John 6:1-15 - Having Faith When You Have Little

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

John 6:5-6

The story of Jesus and the multiplication of loaves and fishes is one of the most well known stories in scripture. The story is the only miracle in all four Gospels and is often referred to as a story of faith. The disciples were freaking out - yes that is a theological term - about the thousands of people that came to hear Jesus speak. They were freaking out - not because of the number of people who came to hear him preach; this was a pretty regular occurrence - because Jesus asked the disciples, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” (John 6:5)


Let's put ourselves in the disciples sandals for a moment....
This man, whom you had seen accomplish dozens of miracles and preach with amazingly divine conviction, looks to you and says, "You want to throw a party?"


Now if I had been a disciple, my first thought would have been just like the disciples. My Master wants to throw a party so we need to figure out how we are going to do it. Then my second thought would have been much like the practical Phillip, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (John 6:6)


Now, I wish I would have been a little more like Andrew, Peter's brother, who didn't ask "How?", but rather went Jesus with the resources he had available to him and offered those resources to Jesus. 

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up,“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 

John 6:8-9

Andrew didn't question Jesus's motives in wanting to feed the crowd. He didn't question how Jesus would throw the party. He went to Jesus with what he had and offered them to Jesus. Andrew wasn't perfect - I think a detect a little doubt in his voice - but he was faithful.

Just as Andrew approached Jesus with what he had to offer, and trusted that Jesus would make the most of this offering, we too need to go to Jesus with everything we have to offer him and allow Jesus to create the miracle.

Maybe you think you don't have anything to offer because you are too young. Or maybe you think that you are too old. Or maybe you think you do not have enough talents. Or maybe you think you have sinned too much. Or maybe....

There are A LOT of maybe's in this world.  We could be crippled by the maybe's and the doubts in our lives. Jesus doesn't expect us to create enough food for 5,000 out of two fish and five loaves of bread, but he does expect us to take our fish and our loaves - whatever form they might come in - to him and allow him to perform the miracle. 

When we take Jesus all we have to offer we will be amazed and what he will do. And there will be such an abundance we won't know what to do with it.

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

John 6:12-13

^{Scripture of the Day}

^John6:1-15 

^{Quote of the Day}

Don't believe in miracles - depend on them.
Laurence J. Peter 

Question of the Day

When was the last time you believed God would show up BIG?

Sorry we haven't had a blog in awhile. Thank you for your patience and grace while I have been wrapping up some projects! 

Don't Forget AUGUST 10th - First EVER GOD's GIRLS Slumber Party!!!!