Not Enough or Too Little?

The F&B part of planning for events can often be stressful.

Which caterer should we engage out of the 3 quotes we get?

Which menu should we choose that gives us the best value for money?

How many people should we cater for to avoid too much wastage,

or to avoid having not enough or too little for everyone?

That was the problem Jesus and his disciples faced when so many people followed him.

Who wouldn’t follow Jesus?

Have you heard of what kind of signs he has been doing on the sick?

Have you heard of how he healed the man who has been crippled for 38 years at the Bethesda pool?

Have you also heard of how he healed the official’s son just with a word?

And have you heard of how he turned water into wine at a wedding in Cana?

Imagine if Jesus did that in our world today

and someone was selling tickets to meet him in person,

He may not be as popular as Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, or Pope Francis?

When Pope Francis delivered his sermon in the National Stadium last year,

there were around 50,000 attendees!

Jesus only had 5000 men, not counting the women and the children.

But can you imagine the logistical nightmare catering for all the people?

Yet despite this logistical difficulty, Jesus didn’t run away from the crowd

John 6:4–5 tells us:

“Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 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?”” .

Here we see that Jesus was concerned that because the Passover feast was near, the people would have difficulties buying food in the market,

because like toilet paper during Circuit Breaker, they have been bought and hoarded by all the people.

But yet, Jesus didn’t run away and escape the crowd in this matter.

No, he stayed put, and invited his disciples to be involved in feeding the large crowd.

Whether it was not enough, or too little.

This is the title of my sharing today:

Not Enough or Too Little?

So like the crowds who had needs, let us:

Come to Jesus who know our needs

This is our first point (repeat point)

As I’d mentioned, Jesus didn’t run away when the crowds came towards him.

On the surface they were looking to see more signs and miracles.

But Jesus knew that they were really looking to be fed.

On the surface it seems like they wanted to make him their king by force.

But Jesus knew that they were really looking for food that will endure to eternal life.

This was what he told them later on in the same chapter, in John 6:27:

“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.””

So because Jesus knew their need for physical and spiritual food,

he sat his disciples down on the mountain in v3,

and asked Philip where to buy bread in v5.

In fact, v6 tells us that John 6:6 “He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.”

Do you have a need in your life?

Perhaps you’re feeling hungry for spiritual food,

You’re asking - is there more than life than just eat, sleep, work, and repeat?

Come to Jesus who already knows what you need.

Or perhaps you’re feeling a little lonely,

You’re asking - is there someone who knows and cares about what I’m going through?

Someone who shares my joys, my sorrows, my victories and my defeats?

Come to Jesus who already knows what you need.

Or perhaps you’re struggling with a family problem, a health problem, or a financial problem,

and you’re asking - is it possible for my problem to be solved?

Come to Jesus who already knows what you need.

Every morning in SAJS, a morning devotion is shared with the boys and teachers

The School Leaders, Christian teachers, and our chaplaincy team take turns to share the short devotion before everyone starts the day

Everyone also get many chances to hear about Jesus through the daily recess ministries,

the semi-regular Friday assemblies,

the Boys’ Brigade CCA for those who joined,

and the Bible verses scattered around the school.

Even with all those, one can look and hear these every day without coming to Jesus.

Similarly, in SA House, when you enter and look at some of the signs around, you might see some scripture passages.

You teach Bible stories to our boys.

And you listen to weekly staff devotions by the COA chaplaincy team.

But even with all those, you can look and hear without coming to Jesus.

Today Jesus is asking you to come to him.

It’s actually not difficult.

Just put your hands together like this (demo), close your eyes, and speak to him,

just like you’re speaking to any one of us in this room.

Tell him about how you’re feeling,

what you’re struggling with,

and what do you need.

And as you end your prayer in Jesus’s name, believe that God hears your prayers.

The Bible tells us in Matt 7 that God our Heavenly Father desires to give good things to those who ask him.

And being a good father, if we ask for things that will harm us, of course he won’t give us.

But those who asks, seeks, and knocks desiring for God to meet our need,

God will surely answer.

It may not come at the time nor in the way you’d expect it.

But God’s solution always turns out to be the best.

Come to Jesus even though you might not know what you need.

And be filled with the bread that he gives you.

Come to Jesus even though you don’t know where he’s going to get the bread.

And know that he already knows what he’s going to do.

And come to Jesus like that brave and generous boy,

who, although didn’t have much to offer to Jesus, still gave anyway.

