Sermon notes from Sunday 6 September 2015
John 6 verse 1 - 14
In John chapter 6
the first thing that strikes us is the vastness of the crowd that gathered. I
want us to focus our thoughts and attention to one little phrase in verse 9
"there is a lad here". In the vastness of this crowd, in the sea of
faces Andrew picks out one little child.Maybe as we gather here this morning ,
maybe God has already been putting his finger on one person and God is saying I
want something of you. Would you be prepared to come and give him your life
today? Would you be prepared to give him your heart and life today? Maybe he is
laying his hand on you to be a children's worker today, a pastor or an
evangelist. Maybe even the burden of prayer on you. Andrew comes to Jesus and
says” there is a lad here.” Jesus and his disciples had no food and a great
multitude of people. Mark tells us the day was spent, darkness was coming. God
was laying his hand on one child. Maybe God is saying to you the day is far
spent and he is calling you to get into his work today. Is God laying his hand
on you today?
The importance that was suggested.
Andrew says about this child there is a lad
and he is here right in our very midst. This lad could have been many a place,
some other place or village but was in the place where Jesus was. How important
that was - to be in the place where Jesus is - in his house, where his voice is
heard and presence felt. Thomas sat among the disciples praying and preaching
but when Jesus was placed on the cross, laid in the tomb on the third day,
raised again, when Jesus reappeared to his disciples Thomas wasn't there,
missing something important that day. It is important to be in the Lord's house
on the Lord's day. The lad was going to witness what the Lord was about to do.
In John 2 there is a lovely account of a wedding. No details of the bride and
groom. Jesus was there, how important it was for them to have Jesus a part of
their married life. When this couple took their vows they wanted Jesus in their
midst. To them it was important to begin a life with Jesus. We read in Mark 2
Jesus again entered into Capernaum and after many days it was noised abroad he
was there. Peter's home town. He was in the house and it began to be talked
about. People knew Jesus was abiding in that house. It is good to have a home
built on the presence of Jesus. Have you got that home today? Is Jesus right in
the presence of your home ? Do you take time to open up the word of God, read a
portion of scripture, to bow your heads and commit the day to the Lord? Is it
noised abroad that Jesus is in that home?
The interest that he showed
As I look on this
scene here with so many people gathered together and see this boy in the midst,
I have to ask “what brought him out on that particular day?” Interest in his
heart to see the Lord and interest to hear him. What has brought you into the
house of God? Is it the same interest as this lad, just to hear God's voice.
Maybe you have taken time to ask God to speak to you, to commit the service to
God even before anything happens? Verse 2 "and a great multitude followed
him because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were
diseased". Heard so much about him, wanted to be where he was. Isn't it
wonderful when that interest brings us into the house of God, that we might
hear his voice. Maybe was a family day out. Isn't it good to come into the
house of God as a family. Maybe led by
his father and mother to this position, to look on the Lord. On one occasion Jesus when he was out walking
there were those who turned their backs on him, came under ridicule and
criticism. Many today do the same, finding it difficult and hard, turning away
from the Lord. There were those in Jesus own day. As Jesus looked at his
disciples and asked "will you go away also?". Their reply was "how could we when you
alone have the words of eternal life?" As children come each Sunday
morning there is one thing they are learning - the fact that there is eternal
life in none other than Jesus Christ. That is what we teach them, no salvation
outside Christ, no eternal life outside Christ. If you miss the precious blood
shed for your sins you will be lost for all eternity. I see the interest of
parents when Jesus approached a village one day and the children came out to
meet him. The disciples started to rebuke the parents. Jesus said "Suffer
the little children to come unto me for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
This lad was drawn because of the swell of the interest in Jesus. Perhaps drawn
out by the crowd. As watched them leaving the villages he decided to go with
them. He was drawn by the crowd. Many of our children are drawn by the crowd
but sadly away from Christ. Where is the crowd drawing you today? As an adult
that is a challenge here today. Are your children being drawn to Jesus by the
way you walk? Do they look on you as a role model? When do they see you going
to church? Are you leading them into church or into social activities, the pubs
and clubs? Do they see that you have an interest in Christ today?
The identity of this young lad
One fact picked up
if we hadn't been told it was a lad who brought the lunch we might have thought
of an adult. Not a king or a governor or a rich person but a lad. How important
it is for us to see that Christ overlooks none. Jesus doesn't overlook us. He
has something to say to you today. He didn't overlook the widow woman in the
treasury hall when throwing money into the plate. She gave 2 mites into the
plate. There is a lesson for you. Jesus said to his disciples the Lord will not
forget about you, that the Lord will not see you in a crisis. Children are so important. You are important
to God. Of children today how often we say you are only a number, you don't
matter. Even the very hairs of your head are numbered to God. That is how
important you are to Jesus. Jesus said "not one sparrow will fall to the
ground that God doesn't know about it." God deals with us on a personal level.
You are individual to him and he will deal with you individually. One day every
knee shall bow and every tongue confess. This lad was picked out. An individual
out of 20,000. The Lord will deal with him personally as he will deal with us
today. You will bow your knee as an individual.
Notice the invitation
When Andrew spoke
to this boy I have seen you come prepared will you come with me, make your way
down through the crowd and hand it into Jesus' hands? That is what we invite
children to do, invite them to give what they have, their hearts and lives to
Christ. Invite you to give your heart to the Lord "my son give me your
heart". The bible says this lad, didn't have much but all he had gave to
the Lord.
The impression that he made
Look what Jesus
did with this lad. He stepped out from the crowd and gave his lunch to the
Lord. The Lord took and gave it to his disciples and they fed and they fed and
they fed until there was nothing left. That is what the Lord did for a young
lad. What the Lord could do with you today. Little is much when God is in it.
David was a shepherd boy God placed on the throne of Israel. Joseph was a young
man from his father's house who became second to king. Today the devil fills
our children with drugs, takes them into the gutter. What the Lord does today,
takes them and places them on a rock which is Christ Jesus. David Livingstone
won Africa for Christ. D L Moody won thousands for Christ. God could raise one
soul for him, bring many to Christ through them.
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