WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.099 After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 00:00:08.099 --> 00:00:14.040 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 00:00:14.540 --> 00:00:18.280 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:22.359 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 00:00:22.699 --> 00:00:27.280 Lifting up his eyes then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, 00:00:27.859 --> 00:00:28.820 Jesus said to Philip, 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:32.780 Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat? 00:00:33.380 --> 00:00:37.420 He said this to test them, for he himself knew what he would do. 00:00:38.260 --> 00:00:39.240 Philip answered him, 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:45.140 Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:49.880 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 00:00:50.740 --> 00:00:56.460 There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many? 00:00:57.280 --> 00:00:59.539 Jesus said, Have the people sit down. 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:05.260 Now there was much grass in the place, so the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 00:01:05.939 --> 00:01:11.200 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. 00:01:11.939 --> 00:01:14.420 Sow also the fish, as much as they wanted. 00:01:15.180 --> 00:01:17.819 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, 00:01:18.599 --> 00:01:22.060 Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost. 00:01:22.060 --> 00:01:29.600 So they gathered them and filled the twelve baskets with fragments from the five loaves of barley left by those who had eaten. 00:01:30.460 --> 00:01:33.600 When these people saw the sign that he had done, they said, 00:01:34.320 --> 00:01:36.820 This indeed, this indeed the prophet, 00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:40.960 sorry, this is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world. 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:46.260 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, 00:01:46.260 --> 00:01:49.580 And Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. 00:01:50.300 --> 00:01:57.660 So we have before us today a text that many, if we were to tell them about, would scoff at. 00:01:58.180 --> 00:02:01.240 Or if we would tell them about it to other people, 00:02:01.600 --> 00:02:05.540 they might say this is absolutely ridiculous to believe in. 00:02:05.540 --> 00:02:13.780 We're looking at the famous account of Jesus feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:19.560 Maybe some of you, including myself, find this hard to imagine or believe in, 00:02:19.719 --> 00:02:21.480 to actually think this actually happened. 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:23.540 I struggle with this personally sometimes. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:31.120 It's hard sometimes to wrap my head around this idea that Jesus sat on a mountainside and this actually happened. 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:37.259 But the thing is, if we come to church and we call ourselves Christians and we believe in the resurrection, 00:02:37.900 --> 00:02:40.719 we have to believe in everything that is in the Bible. 00:02:41.140 --> 00:02:43.879 We can't pick and choose what to believe in. 00:02:43.939 --> 00:02:45.620 But we can wrestle with these things. 00:02:46.180 --> 00:02:48.300 It's not just a blind belief. 00:02:48.580 --> 00:02:49.580 We can wrestle with them. 00:02:49.659 --> 00:02:50.420 We can look at them. 00:02:50.500 --> 00:02:51.620 We can discuss them. 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:56.500 But what John here, the gospel writer, the apostle John, 00:02:56.500 --> 00:03:03.580 is writing about, he's not trying to sensationalize this miracle or this sign as he calls it. 00:03:03.819 --> 00:03:09.400 What he's doing is he's trying to point us to turn our gaze to Jesus. 00:03:10.039 --> 00:03:11.580 It's not so much about the miracle. 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:19.780 It is about who Jesus is and what he's revealing himself as he does this sign or miracle as you call it. 00:03:20.520 --> 00:03:23.000 Now the thing is, John was the disciple of Jesus. 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:24.240 He walked with him. 00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:27.319 He was an eyewitness of his life, of his ministry. 00:03:27.819 --> 00:03:35.439 He was an eyewitness of Jesus going before the tribunal, going before the council, going before Pilate, 00:03:35.539 --> 00:03:38.840 and being eventually crucified and then rising from the dead. 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:41.539 He was an eyewitness of what's going on. 00:03:41.560 --> 00:03:42.460 And he wrote this down. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:47.180 And you might be thinking, yeah, okay, I'll believe this when pigs fly. 00:03:47.379 --> 00:03:50.620 Or you may be nodding your head in agreement that this happened. 00:03:50.620 --> 00:03:55.740 Either way, what you believe, it shows us about Jesus. 00:03:56.159 --> 00:04:02.719 And it shows us what Jesus is, who he is, and it's far more important than the miracle itself. 00:04:03.300 --> 00:04:08.620 This sermon or this talk is going to not, it's not going to be an apologetic on miracles. 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:12.020 An apologetic is just a fancy way of saying a defense. 00:04:12.020 --> 00:04:21.639 It's like if you like spicy food and you're with someone who doesn't, you're going to defend your belief that spicy food is really good and they should like it. 