“ The Process Of Spiritual Growth”
John 6:1-14
04/13/2008
by
Dcn. Chris Nerreau
TITLE: The Process of Spiritual Growth
SCRIPTURE: John 6:1-14
INTRODUCTION: May the words of my lips and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable in thy sight, giving praise glory and honor to Your name, our Rock and our Redeemer. (PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLES TO JOHN 6:1-14)
BACKGROUND: In our passage today, after having spent some time in Jerusalem healing, teaching and arguing with the Pharisees, Jesus was weary. It seemed Jesus desired to go some place quiet where He could instruct the disciples. As such He gets on a boat and heads toward the other side of the sea of Galilee (approx 4 mile ride). At the same time, having done great miracles the people made the decision to chase after Him. If you can picture it, there was a crowd walking along the shoreline following the boat. Because the Passover was near, there were many thousands of Jews heading into Jerusalem at the same time. So we see that as the small crowd heading out of Jerusalem following Jesus connects with the larger crowds coming into Jerusalem for the Passover, in the end we find what is described as a “multitude” of many thousands looking for Jesus.
Jesus and the disciples arrived at the other side before the multitude, who probably ended up walking double the distance as they went around sea. The scriptures then say that Jesus climbed a mountain and “sat down”, this is the traditional position for the rabbi to begin teaching. It was then that Jesus saw the “multitude” coming toward Him. Jesus decides to being teaching and in this teaching we begin to see the process Christ uses to grow Christians.
ILLUSTRATION: When I was about 13 years old I got my first job. It was not glamorous, I was a dish washer making 3.50 an hour. I can remember when I first started, I was terrible at it, sloshing around making a giant mess and not being able to keep up. I was very inefficient. But over time the head cook began to teach me that there was a process to washing dishes. Wash for 10 min., Rinse for 10 min., Dry for 10 min. do the little ones, save the pots for the end or they will dirty the water. Once I began to get it, the job went much smoother.
Today I realize that much of life is made up of processes. A plant cannot grow until it is first placed in the soil, watered and set in the sun. A child will not grow until it is nurtured, feed and loved. A marriage will not grow until (2) people learn to live for each other rather than themselves.
PROPOSITION: Why do Christian’s believe that Christianity is any different? Christ uses a process to grow us, when we understand that process, we can cooperate with Him. Today, in our passage on the feeding of the five thousand, I will try to reveal this process to you.
ORIENTATION: From a very high level, the process is made up of three crucial components:
1. Test You – Christ Will Test You (John 6:5-9)
2. Strengthen You – Christ will use His power to strengthen you (John 6:10-11)
3. Feed You – Christ will set aside enough to feed you (John 6:12-14)
TRANSITION:
Let me begin to explain by looking at how…
I. TEST YOU – (John 6:5-8)
EXPLANATION: In (John 6:5) Jesus say’s to Philip after seeing the large crowd – “How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” This would have been a legitimate question except Christ was not really looking for an answer.
In (John 6:6) it tells us that Jesus – “said [this] to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.” This shows us just how premeditated Jesus plan was.
WHAT WAS THE TEST: The test was to reveal the disciples lack of faith in Christ and their weakness in the ability to feed the multitudes.
HOW DID PHILIP AND ANDREW DO: Both Philip and Andrew failed the test. Philip said it was impossible to feed all the people and Andrew, while doing a little better said we have some food but not enough.
WHY DID JESUS DO IT: Jesus was not testing them for himself, He was testing them to reveal their spiritual weakness!
This idea of testing is not new to Philip, it is a principle found throughout Scripture. God tested Abraham’s Love (Gen. 22:10), God tested Daniel in the Lion’s Den (Dan. 6:13-24), God tested the disciples in the Storm on the Sea (Mt. 8:6).
ILLUSTRATION: In this world there is a principle, namely that if you work really hard at something, you will improve at it or even master it. For example, to play the piano well, we must practice and practice until we are free to play. The more we practice the better we become.
But the Kingdom of Heaven do not work this way, rather God grows us in our failures. (2 Cor. 12:9 – “My power is made perfect in weakness”.) Christ demonstrates His power in our weakness, Christ delivers us when we see no way out. It is when we score an “F” that God gives us an “A”.
The point is this, we do not struggle with the power of our will to grow into the Christian faith. Rather, Christ tests us over and over again until we have seen the situation enough times to recognize the testing, then we grow.
This does not mean that we are not to trust in Christ, but there is a prayer in scripture that I believe is pertinent to this principle (Mark 9:24) – “I believe, Help my unbelief”.
APPLICATION: Today, is God testing you? Has God brought you to the place where He has essentially asked – “How will you feed the multitudes of your life” (ie work, bills, relationships, health ect…)
Christ is not testing you for Him, He is doing it for you. Testing is for us and not God.
Slowly, over the years you will begin to see God in the trials, you will begin to see Christ in the testing and that is how Christian growth begins.
