The blessings of need

The fear of need

Positive and negative motivators

Positive is see something and chase after

education

career

athletics

financials

Relationship

Negative is to also see something and work to avoid it

loneliness —> search for relationship

Hell —> I’ll go to church

poor health —> exercise

Its not always black and white with respect to our motivations. It can be a mix.

Regardless of motivation, the idea/thought of being in ‘need’ is not a comforting one and so a lot of our efforts in life are to avoid being in ‘need’

Financially

health wise

relationally

food (screening question at the pediatrics office)

Ministry (shorthanded)

When we experience any sort of need, there is a sense of urgency to remedy the situation.

Being in need, while not comfortable or desirable, contains a blessing.

Feeding of the 5,000

John 6:4–5 NKJV

4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”

QUESTION: describe the type of people present for the miracle?

poor / hungry / sick / outcast / hurting / oppressed

They were motivated to come find Christ out of their need.

QUESTION: Who was not there for the miracle?

pharisees / well off / educated / healthy

John 6:5–14 NKJV

5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. 7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” 10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

The experience of being in need has its blessings

QUESTION: What are the different types of needs in this event

need for food

need for a shepherd or leader

need for answers

need for obedience…make them sit in groups of 50

need to serve

need for truth

All these needs were fill/satisfied in Christ.

matthew 11:28

Matthew 11:28 NKJV

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Mark 2:17 NKJV

17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Learning to embrace our need rather than run from them or hide them will help us find our way to Christ.

Rich or poor, educated or not, healthy or sick ALL of us have needs…the only difference is whether we embrace it or not and allow it to lead us to Christ.