“Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.'”
John 6:11-12
The distribution of the food doesn’t end until everyone is full. Everyone is satisfied, but nothing is wasted. There’s a note of social ethics here. Take all you want, but don’t take just to take. This is a Christian theology of justice: live simply, share freely. But let’s not get off track…
Jesus takes the little that we bring to the table, and he provides in ways that we could never imagine.
When we think about Jesus as our Provider, we first remember that he is God. Without him, nothing was created. We can’t talk about the babe born in the manger unless we’re talking about the Word who was in the beginning with God and was God.
He provides, then, all things. And he is provided, for us, food on the mountain. The whole episode harkens back to Moses feeding God’s people in the wilderness. Jesus himself is the spiritual bread of heaven who supernaturally satisfies our deepest longings and desires. The supplier is the satisfier.
Jesus himself has provided for his people salvation from sin, death, and hell.
I see in this text a simple principle: Jesus provides extravagantly. He supplies all our needs. And he supplies us with our greatest need: a righteousness that we do not have.
We are great sinners, but Christ is a great savior.
In Romans, 1 and 2, Paul makes it clear that we all stand before God guilty. The religious and the pagan–we are guilty before God. We do not have the sort of righteousness that can please God. Our best isn’t good enough. Nothing in our lives; nothing in our hearts has escaped the stain of sin.
This is one of the great insights of the Reformation. We do not have what we need. God’s Law finds us guilty. We need a righteousness that is not ours. Jesus has come to provide that.
His righteousness will become our righteousness. In love, he will bear our sin on the cross. There a great exchange takes place. He takes our sin, and we receive his righteousness. In his death, he is providing our righteousness. This bread points to that bread which is his body that is broken for us.
Do you know Jesus as the one who provides your righteousness? Or are you trying and trying to be good enough? To be your best and hope God approves in the end? Here is the gospel: come with the little you have and receive all that God is. Receive by faith the righteousness of Jesus, bringing nothing to the table but the sin that made your salvation necessary.
Will the one who has provided himself for you not continue to provide you with all you need? The Christian life begins with faith and continues by faith.
Jesus is on a mission. He has come from heaven to seek and save the lost and reconcile all things.