26 July 2009
Pentecost Sunday
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
Fortress Chapel
Contingency Operation Site (C.O.S.) Sykes
Tall-afar, Iraq
BIG IDEA: Regardless of what the need is in our lives, God is able to meet it.
REFERENCES: Passover, the, a religious festival commemorating God’s deliverance of the Jews from bondage. The English term translates the Hebrew word pesach as used in Exod. 12:13, I will pass over you; Matthew 14:15-21(ESV) – Feeding of The 5000; Mark 6:30-44 (ESV) – Feeding of The 5000; Luke 9:10-17 (ESV) – Feeding of The 5000; John 6:4-13 (ESV) – The Feeding of the 5000; What an indictment against the Jews that the two people Christ commended for their great faith were both Gentiles: Matthew 8:10 (ESV) When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel” have I found such faith; Matthew 15:28 (ESV) Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly; Numbers 18:13 (ESV) – The firstfruit of the harvest offered to God - The first ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the LORD, shall be yours; 2 Kings 4:42-44 (ESV) – The Multiplication of The Bread - A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ” So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the LORD;` Hebrews 13:7-8 (ESV) Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever; Psalm 37:25 (KJV) I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread; 3 John 3:1 (ESV) The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth; Luke 4:23 (ESV) And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country;
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: John 6:4-13 (ESV)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: John 6:4-13 (ESV)
III. READ THE TEXT: John 6:11-12 (ESV) Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that regardless of what the need is in our lives, God (through Jesus) is able to meet it.
V. SERMONIC THEME: “Give what you have to Jesus”
VI. INTRODUCTION: The Good Book says in John 6:11-12 (ESV): Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.
I have a confession to make this morning. I’m not a fan of leftovers; and I can’t say that I have ever been a fan. I’m not saying this to justify my actions of the past; I’m just stating it as a matter-of-fact.
My wife has often made fun of me about my disapproval of eating leftovers. For you see, Dedra (my honeycookie of 26 years) is the youngest of nine children.
She learned at an early age how to appreciate leftovers. In contrast, as an Only Child, I’ve always felt like I had been acquainted with more than my share of leftovers. In fact, it was nothing for my family to dine on leftovers for several days after the meal’s original serving.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 1: “Give what you have to Jesus”!
a. Recently, I had the privilege to observe one of the 504th Battlefield Brigade NCOIC engaged in an effort to have her needs to avoid wasting water met.
b. Apparently, Sergeant First Class Kennedy isn’t a huge fan of opening a bottled-liter of water at mealtime without consuming the entire liter.
c. So, she passionately expressed her concern about water-waste to the proper authorities:
d. our COS Sykes DFAC Management Team; … and much to my surprise the issue of wasting ounces of water was immediately resolved.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 2: As a result, SFC Kennedy is now able to rest at night knowing that one of God’s most precious commodities (water) is being optimized without waste.
a. Now, my brothers and sisters, this NCOIC embodies the idea that ounces of wasted water, wasted over and over again equates to liters of water …
b. … eventually being out of stock to quench the thirst of a multitude of Soldiers in the scorching heat of Tal-Afar, Iraq.
c. SFC Kennedy gave of her time and her ability to communicate effectively to address the issue of “Water-waste” …
d. … and as a result, the would be water-leftovers are now being used to quench the thirst of other; believers!
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 3: Likewise, in our text today, we find ourselves witnessing a little boy surrendering his travelling lunch to Jesus in order for Jesus to meet everyone’s needs.
a. This miracle occurred just one-year before Jesus was to be crucified.
b. Ironically, this miraculous event is recorded by all Four Gospels which indicates that there were over 5000 people gathered… because there were at least 5000 men; and for the most part the men travelled with their wives and children.
c. … In our scripture today, the people of God longed for a new Moses who would deliver them from Roman Bondage.
d. For who can forget the question Jesus asked of Philip in our text this morning?
e. For don’t you remember, Jesus’ question to Philip—Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?
f. The question was intended for all of us to be educated this morning in our WALK of FAITH.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 4: The Good book says God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
a. However, Jesus does test us to refine our faith and for us to get rid of impurities that we may have in our WALK of FAITH – but He never challenges us to do ungodly things.
