Welcome to Day 2146 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

The Gospel of John – 14 – God's Specialities Impossibilities – Daily Wisdom

The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication of the Word – God’s Specialty: Impossibilities

Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle.  Last we completed the mock trial of Jesus where He, as a defense attorney, left us with only one logical choice, to accept Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath, and also equal with God. Today we are transported to another time and place in John’s narrative. Today’s passage is John 6:1-21. I am reading from the NLT because it flows so well. I will read it in segments of the passage throughout the message today, so keep your Bibles open to follow along. Sometime after His clash and mock trial with the religious elite in Jerusalem, Jesus returned to Galilee, where events gave Him an opportunity to offer His disciples a divine perspective on earthly challenges. This was a crucial lesson for the men He would later commission with the words, “Again he said, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.’” (John 20:21). Sometimes, life on planet Earth can be a demoralizing struggle. Some challenges loom more significant than our meager resources. Some demands far outweigh our ability to meet them. Some answers float high above our intellectual reach, and some problems are too complex to solve. Let’s face it; the world is huge, and we are small. And to make matters worse, we are naturally predisposed to think only on the horizontal plane. Nothing is impossible for God, yet we habitually think in terms of what we have to offer and what can be accomplished through natural means. Some might call this a lack of faith or a failure to believe, but not John, the apostle. He remembered a time when a small band of men had chosen to believe in the Son of God and had left everything behind to follow Him, yet frequently, they struggled to understand Jesus’ words and repeatedly failed to comprehend what they saw Him do. Theirs was a completely different problem from the lack of belief Jesus encountered among the religious leaders in Jerusalem. The disciples failed to understand what they saw and heard, yet chose to believe in the Son of God; the temple officials understood better than anyone who Jesus claimed to be, yet chose to reject Him. Disbelief and ignorance are distinct problems, and Jesus handled them accordingly. He condemned disbelief while He patiently transformed the minds of struggling believers. 6:1–3 After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. Likely six months passed after the events of 5:1–47. Again, John provides snapshots, not a chronological timeline. During this time, the Lord continued to minister in Judea and Galilee. As He healed the sick and proclaimed the good news, multitudes began to follow. In fact, they didn’t merely follow; they relentlessly dogged His every movement. The other Gospels tell us that the disciples had just completed an extensive preaching tour of their own and needed rest and encouragement (Mark 6:30–31), so He took them to a “secluded place” somewhere in the wilderness east of Bethsaida (Luke 9:10). But they still couldn’t escape the crowds. The Lord knew the vast majority of the people sought Him for selfish gain and nothing more; nevertheless, unlike His disciples, He felt compassion for them, even when they became a nuisance. In a snapshot overview of today’s passage, we see Jesus fed a multitude of followers somewhere in the hill country northeast of the Sea of Galilee. According to other Gospels, He then commanded His disciples to set sail for Capernaum. Unfortunately, a strong wind—most likely from the west (Matt. 14:24)—impeded their progress, so that the men were “straining at the oars” (Mark 6:48).  (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) John occasionally includes a time reference in his narrative. His reference to the coming Passover tells us something about the people’s frame of mind, much like our beginning a story with the words, “Christmas was just around the corner and …” Passover was just around the corner. A large congregation of Hebrews had gathered in the wilderness. In such a setting, Moses, paschal lambs, unleavened bread, wilderness wanderings, and manna would have mingled easily in the minds of everyone present. Jesus recognized an opportunity and decided to make the most of it. In a single miraculous “sign,” He would teach His disciples a valuable lesson,/ clearly define His mission on earth, winnow the multitude for authentic believers, and set a course for Calvary. Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do. Having retreated no less than four miles into the wilderness, Jesus said, “Wake up and look around” (similar to 4:35, look, the fields are white for harvest) to see the multitude approaching. According to Matthew, the crowd numbered five thousand men plus their wives and children (Matt. 14:21); perhaps there were as many as ten thousand people in all. Upon seeing the multitude, Jesus selected a specific disciple: Philip. His purpose was to “test” His students. Peirazō, the Greek word for “test,” has a wide range of meaning that includes both positive and negative connotations. Jesus was tempted throughout His ministry (Heb. 2:18; 4:15), most directly by Satan, whom Matthew called peirazōn, “the tempter.” But the term can also be positive. For James, faith reaches full maturity through trials (Jas. 1:2–3, 12), a disposition that agrees with Peter (1 Pet. 4:12–13). Therefore, the nature of a “test” depends on the person's intent. In this case, Jesus saw an opportunity to let His disciples fail so that He might strengthen them. Jesus chose Philip for the test because he was the statistical pessimist of the group. It’s a common problem. Every group has at least one, and almost everyone has a fair amount of Philip in them. While Jesus’ opening question was earnest, it was nonetheless intended to reveal a specific attitude.  