Sermon Tone Analysis

TURNING LITTLE INTO MUCH – OUR PART

(Luke 9:12-15)

Intro – I have vivid memories of the first Clay and Liston fight in 1964.

Clay was a 7-1 underdog.

Everyone thought he’d lose.

But he was young and quick and stunned the world when Liston threw in the towel before the 7th round.

Clay rushed to the press screaming, “I am the greatest.

I stunned the world.

I am the greatest.”

And he proved that over the next 15 years of his career.

But in later life, a flight attendant brought him up short.

She advised him to put on his seatbelt.

He kiddingly replied, “Superman don’t need no seatbelt,” to which she replied, “Superman don’t need no plane either!”

That’s like the disciples when they forgot the source of the success of their first ministry.

We’ve come to the feeding of 12,000 – 5,000 men plus women and kids.

This is 1 of only 2 miracles found in all 4 Gospels – the other being the resurrection.

It’s a compelling demonstration of the credibility of Scripture.

Historians look for both internal and external evidence for the validity of a document.

“Should we take this seriously?”

Well, Bible scholars now are pretty much agreed, even the liberal ones, that the Gospels were circulating in Palestine and around the Mediterranean within 30-40 years of Jesus’ time.

The 4 records of this miracle would have been discredited right from the start by eyewitness accounts had it not really happened.

It validates Scripture.

This miracle is also a turning point in Christ’s ministry.

It authenticates Jesus – it’s creation ex nihilo (out of nothing).

But it also previews kingdom conditions both physically and spiritually.

The spectacular result is summarized in v. 17, “And they all ate and were satisfied.

And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.”

No one went away hungry, with plenty to spare.

That’s a kingdom preview.

And these people weren’t dumb.

They said, “If this is the kingdom, bring it on.

We’re in.”

John 6:15, “Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.”

The problem was, when Jesus insisted what they needed was not physical bread but the bread of life – Himself; when He explained the kingdom begins with Him ruling their heart; when He rejected their offer of kingship on their terms, the crowd quickly melted away.

John says, “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him” (6:66).

Thus Jesus ministry reached an apex here and began a gradual decline leading to the cross.

This event was climactic to the apostolic writers.

Jesus also taught the disciples here.

This was for them more than for the crowd.

They had just returned from their first ministry outings.

Flush with success, they reported in v. 10, “all that they had done.”

Jesus reminds them it wasn’t what they had done.

It was what He had done through them.

They must learn the lesson of dependence all over again – just like us! Doubt is plaguing some here this morning.

The job is tough; marriage having trouble; ministry is time-consuming.

Is He sufficient?

Some have lost something – a job, a relationship, a friendship, addiction - and you wonder, is He sufficient?

The disciples have an unsolvable problem.

V. 12: “Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.”

It’s a problem to the disciples; Jesus has something different in mind.

John 6: 5 “Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”

So – it’s a test.

It’s always a test, Beloved.

How it helps to learn that.

Philip knew the problem is unsolvable.

It’s impossible.

But what the disciples failed to consider was that the One who had cast out demons by the drove, healed the sick by the thousands, and even raised the dead, and extended those same powers to them – might be sufficient to this situation.

Just maybe!

It simply didn’t register – and it needed to register, thus the lesson in sufficiency.

We’ll look at it in 2 parts – What They Did, and What He Did.

I. What They Did

A. Recognized Their Own Insufficiency

Tony Robbins could never sign on for this kind of negative thinking, would he? Recognize your own insufficiency?! Ludicrous!

You’ve got to find the power within.

Joel Osteen says in his book, Your Best Life Now that anyone can create by faith and words the dreams they desire – health, wealth, happiness, worldly success.

The list is always the same with these guys.

He says, “If you develop an image of success, health, abundance, joy, happiness, nothing on earth will be able to hold those things from you.” Somehow no one ever question, Is that what God wants for me?

Just temporal success?

Is that what God really wants for me?

That question never comes up.

Never.

But how does this all happen?

“Believe, visualize, and speak out loud.” It’s a common refrain.

Say it and it’s yours.

Your word is power.

He says, “Friend, there is a miracle in your mouth.”

(Isaiah was mistaken when he said, “I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.”

– 6:5).

Joel says, “Get your thinking positive and people bring your desires to pass.”

He says, “God has already done everything He’s going to do.

The ball is in your court.”

Let me tell you, God help us if the ball is in our court.

That was Jesus’ point to His disciples: “You give them something to eat” (v.

13).

“You” is emphatic.

He’s saying, “Send them away?

I don’t think so.

You – you guys – you feed them.”

What did He expect – “Believe, visualize and speak out loud?” Was that it?

Think positively and others will bring your desire to pass?

Some have said that’s what happened.

When the boy gave his lunch, that shamed all the others into bringing out their hidden lunches!

Of course, that doesn’t explain v. 16, “Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.”

Nor does it explain why they want to make Him king afterwards.

Listen, folks, this was a group of thrill-seekers.

They didn’t pack lunches.

They beat it around the lake as soon as they heard Jesus was going.

They were there for the frills.

This is a rock concert.

Now it’s 100 degrees, getting late, no restroom or food and they’re getting restless.

They’re not pulling out their secret lunches.