(Following the Footsteps of Christ) Feeding the Five Thousand — Willie Mullan

805 Brightly beams our father's mercy from his lighthouse evermore but to us he gives the keeping of the lights along the shore. 805 please.

Chapter 6.

The Feeding of the Five Thousand in John’s Gospel

John's Gospel and that the 6th chapter and you'll notice from your notes this evening that this is our 20th week in this series. One can hardly believe that we're 20 weeks now following the footsteps of Christ how time goes past and tonight we're going to be with Christ when he fed the 5 ,000.

That's what we've got to know in the following the footsteps and with John chapter 6 and it's feeding the 5 ,000. Let me say this about this miracle. This is the only miracle of all miracles. And I gave you the number of the miracles the other evening.

But this is the only miracle of all miracles that's found in each of the Gospels. Matthew records it Mark records it Luke records it John records it now that's very significant. Isn't it that. This is the only miracle that's recorded by each of the four Gospel writers.

You see this miracle has something to do with the Son of God because John writes about the Son of God. And this miracle has something special to do with the King of Israel for Matthew writes about the King of Israel.

And this miracle has something special to do with the servant of Jehovah for Mark writes about the servant of Jehovah. And this miracle has something to do with the Son of Man because Luke writes about the Son of Man so that you can see that it's a very special miracle then I think it's a very, very special miracle because this miracle has 5 ,000 witnesses.

I want you to get the hold of that and I mean that every one of them witnessed it. It's not just the crowd. You know that the half of them couldn't see in from the back and all the bread came out to them.

They fought, they hung. So we have 5 ,000 witnesses for this miracle. Great pity for some of the modernists who do not believe in miracles. I can assure them there were 5 ,000 witnesses here. Yes, so it's very special.

And we're at John chapter 6 verse 1 just to get this proper connection here. After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee which is the Sea of Tiberias. Sometimes it's called Galilee sometimes it's called Tiberias because the city of Tiberias is right on the shores of Galilee.

And I lived in Tiberias for a while and a great multitude followed him. I want you to try in your mind's eye to see this multitude following him. And a great multitude followed him because they loved him not on your life.

It doesn't say that great multitude followed him because of sinners they had need of him not on your life. Great multitude followed him because they were fleeing from the last to come. Not at all. It says a great multitude followed him because they saw his miracles which he did on men that were diseased.

They just thought that he was a sort of super magician. That's all interest they have. And if you have thought of super magicians yes, in the pulpit, bluffing the folk you can still get clouds to follow.

Don't they? Because I can take you to where it happens. Some of the big healing champions in America is a parcel of bluff shall I say diabolical bluff. I know this that they have sent from New York to California three thousand miles away it is.

And they have brought tramps from California and down and out bombs they call them in America. And they have brought them in a plane, a plane load of them and they tell them to go into this tremendous tent in the evening with a white stick or somebody to wheel them in in a wheelchair or somebody to carry them in in a stretcher.

And if you were in the meeting and the man is laid up that isle and he's got a white stick and he's tapping all round him and he comes up here and this fella begins this hallelujah business and puts his hand on him and the fella drops the stick and says I can see.

And you'd be bluffed you know. And there are clouds that go to this sort of diabolical magician business. So you just be very careful that you're not sucked in because you're not beyond bluffing you know you just be sure.

But the multitude was not following Jesus here because they loved him. They were not following him because as sinners they had a deep dire desperate need of him. They were only following him because they liked this exhibition of power.

They thought him a sort of super magician or a super physician. There was no word at all about him as their own personal saviour. Let's get that very clear now before we go any further. So it says that a great multitude followed him because they saw his very good which he did on them that were diseased.

And Jesus went up into the mountain there he sat with his disciples and to pass over a feast of the Jews. Well it used to be called the feast of Jehovah but the Jews had so taken it over and added their own little bits to it.

It's called the feast of the Jews. Now when Jesus then lifted up his eyes and saw great company come unto him he sent unto Philip. Now why Philip? Matthew was there and John was there and James was there and Andrew was there and Peter was there.

