Ingredients

January 6, 2019                       NOTES NOT EDITED

Ingredients for a Great Year!
John 6:1-15

SIS: In the New Year we have the opportunity to partner with God to do something great and exciting!

When I hear the someone say, “Happy New Year”  I am reminded of how important it is to have the right priorities in life so that a year can actually be “happy” and “new.”  It’s all about priorities.

I heard about a rich man who was determined to take his wealth with him. He told his wife to get all his money together, put it in a sack, and then hang the sack from the rafters in the attic. He said, "When my spirit is caught up to heaven, Ill grab the sack on my way." Well he eventually died, and the woman raced to the attic, only to find the money still there. She said, "I knew I should’ve put the sack in the basement."

To paraphrase Jesus in regard to priorities, “Your relationship with your money will determine the direction of your departure!”

A successful marriage, like a successful life in general, is an extremely difficult thing to pull off.  It really is a "miracle" when two people do manage to honor God in marriage.  Often, building a successful life can involve a great deal of conflict, just like a great marriage.

Even in the best of marriages, there will be times of difficulty and strife.  This week I read about a man who had served faithfully in church for years.   He went to the Pastor for marital counseling. He had attended church for 25 years, was a respected leader in the church. "Pastor, I've got something awful to tell you. I've never told this to a soul, it is extremely difficult to tell you this now, but my wife and I have had a fight every day for the past 30 years of our marriage."  The Pastor taken back didn't know what to say to the man. Playing for time to gather thoughts, said, "Every day?" "Yes, every day." "Did you today before you came to church?" "Yes." "Well, how did it end up?" She came crawling to me on her hands and knees." "What did she say?" "Come out from under that bed you coward and fight like a man!"

Friends, don't expect to be successful in marriage, a successful life, or a “Happy New Year” to just happen.  You must learn how to partner with God to see miracles happen—or, to have a “Happy New Year.”

Suppose I could give you the ingredients for How to Make a Miracle Happen, would you be interested?  Notice, I did not say, “How to pray for a miracle.”  I did not say, “How to study about miracles.”  I said, “How to MAKE a miracle!”  Sometimes I think we pray without faith when we pray only because we want God to send a miracle.  I think real faith can take a step or two beyond just asking for miracles.  I think real faith can actually make miracles happen.  Much of the responsibility for a “Happy New Year” is in our own hands.  At least that’s what I get from what Jesus said (Mt. 17:20),

If you have faith the size of  a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.”  Notice, “you” move the mountain, not Jesus!

Now, I am in know way saying that any of us can cause a miracle to happen just by applying a simple formula.  I am not saying you and I have any special powers to create miracles.  What I am saying is that I believe a sovereign God wants to do a miraculous work in and through his people to bring many to a saving knowledge of Him.  Only God can do a miracle – but He chooses to partner with His people.

The miracle we are going to study this morning is the only miracle recorded in all four gospels.  That must mean it has a very special significance.  I think it does.  It gives us three steps for “How to Make a Miracle.”

Now, I was tempted to call this message, “How Children’s Ministry Pays Off Big,” because a little child provided the ingredients for a miracle that fed 1000's.  I decided to go with my first instinct but I want you to know – I REALLY BELIEVE CHILDREN’S MINISTRY CAN PAY BIG DIVIDENDS FOR OUR CHURCH.

Someday, I hope God will lead me to preach that message.

For now, let’s look at the ingredients that go into a God-sized miracle event in your life!

1.  The first ingredient is a VISION TO SEE IT (vv. 5-7)

One of the great churches in America is Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, Il.  It was started by a young seminary graduate by the name of Bill Hybels and a small handful of men.  20 years later, it is a major force in the community with as many as 20,000 members and attenders.  It now has nearly 30,000 attendees and multiple sites.

In one of his books he writes – and I think it true – “The most potent weapon for world change is VISION!”  Vision is the energy that creates action.  It is the fire that ignites the passion.”

If a church - our church or any church - is ever going to grow and reach souls for Christ “God-honoring, kingdom-advancing, heart-thumping vision.” (Hybels).

Years ago a college professor said to our class (and he may have been repeating it from one of his mentors): “Class, if you can conceive it, God can achieve it.”  How true that is.