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:23.040 So that's what apologetic means. 00:04:23.819 --> 00:04:27.560 But yes, we have to talk about it in one sense, this miracle. 00:04:27.900 --> 00:04:28.340 We have to. 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:29.120 We have to address it. 00:04:29.420 --> 00:04:37.500 But smarter and more eloquent people have written and spoken about this way better than I could ever hope to do in a sermon. 00:04:37.500 --> 00:04:44.680 And I would recommend, if you have a pen with you, to write this down, to read C.S. Lewis' book on miracles. 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:46.519 It's an excellent starting point. 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:53.019 It sets the stage and it helps you go forward and to read other things and to think about this idea of miracles. 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:57.600 Or we could have a, ask me out for a coffee and we can discuss it another time. 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:03.140 So if you haven't already, open your Bibles to John 6, verses 1 to 15. 00:05:03.740 --> 00:05:09.700 And it's always helpful, I believe I say this every time and I'll continue saying this, to have a Bible in front of you. 00:05:10.180 --> 00:05:15.320 Because you can make sure what I'm actually reading is the text that we're talking about. 00:05:15.379 --> 00:05:16.280 It's actually in the Bible. 00:05:16.820 --> 00:05:21.820 That you can see what's before the text and then you can also see what happens after the text. 00:05:22.080 --> 00:05:24.400 Because you can't just pop in and pop out. 00:05:24.520 --> 00:05:25.980 You have to take it all as a whole. 00:05:25.980 --> 00:05:29.000 And if you don't have a Bible, there's Bibles at the back. 00:05:29.840 --> 00:05:31.240 But I'll also be reading it. 00:05:31.280 --> 00:05:33.580 So don't worry about it if you don't have one before you. 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:39.720 Because we're going to go, the thing of this section is that you have to take into chapter 5. 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:42.400 And you have to take in the rest of chapter 6. 00:05:42.620 --> 00:05:43.860 You can't just go into it. 00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:44.860 It takes the whole thing. 00:05:44.939 --> 00:05:46.580 So we're going to be jumping around a bit. 00:05:46.900 --> 00:05:50.720 But I'll read it out so don't worry about it if you don't have it in front of you. 00:05:51.620 --> 00:05:53.560 So how are we going to address this? 00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:55.100 How are we going to look at this text? 00:05:55.540 --> 00:05:58.240 We're going to look at this in four ways. 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:00.700 And how it tells us about Jesus in four ways. 00:06:01.180 --> 00:06:03.200 It tells us that Jesus is the Almighty. 00:06:04.080 --> 00:06:06.700 It tells us Jesus is the sufficient gospel. 00:06:07.200 --> 00:06:09.200 It tells us Jesus is the shepherd. 00:06:09.700 --> 00:06:12.080 And it tells us Jesus is the humble. 00:06:12.320 --> 00:06:13.000 I'll say it again. 00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:15.460 It tells us Jesus is the Almighty. 00:06:16.340 --> 00:06:18.100 Jesus is the sufficient gospel. 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:20.000 Jesus is the shepherd. 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:22.000 And Jesus is the humble. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:26.560 So look with me at verses 1 to 4. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:53.579 The location of where this happens. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:56.980 The Sea of Galilee, which he calls also the Sea of Tiberias. 00:06:57.540 --> 00:07:00.040 Obviously they know this is not a sea. 00:07:00.500 --> 00:07:01.259 It's a big lake. 00:07:01.819 --> 00:07:03.759 John was a fisherman by trade. 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:05.699 He grew up around fishermen. 00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:08.500 He would fish on this sea his entire life. 00:07:08.819 --> 00:07:11.980 So he would know and be very familiar with what they called it. 00:07:12.259 --> 00:07:13.220 They knew it wasn't a sea. 00:07:13.339 --> 00:07:14.779 It's a very big lake. 00:07:14.860 --> 00:07:15.819 Kind of like the Great Lakes. 00:07:15.980 --> 00:07:16.680 It's big. 00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:19.120 And it says Jesus goes up on a mountain. 00:07:19.899 --> 00:07:22.680 In Matthew's Gospel, he calls this miracle, 00:07:22.980 --> 00:07:25.399 or he says this miracle happens in a desolate place. 00:07:25.980 --> 00:07:29.840 The southwest side would have most likely have been where this happened. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:35.280 There's no towns close by, and it's the hilly side of the Sea of Galilee. 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:38.399 And one last thing just to give more context. 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:41.160 In chapter 5, verse 1, John writes, 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:45.100 there is a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:47.160 which is referring to the Passover. 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:51.320 And then here in chapter 6, verse 4, he says again, 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:53.360 now the Passover feast of the Jews is at hand. 00:07:53.960 --> 00:07:58.920 So a year has gone by from chapter 5 to chapter 6. 00:08:00.280 --> 00:08:02.680 See, we call the Gospels a biography. 