John 6 - Loaves, Fish, and Never-ending breadsticks

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”  Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 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.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. (John 6:1-13 ESV)

What do you find amazing/unusual about this story?  

Can you think of any other similar stories in the bible?  

The loaves and fishes is a story of God making something out of virtually nothing - making humans comes to mind.  God takes a bunch of dirt, clumps it together and breathes into it, and shazaam, there is a man.  Then God takes the man's rib and makes a woman.  God can make something out of nothing. . .it is one of his favorite tricks!  

Another similar tale is of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath.  “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:9-16 ESV).  She's on the verge of starvation and God sustains all three out of the little they have.  Pretty rad!  

Do you see any connections between the loaves and fish and your life?  

Olive Garden breadsticks - they seem to magically appear and never run out.

Have you ever seen God do something great with something small in your life or in the life of someone you know?  

Who do you tend to be like, Philip or Andrew?  

When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (John 6:14, 15 ESV)

Why doesn't Jesus want the people to make him king?  

The people were expecting a magical supernatural messiah.  They saw one miracle and wanted more.  Why not keep the bellies full and good times rolling?  It reminds me of the transfiguration when Jesus is talking to Moses and Elijah on the mountain.  Peter, his mind blown from seeing glowy Jesus, says, "this is soooooo awesome!  Why don't I get us some tents so we can stay here forever?"  Then God's voice calls out from heaven, Mo and Eli disappear, and it's soon all over.  

Why can't the perfection last forever?  

Because this isn't the time or place.  Only if the perfection is shattered and demolished can it ever be achieved.  Only if The Lord is forsaken, tortured, and murdered - only if that happens can we feast with him forever.  The message of scripture is clear, don't work for temporary happiness, but for eternal joy.  Yes, moments of happiness will occur on the way of Christ, but so will moments of extreme pain and heartache.  

Jesus himself explains the point of the miracle: Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum. (John 6:26, 27, 35, 47-51, 53-59 ESV)

Is Jesus asking us to be vampire zombies?  What is this all about?  

Can you blame them?  What would you say if a kid walked up to you at school with ketchup all over his arm and asked you to eat it?  

I am the bread of life, whoever eats my body and drinks my blood will have life.  Whoever believes in me will have life.  Don't believe in the loaves and fish, believe in Jesus!  

Imagine Nick Sabin shows up at your house holding an autographed stuffed Big A, which is a present for you.  Would you say thanks, slam the door in his face, as hug and kiss the stuffed elephant?  That would be crazy right?  Would you rather have a gift from coach Sabin or invite the man himself inside for cookies and to play wii?  

Jesus says the same thing - I'm giving you signs an gifts, but the reason is so that you may know me, the giver.  Enjoy the bread, but cherish the one who have you the bread!  

Have you ever loved a gift more than the giver?  

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 

The same guys who ate to their fill are freaked out by Jesus's teachings.  He's turning the entire way they see the world on its head.  Life is not found in religion or ethnicity or profession or family. Life is found only in him.  That's exclusionary and arrogant.  Should there be many paths to God? Eating flesh and drinking blood, that's disgusting. . .we are civilized men of peace, we would never do such a thing.  

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:60, 66-69 ESV)

This is my favorite statement in the whole Bible.  Where else would we go?  Where else can we find life?  We would have stayed on the mountaintop, but you walked down.  We would have eaten the loaves and fish forever, but you left for the other side of the lake and we followed.  You are perplexing, and we may never understand anything fully, but we fully know that you are the Messiah and nothing else compares to you.  

There's a guy named Tullian who wrote a book called Jesus + Nothing = Everything.  I haven't read the book.  I really don't know that I need to.  What could be better than the cover?  What could be better than the knowledge that nothing could be better than what I already have?  I have Jesus, I have everything!