Introduction

Good morning, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. As we gather here today, we find ourselves standing on the precipice of a new day, a day filled with the promise of God's love and the potential for His divine intervention in our lives. We are here to embark on a journey of faith, a journey that will take us to the heart of what it means to truly surrender ourselves to God. Our sermon today is titled "Wait and See," a simple phrase that carries with it a profound truth about the nature of our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Our main idea today is to illuminate the path for our congregation, to guide each one of us towards a deeper understanding of what happens when we give God all we have. It's not about the quantity of what we give, but the quality of our surrender. It's about the totality of our trust, the completeness of our commitment, and the sincerity of our submission to His will.

Before we delve into the heart of our discussion, let us bow our heads in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we come before You today with open hearts and open minds. We ask that You guide us on this journey of discovery, that You open our eyes to see Your truth, and our hearts to receive Your love. We ask that You bless our gathering today, that our discussion may be fruitful and our understanding deepened. We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Now, let us turn our attention to the Gospel of John, chapter 6, verses 1-14. As we read, let us open our hearts and minds to the lessons that these verses hold for us.

"Now a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, 'Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?' He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, 'It would take more than half a year's wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!' Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, 'Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?' Jesus said, 'Have the people sit down.' There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 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. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, 'Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.' So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, 'Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.'"

Imagine, if you will, that our lives are like a river. The river starts as a small stream, fed by the rains of our experiences, our hopes, and our dreams. As it flows, it gathers strength, fed by the tributaries of our talents, our skills, and our abilities. But a river that is not guided, that does not surrender to the pull of gravity, that does not give itself over to the path laid out for it, can become a destructive force. It can overflow its banks, causing destruction and chaos. But a river that surrenders, that gives itself over to the pull of gravity, that follows the path laid out for it, can become a source of life. It can nourish the land, provide sustenance for the creatures that live in it and around it, and bring joy to those who come to its banks.

In the same way, when we surrender ourselves to God, when we give Him everything we have, we become a source of life. We become a conduit for His love, His grace, and His mercy. We become a river of living water, bringing life to those around us.

So, as we journey together today, let us keep this image in mind. Let us strive to be like the river, surrendering ourselves to God, giving Him everything we have, and waiting to see the amazing things He will do with our surrender.

Surrendering Our Resources to God

Friends, let's talk about what happens when we give God everything we have. We're going to look at the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand in John 6:1-14. This story is a beautiful example of what God can do when we surrender all we have to Him.

In this story, Jesus asked Philip where they could buy bread to feed the crowd. Philip, looking at the situation from a human perspective, focused on the lack of resources. He said, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" (John 6:7). But Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, brought a young boy to Jesus who had five small barley loaves and two small fish. This boy was willing to give all he had to Jesus.

Now, let's pause here for a moment. This boy didn't have much. But he was willing to give all he had to Jesus. And what did Jesus do? He took those five loaves and two fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. And when they had all had enough to eat, he instructed his disciples to gather the pieces that were left over. They filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

So, what can we learn from this story?

Firstly, God can do a lot with a little. This boy didn't have much. But he was willing to give all he had to Jesus. And Jesus used what he had to perform a miracle. He fed five thousand people with five small loaves and two small fish. This shows us that when we give God everything we have, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, He can use it to do great things.

The Greek word used for 'loaves' in this passage is 'artos'. It refers to a loaf of bread made from wheat. It was the most common type of bread used in the time of Jesus. The fact that this boy had barley loaves, which were cheaper and considered inferior to wheat bread, shows that he was probably poor. But he was willing to give all he had to Jesus. And Jesus used what he had to perform a miracle.

As the famous Christian theologian, C.S. Lewis once said, "I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare."

Secondly, God is not limited by our resources. Philip looked at the situation from a human perspective. He focused on the lack of resources. But Jesus looked at the situation from a divine perspective. He saw the potential in the five small loaves and two small fish. He saw what could be done when these resources were surrendered to Him. This shows us that when we give God everything we have, He is not limited by our resources. He can do far more than we can ask or imagine.

Lastly, God doesn't waste anything. After everyone had had enough to eat, Jesus instructed his disciples to gather the pieces that were left over. They filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. This shows us that when we give God everything we have, He doesn't waste anything. He uses every bit of what we give Him.

So, friends, let's give God everything we have. Let's surrender our resources to Him. Let's trust Him to do great things with what we give Him. Let's remember that He can do a lot with a little, that He is not limited by our resources, and that He doesn't waste anything. And let's look forward to seeing what He will do when we give Him everything we have.

Trusting in God's Provision

When we give God everything we have, we trust in His provision. This is a truth we see in the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand in John 6:1-14. A young boy gave Jesus his small lunch of five loaves and two fish. Jesus took this humble offering, gave thanks, and multiplied it to feed a multitude. The people witnessed firsthand the miraculous power of God's provision when they trusted Him completely. When we surrender our resources to God, He can multiply them beyond our imagination.

Now, let's look at this in three different ways.

