What once was dropped from the sky, came down to dine with man!

More treasure from the LORD!

 John 6

1After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.2And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.3Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.4Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.5Lifting 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?”6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.7Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.”8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,9“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”10Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.11Jesus 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.12And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”13So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

15Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

5Lifting 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?”6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do..The Lord knew what He would do, so then why did He ask Philip?  Jesus was just about to perform an amazing miracle, making something out of nothing to feed over 5,000 people!  I have heard this message used to encourage people, Jesus will provide all you need and more.  And yes I do believe that is true, I found this particular message shares much more about another attribute of God...communion with man.

If you were a Jew then you would have been very familiar with the story from OT when God's people were in the desert hungry for bread and God poured manna from the sky to feed them.  
Psalm 78 reminds:   

22because they did not believe in God
and did not trust his saving power.
23Yet he commanded the skies above
and opened the doors of heaven,
24and he rained down on them manna to eat
and gave them the grain of heaven.
25Man ate of the bread of the angels;
he sent them food in abundance.
26He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,
and by his power he led out the south wind;
27he rained meat on them like dust,
winged birds like the sand of the seas;
28he let them fall in the midst of their camp,
all around their dwellings.
29And they ate and were well filled,
for he gave them what they craved.

Philip would have remembered that God had done for His people...if he (and the 11) had truly believed Jesus was God in the flesh, wouldn't he have answered, "Well, yeah Jesus you can feed them!  You've done it before!"  But no Philip's response was that of a unbelieving heart.  Jesus was still a man them them.  

That is why I believe this miracle was to refine their faith in Him and intended to reveal to them yet again His divinity.  What once was poured from the sky because man's sin was so great God could not fellowship with man, now was standing among them (the Bread of Life) handing them their "manna" and "meat"!  Isn't that amazing?  To a Jew that knew OT, they should have seen this, having heard the story so many times in their youth!

He had His disciples feed over 5,000 people...must have took a lot of time and a lot of walking back to Jesus.  The farther out they walked to the people, the farther they had to walk back to Jesus.....Could you imagine what faith it took for them to keep coming to the LORD and wondering if there would still even be enough and finding each time there He was with a basket of food waiting to be taken to the people!  Oh how this reminds me of the times I have forgotten God's goodness to us before and when life hits me with a similar circumstance how quick I am to wonder if God would again be so gracious to us!  Forgive me LORD!

Another amazing truth here is that notice there are only 12 baskets left over....where was the basket for Jesus? 

Mat 20:28

"even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

 I am reminded of when I serve my family a meal...often I will neglect to make a plate for myself until they have all eaten.  ANd in a more greater example we see Jesus Himself lowering His own needs before others.  Then we see Jesus withdrawing Himself from them to pray to God....why didn't He have His own basket of food?

Jhn 4:34	Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

He was teaching His disciples who He was:  GOD, PROVIDER, FATHER, SERVER, and FINISHER.
He was God in the flesh providing the needs of the people, He was Father as He Himself handed out the food to the people, as Server when He put other's needs above His own, and Finisher for His food (what drove Him) was fullfilling the will of His Father! 

Remember what Jesus says to those who want to be His disciples?  Come and FOLLOW ME.   To follow means to imitate....to be like your teacher.  I don't know about you, but I want to be like Jesus!  

Lord help me to serve, rather than to be served...help me to grow in my faith in your provision and direction....make finishing your will in my life be what drives me to obedience....and make me more like You!
For the glory of Your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.