Labour For Food Which Endures

When a huge crowd gathered to see Jesus He asked Philip, "Where shall we buy bread to feed all these people?"  John 6:6 says, "But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do."  Philip, on the other hand, had no idea what to do.  Before he could bring himself to think about what bakery would have enough food on hand for 5,000 men plus their families, he knew they did not have enough money to buy it!  He responded that wages earned over eight months (200 denari) would not be enough to adequately feed those assembled.  Hard labour wouldn't put a dent in the needy sprawled around them.  Jesus did not ask out of ignorance, but to test Philip because He already knew what He was going to do.

Perhaps overhearing the conversation, Andrew piped up in John 6:9, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"  In light of the crowd, five loaves and two small fish were nothing, hardly significant.  I imagine Andrew felt a little silly even mentioning the boy's lunch.  Yet in the hands of Jesus, this small portion would be multiplied to satisfy the most ravenous among them to the full.  After Jesus directed the people to sit down He took the bread, blessed, broke it, and handed it to His disciples to share until all were satisfied.  When they had finished eating, Jesus sent the disciples to gather the fragments and 12 baskets were filled - beyond thousands of hungry mouths!  A most notable miracle was done by Jesus that day.

After Jesus departed with His disciples, the following day people went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to meet with Him.  John 6:26-27 relates, "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. ²⁷ Do not labour 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."  Jesus performed the miracle of feeding the multitude so they might recognise He was the son of God, the one who gives eternal life.  The people, however, largely missed the point.  They were willing to cross the sea for a free meal, but faltered at the point in trusting in Jesus for eternal life.  After this mild rebuke and exhortation, Jesus explained He is the Bread of Life, sent from heaven people were to partake in through faith.  Food and drink will sustain a person for a matter of days, but the broken body and shed blood of Jesus on Calvary for us is effectual by faith to provide eternal life.

This passage ministers comfort to my heart, even as those small loaves and fish brought satisfaction to all who sat down to eat - so much so they searched and crossed the sea for more!  The Bible and the words of Jesus in the eyes of some people are insignificant and nothing special, but what peace, strength, and joy they provide to believing hearts.  Many ate the loaves, witnessed the miracle, but the impact Jesus intended was missed by unbelief.  It is not that Jesus said or did the wrong things:  people took them the wrong way.  Sometimes we may think our words (or even God's Word!) are insignificant or ignored, but God is able to take a sentence or word and use it to transform the lives of others by His gracious power.  There are a lot of voices in the world, many ideas which are erroneous and misleading, even deceitful or distracting, but the Word of God rises above the all.  Like when Jonathan tasted the honey and his eyes lit up, so it is when we receive God's Word for us, owning it gladly in faith.

This morning I read the words of Jeremiah 15:15-16:  "O LORD, You know; remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In Your enduring patience, do not take me away. Know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke. ¹⁶ Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts."  The prophet Jeremiah faced hard times, especially because people would not hear or obey the word of the LORD.  But Jeremiah was encouraged by God who knew him, who remembered and visited him.  Verse 16 says Jeremiah found God's words which suggests he sought, recognised, valued them, and took them to heart.  God's Word was the "joy and rejoicing" of his heart because he was called by God's almighty name.  How awesome is the power and influence of the Bible on believing hearts!  When we have eaten to the full there is more than scraps left over.