Once again it is time to post the Weekend Sermon. I hope and pray that all of you who read this blog are doing very well. I always enjoy the opportunity to post these messages.
This last week went very well. I seem to be on more of a steady pace at work, and my health has been much improved. Thank you all for your prayers regarding this matter.
In prayer this week, please pray about the problem of poverty and homelessness around the world. I just heard a report on the number of truly poor people in this world, and the numbers shocked me. Let us all do what we can to help alleviate so much of the suffering that is in the world. Let us also continue to pray for peace. Pray for peace is Israel, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Over the past few weeks, we have been praying for the message of Jesus to reach the nations of the world where there are few Christians. In this regard, let us pray this week for Thailand, Mongolia and Senegal.
Last week, we continued with our series dealing with the signs of Jesus' divinity found in the book of John. We discussed the healing at the pool of Bethesda. Today, we will discuss what is probably Jesus' most well-known miracle, the feeding of the five thousand. This is an important miracle and a pivotal event in the life and ministry of Jesus. This particular miracle is recorded in all four of the Gospels.
As Jesus began to perform many miracles, crowds of people began to follow Him. These people were looking for a miracle, and they also came to listen to Jesus' teachings. One day, thousands of people had been listening to Jesus. Jesus asked Philip where they would get the bread to feed all of the people. Philip said that it would take at least half of a year's wages to feed all the people just one bite of food. Andrew then stepped up and said that he had found a boy who had five loaves and two fish.
At this point, Jesus had the people sit down in groups. Jesus then gave thanks for the bread and the fish and had them distributed to all the people. Miraculously, all of the people were fed, and there were enough left overs to fill up 12 baskets.
When the people saw this sign, they wanted to make Jesus king by force. Jesus did not want this to happen, so He quickly withdrew to the mountains.
This is an interesting miracle. Let's explore some of the messages from this miracle and then look at how this miracle confirms the deity of Jesus.
One of the main lessons from this miracle is that Jesus is the one who supplies all of our needs. In the Lord's Prayer, we are taught to pray for our daily bread. Jesus cares about us and wants us to have our needs met. The Lord will supply our needs. One of the main ways that the Lord uses to supply needs is when Christians see a need in the world and then work to meet that need. If Christians would work together and have compassion on those around them, so many of the needs in this world could be met, and much of the hardship in this world could be eliminated.
I know in my life that the Lord has met my physical needs. Those of you who have read the blog for a few years know that I went through some horrendous economic struggles a couple of years ago that I am still dealing with. During that time, the Lord met my needs in several ways. One way He used to met my needs was through the food bank ministry of church about five miles from my home. This ministry really helped me out in some of my times of real desperation.
There were many times when I didn't know where the money was going to come from to get the bills paid, but the Lord provided. Once, I had one week to get enough money to pay the personal property tax for my car. Thankfully, the Lord provided enough writing work that I was able to get just enough that week to pay that looming bill. Thanks be to God.
This miracle also teaches us the lesson that God uses the little bit we offer to Him to do great things. When that boy offered his loaves and fish, it didn't seem like much. But Jesus used that little bit to perform a mighty miracle. When we offer unto Jesus what we have, He will do great things with it. All of us have some talent, gift or resource that we can offer to the Lord's service. If we are willing to use these things for the Lord's service, He will do great things.
One of the last lessons that I want to draw out from this miracle is the importance of giving thanks. Jesus gave thanks for the loaves and fish. We need to say thank you to the Lord when we receive things from Him. Try to be thankful to the Lord everyday for the gifts that He has provided. Tell Him thank you for the food you have to eat, your financial resources and the people that He has brought into your life. In all things give thanks.
Now, let us explore the deeper spiritual and doctrinal themes in this miracle. This miracle was the turning point in Jesus' ministry.
First of all, Jesus demonstrated His deity by feeding people miraculously. Just as the people were fed in Moses' day by the manna from Heaven, Jesus is the bread that came down from Heaven to bring spiritual life to the world.
However, Jesus is greater than this manna that came down from Heaven. The manna was only sufficient for each day. What was not used spoiled. It was temporal. Also, this manna only aided the people physically. This manna only fed the people of Israel.
On the other hand, Jesus the bread of life who has come down from Heaven provides eternal, spiritual nourishment. Jesus provides eternal life for all who believe in Him. Jesus' supply of love and life will never run out. Jesus has come to provide life to whosoever will call upon Him and turn to Him in repentance and faith.
God provided the manna. God Himself in the form of Jesus Christ is the bread that has come down from Heaven to give life to the world.
When the people saw Jesus' miracle, they wanted to make Him a physical ruler. However, at that time, Jesus' kingdom was not of this world. He came to make His kingdom in the hearts of those who would believe in Him as Savior and Lord. Jesus eternal kingdom will only be established when He comes again in power and great glory.
In order to be part of Jesus' kingdom now and in the future, Jesus said that we had to eat His flesh and drink His blood. He did not mean this in a literal since. Jesus was saying that in order to truly be a part of His kingdom, we must take Him into ourselves. He must be the spiritual nourishment of our souls. He must be our all in all providing His love and light as the source of our very being.
When the great crowds heard these words from Jesus, the vast majority of them did not want to follow Jesus anymore. They didn't like what His kingdom had to offer.
So many people deserted Jesus at this point that He turned to His disciples and asked them if they wanted to leave as well. At this point, Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."
Jesus is the only one who has the words of eternal life. He calls on each and every person in this world to hear His message of love, life, forgiveness and reconciliation and respond to it by accepting Him as Savior and Lord. I hope that you will consider this day making Jesus Christ the Lord of your life.
Next week, we will continue in our series in the signs of John's Gospel. I will post the verses on Monday and the review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
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