John 6:1-6

After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.

(2) Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.

(3) And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

(4) Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.

6) But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

Here we have a situation where Jesus sees the need, and is moved with compassion. When Jesus was moved with compassion, Jesus did not sit still. He healed the sick, He brought sight to the blind, He fed the hungry. Jesus turned to Philip, asking him as a test how they would feed all the multitudes. Philip, instead of looking at what God could do, however, was too busy looking at what man couldn’t do.

Have you ever been in this situation? Have you known without a doubt that God has called you into a ministry, to do a job for the Kingdom, whether it be a Sunday School teacher, a song leader, a deacon, a missionary, whatever the job may be. Maybe the job is just to be a disciple, to take the Word out and be a witness to Him in your workplace, or to your family. Yet here you stand, arguing with God, saying...."But I can’t possibly do that, Lord." You are so busy focusing on what you can’t do, that you forget about what He CAN do through you. All you have to be is willing and obedient, and He can do the rest. All you need to do is be a Vessel through which He can move.

But now, O Lord,

You are our Father;

We are the clay, and You our potter;

And all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8

Jesus turns to Philip in this situation, already knowing what He would do. Let’s look at what happens next.

(7) Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."

(8) One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,

(9) "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"

Here we see that Philip answers saying....two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough to feed them all.....what’s the point? There’s all these people here hungry..we have nothing to feed them...why bother? It's hopeless. Simon Peter approaches Jesus mentioning that a young boy has five loaves of bread, and two fish...he thinks at first that perhaps there is something that can be done...but when faced again with the magnitude of the job, he gives in to doubt. Philip concentrates on the enormity of the problem, and gives up immediately, there is no hope. Simon Peter dares to hope, but then gives in to doubt and discouragement, saying it surely would not be enough. I think many times we as Christians today face the same problem. We look as I said, at the size of the problem, and compare the abilities that we feel we may have to solve that problem, to do that job, to fulfill that ministry, in ourselves instead of in our Lord, and His abilities, and we give up hope.

Jesus�?response to all of this?

We must not forget the young lad, and His obedience in the whole matter. When he left home that morning, I doubt very seriously that he or his mother packed that lunch with the intention of feeding the multitudes. Most likely, the lad was out for a long day, and the lunch was packed so that he would not grow hungry. He may have likely happened to be in the vicinity when He saw Jesus, and knew He was going to teach. He may have figured it would be a good spot to rest and eat his lunch. Now we don’t know how it happened exactly that he offered his fare up to the Lord, perhaps he learned that Jesus had need of it, and gave it all to Him immediately. Perhaps he gave 4 loaves and one fish, and kept something back for himself, and then was informed that the Lord had need of the rest of it as well. The fact remains, however it happened, he was obedient in offering it up to the Lord for Him to use.

Can you say the same today? Are you offering the Lord all that you have? Are you coming before Him today, just as you are...saying Lord, You are the Potter, I am the clay..Use me however you wish. Do you give Him 100% immediately, or are you holding something back for yourself? If He calls you to give up what you may be holding back...will you obey?

The Lord only needs your faith, your obedience and your willingness to be used. Stop looking at the problem from a "I can’t do this perspective" and start looking at it from a "What God can do through me" view instead.

Praise the Lord.

Be blessed, be a blessing to Him and to others.