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John 6:1-14

The citizens of Feldkirch, Austria, didn't know what to do. Napoleon's massive army was preparing to attack. Soldiers had been spotted on the heights above the little town, which was situated on the Austrian border. A council of citizens was hastily summoned to decide whether they should try to defend themselves or display the white flag of surrender. It happened to be Easter Sunday, and the people had gathered in the local church.

The pastor rose and said, "Friends, we have been counting on our own strength, and apparently that has failed. As this is the day of our Lord's resurrection, let us just ring the bells, have our services as usual, and leave the matter in His hands.

We know only our weakness, and not the power of God to defend us." The council accepted his plan and the church bells rang. The enemy, hearing the sudden peal, concluded that the Austrian army had arrived during the night to defend the town.

Before the service ended, the enemy broke camp and left.

Missionary statesman Hudson Taylor had complete trust in God's faithfulness. In his journal he wrote:

Our heavenly Father is a very experienced One. He knows very well that His children wake up with a good appetite every morning... He sustained 3 million Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years. We do not expect He will send 3 million missionaries to China; but if He did, He would have ample means to sustain them all... Depend on it; God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.

Talk about provision of God.

Listen again to these words:

God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.

The problem is not God; the problem is our attitude towards the provision of God.

We find three of those attitudes in John 6, the feeding of the 5000.

1. Man's provision (man relying on his own strength)

V5. When Jesus then lifted up [his] eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

V6. And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

V7. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

Jesus asks the question to test his disciples.

Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

Have you ever wondered why Jesus asked this question? He was about to teach the people that God's provision is always better than our best efforts.

And this he said to prove him

Notice: Phillip answers that

Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

Two hundred pennyworth was a lot of money.

One pennyworth was one days work pay. That meant that you had to work for two hundred days to get this kind of money.

There is more, notice a few words here.

If they by any way could buy 200 pennyworth of bread it would still not have been sufficient. In fact it would only have given them little. That is precisely what man's provision does. It gives you little. I'm not only talking about money, I'm talking about God's total provision for you and me.

2. Man' unbelief towards God's provision.

V8. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
V9. There is a lad here, which hath five barleyloaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

Now enters Andrew and he reminds me of so many Christians.

They know what Jesus can do BUT, Yes it's that word again, BUT they are uncertain if He can do and will do it.

Have you ever wondered why Andrew brought this up?

I mean some didn't even take notice of this boy and the bread.

Could it be that a similar thing happened in the Bible?

And maybe he was reading about it and now it come to mind?

I mean they we're studying the scriptures as they walked with Jesus.

In fact it did happen before in the OT. Go with me to

2 Kings 4:
[42] And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.

[43] And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat,and shall leave [thereof].

[44] So he set [it] before them, and they did eat, and left [thereof], according to the word of the LORD.

I want to suggest that Andrew knew about this part. The only difference was that now there were 5000 and not 100 and now there are 5 barley Loafs and not twenty.

Andrew saw the provision but he doubted, just as many people today doubts.

What does God need for a miracle? NOTHING

God's Provision……………………………………at Creation > NOTHING

"In the beginning God created heaven and earth. He simply reached out and took a handful of nothing, threw it into nowhere and nothing became something by His spoken word."

God's Provision at the creation of Man…………...Dirt > Next to NOTHING

5 Loaves & 2 Fish > Provided a banquet to feed 5000 men + women & children

Fishing Pole > Provided a means to go fishing > Caught fish > Paid bills

Handful of Meal & a little oil > Fed a widow & her son for 3 ½ years of famine

Mudpack on the Blind Eyes > Recovering of sight

$1000 Inheritance Given in obedience in a SFC offering in Clarksburg in 1985 >
Provided a Home for Pastor & Wife

Brown Bag Offering:

Missionary Whites gave all the money they had received from sale of CD's $170 >

Provided in 5 services or less $125. and 5 PIM's

What does God want you to do?

It could be you have the provisions for a miracle at your disposal.

God asked Moses, What's in your hand? A rod……….