Facing the Overwhelming
Maynard Pittendreigh
John 6:1-14
Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Feast was near. 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?"
He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 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. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted."
So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
Have you ever faced a situation that was overwhelming? Or a problem so difficult or complex that resolving it seemed impossible?
Most of us have.
And it doesn’t matter how old or young we are – we all face overwhelming and stressful situations.
It could be the first day of school
or Monday morning’s algebra class
or trying to get a good score on the SAT and to get into college.
Or it might be the stack of bills that grow and grow,
or waiting to hear from the doctor’s office to learn about the test results,
or the frustration about the job -- or the fear that the job will be lost,
Our lives are full of experiences that seem overwhelming and beyond our capacity to handle.
In our New Testament lesson we have an extreme example of such an experience.
Jesus and his disciples have tried to escape from the crowds. They do that from time to time so that Jesus can both rest and give special training to his 12 special disciples.
But the plan doesn’t work.
The crowds follow. Five thousand people come and invade the solitude of Christ and his apostles. Immediately Jesus begins to think in very practical terms about feeding the crowd.
Talk about overwhelming situations – how do you feed 5,000 people?
The way Jesus handled it was to perform a miracle.
You may remember that Jason and I have pointed out during our preaching on John’s Gospel that there are 7 signs, or miracles that Jesus performs in this Gospel. Other Gospels mention quite a few miracles, but John mentions only 7.
The first was turning the water into wine at a wedding feast.
Then in chapter 4 there was the healing of a nobleman’s son.
In chapter 5 there was the healing of a paralytic.
Now in chapter 6, there is this, the fourth of seven signs – the feeding of the multitude.
This was not the first time such a miracle had been performed. Our Old Testament lesson tells us that this is what Elisha did with 100 people.
Nor was this the last time this kind of miracle took place. Later on in his ministry, Jesus fed another multitude with a small amount of food – that time feeding a mere 4,000 people. (Matthew 14 tells of the feeding of the 5,000, followed by Matthew 15 and the feeding of the 4,000. Matthew 16:9 and 10 mentions the feeding of both groups).
As John tells about this particular miracle, he seems to be more interested in how different people became involved in the miracle than in the miracle itself.
The first person John’s Gospel lets us meet is Philip.
We know only a little about Philip.
He was a Jew, but he had a Greek name, so his family was probably like a typical South Florida family – very multicultural.
He was one of the followers of John the Baptist.
And he seems to have been a very practical person. Feet firmly planted on the ground!
When Jesus goes up to Philip and asks “where can we buy bread for all these people to eat,” Philip responds by saying it would take more than 200 silver coins.
For some that would be a month’s salary, for others it would be six month’s salary – however you look at it – it is a lot of money.
Basically, Philip looks the situation over, and then responds by saying, “It’s hopeless. Nothing can be done.”
Now, that is not an entirely bad approach to an overwhelming situation.
It’s practical.
It’s realistic.
It’s not a state of denial.
It’s not being gullible.
It’s not getting caught in the trap of pie in the sky religion.
Philip is right – this is a hopeless situation.
But while it is good to be realistic about any situation, Philip’s approach is not a very good one, because nothing happens positively to change the situation.
Situation is hopeless.
Nothing can be done.
The problem with that attitude is that it becomes self-fulfilling. When we BELIEVE that nothing can be done, then the situation does indeed become hopeless.
As we face our problems at work, or with our families, or in our church or society, the best way to insure that there will be NO improvements, no resolutions to our problems, is for us to sit back with Philip and to complain that it’s hopeless, that nothing can be done.
That algebra test is coming on Monday – but nothing can be done, so why study?
That stack of bills keeps growing, it can’t get any better, so why not just keep running up the credit card charges?
Work will never get better – so why try?
The marriage is over.
That teenager is hopeless.
The power of negative thinking is real and destructive.
Situation is hopeless. Nothing can be done.
Well, that’s one approach, but it’s not a very complete approach to dealing with the overwhelming.
It is good to be realistic and practical – but you have to have more than that.
Let’s take a look at a second person that John highlights -- Andrew.
Andrew was born in a community on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
His father ran a successful fishing business which employed, among others, Andrew and his brother Simon Peter.
But Andrew seems to have thought more about matters of the soul than about fishing, for he left his fishing nets to follow John the Baptist. Then one day, the Baptist pointed out Jesus as the Messiah. And like Philip, Andrew began to follow Christ.
But he always remains a fisherman – someone who was part of a crew, or team. He remains a businessman -- someone who directed others.
So unlike Philip, Andrew looks around to see who can help.
And Andrew finds ONE boy who had five loaves of bread and 2 fish. Then in a realistic tone, he adds that although this is a beginning, it is certainly not enough to feed 5,000 people.
Thus, instead of saying, “The situation is hopeless, there is nothing I can do,” Andrew seems to be saying, “I’ll see if there is anyone who can help me.”
There is a big difference in the two approaches to this problem.
Andrew is not naïve.
Like Philip, he takes a realistic approach.
Like Philip, he knows that he is facing a difficult situation.
But unlike Philip, he does not despair.
He does not sit back and do nothing.
He takes the time to call out for help. And he finds a boy with some food.
So often, we are overwhelmed by our job, our family, our finances -- whatever. And there are others in our midst who can help us, but we don’t call out for help.
