CHRIST THE ROCK CONGREGATION
SUNDAY JANUARY 29TH 2023
Sermon by Pastor Marc E Simeon
WE SERVE THE GOD EXPERT IN MULTIPLICATION PART II
JESUS FED 5000+ OUT OF 5 LOAVES AND TWO FISHES
JOHN 6:1—13
Joh 6:1 ¶ After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.
2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.
3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.
5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”
6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,
9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”
10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.
12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”
13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.On our last message on this series of “The God of Multiplication”, we will consider the providential work of God through His Son Jesus Christ.
Another Miracle of multiplication
Another all you can eat miracle
- The first time I went to an (All you can eat) restaurant, I thought that these people are out of their mind.
- I’ve seen a lot of abuse of food done in these restaurants
- Example of the Chinese wrestler who ate all the chicken each time, which caused the restaurant owner to put the (Sorry We’re Closed) sign each time he is approaching.
- Example of the Haitian in Orlando man we usually spent all day in one of such restaurants.
JOHN 6:-1-13
Joh 6:1 ¶ After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.
- We have here an account of Christ’s feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes
- that it is the only passage of the actions of Christ’s life that is recorded by all the four evangelists
- He went over the sea of Galilee, called elsewhere the lake of Gennesareth, here the sea of Tiberias, from a city adjoining, which king Herod had lately enlarged and beautified, and called so in honor of Tiberius the emperor
Joh 6:2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.
- Christ’s miracles drew many after him that were not effectually drawn to him.
- Joh 6:3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
- Jesus wanted to be in a culminating place where he could be viewed and heard by his audience.
- Take in account that he had no loud speakers or video amplifications.
Joh 6:4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.
- Because, perhaps, the approach of the Passover, when everyone knew Christ would go up to Jerusalem, and be absent for some time, made the multitude flock the more after him and attend the more diligently on him.
Joh 6:5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”
- The service was very long
- The place was desolate
- The people were hungry by then
- Jesus always felt compassion for his audience
- Though no one invited them, yet they came in multitude
- They did not pay, yet they received their miracles, whether it was healing from sicknesses, or having demons being cast out of them
- In top of that, Jesus felt that they needed to be fed as well.
- A big lesson for us pastors; how we are to be concerned about the total well being of the people (body , soul, and spirit)
- He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”
Joh 6:6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
- Philip was of Bethsaida, of all the disciples he would be the most informed about where the bakery shops were located.
- Christ knew that Philippe was a logistic person so He asked the question that way to magnify the situation.
- Several questions could be raised from Jesus intention to feed the crowd.
- Money issue
- Inventory issue: no one stores that much bread
- Production issue: there is no way this much bread can be baked in time
- You would also have to find cooked fish for 5000 to 15,000 people
Joh 6:7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
minimum wage is $12.50 an hour
work day consists of 8 hours of labor
$12.5 x 8 = $100.00 a day
$100 x 200 days = $2,0000.00
- This might have been all the Jesus group had in the bank or in Judas’ sack
- Philippe gave Jesus a reality check. (we are broke)
- No money!
- No time!
- No way !
- Not today !
Joh 6:8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,
9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?
- “Imagine the look in the face of the disciples, « we’re talking about feeding an excess of 10 to 15 thousands of people
- Now you interrupt to say that some boy here have brought some lunch.
- A big lesson to learn here, in Jesus’ camp everyone could give an opinion.
- Everyone could speak their mind to bring a solution
- What was worse is that he only talks to fill the air, for he knew that he wasn’t making sense.
But what are they among so many??
Joh 6:10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
- What Jesus wasn’t willing to do for his own hunger in the hour of his own temptation, he was willing to do to feed the people.
- He was willing to display His full glory at the risk of a premature oxposure, which could hinder the rest of His ministry on earth.
- God is always driven by compassion
- Lent à la colère et riche en bonté.
- 5000 men without counting women and children, meaning that the crown could have been in excess of 10000 people.
Joh 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.
- What just happened here?
- God has violated all the laws of agriculture
- All the laws of physics.
- All the laws of food processing.
- To make bread you need to plant wheat, harvest the wheat, make flour, add ingregients, and bake.
- Wheat is an annual plant. Depending on the temperature it takes approximately 103 days for spring wheat and 147 days for winter wheat to grow.
- What about the fish
- You would have to hire all the fishermen in town—all the help to clean the fish—all the help to cook fish for 5000 to 20000 people.
Joh 6:12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”
- The God of multiplication has done it again.
- There is no human logic to help process this miracle.
- Jesus is truly God, truly omnipotent, truly omniscient.
- Call it cloning, call it multiplication, call it wonder, it was truly a great miracle that superseded all the previous miracles.
- The people realized that more than a prophet was in their midst—the promised Christ perhaps.
13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
- There were more than enough fish and bread left over that they had to start with.
- Can you now begin to trust God for all your needs?
- Can you now begin to tap in God’s logic instead of your own?
- Can you now see that God doesn’t need much or anything to create greatness?
- Obedience and faith is what you need to access the glory of God
Lessons learned:
- Never underestimate God.
- God operates outside of the scope of our imaginagion.
- God is above the laws of nature.
- God can multiply both natural and by-products.
- Bring whatever you have to Jesus no matter the size or quantity.
- Hungry people need to be fed
- God cares about all the facets of our lives.
- Money or lack of is no issue to God.
- Bring your lunch if you think you might need it.
- Allow God to use your reserve to bless others.
- Long services should provide food for the attendees. LOL
God will make away
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for us
He will be our Guide
Holding us close to His side
With love and strength to each new day
He will make a way—He will make a way
Pasteur Marc Simeon 