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John 6:1-13
The feeding of the 5,000 was a
miracle of such magnitude that it is recorded in all four Gospels.
This miracle is also referred to a second time in Matthew and Mark
making in all six references to it in the gospels. This is one the
best-known miracles of Jesus, but one that is full of truth that
needs to be preached over and over again. A great crowd had been
following Jesus for several days, listening to His teaching and
beholding His miracles. When evening came, the disciples felt that a
crisis was brewing. There were so many people and no or provisions
for their hungry in the wilderness. Logic would dictate ?Send them
away.?
Get rid of the problem.
However, love dictated Jesus to direct the disciples, ?Give ye them
to eat.? Jesus knew hungry souls would faint on the way if somebody
did not feed them. It was also evening, and that was no time for
travel.
Great Scarcity.
Not enough food and not
enough money (money is not the answer to ever need)
Great Saviour
Andrew found a little boy who
had a small lunch and brought it to Jesus. Jesus took the lad's
lunch, blessed it, and gave it to the disciples. With it the
multitude was fed.
Great Satisfaction
The 5,000 men (plus) ate as
much as they would. They were satisfied.
I. No HARDSHIP so
large Jesus cannot SOLVE
5,000 men (liberal estimate
would be 15,000 - 20,000) to feed. That is a problem! Two solutions
are proposed in our text as to how to meet a problem of such vast
proportions: Philip in response to the Lord's question replied we
don't have the resources. We don't have the money. Money is not the
answer to everything. Andrew found a lad who had a little lunch
(five loaves and two fishes), but what was it among so many?
A. SCOPE of the
PROBLEM
Jesus asked Philip what are we
going to do? This was not to humiliate or demean Philip but rather
to test him. Jesus is not only in control of the immediate
circumstances but several steps ahead of the game. With computer
speed, Philip analyzes the situation and gives Jesus a spreadsheet
answer. Philip is quick to come to the bottom line in terms of
dollars and cents - dollars and cents they don't have. However,
Philips? balance sheet forgot to shew the infinite wealth of God who
owns the earth and all it contains.
B. SCARCITY of
the PROVISION
While Philip burns out the
batteries on his calculator, Andrew scurries among the crowd looking
for groceries. Andrew seeks a solution to the problem even though it
is a human one. Admittedly it isn't much, his approach is better
than Philips. However, Andrew also becomes overwhelmed by the
circumstances and says about the five laves and two fishes that he
has discover, ?But what are they among so many??
Philip sees the impossible
circumstances and looks to the budget. Andrew sees the impossible
circumstances and looks to the pantry. The sad thing is neither of
them thinks to look to Jesus!
When problems come, the
solution is knowing where to turn. There is no problem too great for
His power and no problem too little for His concern. One day a
little boy was attempting to turn over a big rock as his father
watched. The little fellow was grunting, straining, and heaving, but
he just could not turn the rock over.
His dad asked him with a smile
on his face, ?Son, are you using all your strength? Yes, Dad, I am
using all of my strength.? No, you are not,? came the Father's
reply, ?You have not asked me to help you. I am your father and my
strength is your strength.?
The problem of feeding the
five thousand may have been too big for Philip and Andrew but it
wasn't too big for Jesus.Luke 18:27 ?And he said, The things which
are impossible with men are possible with God.?
OFTENTIMES GOD ALLOWS
US TO FEEL OUR INSUFFICIENCY BEFORE WE FEEL HIS
SUFFICIENCY!
No HARDSHIP so large He
cannot SOLVE
II. No HUMAN so
small JESUS cannot SUPPORT
Jesus uses people to solve
problems, and on this occasion He used a little boy with just five
loaves and tow fishes. You may be too big for God to use, but you
will never be too small for God to use The lunch was limited, and
the lad was little. What could it accomplish? Much with the support
of God. Five loaves and two fishes - what are they among so many?
?Bring them hither to me.? There was not enough food to fill a
hungry boy, still less a hungry multitude. But there was quite
enough for the One who holds the world in world in His hands.The lad
with little teaches some valuable lesson with regards to what we
have:
A. Transfer it to
Jesus
The lad gave all his lunch to
Jesus. He did not go away hungry. God begins with what we have and
uses what we have. When he gave it all to Jesus, Jesus gave it back
to him (Luke 6:38).
B. Taken by Jesus
Jesus received what the lad
gave. Him. There is no gift too small gift for God to use. God only
wants what you have, and not what you don't have. Jesus wants us to
just do what we can.
C. Transformed by
Jesus
Don't insult God by saying, He
can not use me. God specializes in using ordinary people with
ordinary talents.Before we ask God to do the impossible, let us do
the possible - BRING
WHAT YOU HAVE TO JESUS.
1Corinthians 1:26 ?For ye see
your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh,
not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen
the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath
chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are
mighty;
28 And base things of the
world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and
things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:?
Note the positions God
does not require (26)
The persons God does not
reject (27, 28)
God uses: the foolish
the feeble the familiar
-the common the forsaken the forgotten -
overlooked like David
IT is NOT my ability but
HIS ABILITY!
No HARDSHIP so large He
cannot SOLVE
No HUMAN so small He
cannot SUPPORT
III. No HUNGER so
deep HE cannot SATISFY
So great was the miracle of
that day that there was ?bread enough and to spare.? Everyone was
full and more than full. Now the miracle is not significant because
Jesus fed 5,000 men plus that day. The significance lies in the fact
that Jesus was teaching that He can meet the deeper, spiritual
hunger of man's heart.
See verse 35.
Man's deepest hunger is
spiritual. Whatever, else he has in the world he will never be
satisfied until he finds Christ. Material things can never fill the
void. Man's restless soul can find no rest until it finds its rest
in Christ.
A. Christ supplies
the spiritual life (35a)
John 14:1-6
I John 5:11, 12
B. Christ sustains
the spiritual life (57)
Sustains us as we at:
1. Feed on the Word of
God (Matthew 4:4)
2. Feed on the Will of
God (John 4:34)
3. Feed on the Work of
God (John 4:34)
The sustaining life involves
mediation on the Word of God, dedication to the will of God, and
consecration to the work of God
C. Christ satisfies
the spiritual life (35b)
You will never be satisfied
until you Come to Jesus. There is nothing beyond HIM. You may go
deeper into Jesus, but you will never go beyond Jesus. People are
seeking for fashion, fitness, fame, and friends. However, none of
these gives lasting satisfaction.
Conclusion:
Jesus Christ is all I need,
all I need, all I need Jesus Christ is all I need. He is all I need.
Everything in Jesus and Jesus everything. Psalm 87:7 ?all my springs
are in thee.? Jesus is the fount of all my blessings Jesus is my
sufficiency, my security, my significance, and my satisfaction.
Yours because HIS
Bro. Jimmy Chapman
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