Multiplying the Loaves

Dr.  Glen A. Thorp                  February 10, 2013

(All Rights Reserved)             John 6:1-5, Nehemiah 9:13-28
                                                                                            
                “MULTIPLYING THE LOAVES”
            (Fourth in a series: “Seven Signs in John”)

Did you read the above scriptures from a physical Bible, ie. book, on a Cell Phone, Tablet or Computer?  Some say it is a “miracle” being able to read, 66 books (the number included in most Holy Bibles) depending on  the size of the physical Bible may be around 1,000 pages, on a Cell Phone.

We have been looking at a series of  “Signs” (Miracles) in the Gospel of John.  This week’s based on John 6:1-5 is the only one narrated in all Four Gospels.  The accounts are remarkably alike, yet each has its special focus.  John uses the account as one of the Seven Signs in his Gospel,  drawing attention to Passover (one of the three major Jewish feast celebration.  See footnotes from last week’s blog, 2-3-13) being near (Spring).  There brings a direct connection between what Jesus does and the Jews recalling the Exodus from Egypt and their time in transit to the “Promised Land.”  There is a connection with vs. 22-58, of this chapter, which we will look at on February 24 blog.  Later, Jesus applied the Passover meal to himself:  The Lord’s Supper, Communion, Eucharist. 

Studying this story, we may also apply it to our lives.

          The Multiplication of the Loaves demonstrates that although human need always outstrips human resources God will multiply our meager resources and abundantly meet the real need.  

Five Observations:

The Crowd hungers for More.

Great Crowd followed Jesus because they had seen miraculous signs. 

(So far three: “Turning Water into Wine.”, “Healing of Official’s son,” “Healing of an Invalid in Jerusalem.” Only one healing in Galilee region.  Other Gospels tell of other healings.)  As we have seen John is selective because he is presenting an overall theme:  “Jesus did many other miraculous signs, ... which are not recorded in this book.  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (Jn 20:30-31)           

Jesus takes the initiative in meeting the crowd’s hunger.

 

a.   Jesus asks one his disciples, Philip from Bethsaida, nine miles away.

      If anyone knew a human solution, where to buy food, it was Philip,
      (Jesus knew there was none). (Possibly turning Water into Wine?)

         b.   Jesus highlights what he is about to do.

         c.   Jesus wanted to teach that financial resources are not the most

      important ones.  (“Eight months wages not enough to feed everyone.”)

         One boy gives the little he has, five barely loaves of bread and two dried  fish.

          a.  Jesus gives thanks: eucharistein: (Grace) (Note above:  Eucharist)

      “Blessed are you O Lord, King of the universe,
        who brings forth bread from the earth.”

          b.  Jesus gives the bread to the disciples who distributes it through and to the people.

          c.  Jesus worked through people.  He took what the young child offered,

      multiplied it to accomplish one of the most spectacular miracles
      recorded in the Gospels.  Age was no barrier to Christ. 

     You are never too young or too old to be of service to Christ. 

     Jesus said: “When you do it unto the least of these my breathern,
                          you’ve done it unto me.”  (Matthew 25:40)

The leftovers, 12 baskets full, demonstrate God’s superabundance.

God takes whatever we offer:  time, ability, or resources and multiplies

its effectiveness beyond our wildest expectations.

a.  “Souper Bowl” started by an Associate Presbyterian Pastor, Brad Smith of Columbia, S.C. in 1990.  Simple thought: “while I gauche myself with food and beverage during the Super Bowl Football Game, there are people who have nothing to eat.  If I can encourage my youth group to    receive one dollar from people as they leave church, we give the money to help feed the hungry and we will enjoy the game more, knowing we have taken our little amount of time and money collected and given it to God for feeding the hungry.” So far this year $5,064,139 in cash and food has been collected. A Total of:  $ 95+ million, since it started.)

b.  “One Great Hour of Sharing” is an offering taken by many of major protestant congregations to help people who experience nature or human disasters and helping people learn skills that will help them fight hunger.

“Give a person a fish and they will be hungry again, teach them to fish and they will have a way of feeding their families.”  This program started in 1949 to assist churches rebuild after World War II.  It was then expanded to the categories listed above.  Joining offerings from members in several denominations are “multiplied” and offer assistance to people in need.

          c. A member of my previous church, joined a team of volunteers who under the Presbyterian (USA) Disaster Division of “One Great Hour of Sharing” spent a week in New Orleans, Louisiana, cleaning and starting to rebuild house damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.  She used her own money, energy and time along with others like her that lead to the “miracle” of encouraging those who lost “all” eventually bring life back to the city that suffered so much.  I is my PERSONAL opinion that if it were not for “Christian Volunteers and Generous Givers” New Orleans would still be in ruins.  Government assistance never could have accomplished the “miracle” that came from loving and generous Christians.  

          d.  If you take the first step in making yourself available to God,

      God will show you how greatly you may be used in advancing the Work of God’s Kingdom.

People seeing the miraculous sign said:

Surely this is the Prophet who has come into the world.

Who provided Manna given by Moses (Exodus 16:1-5)  

Thinking of what Moses said: Deuteronomy 18:15

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers.  You must listen to him.

It was taught that the Prophets Elijah, Elisha etc. and the Messiah would come at Passover:

Jesus, knowing that they (The Crowd) intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew to a mountain by himself.  (Jn. 6:15)

The next day Jesus spoke to the crowd.  I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.  Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. Jn 6:26-27

Have you believed that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God and have life in his name?

What do you have that God may use in meeting the needs of God’s people? 
Are you willing to offer God those talents, time or resources?

This was the fourth miraculous sign that Jesus performed.

Demonstrating Jesus’ Multiplying the Loaves.

In preparation for next weeks blog:  fifth miraculous sign

Demonstrating Jesus’ power over nature, Read 6:16-2.