Feeding The Five Thousand

Feeding The Five Thousand

John 6:1-13

: Pastor Dan Turpin westcoastchurch.com

Objective Sentence: Everyone can receive a miracle in their lives by understanding the principles that Jesus taught when feeding the five thousand.

Introduction: Tommy Barnett: In the midst of impossible situations I have just kept saying, “There’s got to be a miracle in the house!” And God comes through—sometimes in ways I could never have imagined.

Pastor Dan: Somehow, Someway, by some set of supernatural circumstances and by some miracle means I am going to come out on top.

#1. Impossibilities test our ability to trust (Jn. 6:5-6 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?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would

do)

A. C. S. Lewis: God, who foresaw your tribulation, has especially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain.

1. Faith grows strong through the stress of endurance

a. Pastor Dan: Pressure reveals leaks (Plumbing)

b. James 1:2-5

c. Mary Case: No pressure no diamonds. Chinese Proverb: The diamond cannot be polished without friction, nor the man

perfected without trials.

d. Deut. 8:3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to

you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that

comes from the mouth of the Lord.

e. John of the Cross: In tribulation, immediately draw near to God with trust, and you will receive strength, enlightenment and

instruction.

f. Malachi 3:10 Bring in the tithes and prove me

g. Napoleon Bonaparte: Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools.

2. Trials reveal the strength and weakness of character

(Romans 5:1-8 and not only that but we glory in tribulation)

a. John 6:6 Jesus said this to prove him

b. Isaac Newton: Trials are medicines which our gracious and wise Physician prescribes because we need them; and he

proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires. Let us trust his skill and thank him for his

prescription.

c. Henry Ward Beecher: Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things

d. Psalms 139:2-4 Test me Oh God…

e. Author Unknown: A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted

f. Ps. 66:10, 12 For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. You have caused men to ride over

our heads; we went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich abundance

g. 1 Thess. 2:4 God tests our heart Gen. 22:1-17 Abraham

h. Watchman Nee: We must not allow difficulties to shut us out from God, but rather we must take advantage of them by

using trials to shut us in with Him.

#2. There is already a miracle in God’s mind for every need you have of Him (Jn. 6:6 This He said to test Him for He already knew

what he would do )

A. Oswald Chambers: 2 Peter 1:2-4 We are made partakers of the divine nature, receiving and sharing God’s nature through His

promises. Then we have to work that divine nature into our human nature by developing godly habits. The first habit to develop is

the habit of recognizing God’s provision for us. God will reach to the last grain of sand and the remotest star to bless us if we will

only obey Him (Philippians 4:19).

1. God knows what you need before you ask

a. Matthew 6:8 God knows your need before you ask E. Stanley Jones: If God already knows what we need before we ask

then why does He require that we ask Him for things. He requires that we ask so that we may learn to trust Him. Pastor

Dan: One of our big problems, even in prayer, is that we attempt to center God our lives around God instead of centering

our lives around God. God knows about your and my needs and has promised to supply them according to his riches in

glory by Christ. The higher purpose of prayer is friendship with God,which is better and greater than the sum total of his

abundant riches.

b. Watchman Nee: Necessity is the foundation for miracles. Great difficulties are meant only to force us out of ourselves into

reliance on Him. When there is no way forward or back, then God is able. He has a plan. So do not fear impossibilities;

c. Phil. 4:19 God shall supply all your need

d. Phil. 2:13 For God is working in your giving you desire and the power to do what pleases Him.