Sign 4 - Jesus Is The Bread Of Life Series

These tests can come in the forms of loss of a loved one, or temptations to sin etc, but in whatever form they come it is important to recognise that it is God testing us and to bring the issue to Him. This is one area that Philip doesn’t fail in. He made have failed Jesus’ test initially, but in doing so shows forth attributes that God can use. One of the great mercies of God is His ability to use our failure for His Glory. One attribute of Philip is that he immediately shares the enormity of the problem before God. Philip doesn’t go around trying to solve it in the natural before taking the problem back to Jesus. There was no way that the disciples could have found that sort of money between them, and instead of Philip running around the crowd with his collection plate he explains to Jesus the problem. It was because Philip recognised that it couldn’t be solved in the natural, Jesus was able to demonstrate His glory. Only when we take our problem to God can He be glorified.

Andrew then gets involved in the situation and brings the child before Jesus. He has no more idea than Philip of what to do and by showing how little food there is, is only reaffirming the size of the dilemma. In bringing the child anyway, Andrew shows just a glimmer of faith. What about the child? He doesn’t have much to offer and he probably doesn’t know what Jesus can do with it, but he brings it to Jesus anyway. When what little we have is brought before God, it is then that we see the miracle.

The miracle is performed. Through testing Jesus has shown both the disciples and the people to be inadequate, and yet through the lunch of a small child he is able to perform a mighty miracle. Sometimes the reason God tests us, is not for us to demonstrate our faithfulness, but for Him to show us our inadequacies. It is only when He shows us how inadequate we are that he is able to demonstrate His glory thorough us.

The Revelation.

The miracle has been performed, and through this sign Jesus has been able to reveal a little bit more about himself to the people. The people saw that not only was Jesus able to perform the miraculous, and feed the multitude, but that there was actually more bread left over than there was in the beginning. The people started to realise that Jesus was the messiah that the prophets had spoken of.

John 6:14

After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world."

The people had been waiting for the messiah. They had been waiting for the prophet spoken of in Deuteronomy 18. They were looking for the king and son of man described in Daniel.

Daniel 7:13

"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.

14:He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.