Jesus Feeds The Multitudes: Part 2

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So in saying that let's get started this will be part two of Jesus feeds the multitudes if you have not heard the message from last week please
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Not because I preached it, but please listen to it. It's kind of an introduction for everything
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We're going to read here in John chapter 6 verse 1 to 15 and Also like to I'm gonna put you on the spot this morning.
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Let me ask you a question. Can anybody remember the two points? A Man Insufficiency Our the center's insufficiency and God's sufficiency.
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Amen So well, we don't need to forget, right? It's so easy for us to forget
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Praise God and We need to remember
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Remember We need to remember So if you have not already turned to John chapter 6, let me read to you verse 1 to 15 1 to 15
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I'm gonna read the text and Then by God's help and grace. We're going to see what the text says.
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It's not what I See the text says or what we see the text, but what does the text say?
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Right? It's not our interpretation It's what God says That's what matters
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Context text is King here God's Word after these things
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Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias then a great multitude followed him because they saw his signs which he performed on those who were diseased and Jesus went up to the mountain and there he sat with his disciples now the
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Passover a feast of the Jews was near Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and seeing a great multitude coming toward him.
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He said to Philip Where shall we buy bread that these may eat? But this he said to test him for he himself knew
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What he would do Philip answered him 200 denarii worth worth of bread is not sufficient for them
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That every one of them may have a little One of his disciples Andrew Simon Peter's brother said to him
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There's a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish. But what are they among so many?
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And Jesus said make the people sit down and now there was much grass in the place So the men sat down and number about five thousand
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Jesus took the loaves and when he had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples and the disciples to those sitting down and Likewise the fish as much as they wanted
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So when they were filled he said to his disciples gather up the fragments that remained so that nothing is lost
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Therefore they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves Which were left over by those who had eaten
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Then those men when they had seen the sign that Jesus did said
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This is truly the prophet who is to come into the world Therefore when
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Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king
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He departed again to the mountain by himself alone. Let's stop right there
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May God bless the reading of his word to our hearts this morning and let's pray Our father in heaven how gracious how holy you are goodness and mercy all hours in Jesus Lord we
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Thank you, and we praise you and as the psalmist says in Psalm 81 10
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Lord you said I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt open your mouth wide
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And I will fill it. Oh God here we are We're needy people this morning
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We're insufficient sinners and We're beggars begging for bread and Lord, I'm just one beggar
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Pointing other beggars where bread is Oh God help us Thank you for your presence with us this morning.
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Thank you for your mercy Lord. We beg for mercy We beg for the living bread
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Lord Lord only you can truly satisfy us You can only truly inner satisfy our innermost beings that which we long for when it's a cavity there
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Lord that you Created that only you can fill Lord you made us for yourself and yourself along to worship you and love you
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Lord, we thank you for your blessed. Holy Spirit Lord. Go help us Lord come
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You're the only sufficient sovereign Savior help us I pray to see with the eyes of our heart this morning in faith that Jesus Christ and him crucified the
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Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world? Lord I grant grant this
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I pray in your mercy. I pray for your glory and honor For thy name's sake and in the name of Jesus, I pray amen
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John Chapter 6 points us to the bread of life and who is that bread the living bread the
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Lord Jesus Christ He is the only sufficient sovereign Savior.
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We'll say that again. He is the only sufficient Sovereign Savior and in him alone for he is enough and only he can satisfy us and only he can sustain us
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Because we are poor and needy insufficient sinners are in great need of a
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Savior This is the starting point blessed though Jesus said blessed are those who are
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Poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. He said that this is where we start
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We must realize our great need and this is the problem that we when we give the gospel to the world that they do not
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See, they do not see how needy they really are But it's our job and duty and command
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I should say from our Lord to tell the gospel to all those in the world and say You must repent and believe the gospel.
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You are a needy creature You are in great need. Did you know this that Luther?
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I didn't know this I read about Martin Luther His very last words before he left this world the
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Reformer this is Reformation Month, right? Let me mention Martin Luther who nailed the 95 theses on the castle of Wittenberg in Germany This is his last words.
