Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

“Some time after this” — Again John insert this little phrase to indicate a passage of time in order to move the story of Jesus’ life and ministry along.

We are not certain of just how much time has passed.

We know nothing of the many things Jesus has been doing in the interim between the healing at the pool of Bethesda and our story for today.

Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee and the people followed Him.

Their motivation had little to do with repentance or and right relationship with God.

They had simply seen the miracles He had performed and were drawn to Him.

“Mountainside” — Jesus was in the area which we know today as the Golan Heights.

“Jewish Passover” — This is the second Passover mentioned in John.

The passover was an important national holiday for the Jews…much like our 4th of July.

The intention of this trip across the sea was to spend some time alone with His disciples but Jesus looks up and sees that the crowds followed them.

This was a remote place and the nearest town was Bethsaida, the town from which came the Apostle Phillip…So Jesus asks Him, “Where shall we buy bread for all these people?”

But Jesus also had another motivation in asking Phillip this question…HE wanted to test him.

Training

Jesus knew what He was going to do…but the circumstances gave Him the occasion to test Phillip and strengthen His faith as well as the faith of the other disciples.

Test — to try, make trial of, test: for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himself

Jesus wanted to give Philip an opportunity to grow.

Jesus trains His disciples by challenging them with responsibility.

He gave Phillip a task that was beyond His ability to do so his faith in Jesus would grow

Left on a sinking ship were the captain and three sailors.

The captain spoke first.

"Men, this business about a captain going down with his ship is nonsense.

There's a three-man life raft on board and I'm going to be on it.

To see who will come with me, I will ask you each one question.

The one who can't answer will stay behind.

Here's the first question: What unsinkable ship went down when it hit an iceberg?"

The first sailor answered, "The Titanic, sir." "On to the next question: How many people perished?"

The second sailor said, "One thousand five hundred and seventeen, sir." "Now for the third question," and the captain turned to sailor number three.

"What were their names?"

Left on a sinking ship were the captain and three sailors.

The captain spoke first.

"Men, this business about a captain going down with his ship is nonsense.

There's a three-man life raft on board and I'm going to be on it.

To see who will come with me, I will ask you each one question.

The one who can't answer will stay behind.

Here's the first question: What unsinkable ship went down when it hit an iceberg?"

The first sailor answered, "The Titanic, sir." "On to the next question: How many people perished?"

The second sailor said, "One thousand five hundred and seventeen, sir." "Now for the third question," and the captain turned to sailor number three.

"What were their names?"

This is how Jesus trained His disciples when He was walking around on the earth and it is the way that He trains us now as well.

He gives us increasingly challenging tasks so we will learn to truly live a life of faith in Him

Test — to try, make trial of, test: for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himself

Phillip was left with a choice...look to his circumstances, his understanding and the resources at his disposal or He would look to Jesus for answers to seemingly impossible questions and resources which seemingly did not exist

Jesus wanted Philip to know the measure of His faith in Jesus…He wanted Philip to see his strengths and weaknesses and have an opportunity to grow.

This is how Jesus trained His disciples when He was walking around on the earth and it is the way that He trains us now as well.

Philip could not take his eyes off of his circumstances.

He looked at the numbers of people (probably around 20,000 when considering women and children with the men).

He looked at what he had in hand (5 barley loaves and 2 small fish).

And concluded that it was a hopeless situation.

He missed the power of God in the moment.

If we look only at our circumstances and present resources, we will remain in the natural and miss the power of God in our life.

Jesus wanted Philip to look to Him not himself, circumstances or the meager resources he found around him.

So Jesus takes the next step...

So Jesus takes the next step...

“Have the people sit down” — Jesus tells Philip to have the people sit down in preparation for a meal…and he does so.

This is the first step of faith for Philip…

He was being called into a deeper kind of faith…a living faith…Jesus was in effect telling Philip to believe it is so when it isn’t so because it is so because Jesus said so.

Philip had just said there isn’t enough to feed these people a snack…Jesus’ response was to have the people sit down for a meal…it was at this moment that Philip followed Jesus instead of the natural mind and the limits of what his mind could conceive in the moment.

Jesus is not content with followers who live in the natural.

He wants followers who live by faith in Him…volitional, life changing faith which leads you to do things the world (natural man) cannot understand.

The world thinks it is crazy to prepare a banquet for 5000+ when there isn’t food for 5.

If you want to truly follow Jesus in the way the scriptures teach us , you must be prepared for a life of inexplicable behavior…inexplicable to the natural mind.

Too many believers in Christ are bored…the life of a believer in Christ was never meant to be bored…hard, joyful, adventurous, fun, exciting, difficult and rewarding yes but boring…never!

Many Christians are bored because they are living in the natural rather than faith

The Miracle

Jesus looked up and gave thanks for what He had in His hands and then began distributing the food…and distribute He did!

He provided a lavish feast where every mouth was fed until satisfied and 12 basket provided doggie bags to take home.

When we turn our eyes upon Jesus He abundantly supplies all of our needs…all of them…completely and totally.

What is our need?

That word is

So often the context of Paul’s words are lost on us.

We like to quote verse 13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

But the context…I have learned God provides for all of my needs…period…everything I NEED in order to follow Him and fulfill His purposes in my life are mine!

INCLUDING contentment in my every circumstance.

Need — Necessity, requirement, what is lacked

God provides…period!

We can depend upon Him.

Jesus wanted His disciples to know…to really know…to feel it in their bones…that they could rely, depend, TRUST in Him!

And He wants us to know that this morning as well.

God provides all that we need…period!

We can depend upon Him.

Jesus wanted His disciples to know…to really know…to feel it in their bones…that they could rely and depend on Him for all of their NEEDS!

And He wants us to know that this morning as well.

Jesus will continue to challenge us with responsibility beyond our ability so we will stop living in our limited resources and start living in His unlimited resources.

In 1986, a group of researchers published a study of Japanese mothers and mothers in Minneapolis.

The mothers were asked to rank the most important things that a child needs to succeed academically.

The answers tell a lot about the difference in our two cultures today.

The mothers in Minneapolis chose "ability."

The mothers in Japan said "effort."

In 1986, a group of researchers published a study of Japanese mothers and mothers in Minneapolis.

The mothers were asked to rank the most important things that a child needs to succeed academically.

The answers tell a lot about the difference in our two cultures today.

The mothers in Minneapolis chose "ability."

The mothers in Japan said "effort."

This is how we are taught as human beings…success is the result of your God given ability and self effort.

But Jesus is telling us success is really dependent on our faith in His ability, resources and effort on our behalf.

We are called to an exciting, adventurous, dangerous, inexplicable kind of life…a life the world will never understand this side of heaven.

A life beyond our own ability and far beyond our own effort.

Several years ago I met a gentleman who served on one of Walt Disney's original advisory boards.

What amazing stories he told!