WELCOME John 20:30-31 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. 7 miracles 7 I AM statements
The feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle recorded in all 4 Gospels.
John 6:1-9 Sometime 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?” (You give them something 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 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?”
Jesus saw this as an opportunity to teach His disciples, and us today, spiritual truth and the way God works. And He begins by giving them a spiritual test. A test by His own words He already knows the answer to. Jesus begins by asking Philip, Vs5,7 “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Philip doesn’t pass the test!
Then: Vs8-9 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?” Andrew fails the test! And simply by the silence of the other disciples they to fail the test.
Spiritual lesson #1: DON’T MEASURE A PROBLEM ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN ABILITIES Don’t measure it according to our own abilities. For those who follow Jesus, this is the wrong method to use in seemingly impossible situations.
Here’s the truth: When we face PROBLEMS, CIRCUMSTANCES, and IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS in life, we tend to feel so small next to them. That’s because we are measuring our difficulties according to our abilities just like these disciples did.
So, Jesus is testing His disciples in a seemingly impossible situation, He already knows the answer to.
Some of us may be in an ‘impossible’ situation right now. Circumstances that come into our life that we don’t feel like we have any control over. And yet just like these disciples-God has allowed us to be there.
Why does God allow these things to happen? Jesus gives us the reason right here – He did this to test the disciples.
1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you [that is, to test the quality of your faith], as though something strange or unusual were happening to you. (AMP) (serving & suffering)
Jesus wants us to put our faith and trust in Him, not in our abilities; to put our faith and trust in what He can do, not what we can do. “Because without Him we can do Nothing.” “But with Him all things are possible.
Jesus loves to put us in impossible situations. (EXPLAIN SETTING) He allows them to struggle with the problem to test their faith, challenging them to trust Him, even when they can’t figure out or see the solution to the problem.
Yes, God tests us, but it’s not to grade us, God doesn’t need to grade us, because He already knows our hearts. He tests us to grow us. To teach us to “walk by faith and not by sight.”
When I’ve come out on the other side of the test, I’ve learned something, I’ve grown spiritually, my faith is strengthened; and my understanding of God and who He is, is deepened. I have changed.
2 Corinthians 5:16 So from now on we regard no one from a human point of view [according to worldly standards and values]. Though we have known Christ from a human point of view, now we no longer know Him in this way. (AMP)
John 6:10-15 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.
Spiritual Lesson #2: LITTLE IN THE HANDS OF JESUS BECOMES MUCH
Andrew: Vs9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Here we have a boy who is willing to give all that he has. Let me say until there is a willingness to give there can be no increase! Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
So, they have 15000 stomachs to feed and 5 loaves and 2 fish to do it. Jesus asked the disciples to get the people to sit down and then He took the loaves and gave thanks. (thanks for the loaves and fish. Thanks for what God was going to do with it)
Imagine what the disciples must have been thinking, “This is ridiculous! This thing is not going to work. People are going to be fighting for the bread and fish.”
But that’s not happened. Jesus started dividing the bread and fish, this miracle happened in the hands of Jesus with what Jesus had been given. And everyone is filled. There was more than enough for everyone. (12 baskets left over)
Spiritual Lesson #3: DON’T LIMIT GOD. We limit God when we decide that what we have is too little to make a difference – too little money, too little talent, too little time, too little of everything.
We limit God when we keep what He has given us to ourselves. We limit God when we decide in our minds that some things are just too big for God to accomplish.
It is not that God cannot. It’s that we have decided that God cannot.
We all have these pre-recorded/default messages that we play in our minds:
- When I get more time then I’m going to do ministry.
- When I get more money then I’m going to give.
- When I get more confidence then I’m going to share Christ.
- When I get more experience then I’m going to serve God.
Let me tell you a secret about this – you will never have enough! We don’t get to give-you give to get so you can give even more.
When you and I take what we have and give it to Jesus, it is more than enough to accomplish what He wants to do.
- No matter how small or insignificant you feel it is. God can use it to accomplish His purpose.
Ephesians 3:20 God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.”
Trust God with what little you have. “Give and it will be given to you”
- God does not demand from us what we do not have. But He expects us to offer Him what we do have.
- God can take our little and He can do more with it than we can ever imagine. It starts with us trusting Him.
- Will you trust Him? Will you offer Him the little you have? Because a Little in the hands of Jesus Christ becomes much.
- Spiritual lesson #1: DON’T MEASURE A PROBLEM ACCORDING TO YOUR ABILITIES
- Spiritual Lesson #2: LITTLE IN THE HANDS OF JESUS BECOMES MUCH
- Spiritual Lesson #3: DON’T LIMIT GOD
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