JESUS GAVE THANKS – John 6:1-15
Somewhere I read about a woman who boarded a bus and could not find a seat? Every seat was taken. She was tired and carried several packages. Noticing her plight, a gentleman stood up and graciously offered his seat.
The woman was so shocked she fainted. After she was revived, she looked up at the man who had relinquished his seat and she said, “Thank you.” Whereupon HE fainted!
Isn’t it sad that folks don’t bother saying “thank you” anymore? Like the lady and gentleman in this humorous story, it is SO unusual to see or hear of simple acts of kindness, that when they do occur, we feel shocked!
People seem to be in such a hurry these days that all too often they fail to take the time – just a moment – to render an act of kindness, let alone express gratitude for the acts of service they have been recipients of.
I wonder, for example, how many of us gave thanks to God for the rain showers this past week, even though they were few and far between.
What I heard from the lips of some folks was their complaining that what little rain we did get was not enough.
Perhaps God, the maker of heaven and earth, waits for us to be grateful for what we do have, and have already received, before He opens the windows of the heavens so that there might be a deluge of rain.
Yet, I can predict that when the heavy rain does pour down upon us and create unfavorable weather conditions – for sports events in particular – what you will hear is more complaining rather than giving thanks.
Would you agree that we have gotten spoiled by the conveniences we enjoy; and for that reason, expect everything always to go our way based on whatever our plans may be, rather than be satisfied with what we have been and are being blessed with?
The Bible has much to say about a thankful heart – and here’s the reason why: An “attitude of gratitude” turns our minds away from ourselves toward heaven, as we come to realize that every good gift comes from God.
The psalmist, in one hundred and fifty psalms, keynoted each of them with his personal adoration, praise and thanksgiving to the Lord our God.
In Psalm 107:1, David tells us what we ought to do every day, each step of the way of life’s journey – especially as we grow older:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord do this.”
Beloved, you and I are “the redeemed of the Lord!” We need to take the psalmist’s advice and “do this.”
Jesus did this. Jesus gave thanks to God the Father. You might think that Jesus would not need to give thanks since He and the Father are one; and I don’t think He had to; I do believe He wanted to. And, to illustrate his giving thanks, we turn to the gospel according to John in which we read one of the most famous stories ever recorded in the Bible.
The story appears in John 6:1-15 where the apostle who was Jesus’ closest companion tells about Jesus feeding the five thousand . . .
In this story, we see a huge crowd of people overwhelming Jesus and His disciples. Jesus had taught them and healed the sick among them. You might say that the occasion was like an all-day “revival service.”
At the end of the day, when everybody got hungry, Jesus took five small loaves of bread along with two fish, and He performed a miracle; He multiplied a young boy’s lunch so that there was enough to feed every one of the 5000 people; and He fed them to the extent that there were leftovers.
The crowd was so impressed by this unbelievable miracle that they got the idea that it would be a good thing to make Jesus their king – even if they had to use force. But of course, Jesus would have none of that, for becoming an earthly king was not His purpose for coming into this world.
Most folks, when preaching or teaching or studying this miraculous event, focus on all of the miracles associated with this gathering of people; after all, it was His miracles that made Jesus famous so quickly. Others prefer to point to the ministry of healing as the most important aspect of this occasion. Still others emphasize the momentum of popularity that this event gained for Jesus in His looming show down with the political and religious authorities in Jerusalem.
These aspects of the feeding of the five thousand were indeed important, and they should not be overlooked. However, I call your attention to the one aspect of this story that IS often over-looked; and this part of the story may be the most important aspect of the whole story.
Verse 11 says this: “Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.” (Did you pick up on that phrase “as much as they wanted”? And you thought that the promotional gimmick by some restaurants of “all you can eat” originated in modern times.)
This was not the first nor last time that Jesus gave thanks; but it seems to me that John emphasizes His giving thanks to make a very important point. He wants us to realize that Jesus was a giver of thanks – even though He came from the Father and would be returning to the Father.
If God the Son gave thanks to God the Father, how much greater should be the need for God’s children to give thanks to God their Father!
Why did Jesus do this? Why did He give thanks to God the Father? Do you suppose He knew something that you and I may need to learn a lot better than we have learned it? I think I know why Jesus did this:
Jesus gave thanks because He could see beyond the material to the spiritual. He could see beyond the bread and fish to God who provided the bread and fish. What I learn from this event is that even the smallest morsel of food was not a trivial thing to Jesus, nor was it to be taken for granted.
John emphasized that the loaves of bread were “small” and that there were just two fish – a small amount – and likewise they were “small.”
For every good thing in life that we enjoy – even though seemingly small, let us not take it for granted; let us not belittle it; let us not whine for something far greater; instead, if our needs are being met, let us be glad that God provides – and give Him thanks!
I suggest also that, by giving thanks, Jesus made something that seemed so ordinary sacred. It was not just bread and fish that He held in His hands. It was looked upon by Jesus as a gift from God the Father. Thus, to Him, this small amount of food was a divine blessing to be multiplied!
My way of thinking may be different from many people, who look upon what I call a blessing as something they provided for themselves. But I have learned as I have grown older to look upon everything that I possess, or use, or eat, as a blessing from God.
Food, clothing, shelter, yes; but also, car, telephone, computer, furniture, television, tables and chairs, electricity, light bulbs, water, lawn mower (which may be carrying this litany a little too far unless it’s a riding mower); in short, anything I must make life easier or more enjoyable, I look upon as a blessing. I hope you do too, and give God thanks!
Paul the apostle said basically the same thing I have just tried to say, but he said it so much better: “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by our prayer of thanksgiving.”
A prayer of thanks does not have to be long or elaborate. “Thank you, Lord” will do just fine!
Thank you, Lord, for life and all of life’s blessings. Thank you, Lord, for health and healing. Thank you, Lord, for caring about me when my health fails. Thank you, Lord, for providing for my physical needs. Thank you, Lord, for family and friends.
Thank you, Lord, for your grace that is sufficient for every situation and circumstance in life. Thank you, Lord, for salvation through Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Savior. Be like Jesus and give thanks. Do this – now and forevermore! Amen.