Why Philip? Why pick Philip? I don't think there's any real reason for that at all. You know I have a school out at the hill and I think we have 27 or 28 now young preachers coming out there. And sometimes I pick one out you know because I feel that he's put something down on paper that I can make use of for the rest of them.

And he goes through a sort of kind of drilling for me but it's good for everybody else and he's got enough sense to take it. I can remember Dr. Ironside coming in in the morning when we were boys and he would say to me do you know the difference between God's message and God's truth?

And I always learned when I was a young fellow if I didn't know to say I didn't know I don't think anybody can blame you for your ignorance you know but they can blame you if you try to bluff. And I would say no sir.

I don't know he could pick anybody out. I think this is how Spurgeon taught at the school. You know he would walk into the school of scholars and he would just take one fellow out just you. He would say stand up and preach to me now on today.

Well mind you that's a bit tight going isn't it? You would wonder what he would say. And he had a little man called Tom Watson there who was only about 4 feet 2 and Spurgeon came in one day and said Tom stand up and preach on the course.

And Tom stood up and said if the case was a little man so am I. He was stuck up with me and I'm stuck now and old Spurgeon said you know in that moment of truth he could see the brilliance in me. But Tom Watson says Tom you'll lose.

And I think the master just picked anyone of them out. I think he was going to teach them all a lesson. It just happened to be that he took two or three. That's all there is in it. When people then lifted up their eyes and saw great company come unto him he said unto Philip when shall we buy bread that these may eat?

You know it says in the next verse. And this he said to prove him. You know he's one to just see what the answer would be. And you can see Philip there. You can see him, Philip answered him 200 penny worth of bread is not sufficient for them.

And the penny that's mentioned here was a day's pay in those days and it would take 200 days pay to give them just a little, Philip said that every one of them might take a little. You see the situation here and you can see the interrogation and you can see Philip doing his sums.

He's calculating this up but let me say this he's calculating without Christ. How do you do your sums like that when you're faced with a problem son oh put all the digits in. I don't mind get all the units in.

Ok but with Christ. And you'll find the answer will be different. Leave Christ out of your calculations and you're going to be in a bit of a muddle. Sometimes the Lord proves his people. You know I think you can remember when Joshua came to the walls of Jericho and I was down at the walls of Jericho one day and I walked along the top of the walls.

You know the book says that the walls went down. It doesn't say they fell down. I hear them all saying they fell down. The walls of Jericho had fallen down been a bigger problem for the army. You know the walls of Jericho went down and they went on down into the earth like that.

And they're digging them up now and they're all there yet they're finding them walked along there. But you know when I was looking at these walls I could see the problem with death that Joshua had. He's coming with his army just out of the wilderness and the walls are high and the walls were broad.

And he knows he can't go through them. And he knows he can't go under them. And he knows he can't go over them. He's facing a problem. But it says in Joshua it says that when he was by the walls of Jericho a man appears between him and the problem.

He says to him who are you? He says I'm the captain of the Lord's host. If you can always get Christ in between you and the problem it won't look so bad. You know in fact it is no problem at all. Sometimes God proves his people by giving them a problem letting them see the problem.

Seeing if they'll get Christ in between them and the problem. Sometimes God proves his people by allowing disappointments to come their way. I can see Gideon marching down the road with 32 ,000 men. Any man that could muster 32 ,000 today in Ulster I would think he would be very pleased with himself.

For they're scattered into little factions now and they all want to be bosses. Somebody said to me the other day we have all chiefs and no Indians anymore. But Gideon had 32 ,000 and when God weeded the mosque he was left that afternoon with 300 men.

My if you were brought down to 300 from 32 ,000 would be a bit of disappointment. You've got to see the Lord then. Haven't you. Sometimes God proves his people by allowing them to face problems. By allowing them to have great disappointments by asking them questions about the circumstances of the day.

And if you just calculate with your own understanding you'll be friend in a fog. That's what he did. He's just trying to prove it. I want you to see this verse 6. This he said to prove him for he himself knew what he would do.

Oh I love that bit. You know. Oh can I take time to get that bit over to you. You know the Lord Jesus knew why these people were following him. They didn't block them. You know he knew they were just there to see the show.

