John 6 (1)
WHY I’M NOT WORRIED
- Read John 6:1-14
The World Health Organization's China office says it began receiving reports in late December of a mysterious virus behind a number of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, a city in eastern China with a population of roughly 11 million people.
Since that time, news of the virus and its spread has increasingly filled our news. The virus has spread around the world, with most countries now reporting cases. Many of our national sporting events have now been canceled. Many of our large tourist attractions are closed or are closing within days. The majority of cruises from our state have been canceled for the rest of the month. Our schools and universities and closed. Travel from Europe is now stopped. People are stock-piling supplies.
As of 1:45 this morning, 106 – Florida Residents have tested positive for the Corona Virus.
7 – Florida Residents have been Diagnosed and Isolated Outside of Florida. 9 – Non-Florida Residents currently staying here have been diagnosed with the virus and there have been 4 deaths related to the virus in our state.
We are told that the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, and respiratory conditions are the most susceptible to this disease.
How should Christians respond to this situation?
In 1527, less than 200 years after the Black Death killed about half the population of Europe, the plague re-emerged in Martin Luther’s own town of Wittenberg and neighboring cities. When the plague came, Luther was asked by another minister if it was OK for a minister to flee the Black Plague. In response he answered:
“I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not need in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as the result of my negligence. If God shall wish to take me, He shall surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.” (Martin Luther, works V 43, p. 132. Letter “Whether one may flee from a Deadly Plague” written to Rev. Dr. John Hess).
We Christians are careful, but serve. We are cautious, but minister. We are prudent, but not alarmists. We are mindful, but we are not fearful.
Because we serve a God who cares.
1. We serve a God Who cares -
- Read verse 5
Jesus has been serving these folks. He has taught them and healed them and now He takes His disciples and heads to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to get some rest, to recharge their batteries and the crowds follow them. The crowds won’t leave them alone.
I believe I’d be tempted to be a little irritated. I think I’d be a bit frustrated, to never be able to get alone or to get away for an extended period of time.
Jesus, looking up and seeing the crowds, was concerned for them.
> Matthew 10:29-31 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
I don’t know what you’re going through right now. I don’t know how your health is, or what your finances are. I don’t know what frustration you’re experiencing at work or at home. I don’t know how your spouse, children or grandchildren are doing, but I do know a God Who sees, and cares, and loves you.
We are mindful but not fearful because we serve a God Who cares.
We are mindful but not fearful because we serve a God Who tests.
2. We serve a God Who tests
- Read verse 6
God sometimes allows things to come into our lives to test us. To see how we are going to respond. To help our faith to grow.
a. God allows tests to refine us, to help us become what He wants us to be.
God said of the Children of Israel that he will put them in the fire so that he may “refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested…”- Zachariah 13:9 (ESV). To get us to the place where God wants us to be he will put us in the fire of affliction, persecution and different things happening in our lives most of which we may not understand so that he may refine or transform us into the person he wants us to be. What the fire does to silver and gold is to remove all the impurities or any unwanted substance so that it may come out as pure silver or gold. When we give our lives to God we are unrefined, the flesh or the old sinful nature is still operating or controlling our lives so to get us to walk in the Spirit or to have a renewed mind he applies pressure. For example he will put you through hunger and financial problems so that you may learn to trust him and seek him more, or he may want to get you to the place where material things are not your gods. He may allow people to talk bad about you so that He may get you at the place where you’re not easily offended by the words and deeds of others.
My word, look at what our country has been able to learn about itself in just the past couple of weeks. We have learned that the most powerful nation in the world will lose its mind over an illness which killed less people than the flu normally does. We have learned that our citizens are willing to fight over and hoard toilet paper, an item that many people in the world don’t even have.
Went to the grocery store the other day and found the shelves empty of water. My word, is the Corona virus bringing a hurricane with it? Are we going to be without water and electricity? People are losing there ever-loving minds.
Do you think, maybe, the Lord might be showing us that we as a nation are a bit, coddled and soft? That we worry about our material things a bit too much?
God allows tests to refine us.
b. God allows tests to prove we are His children -
Peter in one of his letters to the saints that were suffering persecution, he wrote to them to tell that the trials and testing they are undergoing is to prove to the world that they are genuine Christians (1 Peter 1:7) and to also see what they are made of. By their endurance people will come to know and may even serve the God they serve.