Those five barley loaves and two fish were just what he had to survive the long journey outside until he got home.

But he still gave them willing to Jesus.

And Jesus multiplied them

More than coming to Jesus with my need, God actually wants to involve me to satisfy the needs of other people too.

Because it makes sense that once I’ve encountered God and experienced that Jesus is real, I won’t feel paiseh about selling “koyok” about Jesus to others.

More importantly, I would be genuinely and legit-ly happy that their needs are satisfied.

This brings us to our second point:

Work with Jesus to satisfy needs

It is interesting to note that when Jesus performed his miracles, he always involved people.

Whether it was the wedding in Cana In Jn 2,

Or the Samaritan woman at the well and the official’s son in Jn 4,

Or even the healing of the crippled man in Jn 5,

Whatever it was, Jesus always involved people or even the people receiving healing.

Similiarly, Jesus involved Philip by testing Philip where to buy bread.

Jesus involved Andrew in bringing forward the little boy with five loaves and 2 fish.

And Jesus involved his disciples in organising the food distribution and the collection of the leftovers.

And because his disciples were open and willing, God’s miracle was multipled and benefitted many more,

than if Jesus blessed each person one by one.

It can become easy for us to say that just because Jesus has made some of the people here Christians, and others not.

And so the Christians just join together and keep to themselves.

And the non-Christians be separate and can ponteng during devotion time.

But if God is truly at work to satisfy needs,

do you and I realise that we all have to really work together to muliply his works?

You cannot say, for example, Chris is good at maintaining discipline,

so you always let her handle discipline alone.

Or for example, Sheng is good at playing games with the boys,

so you always arrow him to plan games.

Or even say Mdm Tan needs to prepare lunch,

so she doesn’t need to join the staff devotions.

And anyways she might not understand the ang moh we speak.

But for each one of us here,

If we want to see God’s miracles here in SA House,

if we want to see our boys grow and become better people,

if we want to see their family situations improve,

and if we want to see our own lives change for the better,

I want to say that it starts from here, in this room.

It starts with one person who comes to Jesus with a need.

But that one person doesn’t just keep the blessing to himself or herself after receiving it.

But he/she will say that, I cannot be ngiao and keep God’s blessing just to myself.

It is so good I will need to share it.

I share it by telling my colleagues about how God answered my prayers.

I share it by passing on the love and grace that God has shown me,

in the loving and gracious ways I speak and act towards my colleagues and the boys.

And I share it by encouraging, comforting and praying for my colleagues and my boys whenever they meet a problem.

Be careful though!

When we partner with Jesus to distribute bread, let us not tell God what to do.

This is actually an unequal partnership, where God does most of the work.

Our job is just to be his hands and feet and go to places and situations that show and communicate his love and grace.

It is also a partnership on God’s term,

meaning, let us not, like the people, who responded to the miracle with excitement and tried to make Jesus king.

Look at v15 (John 6:15 “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.”)

The moment we want to make him king on our terms, Jesus will not want to work with us.

The moment we want to tell Jesus how this person should be fed,

how much he should be get,

or what should her portion be so that it is fair for me,

Jesus will not want to work with us.

Actually, if we believe that God is fair to everyone and God wants to bless everyone, we won’t have this problem.

It’s only when we want to keep the five loaves and two fish for ourselves and think that it will not be enough for everyone.

It’s only when I think of only my own need and don’t care about the needs of others.

It’s only when I think that God will give more to the people and front,

so I die die have to squeeze to the front, like MRT and bus during peak hour.

If I don’t cheong and squeeze in, won’t have space.

But if you’re willing to work with God to meet the needs of others,

whether it is to tell others about what Jesus has done for you,

or to support and share with others with what God has given to you,

or to just sit there and listen and comfort others with the love and grace God has shown you,

God is delighted in your work,

and as you are involved in doing Jesus’s work of feeding others,

he will continue to teach you and feed you with the eternal bread of life.

As I close this session today, is there a need that you need Jesus to meet?

I encourage you to come to Jesus, whether you are a Christian or not.

Pray to him and ask him for help.

I’ll be happy to stay behind for a short while to pray for anyone who would like someone to pray together.

And as you are waiting for God to meet your need, work with him together to satisfy the needs of other people.

Maybe as you meet the needs of others, God is actually meeting your need to show you a new perspective which you’d never consider before.

Let us pray.