Dr. Brad Patterson          August 6, 2023

“All You Can Eat and More”

John 6:1-15

6 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 

² And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 

³ Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 

⁴ Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 

⁵ Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 

⁶ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 

⁷ Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii^[a] worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”

⁸ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 

⁹ “There is 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.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 

¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 

¹² And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 

¹³ So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 

¹⁴ When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

¹⁵ Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

 

1. THERE ISN’T A PROBLEM TOO BIG FOR GOD TO SOLVE. (Vs 5-6)

⁵ Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 

⁶ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 

PROBLEM 1 – LACK OF FOOD

      Look at the birds of the air:  they neither sow not reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?   Matthew 6:26

PROBLEM 2 – LACK OF FAITH

      And he said to them, “Why are you afraid O you of little faith?”  Then he rose and revuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.  Matthew 8:26

 

2. THERE ISN’T A PERSON TOOO SMALL FOR GOD TO USE. (V 9)

⁹ “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 

For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice…     Zechariah 4:10

 

TAKE AWAY OF THE DAY:

God’s Provision ALWAYS Turns To Abundance When You Fully Trust Him With What You Have.  (Vs 12-15)

¹² And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 

¹³ So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 

¹⁴ When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

¹⁵ Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

 

Mark 6:41-43

⁴¹ And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 

⁴² And they all ate and were satisfied. 

⁴³ And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.