Raise hand if you like bread!? Come on, right! Whether it's Texas Roadhouse rolls, Red Lobster cheesy bread, Olive Garden breadsticks or mom's homemade. You're in. Today's text gets us close to a miracle of Jesus that is all around the good stuff! Now, remember - in the gospel of John, he's using these signs to persuade you and I toward his goal...

John is one of the closest to Jesus throughout his ministry and a disciple that wrote much of the NT; wrote about who Jesus is and what He has to say until his dying day. He never recanted, renounced or turned away from the truth of WHO Jesus is!

Today we're looking at a sign/miracle story that is recorded in all 4 gospel accounts. Only miracle that’s recorded in all 4 gospel accts, besides the resurrection itself. IT’S SIGNIFICANT – and in John’s account we get to see the deeper reason, the deeper foundation behind this miracle.

Jesus’ response to the crowd is to have compassion on them. I’m thinking that the disciples are feeling something other than compassion. Maybe contempt, frustration, annoyance, anger, resentment, bitterness, but I don’t think they’re feeling compassion. Philip and Andrew respond with asking HOW? It's impossible in their minds. Jesus already knows what he's going to do.

What stresses us out - doesn’t stress Jesus!!
what was stirring commotion within his followers (Philip and Andrew) I think was bringing a smile across his face. He already knew what he was going to do.

When we don’t know what to do? - let that drive us to the ONE who already knows what to do!

John 6:10 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.

Jesus took a boy’s ‘lunchable’; prayed and gave it to his disciples to pass out and that lunchable fed 5000+ people that had come to hear from Jesus!! What Jesus can do with our lunchable size contributions is ridiculous! Our little contribution God multiplies to make an impact.

Takeaway thought:
It’s never about how much we have to offer Jesus, but rather if we will offer whatever we have to Jesus.

Jesus provides so there are leftovers!! Streams of living waters that quenches our inner thirst, (John 4) it’s not just a small cup of water, that satisfies just for a moment.

Jesus isn’t a ‘just enough’ kinda God;
he is a more than enough kinda God.

One of the beautiful aspects to the structure of how John writes his account, as we will see in the coming chapters, is that the feeding of the 5000 sets the stage for Jesus’ teaching that he is the bread of life and the bread of heaven. John will show that God miraculously meets the needs of His people through His Son, the ONE who multiplies the loaves and the fishes.

John ch. 6 is a chapter that is overflowing with the deity, power and the fullness of Jesus.

It has this amazing story of feeding the 5000 – then this retreat of Jesus as the crowds want to propel him toward being their earthly King (mostly under their terms, be our leader, do what we think you should do).

You’ll read on and see that He walks on water out to his disciples. The crowds find him on the other side of the lake – his notoriety and fame is going viral – and then he preaches his hardest and most challenging sermon! READ John 6:24-69

Takeaway:
Jesus brings fulfillment (see John 10:10), not just a spiritual appetizer.

IF YOU'RE NEW:
We throw a 10-minute party immediately following the service in the back corner of the room. If you're new, we'd love to meet you and we have a small gift for you!

See you back NEXT SUNDAY as we continue in our series: BELIEVE