Jesus the Giver of Good Things

Introduction: Who Do You Look Up To?

Have you ever looked up to someone famous, like a sports player, a singer, or a YouTuber? You might imagine how awesome it would be to meet them! But what if you met them, and they weren’t what you expected? Maybe they didn’t smile or talk to you the way you hoped.

What if you met a king? What would you expect?

In our passage this morning, a bunch of people meet Jesus the king. And they expected certain things about their king. God had promised for thousands of years that he would send them a king, a leader. This promised leader was called The Messiah, or Christ. God’s people wanted this king to do some things. God’s people had been under the control of bad leaders for a while, and they expected this king to come in and set up his kingdom and set them free from bad rulers.

Sometimes, our ideas about people aren’t exactly right. Today, we’re going to talk about someone who always goes beyond what we expect, and beyond what his own people expected of him—Jesus. Jesus came and set up a different kind of kingdom than anyone expected, even his own people. We’ll see how Jesus, the King, provides, is always with us, and brings us peace.

Bible Passage: John 6:1–21

John 6:1–21 CSB

1 After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2 A huge crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was performing by healing the sick. 3 Jesus went up a mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near. 5 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?” 6 He asked this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There’s 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.” There was plenty of grass in that place; so they sat down. The men numbered about five thousand. 11 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. 12 When they were full, he told his disciples, “Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.” 13 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. 14 When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This truly is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Therefore, when Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. Darkness had already set in, but Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 A high wind arose, and the sea began to churn. 19 After they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea. He was coming near the boat, and they were afraid. 20 But he said to them, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him on board, and at once the boat was at the shore where they were heading.

This story takes place after Jesus had done some amazing miracles, like healing people. A huge crowd of people—about 5,000 men (plus women and children)—followed Him because they wanted to see more! They didn’t realize they were about to experience something unforgettable. These two miracles that Jesus does: Walking on water and feeding thousands prove that he is the King of the Universe and our Savior.

Point 1: Jesus Provides

Imagine being one of those people. You’re sitting in the grass, listening to Jesus, but then you start to get hungry. And guess what? There’s no McDonald’s, no snacks, no restaurants—just a boy with five small loaves of bread and two fish. Not enough for 20,000 people, right?

But Jesus took that small meal, prayed over it, and started passing it out. Before you knew it, everyone was full! And there were even leftovers—12 baskets!

What does this show us about Jesus?

Jesus cares about what we need. He provided food for hungry people. Throughout history, God has always given his people what they need. He gave Adam and Eve clothes when they needed them. He gave Noah wood to build an ark to keep him safe during the flood. He gave the Israelites a thing called Manna to eat when they were hungry in the desert. He gave David stones to kill Goliath. God has always taken care of his people. In a different passage, Jesus teaches his followers to pray. When he does that, he tells them to ask God to give them their ‘daily bread.’ When we thank God and ask him to give us our daily bread, we are showing that we believe that he will give us everything that we need to survive. We might not always get what we want, but we trust that God will always give us what we need.

Here’s the coolest part: Jesus doesn’t just give us food to eat; He gives us what we really need—Himself. Later in this chapter, Jesus says, “I am the Bread of Life.” What could that mean? That means Jesus fills our hearts and lives with everything we need to live forever with Him. We need Jesus more than we even need food! Our greatest need is not something like food or water; our greatest need is a Savior to make us right with God. Jesus gives us that gift: He comes to make us right with God. So Jesus provides: He cares for us so much that he provides us with himself.

Point 2: Jesus Is Always With Us

After Jesus fed the crowd, the disciples got into a boat to cross the sea. It got dark, and a huge storm blew in. The waves were crashing, and the disciples were scared!

But then they saw something unbelievable: Jesus was walking on the water! Imagine how crazy that would look! At first, they were terrified, but Jesus said, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

What does this show us?

Jesus is powerful. He walked on water!

Jesus is with us, even when life feels scary or out of control. That happens a lot. We get scared a lot. Bad things happen. Sometimes, we go through “storms” in life—times when we feel worried, scared, or alone. But Jesus promises to be with us, just like He was with the disciples. When we go through a storm, Jesus gets in the boat with us. He gives us joy in life, simply by being with us. Jesus is powerful, but he is also present with us.

Point 3: Jesus Brings Peace

Jesus didn’t just calm the disciples’ fears; He brought them safely to the shore. That’s what Jesus does for us, too.

Here’s the amazing thing: Jesus came to bring peace. First, He makes peace between us and God. We’ve all sinned and messed up, but Jesus died on the cross to take away our sins. Now we can be close to God forever!

Jesus also helps us have peace in our hearts. Even when life feels hard, we can trust that He’s in control.

Conclusion: What Does This Mean for Us?

So, what can we learn from this?

Jesus Provides – He gives us what we need, especially His love and forgiveness.

Jesus Is Present – He’s always with us, no matter what’s happening.

Jesus Brings Peace – He calms our fears and helps us trust Him.

Let me ask you this: Are you trusting Jesus as your King? He loves you so much that He died for you and rose again so you can have eternal life. If you haven’t given your heart to Him yet, today’s a great day to do that!

Let’s Pray

“Dear Jesus, thank You for being the King who provides for us, stays with us, and gives us peace. Help us trust You when we’re scared or unsure. Thank You for loving us so much that You gave Your life for us. We love You! Amen.”