THE K I N G ’ S. B U S I N E S S
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FEBRUARY 25, 1923 FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND—John 6:1-24
Golden Text: “And they did all eat and were filled.” '- Mark 6:42. Time: F east of th e Passover. Place: *Desert place, n ear Bethsaida. P arallel Passages: Matt. 14:12-21; Mark 6:31-44; Luke 9:10-17. Outline. (4) F ragm ents Gathered, vs. 12-14. (5) Fellowship w ith th e F ath er, v. 15. (6) F aith fu l F riend, vs. 16-21. Introduction: The events described here occurred about a year subsequent to those n a r rated in Chapter 5, and about th e time of th e F east of th e Passover. John the B aptist has been pu t to death (Matt. 14:11-13). The Jews, and also Herod, are seeking the life of Jesus (Luke 9 :9 ). To escape antagonism , Jesus takes His disciples ap a rt to a solitary place. They cross th e lake in a boat from Caper naum . The people anticipate His desti nation and make th e ir way around the no rth shore. When th e Lord arrives He finds ten thousand people aw aiting Him, thronging Him, bringing th eir friends to be healed and helped. He looked upon them as sheep w ithout a shepherd (Matt. 9 :3 6 ). (1) FOOD NEEDED, vs. 1-4. “A great m u ltitude followed H im .” Jesus had been teaching all day. We have no record of th e subject of His discourse bu t how we would love to know what it was He talked about all day: The people were h eart hungry and hung upon His words un til nearly night. The disciples suggested sending .them away as th e easiest solution of the problem. (Matt. 14:15.) So t h e (1) Food Needed, vs. 1-4. (2) F aith T ested,'vs. 5-7. (3) Food Furnished, vs. 8-11.
disciples would have sent away th e Syro-Phenician woman (Matt. 15 :23 ). “ A n d hi s di sciples c a m e a n d bes h im , sa y in g , S e n d he r aw ay, for sh aft er u s. ” Think what a testimony would have been lost! .(Matt. 15:28.) “ T h e n Jesus answer ed a n d said 0 w o m a n , g r e a t i s t h y fa it h ; be i th ee eve n a s thou w i l t . ” Jesus will never send them away (John 6 :3 7 ). “ A l l t ha t th e F at he r s i r e t h m e c o m e t o m e ; a n d h im t h a t c o m et h 1 w i l l in n o w i s e e a s t o u t.” He never sent any one away hungry. He is always saying, “ Come unto me.” There is no lack of food w ith Him, eith er for body, or. soul, or spirit. (Phil., 4 :1 9 ). “ Bu t m y G o d sh a ll su pp ly A L L n ee d a cc ord in g to h is riche s in g l C h r i s t Jesus.” (2) FAITH TESTED, vs. 5-7. “This he said to prove them .”
Christ puts th e question to Philip, “Where shall we find bread th a t these may e a t? ” (v. 5.) Why did He ask Philip? Was it to rem ind him of the m iracle a t Cana, and of other miracles He had w rought? Philip knew how much it would cost and how many loaves it would take, bu t th a t was not the essential thing to know. Jesus says, “Give ye them to ea t” (Mark 6 :3 7 ). W hat a strange com mand! Ten thousand people, no prep aration! How much more sensible is the disciples’ plan, “Send them away.” Jesus desires to test th eir faith. The disciples look upon the human side, not upon the Divine side. Here is our failure in our vision of things. We need to look a t things th rough H is eyes. Christ’s command is to “P reach the Gospel!” How can it be done? The answer of many churches is “Send them away,” and “Send away any man who suggests it.” Would it no t have pleased th e Lord if Philip had answered as P eter an-
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