John Chapter 6:1-7

God is part of the agreed estimate is not just how you're going to get through something. What can happen to you in a situation. It's how you and God are going to get through situation about how you and the Lord are going to get to this trial that trial. It's important that we remember that because our solutions or answers come from God.

So we need to remember that he's part of the equation felt the disciples I know we we have this lofty view of the disciples that they were probably just about sinless and mighty men of God from the get-go, but that's simply not true. Now they were men that got radically changed in the three years they were with Jesus and then they went out and they change the world. Jesus change the world with 11 men, so I know that we can change our community with a couple dozen, no doubt about welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina today. One of David McGee's associate pastors DA Brown is with us as Pastor David begins his teaching little is a lot about dealing with life and its problems. Remember that God is part of the equation. We can trust today. Pastor Dave discusses this more as he continues in the Gospel of John chapter 6, let's jump right into David McGee's teaching a little is a lot when John chapter 6 verse one after these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberius. That's interesting John records a lot of locations and times in the Gospel of John and his ministers a sea of Galilee. It's the sea of Tiberius. There's other names generous threat was one name in early name.

It's a Hebrew for heart because the lake itself is kind of Park shake now in the sea of Galilee is still there. Understand it's the same Sea of Galilee. These places that the Bible talks about our real. The Bible is a real book is people out there saying this that the other but it's a real book verse two. Then, a great multitude followed him because they saw his signs which he performed on those who were diseased is intersects is a great multitude following what's going to be interesting, as is this chapter on on folds how Jesus dealt with the multitudes did he water the message down so that he could appeal to more of them so that he might get the opportunity or the platform to be just to speak to them.

That seems to be the present-day mindset of the church water things down. Don't offend anybody. Stay away from anything that might offend anybody in here. Stay away from words like sin and death and and and Helen and repentance. Well, Jesus is our model. Is that what Jesus does in this chapter will work in NC is the chapter unfolds verse three and Jesus went up on the mountain and there he sat with his disciples. Now the Passover feast of the Jews was near.

Now this miracle of feeding the 5000 list in all four Gospels. It's interesting look at the way that verse four is worded. Now the Passover feast of the Jews was near.

We can see from that verse that part of John's audience who he was writing to was not just the Jewish people or he wouldn't of explained what Passover was. He was explaining what Passover was because part of his audience was Gentile Gentiles were for non-Jewish people. Verse five then Jesus lifted up his eyes and seeing a great multitude coming toward Jimmy said to Philip, where shall we buy bread that these may now guys wait. We need to look at this exchange close because of some really really good stuff in here Jesus looks at Philip in the midst of this, the people being hungry, knowing their hungry knowing they're out kind of in the middle of nowhere and Jesus looks over and they fell like on-demand and can you imagine if you were Philip standing there, how much you would be freaked out.

I mean you Jesus is dirty and there's always people and eating and and Jesus turned to go, not do you have to get a sense about in order to really grasp the passage I mean what is what it right now. I said okay great. Hey you know what to do after service were all were all going to go to Brahms and Morgan have lunch break.

I didn't say anything to him about that but you know were all invited over their workers can have a great can you imagine what Brian's thinking right to be cynical bit back and imagine what his life would be.

That gives you just a small small picture of what would be going on. I mean I think it's safe to say at this point. Philip's probably freaking out probably freaking Brickyard that we have a saying in our family freak abilities know the kids get really excited about freak abilities out the careful we have a verse John chapter 1. If you remember verse 45 and this is this this shows you the heart of Philip. Philip found Nathaniel and send him we have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph and Nathaniel said to him, can anything good come out of Nazareth, and Philip said to him, and see. Come check it out.

I like that passage, I like that verse and it endears Philip to me because it shows a heart of somebody that's inviting somebody to the Lord and you know it really blesses my heart and in boy. Some of you.