Vision is not a wish.  It is not a hope.  It is not a goal.  Vision is an image fixed in a Christian’s mind and heart that is as real a daybreak and stunning as the sunset. Vision goes beyond what “could be.” Vision is a mental picture of what “will” be. Any thing less than this is mere wishful thinking.  All “wishing on a star” will  not create a new reality.  Only a God-sized vision will.

Now, vision is exactly what Philip did NOT have.

Now, having said that, let me turn to two characters in our story to illustrate what I mean by vision.  Look at the verbal exchange between Jesus and Philip, vv 5-7,

5 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?" 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.  7 Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"

Verse 6 tells us that Jesus was “testing” Philip.  Now, a test of this type in Scripture was for the purpose of “improvement,” not punishment.  I know that many times in my years in school, some professors and teachers delighted in giving tests as a means of “punishing” the students in the class.  Such teachers derived a sadistic pleasure from the pain of students. This test was to show Philip (and the other disciples – and you and I, today) what happens when there is no vision.

Notice: Philip was blind the possibilities, but he had no problem seeing the COST of everything.

Blindness of necessity breeds caution.  Without vision, a person must move slowly and methodically, just to stay alive.  But, God does not want His church to wander blindly tapping the cane of analysis to the point of paralysis -- God can give us a vision that gives us the ability to see our success before we ever experience it.

Years ago, David Livingston left the safety of his England home to go to the "Dark Continent" of Africa.  This was in the late 1800's still an uncharted, largely unexplored, hostile continent.  Yet, David Livingston wanted to bring the Light of Christ to this dark land, so he set out for this Dark Continent.  His friends are said to have asked, "Dr. Livingston, what direction will you go?"  Livingston is recorded as saying something like,  "It doesn't much matter, as long as it is forward."

Vision always catapults God's people forward just like
a mighty river always carries its waters onward to its destination.

Anytime God’s people move forward, there will be people at Philip’s position on the growth plan.  They will speak up quickly about “how much such and such will cost.”  Now, like Philip, they are not being positive.  They are not trying to merely count the cost.  They see no reason something SHOULD be done, or no way something CAN be done.

Jesus was “assessing” Philip.  Jesus was teaching Philip the necessity of developing Godly vision.  Jesus was using Philip as an object lesson of the need to “see things God’s way.”  Vision is a matter of always seeing the “God factor” in every situation.  Adding the “God factor” one can see things as the can be – as they SHOULD be – not as they are.  I’ll say more about this later.

Remember Bill Hybels definition of vision:  “Vision is the energy that creates action.  It is the fire that ignites the passion.”  People often think of “vision” as “seeing” an outcome—like a picture.  I prefer to think of vision as a “GPS” system guiding us to a determined outcome.

Philip’s lack of vision – as it always does – causes paralysis of analysis.

A person with a lack of vision can see only the cost of actions – never the benefits.  The lack of vision will stop a Christian or a church dead in it’s tracks.

The first step in the “making of a miracle” is to have vision: Jesus and Philip saw the same situation, but from two totally different perspectives.  Jesus always added in the “God factor” while He walked upon this earth.  Adding the “God factor” allows us to have vision – not just sight.

2.  The next ingredient is COURAGE TO TRY IT (vv 8-9)

Remember Mikey in the 80’s:  “Try it, you’ll like it!”  A commercial would show Mikey’s older brothers getting him to try a new cereal.  Mikey was the guinea pig.  But . . . Mikey “liked it!”

Now, what exactly is “it?”  That’s a fair question. I’m glad you asked?

“It” is trying anything except more of the same thing.

Notice the courage of Andrew: vv 8-9

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, 9 "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"

Andrew had just witnessed Philip’s exchange with Jesus, and Philip was not doing too well.  From the language of the text, it was probably clear that Jesus was putting pressure on Philip.

And, yet Andrew speaks up.  When I was a little boy and one of my brother’s or sisters was in trouble, the last thing I would do was get involved.  I got out of the line of fire.  In families, when one child gets a dressin’ down, it has a tendency to spill over on the other children.  I’m not saying that is the way it SHOULD be, but that is often the way it is.  When Dad or Mom are on the “correcting mode,” it is best to “not be seen and not be heard.”

