This is the manuscript of the eighth sermon in the series "Responding to the Living Word".
When we share what we have and know, Jesus blesses and multiplies it and makes it enough. So, share what you have; it is all you can do. You cannot give what you do not have. Share what you have; no one else can give what only you have to give. Although what you have to share may not seem to be much or even enough, you never know what God will do when you give him what you have.
Scripture
John 6:1-15 NIV Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Text:
John 6:11 NIV Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
Introduction
When the ocean liner the Titanic was built and sailed in 1912 it was the marvel of her age. At nearly 883 feet in length, Titanic was longer than the tallest structures on Earth at the time. Over 1800 people left England on the “unsinkable ship”, but only 675 arrived. After hitting the iceberg on April 14, 1912 it took the Titanic just two hours and forty minutes to sink.
While the Titanic was sinking in the North Atlantic another ship was being built. The SS Medina was not nearly as large or grand as the Titanic. It made no claim to being unsinkable. For years it carried onions and other produce between New York and Texas. During World War II it was converted to a troop ship and carried soldiers across the ocean. It was bombed and torpedoed but the ship refused to sink. On one crossing it was the only vessel in it’s convoy to reach it’s destination. After the war it was sold as scrap but rescued and converted into an Italian cruise liner called the Roma. Years later it again was sold for scrap but rescued again to become the MV Doulos. For many years it held the record as the oldest active passenger ship in the world.
God is in the business of taking little ordinary things and using them for His glory. While it may be the great “Titanics” which make the headlines – it is the faithful Doulos' that are making the difference. The same is true of people. God often chooses the smallest and weakest to demonstrate His power. God wants to use you not only as a history watcher but a history maker.
If we want to be history makers for God we need to remember 3 things:
Ability
Availability
Abundance
1. Let’s look at ABILITY first.
John 6:5-9 NIV When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
Jesus multiplied what He was given. He had the ability. .
This miracle is recorded in all 4 gospels. This incident happens on the far side of the lake down from the town of Bethsaida on the north east bank of the Sea of Galilee. Bethsaida is the town where Philip was from.
John 1:43-44 NIV The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.
Jesus asked Philip where they could go to buy enough food to feed all the people. Philip, who knew the area, saw the task as impossible - and he was right!. They did not have the physical resources to do what Jesus asked them to.
Have you ever been in a situation where, like Philip, you faced an impossible task? It says here that Jesus said this “only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do”.
Jesus already knew what He was going to do. Isn’t that a relief? Sometimes like Philip there are in life things that seem like mountains before us. You look at the situation and realize that it is impossible. At times like that it is easy to concentrate on what you don’t have instead of on what you do.
Remember the story of the widow's oil in 2 Kings 4?
2 Kings 4:2-4 NIV Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.” Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”
The widow focused on what she did not have but Elisha used and God multiplied what she did have.
Remember, that God has a plan for your life. He knows what He wants to do in and through you.
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Instead of concentrating on what you do not have, remember what you do have and give it to Jesus.
That is what Andrew did. He trusted and brought to Jesus what he could find.
John 6:8-9 NIV Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
It wasn’t much, but it was something. Jesus took what they had and miraculously multiplied it.
What do you have that Jesus can multiply?
What can you offer?
Start with what you have already been given – your spiritual gifts. That's your ability.
The problem with the church is that, “few of us really know our strengths. Many of us do not know what we have already been given. So few people in the church seem to really know what their spiritual gifts are.
Many Christians live in spiritual poverty. They are entitled to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and his energizing power. At our salvation we are all given at least one spiritual gift when we see born again but many of us are not aware of our birthright.
So what are the gifts? Let me go quickly through a list of the gifts. As I do ask yourself which of the gifts you are most drawn to. I preached a series of sermons and had a bible study on the gifts so I am going to go through them quickly today.
There are the gifts of REACHING which include, Evangelist and Teaching.
There are the gifts of LEADING which include Pastor, Leadership and Administration.
There are the gifts of REVELATION which include Prophecy, Tongues and Interpretation.
There are the gifts of INFORMATION which include Wisdom, Knowledge and Discernment.
