Small Things and Dry Places

John 6:1–13 ESV

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 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?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is 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.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 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. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.

Purpose: To let the people know that Jesus is able to take the little they have to create an atmosphere of more than enough.

John 6:1–4 “After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.”

According to the text, the people were following after Jesus because they saw the miracles.  They climbed up a dangerous mountain and sat in a dry wilderness during the time of Passover because they were looking for something from God.

People are looking to see a manifestation from God rather than just have the church tell them how good God is.  There is an expectation that if the church is saying God is good enough to get me out of my situation then I want to see it come to pass.

God Knows Your Need but wants you to see what you have

John 6:5–7 “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?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.””

There are times that God asks us what we lack so He can show us what we have.  He tests our faith to see if we are willing to believe that He is able to move on our behalf.

The paradox is that in Mark 5, we see Jesus empowering the disciples to go out to evangelize, heal the sick, and cast out demons.  But despite this fact, they are still doubtful that God can move in their current situation.

The people came out and received a word to feed their spiritual man but their natural man was still lacking.  In fact, whatever natural burden they came with, they most likely would leave with the same burden.  The manifestation of God was necessary to show that God was able to meet the physical as well as the spiritual.

Phillip’s response to Jesus did not answer His question but it revealed their lack.  Many times we focus on what we do not have rather than what we do have. 

We focus on the fact we have little money

We focus on the fact we have few skills

We focus on the fact we don’t have enough people

The question is not what don’t we have, but what do we have?

John 6:8–9 “One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?””

Sometimes the blessing comes from the person you least expect to!

A little boy gave his lunch to feed the crowd.

The little boy had enough faith to believe that Jesus could use it.

The little boy gave all he had and trusted God to give it back

The lunch was a simple lunch five barley loaves and two small fish.  It was a poor meal that was barely enough to meet the needs of the little boy but it was more than enough to feed a crowd!

The best way to see a miracle is to prepare to receive it

John 6:10 “Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” There was a nice carpet of green grass in this place. They sat down, about five thousand of them.”

God loves taking small things, small people, and dry places to show His glory.  You can never think that you will not be able to achieve your goals because of what you lack!  You have to look at what you have!

According to Matthew 14:15, the people were located in the wilderness.  They were in a dry place on top of a mountain.  Nothing grows on top of the mountain because there is no moisture or soil.  They were in a dry place but when they prepared to receive the blessing, Jesus told them to sit…on THE GRASS!  The grass grew while they waited for the blessing!  When you are in a dry place, God is qualified enough to make something grow when it seems impossible!

When the people sat down in obedience, they were now in a position to receive.  Sitting down represents submission and expectation.  When they sat, they were obedient to God and preparing to receive.  The reason why some people never receive anything from God is because they don’t want to sit down!

When God Blesses the little, It becomes more than enough

John 6:11 “Then Jesus took the bread and, having given thanks, gave it to those who were seated. He did the same with the fish. All ate as much as they wanted.”

As He prepared to pass the food to the disciples, He took the bread and blessed.  Anything God prepares to distribute for kingdom work must be blessed.  He will not distribute kingdom glory without a kingdom blessing.

After He blessed the bread, He broke it.  God always breaks what He prepares to bless, whether it is a loaf of bread or the pride of man.  God will always do a breaking when He provides a blessing!

John 6:12–13 “When the people had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted.” They went to work and filled twelve large baskets with leftovers from the five barley loaves.”

Once God finishes taking the little you do have, you will find out that it was more than enough to begin with…