It's like it's like a full-time ministry to yourself because every Sunday you come by. This is my neighbor next to my work with is walking down the street and what being carefully snatched him in the vanguard of the church and that didn't happen that much, but so and that blesses me and let me tell you what happened sometime as I see you come in with these people and it didn't of the service see the people of the author can say SEM on the way out looking much different than they did when they came in her face just almost glowing guys. That's an awesome ministry for you. I guarantee that the Lord would desire that each one of you being invited to come check it out. Come check it out for yourself Bob in church and like well this is this is different. This is a different church at you guys are all about the money we don't pass a plate at this church not usually gets her attention to what you don't pass a plate. Yeah, just, we will hammer your for finances and invite people in an and keep inviting notified him once keep inviting them.

Here's what happened. You invite them and maybe there is a point when everything is just great in their life and they don't feel a need for God, but you keep inviting them and keep inviting them in somewhere along the line something happens.

Maybe they some happens at work with a family member or something like that and also and they realize they have a need for God and then you come up in your hate, no basket seven times in 57 times you said no but I want to invite you to go to church with me and that might be the time that they say yeah and that might be the Sunday the come forward to receive the Lord's sake and everybody in here can be an invited wait you know the carts that the church cards that we have on the front. They say you are invited to and on the back there's a map now. Originally they had that for me just so I could find the church every day and trigger bullets routers are forgot get but the reason we have these is so you can give them the people and invite them to church and there's a map on the back to make it easier to invite people to Jesus you invite them to church on right of the Jesus or some of you may be bold enough to invite him the Jesus right then and there, but this is an important ministry and God will honor your efforts in that ministry. Verse six says. But this he said the testing for he himself knew what he would do. Jesus will test most of you probably been walking with the Lord long enough for you. Realize this, Jesus will ask you questions and test you and some areas worrying about that. I'll be careful that I'll be careful, freak, ability to get legal and calmly trust the Lord to see the Lord knows how you're going to get through this. He's just wondering if you know how you going to get through this and in the exchange.

If you going to trust God to understand and on and on. Using modern lingo SKUs that you understand God never gets freaked out. Understand that God never gets freaked out.

God is never caught by surprise that God is never looking down to all my goodness, but I didn't see that one coming.

What happened there never happens the God what a comfort that it he knows in advance what is going to happen and when we get freaked out. You know what were saying the God know you're really same to the Lord.

When you get anxious and aggravated you're saying I don't trust you don't trust her.

I don't know what you're doing and I don't. I'm not sure I can trust what you're doing.

That's what that is speaking to the Lord. And certainly we don't want to send that message to him. What happens is we we forget we forget that God is part of the equation. That's a first. Life lesson in dealing with life and its problems. Remember God as part of the equation.

God is part of the equation is not just how you're going to get through something or what's can happen to you in a situation. It's how you and God are going to get to situation about how you and the Lord are going to get into this trial or that trial, it's important that we remember that because our solutions or answers come from God. So we need to remember that he's part of the equation. Now the disciples I know we we have this lofty view of the disciples that they were.

You probably just about sinless and mighty men of God from the get-go, but that's simply not true. Now they were men that got radically changed in the three years they were with Jesus and then they went out and they change the world. Jesus change the world with 11 men, so I know that we can change our community with a couple dozen, no doubt about, but the disciples God bless him. You know they were in an exchange and and and we have to understand the exchange we look back we have the advantage of hindsight. As we look back on the exchange and go well you know Jesus ago that Jesus wanted. We understand they didn't know that every day they probably were pretty freaked out seems to be the word of the day they were pretty freaked out about what was going on and we talked about this before but it had to be interesting ministering when Jesus because he just did stuff that was different. I mean, you know, when you look back and you read you see some of the stuff that Jesus you have to go well that's different and so everyday. They probably woke up. I probably will not sure what happened today and why was Jesus doing this all this is important because this is so important because Jesus was. We recognize he was teaching the disciples, we recognize that we need to recognize some Elster that while they were learning from him. Jesus was very systematically going through and he was on learning them.

Why because they picked up so much stuff that had nothing to do with God, with his character. They picked up all these notions of God that had nothing to do based on the Bible based on God's true character and personality in the Lord had to take him through these times and unlearning lot on the Internet because not much as changed in 2000 years will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now there's a word from associate pastor DA Brown and Bob were excited about God's word going forward and want to pray for some listeners in these cities, Susanville, California. Talmage Chucky Victorville Westwood Yankee Hill in Yreka, California God. We pray for the people listening in the cities today and the surrounding areas. We pray that they would put their trust and hope in you today would be encouraged and how much you love them, Lord, that they would look for other people.

