Jesus Feeds the Multitudes - John 6:1-15 - Pastor Jason Fritz - Who is Jesus? [Sermon]

Summary

In this heartfelt sermon, the pastor draws parallels between the biblical story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and the selfless acts of mothers. He emphasizes the transformative power of faith, using the boy's loaves and fishes as a metaphor for offering one's small contributions to Jesus for greater impact. The pastor encourages believers to surrender their lives to Jesus, experiencing the joy and power of partnership with God, and to embrace the abundant life He offers.

Takeaways

• 📖 The sermon discusses John chapter 6, highlighting the miracle of Jesus feeding twenty thousand people as a symbol of the nurturing role mothers play in families.
• 🍞 The miracle of the loaves and fishes is one of two miracles recorded in all four Gospels, emphasizing its significance and the public participation in the event.
• 🤔 The sermon questions why Jesus performed miracles, clarifying that they served as confirmation of His divine mission, not for gaining fame or a crowd.
• 📖 It emphasizes that miracles, including the feeding of the multitude, were meant to bear witness to Jesus being the Messiah, the Son of God, as stated in John 20:31.
• 👥 The sermon points out that the miracle involved an impoverished boy, illustrating how Jesus can take the seemingly insignificant and use it for great purposes.
• 🌟 The sermon suggests that Jesus' miracles, including feeding the multitude, demonstrate the abundance of life He offers, contrasting the misconception that following Christ leads to a life of deprivation.
• 💪 The sermon encourages believers to hand over their lives to Jesus, promising that they will experience His power to make good choices and to do things they could not do on their own.
• 👶 The story of the boy with five loaves and two fishes is highlighted to show that when we give what we have to Jesus, even if it seems small, it can be transformed into something that feeds many.
• 👑 The sermon touches on the reaction of people to Jesus' miracles, noting that despite witnessing His power, many chose not to follow Him due to their resistance to His teachings on how to live.
• ⛰ The sermon uses the metaphor of a mountain to describe the moment when people wanted to make Jesus a king, but He withdrew, showing His mission was spiritual, not political.
• 🙏 The closing prayer asks for enlightenment to understand the immeasurable power of God available to believers, and the desire to live a life that reflects Jesus' teachings.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the sermon based on the transcript?

The main theme of the sermon is the miracle of feeding the 20,000 people as recorded in John chapter 6, and how it symbolizes the abundant life and power of Jesus Christ, as well as the importance of faith and surrendering to God's will.

Why does the sermon mention the number of school lunches packed by Jill?

The sermon mentions the number of school lunches packed by Jill to illustrate the idea of a mother's sacrificial love and care, similar to how Jesus fed the multitudes, showing that even in seemingly small acts, there is significant impact.

What are the two miracles recorded in all four Gospels?

The transcript does not specify the two miracles, but traditionally, it is believed that the feeding of the 5,000 and the resurrection of Jesus are the miracles recorded in all four Gospels.

What does Jesus mean when he says the works that he does bear witness about him?

Jesus means that the miracles he performs are not just acts of power, but they serve as evidence and testimony that he is the Son of God, sent by the Father, and that his mission and teachings are divinely ordained.

Why did Jesus perform miracles according to John 5:36?

According to John 5:36, Jesus performed miracles so that the works themselves would bear witness about him, confirming that he was sent by God and authenticating his teachings and identity.

What does the sermon suggest about the nature of the miracle of feeding the multitudes?

The sermon suggests that the miracle of feeding the multitudes is significant because it was a very public event where people not only observed but also participated, and it demonstrated Jesus' divine power and his mission to provide spiritual nourishment.

What does the sermon imply about the reaction of the people to Jesus' miracles?

The sermon implies that despite witnessing the miracles, many people, including Jesus' enemies, did not change their hearts and minds about him because they were not willing to surrender their self-righteousness and control to God's plan of salvation through faith in Jesus.

How does the sermon use the story of the boy with five barley loaves and two fish?

The sermon uses the story of the boy to illustrate that even the most seemingly insignificant contributions can become powerful and meaningful when entrusted to Jesus, leading to abundant outcomes and leftover blessings.

What is the significance of the 'leftover fragments' in the miracle of feeding the multitudes?

The leftover fragments signify the abundance that Jesus provides, which is more than enough to meet the needs of the people. It also contrasts with the manna given by Moses, which was only enough for one day, showing that Jesus provides sustenance that lasts.

What does the sermon suggest about the power of God as revealed through the miracle?

The sermon suggests that the power of God, as revealed through the miracle, is immeasurable and transformative. It is the power to make wise choices, to forgive, to love enemies, and ultimately to conquer death through faith in Jesus Christ.

