Recap
Title: Enjoy The Bread Of Heaven
Series: Discovering The Real Jesus
Key Text: John 6:5, 11-13
Key Message:
As we continue our series on ‘Discovering the Real Jesus’, we come to a famous moment where Jesus fed 5,000 men, plus women and children. The total is estimated at over 20,000 people being fed in this miraculous event. This story is told from different angles in all four gospels. We learn how Jesus met the needs of people who were really hungry.
This miracle is reported as a fact. It is one of the reasons that encouraged multitudes to follow Jesus. It’s a story that shows us that God is passionate about helping those who are both physically and spiritually hungry.
Jesus wants people fed physically (John 6:5-6, 11-13; Isaiah 58:6-8; Matthew 14:15)
Jesus wants people fed spiritually (John 6:26-27, 35, 48-51)
Jesus wants us to feed people physically and spiritually (John 6:7-8 & Mark 6:35-37)
Apply
The people who had followed Jesus by the lake of Galilee very hungry (Matthew 14:15). Jesus and His disciples were concerned for the hunger of the multitudes. (John 6:5-6)
Jesus then took two small fish and five loaves from a young boy and multiplied them to feed the vast crowd. Through the supernatural intervention of Jesus, everyone had all they wanted to eat plus there was plenty left over. (John 6:11-13)
We must not just spiritualise this story, although there are many spiritual lessons for us. Rather we should first understand the basic reality of what happened here. Jesus fed the hungry. No one was left hungry.
Biblical Christianity involves the physical and temporal as well as the spiritual and eternal. In fact, spiritual blessing is linked to how we treat people with physical needs. (Isaiah 58:6-8)
William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, that began in the slums of London and became a global movement within 15 years, was in no doubt that real Christianity involved social action.
In the opening pages of his radical book ‘Darkest England’ there was a two-page vivid graphic of Salvationists saving the lost from all manner of evils. His campaign included: employment schemes, help for the homeless, shelters, cheap food depots, homes for drunkards and rescue for the prostitutes and many more care initiatives. According to Booth, there was no division between the social and the spiritual. Salvation was salvation of the whole person. God is concerned for the well-being of people’s bodies as well as their souls.
God is concerned for our physical needs. One reason Jesus fed the hungry was because of His great compassion for hungry people.
Do you understand that God wants to meet your physical needs? He will not leave you lacking, instead, He will give you an abundance.
The day after Jesus fed the 5000, the same multitudes continued to follow Him, not because they had understood His miracle, but because He had filled their appetites and they were in search of another meal. The people were caught up in getting their immediate needs met and providing food for their hungry bellies. They came to Him wanting something from Jesus rather than Jesus Himself.
Jesus pointed out their short-sightedness in that they were only seeking physical bread, but there was something more important. (John 6:26)
Jesus offered them eternal nourishment rather than temporary sustenance. (John 6:27)
Jesus tells the crowd that He is not only is the provider of living bread who fed them yesterday, but He is the living bread who can feed them every day with the life of God. (John 6:35)
Like manna, Jesus came down from heaven; and, like manna, Jesus gives life. Unlike manna, the life Jesus gives lasts for eternity. (John 6:48-51)
What Jesus is saying is that while he was willing and able to satisfy their physical hunger, he was able to do something much more significant and enduring. He could feed their spiritual needs both ‘now and evermore’ as the hymn says. They would never go hungry when they receive the life of Jesus by believing in Him.
Even when so many people are well fed, people often remain hungry: hungry for love, hungry for meaning, hungry for satisfaction. They are looking for something to fill an emptiness inside. What is needed is not something but someone and that is Jesus who is the bread of life.
Do you rely on Jesus to meet your spiritual needs? Do you understand that unlike manna that fades away, Jesus gives life that lasts for eternity.
The disciples at first did not have the same heart and faith as Jesus for the multitudes. Jesus was ready to minister to them. They weren’t. (John 6:7-8 & Mark 6:35-37)
This is the calling to every Christian. We have to feed the people of the world-both physically and spiritually.
We cannot close our eyes to the needs of the multitudes of needy people. We must not be limited by our small resources compared with the great needs that we see. Rather we must look in faith to Jesus, offer what little resources we have and ask him to work miracles of transformation.
Men and women and children are not meant to go hungry in any way. We must be committed to see that people don’t starve naturally and we must see that they are not starved of love and hope and miracle working power of Jesus who is the bread of life from heaven.
Just as Jesus wanted to stretch the faith of his disciples, God is calling us to have a great faith and desire to reach out to multitudes both practically and spiritually with the good news of the gospel. Do we know the love Jesus has given for us? Are we helping others be fed both physically and spiritually?
