The Can’t Do Everything Won’t Do Anything Syndrome John 6:1-14
Sermon by Don Emmitte – Memorial Day, 2014 – Grace Restoration Ministries
Take Your Bibles, Please…
After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 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 eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” (John 6:1-14 ESV).
Some Introductory Remarks
There is an old story about a candidate for the office of sheriff and his unusual methods of campaigning. It seems that this young man was a wicked, spiteful youngster. Even though he had grown into a pretty good young man, he was well remembered by those who had been his teachers earlier. One particular little old lady, a retired school teacher remembered him very well indeed! While out knocking on doors campaigning, the young man came to the home of this sweet little retired school teacher. He was surveying those eligible to vote in the election. He asked, "If you vote in the upcoming election will you vote for me as sheriff?" She answered by saying, "I remember you when you were in my third grade class. You were the meanest, orneriest, stinker in all the class! Why, I wouldn't vote for you if you were running for dogcatcher, much less the sheriff." He thanked her for her opinion and walked back to his car. He had a clipboard for recording his survey. The paper had three columns on it. One marked "yes," another "no," and the third "doubtful." He went to her name on the list and moved across the page and marked "doubtful!" He certainly was an optimist.
This Memorial Day weekend calls out to us to be intentional in our recall of history. There is no question we live in difficult times, changing times. Our history calls us to an optimism that often is difficult to support. We do live in a changing time. The familiar has gone for most of us. Too often this creates within us a feeling of uncertainty and confusion rather than hope and optimism.
It is amazing how the younger generation watch us and we imprint on their minds an attitude they are going to have in dealing with life when they become adults. It is awesome to consider that the children of our day will deal with the future as they see us dealing with the present. We don't live in the past, but the past lives in us. We owe it to our past and our future to do something worthwhile with the present. Throughout the ages of mankind there have been three different responses to history: some have tried to ignore it; others have tried to hide or rewrite it; and then yet others have tried to expand and enhance it. When we understand each of these attitudes it helps us to come to a commitment in life that may bring about the best in others and ourselves. Let's look at each of these in further detail.
First, there are those who have tried to ignore history.
There are those people who say, "This world is not my home. I'm just passin' through." These are those people who want to say their prayers, mind their business, and tough it out, because it won't be long. These are the people who want to forget about the problems of crime, hunger, and immorality. They are not interested in making the commitments necessary to minister in today's world. They have ignored the reality of the world.
There are even some who have “read the signs of the times” and concluded that our world is out of control because we are so close to the Second Coming of Christ. They would tell us that these things must come to pass and there’s really nothing we can do about it. We should adopt the attitude of just getting by the best we can knowing that the time is short. The time is short; but, I would remind you the Scripture teaches us that God measures days in a far different way than we do. Our call is to now; so many have gone before us, living this example. Can we do any less?
You may recall that we lived in Weatherford, Texas for seventeen years. In front of the public library, near one of the elementary schools is a statue of Mary Martin in one of her most beloved roles as Peter Pan. One of our boys’ favorite stories was that of Peter Pan. Perhaps like me, you read the little Golden Book story to your children until the cover was well-worm and ragged on the edges. They loved the part where Peter Pan comes and sprinkled Wendy, John, and Michael with fairy dust and they fly to never-never-Iand! There they encounter the most fantastic of adventures. They might have some close calls, but they always win in the end!
Some people think that when they are born again, Jesus comes and sprinkles them with the Holy Spirit and they fly away to heaven. Oh yes, we shall be caught up together with Him someday, but until that day we are called to be in the world, not of it, but in it, to work and minister to those around us. We cannot be a part of those who would ignore history.
Second, there have been those who have tried to hide or rewrite it.
There are people who would recognize history as real; they just don't want to do anything about it. They are, as Vance Havner said, “People who come to church with a motel sign hung around their neck saying, 'Do Not Disturb.’” They don’t want to be disturbed about what is happening in the world. They don't want to be bothered.
Out text is found in two other places in the New Testament, but there is one difference between those two accounts and the one I have chosen for today. In the other two passages there is a phrase giving the disciples' response to the problem: "Send them away." The disciples wanted to seal themselves off from the problem. They saw the problem; but it seemed so big to them and their resources seemed so inadequate that, rather than trying to do the best they could with what they had, they just wanted the problem to go away.
Notice the personality of Philip He is the calculator in this experience. He was responsible for the head count of the crowd. He had to figure how much money they had, the cost per serving for all the people, and he concluded: "We don't have enough money to feed all these people.” Andrew came to Philip's rescue about this time. He is the one who brings the little boy to Jesus. He made one critical mistake, however. Look at verse 9: “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” It was a most inadequate conclusion!
He had made the mistake so many others have made when they look at the magnitude of the world's problems and at the scarcity of their resources. They come to the conclusion, "BECAUSE WE CAN’T DO EVERYTHING FOR EVERYBODY, WE OUGHT NOT DO ANYTHING FOR ANYBODY." This is an attitude in far too many churches today. It is always fatal. It puts us, as Christians, in a position of not doing the little things we don't want to do or the big things we are afraid to do. We seal off history. If we can't give a $1,000.00, we don't give a $100.00; if we can't see 100 conversions, we don't work for one; if we can't build all the buildings we need, we don't build any! It is a fatal trap we must not be caught in.
Third, there are those who want to enhance and expand history.
Some people want to get involved with God as a part of the solution; to be doers, not analyzers; participants, not spectators.
Notice the similarity of our situation to this story. We live in a world where only about six percent of the people are Christians. However you calculate that 94%, that constitutes a multitude. When we look at the resources of our church against the needs of the multitudes of lost around the world, it is altogether too easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer numbers. But we can bring it off.
There are many ways to do that. Part of it comes from our participation with other like-minded churches through missions and ministry. Of course, this by itself is not enough to reach all those who are lost, but it is enough to reach some. Our ministries through regular ministry, VBS, Santa Feast, the youth and children’s summer ministry, and our Sunday School are but a few things we do as a presentation of five loaves and two fish that when placed in the hands of the Master are enough to do something for someone.
When we think about this summer, it would be very easy for us to think that it is an overwhelming task to complete. Indeed, it will be a challenge to all of us. It will call upon us to sacrifice, and we may not be able to do everything we need to do, but we must do some of the things we need to do.
A Final Thought
Ernest Becker in his book on death says, "To maintain sanity, we must partialize our experiences in life." By this he means that you can't take on every cause. There are many things out of shape in our world. You individually, we as a church cannot change all that needs to be changed. But we must remember that we can change something.
Ask a relief pitcher in baseball, who comes into the seventh inning when the bases are loaded and there are no outs. His answer will be, "Hey man, I didn't create this mess; but they are looking to me to do something about it. I may not get everybody out, but I am going to throw as hard as I can to try to get one of them out.”
That should be our attitude. We can't solve all the problems of this world. But let us take the five loaves and two fish that the Lord has given to each of us and deliver them into His hands and let Him give thanks for them and break them and distribute them to those who are needy around about us and watch the multitudes be reached. Though you may not have as much as others, won't you give what you have to the Lord? Though you can't do everything that needs to be done, won't you do something for the Lord? It is the best answer to the many needs of this world!