What is the role of the disciples in the miracle of feeding the multitudes as depicted in the sermon?

The role of the disciples in the miracle is to be drawn into the situation, to recognize their own limitations, and to participate in the miracle by following Jesus' instructions. This participation allows them to experience the joy of partnering with Jesus in performing a divine act.

Outlines

00:00

🌅 Reflections on Mother's Day and Jesus' Miracle

The speaker begins by acknowledging Mother's Day and the role of mothers and grandmothers, likening their nurturing to Jesus' miracle of feeding 20,000 people, as recorded in John 6. The sermon emphasizes the significance of miracles as affirmations of Jesus' divine mission, contrasting them with the private miracle of turning water into wine. The speaker also discusses the purpose of miracles, referencing John 5:36, to confirm Jesus' divine origin and the importance of listening to his teachings. The summary concludes with an introduction to the miracle's public nature and its role in demonstrating Jesus' identity as the Messiah and the source of eternal life.

05:00

📜 Historical Evidence of Jesus' Miracles

This paragraph delves into the historical and external evidence supporting Jesus' miracles, particularly the resurrection. The speaker argues that Christianity's growth and acceptance would not have been possible if the miracles were not genuine. It discusses the enemies of Jesus attributing his works to Satan and the lack of contemporary literature denying the miracles' occurrence. The paragraph highlights the public nature of the feeding of the 5,000 and the people's recognition of Jesus' divine authority, despite their resistance to changing their beliefs or lifestyles.

10:02

🍞 The Boy with Five Loaves and Two Fish

The narrative focuses on the story of Jesus feeding a large crowd with just five barley loaves and two fish, as told in John 6. The speaker describes the setting by the Sea of Galilee and the crowd's following of Jesus due to his healing miracles. It details the interaction between Jesus and his disciples, particularly Philip and Andrew, and the challenge of feeding such a multitude. The paragraph culminates in Jesus' command to have the people sit and his miraculous multiplication of the boy's meager meal to feed everyone present, with twelve baskets of leftovers.

15:03

👑 The People's Misunderstanding of Jesus' Mission

The speaker recounts the people's reaction to Jesus' miracle, recognizing him as a prophet but attempting to make him a king, which Jesus rejects. The paragraph explores the significance of the miracle, Jesus' withdrawal from the crowd, and the deeper message of reliance on God. It emphasizes the importance of understanding Jesus' true purpose, which is to offer eternal life through belief in him, rather than seeking material sustenance or temporal power.

20:04

🌟 The Power of God's Provision

This paragraph discusses the profound implications of Jesus' miracle, likening it to the manna provided by Moses in the desert. The speaker highlights the abundance of Jesus' provision, with leftovers signifying a life of spiritual abundance in contrast to the daily manna that sustained the Israelites. The summary touches on the misconceptions people have about Christianity being a life of deprivation and emphasizes that Jesus offers a life of fulfillment and abundance through faith.

25:06

🔥 The Grandeur of God's Power

The speaker reflects on the immeasurable power of God, as described in Ephesians 1, and the desire for believers to recognize and understand this power. The paragraph explores the concept of 'uber' greatness and the Apostle Paul's prayer for enlightenment of the believers' hearts to comprehend the hope, inheritance, and power available to them through Christ. It concludes with an invitation for believers to experience the transformative power of God in their lives.

30:07

🛠 The Joy of Partnering with Jesus

The narrative shares a personal story of the speaker's father, a mechanic, and the joy of working together to fix cars. It uses this analogy to illustrate the joy of partnering with Jesus in serving others and accomplishing great things through faith. The speaker emphasizes the importance of handing over one's abilities to Jesus, allowing for transformation and the realization of one's potential in a meaningful way.

35:08

🙏 The Call to Full Commitment to Jesus

The final paragraph is a call to action, urging believers to fully commit their lives to Jesus and to experience the joy and power that comes from such a commitment. The speaker challenges the notion of hedging bets with God and highlights the transformative impact of those who have fully given themselves to Jesus. The summary concludes with a prayer for believers to be empowered to make good choices and to demonstrate God's power through their lives.

Keywords

💡Miracle

A miracle is an extraordinary event that surpasses human understanding or the laws of nature, often attributed to divine intervention. In the video's theme, the miracle of Jesus feeding twenty thousand people with just five loaves of bread and two fish illustrates the power of faith and the divine ability to provide beyond human limitations. It is used to demonstrate Jesus' divine nature and to encourage believers to trust in God's provision.

💡Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a holiday honoring mothers and motherhood, celebrated in many countries. The script uses the occasion to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of mothers, likening the vast provision in the miracle to the nurturing and care mothers provide, which often feels boundless and selfless.

