Series Beholding The Lamb “THE SUPER BOWL THAT FED 5000” John 6:1-13
Intro- Today being Super Bowl Sunday, I want to preach on this thought; “The Super Bowl That Fed 5000 Plus”. This morning, we have the amazing story of Jesus feeding the multitude (5000 men) with 5 barely loaves and 2 small fishes. It is truly a Miracle in itself. Can you just imagine, Jesus taking that bread & fish, asking the Blessing over them, then breaking it and filling up the baskets (now called Bowls) of the disciples. And the disciples going through the crowd and giving from their little bowl enough for everybody to eat. What a Miracle! But what I want us to focus on is the message behind the miracle. You see, there was a multitude that had gathered there because of a Hunger. It was both a physical hunger and also a spiritual hunger. They had been drawn to Jesus’ messages! They were drawn to his miracles. And when they arrived at that mountain side where Jesus and his disciples were resting, they were Hungry! I wonder how many of you are hungry this morning?
Did you know that on any given day, several hundred million people face hunger? In any given year as many as 5 million people, mainly children die from hunger. In America, 14 million children are living in poverty. 12 million suffer from constant hunger. I can hardly think of the thought of children going to bed hungry. Weekly we bring children in from our buses. Weekly I hear little mouths saying I’m hungry. Where do we go to get something to eat? Please forgive me if I don’t set down at the head table or the alumni table. I try to speak to everyone. But what captures my attention is those little mouths that gather around a table all by themselves. They sit there without a moma to fix them a drink. Their daddy is not there to get them a napkin. Thank God for the women that fix our Bus Ministry a peanut butter sandwich and give them a piece of cake. One of my favorite pass times is eating. I love eating. While I ride the bus, I’ll ask the kids what did you eat for dinner? Seeing it’s almost 6:30 going on 7. You would be surprised how many little mouths say, my moma didn’t fix dinner yet! I haven’t eat yet.
A missionary from our area came by this week and borrowed our trailer to carry food and clothing to the poor in Kentucky. I said I’ve heard that its bad in some areas- tell me. He said, the last time he was up there. He spoke with a principle in one of the schools. The principle told him about a teacher that came into his office crying. When he asked what the problem was, she told him about a student in her class. She said I began noticing every day at lunch he would take out his sandwich and chips, eat half of it and put the rest back in the bag. I asked him why he didn’t finish his lunch. He said my mom said that whatever he did not eat for lunch would be his sister’s dinner that evening. In other words, this young man was living on half a sandwich and some chips. And whatever was left was what his sister would eat.
I. JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES
A. The Ministry Brought Pressure
Remember, when we left off last Sunday in John 5, Jesus was at the pool of Bethesda. He was in hot water with the Jews for healing a man on the Sabbath & for Saying God was his Father. But remember John does not record everything that happened in the life of Christ. He just hits the main points. But between chapter 5 & chapter 6 a lot has taken place. The disciples were sent on their first mission trip. They were sent to the lost sheep of Israel. Mark 6:30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. No doubt they were tired from their Ministering. About the time of their arriving back to Jesus, they received news that John the Baptist had been killed. The news of this had to have been like a hand grenade exploding in their midst. Their excitement quickly turned to sadness.
Mark 6:31 And he said unto them,Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. Ill-The Ministry Brings Pressure! I thought about the times in Egypt. After every service, the people would come up and through a translater ask me to pray for a headache that want go away. Or a blindness! Or an unfaithful spouse. On and On they would come and ask us to lay hands on them or their babies for special prayer. It is exhausting!
Jesus Saw the Disciples were Fatigued! He saw that they were Weary! He knew they needed a little R&R.
B. The Multitude Brought Pessimism
Mark 6:32-33- 32And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. 33And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.
Can’t you see Jesus and the disciples quietly trying to set sail to the other side of the sea? I can imagine Peter trying to muffle the sound of the oars as they paddled through the water. (see John 6:1-3) I can see Jesus and the disciples stretched out on the hillside. Wore out from the wear of the ministry. They are physically exhausted, mentally wore out and spiritually out of gas. I just wonder how long they sat there before someone noticed the people heading their way?
II. JESUS AND THE DELIMA
A. The Multitude had A Big Appetite
John 6:2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
They saw Jesus had the Power to supply their wants.
1- First Jesus fed them SPIRITUALLY – Mark 6:34
34And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
Now we can feed the hungry! House the homeless! Clothe the naked! Comfort the dying, BUT UNLESS we give them Jesus, they will go straight to Hell. We Must Feed them Spiritually.
2- Second Jesus fed them PHYSICALLY-
B. The Men Had A Bad Attitude- “send them away”
III. JESUS AND THE DELIVERY