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:05.200 But what these biographies are doing, 00:08:05.320 --> 00:08:08.140 it's not so much to give a whole scope of the life. 00:08:08.620 --> 00:08:11.620 These are very pointed biographies. 00:08:11.760 --> 00:08:13.520 They're focused on a single point. 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:17.859 And that is to show us who Jesus is and what he does on the cross. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:20.899 He's pointing to something, and he wants us to look at it. 00:08:20.939 --> 00:08:21.579 And what is it? 00:08:21.979 --> 00:08:24.839 Well, point 1, Jesus the Almighty, verses 5 and 7. 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:31.679 Lifting up his eyes then, and seeing that a crowd was coming toward him, 00:08:32.120 --> 00:08:33.100 Jesus said to Philip, 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:37.500 Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat? 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:41.519 He said this to test them, for he himself knew what he would do. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:43.379 Philip answered, 00:08:43.379 --> 00:09:01.879 So what does it mean? 00:09:01.980 --> 00:09:03.700 Jesus already knew what he would do. 00:09:03.700 --> 00:09:05.419 Well, in the previous chapter, 00:09:06.100 --> 00:09:09.320 Jesus is talking about how he does the Father's will, 00:09:09.700 --> 00:09:12.799 how he knows the Father's will, and he does it. 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:14.339 It's the only thing he does. 00:09:14.599 --> 00:09:17.079 In chapter 5, verse 19, it says, 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:20.659 Jesus said to them, talking to the Pharisees and his disciples, 00:09:20.899 --> 00:09:22.259 Truly, truly, I say to you, 00:09:22.859 --> 00:09:25.000 the Son can do nothing of his own accord, 00:09:25.379 --> 00:09:27.539 but only what he sees the Father doing. 00:09:28.179 --> 00:09:31.899 Whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. 00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:36.079 And then in chapter 5, verse 36, he says, 00:09:36.079 --> 00:09:41.500 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John the Baptist. 00:09:41.500 --> 00:09:46.659 For the works of the Father has given me to accomplish the very works that I'm doing, 00:09:47.220 --> 00:09:50.860 bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:52.620 Two things are going on here. 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:57.919 Jesus is testing his disciple to see if he truly understands who Jesus is, 00:09:58.039 --> 00:09:59.480 or if he's been listening to him. 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:01.419 The disciple has no idea. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:07.399 And the second thing that's happening is that Jesus is showing that he is the Son of God, 00:10:07.399 --> 00:10:12.399 that he has foreknowledge, because he knows the Father's will. 00:10:12.840 --> 00:10:15.840 He already knows what he's going to do, and he's going to do a miracle, 00:10:16.059 --> 00:10:19.139 because he is the Son of God who does the Father's will. 00:10:19.980 --> 00:10:22.779 You may be thinking, well, this doesn't really prove anything. 00:10:23.659 --> 00:10:27.439 I've had situations where things felt very intuitive, 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:29.299 and I already knew what I was going to do. 00:10:29.299 --> 00:10:35.279 In sports, there's this thing called the flow state, 00:10:35.859 --> 00:10:40.219 where if you're very well in tune and you've been playing the sport for many years, 00:10:40.899 --> 00:10:44.059 sometimes, it happens like once or twice a year, 00:10:44.319 --> 00:10:47.319 you play a game, and everything is going right. 00:10:47.500 --> 00:10:50.379 It feels almost like your body is on autopilot. 00:10:51.359 --> 00:10:53.259 And sometimes this only happens once or twice a year, 00:10:53.740 --> 00:10:56.939 and it would only happen if you're very skilled in the sport. 00:10:56.940 --> 00:11:01.760 So we might be thinking, well, maybe Jesus is in a flow state right now, 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:04.760 because, you know, he's been doing ministry every day for two years. 00:11:06.180 --> 00:11:08.020 And maybe that's what he's in. 00:11:08.040 --> 00:11:08.880 He's in a flow state. 00:11:10.040 --> 00:11:11.200 But that can't be it. 00:11:11.280 --> 00:11:13.860 And let's look at verses 18 to 13. 00:11:14.620 --> 00:11:15.600 And this is the miracle. 00:11:16.060 --> 00:11:20.160 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 00:11:21.100 --> 00:11:24.940 There is a boy who has five barley loaves and two fish, 00:11:24.940 --> 00:11:27.160 but what are they for so many? 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:30.880 Jesus said, Have the people sit down. 00:11:31.500 --> 00:11:33.380 Now there was much grass in the place, 00:11:33.540 --> 00:11:36.760 so the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 00:11:37.580 --> 00:11:40.520 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, 00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:43.100 he distributed them to those who were seated. 00:11:43.980 --> 00:11:46.100 Sow also the fish as much as they wanted. 00:11:47.540 --> 00:11:50.480 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.520 Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost. 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:58.059 So they gathered them up and filled their twelve baskets with fragments 00:11:58.059 --> 00:12:02.100 from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 00:12:03.139 --> 00:12:05.579 See, it says Jesus feeds five thousand. 