Andrew speaks up and by all ways of measure has a POOR plan at best. There are 5000 men plus women and children.  Perhaps there are 10,000 to 15,000 individuals on that hillside.  Andrew’s plan: feed them with five biscuits and two sardines.  That’s what the boys lunch translates into in our day.

But Andrew deserves credit.  He at least offered a plan. 

Philip offered statistics.

Great people DO things.  Great churches DO things.  We don’t just talk about doing things – we DO things.  At least we should.  Today, I am telling you that GREAT DOCTRINE has never built a GREAT CHURCH.  Right doctrine is absolutely essential – but right doctrine has never built a church.  Listen to what James says:  James 1:22

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

I like to say it this way: “Our lost family and friends will not care what we know, until they know that we care.”  If we want God to do miracles in our midst – and I want to go on record saying I believe He can and will – then, we need the courage to try whatever it takes to reach people for Jesus Christ.  Miracles take COURAGE.

There is a character in the classic work Don Quixote named Pancho Sanchez. Pancho Sanchez hangs in fear from the ledge of a window all night long attempting an escape, too frightened to let go. When morning dawns he discovers his toes are only an inch off the ground. It's amusing to think of Simon Peter climbing out of the boat trying to imitate his Lord by walking on the water. Then, like a cartoon character, he makes the mistake of looking around. "What in the world am I doing?" he asked himself and suddenly he begins to sink. How often that happens in life. People are charting a successful course in their business, in their marriage, in their walk with Christ, and then they begin to listen to their fears. "What if I fail? What if the market fails? What if my faith is misplaced?" and they begin slowly to sink.

Many times I've read stories about courage on the battlefield, or some other grand event.  But, where I have seen real courage over the years has been in the lives of little boys and girls I have met over the years.  Poor kids that go to school hungry every day.  Poor kids that go to school wearing hand-me-down clothes that never quite fit right.  That’s where I’ve seen courage.  Courage to get up every day knowing that you are starting the day with two strikes against you. THAT’S COURAGE!

It is so like God to make a little boy the hero in this story.  

I’m asking you all to show a little courage in your lives.  Instead of offering statistics for why something may fail, why not show a little courage and say,

Let's follow a little boys example and say,  “Let’s try!”  Let’s try sharing a little more.  Let’s try giving a little more.  Let’s try loving a little more.  Let’s try serving the community a little more.  Let’s try!

I wonder . . . . what would happen here at FBC-TO if we were willing to risk everything in the hope of seeing God do a miracle.  What if we were willing to “mortgage it all” in the belief that God had great things

in store for us?  What if we had just a little more courage to try something radical?

3.  Faith to SEE IT DONE (v9, “Here is a boy”)

I don’t know what possessed Andrew to offer his pitiful plan.  It could not be called “faith” exactly, because Andrew said, “But.”  “But what is this among so many.”  If Andrew’s initial intent had any faith mixed with it, it burned out quicker than a discount lightbulb. 

Maybe Andrew showed a little courage, but I wouldn’t call it faith.

The little boy – now that is faith.  He was poor little boy.  That lunch was a treasure to him.  I imagine when he saw Andrew coming toward him, and the little boy sensed that his lunch was in jeopardy – the little boy promptly sat on it.  NOW I CANNOT SAY THIS FOR SURE – BUT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE.

How do I know the little boy was poor.  Because the Word says that the loaves (actually small, flat cakes) were made out of barley.  Barley was a coarse grain usually the feed for animals.  It wasn’t as smooth or good as wheat.  It was the food of the poor.  The fish were probably equivalent to two small sardines.  As was the custom of the area, they were probably “salt pickled.”  They were little more than a snack.  A meager mouthful.  It was all the little boy had. 

     I can see the scene in my mind of how that little poor kid’s day started.  “Mom, mom I’m going out to Jesus, the one who has been doing miracles.  I’ll be home before dark.”  I imagine his mother protested.  But the little boy persisted.  “OK,” mom says, “but let me fix you a lunch.”  She gathered together the little bit she could find.  I see her wrapping it in a clean cloth, putting it in a little basket, and handing it to her boy.  Off he went to the countryside. 