Haven’t you seen people who claimed to trust God, who claimed to be Christians, but when a hard time came, or a difficulty or a set back, they abandoned the Lord and His church?
Sometimes the Lord allows tests to come into our lives so that we can be refined, and sometimes He allows tests to come into our lives so we and the world can know if we are the real thing or not.
c. Sometimes the Lord allows tests in our lives to teach us.
Do you remember when the storm came while Jesus was sleeping and the disciples lost their minds? They wake Him up, “Jesus don’t you care that we are about to drown?” Jesus gets up, speaks to the storm and everything sops. The wind stops blowing. The rain stops falling. The boat stops sinking. The disciples look at one another and ask, “Who is this that even the wind and the waves obey Him?”
Sometimes the Lord allows tests in our lives to teach us.
I got up yesterday morning and there was no water at the Gregory household. It took me, on a morning when there were other pressing things wanting my attention, more than 30 minutes just to get water in the house.
This morning I get up and go into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. Our coffee maker breaks. There is no instant in the cupboards. All we have is tea and I’m not supposed to drink tea.
I learned something about myself that anyone who has ridden with me in traffic probably already knows, but something that will probably come as a shock to some of you who have only seen this habitual sweetness. I can get irritable sometimes. That is an area in my life that needs some attention.
Isn’t it neat the way the Lord works to keep us humble?
Sometimes the Lord allows tests in our lives to teach us.
We are mindful, but not fearful, because we serve a God Who cares. We are mindful and not fearful because we serve a God Who tests. We are mindful and not fearful because our God knows what He’s going to do.
3. Our God knows what He’s going to do.
- Read verse 6
When Jesus asked Philip about feeding the people, did Jesus know what He was going to do already? Yes He did. Verse 6 tells us Jesus already knew what He was going to do.
Jesus wasn’t concerned about how all of this was going to work out. He wasn’t concerned, wringing His hands trying to figure out how He could meet this need. He already knew what He was going to do.
My friend, it is easy for you and I to fret and worry and try to figure out how we’re going to work something out. It’s easy to fret and worry about what is going to take place, and to run a lot of “what if’s” through our minds, but Jesus knew what He was going to do. Here’s a revelation for you. There are no emergency sessions in heaven.
When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God the Father didn’t turn to God the Son and Say, “OK, What’s plan B?” When, because of sin, He was forced to wipe out most of the life on earth during the days of Noah, He didn’t have to wonder how He was going to his things. When mankind got together to build the tower of Babel, He didn’t drop back and punt. It didn’t surprise Him. He knew what He was going to do. He confused man’s languages so they couldn’t talk to one another, and the project fell part.
God knows what He’s going to do.
When the Lord looks at the virus so many are concerned about, He already knows what He’s going to do. He already knows how He’s going to address this.
We are mindful, but not fearful, because we serve a God Who cares. We are mindful and not fearful because we serve a God Who tests. We are mindful and not fearful because our God knows what He’s going to do. We are mindful and not fearful because our God can handle big things.
4. We are mindful and not fearful because Our God can handle big things.
Right now, companies around the world are scrambling to put out more health supplies. They’re trying to manufacture more masks, and disinfectants. They are trying to make more test kits, and to come up with a vaccine. People are turning to and for, doing the best they can because this is covering a lot of people over a large area.
Our Lord doesn’t operate under such limitations. Our Lord doesn’t have to scramble to see if He can come up with enough of this or enough of that, Nor does He have to worry about how long it will take Him to do something. Our God can handle big things.
Last year, Gladys and I got the opportunity to go see Alec play football at Spec Martin Stadium in Deland.
- Had to park down the road by the tennis courts because the lots were full.
- Had to stand in the line because the ticket windows were limited.
- Stadium pretty much full.
- Heavy rain came, took us a long time to get out because there were limited gates and a lot of people trying to leave at the same time.
- I was surprised to discover that that stadium only holds 6,000 people. All of that, and getting drenched and everything, for 6,000 people.
Now look at the situation here.
This is the only miracle of Jesus, other than the resurrection, recorded in all 4 Gospels. This was a big deal, that the Lord wanted everyone to know about, for on this day, Matthew tells us Jesus fed 5,000 men, plus the women and children.
Some estimate this crowd could have numbered 15,000 - 20,000 people.
