Intro:
Are you into meal deals?
A)If not concerned with
being too healthy IN & OUT - #1 Double Double animal style
B) Really not concerned with
being healthy I will substitute a Strawberry Shake for Ice tea.
C) Thrifty
Del Taco / Taco
D) Pizza
Upper Crust 2 slices drink for $3.45 or 1 slice a good size salad and drink
for $3.85
1) Tax included here in
E) My
Favorite: Trying to be somewhat healthy
1) Rubios Burrito combo: I eat the Burrito Denise
eats the fish taco Chips and Beans $ 7.80 / Drinks $10.73
The
Best meal deals are the ones where a little goes a long long
way!
A)Well here in Johns gospel
we see the Ultimate meal deal. 5 loaves / 2 fish
& Jesus
B) It just keeps going &
going & going !
C) This miracle is one of
only a few recorded in all 4 gospels
1)
Dont miss this! Catch this
D)
John reveals for us the miracle was really a picture of how Jesus desire to fill
the hunger in the heart !
RD V.1-15
After
these things: - What things ?
A)John tells us in v .4 that
this took place close to the time of the Passover. Hill
sides lush & green
B) We learn from the other
gospel writers that there was a 6 month to a
year gap between
C) The other gospel writers
tell us that this miracle followed a time of teaching and healing of the
multitudes { Mark tells us too busy to even eat!
D)
We also learn that 3 significant events had taken place.
1) John
the B. had been beheaded.
2) Herod hearing of the
popularity of Jesus and somewhat thinking maybe John the B had come back to
life again was expressing a desire to see or meet with Jesus.
3) And the disciples had
just come back from their 1st solo missions trip.
E)They were excited to share
with Jesus the things that had happened.
So
it was those things that led Jesus to seek some time alone with the 12
A)I love how Jesus was
sensitive that way to the needs of his Men { ALONE
TIME
B) He
knows your need too! He looks
forward to that alone time with us too.
C) Husbands
/ Fathers Jesus is a good example
1) Time away is important
J Courson: If we dont come apart we
will fall apart.
So Jesus
is wanting to get away to be refreshed and renewed with His Disciples
A)But the Multitude isnt
going to let that happen.
They follow on foot. {
B) The Sea of Galilee is
really a lake in my favorite part of
C) To cross the
1) You can see across
D)
SO people could tell where Jesus was going and so they began to run around the
lake
1) John tells us they were
following because they saw the signs
They had seen His miracles, so they looked at Jesus as sort
of a magician to entertain them, or a physician to assist them.
A)The crowd
followed Jesus for the wrong reasons.
They flocked
to see His works, but ultimately we will see they refused to accept His words
B)They sought
the benefits of His power in their Physical lives but not their Spiritual lives
1)And it still happens today .
Bb)The crowd mentality is still to manipulate the Lord for a
personal, private agenda
1) to get something from Him rather than simply to
be with Him.
C) But in V. 5 We read that
Jesus lifted up his eyes & was bummed that the crowd wouldnt leave him
alone.
D) No He lifted up his eyes
- Mark Compassion: Saw them like Sheep not
having a Shepherd
E)
Hungry sheep Wandering aimlessly
1) So He taught them As
the day grew long He began to consider their Physical need of Food.
So
He asked Philip the Question V.5 Where can we buy bread that these may eat?
A)Why
did He ask Philip? Luke tells us they were in the area of
B) That is where Philip was
From He would know
C) But V.6 tells us that the
question was merely a test for He knew what He was going to do.
Some
Bible Commentators referred to this as the Disciples Mid Term Exam
A)Mid way point in their
following of Jesus
B) They had seen him do many
miracles many healings
C) This was the test: Has
Philip learned to trust me
1)
Will he focus on My ability or the impossibility?
QUOTE: When God is going to do something wonderful
He begins with a difficulty... when He's going to do something very wonderful,
he begins with an impossibility!"
D) That is true and Jesus
wants to know if we will look beyond the impossibility to see Him
1) Will we focus on His
Ability / His Power!
E) Philip focused on the
impossibility!
