Timeless Virtues: Give Me This Bread

October 3rd, 2021/Riverside & Lookout

Passage: John 6:1-15 CSB

After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2 A huge crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was performing by healing the sick. 3 Jesus went up a mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near. 5 So when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip,

“Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?” 6 He asked this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish—but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place; so they sat down. The men numbered about five thousand.

11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks he distributed them to those who were seated—so also with the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they were full, he told his disciples, “Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.” 13 So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves that were left over by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This truly is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Therefore, when Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Pray:

Background:

This is a profound story in Scripture. It recounts the miracle where Jesus fed 5000 men and that’s not including women and children. It’s thought that there could have been 10-15 thousand people in attendance. Apart from the Resurrection, this is the only miracle that is recorded in all four Gospels. We’ll unpack more of the backdrop and context as we move through the text together.

Title: Give Me This Bread

Main Points:

1. The most significant moments of your life happen at the most inopportune times.

   1. Illust: Putting the kids to bed

      1. There’s not a human in the world that has more to do than a child about to go to bed.
      2. I’m trying to hurry, trying to stick to the plan, needing them to get some sleep, but they have very different plans.
         2. So when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?” - John 6:5
         3. “When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd, had compassion on them, and healed their sick.” - Matthew 14:14
         4. Ex: Jesus had gone away to be with the disciples and to find rest. This moment also occurred right after Jesus found out that His friend John The Baptist had been beheaded. He was likely tired and grieving, yet He still never overlooked the needs of the people.
         5. Compassion requires you to slow down, actually see and sympathize. And it is accompanied by a desire toward action.
      3. It’s not that I don’t care, I just don’t have time.
      4. It’s not that I don’t care, I just don’t want to be inconvenienced.
      5. It’s not that I don’t care, I just don’t have the resources right now
      6. It’s not that I don’t care, I just have more important things to do.

      7. The disciples claimed “Just send them into the city so they can eat.” And Jesus says, “You feed them.”

         6. Question: What situations in your everyday life, that’s happening in the most unfortunate timing, have you stopped believing God can move?

      8. Or better yet what areas in your life—maybe your work, or in school— have you given up on God moving through you?

      9. “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” - Colossians 3:12-14

      10. What seems insignificant in my hands is MORE THAN ENOUGH in the hands of Jesus.

          1. Ingredients in my hands seem insignificant, but it’s more than enough in the hands of my wife!

      11. We have the master chef, HE IS THE BREAD!

          2. “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?” 6 He asked this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish—but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”
          3. Question: What need around you seems daunting and almost impossible to meet?

      12. Start small and have faith.

      13. Remember from last week… “Faith is not the product of striving, it is the product of surrender.”

          4. There were four solutions proposed to the need…
          5. First, the disciples recommend sending the people away. (Mark 6:35-36).

      14. This is the one that makes the most sense right? People are hungry, we don’t have food, send them home!

      15. It’s not that we don’t want to help, we just think they can help themselves.

      16. Jesus had been teaching them late in the day about the Kingdom of God and He knew it would be a journey for them to find food. But as we look more into the story, we’ll see that it is more than food, more than a miracle.

          6. Second, Phillip responds to Jesus asking him the question.

      17. Jesus wasn’t asking Philip because He needed the information. He wasn’t curious about the cost. He didn’t need to consult His accountant. “Can you run these numbers for me Philip.” NO! The purpose of Jesus' question was didactic. He wanted to teach Philip a lesson.

      18. Philip was from Bethsaida, the closest town about 9 miles away. Jesus was testing Philip to strengthen his faith by asking for a rational solution (even though there was none).
      19. 200 denarii was a substantial sum. And as we see from the text it was doubtful that even that amount would cover the need. We’re talking about feeding 10 thousand people. A single denarius was about the sum of a day’s wage.
      20. Question: Isn’t this our typical response as well? We examine our current resources and consider the situation hopeless.
      21. We can limit what God desires to do in us by assuming what is and what’s not possible. They are witnessing Jesus performing miracles, but they neglect what could be possible through His provision for food!
      22. The minute we minimize what God can do we shrink God to the size of our expectation. The quickest way to limit God is to assume it’s impossible

      23. Practical: We believe that God can bring about an awakening in Boulder, we have faith that He can heal our friends and family members, but then we doubt that He can provide for our financial needs in times of crisis. God can do the miraculous in your life; trust Him to provide the resources.