Here at Sunrise we have two pastors, a board of deacons, elders, Stephen Ministers, friends who can help us. And yet, often people suffer alone. They don’t call out for help.
You’re in an overwhelming situation? Call out for help! That’s Andrew’s approach, and it was a good approach. Much better than Philip’s. Still, it may not be enough. There may be more we could do in an overwhelming situation.
Let’s take a look at another person John highlights in this story -- the boy.
He doesn’t even have a name.
All we know is that he had a lunch bag and he was willing to share it with others.
Philip had looked the situation over and was very realistic about what he was facing – but he stopped there.
Andrew had a slightly better approach. As he looked at the situation, he decided to find someone to help share the burden.
The boy went even further -- He looked around and said, “Here I am, I’ll GIVE what I can to solving the problem, then leave the rest to God.”
When Andrew looks around to see if there is anyone who can help, the only person he finds among the 5,000 people is one small boy.
He has 5 loaves of barley bread and two fish.
It is not a very good lunch. Barley bread was cheap. It was a poor man’s food. And the fish were probably a pickled fish common in that area, but not very tasty.
(Luke 11:5 seems to indicate that three loaves were looked on as a meal for one person, hence the loaves were probably quite small).
It was not very good, nor was it very much. But it was all there was. So Andrew brought the boy to Christ. And this boy was willing to give whatever he could to help.
You know, most of us have something we can give to resolving an overwhelming situation.
If we could be the like the boy and give what we have, who knows what progress we could make.
Every one of these three individuals has a good approach toward handling a difficult situation –
Philip is realistic,
Andrew looks to others for help,
The boy is willing to give what he can toward a solution.
Each one has something of value in their approach.
Any time we face an overwhelming situation, we should take a little of each.
I don’t care if it is Monday’s Algebra test that is coming up, or dealing with the news the doctor has given you about cancer. Your husband has left you, or you’ve found drugs in your child’s room.
These are real problems, and you need a little bit of Philip. You can’t pretend they aren’t there – you’ve got to face them and be realistic.
But you can’t be stuck there – you need a little bit of Andrew. You need to be willing to look for help from others. Why suffer alone when there are those around you who love you and can help?
But you can’t stop there – you need a little of that nameless boy. You need to be willing to give what you can to resolving the situation.
But there is something more you need.
It is the bread!
It is the bread of life!
This sixth chapter of John is a fascinating section of the Bible. It begins with our Scripture Reading for this morning in which Jesus is feeding the people with bread and fish.
He begins by taking the bread.
He gives thanks.
Gives it to the people.
And the people have more than enough to eat.
Now that is where our Scripture reading ends, but if you move beyond that, you find that the people continue to follow Jesus, and Jesus says, “You are just following me because you ate the bread and are satisfied.” (John 6:26)
And Jesus goes onto say that earthly bread spoils and molds, you eat then you get hungry again. He has come to offer himself – which calls the “bread of life.” (John 6:35)
In verse 35 of chapter 6, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry. He who believes in me will never be thirsty.”
That’s what you need in order to deal with life.
That’s what you need in order to face your struggles.
You need Jesus in your life.
You’re dealing with cancer? You need a little of Philip – you have to face up to the seriousness of this illness.
But you need a little of Andrew to seek out the help and the support of others.
And you need a little of that boy, to see what resources you already have to give toward handling this cancer. But you also need the Bread of Life – Jesus. Everything else will leave you still hungry for more. Only Jesus satisfies completely.
The cancer will still be there – but the power to accept and handle this will be there as well.
The wife leave you?
Your child taking drugs?
That job still frustrating?
Credit card bills out of control?
Algebra test waiting to greet you on Monday morning?
You’ve got to face these problems.
You’ve got to look to others for help.
You’ve got to see what you can give to the situation.
But more than anything else – you’ve got to have Jesus.
If you don’t have the Bread of Life – whatever else you do just won’t be enough.
You know, the great cosmic tragedy is that not everyone will accept this.
Not everyone will accept Christ.
In John’s Gospel, chapter six, after Jesus feeds the multitude, the people ask for a sign.
In verse 30, the people ask, “What miracle will you do? If we can see a miracle, then we will believe you. Our fathers ate manna in the desert… what will you do for us?”
Isn’t that strange?
I think if I had been among the 5,000 and been fed by the bread Jesus gave, multiplying a few loaves into enough for everyone to eat – that would have impressed me.
Jesus has already performed several signs.
He’s turned water into wine.
He’s healed a nobleman’s son.
He’s healed a paralyzed man.
He’s fed a multitude.
He’s even walked on water.
But it isn’t enough – people keep demanding another sign. And without being satisfied with the miracles he has already performed – they leave.
Imagine – being the pastor of a 5,000 member congregation, and then having everyone leave except a dozen folks.
At the end of chapter 6, Jesus turns to his few remaining followers and asks, “Do you want to leave also?” (6:67)
And Peter speaks up and says, “Lord, where would we go? Only you have the words that give eternal life.” (6:68)
If you want to deal with life and all of its overwhelming stresses – you need a little of Philip, a little of Andrew, a little of that boy – but you need all of Jesus!
Copyright by Maynard Pittendreigh 2002
All Rights Reserved
