I am skipping a conversation between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders recorded in John 15. I posted it as a bonus entry online, with footnotes to help explain and contextualize the text. In this passage Jesus basically keeps saying, “I’m God; I’m one with God the Father.” And the Pharisees keep saying, “But are you though?” And Jesus says, “Yes, indeed.” And they say, “I don’t think so.” The last thing he says to them, in John 15:46-47, is this:
“If you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what Moses wrote, how will you believe my words?”
We will come back to the importance of those parting words after we look at today’s text.
When the apostles returned, they gathered around Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while” (for many were coming and going, and there was no time to eat).
So they went away by themselves in a boat to some remote place near a town called Bethsaida, on the other side of the Sea of Galilee (also called the Sea of Tiberias). But a large crowd was following Jesus because they were observing the miraculous signs he was performing on the sick.
Many saw them leaving and recognized them, and they hurried on foot from all the towns and arrived there ahead of them. As Jesus came ashore he saw the large crowd, welcomed them went on up the mountainside and sat down there with his disciples.
Jesus taught them many things about the kingdom of God, and cured those who needed healing. When it was already late, Jesus’ disciples came to him and said, “This is an isolated place and it is already very late. Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something for themselves to eat and find lodging.”
But Jesus answered them, “They don’t need to go. You give them something to eat.” He said to Philip,[1] “Where can we buy bread so that these people may eat?” (Now Jesus said this to test him, for he knew what he was going to do.)
Philip replied, “Two hundred silver coins[2] worth of bread would not be enough for them, for each one to get a little. Should we go and buy bread for two hundred silver coins and give it to them to eat?”
Jesus said to his disciples, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” One of Jesus’ disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother found out and said, “Here is a boy who has only five barley[3] loaves and two fish, but what good are these for so many people - unless we go and buy food for all of them?”
Then he directed them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. (Now there was a lot of grass in that place.) So they did as Jesus directed, and sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.[4]
He gave them to his disciples to serve the people, and he divided the two fish among all who were seated, as much as they wanted. When they were all satisfied, Jesus said to his disciples, “Gather up the broken pieces and fish that are left over, so that nothing is wasted.
So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets[5] with broken pieces from the five barley loaves and fish that were left over by the people who had eaten. Not counting women and children, there were about five thousand men who ate.
Now when the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus performed, they began to say to one another, “This is certainly the Prophet who is to come into the world.[6]”
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First, Jesus relentlessly reveals himself.
Remember what Jesus said right before this to the religious leaders?
“If you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what Moses wrote, how will you believe my words?”
This is primarily a sign to show the people once again that this is the long awaited Messiah, the “prophet who is to come into the world” that Moses had told them about. But rather than just leave them with the words of Moses, he does a miracle of miraculous provision of food, similar to what God enabled Moses (and Elisha) to do.
“The feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels, which signals its importance. Jesus appears as a new and greater Moses, who fed the crowds with supernatural bread in the wilderness (Exod 16), and as a new and greater Elisha, who fed a hundred people with 20 hand-size loaves of bread and still had leftovers (2 Kgs 4:42–44).” (NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible)
So, once again, we see an episode in the life of Jesus where he displays his credentials. He’s been doing this over and over. I suspect he knew that, even in a hopeful and expectant people, his claims to be the long awaited Messiah was going to take some backing up. After all, plenty of people claimed they were this promised Messiah.
1. Judas Maccabeus 160's BC, entered Jerusalem at the head of an army, purified the temple, destroyed altars to other gods, but was eventually killed in battle.
2. In 132 BC, Simon Bar Kokhba (“Son of the Star” in Aramaic) tried again to bring down the Roman occupation of Palestine. For two and a half years, following a successful guerilla insurgency, Bar Kokhba ruled over an independent Jewish nation in the land of Palestine. The rebellion was ultimately crushed. The Talmud writes that the Romans killed so many Jews that the blood seeped into the nostrils of their horses and flowed forty miles to the sea.