There are the gifts of ACTION which include Faith, Healing and Miracles.
There are the gifts of COMFORT which include Encouragement, Mercy and Hospitality.
There are the gifts of SUPPORT which include Helps, Service and Giving.
If you don't remember the characteristics of the gifts or want to know more about them, call me.
Maybe you have never really discovered your spiritual gift. Let me ask you 3 questions to help you think about it.:
What do you see yourself doing?
what do you enjoy doing?
what do others encourage in you?
a. What do you see yourself doing?
Of all the different areas of ministry, is there something that your are drawn to – that catches your attention? Like the young boy’s small lunch, sometimes this is difficult to see at first.
One of the ways you envision yourself doing something is to ask “what bothers me the most about the church?” This may seem a little strange but it is true. If you could change one thing about church, what would it be? Maybe you think the church is cold and uninviting. You could have the gift of hospitality and encouragement. Maybe you think it is disorganized. You could have the gift of administration. Maybe you think I am a terrible speaker. You may have the gift of teaching. What are you drawn to?
The important thing to remember about Spiritual Gifts is that they are often given to us in raw form and develop as we use them. You may have the gift of teaching but that doesn’t mean that the first time you speak everything will be perfect. The gift must be developed.
b. The first question was what to you envision yourself doing the second is what do you enjoy doing?
As you try to get involved in different areas of ministry there will be opportunities which you really enjoy. God does not call us to do things we hate. Unfortunately often people are forced through guilt into ministries they are not gifted for and the result is a bad experience. One way of knowing your gift is that it is an area that you enjoy.
c. The third question was what do others encourage in you?
What gifts do others see in you? Often we do not see our own strengths and weaknesses but others do. Is there an area of ministry that others have recognized and encouraged you in? It is good to get feedback from others, especially people who know you well.
What do other people say comes easy to you and not so easy for others?
What is easy for one person is not always easy for another!
2.Ability is important but it is only good if you are available. Are you available?
John 6:10-11 NIV Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
Jesus was the multiplier of the food, not the distributor.
Matthew 14:18-19 NIV “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
While Jesus multiplied the supply of food he did not actually give anything to the people. His disciples had to do this. The same is true in ministry today. While Jesus is the giver of life, the church exists to take that message out to those who need to hear it. He has entrusted us with the task of distributing the message.
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
You can be the most gifted person in the world, but if you do not use your ability and are available then it is of no good to anyone. Ability is important, but availability is essential.
Too many Christians are not serving. When you ask them to do something they say, "Sorry, but that is not my spiritual gift." because they say that about everything and do nothing. The truth is that there are no such gifts as pew warming and sermon or music listening!!
All of the spiritual gifts are proactive. and the gifts are given for the common good.
That means that church is not a spectator sport. It is not like a spiritual spa where you can just come every week and soak in God’s goodness. Just like in every family there are family responsibilities. You divide up the chores.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NIV Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Ephesians 4:16 NIV From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
What happens if each part doesn’t do their part? Then the work does not get done.
As each part of the body does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole Body is healthy and growing together. When we work together we get things done. You have a part to play. When we cooperate, we get more done together than we could ever get done by ourselves.
3.When you add ability and availability the result is ABUNDANCE
John 6:12-13 NIV When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
They had the ability, two fish and five loves of bread. The disciples were available and distributed the food. Jesus did His thing and the result was that everyone was more than satisfied.
The multiplied food was more than enough to satisfy the crowd. Everyone ate as much as they could and even then there was a supply left over. Jesus did not simply make enough so that everyone could have a bite. There was an overwhelming abundance for all.
The offspring of ability and availability is abundance. Remember the story of Gideon and his 300? A small band of willing and able soldiers were able to defeat a great army because God was with them (Judges 6 &7).
When you recognize your gifts and then use them for His kingdom there is blessing in your own life and also blessing in the lives of everyone around you.
When we use our gifts to share what we have and know, Jesus blesses and multiplies them. So share what you have; it is all you can do. You cannot give what you do not have. Share what you have; no one else can give what only you have to give. Although what you have to share may not seem to be much or even enough, you never know what God will do when you give him what you have!
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