Let’s take a look of
3 important characters in the bible: the disciples, the boy and Jesus.
I. ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENT
--
remote place
--
very late
--no
food
--no
money to buy
Reaction towards the problem.
·
PROCASTINATE (V.35)
The disciples put off the problem until the
end of the day. They did nothing and Jesus was waited on them.
·
PASS THE BUCKET (v. 36)
It’s not our problem. If they’re hungry,
let them go find their own food.
·
WORRY (V38)
The disciples’ anxiety went into overdrive
and they started worrying.
We pass on different consequence
of life. It is a cycle. We will have situation and all we need is a solution.
Celebrate the past. Acknowledge the present. Prepare the
future.
II. WILL YOU GIVE IT ALL?
·
He gave what he had
Never underestimate what God can do through
ordinary people and limited resources given to him in faith. If you want to be
used by God just get available.
Philip – the accountant
Andrew – the solution maker with “but”
·
He gave immediately
The boy didn’t hesitate. As soon as it Jesus
needed it, the boy gave it to it Him
III. The
ONLY Word that Jesus Doesn’t Understand
ONLY WORD JESUS DOESN’T UNDERSTAND IS: ONLY! The disciples
said, “We have here ONLY five loaves and two fishes.” Jesus didn’t even
consider the word “only,” He said, “It’s enough!”
The disciples were thinking in human terms of a logical
manner to meet the masses’ hunger, not thinking in supernatural terms, of a
MIRACLE of GOD to meet the needs of the masses!”
The disciples thought their problem was a lack of food, but
Jesus saw that the bigger problem was a lack of faith.
Jesus asks us to sometimes do the impossible also. He’s
doing it to test our faith. When I was in college, I had a professor who often
started class by announcing, “Everyone clear off your desk except for one blank
sheet of paper.” We all knew he was about to give one of his infamous pop quizzes.
Sometimes I was prepared and sometimes I wasn’t.
Jesus does the same thing today. When you face the very hardest times of your lives, it’s like God is saying, “Take out a blank sheet of paper.” The only question on God’s test is: Do you trust me? Your answer is not for His information; it is to show you how much faith you really have. Your faith will be tested continually throughout your life, not to shame you, but to strengthen you. In James 1:2-3 we read: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Once you realize problems are God’s pop quizzes, it makes it easier to say, “Oh boy! Another test!” When you encounter a problem that involves a shortage, there are three different approaches you can take.
Jesus does the same thing today. When you face the very hardest times of your lives, it’s like God is saying, “Take out a blank sheet of paper.” The only question on God’s test is: Do you trust me? Your answer is not for His information; it is to show you how much faith you really have. Your faith will be tested continually throughout your life, not to shame you, but to strengthen you. In James 1:2-3 we read: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Once you realize problems are God’s pop quizzes, it makes it easier to say, “Oh boy! Another test!” When you encounter a problem that involves a shortage, there are three different approaches you can take.
Some people are “feelers.” They address problems with their
emotions: You can recognize them because they use this phrase: “I just feel
that...” The disciples looked around and saw the mob and they felt panic
because the day was getting late and there was no food. Anytime you approach a
problem with feelings you are in danger of making a huge mistake. Their
“feelings” said, “Send these folks away.” I’ve had people tell me they made
major decisions just because, “I felt it was the right thing to do.” That’s a
pretty scary way to make decisions because your feelings can be misleading.
Other people are “figurers.” They address problems with their minds. You can recognize them because they often make remarks like, “I think...” These are the calculators, the analyzers. In the account of this miracle in John’s gospel, we are told Phillip made this statement about feeding the crowd: “Lord, a year’s wages would not be enough to buy everyone a single bite.” I think Phillip was the CPA of the disciples. Can’t you see him as he whips out his handheld iAbacus? He says, “Let’s see, 15,000 people at $2 a meal, divided by a month’s wages... ” He had it all figured out, but God’s math is different than ours. When we pass out food we divide it, but when Jesus passes out food He multiplies it! Human math says, “Five loaves and two fish divided by 15,000 = IMPOSSIBLE. God’s math says, “Five loaves plus two fish times the power of God = 15,000 full stomachs. To all the figure-ers, God says, “Your calculation is correct, but you fail the test.”
