More Than A Meal
Tuesday, April 02, 2002 (23:44:27)

Posted by Rod

It is said that 90% of the work in a church is done by 10% of its members.  I believe this is a fairly accurate statement.  Not much has changed in the last 2000 years.

John 6:1-13

Reading the story of the loaves and fishes, people focus on the miracle of how Jesus fed 5,000 people with 5 barley loaves and two fish and had more food left over than when He started.  Cool, huh?  Yes, but there is so much more to the story.

Let's look closer and notice some important details of this story. 5000 people climbed one mountain at the same time to hear Jesus.  (verse 3)  That's alot of people climbing one mountain. It was almost time for the passover feast.  (verse 4)  People were obviously thinking about the feast. Out of the 5000 of people following after Jesus, only one kid was smart enough to pack a lunch.  (verse 9)  Some carried baskets because we know they filled 12 baskets with the bread that was left after 5000 people had eaten their fill.  (verse 13) Rather than face the fact they were not wise enough to tend to their needs, they decided to force the one who had just fed them to become their king and continue caring for them.  (verse 15) Some questions come to mind. Who packed the kid's lunch? 
The Bible says he was a "lad" which leads us to believe possibly his mother packed his lunch for him.  He was alone or the disciples would have said a man or woman had the food.  So we know this lad climbed a mountain with about 5000 other people to hear Jesus and was smart enough to bring nourishment. What was originally in the baskets?
Why would anyone carry baskets full of something up a mountain and not bring any food? To make a short story shorter...
Right before the passover feast, 5000 people climbed a mountain at the same time to hear Jesus.  Some of them carried baskets of "stuff".  Only one kid brought lunch.  When Jesus fed the rest with 5 loaves and 2 fish, they decided to force Him to be their king. This story is about more than a miracle of feeding so many with so little.  It is also about how so many expect so few to be responsible for their needs, even to the point of forcing their desires upon others. Here are some powerful lessons to be learned by this story.

1. Sometimes the obvious message obscures hidden treasures.
2. Even a small boy can climb a tall mountain when spiritually motivated.
3. Out of 5000 people you meet, only one will be prepared.
4. The one who is prepared may enable someone else to facillitate.
5. It doesn't take alot of people to do a great work.
6. Mighty things can be done without a pulpit to stand behind.
7. The workers are really the ones who have the faith.
8. Sometimes you feel better coming down from a mountain than you did going up.