Read one of the following Gospel Texts: Matthew 14:13-21 / Mark 6:30-44 / Luke 9:10-17 /John 6:1-14
We have a story before us ... in the Gospel text ...that has been told ... and retold.
An event from which ... numerous lessons ... have been drawn.
One of the blessings ... of having four Gospels ... is that many of the incidents in the life of Jesus ... appear in more than one.
And often the account in the other Gospel ... or Gospels ... will shed a different light on the event.
And in this particular case ... we are not disappointed.
In fact, ... the miracle ... of the feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle recorded in each of the four Gospels.
(Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, and John 6).
A question that was part of my ordination examination.
And for those who are wondering ... yes, ... I knew the answer. (Pause)
Now ... Luke in his telling informs us that it was late in the afternoon. (Luke 9:12)
Both Matthew and Mark mention ... that it took place ... shortly after Herod ... had ordered that John the Baptist ... be put to death.
It was an event ... that was so powerful ... that all four of the Gospel writers ... felt the story needed to be heard.
The apostle John in his telling ...informs us ... that Jesus turned to Phillip ... and asked where they could purchase some bread for the crowd ...that was gathered.
Hear God's word: BIBLE "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?" END (John 6:5)
This is the only place ... in the record of Jesus' life on earth ... that He asked anyone ... for their advice.
Yet ... Phillip did not answer the question as to the "where." (Pause)
Phillip's answer ... was, in effect, ... "what is the use of talking about the where ... when we have no money ... to even buy that much bread. (John 6:7)
John inserts an amazing statement. BIBLE "Jesus asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do." END (John 6:6)
Phillip was so focused on the crowd ... that he seemed to forget ... who he was with.
But Andrew, ... who was standing nearby, ... picked up the conversation.
Andrew shared that there was a lad ... who had five small barley loaves and two small fish. (John 6:9)
Then he added, "But how far will they go among so many?" (John 6:9)
On the one hand, ... Andrew knowingly or unknowingly made a venture in faith, ... yet then, ... he seemed to find amusement ...in his own suggestion.
Andrew was probably trying to bring about a little laughter ... among the disciples ... "how far will they go among so many". (John 6:9)
Beloved ... Can you picture them ... there human just like you and me?
There was probably laughter ... in the moment.
Well, ... Jesus did not criticize either of the two disciples.
What He did say was "Have the people sit down." (John 6:10)
Mark in his account speaks of the people sitting down "upon the green grass" ... this is a vivid touch ...from an ... eyewitness. (Mark 6:39)
The men ... the 5,000 ... were distinguished ... from Quote ... the "women and children," ... who probably formed, ... according to Eastern custom, ... a company by themselves. (Matthew 14:21 & Mark 6:44)
Well, ... the men sat down.
Luke says they sat, "in groups of fifty. (Luke 9:14)
Then our Lord looked at the supply ... from which He would draw.
In John's telling ... we are made aware ... the supply came from a young boy ... with his little basket ... containing his lunch.
Here God's word: BIBLE "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish but what are these for so many people?" END (John 6:9)
Let us take a moment and think about that young boy.
Imagine ... what he must have thought ...when he realized ... that Jesus was asking for his small basket of food.
His lunch.
Five (5) small barley loaves ... and 2 fish.
Wheat ... not barley ... was the customary food ... of the masses; ... barley... was the food of animals.
Beloved ... barley loaves ... would have been the bread ... used by the poorest ... of all people.
Then there were the two-small fish.
The Greek word used for fish ... is slightly different ...in the Gospel ... of John.
John ... uses a word ... which is often translated "relish," ... a relish ... which is normally eaten ... with bread.
This relish ... would consist of small fish ... caught in the lake, ... which were dried and salted ... much like "sardines" or "anchovies."
The Surprise ... must have been overwhelming to the young boy.
"Out of all these people, ... This Man of God, ... this Jesus, ... picked me."
And even Satan knows (Pause-Strong) ... Jesus could have turned stones ... into bread. (Matthew 4:3)
Jesus did not need the boy ... or what he had, ... yet He chose ... to involve him ... in His plan.
-Why would Jesus choose a tax collector like Matthew?
-Why would Jesus choose a hothead like Peter?
-Why would Jesus choose a dangerous man like Saul of Tarsus?
And now ... at this time ... he chooses ... a young boy.
The boy may have thought: ... "If only I had brought more, ... or at least ... if I had brought something better."
Yet ... little did he know ... that little is much ... in the hands of our Lord.
Amen!
What courage the young boy had.
Surely ... In the boy's eyes, ... as well as in the eyes of all the others, ... the supply was absolutely inadequate.
Yet to the Lord, ... our inadequacy ... makes room for His ... sufficiency!
If remember nothing else from this Message ... Hear me on this.
To the Lord, ... our inadequacy ... makes room for His ... sufficiency! (Pause)
The Boy had choices: ... He could have kept what he had ... out of a sense of shame.
Everyone will know how poor I am ... Barley loaves ... how can these be worthy of anyone ... let alone ... this Man of God.
Beloved ... There are those ... who hold back from a full surrender to God, ... often because they feel others will judge them ... or mock them ... for their faith.
All have sinned ... and come short of ... the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
None are righteous ... no not one. (Romans 3:10)
The boy could have also remained quiet ... out of a sense ... of selfishness.
He could have said, ... "This is my lunch, ... I made sure I brought something to eat ... I need it for myself."
Yet apparently, ... the boy ... without hesitation ...stepped up to Jesus ... and handed Him ... the basket.
He was exercising ... an act ... of faith.
