There is a lad here

Sermon notes from Sunday 26 August 2018 pm

John 6 verses 1 - 14

"There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves and two small fishes but what are they among so many?"

If you have ever sat down to a great novel or watched a great film the producer will put a caption "6 months earlier".  The director wants you to focus your mind and bring things up to date , he wants to explain those earlier moments.  "There is a lad here"  Out on the hillside there were some 5000 people who had gathered.  The commentators say that number could have swollen to 20,000.  Jesus has been teaching them, instructing them all day.  Now the time has come, the day is gone, what are they going to do with all these people to feed?  Philip questions even if 200 penny worth of bread would not be sufficient for them.  Think of what was happening a few hours earlier.  The origins of that great miracle when the Lord took 5 loaves and 2 fishes began in the home.  

A permission that was granted.  You can almost imagine that lad asking his mother to allow him to go and hear this great preacher on the hillside.  The man who was performing so many miracles.  The greatest asset in any home today is a mother or father who knows and loves the Lord as their own and personal Saviour.  That is the greatest transformation in any home - when someone comes to know Christ personally that is handed down to the family gathered at their feet every day.  In Acts 16 we read of a jailer.  One day his family saw him going out to his normal days work.  On this particular day he was given charge to keep 2 men securely.  There was something different about these 2 men.  They loved the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind.  They prayed and sang praises to God.  At midnight when that earthquake took place that jailer called for a light and he ran in and asked "Sirs what must I do to be saved?"  He realised something important - he knew he wasn`t saved.  He took Jesus as his Saviour and he brought the 2 men to his home that night.  He brought his family together.  Before the day was over his family all came to a saving faith in the Lord.  There is no greater joy than for someone to come to faith in Christ.  The lad was given permission to go and hear Jesus on the hillside.  Or perhaps that lad was there with his faither and mother.  It is great to see children being brought in with parents to hear the word of God together.  The bible does not talk about many ways but 2 ways.  The broad way at the end of which is hell and destruction and death.  Many are on it.  Then there is a narrow way and few there be that find it.  It leads to heaven and home.  Which road are you on tonight?  Have you ever invited the Lord into your life, invited him to be your Saviour and Lord?

A provision that was made.  The lad was granted permision.  That lad`s mother no doubt prepared for her a son a little lunch to take with him.  Here was a woman who gave her son that which God could use to the profiting of this miracle.  There is no greater miracle than that of the new birth, being transformed by the power of God.  Imagine coming into a meeting knowing you are not saved.  The man in jail came to Christ and asked the question "what must I do to be saved?"  He knew perfectly well he needed to be saved.  There is no greater miracle than the new birth, no greater miracle than coming into God`s presence, feeling the guiding of the Lord in his presence, showing you his perfect son who was without sin yet made sin for you and I.  He was set aside by all the religious leaders of his day.  As he hung on the cross his father had to turn his back on him that day, such was the seriousness of sin.  God says fools mock at sin.  It begins in the home - to teach little ones the way of salvation.  That rich young ruler had everything this world could offer - position, power, prominence but he didn`t have eternal life however.  He knew he didn`t have eternal life.  The Lord told him you know the commandments thou shalt not kill, honour thy father and thy mother.  The rich ruler replied "all these have I kept from my youth up."  There was something missing though.  The religious man was taught in the things of God but he didn`t know how to be saved.  Is it possible that that there might be one person who doesn`t know how to be saved?  Within that heart of yours there is something that will damn your soul.  It is called sin.  There is nothing you can do for yourself.  Your sin sent God`s son from heaven to the cross of Calvary.  He took your sin on himself.  He died and took the penalty for your sin.  You have to acknowledge that Jesus died there for you, that he is prepared to take it for you and is offering you eternal life.  This woman gave this lad something.  Remember in the house of Timothy Paul said "continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and are convinced of."  Timothy learned these things from his mother and grandmother.  Daniel was carried captive into a pagan land at 12 years of age.  He was brought into the kingdom of Babylon.  The king set down the best food and wine, he could eat and drink of these but Daniel purposed in his heart.  He said he couldn`t take of them.  He rejected the kings meat.  It would defile him in the eyes of God.  He learned that from his mother`s knee.  Moses was brought up in all the wisdom of Egypt.  There came a day when he had to decide.  The learning came from his mother when she taught him about the God of Israel.  There came a day when Moses was able to make a decision.  What a responsibility.  They could not bring him into the kingdom of God but they prayed that the Holy Spirit would take that which was planted in his heart and use it to the saving of his soul.  One day the Holy Spirit can use the word of God to save your soul.  Can you put your hand on your heart and say you are saved today?  Do you take time to instruct your children, to apply it to their hearts?  This mother gave him  something for his lunch and the Lord used it to bring food to the people.

The presentation that was made.  The lad was asked to bring the lunch to where Jesus was.  He never gave it a second thought to give that which he could do nothing with.  Here was a young boy willing to take his stand and present his lunch to the Lord.

The performance Jesus made.  He handed the loaves and fishes over to Jesus.  It was the Lord who performed the miracle not the lad.  When it was given to the Lord then the miracle took place.  It was not something the lad could do of himself.  The Lord would use the loaves and fishes.  The Lord is asking for faith the size of a mustard seed.  If the Lord has not made a change in that life of yours it is not his fault, it is your fault.  I wonder what you will do today?  Will you decide to follow Jesus?  Will you come and trust him as Saviour and Lord, begin to follow him?  You are on the broad road that leads to destruction and hell for all eternity.  The invitation is given to you to start for heaven and home.  Only the Lord can do it.  As the boy handed the loaves and fishes to the Lord it was the Lord who blessed it, took it and handed it to the crowd.  People say I cannot have that faith to do this but you can bring what you have to the Lord and he will use what you have, not what you can try and do.