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His last word says we are beggars. This is true. Then he died his very last words
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We we are beggars we are beggars and this is true and This is what we need to tell the lost and dying world and this is something we never need to forget that we just still
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Insufficient and in of ourselves we are weak and the longer I live the longer you live
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I'm sure you see we're weak creatures. We are frail creatures. We are so susceptible to dying
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We don't realize how easy it is to die But guess what the scripture says we're going to all die
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That's a reality Two things that will we no one would ever escape is death and judgment
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Scripture says it is appointed for once man to die and after this to judgment that we will face God We will surely die
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But how can we be prepared to meet our Savior how can we be prepared to meet thy God Jesus Christ He paid it all
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The gospel is sufficient. He is sufficient. This is what this chapter is all about Actually, that's what what
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John chapter 6 the whole Bible is really about but John chapter 6 Specifically teaches us and the
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New Testament offers ample lot of Evidence I should say for the deity of Jesus Christ and John's gospel
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The very thing by by which is the old overarching theme in John's gospel is
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Jesus Christ is God He is God In a unique and powerful way the miracles of Jesus by the way demonstrate his divine glory that he is
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God He's the Son of Man, but he's the Son of God. He's God in flesh
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He's God incarnate the second person of the dead of the deity has come
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God with us Emmanuel and The miracles clarify he is
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God in the flesh. He is the bread of life. He is the manna from heaven He is the living bread that come down from heaven and condescended here to this earth the living bread
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Lord Jesus himself Use the miracles to support his remarkable claims as We saw a couple months ago in John chapter 5 verse 36
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Jesus said this the works which the Father has given me to accomplish the very works that I do
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Testify about me that the Father has sent me Another time in response to the exasperated demand of the critics in John chapter 10 verse 24
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They asked him. How long will you keep us in suspense? if you are the
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Christ tell us plainly and Jesus replied to them in verse 25 and says
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I told you And you do not believe The works that I do in my father's name these testify of me see the works
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The miracles the signs are the works now in John chapter 6 verse 1 to 15
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Gives to us as I said last Lord's Day. This is the fourth sign. This is the fourth miracle that Jesus performed
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This begins his third year The feeding of the 5 ,000 men by the way just 5 ,000 men
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This is the only miracle by the way and all the four Gospels which shows its significance
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Yeah, let me give you a good quote by CH Spurgeon this morning in my introduction
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CH Spurgeon says this quote that's in all the four
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Gospels Speaking of this miracle that's in all the four Gospels so that we won't forget
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How much the Lord can do with little things that are yielded to him?
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The feeding of the 5 ,000 precedes Jesus's discourse on being the living bread that comes down out of heaven
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To give his life for the world John 6 32 to 58 And Spurgeon continues to say this so it's also a miracle that points to salvation
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It's also a miracle that points to salvation End quote.
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Well the key verse of this gospel as you well know and I've said it many times and you'll hear it time and time again
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John chapter 20 verse 31 So that you may believe that Jesus is the
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Christ The Son of God and That by believing you may have life in his name folks.
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If we miss that we've missed it all Beloved if we miss that point we have missed
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Absolutely everything that Jesus is saying and everything that he is and that he does
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We must believe that he is the Christ the Son of the Living God That you and I may have life in his name and truly believing means trusting just not intellectual belief
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But trusting in him with all of our heart soul mind and strength So Jesus is the only sufficient sovereign
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Savior and we are insufficient Needy sinners that are in great need of a
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Savior to save us Jesus Christ the sovereign Savior who is sufficient to satisfy sustain us
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And well, I jotted a few of these points down to get us through this message today, so To help organize some thoughts and points.
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I'm going first. Let's look at the setting I've already pointed that out a little bit, but I'm going to briefly go through it
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It's found in verse 1 of chapter 6 And the setting is this
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After these things Jesus went over to the Sea of Galilee, which is the
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Sea of Tiberias Now I want to point out this Also, which
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I did not point out last Lord's Day the last time if you note in John chapter 5 verse 1
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It's it speaks of an unnamed feast of the Jews. We don't know what the feast of the
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Jews is but Possibly was the feast of the tabernacles and it and the time frame here is literally five to six months that has passed
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So that kind of tells us a little bit what's going on a time period a gap as has happened here
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The other Gospels basically inform us that Jesus had sent out the twelve on a ministry tour
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They come back reported their experience to him I Meanwhile they got word that Herod had beheaded
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John the Baptist John the Baptist was a faithful minister to the very end He was beheaded actually in prison
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Jesus and the disciples were so busy with all the needy people in that time period that they didn't have time to eat
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So their needs was kind of put on the back burner there Jesus invited them to get away to a desolate place for some much -needed time and rest
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Our Lord cares and the master cared for his disciples. He wanted them to have rest
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But if you see Jesus, he gets very little rest He eats very little he is constantly from Sun up.
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Well before the Sun let me say that comes up He was you see him Before it's the
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Sun get comes up. He's in the dark for hours he's praying to the father and the entire day he's working relentlessly doing the father's business and Until the end of the day and there's a time we see him in the boat.
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He's exhausted He's in the back and you know the story He's exhausted in the boat and then aren't you glad Jesus is in the boat with you the disciples?
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I wouldn't know what to do if Jesus was in my wasn't in my boat Be hard will
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I? But life as hard as it is and life is going to be hard But let me say this I'm thankful if it's hard Jesus is on board with me
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He was exhausted at the end of the bow of the boat at the bottom of the boat Trying to get some rest and the storm comes and the disciples panic
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Master don't you care that we perish? Jesus comes up and Gives them a loving rebuke.
