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Nov 20, 2022

I Don't Get It

I Don't Get It

Speaker: Daniel Hamilton

Category: Sunday Morning

God is doing things we just don't understand.

Daniel, as a child, "How deep is that puddle, Dad?" Daniel's dad replies, "There is water all the way to the bottom." It was a statement that Daniel just didn’t get until he was older. We, also, don’t always understand what God is doing.

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. We don't always understand - we don't get what God is doing - we just don't understand. The distance between our thoughts and God's thoughts is vast. Jesus' disciples were close to Him but also didn't get everything He did. What is God asking you to do? God's Word is full of individuals that are the same as us. What can we do when we don't get it? 

John 6:1-15 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. When they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world." So Jesus, aware that they intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself, alone.

This miracle is in all four gospels so it is significant and it gives us four different perspectives. Their close friend, John the Baptist, had been killed. They were tired, weary, and needed rest. Mark's picture... Mark 6:30-32 The apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves. Mark 6:33-34 The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. 

Jesus is always working, healing, teaching… The disciples didn’t get it - His compassion. God's compassion can complicate things for us. Mark 6:35-36 When it was already quite late, His disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and it is already quite late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 

Even after a full day's work with lots of people, Jesus had compassion. Swarmed by people getting hungry, the disciples were hungry too. Are they concerned for themselves and just wanting to get rid of the people? It causes tension in Jesus' plans. Their first solution was to get rid of the problem. It's often the first thing we try to do. 

Daniel gives an example of getting frustrated with homework in 3rd grade and decided to get rid of it (behind the books on the shelf). But the problem didn't go away. Mom found them much later and he still had to do them. We also send problems away when we try to fix people when God wants to break them. We may try to break people when God wants to fix them. We ignore our own shortcomings and tell God about others problems. God wants to meet our problems.  

Jesus looked at the disciples... and said, "You feed them." When the disciples didn't understand what Jesus was doing, their second solution was to look at their resources... there was not enough Denari. John 6:7-9 Then Andrew brings a little boy's lunch to Jesus, showing Jesus again that they just didn't have enough. Their resources couldn't do it. Has God told us to do something and think you are not qualified because you don't have enough?

An example of some youth desiring to go on a mission trip, they see they don't have the money to go. But if God calls us to do something, we think we have the right to bow out because we don't have what it takes. Then we question God if we heard right or if He really wants us to do that thing. Moses is another shepherd who thought he didn't have what God was asking him to do. He argued with God about how he couldn't do it. Notice that God never disagreed with Moses, but said that He would be with him. 

All 5000 people (men) were fed (plus women and children). They got as much as they wanted and there were leftovers. The 5 loaves and the 2 fish without God's blessing was not enough. The same 5 loaves and the 2 fish with God's blessing fed everyone. Why would it be different for us? We have enough when we place the resources in God's hand.

The disciples still didn’t get it. John 6:14-15 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” So Jesus, aware that they intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself, alone.

They had a third solution... they tried to make Jesus the king, a political figure, to make everything right. They wanted to force him to be king. A forced king is no king. Jesus slips away from their agenda. Don't we do the same with Jesus, telling Him our opinions and wanting Him to do what we want? 

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty. Jesus didn't come to make bread, He came to be bread, to be the Savior. But many stopped following. We need a Savior and it takes humility to admit that. 

Daniel tells the story of when his surfing board broke away from him in a stormy wave. A lifeguard came to help him. He had to admit that he needed help and we don't like doing that. We are so used to working for things but Jesus is a gift, our Savior. It's God's plan to give us a Savior. We will struggle if we don't give it all to Him. 

God's hand was so strong on evangelist, Charles Finning, that people would already be weeping as they came to hear him speak. Charles gives credit to God and also to his prayer warrior, Daniel Nash, who would pray over him two weeks before Charles would go in to speak at a place. People were transformed. Mr. Nash did not pray for the same thing each day, but prayed to give up his own agenda for two weeks till he would surrender his own will. God's plan is bigger than ours. God wants people to pray. God wants to do more than we can realize. Let's be ready to see what God will do. 

What we don't get… God has plans! John 6:5-6 Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. Isaiah 55:8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. Jesus knew what He would do. While we were sinners, He died for us. He did what was right; He is faithful to fulfill His plans.

Jesus focuses on what He will do. We need to focus on what He will do in our own lives. God is always faithful to do the right thing and He doesn't need our opinion or approval. John 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. What is behind the miraculous sign that Jesus performed? A sign that says "Who is Jesus?" Isaiah 55:1-2 Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Jesus was the answer to this verse. John 6:35-36 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

The people didn't get Jesus. They missed the bread of life. Do we get Jesus? John 6:5 This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. Jesus is testing us. Will Jesus be the satisfaction, or do you want His blessing and gifts to satisfy? 

What resources are you missing for something God is leading you to? Will you give it to the Lord?

How do you apply some of these same tactics (solutions to problems) that the disciples used?

What does it mean for Jesus to be the satisfaction for our lives?