3. Judas (of Galilee), founder of the Zealots, led a revolt against Romans AD 6 (Acts 5). He was crushed brutally.
4. Athronges (4-2? BC) led a rebellion with his four brothers against the Romans after proclaiming himself the Messiah. He and his brothers were eventually defeated.
The people were going to need to be sure about this new man making messianic claims. As hopeful as they were, I suspect they were becoming a bit cynical.
And maybe this is why, in front of his largest recorded crowd (10,000?), this miracle escalated. This is his first recorded miracle where he created something out of nothing, which reminds us of what God did in the act of creation in Genesis. He simply spoke, and from nothing, something began to exist.
I love that Jesus, over and over, provided signs to the people who needed signs. The Bible records Jesus commending those who don’t need them, yet he kept giving them to those who needed them. There is patience here, and gentleness, and a willingness to meet people where they are, not where they aren’t.
Second, we see something about how God works in the world.
“God often used what people had to perform wonders.”[7]
We don’t all have to bring the same thing to Jesus. We don’t even have to bring something impressive. When we give to Jesus what we have, he will do miraculous things with it. Little is much, when God is in it.[8]
I think there is a tendency to compare ourselves to others when it comes to what we bring into the Kingdom. We look around and see people doing things that we consider impressive, and then we look at ourselves and think, “Well, I can’t do that. All I can do is….”
And this is where I note that all you can do is all you can do, and that’s okay, because God will multiply it for your good, the good of those around you, and his glory. I really doubt this kid showed up thinking he had anything to offer that Jesus could you to minister to people.
Francis Schaeffer wrote a book called No Little People. It’s full of good quotes about the importance of every individual. This quote captures the heart of his book.
We must remember throughout our Christian lives that in God's sight there are no little people and no little places. Only one thing is important: to be consecrated persons in Gods place for us at each moment. Those who think of themselves as little people in little places, if committed to Christ and living under his Lordship in the whole of life, may by God’s grace change the flow of a generation. - Francis Schaeffer
If you are the kind of person who gains a massive following or builds the next big megachurch or global ministry, more power to you. Do it with integrity and holiness to the glory of God. But I have grown weary of Christian celebrityism (and I’m not blaming the celebrities). I’ve grown weary of the idea that bigger must be better when it comes to churches, ministries and platforms.
It’s not just that higher pedestals make for bigger falls; it’s that those who don’t reach a certain level of fame or reputation and places that don’t create massive footprints are seen as “less than.”
How many times have I heard, “My testimony is boring. It’s not a big deal. I wasn’t saved from addiction, I didn’t lead a gang, I didn’t survive anything too traumatic. I don’t have that much to offer. I am unimpressive.”
Please hear me. In God’s sight, there are no little people or little places.
“Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” - Henry Van Dyke
Your life is profoundly significant. Your life ripples into your family or community in ways that echo through eternity. If you think you are just too small or insignificant, remember that in the Kingdom of Heaven, a mustard seed grows into a massive tree. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are in Kingdom territory, and the King has a vital role for you in the building the Kingdom.
Third, we see that it is often through the followers of Jesus that the blessings from Jesus spread.
“Jesus challenges the disciples to provide for the crowd; [when they can’t, he does, and then] makes them ministers of His provision.” (ESV Reformation Study Bible)
God often uses His people to distribute His divine blessings to those who need them. Jesus did what only Jesus could do; he asked his disciples to do what they could do. In this case, the disciples were the hands and feet of Jesus. Huh. That language sounds familiar. Almost as if this story is an image of the church in action.
I love that God ministers to us internally and privately through the work of the Holy Spirit. May we never stop praying for that miraculous and life-changing power. But while we do that, let’s remember that God often ministers to us through others – and will use us to minister to them in turn.
That’s why we never just pray when we are positioned to be an answer to that prayer. Think of the disciples as asking, “Lord, meet the needs of these people!” And Jesus said, “Sure!” And then did it by miraculously multiplying the initial gift of a poor man’s snack and distributing it through the hands of the disciples.