          7. Third was Andrew’s response

      24. John doesn’t tell us what Andrew was thinking. He still asked, “what are they for so many?” But maybe part of him was thinking, “I think He is asking because He’s already got a plan. He may be calling us to do this thing because He’s already working out the resources to provide the miracle. Maybe if I give Him what’s in my hand…”

      25. You see, Andrew didn’t know how the problem would be solved, but he still pointed to what the boy had.
      26. You see, you may not know the how, but you do know the who!
      27. God used a fisherman, a young boy, 5 pieces of bread, and two small fish to produce a miracle that would feed and bless a small town! God can use anybody and anything, but he especially loves working through the unlikely!
      28. Barley was the cheapest bread you could find. And on top of that it is being delivered by a boy. And the fish mentioned is the word opsarion, which is only mentioned by John, and it emphasizes that these were tiny sardines. This was barely enough food to feed 1 or 2 people, much less 10k+ people! What are you even talking about Andrew?!

      29. Application: Maximize what you have in faith and for His glory and trust God to provide what you need!

          1. We say, “God I’m believing that you’re going to provide me with my dream job,” but yet we’re not giving the gifts and resources we have to Him now!
          2. We say, “God I’m believing that you’re going to work a miracle and allow me to buy a home,” but we’re not living a generous life with what little resources we do have.
          3. We say, “God I believe for a spouse that is Godly, loving, sacrificial, generous, fun, and good looking,” but we’re not living a Godly, loving, sacrificial life now.
          4. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9 7. I love how God takes resources that seem insignificant and produces something that is all sufficient and satisfying. Every story mentions that the people ate and were filled and satisfied.
             8. The fourth solution came from the Lord…
          5. Nothing is wasted and there is more than enough in the hands of Jesus.
             1. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks he distributed them to those who were seated—so also with the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they were full, he told his disciples, “Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.” 13 So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves that were left over by those who had eaten.
             2. The miracles first took place in the hands of Jesus, not the hands of the disciples.

      30. Begin by giving all that you have to Jesus, His plan is the best plan for provision. We don’t give to God, we simply give back to God what is already His.

          3. The provision was in the inconvenience

      31. Among the very people they wanted to turn away was the boy whose lunch Jesus used to feed them all.

      32. Question: What if we shifted our perspective from seeing obstacles to seeing opportunities.

          1. My obstacle is an opportunity.
          2. My obstacle is an opportunity.
          3. My obstacle is an opportunity. 3. “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.” - Ephesians 3:20-21

Closing:

What if it’s not about the bread?

As convicting and compelling as this story is about being a people of compassion and faith, what if this passage is pointing us to something so much more than physical bread. What if this is just an illustration of a deeper hunger for something more that Jesus wants to provide for us in abundance.

“25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.” 28 “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked. 29 Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.” 30 “What sign, then, are you going to do so that we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

32 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. (Check the source!) 33 For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.” - John 6:25-35

“A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” - John 10:10

God provides more than enough Grace! His unconditional love extends to all people, His forgiveness is for all people, His power is perfected in our weakness.

Invitation for the believers in the room: What or who is God calling you to have compassion towards, to step out of your routine and love and serve... the altar is open, the prayer team is ready to pray with you.

Invitation:

• Jesus, I acknowledge that I need you
• I confess that I have sinned against you
• I believe that God raised you from the dead
• And right now, by faith, I say “Jesus is Lord”
• Thank you for forgiving me
• By your grace I am saved
• And by your power I am set free