💡Participation

Participation in this context refers to the active involvement of the people in the miracle, where they were not just observers but recipients of the miraculous provision. It underscores the personal encounter with the divine and the transformative experience that comes from being part of a miraculous event.

💡Testimony

In the script, testimony refers to the evidence or affirmation of something's truth or validity, particularly the works of Jesus that serve as evidence of His divine mission. The miracles are seen as testimony to Jesus' claim of being sent by God, and thus, they bear witness to His identity and purpose.

💡Eternal Life

Eternal life, within the Christian context, is the promise of everlasting life with God, granted through faith in Jesus Christ. The script emphasizes that eternal life is found in Jesus and that belief in Him is the pathway to this gift, highlighting the spiritual significance of the miracles as a means to understand and accept this promise.

💡Self-Righteousness

Self-righteousness is the belief in one's own moral superiority without genuine justification. The video discusses how people often cling to self-righteousness, thinking they can earn salvation through their own efforts. Jesus challenges this mindset, urging instead a surrender to His righteousness and the acceptance of His grace.

💡Sin

Sin, in the context of the script, refers to any act or thought that goes against God's will or the moral law. The young lady's realization that she was a sinner, despite considering herself a good person, is a pivotal moment that reflects the human condition and the need for redemption that Jesus offers.

💡Prophet

A prophet is a person who speaks for God, delivering divine messages or revelations. In the script, the people recognize Jesus as the prophet foretold in the Old Testament, who would perform acts similar to Moses, such as providing sustenance in the wilderness, thus affirming His divine authority.

💡Power

Power in the script is used to describe the divine ability to perform extraordinary acts, such as the miracle of feeding thousands with minimal provisions. It also refers to the transformative power available to believers through faith in Jesus, enabling them to live a life of purpose and righteousness.

💡Transformation

Transformation refers to a profound change in form, appearance, or character. The script uses the concept of transformation to illustrate how believers can be changed by the power of Jesus, moving from a state of sin and self-righteousness to one of righteousness and divine grace.

💡Disciple

A disciple is a follower or student of a religious teacher. In the script, the disciples of Jesus are involved in the miraculous event, learning about faith, dependency on God, and the power of partnership in divine acts. Their experience is meant to teach viewers about the importance of following and learning from Jesus.

💡Sign

In the script, a sign is a miraculous event performed by Jesus to convey a deeper spiritual truth or message. The feeding of the five thousand serves as a sign, indicating that Jesus comes from God and has the power to provide abundantly for the spiritual and physical needs of people.

Highlights

The sermon discusses the miracle of Jesus feeding twenty thousand people as a metaphor for the nurturing role of mothers.

The speaker reflects on the number of school lunches a mother packs for her children over the years, emphasizing the scale of a mother's care.

Jesus' miracle in John chapter 6 is one of two miracles recorded in all four Gospels, indicating its significance.

The purpose of Jesus' miracles was to confirm that He came from God, as stated in John 5:36.

The sermon explains that miracles were not performed by Jesus for personal gain but to bear witness to His divine mission.

John 20:31 is cited to explain that the ultimate purpose of Jesus' miracles was to lead people to believe in Him for eternal life.

The public nature of the feeding miracle in John 6 is contrasted with the private miracle of turning water into wine.

The sermon points out that Jesus' miracles, including the feeding of the 5,000, were public and participatory, not just observed.

The speaker discusses the historical and extra-biblical evidence supporting the reality of Jesus' miracles.

The sermon addresses the argument that Jesus' miracles were attributed to Satan by His enemies, highlighting a misunderstanding of His nature.

The speaker uses the story of a young lady's impression of the church to illustrate the concept of self-righteousness versus God's righteousness.

The sermon explains that Jesus' teachings on self-righteousness were a challenge to the religious leaders of His time.

The story of the boy with five barley loaves and two fish is used to illustrate the power of offering what one has, no matter how small it may seem.

The sermon emphasizes that Jesus can take the most insignificant offerings and use them to accomplish great things.

The Apostle Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:18-19 is quoted to express the desire for believers to understand God's immense power.

The sermon concludes with a call to action for believers to fully surrender their lives to Jesus and experience His transformative power.