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Oh, you have little faith. Oh You have little faith. Oh He cares, of course, he cares
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And what does he do? He rebukes the storm and says peace be still and immediately suddenly
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There was a calm the power of his word The one that control they said what manner of man is this that even the storms the the nature itself obeys
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His word at his command incredible so Here in another situation.
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We have toward this this story You'll see that he walks on the sea in verse 15 to verse 21
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They took a boat across the northern end of the Sea of Galilee To a spot in the country, which is north of Bethsaida Home of Philip by the way,
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Bethsaida was home of Philip Andrew and Peter But there's a problem.
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There's a problem. What's the problem the large crowds? saw them go and they ran around the lake and They ran so fast around the lake on foot and they greeted them and you see in mark 633
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I'm making reference to this listen to what the scripture says But the multitude saw them departing and many knew him and ran there on foot from all the cities
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There was a lot of them from all the cities they arrived as I mean just Multitudes like a sea of people they arrived before them and came together to him to him
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The disciples must have thought oh No, oh
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No, we can't get away from all these needy people. We just can't get away from them
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But Jesus had a different perspective didn't he the disciples?
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Perspective said we can't get away from these people. What they're coming. They're coming after us King We got it.
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We got to get rid of them somehow Jesus perspective in verse 34.
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He says this and when he came out and saw the great multitude He was moved with compassion
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For them why Scripture tells us because they were like a sheep like sheep not having a shepherd
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He had compassion on and what did he do? So he began to teach them many things
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And by the way, Jesus is teaching is it always verbal it's by demonstration Demonstration in miracles demonstrate.
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He demonstrated it. He demonstrated what he taught in his life and parables and in Nature itself that God created he would bring these into focus even while the disciples would be walking along With him and following him as he taught them as they would go, but everywhere he went he was teaching them
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And is it the way for us the Lord teaches us day by day?
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Through things in nature that point to the spiritual realities. That's far more of a reality than what we see
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Yes, it is Matthew 14 14 says this I told you
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Mark's perspective the gospel of Mark The writer then Matthew says this in the 1414 says when
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Jesus went out and saw the great multitude and he was moved with Compassion for them and he healed the sick.
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So Matthew includes he healed the sick Mark says he began to teach them
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So John chapter 2, I'm sorry John 6 verse 2 says this keep in mind by the way that these were not following Jesus because they recognized him as the son of the
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Living God know who could save them from their sins That's not the reason why they followed him they had a different motive
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Verse 2 then a great multitude followed him because they saw his signs
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That's the reason why they followed him because he did miracles how many people in Christendom today?
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Follow Jesus just because of the blessings and the miracles They don't follow him for who he is
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They follow him for what they can get out of him, but beloved. Let me say this The Lord will not be used
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He uses us He is the Lord of glory he comes to use us
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We are his servants. He does it He serves us in a different way because he lovingly serves us
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But in the sense of he would not he will not be Bargained for he would not be used in by Worms of men, but he comes graciously to serve us he performed these miracles and also he
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Performed among those who were diseased well more to say about that later
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People were fascinated that they saw his miracles they Wonder I just were in all of his miracles others needed miraculous healings for themselves and Their loved ones rightly so so he was the healer
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But the fist even the physical healings that he did points to a spiritual healing just like the song we sung this morning
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Victory in Jesus if you notice come and heal my broken spirit Just not my broken body
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Does God care about our broken body well, absolutely does but a lot of times isn't it so true when we are sick and our
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Brokenness and our affliction. God has our attention and you know, I like to think of it like this in the
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God's economy Pain and affliction is never wasted never wasted
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There's always a divine purpose that he has to bring us down to and humble us to our knees that we see our need of him
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You see what I'm saying to take us to him to draw us closer to him Isn't it?
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So true each and every one of us would say amen to this when I'm sick when I'm weak when
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I'm down I see my need for God even more You see this
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But when we're healthy and prosperous we have a tendency to forget God God wants us to see our need of him
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And I like to look at it like this as well. I believe affliction and Those kind of things that that comes on people we look at him say, oh wow, we feel so sorry for him
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But beloved that's a gift That's a gift like it it pulls people inward to see who that there are frail and weak and needy and That we need to draw close that they draw close to God What a gift
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But overall the reasons of motives here that they follow Jesus was misguided and false and superficial
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And we see this and let's read this continue Really? Look at verse 3 Jesus went up on the mountain and verse 3 and there he sat with his disciples
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In verse 4 now the Passover a feast of the Jews was near now.
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This is a very significant verse now Let me say this you see the struggle here first to see the
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The the the setting we see the struggle We're not sure.