You place in their life to share this good news with as well and got that they would get plugged into a Bible teaching Bible believing church.

In Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse. When you grow up in a religious environment not necessarily Christian environment but a religious environment you pick up a lot of stuff that has nothing to do with the true nature of God and you pick it up and you carried around carry around. Stuff like God's always angry with me, or God only loves me when I'm doing right, and God hates me the rest of the you begin to pick up the things only take some God wants to learn you of those things now. It's painful, it's easier to learn something that it is not learned but that's part of what God wants to do in your life is he wants to learn new of some things and we see this in the end with the disciples cousin disciples. They came up with plans that had nothing to do with what God was trying to do nothing to do with the intent of Jesus member. When Jesus said while going up due to my mom agrees about going out. So Lord should check with me. I know it's going on in this situation, which is recorded in all four Gospels and Luke's account is is when the day began to Wear Way, Luke chapter 9 verse 12 when the day began to wear away the 12 came and said to him send the multitude away, that they may going the surrounding towns and country and lodging get provision for we are in a deserted place here and Jesus takes it one step further in verse 13 but he said that you give him something I love Jesus I love these exchanges with the disciples and look at the solution of the disciples and boy going. That was the solution will more than one occasion, you recognize that when the kids are coming to Jesus that no one sent him away about Harry's early and be doing that would get Jesus corrected Nasser solution here and you seems to be away a lot of ministries seem to be built around the normal way.

That's why some people run the church is they come up with a plan to go hey here's our plan. Blessed that's backwards and it you betcha it's back you what we've done here is we respond to what God is doing. We see what the Lord wants to do what God is already doing it would go okay Lord were with it, or following, let's do that.

Praise God I will be rather trying to figure out how to follow God.

What God is doing and and and blessed that mass God's hand be upon it, then try to design something to work something up, and hope God blesses. So at this point, the disciples are going will nothing be done. We can do anything is to many people. We don't have you know this really about process and avoid Jim sometimes got happy to do something that doesn't make sense will ask you to take that step of faith. And then he'll meet you in that step of faith in you know what is your pastor last 15+ years of ministry I've seen God bless so many times stepping out in faith. And then God honoring that step of faith that he led you to take over and over and over and you know what I am may take some. I am silly enough to dream big dreams and have big visions. You know why because I served big God. I don't serve as league.

I hope God hears.

I know you're still so small that it would talking help in a salad. I don't serve that counter God I serve a big huge God is able to do more than we can imagine so. Verse seven Philip answered him 200 and Mary worth the bread is not sufficient for them that everyone of them may have a little I love this stuff. That's 1/2 a year's wages and the nearest was about. It was a common penny. Maybe some of you have that new version which was the laborers they pay is about half a year salary now as we were just told that Phillips me and tested.

What is Philip doing right now what did Jesus know how Philip was going to respond to the test and did. He knew how Peter was going to respond to his test and he knew it would fail. He remember he said, but when you return, I'll pray that your faith and strength for a long time. As a Christian I don't God tested me so that he could find out what I would do, whether zero problem with that inner theologically speaking, God knows everything. So God knows how I'm going to respond to a test or to a given situation.

So why do we have these testing trials so we can find out what working to do in any given situation.

Life lesson hears tester for us to see what is going on more than for the Lord to know God knows everything when you get in the middle of a test.

He's not good he's not there going to what hell is going to. He knows now that all something awesome awesome thing is every trial, every test that you go through. God knows God knows how he's going to deliver you out of that tester that Trang knows how he's going to deliver you through that tester. R and the trial itself can be a win win situation understand we go through some tough times I go through tough times you go through tough times.

But there can still be a winning situation and that we know that in part because Romans chapter 8 verse 28. Many of you know the verse and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Your attention please. When you go through a trial. One of two things happens. Either you do well, you stand strong or you fail now if you stand strong and you do well, you know, maybe something happens and before you would've yelled at somebody here build a particular phrase it's a matter something and you don't do that.