Transcripts

amen will you show him some

encouragement one last time thank you

guys cruciate it it's the future right

there well good morning everybody happy

Mother's Day to all the moms grandmas

great comments do we have any great

grandmas here any great grandmas Wow yes

absolutely

experts experts so good to be with you

guys this morning our our text this

morning is not a traditional Mother's

Day text it comes from John chapter six

although I was talking about it with

Jill last night in this text you will

see Jesus feed twenty thousand people at

once and that's kind of what moms do

sometimes right it's what it feels like

I've I asked Jill I said yeah we have

three kids you know 21 18 and 13 right

now I asked her I said Jill how many

school lunches do you think you've

helped pack so far 180 days of school in

12 years you know we're we're kind of

edging toward the end of it close to

5,000 school lunches mom has helped pack

so mom's thank you for who you are and

and all that you that you do yeah so in

John chapter 6 this is a really really

interesting text I love this text

because it's only there's only two

miracles that are recorded in all four

Gospels and when I say Gospels gospel

means good news it's Matthew Mark Luke

John they record the life of Jesus and

this is one of two miracles that aunt

Gospel writers record it is a very

public miracle if you can imagine

feeding 20,000 people but the cool thing

about this miracle is people don't just

observe they actually participate in

other words their bellies are full

question why did Jesus perform miracles

I mean did he do it just to gain a large

crowd did he do it because he wanted to

be some kind of celebrity no

remember from last week John chapter 5

verse 36 he tells us why the miracles

are there he says but the testimony that

I have he's referring to the testimony

about himself is greater than that of

John's referring to John the Baptist now

John the Baptist was the man for a lot

of people it's like his word was gold

and he testified about Jesus now Jesus

says there's a testimony that's even

greater than John's word here it is for

the works that the father has given me

to accomplish the very works that I am

doing bear witness about me here it is

that the father has sent me in other

words the miracles were to confirm that

Jesus came from God therefore we should

probably listen to what Jesus has to say

about himself so what did Jesus have to

say about himself that was so important

well John tells us this at the end of

the book toward the end of the book in

John chapter 20 verse 31 he says let me

tell you I am writing but these things

are written so that you may believe that

Jesus is the Christ the Christos the

Messiah the one who hundreds of years

worth of prophecy Old Testament prophecy

are fulfilled in that you would believe

that that Jesus is the Christ the Son of

God and that by believing you may have

life in his name

eternal life is found only in Jesus

Christ this is really fantastic what

Jesus does here with this miracle

because it's not as if it's small and

something private if you remember when

he turned water into wine that was a

more of a private party but this is in

front of thousands this miracle is not

hidden and the people are not just

observing they are literally

participating in it if you were around

Jesus for any length of time he gave you

the opportunity to see who he really was

in John chapter 21 we read this now

there are also many other things that

Jesus did in other words he performed a

lot of miracles where every one of them

to be written I suppose that the world

itself could not contain the books that

would be written so if your

for any length of time you saw him

command nature and even the enemies of

Jesus didn't deny this

they couldn't deny that there was

something supernatural about this man

they couldn't deny it but what they did

do was dismiss it in fact at one point

they attribute the works of Jesus the

state tribute the supernatural works of

Jesus to Satan that's a big mistake

elsewhere the religious leaders will

accuse Jesus of healing on the wrong day

you healed on the Sabbath and therefore

you violated the law you broke the

Sabbath law Jesus was like you guys just

don't get it the work that I'm doing

tells you that I come from God and so

this is really important because you

have to understand that in Jesus time

there were writers and they wrote about

events surrounding Jesus New Testament

scholars refer to these as as external

evidences or extra biblical evidences

surrounding the person of Jesus Christ

so think it through it would be very

easy

Munford see this way Christianity would

have never gotten off the ground unless

the miracles were true of course the

biggest miracle of all being the

resurrection so in Jesus day you had

people who were still alive who had

witnessed participated in the miracles

and yet of all these writings that we

have from the first century you don't

have one shred not one piece of

literature that says the miracles did

not happen what you do have is that

literature that goes something like this

since they couldn't deny the

resurrection the enemies of Jesus what

they did was he says I pulled the guards

inside they said hey we will pay you in

order to spread the lie that the

disciples stole the body see they

couldn't deny the fact that the tomb was

empty not posed a problem for them a

threat to their power and authority and

they couldn't have that so there was

Christian he would have never gotten off

the ground if the miracles weren't true

this is a ver I mean we're talking

thousands of people witness

this miracle so the resurrection was

feeding of the 5,000 which is more like

20,000 when you do at the men women and

children they all point the finger

toward Jesus and ask what many of asks

and that is who is this man even this

guy named Nicodemus who was sort of he

was he was among the religious ruling