00:12:06.059 --> 00:12:07.860 But what actually is going on here, 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:09.659 it just records the men sitting down. 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:11.279 They would have had their families with them, 00:12:11.579 --> 00:12:13.000 their wives, their children. 00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:18.220 So in the commentaries, it's estimated there's like 20,000 people here 00:12:18.220 --> 00:12:20.340 sitting on the ground. 00:12:20.460 --> 00:12:22.199 But it just records the men sitting down. 00:12:22.200 --> 00:12:23.960 The families are present. 00:12:24.920 --> 00:12:30.780 See, magicians do tricks with mirrors, smoke, distractions, and the sleight of hand. 00:12:31.580 --> 00:12:35.320 Jesus just multiplied five loaves and two fish in a field, 00:12:36.040 --> 00:12:39.100 sitting in front of everyone, around 20,000 people. 00:12:40.020 --> 00:12:43.360 One commentator stated that this wouldn't have been just a sudden, 00:12:43.780 --> 00:12:47.780 all of a sudden, a huge pile of bread before Jesus' miracle. 00:12:47.779 --> 00:12:50.399 This is a continuous miracle. 00:12:50.500 --> 00:12:54.620 It's as the disciples went out, handed out the bread, 00:12:55.159 --> 00:12:58.579 their bags would continually be replenished as they went out. 00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:00.459 This is what's going on here. 00:13:01.259 --> 00:13:03.379 All four Gospels record this miracle. 00:13:04.500 --> 00:13:07.559 It is the only one recorded in all four, which is interesting. 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:11.039 This was done before so many witnesses in a field 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:15.639 that it is impossible for it to be a magic trick or just a distraction. 00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:18.939 Either it happens or it doesn't happen. 00:13:20.019 --> 00:13:23.240 One of the common critiques against the resurrection account 00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:26.860 is that all that the disciples were hallucinating, 00:13:27.179 --> 00:13:30.019 and anyone else who, after that, was just hallucinating, 00:13:30.139 --> 00:13:32.600 having a moment of their mind wasn't all there. 00:13:34.279 --> 00:13:37.100 And maybe we're thinking that's what's going on with the crowd here. 00:13:37.179 --> 00:13:39.279 They're just hallucinating this bread that's happening, 00:13:39.500 --> 00:13:42.319 and they're becoming full because they're just hallucinating. 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:45.660 But that's not how hallucinating works. 00:13:47.040 --> 00:13:50.960 There's a book called The Case for Christianity, 00:13:51.500 --> 00:13:53.879 and in that book it talks about this, 00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:58.280 that it is impossible for everyone, for a group of people, 00:13:58.400 --> 00:14:01.920 to hallucinate the same thing, that same feeling, all at one time. 00:14:01.980 --> 00:14:02.580 It's impossible. 00:14:02.580 --> 00:14:07.540 So it's pretty hard to believe everyone is hallucinating here in the first place, 00:14:07.700 --> 00:14:10.080 and it's hard to believe that it's all at the same time. 00:14:11.020 --> 00:14:14.639 Also, so many eyewitnesses, after they wrote this down, 00:14:14.740 --> 00:14:16.900 this could have been disproved very easily. 00:14:17.080 --> 00:14:18.879 People could have said, well, that didn't happen, I was there. 00:14:19.379 --> 00:14:21.120 But all four Gospels have it. 00:14:21.800 --> 00:14:23.280 So there's something going on here. 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:25.820 So what does it show us about Jesus? 00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:30.520 It shows us, as John says in the beginning of his Gospel, 00:14:30.519 --> 00:14:31.939 he says this, 00:14:32.699 --> 00:14:34.699 In the beginning was the Word, which is Jesus, 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:36.480 and the Word was with God, 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:37.939 and the Word was God. 00:14:38.319 --> 00:14:39.980 He was in the beginning with God. 00:14:40.379 --> 00:14:42.100 All things were made through him, 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:46.819 and without him was not anything made that was made. 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:49.439 In him was life, and the life was the light of man. 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:51.980 The light shines in the darkness, 00:14:52.179 --> 00:14:55.240 and the darkness has not overcome it. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:59.379 It shows us Jesus has creative power. 00:14:59.379 --> 00:15:00.840 He is the creator. 00:15:01.340 --> 00:15:03.620 He is the one who was with God in the beginning. 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:07.039 It shows us he is truly the Son of God. 00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:09.939 Food is called into existence. 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:12.299 See, when Jesus does healing, 00:15:12.779 --> 00:15:14.159 he is making something right. 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:16.659 When Jesus calls his food into existence, 00:15:16.939 --> 00:15:18.159 he is creating. 00:15:19.019 --> 00:15:20.820 He is calling matter into being. 00:15:21.159 --> 00:15:22.559 Jesus is almighty. 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:27.699 What else do we see of who Jesus is in this passage? 00:15:28.699 --> 00:15:33.379 We see that Jesus is the sufficient gospel. 00:15:34.739 --> 00:15:35.939 In Exodus 16, 00:15:36.519 --> 00:15:39.179 the people of Israel are in the wilderness. 