Jesus feeds the 5,000. After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberius, and a large crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews was at hand. Lifting 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? He said this to test him, for he himself knew that he would do. Philip answered him, 200 denari worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, well, there is a boy here who has five barley loads and two fish, but what are they for so many? Jesus said, have the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place, so the men sat down, about 5,000 in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given things, he distributed them to those who were seated, so also the fish as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told the disciples, gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost. So they gathered them up and filled 12 baskets with fragments from the five barley loads left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the signs that he had done, they said, this is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world. Perceiving then that they were about to come in to take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew against the mountain by himself. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and the hearing of his words. Well, as we know, the Bible contains four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, four counts of life and time of Jesus Christ, while he walked and lived upon the earth. And each account tells the life of Jesus, right, from a slightly different perspective, highlighting some events in his life and perhaps leaving out others. No one gospel, no one of the gospel, covers everything or gives us a full view of Jesus as God would have desired us to have. And therefore, God has given us four gospels, four views on the life of Christ. And knowing this, there are few events, believe it or not, there are few events that appear in all four of the gospels. In fact, of the seven signs, the seven miracles that are recorded in the gospel of John, only one appear in the other three gospels. Guess which one that is? You guessed it, Jesus feeding the 5,000. Jesus feeding the 5,000 by the sea of Galilee appears and is recorded in all four of the gospels. Apparently, this was a meal to remember. Apparently, it was a feast not to be forgotten. Understandably, the miracles of Jesus held an important place in the mind and the mission of the early disciples. And this one in particular. But this was a popular miracle, being told and retold again and again in all of the four gospels. And by doing so, it kind of gives us, at least it should. I think it should, give us some insight into the importance and the authenticity and the lasting impact that this miracle had upon the early disciples. This was Jesus's most public miracle and no doubt his most memorable one, beloved, no doubt. No doubt, no doubt, anyone and everyone talking about the life of Jesus after Jesus had gone would always mention the day where over 5,000 people enjoyed a feast and impromptu feast by the sea. And I'm convinced, beloved, I'm convinced that as the years went on, that a greater number of people would say, oh yeah, I remember that. I was there, couldn't count how many people were actually there and so anybody could claim that they were there. And there's no doubt, as the years went on, more and more people because oh yeah, I remember that. In fact, in a wedding where he turned the water in the wine, I wasn't there. The portion of the temple when Jesus told the lame man to walk, I wasn't there. I wasn't there, the other 12 disciples, when they saw Jesus walking on the water. I wasn't there. I wasn't there. I didn't go to the funeral where Jesus called for his friend, Lazarus from the grave. I wasn't there. I wasn't a member of the inner circle. I didn't walk and talk and converse with Peter, James and John. I wasn't on the mouth of configuration, but for the number that Jesus fed that day, I can tell you for assurance that I shared a meal with Jesus. That Jesus fed me. Listen, beloved, if I could have been present at any of the miracles of Jesus outside of the resurrection, would have wanted to buy the seed when over 5,000 people were eating and laughing, singing, and dancing, a picnic of all picnics, a reunion of all reunion. A meal, Jesus, the Bible says, as chapter 6 opens, is getting away on a brief mountain retreat with his disciples. Now, Jesus did not spend much time in Galilee, but the people in Galilee were familiar with his family, and the people in Galilee were now becoming more and more familiar with his ministry, his miracles, and his teaching. And Jesus' popularity was beginning to spread. It was beginning to grow. And everywhere he went, the people were following him. When they got news that he was in the area, they would go, and they would go, and everywhere he went, the crowds, once they noticed, began to grow, even when he went on retreat, apparently. And as Jesus and his disciples reached their mountain top destination, the Bible tells us that they looked out and they saw the throng of people, thousands, thousands of men and women and children gathering and making their way around the lake. And they're coming toward Jesus. They're coming to see if there truly is a profit from God and the land. They're coming to see if the hope of Israel has finally come. They're coming to see. If the one promise to sit on David's throne has finally arrived, they're coming to see the profit. They're coming to see their king, thousands and thousands and seeing the large crowd coming his way upon the opportunity to do what he always did. And that is to illustrate and demonstrate to his disciples the power and the presence and the purpose of the kingdom of God. Listen, beloved, wherever Jesus went and whatever Jesus did and whatever Jesus said, it was for the purpose of revealing the nature of the kingdom of God, from the Beatitudes to the parables to the miracles. Jesus was always revealing the kingdom. That's what he said in Mark chapter 1, in verse 15, the time has come. The kingdom of God is at hand. And all of was but a revelation of the nature of the kingdom of God and up on that mountain