     Now it is late in the day.  The little boy has been following Jesus and listening to Jesus preach.  He gets hungry.  He unwraps his lunch and catches the eye of Andrew.  Andrew takes the boy and his lunch to Jesus.

Here is where “faith” really kicks in.  If the boy had been rich and had another lunch stashed somewhere, the story would lack the force it has for us.  This story has the same element as the story of the widow’s mite.  She, too, was poor and gave all she had.  Wouldn’t it be something to get to heaven and find out that the “widow” was this little poor boy’s Mom.  AGAIN, I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE JUST LIKE GOD TO USE A LITTLE, INSIGNIFICANT CHILD OF A NAMELESS INSIGNIFICANT WIDOW TO DO THE ONLY MIRACLE RECORDED IN ALL FOUR GOSPELS!

The lad gave His lunch to Jesus.  There was no guarantee of getting anything back.  His lunch was gone.  As a poor little boy I’m sure he had been left out many times before, and no doubt thought he’d be left out again.  His little lunch was GONE!

Friends, I doubt if any of us in this room knows how to give with such faith. Even if we think we give away a lot, we know we keep even more.  This boy gave all he had.  Friends – that pounds me into the ground with a hammer of conviction.

Where is our faith?

A little goes a long way when you put it in the hands of Jesus.  All throughout the Bible we see this principle scattered like peanut shells on a bar floor.  He used a tiny baby to win the heart of Pharoah’s daughter that would lead to the deliverance of His people.  God used the humble rod of a shepherd in the hand of Moses to work miracles before the Great Pharaoh.  God used the a small stone from the shepherd sling of David to fell the giant, Goliath. 

When we turn to the N.T. we see the “Biggest use of something insignificant.” God defeated the Devil with a piece of wood – THE CROSS.

There was nothing more despised in that day than the cross.  There was a saying, repeated in the Gospel, “Cursed is he who is hung on a tree.”  God defeated the Devil with that which was most despised.

There is no instrument in the Hands of God that cannot be used mightily to accomplish His purposes – including you through your life.

Jesus  once said to his disciples, “Oh, ye of little faith.”  Certainly that was an admonishment for their lack of trust, but it was also a recognition of great possibility.  For, a little faith in the hands the Master is always enough – just like a couple fish and few biscuits.

Jesus does not despise  these small things but delights in putting them into the service of his father.  Andrew was right in his analysis: “What are these among so many.”  But, Andrew was wrong in his faith.  For, in the hands of Jesus, two little fish and five biscuits fed a multitude.

I SAID, “IN THE HANDS OF JESUS TWO LITTLE FISH AND FIVE BISCUITS FED A MULTITUDE!”

But, let me point out – nothing happened as long as the little boy’s lunch stayed in his basket.  Faith happens when we give our selves completely to the work of God. 

If we are going to beat back the blackness of sin in our lives or in our society, faith has to become something more than a topic for Sunday School literature. Faith must become a soldier sent to the front lines to do battle with the enemy.

Faith must become a smooth stone picked from the brook of struggle and launched from the sling of faith.

Wishing that  hunger would go away in our world won’t feed anybody. Wishing that the poor children of this world have clothes won’t put shoes on any feet or shirts on any backs.  Wishing that the homeless would find shelter won’t keep anybody from freezing on the streets of eastern cities this winter.  Friends, we need to do more about our faith than rub our prayer lists like they are an Aladdin’s Lamp and God is Grand Cosmic Genie!

Faith that isn’t put into action isn’t faith!  As one writer has put it, “Faith is a verb.”  “Pisteuo,” is a verb which literally means, “I am faithing,” like, “I am running,” or “I am jumping.”

TRUE BELIEF TRANSLATES INTO ACTION.

Would you look into the basket of your life, today and ask yourself, what could God do with my gifts and talents if I handed myself over to Him completely.

Faith is action.  Faith is giving.  Faith is going.  Faith is praying by first looking into your own life to see what you might have in your basket that if placed into the Lord’s hands would be the seed of a miracle.

Vision to see it.  Courage to do it.  Faith to believe it.

These are the ingredients that lead to God working miracles and guaranteeing a truly “Happy” and “New” Year.

Isn’t it about time to start mixing the ingredients for a
great and prosperous New Year in your life?