Other people are “figurers.” They address problems with their minds. You can recognize them because they often make remarks like, “I think...” These are the calculators, the analyzers. In the account of this miracle in John’s gospel, we are told Phillip made this statement about feeding the crowd: “Lord, a year’s wages would not be enough to buy everyone a single bite.” I think Phillip was the CPA of the disciples. Can’t you see him as he whips out his handheld iAbacus? He says, “Let’s see, 15,000 people at $2 a meal, divided by a month’s wages... ” He had it all figured out, but God’s math is different than ours. When we pass out food we divide it, but when Jesus passes out food He multiplies it! Human math says, “Five loaves and two fish divided by 15,000 = IMPOSSIBLE. God’s math says, “Five loaves plus two fish times the power of God = 15,000 full stomachs. To all the figure-ers, God says, “Your calculation is correct, but you fail the test.”
CONCLUSION:
The disciples said, “We have here only five loaves of bread
and two fish.” Jesus said, “Bring them here to me.” They used the “only” word,
but Jesus acted like He didn’t even understand it. He said, “Your only is
enough for me to make plenty.”
There are “feelers” and “figurers” but the third way to face
a shortage is to be a “faither.” A feeler says, “I feel…” A figure-er says, “I
think…” But you can recognize a faither a smile away because they say things
like: “I believe that God is able…” There was at least one faither in the crowd
that day. John tells us Andrew brought a little boy to Jesus who had five
loaves and two fish. I like Andrew because he was always bringing people to
Jesus. This little unnamed lad “only” had five little buns and two small fish
like sardines. You could call it an Israeli Happy Meal. But he had faith in
Jesus because he surrendered all he had. He didn’t know what would happen; he
just decided to trust Jesus with his food. That’s what faith is. You don’t know
exactly what will happen, but you are still willing to trust God. I would have
loved to have seen the look in the little boy’s eyes as he watched Jesus
supersize that happy meal!
Jesus multiplied “only” that tiny meal until everyone was fed. Not only was there enough for five thousand men, plus all the women and children, there were leftovers! It’s God’s nature to always give more than enough. One of my favorite Bible promises says, “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 …” (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV)
Jesus multiplied “only” that tiny meal until everyone was fed. Not only was there enough for five thousand men, plus all the women and children, there were leftovers! It’s God’s nature to always give more than enough. One of my favorite Bible promises says, “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 …” (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV)
God is asking you the same thing today. What’s that in your
hand? You say, “It’s only my job.” God says, “Lay it down before me.” “It’s
only my bank account.” God says, “Lay it down before me.” It’s only my family.”
“Lay it down before me.” “It’s only my meager abilities.” “Only? I don’t
understand that word. Lay it down.”
“The Little Word ‘Only’”
I considered my
little and God said to me,
“Child, what do
you mean by saying, ‘only?’”
It was only a word that created all that you see;
It was only some clay that brought you to be.
Only a staff that parted the sea;
Only one man who set them all free.
Only a young shepherd who took down a foe;
And there’s a lesson to learn that I want you to know:
It was only a stable, and only a girl;
And only a Carpenter who changed the whole world.
So it’s not what YOU have, but MY strength, you see;
And I can do miracles with your little ‘only!’”
God has been performing miracles with “onlys” for centuries.
Adam was only a pile of clay. Goliath and the Philistines looked at David and
said, “He’s only a boy with only a slingshot.” They said Mary was “only” an
unwed teenage mother. They said that Jesus was “only” a carpenter. Just think
about what God can do with your “only” if you’ll offer it to Him.
