1️⃣John 6:1-15
vv.1-4
Luke 9 gives us the chronological order of events in Jesus’ ministry. The feeding of the Five Thousand immediately follows the sending out of the Twelve which answers, “Where did the crowd come from?” Most likely from the recent apostolic mission where they witnessed healings from the Apostles and Jesus.
Someone read Luke 9:10. They are in Bethsaida.
vv.5-7
Someone read John 1:44. Amidst a great need for physical provision, Jesus asks the Bethsaida native, Phillip, a logistical question about food. Testing in the Bible is not akin to our concept of an academic exam—it’s not a set unknown predetermined questions that are either pass/fail. In the Bible, testing is compared to gold in a furnace. What is truly inside will be exposed. In this case, Jesus is simply exposing Philip’s lack of considering the miraculous—faith in Jesus to do the miraculous in this context.
vv.8-9
Enters a boy. The apostles, in verse 2, saw the Jesus’ signs and wonder, healed the sick, had private mentor time with Jesus.
He’s a nobody and an insignificant bystander among the apostles. Not even mentioned in the other gospels.
Even though I grew up in church, I’ve always felt like the boy. God, I’m not very talented. I didn’t serve in youth groups, didn’t have a fancy Bible, didn’t go on mission trips, didn’t witness miracles, didn’t have a crazy encounter with God, didn’t really have any gifts to show for while growing up. I was just present in a crowd at church.
Pastor Joe Chou missionary altar call story.
And the apostles acknowledge the humbled state of the boy. He’s got some food but they ask,
ESV “What are they for so many?”
NIV “How far will they go among so many?”
Like the boy, I’ve sincerely said that many times to the Lord: this is all I have, but how far will it go amidst the great need around me? What I can offer feels so useless but Lord take it because I trust you.
vv.10-11
Jesus answers with care.
He makes them lie down on green pastures. He already had in mind what He was going to do from the beginning.
Jesus took the loaves. They are no longer in boy’s possession. It is now Christ’s.
Someone read 1 Cor 6:19-20: Jesus bought us for a price.
Does Christ possess you? When he does, you’ll start asking different questions: where does GOD want me to be? Which community does GOD want me to serve? Which lifegroup is GOD leading me to?
Do you know why a consumerist attitude cannot live in the Church? What church fits ME? Which community is right for ME? Which lifegroup is right for ME?
And it comes back to the conundrum that the apostles are facing: how could so little go so far?
vv.12-13
Everyone ate until they were full. And right after, he gives an instruction to the disciples with a principle:
ESV “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”
NIV “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”
Let. Nothing. Be Wasted. There is no waste in a life poured out at Jesus’ feet.
This doesn’t mean God needs you. If you want to be a waste, just be a consumer and make everything about you. What this means is more glorious. God will not let the meekest offering we present before Him in faith to go wasted.
vv.14-15
Someone read 2 Kings 4:42-44. The crowd highly anticipated the arrival of their political Messiah. The custom of messianic pretenders in Jesus’ time was to seek credibility by either re-enacting or matching famous OT miracles.
I like going over these cultural details because it draws us deeper into the story the author, John a Jew, intends to narrate. There was another Jewish cultural detail I glossed over at the beginning of the chapter. Can anyone point it out? (6:4)
Someone read Luke 22:15,19
In this chapter he breaks a boy’s lunch meal to benefits 5000 thousand men. One year later at Passover, Jesus would be breaking bread in the Last Supper with his disciples. Jesus, the bread of life, was broken for the whole world that we might live in Christ. And His sacrifice WILL NOT BE WASTED.
You know how to waste it? Be the steward with the one talent who buried it. Make your walk all about yourself out of contempt for the Master that gave you these very talents to bless people. We need a revival in our church where we are serving one another, encouraging one another: there are no bystanders in the kingdom! Praise God! He has created us all as different parts of a unified body.
Discussion Questions:
- Are you more a go-with-the-flow person or a logistical/organized person?
- Share a time when you were overwhelmed and witnessed God come through.
- In what area in your life right now is your faith being tested? Faith in God’s provision? In His goodness?
- Go around one-by-one and pray for the person to your right one at a time over those areas. Share any encouragements or Scriptures that come to mind that could edify one another.