It wasn't that they were in love with him. And yet although he knew all that about them he knew their needs used at that moment too. And before they knew it properly he had already planned for it because I can tell you that he plans for you before you ever think about your problem.

He had it all set up. He knew what he would do. He knew that. I heard a lady on the radio this morning thoughts for the day it was. And she said Jesus had lost his faith. It's a great pity they let these people long to open their mouth to reveal their ignorance past.

What a loss she must have been. Now what dopes we have to listen to on the radio. And what greater dopes we have to look at on the TV. What a parcel of them we have. And where have they lost their faith.

Did she not have a bible. It's a pity somebody wouldn't give her John's gospel. Because I think you see that this gospel was written specially to let us know what Jesus knew. And they tell every one of you in here that there are no limitations in Christ's knowledge.

And that's all. He just knew what he would do. Try this fella out to see what he is and where this fella is. Remember all the rest of them are he's just trying them out. I wonder how many of you know what we have been through in John's gospel up to now.

Well I'll go over it for you without turning the page. In chapter 1 he knew everything about Nathanael. When Nathanael came he said to him behold a minister of light in whom is no doubt. Nathanael said thanks Noth by me.

Jesus said before him that Philip called him to him by the standard of his feet. See I told you knew everything about Nathanael astounded him. When you come to chapter 2 it says there's a crowd at Jerusalem.

But Jesus did not commit himself unto them for he knew what was in mind. He knew what that crowd was about. When it comes to chapter 3 Nicodemus comes into his presence at night with this lovely pious talk.

We know that thou art a teacher who comes from God. For no man can do these miracles that thou doest. And Jesus shut him up and said listen you when you talk to me like that you need to be born again.

He knew this big religious man's need. You know when the big religious man didn't know it himself. And in chapter 1 he knows everything about Nathanael. And in chapter 2 he knew the men that were around him in Jerusalem.

And in chapter 3 he knows everything about Nicodemus. And in chapter 4 he said to the woman go call thy husband. She said I have no husband said in this thou sayest right for thou hast had five husbands.

He was never in Samaria before. He had never talked to this Samaritan before. She had never been out of Samaria. He knows she's had five husbands. And he whom thou knowest is not thine husband. If you like to look at chapter 5 let me show it to you.

It's just on your page there. It's a prequel of the Thursdays isn't it. And there's a man lying by the pool. And it says in verse 5. And a certain man was there which had an infirmity thirty and eight years now at that moment Jesus Christ is only thirty one or thirty one and a half.

This man's older than him. He's thirty eight. And verse 6 says when Jesus saw him lie thy aunt knew that he had been now a long time in that place. Jesus knew all about him. Jesus knew all about Nathaniel.

Jesus knew all about the clouded Jerusalem. Jesus knew all about Nicodemus. Jesus knew all about the woman at the well. Jesus knew all about the man at the pool. Jesus knew what he would do in John 6.

Now I can go right through the whole chapters of John and do every one of them for you. They would take too much time wouldn't it. You'd do the rest of them. Let me help you with one or two. Have a look at John 13.

John 13 verse 1. Now before the feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour was come he knew all about it. Now I want you to get this bit. When Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should be part out of this world unto the power which she talked about this morning about him losing his way.

This woman doesn't read this book just before he went into Gethsemane. Jesus knew that his hour was come and that he would go to his house or somebody would tell her he's just a thump. They pick up somewhere and let her on the radio.

That's what you have to reflect for the day. Pray for the day. That's what that is. Have a look at this now it says here verse 3. Jesus knowing isn't that lovely that the father had given all things into his hands.

He knew that you know and that he was come from God and went to God. He hadn't lost his way. It's the pity of this woman isn't it. They think she's on her way to Hell. Yet that's no case to be on in the morning thought for the day.

I hope you don't swallow this stuff in the morning. My dear friends it annoys me to see some of these cases that get on. They're so dark and far away from God. They could help nobody. The Lord never lost his way.

He knew that he came from God. He knew that he was going back to God. Get Him and me or Godatha or Golgotha. Golgotha never puzzled him. He knew he would manage it all right. My dear friends it does annoy you.

