 we're looking at Mark chapter 6 verses 30 through 44, a portion of Scripture that records for us what is called the feeding of the 5,000. And so we're going to begin reading at verse 30. I'll read verses 30 through 32 and we'll get into our study as I normally do. I'll give you some information to kind of help to give you a context and lay a foundation, a platform, and then we'll go through our study as we look at the feeding of the 5,000. So beginning at verse 30, reading to verse 32, Mark writes, then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told him all things both what they had done and what they had taught. And he said to them, come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile, for there were many coming and going and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. Now let's begin by considering something that we read in the Gospel of John. When you read the Gospel of John, John concluded his Gospel by referring to the miracles of Jesus Christ. In John 21 verse 25, he had said this, as he was concluding the book, he said, there are also many other things that Jesus did which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen. And so he speaks concerning the many miracles of Christ by saying the world could not contain books with a detailed account was for emphasis. There were so many works in other words that only a small part of his actions were actually recorded in Scripture. When you read your Bible, you'll note that there are no less than 37 miracles recorded that Jesus performed. You'll see how he healed various diseases, including those who were blind and paralyzed, those who were mute or deaf. And he also cleansed the lepers. He cast out demons, he raised the dead, he made water into wine, he walked on water, he multiplied fish and loaves on two different occasions. And so you'll see that Jesus Christ performed many miracles, but sometimes we have to ask ourselves what the purpose of those miracles were. Why did Jesus perform miracles? Well, there are various reasons. Let me give you a couple as we begin our study. One is that they established his spiritual as well as his messianic authority. He had said in John 536, the works which the Father has given me to finish, the very works that I do bear witness of me that the Father has sent me. Why did Jesus perform miracles in order to establish his messianic credentials, this messianic authority? Second, he performed miracles because miracles drew people to himself. We remember the story of a man by the name of Nicodemus who had come to him by night and had said to Jesus, Master, we know that you are a teacher. Come from God for no man does the works that you do unless God is with him. And so Jesus's miracles would draw people, Nicodemus being one, but others who would come to see what he had done and that would draw the attention and he would be able to proclaim his message to them. In John 1411, he said, believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father's in me, or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. And so he would perform miracles to establish his authority. He performed miracles to draw people. He also performed miracles because they deepened the faith of those who followed him. We saw this in chapter 4 here in the Gospel of Mark verses 36 through 41 where he had still the windstorm and his disciples had reacted in a certain way. We saw that in chapter 4 verse 41 that they feared exceedingly and said to one another, who can this be? That even the wind and the sea obey him. And so the miracles were performed for a variety of reasons including causing people who believed in him, in him to have even a deeper faith. One of the other things that miracles revealed was not so obvious and that's what I want to begin by sharing with you. One of the reasons that he performed miracles revealed something to us about the God of this universe, the God that we serve. His miracles revealed his compassion for those who are in need and for those who are hurting. In Psalm 103 verse 8, the Bible says, the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness. In Psalm 103 verses 13 and 14, he goes on to say, just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him, for he himself knows our frame, he is mindful that we are dust. And so his miracles revealed compassion for those who are in need, those who are hurting. Out of all of the miracles that you see recorded in the four Gospels, it's interesting that only two of them are recorded in all four Gospels, the resurrection of Jesus and the feeding of the 5,000. Now as we've seen, John the Baptist has yielded his life in his service to the Lord and in doing so, John became a visible lesson on the cost of discipleship. He demonstrated that there's nothing in this world worth losing heaven for. In Matthew 16, 26, the question is asked, what good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? What can anyone give in exchange for their soul? And I see that people will sound their soul very cheaply. I see that others have a higher cost, but they are selling it nonetheless. They may have millions and sometimes even billions of dollars and they use it for their own means to influence others to do what they want. But in fact, they're actually selling their soul for something that will last maybe 70 or 80 years and 90 if they're healthy. And so some people sound their soul very cheaply and all, but Jesus asks the question, what good is it if you gain the entire world and yet you forfeit your soul? Well, see