elite and these were the guys I had the

biggest problem with Jesus and Jesus

Nicodemus has to come to Jesus at night

right for fear of being seen by his

peers and he comes to Jesus and he says

I need to know about you I mean I really

need to know about you no one does the

work that you do unless they are sent

from God I have some questions everybody

surrounding Jesus they were asking who

is this man he speaks with authority and

he has such power and you know we live

in Scottsdale and Scottsdale is full of

powerful people I mean let's face it you

have some of the most powerful people on

the planet that live in Scottsdale

Arizona in your own backyard so you take

all those powerful people and you stack

them up next to the power of Jesus they

look like child's play so wouldn't you

think doesn't it stand to reason that a

miracle this public would change the

hearts and minds of those who were near

Jesus not one bit

the enemies of Jesus remained the

enemies of Jesus and really for this

specific reason because Jesus had

something to say about how people should

live their lives Oh see that's the

problem right I mean we're all well and

good with Jesus you know we like his

teachings he said some pretty wide

things but it's that part where you know

he tells you how to live your life

that's the part we don't like see this

miracle explains as much about the heart

of man is that there's anything else so

a few weeks back I met with a young lady

who'd been attending

the church for two or three months and

as I often do with folks who are new I

asked the question give me your

impressions about the church and so she

made some comments that were very

insightful and very helpful and and I

said anything else and and I said I want

you to be honest brutally honest yeah be

brutally honest so she said well um I

didn't like you I know isn't that

laughable like someone someone didn't

like me and so I said as I often do in

those situations well what did I say

right it must have it's always something

I said so what was it that I that I said

that cause you not to like me and by the

way I had the biggest smile on my face

because you know it's every pastor's

fantasy that people actually remember

what they say and she remembered and the

other thing I love about this this this

young lady is she's so honest she's so

honest because she said you know when I

first started coming you told me that

there was something wrong with me you

told me that I was a sinner now

understand that her problem essentially

really is not with me it's with the

Scriptures and it's with Jesus himself

you said you told me I was a sinner in

and I think I'm a good person and very

insightful comment with that one comment

she really put her finger on the pulse

of how many many people think hey I'm

I'm a good person isn't that enough so I

asked her do you think I'm better than

you

she said well probably you're a pastor I

said no I'm better than you I'm better

than you but here's the thing

the guys who mentor me are a hundred

times better than I am who gets to

decide how good do you have to be

see that's the beautiful thing about

Jesus telling you what you need to hear

and let me put it to you this way he's

actually telling you what you want to

hear what he's telling you is give up

that form of religion that has you

thinking you can earn your way to God oh

well miserable way to live life thinking

they know we're nowhere in this book are

you gonna find that part that says as

long as you do this and you refrain from

this the gates of heaven are thrown open

for you no you're not gonna find that

what you will find is that even your

best attempts fall way way short

you're the truth of the matter is you

and I we're really not that good and

even when we say you know I just I try

my best

come on now are you really trying your

best no none of us really tries our best

but that's the beautiful thing about the

gospel of Jesus Christ

it's Jesus saying I'm gonna do for you

what you can't do for yourself see

that's the power of the Cross that's the

beauty of the cross Martin Luther called

it the great exchange put it very well

you give Jesus your sin and in exchange

he gives you eternal life that's a

pretty good deal and yet those

surrounding Jesus they weren't willing

to go there why because they liked

hanging on to the control see if I can

earn my way to God that gives me the

power that gives me the control if I can

earn righteousness my righteousness

about well by the way we have another

word for that it's called self

righteousness right self righteous Jesus

says give that up exchange yourself

righteousness for the righteousness that

I can give you and these early early

enemies of Jesus just couldn't bring

themselves to do it and so this miracle

actually reveals what's inside every

human heart so let's take a look at it

in John chapter 6 beginning with verse 1

after this what's the dis that this

refers to sometime after Jesus healing

the sick and also after him really

engaging with the religiously

in such a ways to confront them for

rejecting him they hated him they wanted

him dead after this Jesus went away to

the other side of the Sea of Galilee

which is the sea of Tiberias same body

of water two different names Tiberias

was a large city on on the water verse

two and a large crowd was following him

why because they saw the signs that he

was doing on the sick I love the way

this is phrase he they saw the signs

okay you know what right we see signs on

the side of the road those signs have

very specific instructions right one way

yield so the miracles are put in the

form of a sign and what are the what

does the sign say Jesus comes from God

Jesus went up on the mountain and there

he sat down with his disciples now the

Passover that's the Feast of the Jews

was at hand Passover is one of three

major celebrations for the Hebrews there

is a time to remember God's faithful