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I'm not for sure exactly why John reports the detail here Jesus going up on the mountaintop
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But I know this According to verse 3 and verse 4 coupled with the mention of the Passover here.
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It tells us something It tells us something. What does it tell us? Jesus may want us to draw a parallel with Moses Do you believe that I believe this this parallels we can see
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Christ in the Old Testament and and and Moses the Prophet says he's the prophet. There's a prophet that's greater than he and The parallels with Moses who led the people of God the children of Israel out of Egypt after the
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Passover so later Moses Went up on the mountain of Sinai to receive the
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Ten Commandments But God God also used Moses to give the needy people of God in the wilderness
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Forty years as you know, they went in circles not trusting God being stiff -necked hard -hearted not trusting
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God and What did God do God graciously gave them manna and provided their needs even though they were so hard -hearted and rebellious
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God still met their need he taught him lessons though and he disciplined them
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But but to mention of the Passover here and and this text being in John 6 being near is probably more than just a time notice
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It's it's John wants us to see Jesus as the new and better Moses Aren't you glad that Jesus is the better Moses?
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all the Bible and all that I see Jesus when after he rose again from the dead on the road of Emmaus when he
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Exposed the scriptures he went back to the Pentateuch and he went through Moses and the prophets and he went through the
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Psalms and he Exposed the word of God and it says this text actually says speaking up in about himself the living word exposing you the written word and Teaching these disciples on the road of Emmaus and they said
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Oh did not our hearts burn within us And I actually their eyes was open
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God Restrained their eyes at the moment and then after the breaking of the bread and and of What we would call the communion their eyes was opened
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Jesus opened their eyes and they said oh, it's the Lord Only he can open our blinded eyes, amen
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Well, it goes on the quench Let me bring this into here that that Jesus Christ is
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That type of that manna he is the Lamb of God, but he's also the permanent manna He's the manna from heaven.
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He said I am that man. I am the living bread that came down from heaven For he is the prophet whom
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Moses wrote of So what's the struggle? Well now in this particular case
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Jesus could easily call down manna from heaven. He could have done it He only had to do is speak the word right
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But he didn't do this He didn't do this. I Was thinking about this when
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I was studying this text But he didn't do that Why not?
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That's a good question, but there's an answer Because Jesus took this opportunity and used this miracle that those that followed him
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To train them to teach them to test them
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This is the way the master teaches. This is the way he wanted them to get it
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So that they would not forget That this miracle is just not a miracle about feeding people's bellies
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But it's about that they're feeding their souls needs to be fed by him that he is that living bread he is the bread of life and He's basically saying that I he
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Jesus is the only one that can satisfy and sustain us He comes to train us.
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He comes to teach us test us well In reference to the other
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Gospels They report the disciples had asked Jesus to dismiss the multitudes so that they could buy their own food.
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Did you know that? Yeah, it says that according to mark 637 listen this Jesus says
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But he answered and said to them you give them something to eat and uninteresting you give them something to eat
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What did they reply? Well, they replied and said to him shall we go in by 200 denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat
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It's almost like they're saying you got to be kidding me. We can't be the entire city with even with 200 denarii
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And arrested John but John adds and in his gospel and in verse 6
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But this he said to test him speaking of Philip for he himself knew what he would do.
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What a great verse Wonderful verse because Jesus our Lord was showing
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Philip and the other disciples. They're woeful they're Insufficiency to meet this need along with all the all -sufficient
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Savior that he could meet the need only Christ could meet the need So this is a miracle that teaches is the great truth that Jesus Christ uses weak and Adequate people who submit and surrender what they have to him to meet the overwhelming needs of others
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You know what? He's trying to teach the disciples here He wants them to be a part of this that God can use them and as a conduit and a channel
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To meet their needs as well we're going to see in a minute that Jesus he does the impossible, but The disciples have a part to do with this too
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And they're wonderful they work Jesus does his work and they work too
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See, that's the work. That's the theology of work There's work going on here
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Jesus is doing his father's business Jesus works as the father works Jesus is working
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He's doing the miracle and then he passes it to them and say you get part of this you share into this
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And that wonderful Praise his name We're part of this is the body of Christ that we can share into what
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God gives us Jesus said what I believe Jesus said to Paul. It's a very unusual verse
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It's the only time in Acts, but he speaks about his grace is sufficient and then Jesus says to Paul he says but Blessed more blessed are those that give
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Then receive then then they receive he says God loves a cheerful giver
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So we are basically born to serve the Lord we're born to love God but to serve him but also serve one another
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That's what it's about It's not a one -man show.
