Bad News Members And Preachers
BAD NEWS MEMBERS AND PREACHERS
JOH 6:5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
YESTERDAY AS I SAT NEXT TO A MINISTER AT A PARTICULAR SERVICE..HE’D BEGAN TO COMMENT AS MANY AS OUR MEMBERS SO OFTEN DO:
1. The Church is lost
2. Hellbound and heartsick
3. Christians are asleep
4. They don’t pray
5. They don’t love and don’t care.
We are always complaining that the Church or Christians are Too lazy, Too rich, Too poor, Too spoiled , Too Fat or something. EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE WORLD AND CHURCH BUT NOBODY IS TRYING TO FIX IT..
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT……GOD’S FAITHFULNESS HAS NEVER DEPENDED ON THE FAITHFULNESS OF HIS CHILDREN.
1. YOU DON,T ALWAYS COME TO PRAYER MEETING
2. YOU DON’T ALWAYS BRING YOUR OFFERING BEFORE THE LORD
3. YOU DON’T ALWAYS COME TO CHURCH…….
4. AND YOU SURE DON’T ALWAYS SAY AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
HERE THIS….GOD DOES NOT GIVE UP …..EVEN WHEN HIS PEOPLE DO.
I. IN THE TEXT TODAY JESUS HAS A FULL DAY DEALING WITH MANKIND.
1. The day began with the news of the death of John the Baptist His 1st cousin.
2. Following the disciples are 5,000men and their families…Jesus tries to get away from the crowd by going to the other side. Only to find more people waiting.
a. He wanted to mourn in solitude
b. He wanted to spend time with Just the disciples
c. He wanted to spend time to think
d. So He spends time teaching them and turns to Philip and pops the Big Question
WHERE CAN WE BUY ENOUGH BREAD FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE TO EAT?
1. This is the same Philip that casted out demons
2. The same Philip that healed the sick
3. The same Philip that shouts on Sunday Morning
4. The same Philip that leads the Devotional Services
5. The same Philip that sings in the choir.
YOU WOULD EXPECT HIM TO BE MORE OPTIMISTIC AND SYMPATHIC THAN ANYBODY ELSE..
The same Philip that had seen Jesus raise the dead,make the lame to walk and dumb to talk……….
But how does Philip respond to the question…..he knows the problem, but he had no clue to the solution John 6:7
a. He can site stats….but he can’t see how to help
b. He can crunch numbers, but he can’t construct answers
GET THIS….THOUGH THE ANSWER TO PRAYER IS STANDING NEXT TO HIM (JESUS), HE DOESN’T EVEN PRAY.
c. He wasn’t by himself, the other disciples are just as bad Mark 6:35-36
MAR 6:35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: 36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
IT NEVER OCCURRED TO THE DISCIPLES TO TURN THE PROBLEM OVER TO JESUS
1. Andrew saves the day with a lad lunch
Philip….cynical…whats the use
Andrew…doubtful
Other disciples…..just plain negative
Today….we are not praying
Not believing
Not seeking solutions.
WATCH THIS! If they are doing anything at all…they are telling Christ what to do! “Send the people away…Mark 6:36. Ladies and Gentlemen we are some pretty Bossy People.
Now I agree that the Church is pretty weak and that the world needs a lot of saving
1. In the midst of the disciples weakness…Jesus take our little (loaves of bread)
and give thanks,,,,,,,take the little goodness that you have and give thanks..
and He shared with what He had and feed the people
a. When the disciples didn.t pray ….Jesus prayed
b. When the Disciples did not sought God..Jesus sought God
c. When the Disciples were weak…Jesus was strong
d. When the Disicples had no faith ..Jesus had faith
Finally,,He asked are there more mouths to feed
are there more wounds than physicians
are there more churches asleep than churches on fire