Well
Philip fails the test? 200
Denari is not enough to feed this large of a crowd !
A)200 Denari
8 months wages
B)
Philip has been called the Calculating
Pessimist
C)Philip is the
Kind of guy who decided everything with a Calculator.
1)He
was rational the kind of guy who required visual evidence
Many
of us can be the same way.
A)One of our biggest
problems can be our own Knowledge and reasoning.
B)Car Breaks Your wife
suggest Honey lets pray for it. { Most women
dont have a clue
cars
1)
Put the Key in and go! Oil fluid whatever
C) Guys it is different
Hear that noise we know the transmission is going out
1) She is like Lets pray
that God fixes it
D)Our Knowledge hinders us
We know what the problem is and what it will take to fix it.
1)
That was Philip He is calculating even if we had 8 months wages a good some not enough to eat a little
Go
back to the statement in v.6 He knew what he was going to do. Ponder that for
a moment.
A)Jesus knew what He was
going to do. But by asking Philip he was inviting him to be a part
B) Philips answer should have been What are you thinking Lord
what do you have in mind!
C)
See in Every need Jesus Knows what He is going to do. He knows how to meet
needs
1) Our response should be
Lord how can I be a part how can I be involved
We
see Andrew in v.8 He almost goes there- He
says there is a lad with 5 loaves
Hamburger bun size and two small fish literally Like Sardines
A)Sardines
and Crackers Lord but Andrew stops short when he says almost
laughing what
. Many
B) Jesus sees the needs of
the world around us He has a plan {
1)
He sees the lost in
C) Those who keep spending
time and energy and money searching for that which is not going to satisfy
He
has a plan - The question for us is this: Are we going to be a skeptic too
hard/ big / far gone
A)Are we going to be a
spectator ? Sit back and watch while others get involved with the plan
B) Or are we going to be a
participant
1)
Here Lord this is what I have to offer how do you want to use it
C) He knows what He is going
to do. The question is where will be?
1)
Philip said the need is too great why bother
Send
the people away before it gets too late
D) Andrew said- we have a
little but it is not enough
Five loaves and two fish Not sufficient for
such a Crowd
A) But in the hands of Jesus
More than enough.
The mathematics
of a miracle: 5 loaves + 2 fish = not
enough / but 5 loaves +2 fish +Jesus
Christ = MORE THAN ENOUGH
B) Jesus is able to take the
Little bit that they had and Multiply it Does the same with us
1) Its like that
all through the Bible.
C) Dust is
insignificant.... But in the hands of Creator it became man
D) The Jawbone of donkey is INSIGNIFICANT... INSUFFICIENT to
fight a battle with....
1) In
God's hands - Samson killed 1000 enemies
Gideon and his
army of 300 is no match for an army that looks like sand on the beach in number
BUT
IN GODS HANDS MORE THAN ENOUGH
E) A sling and
5 smooth stones in the hands of a teenager with a sling is INSUFFICIENT for battle
In Gods
strength David killed the great giant, Goliath
The
Problem with both of these disciples is they underestimated their wealth
A)They thought that all they had was 5 loaves and two
small fish what was wrong with that.
B)They had been with Jesus long enough now!
1) Turn water into wine / Heal man at the pool of
C)But these disciples had a defective view of Jesus that
was their problem
1) Often times
it is our problem as well.
D) We
underestimate our wealth by forgetting who is with us.
And
my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ
Jesus .
E)
What Impossibility are you facing personally today!
1)The question remains Am
I going to dwell on the Impossibility or His Omnipotent Power & Ability?
He knows what He is going to
do! What is going to be your attitude in the mist of it.
Now
I want to make an application for us as a Church as it relates to our Building
Project
A)We really hadnt
considered even trying to venture into such a project until it seemed obvious
that God was Providing
B) We were always a month to
month Ministry
1) Suddenly there was this
surplus Bank account began to grow
C) We
began to Pray: What do you want us to do with this Lord Answer get
ready to build
1)
Pretty soon 1 million dollars enough for a down payment on the property
D) We have since added to
that.
