Jesus is more then a crowd pleaser
Notes
Transcript
What does it mean to have enough? We can only make so much money, have the latest technology, own the bigger home, on the lake, in some warm place… Great health, in a bunker with so many days supply of food… how much is truly enough?
By nature, we want to be comfortable, we desire safety and security, and we don’t want to starve to death. But, to what extent do we see the world as something that will meet those needs. Temporarily those needs can be met through the world but not forever.
Do we see that Jesus as more then enough? Do we see that Jesus is the only one who can meet all of our needs… physical, financial, emotional, spiritual?
Sometimes, we just don’t see a way out of our dire circumstances. Things look impossible, life is full of setbacks, our backs are against the wall, and no matter how hard we try, things won’t seem to change.
We all deal with doubt and struggle with fear because of the unknown but we see in our text that Jesus is more then enough and present in the unknown.
Throughout the gospels, we see a distinction between Jesus, the 12, HIS disciples, and the crowd.
The crowd wanted to be served by Jesus and the disciples wanted to learn by following Jesus.
In John 6 we see a distinct difference between the crowd and those who are followers of Jesus.
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.
Pray
We see that Jesus was drawing a crowd. Based on the numbers, HIS ministry appeared to be a success but Jesus never looked to numbers as the mark of success.
Jesus knows the heart of man yet even though man’s heart is selfish, Jesus still shows up in a miraculous way to meet the need of the crowd.
Jesus always had a purpose behind the miracles that he did. Jesus shows us many truths about who HE is and how we often fail to see that Jesus is enough.
Jesus never looked to others for provision
Jesus never looked to others for provision
Do you ever wonder why Jesus ask people questions?
Jesus doesn’t ask questions because HE doesn’t know the answer. HE asks because HE wants us to figure it out and to test us and often times we don’t pass the test. But, God’s gracious enough to show us the right answer.
When Jesus saw the crowd HE asked Philip a question?
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?”
Jesus was testing Philip and Philip failed the test… well, kinda. Jesus did ask, “Where are we to buy bread…” meaning that somebody would have to go somewhere and make a purchase.
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.”
Philip was thinking of working for it… earning the money to pay for the bread, to feed the 5000.
Philip said that 200 days wages would only buy just a little bit for each person to eat. That would be a lot of work for a little bit and it would be such a waste.
It’s amazing how we view our efforts and how we measure success. We work hard, we earn money, and it’s already spent before we get our paycheck. There is never going to be enough money that we can earn or just receive that will be enough to meet the cravings of our appetite. The crowd wants what we are unwilling to provide no matter how hard we work or no matter how much money we make.
Think about our government… the longer things go, the more things go unchecked and the more waste and fraud is exposed. The politicians in Washington just keep throwing money thinking that that’s going to fix things.
Jesus was letting Philip know that when we look to others for provision we can never meet the real need. More money won’t fix things, more people won’t fix things, more power won’t fix things, even more food won’t fix things.
Jesus is more then enough and more then able to fix whatever problem, whatever issue, or whatever longing we have.
The answer to Jesus’ question, is JESUS. Jesus never looked to others for provision because Jesus is and will always be our provider.
Jesus never overlooked the little things
Jesus never overlooked the little things
It’s often the big things that we notice… Going to Chicago and walking downtown, it’s hard not to notice how big everything is, the roads, the buildings, the population, the restaurant options, everything is big.
Here in Quincy and Coldwater it’s not the smallest place but it’s much smaller then Chicago. I love the small town living, even though we don’t have the options that a big city has, we do have charm and simplicity.
Then Andrew chimed in to try to answer Jesus’ question.
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 noticed something small, a boy with a lunch. This was less logical then Philips idea but that would require a little boy being willing to give up his lunch. This would take risk for this boy to give up his 5 barley loaves and 2 fish.
Aren’t you glad that the boy was willing to give his lunch to Jesus? He could have said no, I was prepared, why should I give up my lunch? These people should have been prepared.
Jesus used this boy’s availability to demonstrate HIS ability.
Are we making ourselves available for Jesus to show HIS ability through us?
Are we setting aside time for Jesus?
Are we too busy filling our minds with things that cause us to worry, be anxious, live in fear, or just take time away from Jesus.
Things like doomscrolling on social media, mindlessly binge watching netflix, or checking the news through out the day.
But then we say that we don’t have any time for Jesus and if we spend time with Jesus, we aren’t able to give HE our best time.
Setting aside our best time for Jesus will make us available at any moment so that when Jesus calls we can say yes.
Jesus will never overlook us when we are available and willing to say yes to HIM.
Jesus used a little boy who was willing to say yes to Jesus by giving up his lunch. He was willing to give up his small little lunch so that Jesus could use it and multiply it.
10 “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. 12 After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” 13 So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.
Jesus never overlooks the little things but uses the little things to show the crowd that Jesus is and will always be enough.
Jesus took these 5 barley loves and 2 fishes, and gave thanks.
No, It wasn’t enough to feed over 5000 people but Jesus saw that HIS heavenly Father provided something that HE can use.
When we are thankful for the little and recognize that God is our provider, that HE is the giver of every single blessing that we have, our prospective begins to change.
Instead of seeing how little we have presently, we see that God can use the little to provide for the many. We see that it’s the Lord who provides.
Here Jesus teaches us that God will always provide when are thankful for HIS provision.
gave them away and
Jesus was never motivated by the crowds
Jesus was never motivated by the crowds
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.
The crowd was overwhelming but Jesus wasn’t fazed by the crowd. He had the power to do what these people were wanting HIM to do. HE could have provided their food, HE could have been their king on their terms but Jesus wasn’t motivated by the crowds. If Jesus would have submitted to their wishes. then they would not have
