John 6 - Africa Study Bible

The Meagre Resources Are Multiplied • John 6:1-14

While Jesus was giving spiritual food to the people who followed him, he did not forget about their need for physical food. The disciples thought it would seem easier to give spiritual food than to give physical food. Certainly it is easier to preach to over five thousand people than to feed those five thousand people.

Giving physical food—or getting involved with other earthly problems—requires spending our own resources. These sometimes seem limited. Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we would not have enough money to feed them!” (John 6:7)

The disciples looked at the problem rather than their potential resources. Jesus looked at the resources rather than the problem. No matter how meagre our resources, when we give them entirely for the service of the Kingdom, Christ can multiply them. A boy’s lunch in the hands of Jesus can become a feast for thousands. When the need arises, we should not run away from meeting the physical needs of people. We need to give the little we have to Jesus.

Ask God to multiply your weak and imperfect efforts. Release the little you have to God, and God will do great things as he did with the boy’s loaves and fishes.

A proverb from Sierra Leone, translated, says, “If you have a gallant war commander, you will go to war without trembling.” Christ made many statements about himself, some of which his opponents considered blasphemous. Only God can claim the things Jesus said about himself. Christ makes those assertions about himself because he is sure of his commander. God is his Commander, and Jesus is not afraid or shy to say it.

Who is your commander? In whom do you boast? If Christ is your Commander, you ought to face the challenges of life without trembling. Paul says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

Following for the Right Reasons • John 6:26-27

Motives are most important in our relationship with Christ. Jesus made that point. He understood that some people were following him just to benefit from the miracles he did. Jesus does not want followers who seek free hand-outs. Instead, he said, “Don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you.” Jesus was not trying to draw big crowds in order to feel successful. He wanted people to follow for the right reasons—to be forgiven from their sins and have an abundant life.

Too often, people want to be Christians for the wrong reasons. We must examine our true motives. Our faith needs to be more than something that makes us feel good. Our relationship with Jesus needs to be more than just wanting our prayers to be answered and our needs to be met. We must follow Christ because he makes us complete and whole. He prepares us to live meaningfully in this life, and we will enjoy eternal life with him after death. When we follow Jesus with the right motives, our faith will not be swayed in times of war, famine, or persecution. We will remember that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:31-39).