighty God! He is the creator of heaven and earth and the sustainer of life. He does great things, yes, but there is something else in this text that impresses me. To say the creator God can do great things really isn’t that impressive. I mean, if he can create the world, he can certainly feed some hungry people, right? What impresses me the most is how much He does with so little.

In fact, God specializes is using little things to do great things. Why do you think that is?

I.          The Setting, 6:1-4

The accusation that Jesus was demon-possessed, Mt 12:24

The death of John the Baptist, Matthew 14

Brought about a turning point….

He no longer pursued a public ministry but devoted himself to teaching the 12 how to continue ministry.

 

Jesus left Capernaum quietly by boat and went to the northeast side of Galilee to a small village named, Beth-Saida = house of fishing or Fisher-town on the eastern bank of the Jordan River.

 

Likely been here before…”withdrew to the mountain to pray”

Also, crowds seemed to have a hunch where he would be.

 

5:46  “Moses wrote about me”

Under Moses Israel escaped through the Red Sea

            They traveled through the wilderness and miraculously received

            food there.

 

Passover:

To Palestinian Jews what July 4^th is to us.

A rallying point of nationalistic enthusiasm. 

 

“The multitude by coming to Jesus instead of going to Jerusalem, finds in him the true meaning of Passover.”

 

II.          Feeding the Hungry

The Synoptic Gospels indicate that it was late in the day when the disciples approached Jesus urging him to send them away.

 

John gives us a different view.

It is earlier in the day.  Jesus is the one who first approaches the 12

He raises the question even before the crowd has completely arrived.

 

II.         The Test, 6:5-9

Where are we to buy food?

 

A.         Philip – from this area.

Philip concerned about how much the food would cost = 8 months

Feeding of as much as 20,000  The enormity of the problem!

            Show up uninvited and stay for dinner.

 

A very challenging moment for the disciples.  And Jesus lets them think about it at least all afternoon.  Raises the question long before it is a crisis.

            He wants the disciples to agonize a bit over the situation.

            And the best they can do after all is said and done, is to

            recommend that Jesus send them away letting them fend for

            themselves.  Deny the responsibility of spiritual leadership.

 

In fact, this is a test.

Numbers 11:12-13 ““Was it I who conceived all this people? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which You swore to their fathers’? ““Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat that we may eat!’ ” NASB95

 

What should they have said?

“Lord, you know…”

 

God tests only his people not those outside the covenant.

            God tests only the godly, not the ungodly.

 

Test / trial: situations or adversity that test the strength of our faith and it is meant to draw us closer to the Lord and cause spiritual growth.

 

Genesis 22:1 – God tested Abraham

Exodus 16:4 – God tested his people

Deut 8:16 –

Judges 2:21-23

1 Peter 1:6-9

 

God never tempts us to do evil.

What God is looking for is faith and trust. 

It seems we are so very often caught off guard and are not conscious of the fact that we are being tested.

God’s children are still being tested today.  He tests us for our good.

 

We find ourselves in situations that challenge us to think an act in keeping with our recognition that God is our ultimate reality in every situation.

            Situations of fear.

            Situations of grief

            Situations of need.

Testing is not comfortable but God is gracious and uses testing to deepen our faith by revealing our weakness and God’s sufficiency!

 

B.        Andrew

The meager resources!

I found a little boy with a shack lunch.

            Barley = bread of the poor.

            Two small fish.

 

Can’t you see the other disciples rolling their eyes at each other.

Amazed at how stupid Andrew could be at times. 

            “Brilliant idea!  Real smart Andrew.  What are you thinking.”

 

            God produces sons from barren women, Gen 18:11

            He gave us His son through a virgin.

 

1 Corinthians 1:27-28 “but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, “and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, ” NASB95

 

Very few focus on the sacrifice of the poor little boy.

 

6:10 When the disciples had confessed their own inadequacy Jesus proceeded to demonstrate His adequacy.

 

 

 

 

III.        The Miracle, 6:10-13

The Synoptic Gospels tell us that the disciples distributed the food.

            Wants the disciples to participate. 

            Approximately 400 groups of 50 on the low end.

            ~ Troubling to the disciples – where is He going to get the food.

            ~ Troubling to the crowd – what is he up to?

John’s focus is on totally on Jesus who is the one who distributes.

            Gave thanks!

John 2 – Wine – 100 gallons

1 Kings 17:8-16  The widows oil and flour that never give out.

 

Not calling attention to himself.

All of his miracles where never “bigger and better”

They were always focused on meeting real needs.  This is a miracle of necessity.  He does not frivolously use His power to satisfy his own desires. 

 

6:12-13 Everyone had enough to eat. Jesus satisfied everyone’s appetite. There was even quite a bit of food left over that Jesus instructed His disciples to collect to avoid waste. All four evangelists noted that there were 12 large Jewish baskets (Gr. kophinos) of bread fragments left over.

 

The Lord is the one who meets our physical needs.

But this “sign” has a deeper meaning – only the Lord is the one who satisfies our longing for meaning in life.

 

John 4:10 “Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” ” NASB95

 

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ” NASB95

 

Genesis 22:8 “Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.”

 

Genesis 22:14 “So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”” ESV

 

The “He knows what you need before you ask” principle…

Matthew 6:6-8 “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ““And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. “Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” ESV

 

The “You can’t out give God” principle…

Luke 6:38 “give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”” ESV

 

Luke 18:28-30 “And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” “And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, “who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”” ESV

 

The “this isn’t just about money” principle…

2 Corinthians 7:5-6 “For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. “But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,” ESV

 

IV.        Sending the Crowd Home, 6:14-15

 

The crowd wants to take him by force and make him King.

John 6:26-27

Their faith was defective.  Following Jesus for the wrong reason!

 

6:14 The Jews who enjoyed Jesus’ provision concluded that He must be the prophet whom Moses had predicted (Deut. 18:15-19; cf. John 1:21; 7:40, 52). Jesus had fed the Israelites in a wilderness area (Matt. 14:15; Mark 6:35) as Moses had with bread that came from heaven.

 

Principles:

1.         Jesus commands us to do more than we are humanly able because he enables us to do what he commands.

            “give them something to eat”

 

The ministry belongs to the Lord.

But He enlists us to participate.  It is not what they have that will make them good shepherds of the sheep.  It is what the Lord does through us to matters.

 

God ministers through our weakness!  He does not select strong people.  He chooses weak people so He can demonstrate his power through their weakness.

 

2.         The size of the task should not be used as an excuse for not attempting to do it. 

 

The great omission –

 

3.         God does not ask us for part of what is ours.  He asks us for all that is His!  Then God chooses to multiply and expand our puny efforts and contributions to accomplish his will.

 

“The practical lesson is clear: whenever there is a need, give all that you have to Jesus and let Him do the rest. Begin with what you have, but be sure you give it all to Him.”

 

4.         Those whom God uses to minister to the needs of others are also the ones who gain the most from serving.

 

The disciples thought they had nothing but each ended up with an overflowing basket.

 

5.         The disciples limited Christ to what they could see but God delights in doing the unexpected and unseen so that His wisdom and power will be displayed!

 

6.         Our Lord cares about our needs!