00:15:39.939 --> 00:15:42.319 They are walking towards Mount Sinai. 00:15:42.459 --> 00:15:44.199 They're in a wilderness, desolate area. 00:15:44.859 --> 00:15:47.239 They have just left Egypt, where they were enslaved. 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:49.519 They have just crossed the Red Sea, 00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:51.379 and then the water comes back. 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:52.980 And God is leading them. 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:58.480 And the people start to grumble towards Moses and Aaron about food. 00:15:58.919 --> 00:15:59.440 They want food. 00:15:59.519 --> 00:15:59.899 They're hungry. 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:03.759 And they begin to think about their time in Egypt as slaves. 00:16:04.299 --> 00:16:06.159 And remember the food they had. 00:16:06.779 --> 00:16:10.159 It says in Exodus 16, verse 3, it says this, 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:13.259 And the people of Israel said to Moses and Aaron, 00:16:14.319 --> 00:16:17.799 With that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:21.740 when we sat by meat pots and ate bread to the full. 00:16:22.339 --> 00:16:25.120 For you brought us out into the wilderness to kill us, 00:16:25.339 --> 00:16:27.019 to kill this whole assembly with hunger. 00:16:29.459 --> 00:16:31.240 I know sometimes, personally, 00:16:31.500 --> 00:16:34.500 I have a tendency when I'm in a hard season of life 00:16:34.500 --> 00:16:36.439 to start looking back on the past 00:16:36.440 --> 00:16:40.000 and remembering it as a time of things, 00:16:40.040 --> 00:16:41.540 when things felt easier or lighter. 00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:44.200 But there's always issues. 00:16:44.300 --> 00:16:45.260 We just forget about them. 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:46.600 We only remember the good parts. 00:16:46.880 --> 00:16:47.780 And God responds. 00:16:48.540 --> 00:16:49.840 Then the Lord says to Moses, 00:16:50.020 --> 00:16:53.540 Behold, I'm about to rain bread from heaven for you. 00:16:54.260 --> 00:16:57.480 Why do I bring this text up in the Old Testament, 00:16:57.620 --> 00:16:59.580 way at the beginning of the book of the Bible? 00:17:00.380 --> 00:17:03.460 See, you have to remember the Passover is at hand here. 00:17:03.460 --> 00:17:06.740 The people are about to go up to Jerusalem for the Passover. 00:17:07.500 --> 00:17:08.720 It's about to take place. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:12.440 And this part of Scripture would be fresh in their minds. 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:14.900 As they approach the Passover meal, 00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:16.100 they would remember this. 00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:18.380 Because the original Passover meal 00:17:18.380 --> 00:17:21.500 happens right before the people leave Israel. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:26.480 Jesus is doing something very profound here. 00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:29.120 Not only is he performing a miracle, 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:31.039 creating bread out of nothing, 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:33.759 but he is pointing to that he is the one 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:36.220 who can satisfy anyone who comes to him. 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:38.379 Later in John 6, 00:17:38.539 --> 00:17:40.920 he declares himself the bread of life. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:43.200 He is before people and he says, 00:17:43.319 --> 00:17:44.519 If anyone feeds on me, 00:17:45.139 --> 00:17:46.559 I am the bread of life. 00:17:46.700 --> 00:17:48.039 If they eat... 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:50.139 Oh, sorry, I'm jumping ahead. 00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:52.460 As I mentioned earlier in 5 and 6, 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:53.920 they need to be taken together. 00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:55.779 And we're just scraping the surface here 00:17:55.779 --> 00:17:58.339 because it is such a rich, deep passage. 00:17:58.339 --> 00:18:02.119 For Jesus points to how he is the one 00:18:02.119 --> 00:18:03.619 who provides and satisfies. 00:18:04.159 --> 00:18:06.079 Then he points to himself as the means 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:06.959 which it happens. 00:18:07.619 --> 00:18:09.220 See, the people would be thinking this 00:18:09.220 --> 00:18:10.679 as the food is provided, 00:18:10.879 --> 00:18:11.579 as it's given. 00:18:12.159 --> 00:18:13.199 This is the gospel. 00:18:14.179 --> 00:18:16.179 We all long and ache for something. 00:18:16.439 --> 00:18:18.679 Whether that's certain hopes or dreams 00:18:18.679 --> 00:18:19.759 we want to achieve, 00:18:20.039 --> 00:18:22.039 or it could be a certain level of success 00:18:22.039 --> 00:18:23.000 we wish to gain. 00:18:23.959 --> 00:18:25.599 Maybe we want a family 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:27.599 and think once I have that, 00:18:27.679 --> 00:18:28.480 life will be perfect. 00:18:28.719 --> 00:18:29.879 Whatever it is, 00:18:30.299 --> 00:18:32.539 we all have these longings and aches. 00:18:32.959 --> 00:18:33.699 But the thing is, 00:18:33.740 --> 00:18:34.719 once you achieve it, 00:18:35.099 --> 00:18:36.859 it may fill you for a while, 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:37.899 but it won't last. 00:18:38.579 --> 00:18:39.699 Many famous people, 00:18:39.819 --> 00:18:41.719 once achieving celebrityhood 00:18:41.719 --> 00:18:43.299 and success and status, 00:18:43.959 --> 00:18:45.839 they are left wanting 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:47.139 and they feel depressed. 