It's really encouraging in the Lord and insight. Praise God, you know, I didn't do this, I didn't say that I didn't heading, merging or whatever and I responded well to that trial and you can take encouragement in the Lord's, and while God is really changing me. He's really growing.

I was faced with this temptation and I didn't do it. I didn't click that link on that website that I knew would stumble, and you can take encouragement or what else happened. Sometimes you fail sometimes you fall down you don't come to the trial for the test passing with flying colors.

But understand, still something to be gained through that because there comes a fresh recognition of the grace of God that you can be forgiven when you do stumble when you do fail, and perhaps you had forgotten where your strength came from.

Perhaps just for a moment, you thought you were strong enough to endure something in and it was time for you to be reminded that your strength should rest in him. That's what Peter needed to be reminded of his strength, his faith should be in Peter should have been in Jesus, so every test every trial. When when Annette also that is such a God thing that people in the world don't have. They can't experience it now. Here's a way you can lose in the trial that test and see it to hear about it. You can blame somebody else in the midst of your tester trial. All you know I went to been in that place had so-and-so not done this, I would've responded to that in such a way so-and-so wouldn't have said that her witness done that matter this or that, but she got strength teach you something and you can't repent for somebody else and rarely you can speak the truth to somebody else in the receiver but it's not like God speaking to somebody see what we have to step back and we have to see we go okay here's where my fault was Lord, I didn't trust you, and that's I got freaked out I got anxious. Help me to trust you more. Rather than going Lord just get that person out of my life because they just bother me what happened this week we no longer looking at God were looking at this person, that person working to miss the last sad to say when you miss a lesson with the Lord, you know what he does and they send you back to the same lesson I've seen people that are date they've been trying to learn the same lesson for 20 years, just like a revolving doors because they've yet to get the truth of God's will speak to except the responsibility in the midst of their things or not you not see what you're trying to teach me, and in almost every situation. There's something that you might have done.

You might have said and you repent to the Lord, and those people as well and is a powerful testament this past week I called somebody in an boy, you know this dispersant. This couple is whatever has been really hateful.

They've gossiped they've lied.

They've set this. They've said that and in the Lord laid on my heart and he said you need to call him and apologize for you right braised timeslot that was the top one and then and is all okay okay what I know to do it. Be careful when you start a sentence like that. Lord, I know what you're doing. I'm calling apologize and they're going to cry in repentance and go, brother. I just so brokenhearted it all up done to you. Well I called apologize. They didn't actually start it up again so but I had to look at that situation and say Lord was 100% without sin, without guilt, but was zero way that I could've honored you more in that situation. I walked away thinking there was a way I could've honored God more. So I repented to the Lord and repented of them. Now that's between them and God. If they repent. I pray they do, but sometimes people do and sometimes I don't. But I have to take responsibility and while enough I'm out here going. I'm not looking at me. You know that old saying you know when you point it's my got one finger at them and you got three of you. So we want, we run around sometimes blaming others for stuff that we need to be in fact repenting for is interesting. Philip gauges with their ability to meet the needle on finances. Perhaps this is what they had in the disciple treasury or whatever. Maybe Judas had given a report and this is what they had. After he took his coat or whatever. But Andrew was looking at the wrong things running and he was thinking small, all if we had this we could do that we don't have that so we can do and that That that kind of small thinking that that's a disease with Christians you you can't get in the name of claimant and blab it grabbing all that stuff. But you know what we need to be able to trust God and trust God when he laced on our heart that he's going to bring it to pass and be careful of small thing God would never do that God would never bless that all of the unit.

I rather try big things for God occasionally fail because the results are up to him but to file something on our heart to try the body are as individuals.

Step out in faith to see what happened in other sit there talking about given them a little with Jesus in their thinking. A few minutes everybody's going to be so stinking slow organ have 12 baskets of leftovers friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God want you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life now done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. So congratulations bring you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart of David McGee. That sounds good Pastor day and again. It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com. If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our life.

10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night 7 PM this visit, cross the bridge.com and click on a lifestream link. There you will experience a live service from David's home church. The bridge in North Carolina again. That website is cross the bridge.com.

Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the Gospel of John