THE MIRACLE OF MULTIPLICATION
John 6:1-13

Introduction:     (Ills. PK and question about Jonah and the whale...”If you’re going to bring God into it, that’s different!”) When God is in something it’s different! Little is much when God is in it, but there would not have been a miracle here without a basket or without a little boy.

I.          A TESTED DISCIPLE (VV.1-7)

            A.        The Curious But Not Committed (vv.1-2)

“Followed” = “to go in the same direction” They are not followers of Jesus. They were more interested in seeing a miracle than they were in seeing the Master. They didn’t realize they had an appetite, but they were starving! (Illus: No appetite - either you're sick; well-fed, or dead) There are folks in Palatka that are starving tonight! You have the opportunity to bring bread to the starving.

            B.         The Failure Of The Faithful (vv.5-7)
These Disciples failed a faith test in 2 words:

bulletInsufficient (v.7)

(Illus. Negativity in the Church) - 5 most often statements heard in the average Church today... “I can’t”... “No way”... “How”... “Too much money”... “To big”

bulletImpossible (v.8-9)

Instead of turning the problem over to the Lord, they both tried to become lord of the problem. Everyone here with a problem, double it...double it again...is it to big for the Lord? - (Jer 32:27) “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?"

II.         A TINY RESOURCE (VV.8-10)

“Lad” = small person.

            A.        The Size of The Portion (v.9)

“small fishes” (Expound on the “littles’” in the Bible...God’s people in bondage - it was a little baby (Moses) - Gen. Naaman was told of the Prophet by a little maid - When God sent rain in Elijah’s day it was a little cloud - When God dropped a giant He used a little boy - When God wanted to save the world He used a little baby - (God uses little things!)

bulletThe key here is that God got it all.
bulletThe key is not what you possess, but what He possesses of you.

This little boy gave all he had! (Illus: What God can do in the life of one who surrenders)

            B.         The Surrender Of Possessions (vv.10-11)

Expound the miracle. When did it happen? When he gave all that he had.

bulletDid the little boy lose? Did he go away hungry?
bulletHe surrendered his possessions and God gave back to him more! (Illus: The Law of The Harvest ... Reap what you sow - Reap more than you sow)

(Luke 6:38)  "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

 

III.       A TREMENDOUS BLESSING (VV.12-13)

            A.        After The Offering Came Omnipotence

God, who created it all, could have spoken this miracle into being, but He chooses to use humans. Heaven stepped in only after a human did what he could do!

            B.         After The Sacrifice Came The Supernatural

Only after a boy was willing to sacrifice and give his all did Jesus feed a multitude! God can do the impossible, but He lets us do the possible!

 

Conclusion:       One day a multitude on a mountain side got a miracle meal from the Master because a little boy with a little lunch gave what he had to Jesus. I believe God will use and multiply what we give of ourselves to Him today. Why don’t you give of yourself, no matter how merger or small, and let’s watch Jesus perform the miracle of multiplication.