John 6: 1-12, 26-27 and 35

Matt Summerfield

Jesus feeds the 5,000! It's one of those Sunday School classics where Jesus seems to ignore the common sense of his disciples when he tells them to feed thousands of hungry people.

Andrew is the only one who comes up with anything. Five loaves and two fish. The lunch of a young boy who decides to give what little he has to Jesus. This is obviously no where near enough food to feed thousands of people so the disciples are now expecting Jesus to dismiss the crowd and send them on their way. They've seen Jesus perform some amazing miracles - water into wine, calming stormy seas, healing the sick - but they were not expecting a miracle today. It didn't even enter their head that Jesus could miraculously provide for thousands of people with five loaves and two fish.

But is anything too hard for God (Genesis 18:14)? Is there anything that He cannot do? Can anyone get their head around his generosity?

Of course, we all know how the story plays out. Jesus prays and, before you know it, thousands of people are full-up and there's twelve baskets full of grub left over.

The story is a great reminder to all of us today that God is very generous - He is the God of abundance. The Bible tells us that.

• No good thing will He withhold (Psalm 84:11)


• He will fully meets our needs (Philippians 4:19)


• His generosity exceeds our wildest dreams (Ephesians 3:20-21)

In John 10:10 Jesus speaks of the fact that He has come to give us life and life in all its fullness - abundant life. The word that He uses is perissos which means "over and above, more than is necessary".

This generous God, revealed in Jesus, holds nothing back. He wants us to experience real life in all its fullness - and He has paid the highest price that we could receive it. Later in Mark 10:45 Jesus re-iterates His primary purpose.

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Jesus gave His life on the cross. He gave everything of Himself so that we could receive everything from God.

In John's account of this 'feeding' story Jesus later makes it clear that His mission is not primarily to fix people's temporary needs e.g. hunger - He has come to meet their real needs, their eternal needs, the real hunger and thirsting of the soul.

In John 6:26-27 Jesus says these words...

"I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you."

And later in verse 35 of John 6.