Consider The Miracle Of The Loaves Series

John 6:1-14

Mark 6:52 "For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened."

Craig Randall drives a garbage truck in Peabody, Massachusetts. In a garbage container one day, he noticed a Wendy’s soft drink cup bearing a contest sticker. Having won a chicken sandwich the week before, Randall checked it, hoping for some french fries or a soft drink.

Instead, he peeled a sticker worth $200,000 toward the construction of a new home, reports “U.S. News and World Report” (11/6/95).

What we get out of life depends a lot on what we look for. Are we more likely to see each experience as trash or a potential treasure? —Bob Weniger, Ft. Collins, Colorado

John 6:1 ¶ After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.

5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

The Need for foresight

Jesus foresees our problems. He knows not just what we are facing but what we will face.

Phillip was asked to think about solutions, “Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”

If our politicians had foresight there wouldn’t be an energy crisis in California.

John 6:6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

God foresees our problems

God knows what He is doing

God knows what He will do.

No only does Christ have foresight but He knows what He is going to do.

There is a purpose for our problems.

The Oyster

There once was an oyster whose story I tell,

Who found that sand had got under his shell;

Just one little grain, but it gave him much pain,

For oysters have feelings although they’re so plain.

Now, did he berate the working of Fate

Which had led him to such a deplorable state?

Did he curse out the Government, call for an election?

No; as he lay on the shelf, he said to himself,

“If I cannot remove it, I’ll try to improve it.”

So the years rolled by as the years always do,

And he came to his ultimate destiny—stew.

And this small grain of sand which had bothered him so,

Was a beautiful pearl, all richly aglow.

Now this tale has a moral—for isn’t it grand

What an oyster can do with a morsel of sand;

What couldn’t we do if we’d only begin

With all of the things that get under our skin.

Jesus was testing Philip, what will he do about the problem. Perhaps he wants the disciples to agonize over this situation. Do we agonize about what Jesus wants us to agonize over.

John 6:7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

1st choice: ignore problems as long as possible they are overwhelming anyway. The synoptic gospels indicate that the Disciples didn’t do anything all day. They realized they didn’t have the resources so why do anything?

“Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.”

To ignore problems is like the boxer who went into the ring to fight and his manager, after the first round, said, “Go back and this time I want you to knock the opponent out. He hasn’t laid a hand on you yet.” And he went out and his opponent almost killed him the second round.

He went back to the corner sat down and his manager said to him. “Go out there the third round and get him. He hasn’t laid a hand on you yet!’ He went out the third round and his opponent just nearly killed him. All but knocked him out; he was save by the bell. He staggered back to the corner.

His trainer washed his face, gave him smelling salts and said, “Now go back out there this round and get him. He hasn’t laid a hand on you yet!”

The boxer said to his trainer, “I’m going back this time, but you keep a careful eye on that referee. Somebody is beating the devil out of me!”

2nd option is to take the easy way out.

Mark 6:36

vs. 36 - “send them away”

marriage - divorce

churches - split

school - quit

There is a destructive way to deal with problems:

Mrs. Monroe lives in Darlington, Maryland. She’s the mother of 8 children. And except for a few interesting experiences, she’s just like any other mother across America. One experience was so unique that John Haggai put it in his book: “How to Win Over Worry.”