John knew that his soul was worth more than anything the world had to offer and he was faithful even to the very end. And the reward of his faithfulness, well, the reward from the world, was to take his life. That was the cost that John was prepared to pay and John paid it faithfully. Now remember after John had been beheaded, verse 29 tells us that his disciples took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb. I mean, we can't imagine the pain they felt as they carried the decapitated body of John to burial. How could they feel? What would they feel? This is the one that they respected. This is the one that they trusted in so many ways. This is the one that they followed. This is the one that they prayed with and prayed for others. They learned to do so through him. John had taught his disciples to praise. Matter of fact, John's disciples were such prayers that that Jesus, his own men said, Jesus, the only thing they ever asked him to teach them, teach us to pray even as John taught his disciples. John was a very, very godly man. Can you imagine what the men felt when they were carrying this decapitated body placing it in a tomb? And Matthew tells us in chapter 14, verse 12, the second portion of that scripture is disciples went after doing so and told Jesus. Now Jesus had sent his men out in teams. We saw that in chapter 6. They went throughout Galilee. They were preaching. They were healing. Scripture says they were casting out demons. And now they're finally getting an opportunity to report their activities to the Lord. Verse 30 says the apostles gathered to Jesus and told them all things, both what they had done and what they had said and all. So they had gone through Galilee preaching, teaching, healing, casting out demons. And now they're sharing with him what had occurred on the journey. They're sharing with him what they had done. And notice they're sharing with him what they had taught. This is because they're accountable to God. They're accountable for what they have said in his name. Some people don't seem to understand that when you stand up and speak in his name, you ought to be accurate. And so these people are coming back. These men are coming back to Christ and giving an account of what they have said because they may have said something that needs correction. If they've done anything, Jesus isn't pleased with, he's going to correct them, which he does. An example of this is found in Luke chapter nine, verses 49 and 50, where it reads, Master said, John, we saw a man driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him because he was not one of us. Do not stop him, Jesus said, for whoever is not against you is for you. So they came and gave an account to let Jesus know these are the things we did. And these are the things we said. So if there's a need for correction, Jesus could have corrected them. And so as this is taking place, verse 31 says, he said to them, come aside by yourselves to his deserted place. Rest a while, for there were many coming and going. They did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. And so they departed notice to a deserted place. Luke nine, verse 10 tells us that he took them into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. And so they've been very busy. And so they need some time to rest. We know that ministry sometimes is quite busy. It can be very hectic. The disciples need to rest. And that's something that the Lord wants to provide. And he wants to provide that for his children. Like it says in Psalm 23, verse two, he makes me to lie down in green pastures. After such strain and fatigue and busyness, the men need some rest time. But that's not always possible. Because as they're on their way for this needed rest, notice verse 33, the multitude saw them departing. And many knew him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to him. So these people saw him leaving. It wasn't as if he was trying to sneak away. They saw where he was going. And they hurried up and went up the coast there of the Sea of Galilee up into this particular small village, Bethsaida, in order that they might be able to meet him there. Now, in this particular crowd, there are people who need a touch from the Lord. They needed to be healed. They needed him. They were desperate to receive from him. And as we've seen already, there are always people who would need seeking a touch from Christ. But amongst those people in this group that are going up there are those who are only interested in his signs. They're not interested in his message. They don't want to turn from their sins. They're wanting to be entertained. They want to see something fantastic, fantastic. They want to see a miracle. John chapter 6 verse 2 says, a great multitude followed him because they saw his signs which he performed on those who were diseased. So these people were more interested in what they might get from him. They didn't care to listen to his call for repentance. They didn't want to learn about sacrifice. They wanted to see exhibitions of power. They were the ones who enjoyed a good show and they're the ones who needed a lot of excitement. So they saw the direction he was traveling in and they ran ahead of him. Well, in verse 34 it says, and Jesus when he came out saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things and so he comes out and he sees this great crowd. Notice in verse 34 how it says he was moved with compassion. They were pursuing him. Many of them were pursuing him for the wrong reasons but he was