“feeding Of The 5,000: What Happens When God Does The Math” Series

10 Amazing Miracles In Scripture Sermon Series (6 of 10)

“Feeding of the 5,000: What Happens When God Does the Math”

John 6.5-15

November 8, 2015 CFBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A We’ve looked at 5 miracles so far (calming the storm, walking on water, Balaam’s talking donkey, parting of the Red Sea, casting out demons from the man in Gerasene.)

1 The feeding of the 5,000 is the ONLY miracle that is mentioned in all four Gospels.

a It took place in the spring, near Passover, the grass was still green in fact (summer had not burnt it up yet.)

b John 6.5-15

2 There is something to this story that gets our attention, pecks our interests.

a We’ve all been where these people were that day.

aa We needed something that we didn’t have.

bb We needed God to come through for us when there was no natural way for the need to be met.

b We’ll saw last week what happens when God is in the lead (gives protection/compassion), today we’ll see what happen when God does the math.

aa For us 5+2=7

bb For God, 5+2= what ever He wants it to.

B Let’s look at two aspects of this miracle (Pray)

I The Makings of a Miracle

A Jesus had all the ingredients to do something supernatural that would be talked about for eternity.

1 A Real Need: The people (probably between 15-20K) were getting physically hungry after a very long day.

a Probably no one was going to die if they skipped this meal, morning would arrive soon . . .but they were hungry.

b Jesus didn’t see it as a “small” thing or “no big deal.”

aa v. 5, “Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?”

bb Jesus had already decided He was gonna do what He do when He asked Philip the question.

2 People Are Involved: The crowd, a boy, & disciples

a I think Philip was Jesus’ Chairman of the Fellowship Committee: it was his job to make sure people got feed/logistics.

aa We don’t have the budget to feed all these folks. It would take 8 months wages to feed them all, Jesus.

bb Philip was thinking with his head, doing the math.

b Andrew tracked down a boy who had 5 loaves of barely bread & two pickled fish. (Great value: cheap)

aa At least Andy made the attempt, “We got something, Jesus! It won’t go very far but here you go.”

bb You gotta give it the lil’boy who was willing to part with his supper. It wasn’t his fault nobody thought of bringing a sack lunch.

cc What no one took into consideration was the power of Jesus.

3 The Blessing of Jesus

a Mark 6.40, Jesus told His disciples to group the people in blocks of 50 to 100. (To avoid people rushing to get their meal.)

aa They sat in the grass waiting for the shepherd to feed them.

bb To me this is the prophetic realization of Psalm 23.

b v.11, Jesus took the loaves/fish and blessed them, and gave them to the disciples to give to the folks.

aa Jesus just bringing out more bread/fish as they needed it, until every one was filled of fish sandwiches.

bb He told His disciples what He wanted them to do and they did it. (Those 12 may not have had faith but they had obedience.

B Miracles are real, they do happen when God does the supernatural in the natural.

1 Typically, there must be a need (calming a storm, parting a sea, healing the blind, stopping the sun, raising the dead . . .)

a We all have a “need” in our lives.

aa Physical, marriage, church, . . . we just need God to move.

bb We can’t change, alter anything in any real way on our own.

b Miracles happen in the atmosphere where there is a need for something to happen off the grid of the natural.

2 You and I have a role in the miraculous. (Not that God needs us, He just chooses often to work through us, people.)

a He told the disciples: put the groups together, pass this bread out, gather up the left overs . . . that’ll be your lunch tomorrow!

aa I personally don’t think the disciples had an other worldly faith (freaking out because of lack of resources: food, money, logistics.)

bb But the one thing they did show was obedience.

b We must act on the promises, Word of God when He gives them to us.

aa I’m sick but I’ll get better; I’m down but I’ll be victorious; I’m dead but I will rise.

bb We don’t have to have all the answers, the whole thing figured out, just trust in the One who does!