Seven Miracles in the Gospel of John (Part 4)

by · 01/25/2020

John 6:1-14

Have you ever been in a SERIOUS PREDICAMENT?  How do we normally respond in these situations?

So far we have covered THREE miracles which picture the WAY of salvation:

  1. Water into wine – “Out with the OLD, in with the NEW” – salvation is a change in your NATURE or your IDENTITY
  2. Healing of the nobleman’s son – salvation requires FAITH in what God said (John 4:50)
  3. Healing at the pool of Bethesda – salvation cannot be EARNED because we could NEVER DO ENOUGH to earn it, so Jesus Christ does the work of SALVATION, NOT US!

Miracle #4 reveals to us the RESPONSIBILITY of SALVATION:

Feeding of the 5000 – the ONLY miracle (besides the resurrection of Jesus Christ) found in all FOUR gospel accounts

God has given those who are saved a GREAT RESPONSIBILITY:

John 6:1-4

In these first 4 verses, everything is GREAT!  The disciples have just witnessed the Lord perform MIRACLES and now they are up in the MOUNTAIN sitting with Him!  

  • Can we just do this ALL THE TIME?  One day YES, but NOT YET!

I. PROVING (v. 5-9)

  • Notice the QUESTION posed by the LORD in verse 5
    • “Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”

HOW will a MULTITUDE be FED with NO FOOD?  This is an IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION!

It is ONLY IMPOSSIBLE until the Lord Jesus Christ SHOWS UP!

PROVING – the Lord TESTS Philip with a QUESTION 

  • Why does the Lord ALLOW difficult circumstances???
    • To PROVE us – to see HOW we will RESPOND
  • What are some typical responses?
    • COMPLAIN
    • CRY
    • COLLAPSE (give up!)
      • Most common response – ask WHY and claim “IT ISN’T FAIR!”

Verse 6 – the Lord KNOWS what HE will do!

  • Nothing takes the Lord by SURPRISE!!!

Verse 7 – Philip’s response is one of DOUBT

  • cf. Matthew 14:28-31 – replace DOUBT with FAITH

TRYING TIMES should DRIVE US to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Verses 8-9 – Andrew enters and brings MORE DOUBT

  • Every have a DOUBTING PARTY? 
    •  It begins with ONE and EASILY SPREADS!
  • cf. Ecclesiastes 9:18b- “one sinner destroyeth much good.” – it only takes ONE

In v. 7 – “IF we had so much, it wouldn’t be ENOUGH!”

In v. 9 – “We have a LITTLE, but there’s NOT NEAR ENOUGH!”

II. PROVIDING (v. 10-11)

There is NO PANICKING with the Lord!  He has a WELL-ORGANIZED PLAN to take care of our needs!

Verse 10 – notice that the PEOPLE were to SIT DOWN while the Lord and His disciples did the rest

DISCIPLESHIP – do what the Lord says, He has a plan to USE YOU in order to FEED OTHERS… though He is the SOURCE of the FOOD!

Verse 11 – Notice the steps that the Lord takes:
1. He gave thanks
2. He DISTRIBUTED to the DISCIPLES
3. The DISCIPLES DISTRIBUTED to the people

What a picture of how God wants to USE YOU to FEED OTHERS!

God ALWAYS provides!

cf. Genesis 22:6-8 – “God will provide Himself a lamb”

  • Add the word “for” and it CHANGES the meaning – it sounds like God Himself is in need of a lamb!

cf. Psalm 23:1 – no WANTING if you KNOW the Lord!

cf. Psalm 81:10-11

cf. Philippians 4:19 – “all your need” SUPPLIED by God!

III. PRESERVING (v. 12-14)

Verse 12 – The Lord didn’t throw out the leftovers!

cf. Psalm 12:6, 7 – PRESERVATION of the WORDS of God!

Verse 13 – Notice how many BASKETS are remaining!

  • TWELVE – one for each of the disciples

Verse 14 – Notice the PROCLAMATION made by the men which saw the miracle: “This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”

APPLICATION:

  • The FEEDING of the FIVE THOUSAND is a picture of DISCIPLESHIP

  • Disciples of Christ are to RECEIVE FOOD from the Lord and then are to GIVE IT OUT.  There’s a CONTINUAL SUPPLY

  •  There is NO NEED to PANIC when DIFFICULTY ARISES!
    • cf. Mark 10:27 – IMPOSSIBLE with men, POSSIBLE with God!