still moved. They were pursuing him to see some exciting sign but he still had compassion. And even though they were pursuing him for the wrong reasons he still taught them. Now it's interesting how it says he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. That's an interesting phrase and we who don't live in a kind of agricultural society as they did. Some of us might understand that I don't but some may. What it means when it speaks of a sheep without a shepherd and so I decided to read something on sheep and shepherds and the relationship so I could find some illustrations and understand this a little bit better. And one of the writers that I looked at spoke concerning the fact that sheep desperately need a leader. He spoke of something that occurred in the Middle East where there was a flock of 1500 sheep and the 1500 sheep were out there in a meadow and all and the shepherd and his crew were together making lunch for themselves and didn't notice that the sheep had begun to wander off until the sheep had wandered off towards a cliff and this guy was writing and saying how that before the shepherds were able to react the sheep went over the cliff because the sheep in the front just walked up to the cliff and apparently didn't have a realization of what they were about to do and stepped right off the cliff and fell down and 400 of those sheep died. All of them went over but the others landed on top of the dead sheep and they were able to survive it but 400 of them had died and so the writer was saying that sheep seemed to have an instinct to pursue a leader and follow them even to their own hurt and so sheep need a shepherd. They will follow someone follow anyone even if it leads them into danger. I read that if you have sheep in a pen and stretch a rope across the door of the pen the first few sheep will jump over the rope but if you cut the rope the remaining sheep will still jump over the invisible rope because that's what the rest of the flock did and so when Jesus calls us his sheep read into that one you see the sheep when they have a good shepherd have one that will lead them into safety secure pastors places of grazing and rest and so I had read about how that when when a lamb was born how often that the shepherd would take the lamb and would hold the lamb right from the beginning and would actually dry it off and hold it and speak to it and as the shepherd began to speak to the lamb the lamb would connect with his voice and so from that point on as he would hold and care for the newborns the lambs who were becoming sheep became aware of the way he spoke and so they would follow his voice and in John 10 27 Jesus said my sheep hear my voice and I know them they follow me they will not follow the voice of the ungodly the harling they follow the true shepherd so when they have a good shepherd their life is blessed but when they have an evil shepherd their lives can be difficult I remember hearing the story of someone who went to Israel for the first time and while they were in Israel they saw the sheep as they were going through a pathway and what he perceived to be the shepherd was behind with the with the stick hitting the sheep and driving them forward and and he turned to his guide and he said I've read the scriptures that say that the shepherd goes before the sheep and the sheep follow him they know his voice he said that's true he says then but I just was looking and I saw that guy with the stick hitting the sheep he said that's not the way I read the bible is that what they do now and the guy says well yeah yeah that one is driving them and and abusing them because he's not he's not the shepherd he's the butcher and that's what the butcher would do they drove the sheep but the shepherd walks before the sheep and as a good shepherd Jesus loved the people and he knew they needed a shepherd so he felt compassion what does this compassion cause him to do notice verse 34 it says he began to teach them many things Luke in chapter 9 verse 11 says when the multitudes knew it they followed him he received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who had need of healing so he performed physical healings but he emphasized how to enter God's kingdom he taught them about how to enter the kingdom of God and he cared for their physical needs and the physical healings provided evidence that he could give them spiritual life and so that's what he did he taught them concerning the kingdom of God and met their needs well verse 35 says to us when the day was now far spent his disciples came to him and said this is a deserted place already the hour is late send them away that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread for they have nothing to eat and so Jesus is teaching them but now he's going to be teaching his disciples something a little deeper he's going to now personally give a lesson to his disciples as he ministers to these who are in need I I refer to this as ministry 101 or fundamentals of ministry he had begun this kind of teaching earlier when he had sent them out and remember he had sent them out in teams he had given them spiritual power he had taught them to live by faith he told them to trust in his father to provide to see the urgency of the task he gave him a message of repentance and power over demons and diseases and what he's doing is he's training them concerning what true ministry is and where it begins what he's doing is he's teaching his men as a ministers to these people he's teaching them what I call the heart of ministry