00:18:47.679 --> 00:18:49.259 Unfortunately, Robin Williams, 00:18:50.179 --> 00:18:51.939 the beloved children's actor 00:18:51.939 --> 00:18:52.559 and comedian, 00:18:53.099 --> 00:18:54.139 shows this clearly 00:18:54.140 --> 00:18:55.220 when he took his own life. 00:18:55.360 --> 00:18:56.880 He was on the peak of success. 00:18:57.820 --> 00:18:59.520 See, Jesus is the bread of life 00:18:59.520 --> 00:19:01.200 who is sent from heaven. 00:19:01.780 --> 00:19:03.320 When Jesus does this miracle, 00:19:03.460 --> 00:19:04.500 he points to himself 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:05.640 that he is the bread of life. 00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:06.759 He is the one who provides. 00:19:08.380 --> 00:19:10.060 He is the means of salvation. 00:19:10.320 --> 00:19:12.380 As it says in the service of communion 00:19:12.380 --> 00:19:13.020 later on, 00:19:13.080 --> 00:19:13.960 you will read, 00:19:14.380 --> 00:19:14.840 or it says, 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:16.120 feed on him by faith 00:19:16.120 --> 00:19:17.200 with thanksgiving. 00:19:18.280 --> 00:19:20.380 We read in chapter 6, 00:19:20.460 --> 00:19:21.540 verses 11 and 12, 00:19:21.620 --> 00:19:22.440 it says this. 00:19:24.140 --> 00:19:27.220 Jesus then took the loaves 00:19:27.220 --> 00:19:28.620 and when he had given thanks, 00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:30.320 he distributed them 00:19:30.320 --> 00:19:31.580 to those who were seated. 00:19:33.780 --> 00:19:35.040 Sorry, I lost my place. 00:19:35.460 --> 00:19:36.460 So also the fish 00:19:36.460 --> 00:19:37.580 and as much as they wanted. 00:19:37.800 --> 00:19:39.300 And when they had eaten their fill, 00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:40.540 he told his disciples, 00:19:41.540 --> 00:19:43.320 gather up the leftover fragments 00:19:43.320 --> 00:19:45.800 that nothing may be lost. 00:19:46.320 --> 00:19:48.140 See, Jesus fills you spiritually, 00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:50.840 long for the spiritual bread 00:19:50.840 --> 00:19:52.200 that doesn't leave you hungry. 00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:54.160 Jesus satisfies you 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:55.920 when you're in the wilderness seasons. 00:19:56.819 --> 00:19:58.880 Jesus takes barley loaves, 00:19:59.319 --> 00:20:00.380 which are considered 00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:01.200 by Jewish tradition, 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:04.080 they're described as only fit 00:20:04.080 --> 00:20:05.420 for horses and donkeys 00:20:05.420 --> 00:20:07.380 and performs one of the greatest miracles 00:20:07.380 --> 00:20:08.000 with it 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:09.019 and he feeds so many. 00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:11.700 Jesus takes our desolate hearts 00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:13.319 and creates new ones. 00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:16.519 As the writer J.C. Ryle puts it, 00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:18.160 trust in the cross. 00:20:19.259 --> 00:20:21.400 Never think you need more than the cross. 00:20:21.400 --> 00:20:22.960 The atoning work, 00:20:23.060 --> 00:20:23.500 his blood, 00:20:23.600 --> 00:20:24.480 his substitution, 00:20:24.840 --> 00:20:25.900 want nothing more 00:20:25.900 --> 00:20:27.500 but the true bread of life 00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:28.519 which Christ gives. 00:20:29.840 --> 00:20:30.960 See, other things we see 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:31.620 in Jesus, 00:20:31.900 --> 00:20:33.259 we have seen so far 00:20:33.259 --> 00:20:34.560 that Jesus is the almighty. 00:20:35.080 --> 00:20:35.600 He creates, 00:20:36.180 --> 00:20:37.120 he is the creator. 00:20:37.700 --> 00:20:38.820 We see also Jesus 00:20:38.820 --> 00:20:40.160 is the sufficient gospel 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:41.440 and now we see 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:42.560 Jesus is the shepherd. 00:20:43.840 --> 00:20:45.400 The scene is a desolate place, 00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:48.220 but because it's the Passover feast 00:20:48.220 --> 00:20:49.740 was at hand at springtime. 00:20:50.340 --> 00:20:52.200 So there was grass on the ground 00:20:52.200 --> 00:20:52.759 at the time 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:54.840 before the scorching summer heat comes in. 00:20:55.620 --> 00:20:56.460 Maybe you can say 00:20:56.460 --> 00:20:58.080 I'm spiritualizing the text here, 00:20:58.200 --> 00:20:58.640 but I think, 00:20:58.720 --> 00:20:59.519 I don't think I am. 00:21:00.019 --> 00:21:02.160 But as we read the other gospels, 00:21:02.280 --> 00:21:04.380 it says Jesus had compassion 00:21:04.380 --> 00:21:05.860 on the crowds of this account. 00:21:06.380 --> 00:21:08.480 He looked at the group of people 00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:10.380 and he had compassion on them. 00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:11.540 He had a shepherd's heart. 00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:13.799 But then he has them 00:21:13.799 --> 00:21:14.819 sit down in the grass. 00:21:14.899 --> 00:21:16.099 What does this remind you of? 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:19.480 In Psalm 23, it says, 00:21:19.799 --> 00:21:20.879 The Lord is my shepherd. 