deliverance delivering them from out out

from underneath the ruthless hand of the

egyptian farrell verse 5 lifting up his

eyes then and seeing that a large crowd

was coming toward him

jesus said to Philip where we to buy

bread so that these people may eat verse

6 he said this to test Philip because

Jesus himself knew what he would do

Philip answered him two hundred dinair I

worth of bread would not be enough for

each of them to get even just a little

so one Denarius is the equivalent to

essentially a day's wage so let's see in

the state of Arizona minimum wage is

what ten dollars an hour so we're

looking at approximately thirteen

thousand dollars worth of money thirteen

thousand dollars in order to feed these

people so that they all get just a

little then one of his disciples Andrew

simon Peters brother said to him hey

there's a boy here he's got five barley

loaves and two fish but what what's that

gonna do how's that gonna feed so many

jesus said have the people sit down

now there was much grass in the place so

the men sat down about about five

thousand in number again you add the

women in the children you're closer to

twenty thousand verse eleven Jesus then

took the loaves and when he had given

thanks he distributed them to those who

were seated so also the fish as much as

they wanted and when they had eaten

their fill he told his disciples gather

up the leftover fragments that nothing

may be lost so they gathered them up and

filled twelve baskets with fragments

from the five barley loaves left by

those who had eaten when the people saw

the sign that he had done they said this

is indeed the prophet who is to come

into the world they're reading the sign

pretty clearly this guy is from God at

least that's what they're saying because

later on in the chapter Jesus is gonna

make some pretty heavy statements and

the text literally says those who are

with him left him they were cool with

the miracles they loved getting a free

lunch but when Jesus calls him to

something deeper they're like peace out

where this is not for us but for now

verse 15

perceiving then that they were about to

come and take him by force to make him

their king Jesus withdrew he would drew

again to the mountain by himself if

Jesus was just some dude who faked

miracles in order to get a large crowd

in order to become super popular I mean

back in the day if you had thousands of

people coming to see you you were

incredibly pop you were the more most

popular guys on the planet next to

royalty this is Jesus so if Jesus would

work in the scene if he was you know

performance a fake miracles in order to

gain a crowd to become popular this is

the crescendo moment this is the

absolute high point it doesn't get any

better than this and yet what does Jesus

do they want to make him King and

they're coming after him and Jesus says

no no no that's not what this time on

earth is about now if you read the book

of Revelation Jesus does come back and

he is wearing a crown and he's riding a

white horse but for now he's on point he

has a message to set and that is you

need me

you need me you need to believe in me to

have eternal life and so he escapes

their notice now I want you to I want

you to notice something true true to

fashion you know the details in these

New Testament stories are so important

and they're so rich notice who Jesus

grabs and makes the hero of the story

it's an impoverished little boy you say

well how do you know he's impoverished

well we know he's poor because the text

tells us that the loaves that he's about

to eat or the loaves that he's brought

are made out of barley barley was fed to

horses the poorest of the poor eight

barley

this kid is poor he's got five tiny

biscuits heart biscuits made out of

barley that you'd feed to a horse and

he's got what are probably too little

sardines because there are lots of

sardines in the Sea of Galilee and

that's his lunch so from a worldly

perspective this kid is completely and

totally insignificant he's a nobody from

nowhere with nothing now you may be here

this morning and as you sit in that

chair you may be thinking what do I have

that God could use what why what do I

have you know I'm I'm nobody special I

don't have the power I don't have the

influence this is your story

because whatever you have whatever you

have as insignificant as you think it

might be when you place it in the hands

of Jesus it becomes something extremely

powerful five little biscuits two skinny

little fish in the hands of Jesus will

feed thousands of people with leftovers

and this is how God gets it done he

takes what is insignificant and makes it

so significant there's something else

Jesus is communicating here too he's

declaring something about himself in a

very profound way now many of these

people no doubt good god-fearing Jews

they understand their Old Testaments and

as they read their Old Testament they

recall the time when Moses led the

nation of Israel in fact we read last

week and Deuteronomy Moses says there

will come after me a prophet that will

come after me a prophet pay attention

and follow him so that means he's gonna

be a prophet similar to Moses a prophet

like Moses questioned what did Moses do

on behalf of God toward the people while

they were wandering through the desert

he fed them bread manna from heaven

that's what Moses did is their leader

what is Jesus doing right now to these

people in the wilderness what is he

doing he's feeding them bread but he's

doing so much more because you see when

Moses called down bread from heaven for

the Israelites they had only enough for

one day but when Jesus provides bread

they're picking up leftovers twelve

baskets full of leftovers you say what's

the significance of that

let me tell you how profound this is

please follow closely

many people reject Christianity they

would have nothing to do with

Christianity because they think it's a

form of