we need to understand what the heart of ministry is and in again in verse 34 it says when Jesus Jesus when he came out saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion the heart of ministry the heart of ministry is to genuinely love other people ministry is to be built on a love for people true ministry is never built on possessions or positions it's not even built on preaching true ministry begins with a heart and a compassion for people my mama used to love to talk to people about Jesus she was quite the evangelist and one day my mom was speaking to me very early in her christian life and my mom said to me honey she said I love ministry it's just people I can't stand and I said you know mama I think you got it backwards there baby mama people are ministry because ministry is people and his men need to have a heart to care for those who are hurting and ministry in the heart of a christian will always begin with a god-given compassion again it's built on love and Jesus is teaching these men that if they're going to truly represent his kingdom they need to truly love love people it's a loving concern for people they keep them from using people to achieve their goals sometimes we might see somebody come into the church and we might say to ourselves well we could really use them and then the holy spirit says that's exactly what you'll do if you don't love them you'll just use them Jesus wants us to love to love people and they're never in ministry especially ever to be used just to achieve a goal in Ephesians 5 1 and 2 Paul said be inventators of God therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God we're to be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live a life of love as Christ loved us and that's what he's teaching his men because loving God will always be evidenced by loving those he loves in 1st John 4 11 beloved if God so loved us we also ought to love one another and so Jesus is going to teach them what a heart of compassion is and how to minister so again verse 35 the day is now far spent and his disciples come to him and said this is a deserted place already the hour is late send them away that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and by themselves bread they have nothing to eat now when it speaks about the evening it's already the hour is late the Jewish Jewish people would divide evening into two sections or two parts there was an early evening it was from three to six and then there was later evening from six to nine p.m. the event that we're looking at is occurring between three and six his disciples are extremely tired and they're ready to rest Jesus has already ministered throughout a full day it's late the men are tired and so he's already begun to teach them what compassion is they noticed it enough for it to be recorded in scripture but this is now a second lesson that he's going to emphasize and that is ministry always includes personal sacrifice they need to understand that that ministry isn't innate to five that it goes longer sometimes much longer now Paul spoke of that when he was speaking to the elders of the church of Ephesus and acts 20 verse 31 when he said to them therefore watch and remember that for three years they didn't cease to warn everyone night and day with tears night and day i was with you constantly ministering to you constantly well the disciples are understandably tired they're ready for a much desired rest but Jesus is going to teach them that ministry to people doesn't always follow a clock it it always involves personal sacrifice and so they're coming to him and and they're saying it's a deserted place it's time for us to you know to send them away we're in a remote area there's no way to obtain the needed supplies to care for them and there's a great group of them it's a great idea to send them away so they can find food for themselves again remember we read that Jesus had compassion on them he saw them as sheep without a shepherd he saw them as sheep without a shepherd but the disciple the disciples saw them simply as problems there's too many people there's too little supplies so in their minds sending them away to find supplies is the only solution it makes sense but they need to see beyond the situation they need to grow in their understanding of what god can do so he's going to teach them another lesson he's teaching them that challenges are not obstacles but opportunities they approach him and they gave him advice on how to solve his problem i know that none of us have ever told god how to run the universe i know we haven't i know that in our prayers we've never said lord if you would only do this um i have many times i've said you know lord if you would orchestrate it in this way i think this would be the result well i he hasn't asked me to give him advice in romance 1134 the question is asked who has known the mind of the lord who has become his counselor i'm supposed to allow him to tell me what to do i'm not to tell him what to do but in their minds they have good reasons for sending the people home they give them the reasons that deserted place the hour is late so the problem can be solved by sending them away but that's not acceptable to jesus his men saw this great multitude as a problem that could be dealt with later but jesus saw them as people with needs that needed to be met now and so his desires to train his men to minister to multitudes and now he's going to train them to do that he's going to give them three lessons first he's going to expose their