The life-changing story of when Jesus fed the 5,000 is one of problems, preparation and provision. In John 6, Jesus comes across a crowd amassing, and knowing their needs, He had compassion on them.
Jesus knew that they were like sheep without a shepherd and needed someone to guide them to a place where they could be fed and cared for. Jesus then called the disciples to send the people to the surrounding countryside and buy them something to eat.
This is where Jesus began a miracle that would be remembered, and told of, for thousands of years.
Act I: The Problem
The disciples now had a challenge ahead of them. In order to feed all of these men and their families, they needed a God-sized miracle to make it happen. Luckily, Jesus uses our need to produce the miraculous. He did not do the miracle right away though, instead, He commanded them to go get them something to eat.
However, the disciples immediately saw a massive problem: How were they to feed so many?
They then began to talk about how much it would take to feed a crowd of that size, and how it was out of their capability. But Jesus changes their perspective from focusing on their lack of resources to focusing on what they had in their hands.
Act II: The Preparation
Now that the disciples had identified the problem, Jesus had them prepare the people for the miracle.
He asked the disciples how much food they had in their possession and told them to go and see what they could find. At that time, a young boy, seeing the need, gave his entire lunch to the cause, which was 5 loaves and 2 fish. Jesus then had the disciples group the crowd, by hundreds and by fifties.
Here we see the obedience of the disciples to do what Jesus says, regardless of their ability to see the answer to the situation that they faced. We’re to be like the young boy and give all that’s in our hands and trust God to use it to bless those around us.
Act III: The Provision
After the crowd had been organized, Jesus took the loaves and the 2 fish, He then looked to heaven saying a blessing and broke them, giving them to the disciples to share with the people.
The bible said that, “And they all ate and were satisfied.” A seemingly impossible situation became a story of miraculous provision. The main ingredients for this miracle were the need of the people and their willingness to do what Jesus asked of them.
Our need is actually what qualifies us to be a part of the miracle that God alone provides.
Jesus can turn a little into enough and uses the few to feed the masses. And even after, there is enough left over to feed those who faithfully served.
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” — Jesus | John 6:35 (NIV) —