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It's all of us together serving one another and loving one another and it's a one another church
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Well beloved, that's the lesson for the miracle. Really there was more than just 5 ,000 men as I pointed out earlier
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They're women they're children. They were very needy. They're all of the hungry Probably 20 ,000 if I were to guess to make calculated a number of a whole city in great need hungry
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Needing very needy very needy many came to Jesus for healing came to Christ for the miracle
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And yes, they their motive was wrong. I think of this their motive was wrong, but yet Jesus still cares for them
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Shows you his grace and his goodness and the common grace that he has
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They were hungry There was no place nearby to buy food their physical hunger and their inability to satisfy the hungry pictures the deep spiritual needs of The sinful world that in which we live in Jesus later tells them and John 6 we'll be seeing this later on God willing, but look at verse 26 and 27 in Chapter 6 there
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Jesus answered them and said most assuredly verily verily I say to you You seek me he points out their motives right now he knows their heart right he knows our hearts not because you saw the signs
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But because you ate the loaves and were filled Do not labor for the food which perishes
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But for the food which endures to everlasting life Which the
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Son of Man will give you Because God the Father has set his seal on him
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God the Father said his seal on his son and God the Father says this is my beloved son and whom
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I'm well Pleased God the Father said on the Mount of Transfiguration. This is my beloved son
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Hear ye him God the Father has set his seal on his son The anointed one the
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Christ So they were following him for the wrong motives, but he Jesus still cared for them
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Following him because they ate and filled they were filled of bread their bellies were full But they should have been focused on the food that really matters the eternal
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Eternal food, you know what he's saying Because everything here is going to pass away
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You see this everything that we see has a short
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Part of life It's it's brevity is short.
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It's small. We are small our We was in the gift store yesterday, and I'm thinking about getting
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I love those Oh our glasses that has sand coming down It was a big hourglass and it tips over and I'm thinking
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I saw that sand coming down grain by grain I think each one of those grains is like Every day we live and eventually that it runs out and it goes to the bottom
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It's a neat little gift to give somebody to remind us and the grains of hourglass of sands in the hourglass
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So is our lives? Can you believe there's a soap opera like that the days of our lives and I always use that Emblem and there they are living for the flesh and the world and the lust thereof
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But the Bible says that's all gonna pass away, but he that does the will of God will abide forever
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You see God's will God's desire that's really the focal point and this is what Jesus is pointing
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The eternal things are what matter We're creatures of time and with too much settled here on this earth and we should be setting our minds on things above And not on the things on earth set your mind and your affections on things above where Christ is and where?
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He is risen The eternal things and that's what we should be telling others, right?
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It's what matters is eternity I got a reminder of that yesterday when
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I saw two horrific cars I mean crushed them. I mean crushed to metal like I can and I'm thinking what a miracle these people walked away my own daughter
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Walked away because God could easily took our way got the Lord gives and the Lord takes away
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I'm so thankful and she has another day to live And call on the name of the
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Lord and to love the Lord Jesus Christ It's a reminder to all of us isn't every time
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I by the way on the way here this morning Guess what? I came guess what was in front of me
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Yeah, you said it a coffin a Truck carrying what were the things called to carry coffins in they put
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Yes Well, it's a hearse, but it's they put the coffins in it. Well, that's what's that called.
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I Can't think of it, but you know what I'm saying? It was a sobering reminder to me
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I said look at here another reminder and I'm going to be in that one day My body is going to be laid down, but I'm not going to be there
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If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, guess where you go. That's it from the body present with the Lord You immediately in the presence of Almighty God, this is just a house for right now and it's gonna pass away
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But one day a man homecoming and then one day Christ is gonna raise it up Rather it goes to ashes and yes
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Even if it goes to ashes scattered all over this earth because whatever the matter is God can raise it up because he can do anything and He's going to well
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What matters is the eternal things and Jesus is saying that he is the bread of life He's the eternal life
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Jesus himself the bread of life gives himself to satisfy our deepest yearning our deepest need
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These people also was typical so many millions in the world Who are living for material things the things that will pass away the things that will vanish the things that will perish
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But we live for the eternal We live for God and we follow
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Christ Because he is the king of glory and we set our minds on the eternal things, but that doesn't mean that we're no earthly good
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We're here to be channels and conduit to tell people about Jesus Christ That's why we exist to worship and love
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God first of all to glorify him like it says up here for God The soul a day of glory for God's glory alone, but we also live to tell people about Jesus Beggars of bread.
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Amen. Just like Luther said his very last words We're beggars of we beg
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But we tell the other beggars. Here you go. Here's the bread of life. I got bread of life for you
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Praise God Well, they had a real need and there really wasn't a physical issue.
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It was a heart issue They had a soul problem. They Jesus knew this the disciples
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I don't know, but they were being taught by the master. They don't see their need for the food that endures forever that points out in Verses 41 to 59 and God willing will see the rest of that Well next to see the miracle we see the miracle we see the
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We see the setting We see the scene we see the sign We see the miracle in verse 6 to verse 11.
