Sermon Snippet – A Young Person You Should Know
INTRODUCTION – We have been learning lessons from the lives of folks in Scripture who are unnamed and otherwise unknown. Today, from John 6:1-13, let us consider a “lad” (verse 9) who plays a role in Jesus’ miraculous feeding of more than 5,000 people.
1. THIS LAD HAD SPIRITUAL INTERESTS
Back when I was a boy (is this introduction always followed by a long, mind-numbing, pointless anecdote?), I had many interests. My stories may be boring, but I was never bored. Reading, sports, wandering through the fields and woods, playing king of the hill on a manure pile – I always found something interesting and occasionally useful to do. This young lad had many similar options available to him. Yet, he chose to travel at least a little distance (uphill, too, although presumably not both ways – verse 2) to listen to Jesus teach. His stash of food was enough to feed him for the entire day, indicating his determination to hear everything that Jesus had to say. It is possible for young ones to have such genuine faith (see Matthew 18:1-3; 19:13-15), and such belief should be encouraged (as this boy’s family did by letting him attend and by preparing food for him).
2. THIS LAD SHARED
Certainly this passage teaches much more than that we should learn to love to share (verse 9). However, it does also teach that. We can think of dear ones who have willingly and graciously shared with us. Especially we can remember the repeated goodnesses of God, including the truth that Jesus “gave Himself for our sins” (Galatians 1:4a). May we realize that, indeed, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35c).
3. THIS LAD WAS SURELY PART OF THIS MIRACLE BY JESUS
Many people – hungry people – were fed (verses 10-13). Jesus cared for each one of these folks and provided needed physical food for them. He was also delivering spiritual sustenance. He gave thanks, likely the lovely traditional Jewish prayer of grace: “Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, Who bringest forth bread from the earth.” In so doing, He was reminding everyone of God’s daily and ongoing provision. He was also demonstrating that He was and is the promised Messiah, for only this Savior could perform such an open, obvious, large-scale miracle. Jesus could have fed these people without this little boy’s food, of course, but He chose to include the lad in this grand giving. No doubt, the boy carried this cherished memory with him for the rest of his life. We have pointed out that Jesus regularly intersected with people to bless them; there are no coincidences in the providence of God. This child was a blessing, and he was also blessed. So it is in God’s plan.
CONCLUSION – The conclusion of this passage (verses 14-15) confirms that many understood that Jesus was the Messiah prophesied in Deuteronomy 18:15. However, they did not comprehend that He was offering something far greater, far more lasting, than a free meal or even political freedom from the oppressive Romans (note that they wanted “to make Him a king”). Jesus is not “a king”; He is “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:11b). Jesus was offering salvation – eternal life – to each of them, and He offers the same today. May we trust in Him as a little child does – and as one little lad did.