This is a study of Jesus testing one of his disciples to see how he would react when He already knew what He was going to do.

1. JESUS WAS A TESTER
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 6:6 6He asked this only to test him, for he
already had in mind what he was going to do.
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
This he said to prove him - To try his faith, and to see whetherhe and the
other apostles had paid proper attention to the miracles which they had
already seenhim work;and to draw their attention more particularly to that
which he was now about to perform. This is an observationof the evangelist
himself, who often interweaves his own judgment with the facts he relates,
which St. Matthew rarely ever does. The other evangelists saythat, previously
to this miracle, he continued to instruct and heal the multitudes till it was near
the close ofthe day. Matthew 14:14, Matthew 14:15; Mark 6:34, Mark 6:35;
Luke 9:11, Luke 9:12.
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
To prove him - To try him; to see if he had faith, or if he would show that he
believed that Jesus had powerto supply them.

2. Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
John did not wish to leave an impression that Christ needed to ask such a
question merely for information, hence the explanation. The Lord discerned
the thoughts of all men; and one evident purpose of this Gospelis to bring into
sharp focus the divine, supernatural characterofthe Lord Jesus.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And this he said to prove him,.... Or "tempting him", trying his faith, and not
only his, but the rest of the disciples;not as ignorant of it himself, but in order
to discoverit to him and them, and to prepare them for the following miracle;
and that it might appear the more illustrious and marvellous:
for he himself knew what he would do; Christ had determined to work a
miracle, and feed the large number of people that were with him, with that
small provision they had among them; and being God omniscient, he knew
that he was able to do it, and that he was determined to do it, and it would be
done; but he was willing first to try the faith of his apostles.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
To prove him (πειραζων αυτον— peirazōn auton). Presentactive participle of
πειραζω — peirazō testing him, not here in bad sense of tempting as so often
(Matthew 4:1).
What he would do (τι ημελλεν ποιειν — ti ēmellen poiein). Indirect question
with change of tense to imperfect. As in John 2:25 so here John explains why
Jesus put the question to Philip.
Vincent's Word Studies
To prove ( πειράζων)
Literally, proving. See on Matthew 6:13. Wyc., tempting.

3. The Fourfold Gospel
Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh
unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat1?
John 6:5-7
Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat? Jesus testedPhilip to see
which way he would turn in his weakness. Jesusaskedwhere the bread might
be bought, knowing that powerto feed the multitude resided in himself (Isaiah
55:1), but Philip wonderedwhere the money was to be had to buy it.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
Ver. 6. And this he said to prove him] To discoverhim to himself: for what a
man is in truth is what he is in a temptation. {See Trapp on "Matthew 14:17"}
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
John 6:6. This he said to prove him:— To try what idea he conceivedof his
divine power, as well as to give him an opportunity of observing more
attentively what followed.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary

4. 6.] He knew:—by this St. John must be understood not only to rescue our
Lord from the imputation of asking counselofPhilip, but to refer the
miraculous act, on His part, to His purpose of exhibiting Himself as the Son of
Man the Life of the World in the flesh.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
To prove him; try him whether he believed in the power of Christ to supply
them. God in his providence does many things to prove his people-to lead
them to show what is in their hearts, and thus prepare them to renounce
dependence upon themselves, and put their trust in him.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
6. πειράζων. This need not mean more than to try whether he could suggest
anything; but more probably, to test his faith, to prove to him how imperfect
it still was in spite of His having been so long with him (John 14:9). Jesus had
no need to inform Himself as to Philip’s faith: He ‘knew what was in man.’ In
Philippo non desideravit panem, sed fidem (S. Augustine).
αὐτός. Without suggestions fromothers; John 15:27. The Evangelistknows
the Lord’s motives (John 2:24-25, John 4:1-3, John 5:6, John 7:1, John 13:1;
John 13:3; John 13:11, John 16:19, John 18:4, John 19:28). Unless this is most
audacious invention it almost amounts to proof that the Evangelistis the
Apostle S. John.
τί ἔμελλεν ποιεῖν. The miracle and the lessondeducedfrom it.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
‘And this he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.’
Jesus’question to Philip was a test. He had been listening to what the disciples
had been saying and thus sought to test Philip to see what he would say. This