lifestyle starvation you know if I come

to faith in Jesus you know what that's

gonna mean that's gonna mean I'm gonna

have to give up all the things that I

really enjoy you know I'm gonna have to

I'm gonna have to refrain from this I

can't do that and you know well that's

just the price you have to pay if you

want to be a Christian and what's being

revealed through this miracle the Jesus

is saying look you need to understand

something I am the bread of life I will

give you so much more than you could

ever imagine and I'm not just gonna tell

you what you need I'm actually gonna

tell you what you want because you see

all the things that you've been pursuing

their functional false saviours in your

life and you've been moving from one to

the next to the next and truth be known

if you were to be honest you're scared

you've got a ton of fear in your life

you have a lot of anxiety why because

you're placing your hope your sense of

joy your peace and all the wrong things

place your life with what you have in my

hands and you will experience the life

that you've always wanted in abundance

you will have access to the very power

that I have how do we know that's one of

the points of this miracle look at this

little kid he's about to become the hero

nobody thinks about this kid but what he

has he offers up to Jesus and to become

something remarkable when Jesus performs

his first miracle remember he turns

water into wine at a party we talked

about this a couple months ago what is

the effect of turning water into wine at

that time and at that place you know

what Jesus does he keeps the party going

that's the effect so people are always

asking who is this man who is this Jesus

I'm asking what kind of God is this I

did a little research

this week on insects plants animals did

you know that there are approximately

10,000 species of birds 10,000 do you

know how many species of flies there are

a hundred and twenty thousand right on

120 thousand species of flies do you

know how many species of beetles there

are on the planet 350 thousand species

of beels and they tell us there are tens

and tens of thousands of beetle species

yet to be discovered question what kind

of god packs that kind of DNA into an

insect you've been watching the news you

see what's going on in Hawaii you see

the lava just flowing and just consuming

everything and just the power anything

in his path it just is consumed you see

pictures of Mount st. Helens erupting

literally in a second volcano the power

of the volcano just bloat just totally

changes the landscape for decades in an

instant the power more powerful than a

nuclear bomb and yet the power of the

strongest volcano on earth doesn't come

close to the power of the smallest solar

flare and then there are these things

called supernovas supernovas are

exploding stars that release an immense

amount of power and energy and you read

the book of Job and job says that God

stretched out the heavens the heavens he

stretched out the heavens and then he

scattered the stars like they're sand

and I picture a giant tub of glitter

poured into your hand and you just throw

it into space

god holds supernovas in his hand

now I want to share with you one of my

favorite verses in the Bible if he's in

chapter 1 verses 18 and 19 and it's the

Apostle Paul praying for a congregation

and from a pastoral standpoint it's just

such a beautiful prayer let me praise

this I pray that the eyes of your hearts

would be enlightened in other words he's

saying there's some things you're

missing there's some things that you're

not seeing clearly I pray that you would

know what is the hope to which he has

called you it's the one thing everybody

needs in life is hope do you know the

hope that you are called to what are the

riches of his glorious inheritance in

the Saints do you know what you have

coming to you in the life to come I wish

I wish you knew these things wish you

were enlightened to him then he lays

this down I pray that you would know

what is the immeasurable greatness of

God's power toward us who believe

according to the working of his great

might this is where the language gets

really really special so the Greek word

for immeasurable is uber belong it's

where we get our English word hyperbole

what is hyperbole it's an overstatement

for the purpose of emphasis I'm so

hungry I could eat a horse

wow you must really be hungry right we

get the English word uber uber right

before the cars car service right uber I

mean wow it's like over the tops like

the best of the best

uber I pray that you would understand

the uber greatness I just saw The

Avengers movie sounds like an Avengers

hero mega sauce that's the word for

greatness

mega thoughts

do DeMaio's dynamite

that's the word for power

Paul says oh I wish brothers and sisters

I wish you could see it I wish you knew

it the uber mega dynamite power of God

and the best part about it is toward you

it's toward you who believe what does

that mean what does that look like this

miracle gives you a picture of it what

you think is insignificant whatever it

is in your life whatever you think you

have to offer now it's too small it's

never too small when placed in the hands

of Jesus it's the power to make wise

choices in life that lead to the kind of

life you've always wanted to live it's

the power that enables you to forgive

those who have really hurt you it's it's

the power to pray for your enemies that

power comes only from God and Paul says

I want you to know it I want you to know

it Jesus says I have this power and I

want it to be on display every day in

your life and ultimately in the end I

actually have the power to conquer death

and so do you earlier I mentioned that

the details of the texts are important

one of the more curious verses in found

in verse 11 says that Jesus knew what he

was going to do but he was testing

Philip so why does he test Phil what

what's going on Jesus why don't you just