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Let me read it real quick to Get our attention here But this is he said to Philip for he himself knew what he would do
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Philip answered 200 denier our worth of bread It's not sufficient for them that everyone may have a little one of his disciples
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Andrew Simon Peter's brother said to him There's a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish.
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But what are they among so many? What are they among so many? Well, Jesus is all sufficient, right?
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He can meet their needs well as other Gospels report the disciples easy solution for the multitudes need for the food
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Was to send them away Jesus said no He was going to demonstrate something and so he does the miracle
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What would the disciples? Solution well, they could have it could it wouldn't have solved the problem if you sent them all away
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Jesus wanted to show him something Jesus brings the disciples right into this overwhelming need to teach them some
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Jesus has a lesson not only for the multitudes. He has a lesson for his disciples Well, they as Philip would have said maybe he should have said it like this
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Lord we seen you turn the water into wine so far we You you you we watched you heal the royal
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Officer's son from a distance We saw you do these matters two signs there and we saw you heal a invalid crippled man
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And the waters there at the place in the synagogue of the pool who was unable to Walk for 38 years.
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Oh, we saw you do that Lord You see what I'm saying? He should have had the faith to say
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Lord you could do anything Surely you could provide bread for these hungry people. We just saw you do all that And it's something he didn't say that did he?
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Yeah, he should have said you Lord you can provide bread for all these hungry multitudes instantly No Philip responded
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Oh 200 to narrow worth of bread is not sufficient for them that every one of them may have a little
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Jesus could easily rebuke them say, you know, oh you have a little faith But He did
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On this occasion. He teaches him a lesson For you knew what did it personally? I believe in one respect would have responded like We look at it.
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Let's look at it. Let's don't give Philip the throw him under the bus I think we would have probably responded the same way
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Now you probably saying pastor. No, I wouldn't have done that. I would have believed everything. Really You know what, you know what he did, you know what
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Philip really did it's almost like he takes a calculator out and he starts Clicking away Click click click click click
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Lord, let me see how many people we got here. He did the numbers without considering the
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Lord's all -sufficient power He was calculating and we would have done the same thing.
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Listen, we can get this figured out ourself But we could do this. We don't need the Lord's involved in here
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No, you see but we do that don't we that's why I say that we do this all the time
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Don't throw Philip underneath the bus because you and I are many times and I tell you my wife has rebuked me time and time
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Again, when I don't trust God and she said oh you little faith you talking about making me feel about that small
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And I said praise God. You're right. I couldn't argue with her Well God wants to teach all of us, right?
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How often we throw up our hands and conclude that We could do something for her for the
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Lord without his help because we calculate Like a calculator based on the inadequate resources the arm of the flesh as brother
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Keith mentioned Don't lean on the arm of flesh because the arm of flesh of failure Every time but guess what
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God? Will never fail you When you pray according to his will Read the documentary of George Mueller teaches all about that He said when we ask
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God and confidence and are we in his will? You could trust God and then the answer may not always come the way you want
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God teaches us and it comes the way he and his timetable Hey, God is teaching us that well, there's little faith here in verse 8 then comes
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Andrew. Here comes Andrew Well Andrew says there's a land here has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many
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I was reading R .C Sproul's Commentary on the gospel
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John you'll like this. Listen to this. This is what Sproul says about Andrew and this particular verse
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R .C. Says Andrews words contain one interesting detail that none of other gospel writers provide
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Andrew said the boy had barley loaves Barley loaves R .C.
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Asked the question. Why is that significant? He says some commentators say this tidbit of information draws attention to the miracle that was performed by Elisha in the
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Old Testament Elisha multiplied 20 barley loaves into enough bread to feed 100 men 2nd
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Kings chapter 4 42 through 44 R .C. Goes on to say whether that miracle was in John's mind or not as pure speculation but listen to this but One thing is beyond dispute
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This is that the boy was carrying the lowest quality of bread available to the people at the time
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Only those who lived in poverty For the most part ate bread made from barley
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Isn't that great listen to this it's also important to note this is
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R .C. That the boy was not carrying large loaves of bread and large fish
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These barley loaves were small cakes similar to Twinkies if you will the fish were small fish that were used to give some flavor to the barley cakes like sardines or smoked herring or something of the size
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The boy had enough food only for his lunch and The provisions were even more meager than we would we would assume
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Just by reading the words of the text in quote. I love that barley loaves
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What verse what verse of Scripture comes to mind when you hear something that Jesus takes the little things?
