This article is based on Pastor Adrian Rogers' message, Jesus is God's Answer to Man's Desires.
News had gotten out that Jesus was a wonder-worker. The crowds began to follow Him. When He got to this particular place in John 6, there were thousands of people…hot, tired, and hungry.
There is no problem too big for Jesus to solve.
There was a problem that day in John 6: they did not have food.
Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little” (John 6:5-7).
Jesus was not asking for advice, nor trying to learn something about Philip. He already knew. He wanted Philip to learn something about Philip.
Philip had it calculated. Two hundred days’ labor wages would not be enough, he said. That was a good answer in that it was accurate, but it was a bad answer in that he left out Jesus Christ. Philip gave the kind of answer that any good atheist could give.
Sometimes we have problems, and we say, “I don’t know what to do. I’ve run out of strength.” Then run into His! Jesus is there.
Jesus was trying to get Philip to say, “This problem is too big for me, but not for you, Lord.”
When Jesus solves problems, He uses people. Here, He used a little boy.
One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” (John 6:8-9).
Small fish, and barley bread—the cheapest, coarsest of bread. Meager in quantity, meager in quality, but the Lord Jesus used them.
The little boy did not say, “Jesus, you can have one of these fish and I’ll keep the other.” He gave it all to Christ.
Do you want to be used by God?
Have you given to Him everything?
This little lad went away with more to eat than if he had not given Jesus anything. You will not out-give God. (See Luke 6:38.)
When you give Gid something, He will receive it—even a cup of cold water. (See Matthew 10:42.) He does not ask of you what you don’t have.
He is asking you to give what you do have. He will take it.
Then the boy’s gift was transformed by Jesus—and He fed the multitude.
And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted (John 6:11).
Do not insult God by saying that God cannot use you. God specializes in doing extraordinary things with ordinary people. (Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-27.)
After the feeding of the 5000, Jesus begins to give the message in the miracle—to go beyond the miracle, to Himself.
Everybody has eaten enough. There are twelve full baskets left over. (John 6:12-13.) Later, the crowds were searching for Jesus again. They found Him on the other side of the sea.
Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him” (John 6:26-27).
That is, “The only reason you want Me is because I fed you.”
Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:28-29).
This is what it is all about: that we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat’” (John 6:30-31).
This crowd, that had just seen a miracle, is now asking for another—because the people could not be satisfied with a miracle. The only thing that would satisfy them would be a right relationship with God, through Christ.
Jesus did miracles to teach, but He never did miracles to attract followers. In fact, these same people that followed Him after the feeding of the 5000 left Him when He began to talk about eternal realities.
Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven” (John 6:32).
The manna came down from Heaven, but it was only a prophecy, a type, of Christ. Manna sustained them physically. Jesus satisfies us spiritually.
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).
If you feel you cannot get any satisfaction, that is true—because you will never find satisfaction until you find it in Christ. Jesus is all this world needs today.
You should hunger and thirst for righteousness. “I thought I should hunger for Jesus.” Right. Seek righteousness, because Jesus is righteousness. When Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6a), He is saying, “I am what your soul really needs.”
Lack of blessedness, lack of satisfaction, is only a symptom of a greater sickness: unrighteousness, which is sin.
Seek Jesus first. Food, fashion, fitness, friends, etc. have their place—but their place is second! (See Matthew 6:33.)
Seek Jesus purposefully. “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you” (John 6:27a). What does that mean? Be intense about it!
Seek Jesus constantly. What does Jesus mean when He says you will never hunger or thirst again? (See John 6:35.) It certainly does not mean that you will never get physically hungry again. Jesus is saying, “I will give you a continual appetite, and I will give you a continual satisfaction.”
Why did Jesus feed the 5000? To teach you that He is the bread of life.
What good is the best bread if it is not eaten?
I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world (John 6:51).
John 6:5-35,51; Luke 6:38; Matthew 5:6, 6:33, 10:42; 1 Corinthians 1:26-27
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:23-25).
Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:53-54).