5. is a quite reasonable assumption. Jesus clearlyhad a purpose in what He was
about to do, for it illustrates the purpose of His coming and reinforces His
claim to have come from God. It is not really probable that He would do such
a thing on the spur of the moment.
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
John 6:6. Now this he said proving him: for he himself knew what he was
about to do. Why Philip was addressedis a question often raised. The mention
of the circumstance may be only the graphic touch of an eye-witness, and
there may be nothing important in the Master’s choice ofthe disciple whose
faith He is to try. Yet it is more likely that some specialreasondid exist. Philip
may have had something to do with making provision for the wants of the
company of disciples:this is not inconsistentwith chap. John 12:6. Or there
may have been something in the characterof Philip’s mind that led to the
specialselectionofhim for trial; and the incident relatedin John 12:22 has
been appealedto as showing a tendency on his part to a caution that might
become excessiveand obstructive to the development of faith. A more correct
explanation may be that, intending to manifest Himself as the fulfilment of
what is written in the law, Jesus turns first to one who had confessedHim as
the subjectof ‘the law and the prophets’ (John 1:45). He would test him, and
try whether he had enteredinto the full meaning of his own confession.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
to prove = proving, i.e. putting him to the test. knew. Greek. oida. App-132.
See note on John 1:26.
would do = was about to do.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(6) And this he said to prove him.—This gives us a glimpse into the
educationalmethod of the greatTeacher. There is for Him no difficulty. He of
Himself knows what He is about to do. But Philip had, we may think, been

6. present at Cana of Galilee, and had seenthe wine multiplied to supply the
needs of all. Other signs had spokento the eye, and a fuller teaching had
spokento the ear. How far had either spokento the spirit? He had felt the
Divine Presencein separate instances.Had he realisedit as a law of life,
holding for every need that could arise? The student has learnt individual
facts, but has he laid hold of the principle which underlies them? The one is
from without, and depends upon the teacher;the other is from within, and is
the true education of the man himself. He has been taught; he is now to be
examined.
Treasuryof Scripture Knowledge
And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
prove
Genesis 22:1;Deuteronomy 8:2,16;13:3; 33:8; 2 Chronicles 32:31
Ver. 6. "And this He saidto prove him: for He Himself knew what He would
do."
Some empty the words of their meaning by the remark, that the proving here
does not denote the trial of faith, but whether Philip had any useful
information. But decidedly opposedto this is the usual conceptionof trial in
the Scriptures. Lampe: "Jesus proves forthe same object for which
temptation is attributed to God in Genesis 22:1;Hebrews 11:17, in order that
the secretsofthe heart may be made manifest to the disciples themselves and
to others." The meaning may be measuredespeciallyby 2 Corinthians 13:5 :
ἑαυτοὺς πειράζετε εἰ ἐστὲ ἐν τῇ πίστει,—according to which the degree of
faith is ascertainedby examination. Decisive also are the parallels from the
Old Testament, to be spokenof presently, in which, before the commencement
of the miraculous works ofthe Lord, doubt in His miraculous poweris to
manifest itself, in order that the latter may afterwards shine all the more

