Bread From Heaven pt. 1

Intro.

Millions of people all over the world live in absolute destitute poverty. They can’t buy food, they cant buy clothes, they’re hard pressed to even find drinkable water many times. Some of these even live within the borders of our own nation. No, they are not cursed by God to be poor due to lack of faith and disobedience, as Jesse DuPlantis would have you believe. Rather, poverty produces an opportunity for faith which we who do not endure those circumstances can learn from. We who worry about what we will do with our ample food and drink.

Let’s start this evening with looking at the Sermon on the Mount, Matt. 6:26-34

Matthew 6:26–34 CSB

Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

If we really want to get a grand look at the faithfulness and the attention of God in heaven, we have only to look at the animals and the flowers!

If you could pick your most favorite animal, what would it be?

God loves you more than that animal and He will take care of you! God will grant us all that we need, physically and spiritually we are truly fed only in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Feeding 5k

That brings us right into what seems to be part of the meaning behind the miracle we are looking at in John 6.1-13

John 6:1–13 CSB

After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). A huge crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was performing by healing the sick. Jesus went up a mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near. So when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?” He asked this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There’s 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.” There was plenty of grass in that place; so they sat down. The men numbered about five thousand. Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks he distributed them to those who were seated—so also with the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were full, he told his disciples, “Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.” So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves that were left over by those who had eaten.

This is one of the only miracle which is recorded in every Gospel. We get a greater bit of context to this moment in Mk. 6.30-34

Mark 6:30–34 CSB

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place, but many saw them leaving and recognized them, and they ran on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.

Jesus wanted to take the 12 to give them some rest in a quiet place, yet the masses knew where they were heading and they raced there. Jesus saw them and, as we saw before, had compassion on them! Therefore He turned to Phillip and the discourse as recorded in John begins.

We don’t know why he chose out Phillip specifically, but the point John makes in recording it is “He said this to test him, for He Himself knew already what He was going to do.” Jesus was fully aware of what the situation was, and how He would remedy that situation.

How would you react to that question by Jesus in Phillip’s shoes? Most of us would probably think the situation was just as hopeless as he did! After all, nearly a year’s wages wouldn’t be enough to give a morsel to everyone there!

I think Jesus perhaps calls their attention to the situation for a couple of reasons:

To show them how they by themselves could not do anything

To show His all-sufficiency to provide for His people

To set up what comes next (at least in John) — the Bread of Life teaching.

What We See

What makes this moment catch your eye and grab your heart?

Firstly, we see a very profound truth that the adage “God helps those who help themselves” falls apart at the seems here.

Why is that so?

There was nothing that either the masses nor the disciples could to in this moment. They were as good as helpless! Yet, Jesus had compassion on the people and He both sat with them and fed them Himself. What does the Sermon on the Mount say? “Seek His kingdom and these will be added to you,” as in given, not earned. God is not a capitalist that we should have to earn our wages in grace, mercy, and kindness.

We see a very interesting use of numbers in this miracle — in each of the 4 gospels, the feeding of the 5,000 always ends by stating that they took 12 baskets full afterward.

What is important about that number?

12 tribes of Israel, 12 Apostles, 24 elders surrounding the Throne in Revelation. The number 12 represents the people of God! It appears to me that they took away exactly 12 baskets full as a statement to say in Christ, all God’s chosen people have everything that they need; God will take care of His people! Again, “…these things will be added.” We will see much more of this when we come to look at the Bread of Life teaching given by Jesus.

Inventory

I’m very familiar stretching pennies and not having enough funds to do the things I have to do. I am also familiar with God granting me mercy and granting me exactly what I need in the time I need it!

Is it uncomfortable? Yes. Is it scary sometimes to not have control of everything? Definitely. But you and I, as sons of the Most High God, can rest easy in knowing God will take care of His people in Christ Jesus!

What are you stuck worrying about that does no good? Repent of that through prayer to God Almighty, and trust His faithfulness! How long does His faithfulness last? “His faithful love endures forever!”