Now look at every chapter sometime and find the knowledge of Christ. You see this is the plan of the botanist. There's no confusion about him. He just knows what he will do. And there's no hesitation about it and there's no limitation about it.

Andrew Finds the Loaves and Fishes

And we're back at John chapter 6 and verse 8 says one of his disciples Andrew. Simon Peter's brother says unto him there is a lab here which hath five barn in those and two small fishes in that they had only shut up there.

It would have been a great thing. But they had to go on gathering. But what are they among so many. Now Andrew has to be commended for fetching out of town. He's Andrew the finder. You remember. It was Andrew that found Peter.

And that's a wonderful thing. And although there were five thousand people here spread over this mountainside it was Andrew who found the land with the five logs and two fishes. He's Andrew the finder.

But then he's Andrew the sailor. You see. I think if you look at Philip you can see that his eye is on the multitude. We'll never feed them. I think if you look at Andrew his eye is on the meat. Five logs and two fishes.

But what are they. He just sees the meat. The other fellow just saw the multitude. Neither of the two of them saw the master although they were close behind him. Don't be keeping your eye on the crowd too much you know.

Or on the meat. Either think you keep your eyes on the master or you'll make a fool of yourself. Never lose sight of Jesus. Old W .P. Nicholson used to say every night all pilgrim bound for the heavenly land.

Never lose sight of Jesus. Don't let the multitude or the meat or the money. Keep your eyes on the master. And so you can see that Andrew was the finder. But he was the sailor. I think it was a lovely thing he said.

There is a lad here. You know I learned lessons from that. I love to see the lads at the meeting. The lad in the middle of the two boys there the lads in the meeting. Because you know it was a lad who went up the mount with his father Abraham.

And Abraham said to the servants why I am the lad. You are younger and wiser. It was a lad who submitted to giving his body a living sacrifice. It normally takes the body. You know. It was a lad who sacrificed everything he had that day.

But the needs of the crowd might be met. Remember it was a lad that lifted the hands of Samson. Put them on the pillars. Samson said to him put my hands on the pillars. It was a lad that did that. I won't ever despise the lads and don't leave them at home.

Why my lads bring them to where they'll get something to go on on. Won't forget that it was Andrew who found a lad. David was just a lad when he met Goliath. Yes I think that you can see the pruning of Philippians and the plan of the potentates.

And the answer of Andrew. Now we're at verse 10. We come to the command of Christ. And Jesus said make the man sit down. Very, very thrilling to me. You know first of all I can see the grace of our Lord Jesus.

You know he knew all the unbelief that was in all these apostles and all around them. This fella. He can only see five laws and two faiths. What are they. And the other fellow is calculating it up and he says we'll never do it.

And although he saw the unbelief in their hearts and he knew the curse was not in line with him. It was grace that said make the man sit down. Oh yes. You know the Lord blesses us. Not because of us. Because of us is what I always believe.

I don't think that the Lord blesses you because of me. I think he blesses you in spite of me. That's what I think. Yes you know I can see the grace of the Lord Jesus. And what's more. I can see the patience of the Lord Jesus.

And sometimes it hits me very hard because I've got very little patience with a whole lot of folks. Very little. We talked to him the other night into the vestry where he says you know I'm doing very well these days with the Lord.

I'm going on great. He says it's just a wee thing. I'm going to court on Thursday and I owe £30 if I could get that. I says clear off. You're mooching for £30 and you're trying to use the Lord to get it.

Get out! I have no patience with those boys. None at all! I have no time for folk like that. Maybe I should have more but I haven't. I know my Lord could see into the hearts of men just like that. And sometimes I can see and I just haven't the patience.

They don't think they should be allowed to use the meeting just for their own amusement. Yes and yet the Lord was very patient to you with them. You know this is the Lord's command. Isn't it make my men sit down.

You know I don't know if all the apostles jumped to attention or not. Maybe Philip went away beside Peter and said what's this all about. It's 1 ,000 folk here. You know some people always go on to question what the Lord says.

One fellow said to me once why. Why could Adam not eat of the tree simply because the Lord told him not to do it. Another fellow said to me why had Noah to build the ark when there was no rain simply because the Lord told them to do it.