And The Greek word translated Faith ... throughout Scripture ... is not ... a noun.
It is a verb ... it is an action.
A better description would be ... Faithing.
There is no faith in the Christian walk ... without action.
(Pause Strong) There is none!
The widow gave Elijah ... her last flour and oil ... in a small cake, ... at a desperate time in her life, yet she gave it ... by faith. (1Kings 17:13)
David walked down into the valley to face Goliath with his sling, ... he did it by faith. (1 Samuel 17)
The widow gave her two mites in the temple treasury, she did it by faith. (Luke 21:1-4)
Beloved ... Faith without action ... is not ... nor has ever been ... a Christian faith.
Or as James puts it Faith without works is dead. (James 2:17)
We each need to step out in Faith ... You need to step out in Action Faith.
And if you do ... You will be amazed, ... amazed at what God will do ... with and in your Faithing.
What amazement the boy must have experienced that day.
And we now from Matthew, Mark and Luke's Telling, ...Jesus took the loaves; ... and after giving thanks, ...He broke it ... and gave it to the disciples, ... and they in turn ... to the multitude. (Matthew 14:19 & Mark 6:41 & Luke 9:16)
In this, ... we see a clear illustration ... of the method ... in which all his greatest gifts ... have been spread ... over the world.
One person Giving ... One person Faithing ... to another.
Luke calls special attention to the braking of the bread, ... a prelude to the Lord's last meal.
Hear God's Word: BIBLE "And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd." END (Luke 9:16)
A prelude to the Lord's Last meal .... at which time ...Jesus gave to his disciples ... the bread which he broke, ... His own Body ... broken for them ... and for all ... who call themselves ... followers of the Christ.
When we bring to Him ... what we have ...and allow Him to possess ... all of who we are ... then Beloved ... the movement of God will exceed ...our greatest dreams ... our greatest expectations. (Pause)
Now ... Our Lord does something so marvelous after he feeds the multitude.
He commands the disciples... to do something.
He commands them to gather the fragments ... the broken pieces ... that remain.
Hear God's Word in John's telling: BIBLE "And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost." 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten." END (John 6:12-13)
Why? ... Why gather the fragments that remain.
Why is this gathering of fragments even mentioned in the text?
Now some have used this verse ... to teach us to be good stewards ... of what God gives us ... and not waste it.
And That is certainly something we should do... as Christians.
Yet I am convinced... that Christ gathered all those fragments, ... all those broken pieces, ... all those leftovers, ... all those things that no one in the crowd wanted ... to show us an important truth.
Jesus is concerned about the fragments of our life ... he is concerned about what is left of our life ... on this side of eternity.
I want you to know this Morning ... that we serve a God ... who is concerned about ... the fragments of your life ... about what is left of your life. (Pause)
Beloved ... even though some in the world ... do not realize it ... we are a broken people ... through sin we broke our relationship ... with the living God.
In turn ... we each have fragmented ourselves ... through ... our continued sin ... against God.
These fragments ... if we let them ... can and will turn into difficulties ... into problems.
And instead of given them to the Lord ... the world calls us to quote ... "Face our Problems".
Beloved we are called to do more than face our difficulties ... we are called to do more than... face our problems.
Our Lord calls us into relationship with him ... all of our problems ... all the fragments of our life ... all of our difficulties ... we are to send them where? ... to the cross of Christ.
We are to give them to Jesus.
(Sing) Give them all ... Give Them all Jesus.
And he will turn your sorrows into Joy.
Beloved ... be assured ... Whatever has happened in your life ... God wants to gather up the fragments that remain ... all that remains ... that nothing be lost.
He wants to take ... each of those fragments ... and mold them ... into the image of His Son.
Beloved ... what a God we serve.
If we will turn to him, ... He will gather the fragments of our lives... and use them each and every one of them.
He will use them all ... to and for ... the glory of his kingdom.
He will gather them ... and use them ... to do wonderful and glorious works in his name.
He will gather the fragments ... he will gather every part of who we are ... and use it ... to do wonderful works ... in this fallen world.
Beloved.... Yield to the will of God ... Give him every portion ... every fragment of your life.
Allow him to mold you ... and to refine you ... into the image of His son.
May your life ... be filled ... with the presence of God.
And may it overflow ... with Joy.
May your see others ... through our Lord's eyes.
And allow Faithing to permeate your very Being.
It is time Beloved ... To Be .... mature in the Faith.... And to walk in the way of the Lord.
The truth is ... none of us know how many days we have left ... on this side ... of eternity.
We need to yield to His love and step out with courage.
We need to step out in Faith ... action Faith.
Step out and portray grace ... by Faithing to ... and for others.
O Heavenly Father, ... Take the fragments of our lives ... and mold them ... for your purpose.
Strengthen us to step out in faith and be a witness of your marvelous love.
Beloved ... The Best thing we can do for our Family... our Children ... our grandchildren ... our friends... is to be right with God.
And finish this life ... this marathon of life ... knowing ... we had no more to give.
Beloved let us finish portraying grace to others ... let us finish Faithing ... And ... beloved let us finish well.
Amen!
Help: I retired in November 2017 and am attempting to supplement my income by sharing on Sermoncentral. If this Message has been helpful to you, please consider a nominal donation: Send to The Rev. Jeff Smead 11725 Regent Park Drive Chardon Ohio 44024. Blessed To Be A Blessing.
Dear Reader: So I can better help you, if this Message was not helpful and you rated it low, Please let me know what it lacked or why it was not helpful. You can search by contributor Smead (Constructive Criticism is very helpful) and contact me there. Blessings in Christ. Jeff