inadequacy to meet people's needs second he will show them that he is completely adequate to meet their needs and third he's going to teach them that they're to work together with god in ministry to meet those needs so first he's going to expose their inadequacy how's he do that well he has them check their resources notice verse 37 and 38 he answered and said to them you give them something to eat and they said to him shall we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat but he said to them how many loaves do you have go and see and when they found out they said five two fish take inventories what he had them do they were to calculate or compute the cost it was beyond their resources he's exposing their inadequacy they computed the cost it was much too much it would have cost somewhere it says in verse 37 around 200 days labor if they paid out of it out of paid for it out of their own pockets so we don't have 200 days labor worth of money so verse 38 well how many loaves do you have go and see so what they're doing is they're walking through this crowd and they're checking on resources and it's an immense crowd by the way and so they're going through the crowd to determine the resources what he wanted them to do is to realize that there was no human solution to the situation in John 6 5 through 7 Jesus lifted up his eyes and seeing a great multitude coming toward him said to Philip where shall we buy bread that these may eat but this he said to test him for he himself knew what he would do Philip answered him 200 denarii worth of bread it's not sufficient for them that every one of them may have a little so in verse 38 they found out they told them they said five and two fish in John 6 verse 8 Andrew Simon Peter's brother spoke up here's a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish but how far will they go among so many so they had walked through the crowd nobody had anything except for a little boy a young boy and he had brought his lunch he had barely enough to feed himself he had five pieces of what is called flat bread and a fish bread if you will he was making tuna sandwiches that was his lunch while Jesus had already begun teaching his men to trust in God to provide their needs remember he had sent them out from ministry and he told them don't go with any extra resources in mark 6 verse 8 he said take no bag when he said take no bag no bag that you're going to carry food in no bread which speaks of extra supplies and no money because they were going to be cared for because the laborer was worthy of his food he had already begun to teach them to trust God he gave a lesson on God providing for them and now would see God provide for others it's obviously very important for us to understand our limitations we need to come to the own to the end of our own resources and other than that we might see what God can do we have to come to the end of our own resources very often one of my favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 33 3 call unto me and I will answer they and show the great and mighty things which thou know us not call unto me and I will answer you and I will reveal things to you that you're not even aware of you come to your end the end of your own resources you have to because it's at the end of your resources that you discover the greatness of his and that's a spiritual principle in 2 Corinthians 12 9 and 10 Paul spoke of how he had asked God to remove his thorn in the flesh and he had asked him three times but he goes on to say he said to me my grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in weakness and so his response was most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christ's sake for when I am weak then am I strong is when you come to the end that you discover where his strength actually is and so verse 39 goes on and and says he commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass and they sat down in ranks in hundreds and in fifties and when he had taken the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before them and the two fish he divided among them all my goodness with such a great number of people organization was necessary we need to remember something I think sometimes the church forgets is that the God we worship is what has been called the God of order in 1st Corinthians 1433 Paul said it like this God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all the churches of the saints God is a God of order and so what he's doing is he's having him sit in companies it makes it easier for him to minister to them and that's what he's about to do first thing we pointed out is he made them aware of their inadequacy they had calculated their resources they knew they couldn't meet the need but now he brings them to understand a second ministry principle and that is that God is able in Ephesians 3 20 God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think what cannot be accomplished through the flesh is made possible by the spirit in Jeremiah 32 27 behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh is there anything too hard for me Zechariah 4 6 not by might nor by power but by my spirit say at the Lord of hosts Philippians 4 19 my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus there's nothing he cannot do shall there be anything too hard for me my God shall supply all your need not all your greed all your need my God will supply all your need according to his riches in glory in Jesus Christ and then he revealed to them that they were going to work together with