Jesus is withdrawing to the other side of the Sea, and a large crowd is following him. Why? Because he’s a great preacher? No. Because he’s healing the sick. Now, it’s not wrong to want healing. But it is worth observing that crowds are presented as those generally interested in what Jesus can do for them, not generally interested in who Jesus is.
A quick aside: We see this in our day. Not all megachurches are unfaithful to the gospel, by any stretch. But many of the largest churches in the world understand this very human inclination and capitalize on that to grow their status, influence, and power. How many false prophets in our day view Jesus not as a treasure to behold, but as a commodity to be sold? Not as the point in himself, but as the one who gets you whatever you want?
Now, back to the story: Jesus sees this crowd. One of his disciples, Philip, was from this-general area. So he asks him, “My man, where can we get some good food for these people?” [Jesus has a plan, by the way. He’s just testing Philip, doing a little check-in on his faith.]
Those people? Philip says. The 20,000 people who won’t leave us alone?
The gospels tell us what the disciples think should happen. YOU SHOULD TELL THEM TO GO HOME. They say send them to the villages where they can find food and lodging. John tells us he looks at the crowd and says it’s gonna take almost a year’s wages to feed these people one time.
Andrew chimes in. I saw a kid over there with his lunch. Had like 5 barley loaves and two fish.
Are these not the same men who have seen Jesus do countless miracles over the last year?John only records a couple to this point, remember, but elsewhere he says that if he were to write down everything they saw him do, the world itself could not hold the volumes of books.
If he can turn water into wine, surely he can multiply this food. If his words can bring life to a dying boy miles away, surely giving supper to a crowd of people is in play!
They’ve seen what Jesus can do, but they don’t trust that he’ll do something like that again. It might seem silly if it didn’t hit so close to home.
Do we not doubt the same Jesus who has saved us? Do we not doubt the God who saved us can save that friend or family member who is still so far from him? Do we not doubt that the God who has provided for our every need will continue to provide?
Jesus is interested in this kid’s lunch. He’s going to take the little this kid brings to the table, and he’s going to provide for thousands of people. I don’t want to skip over this boy. You think he planned on sharing his food with 20,000 people? No, he probably packed some food with his parents because they wanted to go and see this Jesus and didn’t know when they would get home. They were NOT going to stop at McDonalds when they have perfectly fine barely and fish at home.
This boy had a date with divinity. Jesus, the Son of God, would take the little he has and use it to
provide for thousands. In the same way Jesus had his eyes on this boy, he has his eyes on you. Jesus uses weak, small, and lowly people to be vessels of his glory and grace. You may not have much money, much education, much success, much to really hang your hat on, but you have all you need for Jesus to work through you. Jesus does much with little.
You lack nothing you need to make an impact for Jesus.