Of course, Jesus knew what He would do, which is a crucial part of the lesson. Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!” Philip didn’t answer the question he was asked. Jesus asked about “where”; Philip answered with “how much.” The word money in this passage refers to 200 denarii. A denarius was a Roman silver coin, roughly equal to one day’s wages for a common, semi-skilled laborer (Matt. 20:2–13). He quickly estimated the buying power of 200 days’ wages, which was perhaps the amount they had in the treasury. Although this sum was considerable, it was paltry compared to the need. Philip looked at the problem in terms of meeting the minimum requirement. Abundance was not worth considering if “a little” for each person was impossible. Statistical pessimists think like that. 6:8–9 Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” While Philip calculated, Andrew quietly moved through the crowd. While Philip didn’t look beyond his means, Andrew considered the possibility that the people might provide themselves with some leadership. But the people had little or nothing. So he sheepishly mentioned one little boy’s sack lunch, containing “five barley loaves and two fish.” Everything about Andrew’s statement emphasizes inadequacy. The Greek term for “boy” is a double diminutive; he was “a little boy.” In terms of provision, little children were of no use at all. His few “barley loaves” were common to the Mediterranean diet. They would have been leavened at least a little, formed into little disks about 4 or 5 inches in diameter, and then baked. (Since I was fresh out of Barley loaves, I brought the tortilla instead) And the Greek term for “fish” is the diminutive form of a word meaning “little fish.” They were small, seasoned, sardine-like fish, (show sardine can) included for the sake of flavor. This was, after all, a small boy’s lunch, so there was not much to work with. While it harkened back to a similar experience with Elijah (2 Kgs. 4:42–44), the proportions, in this case, were extreme. While Andrew faithfully reported what provision he had found, his final comment revealed his limited perspective: “But what good is that with this huge crowd?” Jesus was not discouraged by their responses; he continued with his plan. “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. I imagine the Lord flashing a reassuring grin as He instructed His disciples. Then, in the day's vocabulary, He said, “Have the people recline.” The posture for eating back then was leaning back on one elbow. Imagine the scene. The disciples organized the people into groups of fifty (Mark 6:39; Luke 9:14) and instructed them to prepare for a meal. No one saw any food, and the disciples had no idea how the people would be fed. Once the organization was complete, the Lord placed the little sack lunch before Him and thanked him. I imagine the disciples sneaking glances at one another as Jesus prayed, “Thank You, Father, for the food this large gathering is about to enjoy.” Jesus then multiplied the meager offering. Again, imagine the scene. He broke one lunch into two, then again, and again, and again. He divided the lunch many thousands of times over a period of hours, assuming He worked alone. And each person received more than “a little”; they all received “as much as they wanted.” For most of them, this was their first complete meal in a long while. Leftovers were not a common sight in ancient times. (no leftovers remind me of growing up in a family of twelve – pass the plate back around to put some back…I don’t recall leftovers being part of our family either) After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves. John never includes details without good reason. The offering had been meager, the miracle dramatic, and the provision abundant, but the lesson was incomplete. So the Lord instructed each of the twelve men to collect the leftovers. Each of the disciples took a wicker basket called a kophinos—(similar to a backpack today), typically used to carry one person’s provisions for a journey of two or three days (Judg. 6:19; Ps. 81:6)—and collected enough uneaten scraps to provision each of the twelve. The disciples’ lesson should have been evident at the end of the day. The size of a challenge should never be gauged regarding our capability. What we have to offer will never be enough. God never calls us to provide; that’s His responsibility. Instead, He calls us to commit whatever we have—even if it’s no more than a sack lunch. His call comes with a promise: You take care of the addition, I’ll be in charge of the multiplication, and the mission I’ve invited you to join will be accomplished. When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself. John comments briefly on the response of the people, which is essential to the story later on. The Lord performed this “sign” to instruct the people as well as His disciples. There in the wilderness, having consumed miracle bread to their stomachs’ delight, they recognized Jesus as “the Prophet” (Deut. 18:15–18; John 1:21). Jesus rejected the path to the throne taken by most earthly kings. He refused to ride the swell of popular support into Jerusalem. He knew His path to be