him you see these disciples needed to learn that they were working with God in his ministry in 1st Corinthians 3 verse 9 we are God's fellow workers you are God's field God's building but we are his fellow workers you can't do this on your own you need to work together you had already sent them out in teams so that they would understand that they needed to have unity in the body of Christ to do the work of ministry requires more than a single person you need to have a team you need to have people around you we need to hold each other's hands up we need to pray for one another we need to love one another comfort one another we need need to be there for one another have fellowship with one another we need to do all of these things because we're the body of Christ and one of the things that is the sickness in the church today is many Christians don't understand that they were saved to be part of a body we were not saved to be by ourselves we were saved to be with others when God created Adam he said it is not good that the man should be alone therefore he created a woman for him Adam had relationship with God but he needed a human being to have relationship with too and that's why he was created and they had a perfect thing going until they had kids we'll talk about that some other time and so there to learn to work together the church is not built on a man other than the man Christ Jesus the ministry is carried on together every member is a minister God gave amen God thank you and well I'll talk to you for a while but God gave apostles prophets evangelists pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry it isn't built just on an apostle or a prophet or an evangelist or a pastor teacher those are all parts of the workings that God has to make the structure of the organization work Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone the teaching the doctrine of the apostles being the foundation of how we live the pastor teacher teaching the word of God to equip the saints so we together can do what God calls us to do be very careful and I don't think any of you in this church is guilty of this but I say this because others are watching online right now be very careful that you don't make the pastor the superstar that'll destroy him he's just a man like everybody else he needs Jesus like everybody else that's how it works in ministry now he ought to be mature and he ought to you know be an example I can teach on that I'm teaching on that right now in the book of Titus but he is just a person the one we look to is the perfect one Jesus Christ and together we work to do the work of ministry God has a way of doing that and we need to understand that and Jesus is teaching them that it's not going to be built on just one person outside of Christ himself it's going to be a team of people working together and so as he's training them in this and revealing to them that they're going to work together with him verse 41 says that he looked up to heaven he blessed and he broke the loaves then gave them to his disciples to set before them and the two fish he divided among them all so he looked up to heaven giving thanks he's he's pointing in his is thanks to God obviously to the origin of the miracle it's it's a heavenly miracle but when it speaks about him giving and and and he looked at me blessed and broke the loaves and gave that's giving us the insight that they they were going out amongst this whole crowd and they were coming back there 12 of them and they're going into the different sections they're they're giving and they're coming back and he's still he's still giving how's that happen there were only if you know little fish and loaves how is can you imagine how you would feel nothing about that put yourself there for a moment and Jesus is still handing you things and you think this is impossible and it is this is impossible then you go and then you come back and he's still giving that's amazing they're participating with him in the work as he's showing the work continue and then they gave to the others they're they're learning to serve in a practical way and as this is taking place verse 42 it says they all ate and were filled that that word filled speaks of completely filled they were so filled they they couldn't eat anymore they were filled like you were on thanksgiving they just oh no more is that pie no they're they're filled like that but the food that he provided completely satisfied their hunger and there was enough to satisfy every single one now that's what Jesus said he'll do for you by the way and for me that he'll completely satisfy in John 6 35 Jesus declared I am the bread of life he who comes to me will never go hungry he who believes in me will never be thirsty he went on in verse 51 of John 6 and said I am the living bread that came down from heaven whoever eats this bread will live forever this bread is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world they had as much as they wanted they had as much as they needed they had so much that they were completely filled Psalm 23 5 my cup overflows and notice verse 43 they took up 12 baskets full of fragments and the fish 12 baskets each apostle received a portion individually they along with Jesus were completely cared for and once again Jesus is teaching them that he supplies their need as they serve in 1st Timothy 5 18 scripture says do not muzzle an ox while it's treading out the grain the worker deserves his wages and so verse 44 says those who had eaten the loaves are about 5000 men well