Why do believers get baptized simply because the Lord teaches it and shut their mouths when they're in the church of God. Because the Lord tells you to do it. That's why see them wandering in places into the church of God now.

No have some. They don't care. They're not good here. That's one thing I don't mind a non-saved person coming. I have no jurisdiction over you. But if you're a member here you'll obey the word of God.

Or you'll get out just because the Lord told you to do it. That's all. There's no lies about it. You don't need to question the Lord that he said command them to sit down. And you need to command them to sit down.

You just leave the thing in his hands. Obey the Lord. He was testing the obedience of all. I think there's something more to learn from that. You know our God is the God of order. He's not the author of confusion.

I was preaching at a certain place and a certain man came up to the meeting to argue with me. He goes to a meeting and he says you know we really rejoice in the Lord. And I said what do you do? He says you know if you can play a mouth organ you bring it.

And he says if you can't do anything you can bring the bin lid. And you can clap it. And I'm told that they walk around there with accordions and mouth organs and bin lids and juggles and the noise that's going on.

I said to him I'll tell you this before long. You know where you'll be in a lunatic asylum. And I'll tell you that's where he is tonight. That's the sad bit of it. Yes you can't go on like this. You know our God is a devil confusion that is nothing but confusion.

That's not God at all. And put your head away. He says make them sit down. Because you know if you're going to be blessed you have to sit down at his feet. There's things to learn here. Yes I want you to get this.

I think you can see the provenance in it and the plan of importance in it and the answer to Andrew and the command of the Christ. I want you to see the marvel of the miracle. You know I think this is marvelous.

Christ’s Provision and the Ministry of the Disciples

It says verse 11. And Jesus took the loaves if we love give them up five loaves, two fishes. And when he had given thanks leaving us an example to follow isn't it. And watch this very carefully distributed to the disciples.

I think I can see these twelve apostles standing around them waiting for their feast to come and the disciples for them that were sat down and likewise did the fishes as much as they would. There's a tremendous truth here.

And I learned it when I was a young fellow. You see if I'm to feed this flock and I've been doing this for twenty years and we have barricades and we have bus flights and we have Belfast in flames and we are now almost wrecked tonight and we have the clouds still.

I know that a few have been thinned of this evening and we understand that but I know that if I'm to feed this flock that I will need to go to Christ and get the stuff from him and I will need to take it from you in a way that you can get a hold of it.

I mustn't throw it over you. You know that's why the notes are put out for you so that you can grasp it. And when you've got that I've got to go back again to him because I have nothing more to give you.

I'll go down the street tonight and I'll talk to myself on the way down. Lord you'll have to help me for the next Tuesday that will come. Because don't you think that I have a book to read. You know I look on myself as if I was a telegraph boy.

Mr. Edgar who's one of the managers of the post office. I can remember him when he was a telegraph boy you know almost clear as anything. I can remember him on an old red bicycle and I can remember him laying the bicycle against Dr. Warnock's window.

It was next door to the post office and I can see Harry Edgar clear today. He was a young fellow smaller than Joseph on this red bicycle. He was the telegraph boy. He just took the telegrams and if they were sad and horrible ones he had to take them.

And if there were good news about somebody winning the pools maybe they hadn't got any pools in those days. But you know what I mean. Well he took the telegram. Sometimes I think I'm just the telegram boy and I need to go to the Lord to see what he wants to say.

Sometimes I feel I'm like a baker. Well he really is in the meeting. He's the baker and he is sitting there. Two are in here. And it isn't a baker. Not very much is it. Well he takes the bread and takes it on.

I need to go down to the big house and get it ready for you. I'm just a baker around here. Or you can put it another way. You know the apostles were weeping on the cloud. They went to the kitchen to where Christ was.

Then they came out and were weeping on the cloud. I'm just a waiter around here. They don't ever get any ideas about me. You're getting any food. I must have got it from the Lord. You just thank him. Don't bother about the telegram boy or the baker or the waiter.