00:21:21.420 --> 00:21:22.539 I shall not want. 00:21:22.980 --> 00:21:24.200 He makes me lie down 00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:25.299 in green pastures. 00:21:25.879 --> 00:21:27.799 He leads me beside still waters. 00:21:28.059 --> 00:21:29.279 He restores my soul. 00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:32.700 He leads me in paths of righteousness 00:21:32.700 --> 00:21:34.399 for his namesake. 00:21:35.139 --> 00:21:37.319 Not only do we see in this passage 00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:39.279 that Jesus is the bread of heaven 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:41.200 from the Exodus 16 account, 00:21:41.539 --> 00:21:42.460 but we also see him 00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:44.019 as the shepherd of Psalm 23. 00:21:44.899 --> 00:21:46.319 And what does the shepherd do? 00:21:47.159 --> 00:21:48.779 He cares for his flock. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:50.759 He defends his flock. 00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:51.940 He feeds his flock. 00:21:52.159 --> 00:21:53.339 He walks with his flock. 00:21:53.619 --> 00:21:54.599 He heals his flock. 00:21:55.180 --> 00:21:56.480 Never leaves his flock. 00:21:57.399 --> 00:21:58.819 What does the flock do? 00:22:00.819 --> 00:22:02.000 Hears his voice 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:03.759 and follows him. 00:22:04.700 --> 00:22:05.839 See, later in the chapter, 00:22:06.139 --> 00:22:07.139 Jesus declares himself 00:22:07.139 --> 00:22:08.099 as the bread of life. 00:22:08.099 --> 00:22:10.039 And all who eat his flesh 00:22:10.039 --> 00:22:11.119 and drink his blood 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:12.339 will have eternal life, 00:22:12.379 --> 00:22:12.879 he says. 00:22:13.579 --> 00:22:14.759 Many of his followers 00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:16.159 couldn't handle this saying 00:22:16.159 --> 00:22:17.959 and they walked away from him 00:22:17.959 --> 00:22:19.779 because they took it literally 00:22:19.779 --> 00:22:21.939 and they stopped following him. 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:23.480 They didn't hear his voice. 00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:25.199 They didn't understand 00:22:25.199 --> 00:22:26.299 that he was saying, 00:22:26.779 --> 00:22:28.059 what he was saying about those things 00:22:28.059 --> 00:22:29.299 is about faith in him. 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:32.059 And those who commit their lives to him 00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:32.980 will be satisfied 00:22:32.980 --> 00:22:34.879 the same way bread and wine satisfies. 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:37.880 That's what communion is. 00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:40.000 When we come to communion, 00:22:40.360 --> 00:22:41.440 we see the bread. 00:22:41.800 --> 00:22:42.700 We touch the bread. 00:22:42.800 --> 00:22:43.680 We taste the bread. 00:22:43.800 --> 00:22:44.660 We drink the wine. 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:46.260 It's a visible gospel. 00:22:47.100 --> 00:22:48.540 It points to the cross 00:22:48.540 --> 00:22:50.820 where Jesus gives his body 00:22:50.820 --> 00:22:51.920 and sheds his blood 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:52.760 for you and me. 00:22:53.120 --> 00:22:54.100 It reminds us 00:22:54.100 --> 00:22:55.540 to put our faith and trust 00:22:55.540 --> 00:22:57.820 in his finished work of the cross. 00:22:58.420 --> 00:22:59.820 But when it's taken literal, 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:02.120 as the disciples did 00:23:02.120 --> 00:23:03.000 and they fell away, 00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:04.940 it loses its meaning 00:23:04.940 --> 00:23:05.980 and hinders. 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:09.180 What else do we see 00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:10.019 about Jesus here? 00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:11.559 We see Jesus is humble. 00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:13.599 He is a humble person. 00:23:14.220 --> 00:23:14.980 Read with me 00:23:14.980 --> 00:23:17.460 at verses 14 to 16. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:20.099 When the people saw the sign, 00:23:20.339 --> 00:23:21.619 the miracle that he had done, 00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:22.259 they said, 00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:23.500 this indeed, 00:23:24.259 --> 00:23:25.559 this is indeed the prophet 00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:26.920 who is to come into the world. 00:23:27.779 --> 00:23:28.599 Perceiving then 00:23:28.599 --> 00:23:29.740 that they were about to come 00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:30.799 and take him by force 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:31.759 to make him king, 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:33.500 Jesus withdrew again 00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:35.119 to the mountain by himself. 00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:37.299 The crowd saw 00:23:37.299 --> 00:23:38.799 and experienced the miracle. 00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:41.299 And this would have reminded them 00:23:41.299 --> 00:23:42.160 of the prophet 00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:43.619 that Moses wrote about 00:23:43.619 --> 00:23:44.579 would come after him 00:23:44.579 --> 00:23:45.619 in Deuteronomy 18. 00:23:46.660 --> 00:23:48.220 But the crowd got it wrong. 