Food For Thought Series

Brief Outline

Food for Thought (John 6:5-15)

Introduction (1-4)

I. The Task is Too Big! (5-9)

A. Jesus, the Good Teacher (5-6)

B. The Inadequacy of the Disciples (7-9)

II. Jesus Begs to Differ (10-13)

A. Jesus has a Plan (10-11)

B. Jesus brings Over-abundance (12-13)

III. People are Amazed (14-15)

Application

Scripture Reading: John 6:35-40

35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

36 "But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.

37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

39 "This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

40 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

Background/Context

Last week, we discussed our miraculous Savior Jesus and His evangelistic trip to the Samaritans. The people of lowly Samaria had an amazing and authentic encounter with the King of Kings, just as we each need to have. We saw from John 4 that Jesus is the source of Living Water -- He is the source of continual refreshing and renewal spiritually. Likewise from our Scripture Reading in John 6, Jesus describes Himself as the Bread of Life.

Jesus' food was to do the Will of the Father. Let that also be our food, and may we access it through the Bread of Life and the Source of Living Water!

Our text tonight is John 6:1-15. Jesus has just healed a man on the Sabbath. The man had not been able to walk for 38 years, and yet one touch from the Savior healed Him. Many of the religious elite were angry that He violated the Sabbath, though their attitude was once again wrong. However, thousands of people had heard of His miraculous works, and they began to follow Him at around the time of the Passover.

From this text today, we see Jesus as our Miraculous Provider and our Multiplier, who teaches us in challenging ways, and who can use what little we have to do a great work for His Kingdom.

Let's read our text -- John 6:1-15:

Text: John 6:1-15 (NKJV)

1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.

2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.

3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.

5 Then 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.

7 Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."

8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,

9 "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"

10 Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost."

13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."

15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Opening Prayer

Introduction (1-4)

1: Jesus often went up to secluded places to rest and pray. These things were essentially His fuel.