The Lord Will Provide!
Rev. Enoch Thompson | April 4, 2024 | John 6:5-10
KEY VERSE:
When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" John 6:5 (NIV)
MESSAGE:
I do not know if you have been in a time when you were faced with a real need and required a real answer. But the Lord Jesus and His immediate Apostles who shared in His mission with Him were about to face a serious practical situation. The crowds were approaching, and the crowds must eat! I am impressed with how despite His deep sense of our real spiritual needs the Lord Jesus often gave attention to the physical needs of His followers for food, privacy, rest etc. The Lord cares about us, and He will provide for us, Amen!
The question must be asked sincerely, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" When life poses the question to us in its multiple forms there are ways to answer it. Philip offered the economic response judging by the currency value, the exchange rate, global fuel prices, trends in the market, and possible donor fatigue, “Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" (John 6:7). Andrew attempted a practical response; the hunger of the crowds must be met by food, and “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish,” But Andrew was also pragmatic enough to realise and to add “but how far will they go among so many?" John 6:9 (NIV). In other words, our most practical and pragmatic attempts to address life’s needs often fall short of the mark.
The best Christian response to any and all of the needs that come to us must be that our Heavenly Father knows our needs, and He already has answers to them. This does not excuse us from economic, practical and pragmatic approaches to the challenges, but we must remember that the answer to our every need is with our God.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Do you have needs? Pray about them, think through them, be real and pragmatic, but above all, trust God to provide.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, I have so many needs in this wilderness of life. I pray that you will increase my trust in your provision and help me know what to do to get to your blessings. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
DAILY word study: BREAD The Greek word used for "bread" in this verse is "ἄρτοι" (artoi), which generally denotes bread or loaves of bread. In John 6:5 (NIV), the word "bread" symbolizes physical sustenance and nourishment.
The use of "ἄρτοι" (artoi) in the passage reminds us of Jesus' power to provide for our needs, both physically and spiritually. Just as Jesus miraculously multiplied the loaves to satisfy the hunger of the crowd, He offers Himself as the "bread of life" to satisfy our spiritual hunger and nourish our souls.
Reflections:
Consider the significance of Jesus as the ultimate source of sustenance for our lives. How does Jesus provide for our physical and spiritual needs? How can we rely on Him as our "bread of life" in every aspect of our lives?
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