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Zechariah 410 amen brother Keith listen to this this is a scripture all of us needs to memorize
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Put it in our heart heart hide it in your heart Zechariah 410 for who has despised the day small things
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The day of small things For these seven rejoiced to see the plumb line the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel And they are the eyes of the
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Lord which are which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth Amen, praise
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God. Oh May we never ever Be to show contempt or despise the day of small things
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This little boy did not have very much But he was willing listen to this.
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He was willing To put it at the disposal of the Lord Jesus Christ and Jesus multiplied it
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Don't you love it a little child's lunch and Jesus teaches the disciples a great lesson as a result of this
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Jesus shows the kindness and giving the kindness and sharing
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This wonderful story was recorded in each of the four Gospels And he did not do very that he did not do very much but Little as much when
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God is in it, don't you love that? You see
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God It's even Jesus says even with you take a a cup of water in my name and give it in my name
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You've done something great He doesn't command us to to do the mass.
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He's going to take care of the masses folks He just wants us to be faithful in the little things
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The mundane things be faithful Serving God on your job Give it your all be faithful when you come to church and serving one another be faithful to your wife
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Husbands be faithful wives to your husbands Faithfulness because Jesus when we stand before Jesus Jesus is not going to say well done good and successful Servant is he?
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He's gonna say good well done good and faithful servant faith faithfulness
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Little as much when God's in it. Well, let me move on here and making people sit down in verse 10 literally
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Jesus Had them to recline in much grass Jesus said to him make the people sit down and there was much grass in the place
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So the men sat down just the men there in number of five thousand So we know this like I said about 20 ,000
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What's significant about this? Isn't it interesting that even Jesus here cares so much for them?
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And he knows the reason why they're following him in a wrong motive and he still takes care of him He provides for him
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Even their comfort. He didn't have him sit down on hard dirt He chose a place by the way, it's unusual in Middle East but chose a place where there was much grass
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Yeah, any great it was Unusual to find such a place in the region in that area, but Jesus had it appointed in his
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Providence But the Lord took good care of them and took care of the crowd and why here's another reason he wanted them to eat clean
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He didn't want them to have dirty bread and fish. He wanted to have clean You know when you eat you don't want to eat dirt, by the way
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I was an army one time and tell you this story. They only gave one big heaping of food I was was deployed
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Out there, and I got my food And I accidentally spilled it in the sand
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That's all the food. I had I was starving I picked up what I could and I ate the food and I never will forget crunch crunch crunch.
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I was eating sand. I Thought good night How thankful I am to have nice warm food now with my beloved wife that fixes for me
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That God provides but the Lord see the Lord wants us to eat clean he wanted these people he wanted to take care of them.
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Oh Wonderful. So I wasn't remind you it's on 23 1 and 2 the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want like the little girl says he's all
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I want He makes me to lie down in green pastures
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He leads me what beside the still waters You see what the
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Jesus he takes care of us he takes care of his own You know why he takes care of us because he loves his own.
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I Love that verse Excuse me if I get emotional about it But it's one of the most beautiful verses in John and says and it'll have him love his own.
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He loves them to the end. I Want you to remember that brothers and sisters?
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Don't you ever think for one moment that God doesn't love you He loves you with an everlasting love and I don't care what happens in your life
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He loves you with an undying love to the end You know what?
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The biggest problem is Lord. I examine myself. Do I love him enough? Examined my heart
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Lord. I don't love you enough what Christ meets their needs
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Through inadequate people like us and like these disciples that was surrendering inadequate inadequate resources
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You see that in verse 11 Jesus took the loaves when he gave thanks and distributed to them to the disciples the disciples to those sitting down and Likewise of the fish and as much as they wanted
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Jesus took these loaves if Think of this the first thing that comes to mind. We're about ready to have a fellowship dinner.
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I think about this The Lord did this before partaking of the food. What did he do?
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He gave things You see how important it is. That's why we give thanks because Jesus finds it
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These are provisions that we don't deserve folks These are provisions that he gives to us and we say
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Lord make us grateful help us to be thankful Remind me might make my heart be melted of the things that he gives to us
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How much more should we praise and thank God before eating our meals if Jesus all fit to give thanks
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Well next he distributed them to the disciples. He distributes the bread and the fish There's a very good great lesson here for us folks.
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There's a very real lesson for us the Lord Jesus did did not do it all as I mentioned earlier, but he
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Enlisted them in the service here. It's almost like he's enlisted them. He chooses Philip you have a part of this
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Andrew come here and he gives the question. He brings them into the miracle He brings them into the see what he wants to do this for you and me
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He wants to bring us into the miracles that are taking place The Lord Jesus did not do it all he does the impossible.
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He does what we can't do for ourselves It's like when he you know, remember the story we're heading toward it
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God willing I don't want to get there. The Lord may come back before then but John chapter 11 He raises Lazarus from the dead.
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He does the impossible. And what does he tell the disciples to move the stone away?
