Provision

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

JOHN 6: 1-15

MI:

What you have is enough for God to do a miracle in your life.

John 6:1–15 ESV

1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 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?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 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. 11 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. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

LAST WEEK: we started our series “Catch of The Day”. We talked about how Jesus chose his first disciples, Peter, James and John sons of Zebedee. We learned that to follow Jesus means to leave everything and take everything. After the miracle Jesus performed of such a great catch, Peter fell to the knees of Jesus and followed HIM.

V.1-2 Why did they follow Jesus?

Because of the miracles He did healing the sick.

They failed to see Jesus as their Savior of sinners and the Messiah

They were blind to His Divine Glory

They failed to get to know Jesus and worship Him

Napolean Bonaparte said about Jesus:

“Let Jesus be whatever you please – the highest intelligence, the purest heart, the most profound legislator, and, in all respects, the most singular being who has ever existed – I grant it.

“Still, he was simply a man, who taught his disciples, and deluded credulous people, as did Orpheus, Confucius, Brama.”

Napoleon Bonaparte

Lee Strobel said and I paraphrased

I thought God was not necessary for the origin of life, and the teachings of Jesus were not trustworthy

Jesus knew the hearts of those who followed HIM because of the miracles. see John 2:23-25

John 2:23–25 ESV

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

Why do you follow Jesus?

IS it because we expect a miracle, or because we can say like Peter said once

“ you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Mt. 16:16

V.3. TRANS:

Mountain were a symbolic place of divine encounter. Moses met God in mount Sinai (Exod 3:1). Abraham met God in mount Horeb. The sacrifice of Isaac was at mount Moriah. (Gen 22:3)

Jesus went to the mountain to do a miracle. We need to go to the mountain to receive our miracle.

Well, there are no mountains here in South Florida, pastor.

My question is, where is the place that you go to meet God? Is there a place in your house that is your mountain? That

So, the people of Israel knew that going up to the mountain you will come with fear and expectation.

When going to the mountain we need to come with fear and expectation.

V.4. TRANS: The Passover, the historical time when God deliver His people from the Egyptian slavery.

But now it is during the Passover that Jesus is offered as the Saviour of the World

John 4:42 ESV

42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

The first Passover is in the context of “self designation as the temple what would have to be destroyed. John 2

The third Passover is when Jesus is crucified and resurrected.

During the Second Passover Jesus anticipates his Sermon of being the “Bread of God” John 6:33 A bread that must be eaten if people are to have eternal life.

The Passover was not just another Celebration, was an intense nationalistic holiday.

V.5. TRANS:

The feeding of the Five Thousand

Doubt will not let you see what God is about to do in your life

It is human nature to doubt

Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Our faith will be tested

James 1:3 ESV

3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Of course in any given situation you are going to give it all we got. But we can reach so much.

Reality will make us doubt

Philip got 200 denari. How much is 200 denari.

1 Denari = daily salary

$15 x 8 hrs (one day of work) = $120

$120 x 200 Denarii = $24000 in the bank

$24000 to feed more than $10000 it is NOT enough

$10/person x 10000 = 100,000

On a low budget of $10 per person you will need $100,000 to feed all of them. Philip told Jesus, you are short, you are short $76,000.

We try to solve our own problems

V.8. John 6:8-9

John 6:8–9 (ESV)

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”

Andrew went to search for meals. IDK what was he thinking. At least Philip had a bit of money. Andrew went out desperately to search for an answer.

NONE of the disciples went to Jesus for an answer. None of the disciples said, Jesus what do we do? What do you want me to do?

But Jesus used the FIVE LOAD of bread and TWO fishes of a little boy.

I want to be like this little boy.

Two things we can learn from This Boy

The availability of the The Boy

The generosity of The Boy

Story: George Mueller.

George Mueller was a Pastor in a small church of England and later he direcred an orphanage of 10000 children.

One day, the housemother said:

"The children are dressed and ready for school. But there is no food for them to eat," the housemother of the orphanage informed George Mueller. George asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He thanked God for the food and waited. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. "Mr. Mueller," he said, "last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in."

Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.

Because of the availability and generosity of this Boy, Jesus was able to feed more than 10000 people that day.

Conclusion:

What are your five loads of bread and two fishes?

Are we bringing our five loads of bread and two fishes to God, or are we keeping them for ourselves?