Gtcotr/ss083026
It was the early spring, maybe March, close to the time of the Passover that year, when Jesus heard about the death of John the Baptist. Jesus was tired and sad but there was a multitude of people gathering around Him and they were very hungry. We are told there were 5,000 men, besides the women and children. Up to 15,000 people had been following Jesus all day and they needed something to eat. The 12 Disciples of Jesus were concerned because they knew that they did not have enough money to buy everyone food and so, they came to Jesus.
This is often what we do, and what we should do, when we face a problem we cannot solve … we take the problem to Jesus! Sometimes taking the problem to Jesus is the only thing you can do about it.
An account of that day and what everyone did can be found in all four of the Gospels (Matthew 12; Mark 6; Luke 9; and John 6). In a moment we are going to read about it in John 6. Today we will focus on the young boy who saved the day. Follow along with me and imagine yourself on a hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The flowers are blooming and the wind is blowing.
John 6 NKJV
1 ¶
After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the
Sea of Tiberias.
·
This is not an ocean as
some might imagine a sea would be.
·
This is a relatively
small freshwater lake that is about 7 miles wide, east to west, and about 14
miles north to south.
·
It is also called the
Lake of Gennesaret which is a reference to a harp (musical instrument),
alluding to the shape of the lake.
·
Jesus performed most of
His earthly ministry in the towns and villages on the northern shores of this
lake.
·
Jesus was looking for a
place to rest and pray when He went out into a field on a hillside outside of
the town of Bethsaida (Luke 9:10).
2
Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He
performed on those who were diseased.
3
And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
·
They had all been so busy
ministering that Jesus and the Disciples had no time to themselves to even rest
or eat (Mark 6:31-33).
·
They had just sat down
and, here came the multitudes looking for Jesus.
4
Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.
5
Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude
coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may
eat?”
·
Jesus was always
concerned about people’s health and welfare.
·
Even though these are
fleeting and temporary needs, Jesus took precious time to meet them and to
leave us an example to follow.
6
But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
·
The question Jesus asked
Philip was not aimed at the multitude’s need, but rather at Philip.
·
Philip was asking but the
other disciples were listening.
7
Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not
sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
·
200 Denarii
= 200 days wages.
·
The average
annual salary in 2023 in Jefferson County, Texas, was reported to be $61,300. (Census.gov – Jefferson County, TX)
o
Based on that figure, 200
days wages would be $33,589.
o
That’s a lot of money to
pull out of your pocket for a picnic.
·
I checked the price for 2
fish and fries at Hamburger Depot - $7.70.
o
For 15,000 people that
would be $115,500.
·
The disciples were in a
difficult place – perhaps Judas didn’t have that much money allocated to the
homeless in his ministry account.
·
The Disciples were
bewildered: “Does anyone else have any ideas?”
·
Because Jesus has told us
to feed these people (Matthew 14:16).
8
One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,
9
“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but
what are they among so many?”
·
A lad = a little boy –
probably no older than 9 or 10.
·
It was the time of the
barley harvest. Barley was used for animal feed as well as for the poor (John
Gill’s Expositor) and barley made a coarse brown bread.
·
2 small fish = most
likely something like 2 dried sardines.
·
What are these compared
to the thousands of people?
10
Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in
the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
·
Besides the number of
women and children (Matthew 14:21).
·
Again – perhaps as many
as 15,000. But even if it had only been 15 people it would still have been a
huge miracle.
11
And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them
to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the
fish, as much as they wanted.
·
Notice – the Disciples
ended up feeding the multitude … Jesus didn’t do it – they did.
·
Everyone did their part.
The little boy, the Disciples, and Jesus.
·
Miracles happen when
everyone does their part … even children.
·
And everyone ate as much
as they wanted …
12
So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the
fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”
·
They gathered up the
leftovers – very important to the miracle.
13
Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with
the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had
eaten.
·
If you sow, you reap.
·
He who gives to the poor,
lends to the Lord. And the Lord will repay (Proverbs 19:17) that which has been
given.
·
I think those 12 baskets
filled with fish and loaves were carried by the disciples back to the little
boy’s house and given to his mama.
o
When the Bible doesn’t
tell us, we can imagine the rest of the story unfolded in accordance with the
scriptures covering those subjects.
o
What do you imagine? I
don’t think the disciples kept them. They never belonged to them in the first
place.
o
This was done to feed the
hungry and bring glory to God – not to make the disciples rich.
14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Ok … let’s focus on this little boy for a moment. Imagine yourself in his shoes. Maybe you’re at the State Fair, or an Astro’s Baseball game, or maybe the Dallas Cowboys game and you are surrounded by thousands and thousands of hungry people. Now let’s imagine you have two McDonalds’ fish sandwiches in your backpack, and you’re hungry too.
You can’t just take a sandwich out and start giving people a bite. You surely couldn’t let even the first person eat all they wanted. What made this moment different for this little boy in the Bible and what can we learn about it?
1. It was not his plan that worked, it
was God’s plan.
a. Only God could fix this problem.
b. The boy didn’t just give what he had to the
people, he gave it to Jesus.
c. What we have can seem so small and insignificant
in our hands and yet be so big in God’s hands.
d. Just giving things away may not help you or
anyone else.
e. Our giving should be God directed.
2. Something gave him faith.
a. He had to trust that what he was feeling and what
he was thinking was the right thing to do.
b. He had to believe in miracles and be willing to
participate.
c. Just like the woman in 1 Kings 17, he had to
embrace his awakening.
3. One unselfish act can change the
world.
a. He wasn’t stingy.
b. He wasn’t afraid.
c. He wasn’t shy about what he had to offer.
d. This little boy is continuing to feed people every
day all around the world.
4. Miracles happen when everyone does
their part … even little children.
a.
One small act of kindness can have rippling effects for eternity.
b. The blessing you are waiting for might be waiting on you.
We cannot know until we get to heaven, but it is
easy for me to imagine the traits we see in this little boy were the traits he
saw modeled by his parents. Someone packed him lunch that day and I bet they
were so proud to see him willing to share. The miracle that fed the multitudes
also fed the little boy. Instead of eating his meager meal, he ate all he
wanted. Miracles are some of the biggest blessings to those who help make it
happen.