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He brought them in at it again you see So he had them to distribute the bread to share to give to share.
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What's he teaching him? He's teaching them you need to be giving you need to be sharing he multiplied he did what they couldn't do for themselves
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So he does it and he says now distributed Get to work.
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Amen. We need to get to work labor It's been well said one one man said this and I you do what you can do and I'll do what
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I can Can do and the Lord would do what we cannot do Was Jeremiah 32 17?
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Jeremiah said this Oh Lord God behold You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm.
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Nothing is too difficult for you Christ is all -sufficient Yet he uses our insufficiency to serve
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Griffith Thomas reminds us that this story Has a beautiful picture and he says it like this a
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The perishing world be The perfect Savior. I said wow, that's great.
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That a preach this miracle involved true act of creation no mere man could take five loaves and two fish small fish and Expand them in such a way as to feed so many people as this has been well said twas springtime
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When he blessed the bread twas harvest when he break and it is also true
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Loaves unblessed our loaves unmultiplied That's very deep.
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Well very quickly in closing application. I want to speak first of all to those of you here
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That it has not trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your as Savior and King and Lord To be for those who has never tasted of the goodness of God and see that the
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Lord is good As I mentioned earlier time is short and eternities long
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Receive Jesus Christ repent of your sin before it's everlasting too late because only mercy in Jesus Christ Is going to get bring you eternal life in?
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Which Jesus gives the bread that Jesus gives he's the living bread He gives eternal life as only he can and truly
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This is the only important great need in your life today. Is that you truly need
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Jesus Christ? He is your one great need None other and only
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Jesus Christ can satisfy your deepest need There's many a people that has tried everything in this world
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Gathering all the money and all the riches Lusting all their life and it's a headlong to hell and they're still unsatisfied in hell right now
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Think of that and by the way Ravenhill put it this way and he was a powerful evangelist
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He said there's a million roads to hell but not one road out beloved CT stud said only one life to soon be passed only what's done for Christ will last
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Give your life to Christ while you have breath and God could do for you
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What you can't do yourself if you can't you cannot regenerate your own heart, but he can regenerate you
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Call out to him as brother key said earlier a lot blind Bartimaeus Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me and Christ will show mercy
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Repent of your sins That means to turn from your sins turn from your wicked ways
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Change your mind change your direction make 180 degree turn and turn to Christ and turn away from the world
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None other than Jesus Christ can truly satisfy your hearts desire like the old hymn says in the lily of the valley one of the
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Stanza says he will never never leave me Nor yet forsake me here while I live by faith and do his blessed will a wall of fire about me
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I've nothing now to fear with this manna he my hungry soul shall feel he can feel your hungry soul beloved and only in believing in Jesus Christ and Turning to him and turning from sin and truly repenting coming to Christ in faith and yet He promises us in his word
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John 1 12, but as many as received him to them He gave the right the power to become the children of God even to those who believe in His name whosoever shall call upon the name of the
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Lord shall be delivered Praise his name and to you that believe the second application.
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What does the Lord have for us? And I speak to myself as well if you have trusted
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Jesus Christ as as As a believer in Jesus have you given yourself wholly unto him and sanctifying and sanctifying you living day to day
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Being filled more of the Spirit of God as you saturate yourself in the Word of God and in prayer
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Be obsessed with sanctification Be obsessed with serving others
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Be obsessed with loving Christ with all your heart soul mind and strength and you have found a as God Feels you you will have a greater desire to know him more and more and deeper and deeper
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Continue to serve the body of Christ and God will bless you. We're not called to live unto ourselves.
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Amen Well, we're called to live for Christ and others Christ and others.
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Let me close with this Romans 14 Romans 14 Listen to verse 7 to 12
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For none of us lives to himself and no one dies to himself
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For if we live we live to the Lord if we die we die to the
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Lord therefore Whether we live or die We are the
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Lord's and Paul says this for good to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, there's the gospel folks and that he might
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Be Lord of both the dead and the living But why do you judge your brother and this whole chapter talks about this?
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Why do you show contempt for your brother? He answers it for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and Listen to these words.
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He's quoting from Isaiah as I live says the Lord Every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God So then each of us
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Shall give an account of himself to God. Let's pray
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Father we thank you Lord for Your word this morning your word never Returns void it always accomplishes exactly what you have sent it out to do
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For only in Jesus Christ your beloved son the living bread from heaven Can truly satisfy us with him himself and with yourself
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So Lord help us to truly live unto you for your glory and To give back what truly belongs to you to serve one another because as we serve one another we serve
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Christ and We love you we show our love to you as we love one another as the
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Lord Jesus Christ commands us Lord help this be our hearts desire is to live unto
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Christ and live for one another And we pray this in Jesus name