retreat with his disciples. He looks out over the crowd and he determines once again to teach his disciples what the kingdom of God is like. What life in the kingdom is now and what life in the kingdom shall be. And he gives them a kingdom lesson by serving them, a kingdom lunch, kingdom left off. He begins by teaching a kingdom lesson this morning. When our Lord sat down with his disciples up on that mountain retreat, there is no doubt that what he sat down to do was to talk to them about the kingdom. He always did. He always did. This was going to be no different. He was going to talk to them about the kingdom. But with the crowd approaching, now he was not just going to talk to them about the kingdom. He was going to show them the kingdom because a picture is worth a thousand words. Notice what he says in verse 5. When Jesus looked up and saw the crowd coming toward him, he turned the Philip and he said, Where shall we buy bread for all these people to eat? And notice what it says in verse 6. He asked this to teach him a lesson. He asked this to test him for he already had in mind what he was going to do. His kingdom left him time. Philip, going to get bread for all these people. I'm Philip. The first thing that I'm probably thinking is, Well Lord, eat all these people. There's the point, beloved. Jesus didn't ask the question to get information. God never does. God doesn't ask questions to get information. When Adam and Eve sent in the garden of Genesis chapter 3 and verse 9, God came to Bible says in the cool of the God and he asked the question, Adam, where are you? He didn't, he wasn't trying to get information. In Exodus chapter 4 and verse 2 when Moses was fearful of going before Pharaoh and God had called him. God looked at Moses and chapter 4 and verse 2 and said, Moses, what's that in your hand? He's not asking questions to get information. In Ezekiel chapter 37 and verse 3, he asked Ezekiel, Ezekiel, can these bones live? And up on top of that mountain about to see a gallery. Jesus turns to Philip and says, Philip, where will we get food for all these people? Listen, beloved. Jesus is not looking for information from Philip. He was teaching a lesson. He wanted to hear Philip's faith. He wanted to see if Philip had been Philip answered him. 200 in the area where at the bread would not be enough for each of them to get even a little. When I was a little boy and we had no real perspective on money, you know, whenever something cost a lot, or we wanted to make reference to anything being a lot, we just say, oh man, that's worth a million dollars. Oh, that cost a million dollars. I bet you a million dollars. Because that was just a figure of so much money that we just couldn't have fed him. And what Philip says is, Lord, if we had a million dollars, feed all these people. Oh, here's the point, Philip. Don't miss this. Jesus and Philip looked at the same thing and saw different things at the same time. Jesus and Philip looked at the same, what did Philip see? Philip looked out on the crowd and he saw a problem, a mountain that couldn't be moved. He saw a river that couldn't be crossed. He saw a heart that couldn't be healed. He saw an emptiness that couldn't be filled with the eyes but in the kingdom of God and calls upon his people to learn to look not west with the eyes of our heads but to look with the eyes of our hearts, with the eyes of faith so that we learn to see as Jesus sees. But Jesus sees what we typically don't see. When Jesus looked out on the crowd, he didn't see a problem. He saw an opportunity. He saw sheep without a shepherd. He saw lost sheep. He saw hungry sheep. And when he looks at your life this morning beloved, he doesn't see problems. He's opportunities. He sees mountains that are ready to be moved. He sees rivers that are set, he's hurt. He knows, he knows what we don't know because he knows the answer to the question, answer to the question. The answer, I will say, Isaiah, chapter 46 and verse 10. He knows the in from the beginning. He knows your life. He knows what your life was. He knows what your life is. He knows what your life is going to be. Christ knows why God is not present. It doesn't because Christ knows. That's the question. He asked the rhetorical question, Genesis chapter 11, I mean, Genesis chapter 18, verse 14, right? Is there anything too hard for God? He don't need you to answer that question. There anything too hard for God? The of Galilee or pandemic around the world? Is there anything too hard for God? So long rest in the streets or the vision and unrest in your home? Is there in beloved this morning, for which the Lord doesn't already have a plan? He was going to do. He's already got a plan. He's already got a plan. Christ knows this world. He's already got a plan. Christ knows your life. He already has a plan. He has a plan for this world. He has a plan for your life. So the Bible says, Jeremiah 29 and verse 11. So I know the Lord says, I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. I want you to know something that's more than the Lord says. I want you to know that you can either focus and look to me or you can focus and look to your problems. I hope we pray this morning. Open the eyes of my heart. I want to see what you see. Open the eyes of my heart this morning. I want to hear what you hear. I want to say what you say. Open the eyes of my heart but trust the Lord. And his plan that day was for a kingdom lunch. In response to Jesus, right? Jesus says, Philip, how are we going to feed all these people? Philip said, look, we got a million dollars. We can feed these people. Andrew overheard that. He jumped and he chimed in. Verse 8, right? Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon's brother spoke up and said, here is a boy with five small and two small fish. But how far among so many? In other words, he says, Lord, it's not that we don't have any. It's just that what we have is so little. It took me a while. I think tell you how many times it's not that we don't have anything. It's just that we have so little. We are so small. What? What? And I think for love it, this really is getting to the heart of the matter. There's two things, right? The kingdom. And the first one is this. It's that each team in the kingdom is by faith. We love it. Each team in the kingdom is by faith. I understand. I understand what Andrew was saying. Because I understand what that young boy had. That young boy had enough lunch for that day. A candle and a candle was all I had for me. People with a can of tuna, kingdom of God, a little is a lot. Did you hear what I said? In the kingdom of God, a little is a lot to do the most. That Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 10, he says that your weakness, your weakness is his strength. Your little is his life. Folks with delights, the earth, the woman, into strength. With a shepherd's stick, Moses brought eat into strength. With that little boy slingshot, David conquered into strength. And on a shameful and rugged cross, it is not beloved. Your talent as much as it is your faith, as the Lord uses this morning. In Christ, in Christ, the Bible tells us that a little faith goes along. And so greatness in the kingdom of God, contrary to what the world says. Greatness in the kingdom of God is not about ability. Greatness in the kingdom is about availability. What little do you have? Jesus said in Luke 17 and 6 that all you need is the face of a mustard seed. In other words, all you need is a can of tuna. And we all got a can of tuna. We all got a can of tuna. Offer the Lord because eating, eating, eating, eating in the kingdom is by faith. But not only is it by faith, eating in the kingdom is by faith. It's by grace, beloved. It's by grace. And this lunch was by grace. Notice what says in verse 11, Jesus then took the loaves. And when he had given things, he distributed to them to those who were seeded. Jesus gave things to remind them from which to help always come. It's by grace. This is what the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 20. That we are to give thanks for everything. Everything, beloved, because in the kingdom everything is by grace. And we are to give thanks for everything. This meal deserves. But not only is it undeserved, what the Bible says. I asked if there's a question, doesn't it? First Corinthians chapter 4, verse 7. What do you have that God hadn't given me? And if everything you have is from God. Why do you boast as if it wasn't, as if it was not a gift? I don't know about you this morning, beloved. I am amazed and I am sometimes ashamed and embarrassed about my selfishness. And my pride and my impatience and my ungratefulness in the life of God grace and mercy in my life. Grace should cause you to be gracious. More grace should cause you to be more gracious. I am telling you I can say for sure that no one had received more grace than me this morning. That's why coming to the Lord's table is so important for us, for it reminds us of our need for grace. But then it reminds us of our calling to be gracious. Unloving, ungracious Christians, beloved, this should not be a thing, this meal that Jesus gave, that he gave thanks for this meal was by grace, not only because Jesus gave thanks, but also because of the posture of those invited to eat. Notice what the Bible does, what the Bible says in verses 10 and 11. Three times, three times, it gives us the posture of those who were invited to eat. Jesus says, tell them all to sit down. And then it says, so the men sat down. Jesus says, Jesus, distribute it to those who were and know the psalmist says in Psalm 46 and 10, that I am God. Be still and behold your salvation. Be still and know that the Lord, enough. All those people coming by grace from heaven. And it's for you, don't worry. Know that His grace is sufficient, it's enough. In fact, Jesus reminds us this more at least because of all the kingdom left. All the kingdom left. What the disciples thought was too little with Jesus, it became more than enough. More than enough. When they had the Bible says in verse 12, when they had all had enough to eat, He said to His disciples, gather the pieces that are left over, let nothing be wasted. So they gathered them and filled 12 baskets with the pieces of the five-body load left over by those who had eaten. You know what this meal does, I love it. It doesn't just point us to grace, but it points us to what the Bible says in 1 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 14, to this abundant grace, the abundant grace of God. It is this abundant grace that saves. It is this abundant grace that satisfies. 5,000 plots kept wanting. 12 amazing grates. We call abundant grace. You beloved. It satisfies you. You understand when I'm saying you want no more. Flow your cup. Can I give you a testimony this morning? Part in my testimony this morning. But I've tried many things in my life, beloved. I know you can't believe me. I know you can't tell. But Pastor Phil, I've been there, done that. Scott, I've been, I've been in all of it. I've tried many things in my life. Education, popularity, sports and athletics. I was the life of the party. I've been with the Democratic Party. I've been with the Republican Party. I've been with the Independence. I've tried Black nationalism and spiritualism and religion. Self-help. Follow. Let's satisfy it, mean. Jesus provides. When Jesus stumps 103 and 8, he thinks love is mercy. You know what, beloved. You cannot out-eat his grace. Why? Because the song right is right. He gives it more grace. When burdens grow greater, he sends it more strength. When labor's increased to added affliction, he added his mercy to multiply trials, his multiplied peace. His love has no limits. His grace has no measure. His power no bounds were known unto men. For out of his infinite riches of Jesus, he gives and gives and gives again. Oh, my God, is this meal meant so much. This is why all four gospel writers included it. This is why so many continue to talk about it. This is why I wish I had been there till I won't know. It reminds me that when I eat with a Jesus, I get sad at this morning. The Lord isn't just saving his people. He is satisfied. You can be saved today. But also, even now, because the kingdom is coming. You can be satisfied with Jesus with the promise that the kingdom that comes, eternal, satisfaction, and pleasures forevermore. Would you look to Jesus? Oh, I pray the Lord. Would open the eyes of your heart. Open the eyes.