do your thing you know you know why

Jesus doesn't just do his thing he wants

to draw the disciples in by asking him

the question hey guys what are we gonna

do about this what do you mean we you

know they're they're having a good time

it's like oh hey the crowds are coming

wow this is a super big crowd wow I

can't wait to hear what Jesus says next

yeah and they're just kind of sitting

there

waiting and then Jesus looks at them and

says okay guys we have a situation on

our hands what do you mean yeah we got

to feed these people what's it gonna

take to feed them right they're getting

nervous now they get nervous I don't

know how can we do is we what we can't

do this on our own that's the point you

just bringing them to that place where

they realize they can't do it on their

own number one number two they're gonna

need him to figure this thing out and

Jesus the cool thing about it is by

including them into what he's about to

do they're going to experience the joy

of partnering with him in doing

something incredible so my dad died a

few years ago and my dad was this is

super salt of the earth kind of guy blue

collar he was amazing with his hands he

could fix repair or build anything with

his hands before my dad died I actually

took a picture of his hands just before

he died he was a mechanic and so growing

up we always had cars around the house

and he was always fixing cars I remember

being a little kid and dad would call me

over and he'd say hey Jason I want you

to grab that wrench I want you to put it

on that bolt and I want you to tighten

it up so I'd go get the wrench and I'd

put it on the bolt in yeah I'd be

hanging off the wrench and it wouldn't

budge and then dad would take his hand

put it on the wrench then he would take

my hand and put it on top of his hand

and together we would we would tighten

that bolt and it would get tighter and

tighter and tighter and we did it

together but make no mistake about it it

was all dad's power not mine but by

having me partner with him I was able to

enter into the joy that my dad had and

together we were able to experience the

joy don't you see what's happening here

see this is how good Jesus is Jesus is

not some diva he doesn't know hey stand

back everybody

watch this

e he says what are we gonna do okay what

are we gonna what are we gonna do guys

how are we gonna figure this out Jesus

is so good in every way he draws them in

they're getting nervous that's right

where you need to be a a meeting

traditional traditional announcement my

name is Jason Fritz and I'm an alcoholic

you know what's so powerful about that

there's an admission there right a

recognition I need help

let me tell you why I'm here Jesus

brings the guys to that point this is

way too much so Andrew finally speaks up

and Andrew says well the only true that

I see these little hard biscuits and

there's a couple pieces of fish that

this kid has and Jesus says perfect

we'll take it

have him sit down and then another

interesting little side note to think

about what does Jesus do with a little

boy the text says he takes his food he

takes the kids food what's the good

thing is I came mister you know my mom

took mine where's your mom be back here

lunch you know take my stuff he takes

you how the kid react we don't know but

the kid gave it over and in Jesus hands

a harvest I mean a harvest was reaped

that's the challenging part right there

it's taking what you have in your hands

and handing it over to Jesus see some of

you are here this morning and your

expectation of this time is actually way

too small way too small

you know you come through the doors and

it's Mother's Day you want to have a

good time with mom and maybe mommy even

dragged you here right maybe you call me

you want to be inspired this is not

about inspiration is about something

much deeper than that what kind of life

do you want to lead what do you want to

be known for what what is your legacy

what do you want to set at your funeral

let me tell you I've been involved in a

lot of funerals there

two words that are constantly used the

words always and never Oh bill he was

always so kind no he wasn't

Oh Mary she was she was never rude

please she was rude all the time see

what you want is the truth

you know Jason he was far from perfect

he was so imperfect he really didn't

have a lot to offer he was definitely a

won talent dude but he took the talent

and he put it in the hands of Jesus and

he was transformed and the lives of

those around him they were transformed

see that's what we want said of us some

of you are hedging your bets mmm-hmm

you're totally hedging your bets right

now like yeah I don't know about this

you know it's like God give up a little

bit but enough to make me feel too

uncomfortable so what's gonna happen is

you're never gonna experience the

fullness of the joy that is there for

you to take and participate when you

hand everything over and you place them

in the hands of Jesus and you'll never

experience the fullness of his power so

may it be said of us the church would

not be here if it wasn't for a handful

of people essentially handing over

everything do you know how much joy we

receive every week because of those

decisions and we continue to receive we

want more more people more partners to

experience that kind of joy alongside us

may it be said of us father what a rich

text so much here were grateful for it

God we ask that we would that we would

not withhold anything from you we would

hand over our very lives to you and that

we would experience the power to make

good choices the power to do things we

would otherwise never be able to do

because that power is being demonstrated

through us

from you so that the name of Jesus can

be lifted up be known kingdom of God

expanded you may be given all the glory

we pray in the name of the one who is

the most powerful his name is Jesus

Christ and God's people said amen