As we follow our message series, the word “test” again appears in the biblical record, this time in one of the events of Jesus’ earthly life recorded in the sixth chapter of John.  As much as we may admit that testing is a part of life (see last week’s message), we still don’t embrace it as something we would choose to experience on a regular basis.  The classic student’s prayer suggests as much …

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
that’s one less test I’ll have to take.

Add to this the further meaning of this Greek verb, which is “to tempt”, and our discomfort level rises even further.  Yet, we know the rest of this story of the disciples … how they would survive their “apprenticeship” with Jesus, more or less, after which they would be charged with the task of carrying on His mission.  It’s going to be a big job … perhaps such a testing phase will be helpful as they anticipate this higher calling.  It is clear that Jesus has more than just the feeding of this large group of people in mind … but what may He be trying to teach here?  Let me suggest a few possibilities …

Balanced Ministry – Of course we must admit that Jesus’ true mission involves the inner life … but it does not stop there.  This episode and so many of His other encounters, as well as his parables, reflect His Father’s care for the whole life of each and every person.  When we think of the design of redemption, we realize that it involved a real person, entering into life as we know it.  This must suggest to us that the One designing the plan did so with the thought that true redemption would not have been served only by concepts and spiritual principals reflected through the Torah, worship in the synagogue and the teaching of the prophets … something else would be necessary.  It should be no surprise, then, that Jesus regards the response of his disciples to the hungry crowd gathered that day as a test of a proper focus of His ministry.

Of course, He issues the same challenge to us today.  In essence we could liken the ministry of the church to an aircraft that could not properly fly without two wings … one on either side.  We spend quality time across our ministry opening the scriptures to all ages, revealing the lives of everyday people who found faith in God to be a source of strength.  But the other “wing” of our ministry involves the very ordinary needs of everyday people in our communities and around the world.  I was always proud as a pastor to be able to extend material help to the needy, inside and outside of the church, because of the congregations I served who were so generous in the support of our benevolent fund.  And recently our own Canadian Baptist Ministries was able to extend substantial relief in the communities we serve around the world due to the surprising response to the Covid relief fund.  It is part of the regular “testing” of our gratitude to our Lord that we respond when we can to these kinds of basic needs. 

Abundance in Scarcity – The prospects for feeding this large crowd that had gathered did not look very good.  Yet that is exactly what Jesus was suggesting (v. 5) … that some kind of provision for their hunger needed to be made. Two disciples, in responding to Jesus’ question, expressed their doubts as to how they could address the issue (v. 7-8) … but neither one could imagine the lesson that their Lord was about to teach.  Apparently, it had something to do with the abundance of the Father, even in times of seeming scarcity.  This is vitally important for us to remember as well.  Christian sociologist Tony Campolo was reminded of this great truth in a unique way.  Long into his storied career he was doing some research at denominational headquarters and decided to look up the church report for the year of his baptism.  He came upon these sad words …

“It has not been a good year for our church.  We have lost twenty-seven members.  Three joined the church … and they were only children.”

In spite of the fact that these were the only ones who joined the church, these children grew up … one became a missionary, one a professor of theology in an African seminary and, of course, Dr. Campolo himself who became a professor, gifted speaker and founder of an effective urban ministry in one of America’s most violent cities.  Even though his church thought that the year of his baptism was not a “good year”, the Father had other ideas.  No matter that the disciples of Jesus doubted the crowd could be fed on such meagre resources … Jesus taught them otherwise.  As we look around at tight budgets, a problem virus that has taxed our systems and spirits and a seemingly faith adverse society we might doubt the prospects of the gospel … but as Paul suggests in another context,

“We walk by faith, not by sight.”

— 2 Cor. 5:7

True Focus – Jesus’ words are so instructive here … “Where should we buy bread for these people to eat (v. 5)?”  In addressing the issue in just this way, the Master is taking the emphasis away from Himself, away from the disciples and the relative inconvenience that this task would bring.  In another place (Matthew 20:28) Jesus states that “ … the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve …”.  So should it be for us, as the management guru Peter Drucker suggests …

“Keep your eye on the task, not on yourself.
The task matters … and you are a servant.”

Can we imagine a more glorious task for us, than to be involved in the expansion of the Good Kingdom?  The story began with scarcity and ends with abundance, with food left over.  The words of our Master ring true … “Let nothing be wasted.”