Now
we could have sat back and put that money in the bank or a good money making
account
A)Temptation to get
comfortable status quo cruise
B) Continue to do Church /
missions just wait for Jesus to come.
C)
But here is the Stark reality Somewhere around 2% of the population of NC
goes to Church
1)
Even less than 2% is born again.
D) I believe that
Jesus wants to reach people in NC
1)
He loves the lost He waits in coming because he desires none should perish
E) Jesus has allowed us to
reach a fair amount of people here.
1)
But He wants us to reach more. If He terries I believe that Building is part
of His plan for us.
That
excites me! I dont want to sit back and be comfortable.
A)I want to be a part of
what Jesus is doing now and in the Future.
B) It would be easy for us
to look at this project that is going to cost around 12 million dollars
1) And say: Too much Why
Bother
C) Lord we have one million
but what is that against so many?
D)I
think the attitude He wants us to adopt us is this Lord I believe you are going to do something How can I be
involved.
E) How can I be a part of
what you are wanting to do? How can I be
a part of your plan?
See
here is what this story teaches us Jesus is able to do a lot with a little
when it is given to Him
A)So maybe today Our
Church you need to say here is my little
B) Lord I dont want to be a
spectator / skeptic I want to be a participant
C) Not just our Church - but your own personal need
1) Jesus already knows what
He is going to do
Get in line with His plan
D) Bring what you have
Make it available
1) Good with kids: Here Lord
you can use that
E)
Music: Lord here is my Guitar playing how do you want to use it.
1)Jamie Childrens
Ministry .
2) Home group / Old folks
F) Sports Volunteer time
Seek the Lord He will show you.
1)
He is working and He wants you to be a part of it
The
2nd thing this story teaches us is that in order to be a part of His
plan we have to step out in faith
A)We have to be obedient in
stepping out in faith
RD
v.10-13
B)NOTE: Jesus could've pulled this miracle off w/o any of this.
Bb)He could have
lifted His hands and commanded manna to come down.
He could have instantly
created a loaf of bread in everyone's pocket
C)Instead He shows His desire to work through the insignificance of
others to get His work done.
Picture this scene
Jesus says have everyone sit down. Ok He prays
A)Starts breaking the Bread
and the Sardines and gives it to the disciples start passing out.
B)Think about this he
places a ½ a loaf of bread and ½ a little fish in your hand and says go
1)
If it is me I am thinking YEA RIGHT what am I supposed to do with this?
C)The disciples in faith had
to obey and pass this out believing that it was not going to run out.
Now
Marks gospel gives us an insight here that John doesnt. Huge- Dont miss
this.
41 And when He
had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and
broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the
two fish He divided among them all. 42 So they all ate and were filled.
A)Now
when it says here that He blessed and broke the loaves Mark uses the aorist tense which means it was a single act He did that once Never
repeated
B)But then Mark uses the
imperfect tense when it says and He gave it to his disciples
1)
imperfect tense Literal means - He kept
on giving it to them.
41 And taking
the five loaves and two fish, He looked up to heaven and, praising God, gave
thanks and broke the loaves and kept on giving them to the disciples to set
before the people; and He [also] divided the two fish among [them] all. AMP
C)In
other words, the miracle took place in our Lord's hands.
1) As he held the simple
meal in his hands he would break off pieces and give to the disciples, and he
kept on doing that.
D)There wasnt an instant
banquet table but there was a continual supply that came from His hand
E) In order for the
need to be met they had to keep coming back and taking from the hand of Jesus
Implication
for us is Huge If the needs in our lives our communities are ever going to be
met
A)It will only happen as we
continue day by day / hour by hour / moment by moment receive from the hand
of Jesus
B)The supply is in Him Not
us We must remember that.
1)
The moment we get comfortable and start thinking we dont need to ALWAYS go
to him
C) We are in trouble We
will soon run out of the supply. Dry as can Be
And we have
such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves
to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6
who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter
but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The
Last thing that we see here is how the Lord always does more than we could even
imagine
A)He doesnt just satisfy
the need Everyone ate until they were full
B) And there was 12 basket
fulls left over One for each of the disciples
20 Now to Him
who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by
Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. NKJV