00:23:48.660 --> 00:23:49.819 They expected someone 00:23:49.819 --> 00:23:51.279 who would be all-powerful, 00:23:51.879 --> 00:23:52.879 who would become king 00:23:52.879 --> 00:23:54.119 of the people of Israel, 00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:55.680 who would liberate them 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:57.160 from Rome's oppression 00:23:57.160 --> 00:23:58.980 and would crush their enemies 00:23:58.980 --> 00:24:00.500 and subdue them. 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:03.019 They followed 00:24:03.019 --> 00:24:04.559 because they saw the sign, 00:24:04.680 --> 00:24:05.700 not because they thought 00:24:05.700 --> 00:24:06.640 he was the Messiah. 00:24:07.579 --> 00:24:09.019 So they come for Jesus 00:24:09.019 --> 00:24:09.799 by force 00:24:09.799 --> 00:24:10.480 to make him 00:24:10.480 --> 00:24:11.559 the powerful king 00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:12.140 that they thought 00:24:12.140 --> 00:24:12.779 he would be 00:24:12.779 --> 00:24:14.920 and start immediately 00:24:14.920 --> 00:24:16.200 uprising against Rome. 00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:17.819 Jesus is again 00:24:17.819 --> 00:24:18.519 given the opportunity 00:24:19.079 --> 00:24:21.380 to give in to temptation 00:24:21.380 --> 00:24:22.519 of worldly power 00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:23.220 and prestige. 00:24:23.220 --> 00:24:25.819 but Jesus withdraws from it 00:24:25.819 --> 00:24:27.839 and leaves to go 00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:28.900 and commune with God 00:24:28.900 --> 00:24:30.380 as the other gospels say. 00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:34.079 It doesn't say 00:24:34.079 --> 00:24:35.000 how he does this 00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:36.039 or how he goes away 00:24:36.039 --> 00:24:36.740 from the crowd 00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:38.620 but it shows us his heart. 00:24:39.480 --> 00:24:40.440 Jesus did not come 00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:41.380 to be served 00:24:41.380 --> 00:24:42.200 but to serve. 00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:43.440 He did not come 00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:44.740 to be a worldly king 00:24:44.740 --> 00:24:46.319 but the heavenly king 00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:47.519 who sits at the Father's 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:48.259 right hand. 00:24:48.940 --> 00:24:49.880 Jesus does not seek 00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:51.000 honor and power 00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:53.400 but is given to him 00:24:53.400 --> 00:24:54.400 upon his finished work 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:55.079 of the cross. 00:24:55.779 --> 00:24:57.099 We see in this passage 00:24:57.099 --> 00:24:58.640 that Jesus is almighty. 00:24:59.259 --> 00:25:00.460 We see in this passage 00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:01.339 that Jesus is 00:25:01.339 --> 00:25:02.559 the sufficient gospel. 00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:03.819 He provides 00:25:03.819 --> 00:25:05.099 the spiritual food 00:25:05.099 --> 00:25:06.519 that continually fills. 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:08.240 We see in this passage 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:09.599 that Jesus is the shepherd 00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:10.900 and we see from the text 00:25:10.900 --> 00:25:11.700 that we just read 00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:13.299 that Jesus is humble. 00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:15.460 He is the complete opposite 00:25:15.460 --> 00:25:17.359 of all world leaders, 00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:17.980 rulers, 00:25:18.220 --> 00:25:19.039 past and present 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:19.619 and future. 00:25:19.619 --> 00:25:21.759 He is the almighty 00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:22.699 humble shepherd. 00:25:23.579 --> 00:25:25.000 He feeds his flock. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:26.299 He leads them 00:25:26.299 --> 00:25:27.399 to green pastures. 00:25:27.819 --> 00:25:29.219 He gives eternal life. 00:25:30.019 --> 00:25:30.679 As it says 00:25:30.679 --> 00:25:32.139 in Mark chapter 6 00:25:32.139 --> 00:25:33.339 verse 34 00:25:33.339 --> 00:25:34.179 of this 00:25:34.179 --> 00:25:35.459 when it's the same account. 00:25:35.979 --> 00:25:37.199 When Jesus went to shore 00:25:37.199 --> 00:25:39.099 he saw a great crowd 00:25:39.099 --> 00:25:41.299 and he had compassion 00:25:41.299 --> 00:25:41.879 on them 00:25:41.879 --> 00:25:43.099 because they were like 00:25:43.099 --> 00:25:44.719 sheep without a shepherd. 00:25:45.799 --> 00:25:46.939 I stand here 00:25:46.939 --> 00:25:48.079 as a beggar 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:50.659 who desires 00:25:50.659 --> 00:25:51.919 to show other beggars 00:25:51.919 --> 00:25:52.639 where to find 00:25:52.639 --> 00:25:53.439 the bread of life. 00:25:54.099 --> 00:25:55.199 Trust in Christ. 00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:56.720 Feed on him 00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:57.500 by faith. 00:25:57.899 --> 00:25:58.720 Commit your life 00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:59.740 to him daily 00:25:59.740 --> 00:26:00.819 and follow him. 00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:01.399 He died. 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:01.399 00:26:01.400 --> 00:26:31.380 Thank you.