the way of suffering, as the Father had prophesied for centuries and planned from the beginning (John 18:36). Moreover, He knew their stomachs rather than their hearts had prompted the people. Therefore, Jesus chose not to address the crowd immediately; instead, He retreated further into the wilderness hill country. That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. As evening fell, the crowd dispersed, and the disciples boarded their fishing boat for Capernaum as instructed by the Lord (Matt. 14:22–23; Mark 6:45–46). (They gave up waiting on him.) But Jesus perceived them (supernaturally, no doubt—see Mark 6:48), struggling to stay afloat and on course in the wee hours of the morning (Matt. 14:25). A fierce storm had descended on the sea as often happens. The Sea of Galilee is 686 feet below sea level in a deep rift between the Arabian Desert and the Mediterranean Sea. Winds frequently whip down through the gorge and turn the Sea of Galilee very choppy, which would have been a nightmare for the crude sailing boats of the first century. As one commentator notes, “Even today, the situation is similar. Powerboats periodically are warned to remain docked as the winds whip the water into foamy whitecaps.” They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination! The men put all their strength against the oars to land at Capernaum, but the winds resisted them for hours. This is another vivid example of human inadequacy. By contrast, Jesus demonstrated mastery over the elements by walking across the water to rescue them. When Jesus reached the boat, He calmed them by declaring, Egō eimi, “I am.” He proceeded with a short command—literally, “Don’t be afraid.” And when He stepped into the vessel, they were “immediately” at their destination. John offers this without explanation or comment, presumably because the point is clear. Jesus once again brought His abundant power to rescue human inadequacy, turning an impossible situation into an opportunity to strengthen the confidence of His believers. The disciples should be commended for trusting the Lord despite their still-dull minds. However, while they continued to trust Jesus, they tragically failed to gain insight from the “sign” they had witnessed only hours before in the wilderness. According to Mark, “Their hearts were too hard to take it in” (Mark 6:52). This idiom didn’t mean they were unkind or cruel (as it does in English). Instead, their reasoning and emotions were resistant to development. We would say they were “thick-headed.” Nevertheless, Jesus remained patient with His disciples. He was gentle if He rebuked them at all (Matt. 14:31). The people fed in the wilderness were also thickheaded but for different reasons. Upon landing in Capernaum, Jesus would confront their selfish motives head-on, which we will explore next week. Application: John 6:1–21 Miracle Math Philip faced a math problem he couldn’t solve one early spring day in Galilee. Jesus looked down the slope of a mountain to see a multitude of empty stomachs. Immediately, He challenged Philip with the task of feeding them. The poor disciple didn’t need a calculator to figure out that no natural solution to the problem existed. In fact, a quick estimate gave proof that Jesus’ challenge could not be met with the money they had on hand. Sooner or later, every believer will face a test that mathematics has declared impossible. How should we respond? As I observe Philip, Andrew, the other disciples, the little boy, and Jesus, I find a model of faithful obedience worth emulating. Consider the following steps the next time a math problem challenges the work of God. First, acknowledge your inadequacy and the Lord’s omnipotence. Perhaps Philip could have responded to Jesus’ directive by saying, “Lord, we don’t have the ability to accomplish what you have asked, but nothing is too difficult for You.” This is not shrinking from a challenge or shirking responsibility. There’s nothing ungodly about acknowledging the size of the challenge. Remember that the Lord’s power is always greater, no matter our difficulty. Second, be certain the challenge before you glorifies the Lord, obeys one of His commands in Scripture, or helps to fulfill a Scriptural mandate (such as the Great Commission). The Lord never challenged His disciples to demoralize them. The impossible task He gave to Philip did have a solution, albeit a supernatural one. And the same is true with us. Jesus issued a command just before ascending to take His place in glory: to “make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19–20). Humanly speaking, this is an impossible task. He might as well ask us to bale the Pacific Ocean dry with a teaspoon. It can’t be done…naturally. Nevertheless, if He has commanded something, it can be done…supernaturally. Just think of the billions of Christ-followers worldwide today from every tribe and nation that started from this small band of twelve – that is impossible. Today's difficulty is that we generally do not receive personal commands from the Lord, such as “what type of outreach program will be most effective in our community and the world?” How much easier ministry would be if He sent instructions via FedEx. Instead, He communicates His vision and His values through the Bible. Therefore, we must work together and keep one another honest as we put our plans to the test. Does the challenge glorify God? Does the challenge obey a command of Scripture? Does the challenge fulfill a Scriptural mandate? Remember that our occupation and calling are to build God's kingdom as citizens of God’s kingdom. Our job is just a means...