An Incredible Moment with the Five Thousand (John 6:1-15, 25-35a)
****Just a side note...I'm missing your post, Addie!!!****
Like Addie mentioned the other day, I too, like this story. It is full of good lessons for me to think about.
The problem, of course, was how to meet the needs of such a vast crowd of people. First the disciples suggested Jesus send the people away. Isn't that like us to look for the "easy" way? It was evening so it really wasn't a good time to be traveling and if the people hadn't eaten all day...can you just imagine the fainting that would/could take place?
The second suggestion came from Philip in response to Jesus' "test question": raise enough money to buy food for the people. Philip "counted the cost" and decided they would need the equivalent of 200 days of wages! And even that would not be enough to feed everyone. How often we think that money is the answer to every need! Of course, Jesus was simply testing the strength of Philip's faith.
Now the third solution came from Andrew, but he was not quite sure how the problem would be solved. He found a little boy who had a small lunch: 2 little fish and 5 barley cakes. Once again, I find Andrew is busy bringing somebody to Jesus (see John 1:40-42); 12:20-22). I think Andrew was a people person who helped solve problems.
The fourth solution came from our Lord, and it was the true solution. He took the little boy's lunch, blessed it, broke it, handed it out to His disciples, and they fed the whole crowd! The miracle took place in the hands of the Savior, not in the hands of the disciples. He multiplied the food; they only had the joyful privilege of passing it out. Not only were the people fed and satisfied, but the disciples salvaged twelve baskets of fragments for future use.
The practical lesson for me is clear: whenever there is a need, give all that you have to Jesus and let Him do the rest. Begin with what you have, but be sure you give it all to Him. That little boy is to be commended for sharing his lunch but his mother should be commended for giving him something to give to Jesus. The gift of that little snack meant as much to Jesus at the pouring out of the expensive ointment.
I find it significant that twice John mentioned the fact that Jesus gave thanks (6:11, 23). By that act, He reminded the hungry people that God is the source of all good and needful gifts. This is a good lesson for me, instead of complaining about what I do not have, I should be giving thanks to God for what I do have, and He will make it go farther.
In grace, Christ fed the hungry people; but in truth, He gave them the Word of God. They wanted the food but they did not want the truth; and, in the end, most of them abandoned Jesus and refused to walk with Him.
This sermon on the "bread of life" is actually a dialogue between Christ and the people, especially the religious leaders. I see four responses of the crowd to the Lord in John 6: seeking (vs. 22-40), murmuring (vs. 41-51), striving (vs. 52-59, and departing (vs 60-71).
Jesus knew that the people originally followed Him because of His miracles, but now their motive was to get fed. I love how Christ points out the two kinds of food: food for the body, which is necessary but not the most important; and food for the inner man, the spirit, which is essential. What the people needed was not food but life, and life is a gift. Food only sustains life, but Jesus gives eternal life.
The quote in John 6:31 is from Psalm 78:24 which records the unbelief and rebellion of the nation of Israel. The Lord sought to deepen the people's understanding of the truth. It was God, not Moses, who gave the manna; so they must take their eyes off Moses and focus them on God. Also, God gave the manna in the past, but the Father is now giving the true bread in the Person of Jesus Christ. The past is finished, but the present spiritual experience goes on! Hello, people!! Wake up!!
Christ goes on to identify what/who the bread is. And that He came, not just for Israel, but for the whole world. Seven times in this sermon, Christ referred to His "coming down from heaven," clearly a statement that declared Him to be God. The Old Testament manna was just a type of the "true bread," the Lord Jesus Christ.
People began to respond but they were not ready for salvation. The crowd wanted the bread so they would not have to work to maintain life. There isn't anything new under the sun, is there? People today still want Jesus Christ only for the benefits He is able to give.
His reply to the people had two key words: come and believe. To come to Jesus means to believe on Him, and to believe on Him means to come to Him. Believing is not merely an intellectual thing, giving mental assent to some doctrine. It means to come to Christ and yield yourself to Him.
John 6:35 contains the first of seven great I AM statements recorded by John, statements that are not found anywhere else in the Gospels. When Jesus used the name I AM, He was definitely claiming to be God. The I AM's are a great study just of themselves. I highly recommend it. The other references for them are: John 8:12; 10:7-9, 11-14; 11: 25-26; 14:6; 15:1, 5.
Too sum it up...the disciples looked at their circumstance rather than looking at Christ. They lacked faith.
And, we need only to respond to Christ. How quickly we forget. Our human view is to see, then believe. God's view is believe then see!!
Like Addie mentioned the other day, I too, like this story. It is full of good lessons for me to think about.
