Sermon Tone Analysis

Pray

Well typically I don’t talk a lot about television shows that Kim and I watch.

But I thought I would highlight one particular show as we start our message this morning, this show is called alone.

In case you don’t know what alone is, this show follows the 10 individuals as they survive alone in the wilderness for as long as possible using a limited amount of survival equipment.

With the exception of medical check-ins, the participants are isolated from each other and all other humans.

They may "tap out" at any time, or be removed due to failing a medical check-in.

The contestant who remains the longest wins a grand prize of $500,000.

Now the seasons have been filmed across a range of remote locations, many of which are in northern Canada, where it’s freezing Cold.

Here's what I want you to know about this tv show this morning.

Despite the hardship the challengers face, despite the cold temperatures, and the predators of the wild bears and other animals, and despite all kinds of other obstacles that they must navigate.

After watching 2 seasons, the number one reason that people tap out is because they don’t have enough to eat.

You see.

In looking this week, I found that each person can go without food for 43 to 70 days before dying from starvation.

But if a person isn’t feed adequately in time, inevitably they will die.

You see, food for us is life… it’s detrimental to our survival, we need it… and yet, we often take it for granted.

But other things in life, things that weigh us down.

The bad news, the letter in the mail, the phone call we didn’t expect… but whether some needs or more obvious than others, friends, we all have many needs this morning.

You see, last week we began on a 7-week Journey entitled the 7 I am Statements of Christ.

We looked at the death and resurrection of Lazarus.

And we saw that we serve a God of power, a god of compassion and one who wants everyone to come to repentance.

But this, we’re going to transition to another area of needs as we examine that Jesus is the bread of life.

If you have your bibles look with me at John 6.

As you turn there, there are 3 points that we will consider together.

1 we see that Christ is our 1.

Provider.

2. Sustainer.

3. Advocate.

1. Provider

As we begin looking at John 6, we see that Jesus finds himself in Galilee, the northern part of Israel.

And at the start of John 6 Jesus is going to perform a miracle to start the chapter, which will then transition to a message relating to miracle.

And the scripture that we read this morning, about the feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle (aside from the resurrection of Jesus) that is covered in all 4 gospels.

And it’s significant, because ultimately, aside from the resurrection itself, this miracle would affect more people, then any of the others.

In other words, it was the largest of Jesus Miracles.

But what I want us to see this morning, is that whenever Jesus did a miracle.

He wasn’t doing it to show off.

I mean we think about superheroes today, and as a kid in new camp groups, one of the questions that they might ask is: “hey, if you could be any superhero at all, who would you be and why?”

But what I want us to see this morning, is that when Jesus showed up on scene… He wasn’t showing off his miracles, just so that he could show off.

No, Jesus was loving, and compassionate, and always meeting peoples deepest felt needs.

We see that this morning as we examine the scripture together.

John 6::1-15

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick.

3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples.

4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”

There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there).

11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.

He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over.

Let nothing be wasted.”

13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

So, we just covered a bit of scripture here.

But let’s unpack what’s taken place.

So, we notice that there is a crowd of 5,000 men present, which according to my studies, I found this was likely somewhere in the range of 15,000 – 20,000 people when you count the women and children present.

And during this phase in Jesus earthly ministry, he was gaining popularity as he had performed other miracles,and people wanted to come and check out for themselves who this Jesus was after all.

And what we learn from the other gospels is that during the course of the day that Jesus would go on to feed heal those present and teach them, but again, what we see here is that the motive is compassion and love.

But as the day is getting late, a situation takes place.

A problem arises, as the there is no food.

And yet, Jesus we’re told, would take this opportunity, and use it as a teaching moment for his disciples and for us this morning.

As he would turn to Philip and ask in verse 5: “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” and what’s interesting is in verse we’re told 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

(And then) 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Then we see from the scriptures that Andrew would speak up and say: “9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

You see, Jesus knew the problem.

He also knew the solution.

But he wanted to use his disciples as part of this miracle.

He didn’t want to just tell them about it, he wanted to test them, to see what was in their heart… and then allow them to be a part of what he would do through them.

You see, the truth is… Many of us this morning, like to be fixers of things.

When problems arise, when situations come up, we like to be creative and think of how we can handle it… we like to think of how we can solve the problem.

Can anyone relate with that this morning?That when a problem arises, that you think of how you need to fix it?

You see, I was listening to a local Christian radio station this week and the pastor on their said something that really made me think.

He pointed out that if you really want God to do something big in your life… ask him to do something that you can’t do on your own.

He went on to explain, “things that we can do on our own, we really don’t need God’s help for…” But then he said, “but ask God to do something that’s bigger than you, ask Him to do something out of your comfort zone.

Ask him to do something that you can’t do on your own…” and if you do, he’ll show up in a big way.

I wonder for us this morning.

Do we take this approach this morning.

Do we allow God into our problems?

You see, with the disciples that afternoon, they didn’t really have another option as Phillip would go on to say, that what Jesus was asking would take more than a half of years wages.

But the question is, is God big enough for what you’re going through this morning?

Phillip and Andrew.

You see, I don’t know about you, but man life can cause me to worry sometimes.

And yet, I’m reminded of the words of Matthew 6: 25-27 which explains:

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they?

27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

Friends, this morning.

We can rejoice, because our father knows what we need before we even ask him.

Wherever you are this morning, you can be confident, that although you might feel a little uneasy about your current circumstance, you know God has your back, and friends we serve a big, big God this morning.

2. Sustainer

As we Fast forward in John 6: 25-33, we realize that it’s the next day.

Jesus now turns the miracle… into the message.

We’re told:

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.

27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.

For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”