Matthew 14 21 gives us even greater insight the number of those who ate was about 5000 men besides women and children the guesstimate when you include the average number of children the amount of that 5000 who would have been married the guesstimates as to the actual size of the crowd is more between 15 to 20 000 it's 5000 men but a good portion would have been married and a good portion would have had children and they would have had an average of two to three children at least we already saw one young boy who was there and therefore there were quite a number of others and so the actual magnitude of this is beyond our initial 5000 it's probably 15 to 20 000 people who are there on this hillside that's a long day but it's a lot it's a lot of service but you got to be I would I would be I know I'd be just like I don't I don't believe this this this is crazy this is really crazy I keep coming back and he keeps giving me more I can't believe this and then he says now pick up the mess get the rest put it in your baskets because I'm taking care of you too you served but you also get cared for now John gives us some insight into the effect that this had on those who were fed in John chapter 6 verse 14 it says those men when they had seen the sign that Jesus did said this is truly the prophet who is to come into the world the prophet was another term for Messiah so men were saying that this is the prophet who has come into the world but verse 15 of John 6 says that they were about to come and try to force him to be their king they tried to make him into a political king who would heal them and feed them he was giving them things he was giving them medical aid and food and they wanted him to be a political king they wanted his kingdom to be modeled after the world system I mean think about it what if we had a ruler who provided every single need I have made sure that I ate and made sure that I was cared for physically that's what they wanted it's no different now than it was then the same desires are in the hearts of people to this day give me something that satisfies me physically but Jesus didn't come to be that kind of king he didn't come to rule a kingdom modeled after the kingdoms of this age he didn't come to be a political ruler he came to be their spiritual king and the way he would be their king was through salvation he came to seek and he came to save the lost he came to give his life a ransom for many that's why Christ came he didn't come to wear the crown he came to wear a cross in order that they might come to salvation these people got their stomachs filled and they saw people being healed and they said that's exactly what we want and indeed that's a wonderful thing but the salvation was more important than the food and being healed and when Jesus saw that John tells us that he left it says in John 6 15 when they tried to take him he went to a mountain alone and left them why because he didn't come to rule a kingdom of man he came to rule the hearts of man and that comes through yielding his life on a cross what are you teaching us lord i'm teaching you that i can supply that i am the same yesterday today and forever and that i still do things to show you how good i am you know many times many times i've gone to mexica a number of times to take care of the babies there there's so many children to have nothing and this fellowship for many years has supplied gifts and what always blesses me every time they come back from such a trip they will say we didn't know if we had enough gifts and we always had enough to the very last always had exactly the amount that was needed now i'm not saying that god is multiplying barbie dolls what i'm saying what i'm saying is that he always provides the exact need he always does our god supplies our need according to his mercy he does he does and so jesus what is the point of this i am the bread of life you eat of this bread you will hunger again but if you had my flesh which i'll provide for you you will never hunger nor will you ever thirst again i want you to work as teams to take the message out to let people know that the savior of the world has come i want you to let them know that the god of this universe is a god with a compassionate heart who sees the need of people but you guys are going to need to be my hands you're going to need to go out and reach and touch and help many years ago there was a statue that was in in a town center in a small village in france it was the a statue of jesus that that the town was very proud of but during world war two there was there were bombings and and damages to that whole square had occurred and and the hands of the statue that that reminder of who jesus is the hands were were broken off through the the the repercussions of the the the bombs and all but the village decided never to repair the hands they left the statue there as a reminder he had no hands but as a reminder to all the people that we are the hands that christ uses in this day that we are to be those hands reaching out touching in his name ministering in his name and maybe that's something the church needs to always remember is that though it's a blessing when others are able to minister to us it is an exceptional blessing when are able to minister to someone else for jesus himself said it's more blessed to give than to receive and so that's what god has called us to do is to remember so jesus feeds the 5000 but he's teaching his men that the job they have is to feed them with the living bread jesus christ and father we ask