First, we must recognize that God is our provider. He is the one who gives us everything we have. In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will eat or drink or wear. He reminds us that our Heavenly Father knows what we need and He will provide for us. Matthew 6:31-33 says, "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Second, we must be willing to give God everything we have. This doesn't just mean our money or our possessions. It means our time, our talents, our energy, our dreams, our plans, our relationships, our everything. When we give God everything, we are saying, "God, I trust you. I trust that you will provide for me. I trust that you will take care of me. I trust that you will use me for your glory."

Now, let's shift our focus to another New Testament scripture that echoes the theme of John 6:1-14. In the book of Mark, we find a similar story. In Mark 8:1-9, Jesus feeds four thousand people with just seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Again, we see the miraculous provision of God when we give Him everything we have.

Third, we must trust that God will multiply what we give Him. When we give God our resources, He doesn't just give us back what we gave Him. He multiplies it. He gives us more than we could ever imagine. He does exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

Finally, we must remember that God's provision is not just for our benefit. It's for the benefit of others. When we give God everything we have, He uses it to bless others. He uses it to show His love and His power to the world. He uses it to draw people to Himself. When we give God everything, we become a part of His work in the world. We become a part of His plan to bring hope and healing to a broken world.

So, let's trust in God's provision. Let's give Him everything we have. Let's watch as He multiplies our resources and uses them for His glory. And let's remember the words of Philippians 4:19, "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

Witnessing God's Abundance

When we consider the act of giving, we often think about it in terms of what we can afford to part with. We calculate our resources, our time, our energy, and we decide what we can spare. But what if we were to shift our perspective? What if, instead of calculating what we can afford to give, we started considering what we can't afford not to give? This is the mindset that we see in the young boy in John 6:1-14, who gave Jesus everything he had: five small barley loaves and two small fish.

The first thing we need to understand is the significance of this act. This wasn't just a casual, offhand donation. This was a child, likely with limited resources, giving all he had to Jesus. He didn't hold anything back. He didn't calculate what he could afford to part with. He simply gave. And in doing so, he demonstrated a level of faith and trust that is truly inspiring.

This brings us to our first point: the power of surrender. When we give God everything we have, we are essentially surrendering control. We are acknowledging that we trust Him to provide for us, to take care of us, to meet our needs. This is a significant act of faith, and it's not always easy. It requires us to let go of our natural inclination to hold on, to hoard, to protect what we have. But when we do, we open ourselves up to the possibility of experiencing God's abundance in a way we never have before.

A.W. Tozer, a well-known pastor and author, once said, "As base a thing as money often is, it yet can be transmuted into everlasting treasure. It can be converted into food for the hungry and clothing for the poor. It can keep a missionary actively winning lost men to the light of the gospel and thus transmute itself into heavenly values. Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality."

This quote beautifully encapsulates the transformative power of giving. When we give to God, we're not just parting with our resources. We're investing in His kingdom. We're contributing to His work. We're participating in something eternal.

The second point we need to consider is the concept of trust. Trusting in God's provision is a fundamental aspect of our faith. When we give God everything we have, we are essentially saying, "I trust You to provide for me." This is a powerful statement of faith, and it's not always easy to make. It requires us to let go of our natural inclination to worry, to doubt, to fear. But when we do, we open ourselves up to the possibility of experiencing God's provision in a way we never have before.

The third and final point is the witnessing of God's abundance. When we give God everything we have, we have the privilege of witnessing His abundance. Not only did Jesus provide enough food for everyone present, but there were also twelve baskets filled with leftovers. This abundance serves as a reminder that when we surrender all to God, He blesses us abundantly and leaves nothing wasted.

So, dear brothers and sisters, when we give God everything we have, we experience the power of surrender, trust in His provision, and witness His abundant blessings. Let us remember the young boy's act of faith and be inspired to surrender our resources to God. As we do so, we can wait and see what marvelous things He will do in our lives.

Conclusion

Dear brothers and sisters, as we draw to a close on this beautiful day, let's take a moment to reflect on the story from John 6:1-14. This story, as we've discussed, is a testament to the power of giving God everything we have. It's a story about a young boy who, despite having very little, gave all he had to Jesus. And what did Jesus do? He took that small offering and multiplied it, feeding thousands.

This is the heart of our message today. It's about surrendering everything we have to God, trusting in His provision, and witnessing His abundant blessings. It's about understanding that when we give God everything, He can do more with it than we could ever imagine.

So, what does this mean for us? How can we apply this lesson to our lives?

Well, first, we must recognize that giving God everything isn't just about money or material possessions. It's about giving Him our time, our talents, our energy, our dreams, our plans, our fears, our worries, and our love. It's about surrendering every part of our lives to Him.

Second, we must trust in God's provision. The young boy in our story didn't worry about whether his small offering would be enough. He simply gave what he had and trusted Jesus to do the rest. We must do the same. We must trust that God will provide for us, even when it seems like we have nothing left to give.

Third, we must be prepared to witness God's abundant blessings. When we give God everything, He doesn't just give us back what we gave Him. He multiplies it. He blesses us in ways we could never have imagined. But we must be open to receiving these blessings. We must be willing to see them, to recognize them, and to thank God for them.

In the coming week, I challenge each of you to be more like Jesus. To give more, to trust more, to expect more. To surrender everything you have to God and to wait in anticipation for the blessings He will pour out on you.

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