Joh 6-1 FIVE THOUSAND FED

                            FIVE THOUSAND FED

                       Seeing Jesus in His Miracles

INTRODUCTION:

     In this miracle, which is so important that it is recorded in all

four gospels, there are enough different lessons to keep a scholar busy

for a lifetime, I suppose.  There is a basic truth about "little is

much, when God is in it" that almost applies itself. A lad's lunch: five

small loaves and two small fishes, given to Jesus, feed 5,000.  But,

Look again with me at . . .

I. THE MIRACLE ITSELF. (text verse) Set the scene; and then:

A. (verse 6) Jesus knew ahead of time what He was going to do.  GOD

IS ALWAYS AN ACT-ER, AND NOT A RE-ACT-ER. Circumstances do not "sneak up" on God.  In this situation it looked as though Jesus and His disciples were the embarrassed victims of their own success. Thousands had come to hear the wonderful words of life. But now the very mass of people was more than could be handled.

     God permits the 'rain to fall on the just and the unjust.'  And God

respects the free moral choices of human beings in ways we cannot always understand. But God is NEVER surprised by life's twists and turns; and He is never "out of control."

     B. (verse 5) Jesus asked Philip to consider the problem.  GOD

INTER-ACTS WITH PEOPLE AND WITH THINGS AT HAND.  And Philip took an inventory.  Other evangelists record the "treasury as low: five loaves, two fish;" But it was good old ANDREW that saw the LAD who owned the "treasury"-- the one person who had something of his own to eat.

     C. (verse 11) Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given

thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the

fish as much as they wanted. JESUS TOOK WHAT THE DISCIPLES HAD—TOOK ALL OF IT, INADEQUACY AND ALL-- AND WORKED A MIRACLE OF GRACE!

     D. (verse 26 "Truly, truly I say to you, you seek me, not because

you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. Do

not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to

eternal life...") The miracle had some unforeseen re-actions. SOMETIMES GOD'S GIFTS, AND THE BENEFITS OF GOD'S LOVE CAN BE THE FOCUS OF AMBITION AND DESIRE, RATHER THAN THE LIFE IN CHRIST ITSELF.

II. SEEING THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS IN THE MIRACLE

This story is another documentary about how Jesus met with people, and

gives us a clear example of the interwoven strands of the kingdom of

God:

These three strands are LOVE, and SERVICE, and HOLINESS. Put into

inter-human terms, they are loving fellowship, caring service, and

faithful proclamation; (the Greek, or New Testament terms are koinonia,

diakonia, and kerigma.)  Jesus taught, and Jesus showed by his example

that all three, LOVING, and SHARING, and PROCLAMATION, were vital,

important to Him.

We're tempted to try to bring in the kingdom of God simply by

telling people, "this is HOW to become a Christian!" And we prefer if a

minister does the telling in a revival or church service. But look at

how Jesus modeled the kingdom:

A. THIS MIRACLE SHOWS US THAT JESUS LOVED PEOPLE. John simply records that Jesus looked up and saw the crowd coming.  But Mark tells us (1) that Jesus had gone on a retreat, to get away; no doubt He was tired, perhaps even worn out.  But Mark also says (probably with the eye-witness of Peter prompting him) that (2) when Jesus saw the multitude, He had compassion on them, because they were like a sheep without a shepherd.

**IT IS JUST ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE TO EVANGELIZE APART FROM LOVE.

The Gospel is GOOD NEWS; the evangel is the message of God's

love. And somewhere along the way it has to be fleshed out.

B.  THIS MIRACLE ALSO SHOWED US THAT JESUS SAW PEOPLE AS MORE THAN SOULS TO BE SAVED. JESUS UNDERSTOOD PEOPLE. He knew that they were not just lost souls, or damned sinners, but they were also hungry stomachs. He knew that they were teenagers wondering what people might think of them-- or what they were thinking of themselves. He knew they were older folk wondering if the health would hold out as long as the savings.  He knew they were middle-aged people carrying burdens for grown-up children as well as aged parents.

     So, when He saw the multitude, He knew they were hungry. And He

said, "Where are we going to get food for these people?"

     Mark has it a little different, again. The disciples knew it was

impossible, so they said: "Send them away before it gets too dark to see

the road to the store!"  But Jesus aid: "YOU feed them!"

     This can have a literal application: we need to share our food. It

also is a principle:

 **IT IS JUST ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE TO EVANGELIZE "SPIRITUALLY."

     At least this is true if we are defining "spiritual" to mean apart

and separate from the all the rest of the person.

     We might begin our witnessing with a genuine interest in the person

we want to bring to Jesus. The need may not be bread, but there is a

need.  And we may not have what the person needs, any more than the

disciples had bread for the 5,000.  But we can care, and we can share

what we DO have.

C.  BUT THIS MIRACLE ALSO REVEALED WHAT TO MANY SEEMED TO BE A 'NEW SIDE' OF JESUS.  JESUS LEVELED WITH PEOPLE. He didn't sail under false colors. He knew when the people wanted simply to USE Him. And He said: "This is what I AM!  I AM the Bread of heaven!"

This was a watershed miracle, and a watershed time.

**THERE IS NO EVANGELISM THAT BY-PASSES THE CROSS OF CHRIST!

Sooner or later, and the sooner the better as a rule, we have to

come face- to-face with the eternal needs of the people we love. We have

to be faithful in saying: "JESUS IS LOVING, JESUS IS CARING, BUT JESUS IS LORD! AND JESUS IS LIFE! AND ONLY JESUS IS LIFE!"

CONCLUSION:

1. From this miracle, ultimately, came a DIVISION (6:66).  "Many

went back, and walked with Him no more!"

     If it had simply been "Loaves and fishes Day" every day there never

would have been a problem.  If we simply had Praise gatherings, and

hand-clapping, toe-tapping times all the time there would be no

problem.

     But Jesus spoke of DEATH and of SHARING HIS DEATH AND HIS LIFE! And that has a repulsive side to it!  It is a humbling thing to NEED a

sacrifice!  It is a humbling thing to be DIED FOR!

     So-- the GIFT-SEEKERS BEGAN TO LEAVE!  The FREE-LOADERS, and the SCRIPTURE-EDITORS WENT AWAY FOR GOOD!

2. From this miracle came also came a reinforced DECISION (6:67-8)

"Do you want to go, too?"

     There is real pathos in this scene. Jesus looks at His closest

friends, The Twelve, who have only recently been out working for

Him. Are YOU looking for what I can DO, rather than for ME?

     Peter speaks for us all: "Lord, to whom shall we go? YOU have the

words of eternal life!"

3. JESUS CLAIMS HE IS THE ONLY WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE!

1. HAVE YOU MADE A DECISION ABOUT JESUS?  Have YOU / ARE you a partaker

in the blood and body of the Lord?  Through GRACE, by FAITH, have you

come to eternal life?

2. ARE YOU WILLING TO SHARE THIS MESSAGE?  Will you be an evangel?  To

CARE?  To SERVE?  And then, as God gives you grace, to SHARE YOUR FAITH?

If you follow the Lord Jesus for Himself, and not just for what He gives

and does, I challenge you to take someone on your heart to care about,

and to serve, and as the opportunity presents itself, to introduce them

to Jesus Christ.