· Me: “God, my friend needs help paying her bills.”
· God: “I would love to help her. Use your hands to give what little (or lot) of money you can to her.”
· Me: “God, my friend is need of some reliable transportation next week.”
· God: “Yes he is. I have a plan. Hand him the keys to that car you don’t have to have next week.”
· Me: “God, there is this group of people who is so far from you. Please help them feel the love and hope you have to offer.”
· God: “Absolutely! When would you like start building a friendship with them on my behalf?”
We are designed to live in our community and broader community in gospel-oriented and Christ-centered relationship; it’s no surprise that God tightens the connections by having us take to others what is coming from Him: not just love, truth, grace, justice, and mercy, but comfort, provision, and care.
Fourth, God is really good at making much out of little.
This is Mustard Seed image again, but with a different focus. When God is in the midst of it, not only our faith but our talents, gifts and provisions have the potential to grow into a huge tree that fills the landscape and provides safety and hope.
“The hungry multitude is always present. There is always a little band of disciples with seemingly pitiful resources. And always there is the compassionate Savior. When disciples are willing to give Him their little all, He multiplies it to feed thousands.” (Believers Bible Commentary)
We here at CLG are a little band of disciples in the overall scheme of things. Our financial resources aren’t grand – in the eyes of the world. But in the economy of the Kingdom, this church is full of tremendous resources – you - ready to burst into the world and offer what we can, no matter how insignificant it might feel to us, to be multiplied by God to the glory of God and the good of the world.
· “I can’t put $1,000 in the offering, or even $100. I only have $5 what’s the point?” Besides the character-building practice of generosity, know that God has a plan for how that money will further His kingdom. “What if it’s only a dollar?” Still good. God has a purpose. It will be more impactful and important than you realize.
· “I don’t know what my gifts or talents are, but… (and this is just one example of something that might feel insignificant to you) I like to play games.” Fantastic. Play games with people. Do you know now many people are lonely, disconnected, bored? Do you know how many people long to have someone set aside time and spend it with them? Play games to the glory of good and the good of those around you. Show them they are valuable, that they matter. God will multiply your expression of care and honor. It will be more impactful and important than you realize.
· “About all I have to offer is that I can cook.” Excellent. Sign up for a meal train and let someone know God sees them and cares about them by you, in whom God has taken up residence, seeing them and caring about them. God will multiply the hospitality that you offer. It will be more impactful and important than you realize.
· “About all I can do anymore is pray.” That’s all you can do? That’s hugely important. Keep track of our prayer request page and pray. Read the news and pray. It will be more impactful and important than you realize.
Remember what happened at Asbury a couple months ago? One guy gave what he thought was a mediocre message in chapel. He was certain he had whiffed it. Just a handful of kids stayed afterward. God multiplied it.
Little is much when God is in it. Do not despise the mustard seeds you have, the seemingly insignificant skills or interests, the parts of your life that feel mediocre. Just offer it to God for his use. He will do the multiplying. All you have to do is be ready to hand him your loaves and fishes when it’s time.
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[1] It’s likely that Jesus asked Philip because he was one of three disciples who came from Bethsaida (John 1:44). He knew the area.
[2] About $1,500 in today money.
[3] The grain typically used by the poor.
[4] “An old tradition recounts that Jesus placed the five loaves and two fish on a large piece of rock and then gave the common Jewish Berakah: “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who bringest forth bread from the earth” (m. Ber. 6:1). (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)
[5] "By the number here particularized, it should seem that each apostle filled his own bread basket." (Adam Clarke)
[6] Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22
[7] ESV Reformation Study Bible. Think of Moses and his staff in Exodus 4:1 – 3; 14:16, and the widow whose olive oil never ran out in 2 Kings 4:1 – 7).
[8] There is a great song by that title sung by the Gaither Vocal Band.