The problem, of course, was how to meet the needs of such a vast crowd of people. First the disciples suggested Jesus send the people away. Isn't that like us to look for the "easy" way? It was evening so it really wasn't a good time to be traveling and if the people hadn't eaten all day...can you just imagine the fainting that would/could take place?
The second suggestion came from Philip in response to Jesus' "test question": raise enough money to buy food for the people. Philip "counted the cost" and decided they would need the equivalent of 200 days of wages! And even that would not be enough to feed everyone. How often we think that money is the answer to every need! Of course, Jesus was simply testing the strength of Philip's faith.
Now the third solution came from Andrew, but he was not quite sure how the problem would be solved. He found a little boy who had a small lunch: 2 little fish and 5 barley cakes. Once again, I find Andrew is busy bringing somebody to Jesus (see John 1:40-42); 12:20-22). I think Andrew was a people person who helped solve problems.
The fourth solution came from our Lord, and it was the true solution. He took the little boy's lunch, blessed it, broke it, handed it out to His disciples, and they fed the whole crowd! The miracle took place in the hands of the Savior, not in the hands of the disciples. He multiplied the food; they only had the joyful privilege of passing it out. Not only were the people fed and satisfied, but the disciples salvaged twelve baskets of fragments for future use.
The practical lesson for me is clear: whenever there is a need, give all that you have to Jesus and let Him do the rest. Begin with what you have, but be sure you give it all to Him. That little boy is to be commended for sharing his lunch but his mother should be commended for giving him something to give to Jesus. The gift of that little snack meant as much to Jesus at the pouring out of the expensive ointment.
I find it significant that twice John mentioned the fact that Jesus gave thanks (6:11, 23). By that act, He reminded the hungry people that God is the source of all good and needful gifts. This is a good lesson for me, instead of complaining about what I do not have, I should be giving thanks to God for what I do have, and He will make it go farther.
In grace, Christ fed the hungry people; but in truth, He gave them the Word of God. They wanted the food but they did not want the truth; and, in the end, most of them abandoned Jesus and refused to walk with Him.
This sermon on the "bread of life" is actually a dialogue between Christ and the people, especially the religious leaders. I see four responses of the crowd to the Lord in John 6: seeking (vs. 22-40), murmuring (vs. 41-51), striving (vs. 52-59, and departing (vs 60-71).
Jesus knew that the people originally followed Him because of His miracles, but now their motive was to get fed. I love how Christ points out the two kinds of food: food for the body, which is necessary but not the most important; and food for the inner man, the spirit, which is essential. What the people needed was not food but life, and life is a gift. Food only sustains life, but Jesus gives eternal life.
The quote in John 6:31 is from Psalm 78:24 which records the unbelief and rebellion of the nation of Israel. The Lord sought to deepen the people's understanding of the truth. It was God, not Moses, who gave the manna; so they must take their eyes off Moses and focus them on God. Also, God gave the manna in the past, but the Father is now giving the true bread in the Person of Jesus Christ. The past is finished, but the present spiritual experience goes on! Hello, people!! Wake up!!
Christ goes on to identify what/who the bread is. And that He came, not just for Israel, but for the whole world. Seven times in this sermon, Christ referred to His "coming down from heaven," clearly a statement that declared Him to be God. The Old Testament manna was just a type of the "true bread," the Lord Jesus Christ.
People began to respond but they were not ready for salvation. The crowd wanted the bread so they would not have to work to maintain life. There isn't anything new under the sun, is there? People today still want Jesus Christ only for the benefits He is able to give.
His reply to the people had two key words: come and believe. To come to Jesus means to believe on Him, and to believe on Him means to come to Him. Believing is not merely an intellectual thing, giving mental assent to some doctrine. It means to come to Christ and yield yourself to Him.
John 6:35 contains the first of seven great I AM statements recorded by John, statements that are not found anywhere else in the Gospels. When Jesus used the name I AM, He was definitely claiming to be God. The I AM's are a great study just of themselves. I highly recommend it. The other references for them are: John 8:12; 10:7-9, 11-14; 11: 25-26; 14:6; 15:1, 5.
Too sum it up...the disciples looked at their circumstance rather than looking at Christ. They lacked faith.
And, we need only to respond to Christ. How quickly we forget. Our human view is to see, then believe. God's view is believe then see!!
posted by Pilot Mom at
8:32 AM
2 Comments:
I must be in a humorous mood today because there were so many good points brought up in this lesson by you Claire and all I can think of is, "Too bad this church hadn't thought up pot luck's yet!"
I know...that was in poor taste.
Poor taste - no food - get it?
Somebody stop me!!!
By
HeyJules, at 10:57 AM
You crack me up, Jules! LOL!
By
Pilot Mom, at 11:10 AM
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