Three attitudes concerning God’s provision
Feeding of the 5000
John 6:5-14
The citizens of Feldkirch, Austria, didn’t know what to do. Napoleon’s massive army was preparing to attack. Soldiers had been spotted on the heights above the little town, which was situated on the Austrian border. A council of citizens was hastily summoned to decide whether they should try to defend themselves or display the white flag of surrender. It happened to be Easter Sunday, and the people had gathered in the local church.
The pastor rose and said, "Friends, we have been counting on our own strength, and apparently that has failed. As this is the day of our Lord’s resurrection, let us just ring the bells, have our services as usual, and leave the matter in His hands. We know only our weakness, and not the power of God to defend us." The council accepted his plan and the church bells rang. The enemy, hearing the sudden peal, concluded that the Austrian army had arrived during the night to defend the town. Before the service ended, the enemy broke camp and left.
Missionary statesman Hudson Taylor had complete trust in God’s faithfulness. In his journal he wrote:
Our heavenly Father is a very experienced One. He knows very well that His children wake up with a good appetite every morning... He sustained 3 million Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years. We do not expect He will send 3 million missionaries to China; but if He did, He would have ample means to sustain them all... Depend on it; God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.
Talk about provision of God.
Listen again to these words:
God’s work done in God’s way will never lack
God’s supply.
The problem is not God; the problem is our attitude towards the provision of God.
We find three of those attitudes in John 6, the feeding of the 5000.
Let’s explore them:
I. Man’s provision (man relying on his own strength)
V5. When Jesus then lifted up [his] eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
V6. And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
V7. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
Jesus asks the question to test his disciples.
Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
Have you ever wondered why Jesus asked this question? He was about to teach the people that God’s provision is always better than our best efforts.
And this he said to prove him
Notice: Phillip answers that
Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
Two hundred pennyworth was a lot of money.
One pennyworth was one days work pay. That meant that you had to work for two hundred days to get this kind of money.
There is more, notice a few words here.
If they by any way could buy 200 pennyworth of
bread it would still not have been sufficient.
In fact it would only have given them little.
That is precisely what man’s provision does.
It gives you little. I’m not only talking about
money, I’m talking about God’s total provision
for you and me.
John 10:10 I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly. (Without measure)
This is unfortunately most people’s attitude.
They rely on their own power to provide, Some
live as if they will never die.
As if they will never get old and have to
retire.
Listen friend doesn’t matter if you’re the
best in your position at your company,one day
they’ll come to you and ask you to move on for
younger blood.
Some people save up for their old day, just to
come there and be so worked out that all that
money is necessary to pay all the hospital
bills.
One man told me once that he saved all his
life just to see his children enjoy all his
hard earned money in their youth.
Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
Man’s provision will always fall short to satisfy him self.
Let’s move to the second attitude:
II. Man’ unbelief towards God’s provision.
V8. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s
brother, saith unto him,
V9. There is a lad here, which hath five barley
loaves, and two small fishes: but what are
they among so many?
Now enters Andrew and he reminds me of so many Christians.
They know what Jesus can do BUT, Yes it’s that word again, BUT they are uncertain if He can do and will do it.
Have you ever wondered why Andrew brought this up?
I mean some didn’t even take notice of this boy and the bread.
Could it be that a similar thing happened in the Bible?
And maybe he was reading about it and now it come to mind?
I mean they we’re studying the scriptures as they walked with Jesus.
In fact it did happen before in the OT. Go with me to
2 Kings 4:42
And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and
brought the man of God bread of the first
fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears
of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give
unto the people, that they may eat.
43. And his servitor said, What, should I set this
before an hundred men? He said again, Give the
people, that they may eat: for thus saith the
LORD, They shall eat,and shall leave [thereof].
44. So he set [it] before them, and they did eat,
and left [thereof], according to the word of
the LORD.
I want to suggest that Andrew knew about this part. The only difference was that now there were 5000 and not 100 and now there are 5 barley Loafs and not twenty.
Andrew saw the provision but he doubted, just as many people today doubts.
Remember Hudson’s words:
God’s work done in God’s way will never lack
God’s supply.
He will supply to our needs.
Praise the Lord:
III. Then there is a Godly attitude
V10. And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now
there was much grass in the place. So the
men sat down, in number about five thousand.
V11. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had
given thanks, he distributed to the
disciples, and the disciples to them that
were set down; and likewise of the fishes
as much as they would.
V12. When they were filled, he said unto his
disciples, Gather up the fragments that
remain, that nothing be lost.
V13. Therefore they gathered [them] together,
and filled twelve baskets with the
fragments of the five barley loaves, which
remained over and above unto them that had
eaten.
Jesus said: Make them sit down.
Friend this is the place where you start to enter
God’s provision.
When you are sitting at His feet.
Prayer is the best thing you can do.
Then He took the loaves and thanked the Lord for it;
This is what we should do instead of complaining
about what others have which we haven’t got.
Someone once said: “You don’t need to chase the
Joneses anymore, they are tired”.
We should thank the Lord for what we’ve got.
It might seem little but God can use it mighty.
We’ve got so much to thank the Lord for.
Notice God’s provision.
He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to
them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes
as much as they would. V12. When they were filled,
This is it! God’s provision will fill you up.
Totally. I see and hear of people who go from one
nightclub to another seeking pleasure that can fill
them up. After a busy night they will wake up the
next morning with an empty feeling, looking for the
next party.
I’ve got good news for you. JESUS WILL FILL YOU UP.
Only He will fill that emptiness inside of you.
Look at the difference:
V7. that every one of them may take a little. VS. as
much as they would.
V12. When they were filled,
Jesus said let them have as much as they want.
But there is more! There is more, there is more!
They couldn’t eat all. There we’re 12 baskets left over
V12. When they were filled, he said unto his
disciples, Gather up the fragments that
remain, that nothing be lost.
V13. Therefore they gathered [them] together, and
filled twelve baskets with the fragments of
the five barley loaves, which remained over
and above unto them that had eaten.
This, my friend, means that there is still more to feed.
Let nothing be lost, you may feed at Jesus table anytime.
That is the provision of my God. You may feed there anytime.
Where are you this morning?
Which attitude do you have?
Are you relying on your own provision, and power?
Or do you know that God will and can supply to your
need but doubt.
Or Are you relying on His provision.
Choose you then today
Deut 30:19
Let’s pray.
