WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH A HAPPY MEAL
John 6:1-13
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: Euphemisms of a low IQ
1. Elevator doesn’t reach the top floor;
2. 2 bubbles shy of a bubble bath;
3. Not playing with a full desk;
4. Few French fries short of a Happy Meal;
5. Light’s on but nobody’s home;
6. No oars in the water.
7. A sandwich short of a picnic basket.
B. THE BOY’S STORY
1. That morning the rooster crowed, waking up a boy that was perhaps 8-12 years old.
2. He began to see multitudes of people passing through his obscure little town of Bethsaida (Lk. 9:10), on the N.E. side of the Sea of Galilee.
3. Where were these multitudes going? “Up the mountain there to see Jesus of Nazareth, the Prophet.” The thought of such a notable figure intrigued the boy. Soon he begged his mother to let him go and hear the Prophet.
4. Finally, she agreed. But she wouldn’t let him go without something to eat, so she fixed a basket with 5 small loaves of bread and two small fishes. She sent him out with a kiss and the promise he would be careful and come back by dark.
5. There was Jesus! Healing the sick (Mt. 14:14). Miracles were transpiring. He (boy) must get a closer look. So he wormed his way around behind Jesus, in amongst His disciples, who let him get as close as he wanted.
6. Oh! What wonders were performed! Every single sick person was healed (Lk. 9:11). Then Jesus taught the people. The boy was spell bound, listening to the stories.
7. Finally, as evening approached, the subject of food was brought up. The boy tugged on one of the disciple’s robes and said, “Excuse me, sir. I don’t have much, but I do have 5 loaves of bread and two fishes. I would be glad to share them.”
8. After some discussion between the Master and His disciples, the boy overheard Jesus say, “Bring him to me.” A disciple approached, “Come with me young man. Jesus has need of your lunch.” He was led right up to Jesus. The two smiled as the lad offered his lunch to Jesus.
9. Jesus directed the thousands of people to sit down in groups on the grass. It was then that the boy perceived that they were going to feed the entire multitude.
10. But with what? Certainly not with that lunch of mine! It wouldn’t feed two hungry men! Just then, Jesus began praying over his little lunch, asking the Father to bless it.
11. Then He began reaching into the basket. With wondering eyes the boy counted as more than 50 loaves and fish came tumbling out. He scooped out more & more & more!
12. For 30 minutes the Lord raked massive amounts of fishes and loaves from that little basket until all the great multitude had received generous portions. When all were full, He stopped.
C. TEXT
6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
D. THESIS
1. Boy’s mother; “If someone had told her that morning that she was fixing lunch for more than 15,000 people, she would have fainted!
2. Title: “What God Can Do With A Happy Meal!”
I. THE CRISIS
A. THE CRISIS RECOGNIZED
1. They had been gathering there for 3 full days. Dads & moms, Children & grandparents. People of all shapes and sizes from all walks of life.
2. Most of them having nothing in common except for one thing: they’d come to see and perhaps touch Him…the Man who turned water into wine; who made shambles of the Temple – driving away the venders; who talked openly with women of questionable character; who cured diseases; the Man who even claimed to be God.
3. It was better than a 3 ringed circus. It was all three rings, and then some, all wrapped up into One Man.
4. As the third day wore on, the 15,000 plus people had become a very large and very hungry crowd. Jesus mentioned it first (Jn. 6:5).
5. There wasn’t a McDonald’s or even a Walmart in sight! The disciples became worried about it (Mt. 14:15). What if the crowd turned ugly?
B. JESUS’ CHALLENGE
1. Jesus’ Motive: Compassion – He didn’t want them to faint from hunger as they tried to get back home.
2. Purpose: John 6:6; Mt. 14:16, “YOU give them something to eat!”
3. He was giving His disciples the opportunity to work this miracle! Just like He let Peter walk on the water, He was giving them the chance to feed 15,000 with a boy’s lunch.
4. He was trying to stretch their faith, to get them to imagine what God can do in each situation.
C. INADEQUATE RESOURCES ACKNOWLEDGED
1. John 6:5-7.
2. God raised up a boy – similar to the fish with the coin in its mouth.
3. It’s interesting that Jesus didn’t simply create the Bread. Philip could have said, Lord, You could create Bread.” God had created the Manna in the wilderness. True.
4. But that’s generally not God’s way. God usually takes something of what is present – a branch (Moses, Elisha), some oil, some flour, a Rock (Moses), a stone (David), a jawbone (Samson), spittle, mud, salt – something we have at hand, and makes it enough to meet the need.
5. This was the Right Boy at the Right Place with the right “starter” material. But his lunch was judged as inadequate for meeting the present crisis (John 6:9).
6. How many times do we find ourselves feeling this way? This is really a parable about us. The fishes and loaves equal our resources. They are certainly insufficient.