Because when he's delivered what he has he's bankrupt until he goes back to the Lord again. This is how the Lord blesses his people. He has picked some of us out you know. And given us the job of weeping on his people.

What a blessed job it is. But you need to have food for them. You know it's not bin lids. They need it's bread. And I want you to get the hold of this. I want you to get this. You know. And that's the importance of this performance.

Gathering the Fragments of Time and Truth

There are lessons for us to learn. It says this verse 12. When they were filled. Did you like that sir? You know it was it was Philip who talked about a little. Wasn't that just like him? He says you know we could only give them a little.

Or it was. And it was Andrew who said. But what are they? What are they? Yes you know Philip says that every one of them may take a little. Oh that's not the way the Lord feeds his sheep. Not the bitters.

And for Andrew to say what are they amongst the many. You know the five loaves and two fishes in the hand of the lad was only an afternoon's meal. But the five loaves and the two fishes in the hand of the Lord is a different thing.

They were filled. I want you to get this. Let's get the hold of this. It's the word when that I must. When they were filled he said unto his disciples. So you see when he said it. And you see to whom he said it.

He's not talking to the clove now he's talking to the twelve apostles. And you can see what he said. He said gather up the fragments that remain that nothing is lost. Therefore I gather them together and fill twelve baskets.

Did you get the hold of that? Because you know these fellows were just waiters for a while. And they were running to the clouds and running back to the Christ. And running to the clouds and running back again.

I'll tell you you know when you do the Lord's work the way he wants you to do he'll give you a basket home for yourself. There were twelve baskets full. Yes Peter. There's one for you. Now you did. Well there's one for you.

There are twelve baskets. Because I've always found that if I put my nose in the book with the one determination of getting the mass of methods to feed the people of God I'll get a pick for myself too.

Maybe I'll even get more. Yes I think that's very true. So you're not wasting your time. I want you to notice the saying of the saviour here. Gather up the fragments. Oh I think you could preach on that.

You young preachers. I think you could preach it like this. Gather up the fragments of time. Do we waste time? Do we let it lie around us at times? You're not there. If you're going to be any use for the Lord you'll have to gather up the fragments of time.

This time is short. I got a letter from Dublin once they said the meeting had forty minutes of free time. I don't understand that language. I'm absolutely ignorant about what free time should be. So I rang as it is.

Oh he says we just fool around. And maybe some of them have tea and all that I said it's not me you're looking for. I'm not coming to that meeting. I haven't any time to waste this book that I read. Others says that I'm to redeem it of time.

You know I sleep in another room from the rest of all the family shut up. Not because I'm a queer case. Because if I wake at four in the morning I put the light on and start the Bible. And I'm not disclosing anybody else.

I can't afford to waste time. I'll tell you this if I was looking at the book at the closet at four in the morning. I shouldn't tell you that. Yes you're not to waste time. Gather up the fragments. Do you see.

And you say gather up the fragments of truth. You know when you begin to expand this book make sure that you don't go and leave some of it lying around. Young Geoffrey got up the other Sunday morning at our morning meeting and he preached on Calvary.

Do you think. Everybody was thrilled. And I was thrilled preached on the man of Calvary. Preached on the midnight of Calvary when the darkness was over the light preached on the message of Calvary. And after the meeting I said to him you know this.

We were at the table this morning and I wondered why you left out the memory of Calvary. And I'll tell you what he said, he's sitting there. I'll tell you what he said. He says pastor I'm stupid now. He's far from stupid.

He's a blessed young man who's coming on and who has better days. But I was trying to teach him that there were fragments that he had left lying around. You said gather up the fragments of truth. Don't leave them when you've done your best.

Sometimes when the Lord breaks the message up for you and you're filled you almost parcel it up. Have another look now second look, third look, fourth look for the fragments. There need to gather up all the fragments of truth.

And you need to gather up all the fragments of trust. You need to trust the Lord. I was going to Castle Dunnington last week when they stinged him up on the board cancelled for the day. He had looked at it you know never said nothing.

There was a person beside me talking away had to close my eyes and said Lord I need another plane. A plane's a small thing for the Lord you know. Well give me a fleet of them if I need it. You know he says Lord I need a plane.