Can you imagine. You sit in Spec Martin Stadium, and fill it up. Then you fill it again, and then you fill it a third time. And Jesus feeds them all with 5 loaves and 2 fish.
Can you imagine?
Y’all ever been to a Golden Corral after church on Sunday? We went to one in Palm Coast on Mother’s Day several years ago. Y’all see those people scrambling to keep those trays filled.
Imagine how many trips the disciples had to make back and forth carrying those baskets. They start mumbling, “Jesus we need some help.” Peter turns to James and says, “At least we don’t have to fill their glasses.”
Back and forth. Back and forth. Jesus had them sit in groups of 1,000. People in the back group wondering when their table is going to be called.
. . . Jesus fed all of those folks with 5 loaves and 2 fish.
- v 11
“as much as they wanted”. You ever try to fill up a bunch of Baptists at a fish fry? And it was free.
We are not fearful, because our God does not operate under limitations.
5. We are mindful and not fearful, because our God has work for us to do.
- Little boy, not thinking that he had very much, brought what he had. Serving others.
- Praying - Jesus gave thanks. He prayed. We pray for our nation. We pray for our health. . . .
President Trump has declared today a national day of prayer. 11
*** Time of prayer.
6. We are mindful and not fearful because we have the opportunity to represent the Lord.
It is in the midst of difficulties, that we often have the best opportunities to represent the Lord.
I saw an article online yesterday, I’d like to share this morning.
“Today I cried.
Not because I’m stressed out. Not because I’m angry. Not because I’m scared. I cried because of a 92-year-old man.
I was between leaving work and going to a work function today when l decided to go to Target. Not because I needed anything but because I had a few minutes to use up (child-free). It took me a little bit to feel that the energy was different. It took me a little bit to notice the people around me weren’t looking at clothes and decor. They were focused on cleaning products and food and soap and even diapers. People around me weren’t browsing the Joanna Gaines merchandise or the newly set outdoor patio furniture. It took me a few minutes but at that moment, I realized the world is different. Maybe it’s only for right now and maybe it’s forever. But it’s different.
As I finally made my way down to the paper products, I noticed a man. He didn’t have a cart, but a cane. A hat perched upon his head even at 57 degrees in Wisconsin and as I approached him, I noticed he was confused. ‘Are you looking for something sir?’
He looked at me, tear in his eye. ‘I just need some toilet paper. I’m down to my last roll at home and I need about four or six to last me the month. This is my third store today.’
As I glared at the empty shelves, I didn’t know what to say. I knew about the ‘toilet paper shortage‘ but I still was unsure why it was happening. I explained to him that with the virus, everyone was worried and unfortunately there’s been a run on toilet paper and hand sanitizer and cleaning products. I’ll never forget what he said next.
‘I’ve never heard of a run on toilet paper. I was 2 when the Great Depression hit. Those were tough times, but we all helped each through those times. Hoarding things we didn’t need wasn’t an option. I heard it was happening elsewhere but didn’t think it would happen here. I’m disappointed with all these people.’
As I stood there, wondering if ethically (a topic covered in my leadership class yesterday) I could get away with offering this man some TP from my office, literally 2 minutes away… Another customer was standing next to me at this point and she mentioned having toilet paper in her car and offered some to him.
As I watched them walk down the aisle towards the entrance, I continued my browsing. Not because I wanted to but because the tears started rolling down my face and I didn’t want them to see me bawling like a baby. He didn’t realize there was a toilet paper shortage because he’s not on social media or constantly watching the news. He’s just trying to live the routine life that he’s loved for 92 years — a life you can tell he’s grateful for.
I realized in this interaction today that there’s an entire population of people who have no idea about what is happening in real-time and they are better off for it. They are expecting people to help each other out and live harmoniously as they have in similar situations in the past. I couldn’t help but think, why the hell not? There’s no need for panic and chaos and literal mass hoarding of supplies for months on end. Sure, I think the virus is real, but this has nothing to do with a virus. It has to do with the reaction to the created hysteria that some of our most elderly people aren’t panicking over.
Forget about politics.
Forget about the media.
Forget about the 75 rolls of toilet paper you think you need.
Think about the 92-year-old man who just needed some toilet paper so he could keep living his life. And learn from him.
Today I cried. Because I realized that want versus need somehow still outweighs everything even in a pandemic and my light for hope about the future dimmed just the slightest bit more. All I can do is keep trying to change that.”