7. What’s the use of your trying to do anything? God hasn’t chosen the wise, the mighty, the great; rather “unlearned and ignorant men.” So little talent? Use it anyway.
8. The Boy was willing to surrender them to Jesus. The world says, “Watch out for #1.” “So little won’t go far.” But God uses those who surrender all.
D. POTENTIAL OUTCOMES
1. OUTCOME IF HE’D KEPT IT? ONE LUNCH.
2. OUTCOME BECAUSE HE SHARED IT? He ate as much as he wanted. He fed 15,000 people. There were 12 baskets of unused fragments left over.
3. You who think you have little ability: bring it to Jesus!
II. OUR RESOURCES IN A GRAND POSITION
A. ASSOCIATED WITH JESUS CHRIST
1. It’s wonderful Jesus would associate Himself with our weakness, feebleness.
2. When things are put into Christ’s hands – they’re put in the place of miracles.
3. IN CONTACT WITH OMNIPOTENCE – NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE! GET IN THE MIRACLE ZONE!
4. HE COMMANDS: “Bring them here to Me!” (Mt. 14:18) and your life will be transformed.
B. TRANSFERRED TO CHRIST
1. “Jesus took the loaves” John 6:11. He took possession of the boy’s property.
2. We Must surrender: our time, abilities, influence, position, and home – put them all in Jesus’ hands.
C. ACCEPTED BY CHRIST
Why? Because He can work with them.
D. BLESSED BY CHRIST
1. Thanks to the Father; probably to the boy.
2. God loves us because of what we’re becoming.
E. INCREASED BY CHRIST
The boy didn’t reserve some for some future occasion, but he gave it all!
F. DISTRIBUTED BY CHRIST
1. GOD’S MIXED UP MATHEMATICS:
a. He didn’t believe in multiplication unless accompanied by division.
b. Christ’s subtractions mean additions
c. When the distribution ended, the multiplication ended!
2. A Christ who can feed 15,000 can feed millions just as easy. Jesus is sufficient to all.
III. RESULTS OF OUR RESOURCES IN JESUS’ HANDS
A. NEEDS WERE MET
1. All were satisfied, “filled.”
B. JESUS GLORIFIED
1. John 6:14, “This is… that Prophet.”
2. The little boy became, by his fishes and loaves, the revealer of Christ.
3. Q. Who can tell, if you give your loaves to Christ, how many may come to recognize Him?
4. The multitude began whispering, “Let us make Him a King” John 6:15. God help us have this effect on people!
C. SUPER-ABUNDANCE
1. 12 basketfulls (vs. 13) of extras taken up.
2. Talents and abilities: the more you use them, there more of them there is!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: GOD MULTIPLIED THE FOOD
1. Mark Lemos, AG missionary to Brazil, shared this story about Missionary Orla Spencer Boyer, missionaries in the northeastern part of Brazil.
2. No rain had fallen for a long, long time. As a result, the crops were drying up and dying. If rain didn’t come soon, there would be no food for the people to eat.
3. Finally, Brother Boyer needed to get food for his family. So he set out on his mule in search of food. He traveled for several days until he found a sack of rice and a sack of beans that he could buy. He loaded up the food on his mule and headed back home.
4. As he arrived in the town, he could see the looks on the people’s faces as they saw him carrying food on his mule. He had food. They had none. They had no money and no crops because there was no rain. They would starve.
5. Missionary Boyer knew he didn’t have enough food to feed everyone in town. He and his family prayed to God for a miracle. God must provide food for these starving people!
6. Missionary Boyer heard God tell him to put the sack of beans and the sack of rice in the window of his home. He then was to tell the people in the town to come and get what they needed to feed their families.
7. The two bags of food weren’t enough to feed the whole town, but the missionary trusted God for a miracle. What would God do?
8. As the people lined up at the missionary’s house, food was given out to each person. At the end of the day, the sacks were still full! Missionary Boyer could hardly believe his eyes. For hours he had given out rice and beans from the sacks, yet the sacks were still full.
9. The next day, people started lining up again for more food. All day long, food was given out to the people. Yet at the end of the day, the sacks were still full! This continued day after day and the sack of rice and the sack of beans never emptied.
10. This continued for over a month until the rains came and the crops started to grow again. God miraculously provided for His people. Their lives were spared because God provided food for them to eat.
11. God showed the people of that town that He was real and that He loved them. Many people started to follow Jesus because of the great miracle that happened. (http://bgmc.ag.org/files/true-missionary-stories/god-provides.cfm)
B. THE CALL
1. Do you see a crisis in your life which seems impossible? Maybe you don’t even see any fishes and loaves. We’ll pray for vision.
2. Have you consecrated your talents to Jesus? Are you willing to give Him all of your resources? Money, time, assets, family, etc.?
3. Do you want to be a revealer of Christ to others?
4. Come to the front and devote your fishes and loaves to the Lord.