b. Sometimes like Philip – we are found with faith impurities in the midst of certain circumstances.
c. In our text today, the amount needed to purchase bread for the MEGA Church-crowd in attendance was at least 200 denarius.
d. Now, my brothers and sisters, one denarius (or one penny) was equivalent to a day’s pay;
e. so according to Phillips - even if the disciples had 200 denarius ($25-$30 dollars) which was seemly impossible to gather from amongst themselves or anyone else to purchase the bread even if the bread stores had been open.
f. It still WOULD NOT have been enough BREAD to feed the multitude gathered on this occassion.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 5: Sometimes, the Lord allows us to get into certain sticky-situations in order for us to turn COMPLETELY to Him.
a. He wants us to come to the reality that NO ONE can really provide for us like He can!
b. The Good Book says Andrew (Peter’s Brother) stumble upon a little “poor boy” who had 2 Small Fish ( in fact, I think the fish was so small we would probably call them sardines).
c. So, this poor little fellow had 2 Fish and 5 Loaves of Barley Bread. Barley Bread is bread that was eaten by the less fortunate of life – or the poor people bread.
d. Similar to “neck-bones” and chitterlings being the poor people food of my day.
e. The Haves of Life, in Biblical Days ate Wheat Bread because Barley bread wasn’t as tasty as Wheat Bread. And besides, Barley bread was the poor people bread.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 6: Turn to someone that is sitting next to you (or behind you) and say: “Neighbor, my faith might not be as strong as your faith;
a. In fact, in comparison to your faith, my faith is a little poor;
b. but I’m willing to give Jesus the little that I do have in order for Him to miraculously meets the needs in the lives of our chapel community today.
c. “Poor faith” is extremely important because it’s still faith.
d. It’s not healthy and it’s not ideal but its faith.
e. And it’s all food the little boy had. Andrew no doubt – bending down to the little boys eye level communicated to him (as the little fellow clutched his lunch bag to his chest) that Jesus – himself – had NEED OF HIS LUNCH.
f. Andrew had to tell the little fellow that Jesus wanted it because ANYONE ELSE WOULD HAVE BEEN A NO-GO at the little boy’s station!
g. But, the little fellow had heard his parents and other adults talk about Jesus being the miracle worker – opening blinded eyes and healing troubled graveyard minds.
h. So, the little “poor boy” was willing “right-now” to give-up his lunch for Jesus.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 7: The Hebrew writer says NOW “faith” is the substance of things hope for and the evidence of things not seen.
a. He didn’t say strong faith or weak faith – He said NOW “faith”.
b. If we have the faith to turn to Him in the midst of our crisis, Christ can multiply our “loaves and fishes” as he did those of believers so long ago.
c. If we care and reach out to help, Jesus will provide.
d. A little is a lot with the Lord.
e. For we serve a God who is a fan of leftovers and not wasting anything.
f. A God who will take what we have regardless of how small and insignificant it may seem to others;
g. and He will use it to NOT ONLY to meet our needs; but He will use it to also meet the needs of others without wasting anything.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
CELEBRATION: For who can ever forget the story of our God miraculously meeting the needs of folk that “went to church” in 2 Kings 4:42-44 without wasting anything?
For don’t you remember, the believer who carried his tithe – 20 loaves of bread - to the Man of God?
In fact, according to the Good Book, Chaplain Elisha told Gehazi, his chaplain assistant, to serve the folk that had assembled to hear God’s Word with the 20 loaves that had been given.
But, Gehazi questioned if Chaplain Elisha thought the food was enough for an hundred people;
and the Chaplain replied, “Give it to them to eat, because the Lord says that they will eat and still have some left over”.
In other words, Chaplain Elisha was saying “regardless of what the NEED is in the lives of the believers;
God is able to meet them without wasting anything.
If we give Jesus what “little we have” we have (here) in Iraq;
I believe He will not only meet the needs in our lives here; but there will be leftovers for our family members in the States.
“GIVE WHAT YOU HAVE TO JESUS!”