TRANSITION: Secondly, Christ does not just test us, He also…
II. STRENGTHEN’S YOU – (John 6:9-11)
EXPLANATION:
One of the things that most Christian’s do not realize is that Christ does not expect you to be a martyr overnight. He does not expect you to get it all right on the first day. He takes what little you can give and He builds off of it.
Philip completely fails in the faith department, but look with me if you will at Andrew, (John 6:9) while he does not exactly trust in Christ, He at least display’s some faith. “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?”
Note: The boy was small and young, the fish were pickled sardines and the bread was the bread of the poorest person.
• Jesus strengthens us by taking what little faith he had and using it.
• (John 6:10) There was “grass” Jesus tells the disciples to make the people “sit down” – (See Psalm 23)
• (John 6:11) “Gave thanks” – “Broke the bread”: (Eucharistic Overtones)
o Jesus as the perfect man has command over the created universe – (Gen. 1:26 Man has dominion over all creation)Jesus the perfect man rebukes winds Mt. 8:27, Mark 1:25 over demons, Over creation (ie fig tree) Mark 11:21)
o This is how the bread can be continually broken
• (John 6:11) “Distributed” - “As much as they wanted”
ILLUSTRATION:
When I was very young, I drown. I was clinically dead floating in a pool. Fortunately for me, my next door neighbor was a nurse and she rushed over and gave me CPR saving my life or else I would have been toast. As such I was terrified of the water for many years. In order for me to learn to swim, my father would take me in the pool, hold me tight and tell me that he would never let anything happen to me. Slowly, he would let me go, bit by bit and when I would go under, he was always right there to lift me out. It took these difficult test’s for me to trust him.
Jesus is doing a similar thing, He tests us but then He shows us that He is right there. Notice, He tested the disciples with the crowds, then He said – “Tell them to sit down”. Jesus was saying to the disciples, I am here. (Note: Mt. 28:20 – He still is)
APPLICATION:
Today if God is testing you, celebrate because He is about to demonstrate His power in your life so that you will know He is there. Learn from the testing that He is there, that He is with you in your suffering and trials.
The author of Hebrews said – Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! He has not changed and the process by which He grows us has not changed. It begins with testing and is followed by a powerful work of deliverance.
Maybe today your saying – “I can’t see any way out”, “it’s impossible!” Try as Andrew did to give Jesus something to work with. Jesus will take what little you give Him and He will strengthen your faith.
TRANSITION: So we have seen that the process of Spiritual growth begins with testing and is followed by strengthening, but lastly look as we see…
III. FEEDS YOU (John 6:13)
EXPLANATION:
One of the interesting things about this passage is that someone had to feed all these people. Jesus was making the fish and the bread, but who was distributing it? Who was bringing the gifts to the people? It was the disciples of course. Could you imagine feeding almost 15,000 people (counting woman and children).
o The scriptures tell us that all the people ate, but what about the disciples?
o Notice with me if you will (John 6:13) – How many baskets full were left over? And How many disciples are there?
o Jesus strengthens our faith with miracles in order that we may serve others in the power of His name. But as we look out for others, Christ is looking out for us!
o He has set aside the basket of manna for you, His servant and as you enjoy it, let it serve as a reminder that Christ is feeding you that you may grow spiritually.
ILLUSTRATION:
I can remember leaving the Assemblies of God, leaving the Protestant world and becoming Catholic. I can remember the testing, the pain and the struggle. I can also remember the miracles, the time’s God showed up and displayed His power confirming my coming home, but my favorite memories are those times, when after a hard day’s work in the vineyard of God I sat and rested in the Lord and ate my fill.
Psalm 23 – “I shall not be in want”
The finishing touch of spiritual growth is fellowship as Jesus feeds us. Remember Peter – He was tested at the cross, blown away with Christ’s resurrection and fellowshipped with Christ by the charcoal fire. Then the process began anew.
APPLICATION:
As Christ is manifest in your life, it should drive you to serve others. But always remember as you do, to the measure you are focused on others, Christ is focused upon you.
(Old Spiritual Hymn – God’s radar is fixed on you)
Christ ends this process of spiritual growth with a spiritual basket, set aside just for you.
CONCLUSION: Today where are you in this process of spiritual growth? Has God just lead you into a time of testing, is He displaying His powerful love in your life or are you just sitting down to enjoy your fill? Wherever you are, always remember that it will change, that Christ has a process for developing spiritual growth:
RESTATE MAIN POINTS
1. Testing
2. Strengthening
3. Feeding
Today it is my hope that from a 10,000 ft. level I have been able to show you the process by which Christ grows us in this story of the feeding of the 5,000. Always remember that Christ is still on His throne, that His love for you has not subsided and that He is growing you in spiritual maturity.
Christ did not just feed the multitude to satisfy their hunger, He did it to teach the disciples and to grow them in their spiritual journey. I pray you will recognize Christ as He does the same in your life.
Amen.