7. brightly, and unbelief and little faith may be all the more deeply put to shame.
Even in the words of Jesus to Philip there is implied an evident insufficiency
of human means to feed the multitude; and this is more distinctly statedin the
accountof Matthew, which this presupposes, where Jesus, onthe request of
His disciples—"Thisis a desert place, and the time is now past; send the
multitude away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves
victuals,"—says:"They need not depart; give ye them to eat;" to which are
suitably added His words to Philip: "(But) whence shall we buy bread?" (the
ἀγοράσωμενin oppositionto the ἀγοράσωσινἑαυτοῖς ofthe disciples.)If it
was thus fixed that Jesus wouldbe the host, in view of the manifest
insufficiency of natural means, the thought of a miraculous feeding was very
natural to those who had living faith, especiallysince similar facts had already
occurred, as the changing of the waterinto wine, and since they had before
them the miraculous feedings of the Old Testament. Quesnel, therefore,
correctlyplaces the object of the temptation in this, "to free us from too low
and human conceptions ofHis omnipotence."
Why does Jesus apply to Philip? He did not address the three most advanced
disciples, because by these an answermight have been given which would not
correspondto the objectof the question, by which the characterof human
nature was to be brought to light. Among the rest Philip occupied a somewhat
prominent position. He was calledsoonafter the three first, John 1:43; and is
also mentioned severaltimes elsewhere in John's Gospel, John1:46-49, John
12:21-22, John14:8-9.
What does John 6:6 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑]
Jesus asksthe disciples how they will solve the problem of a hungry crowd in
order to test their faith. Unlike the Devil, who uses challenges andtests in an
effort to entangle us in sin, God's tests are meant to refine our faith. Jesus
already knows exactlyhow He is going to address this problem. What He
wants to see and hear from the disciples is where they will turn for answers to
their hardships. According to this, and the other four Gospels, the disciples

8. will present a range of different solutions. The three major answers they
suggestare to ignore the problem by sending the people away(Mark 6:36), to
throw money at the problem, as Philip will sarcasticallysuggest(John6:7), or
by working to solve it, as Andrew attempts later (John 6:8).
Christ's own answeris not completely contradictory to these, but it grounded
in a fundamentally different assumption. Eachof the disciples starts by
focusing attention on human efforts, whereas Jesus'resolutionwill begin with
a humble appealto God. This reliance on God, first and foremost, is a lesson
John highlights in this miraculous event (John 6:11; John 6:23).
https://www.bibleref.com/John/6/John-6-6.html
Jesus Knew What He Would Do
(No. 1605)
DELIVERED ON THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 23, 1881,
BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE,NEWINGTON.
"This He said to test him: for He Himself knew what He would do." John 6:6.
OBSERVE, dearFriends, how careful the Holy Spirit is that we should not
make a mistake about our Lord Jesus Christ. He knew that men are liable to
think too little of the ever-blessedSonof God and that some, who call
themselves Christians, nevertheless deny Christ's Deity and are always ready
to forge an argument againstthe true and real Deity of the Saviorout of
anything which appears to limit His poweror knowledge. Here is an instance
of the care of the Spirit to prevent our falling into an erroneous conclusion.

9. Our Lord consults with Philip, asking this poor disciple, "Where shall we buy
bread, that these may eat?" Some might, therefore, have inferred that Jesus
did not know what to do and felt embarrassed. Fromthis they would argue
that Jesus cannotbe Almighty God, for, surely, embarrassmentis inconsistent
with Omnipotence! Why should Jesus consultwith Philip, if He knows all
things?
Now, the Holy Spirit would have us beware of falling into low thoughts of our
greatRedeemerand Lord—and especiallyof ever being so mistakenas to
think that He is not God. Therefore He plainly tells us, "this He said to test
Philip, for He Himself knew what He would do." Jesus was notasking
information or taking counselwith Philip because He felt any doubt about His
line of procedure or needed help from His disciple. He did not want Philip to
multiply bread, but He desired to multiply Philip's faith. Take heed, therefore,
dear Friends, that you never think little of the Savior, or impute any of His
acts to motives that would lessenHis Glory.
Learn here, too, that we, being very apt to make mistakes concerning Christ,
need daily that the Spirit of God should interpret Christ to us. Jesus simply
asks the question of Philip, "Where shall we buy bread?" and we are at once
in danger of drawing a wrong inference and, therefore, the Holy Spirit tells us
more about Christ that we may escape from that danger. By giving us more
insight into our Lord's motives, He prevents our misjudging His actions. We
must have the Spirit of God with us, or we shall not know Christ, Himself.
The only way to see the sun is by its own light—and the only way to see Jesus
is by His own Spirit. Did He not, Himself, say, "He shall receive of Mine and
shall show it unto you"?
No man can call Jesus, "Lord," but by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit must come
to eachman, personally, and revealthe Son of God to him and in him.
Therefore, do not let us take up the Bible and imagine that we shall, at once,
understand it as we do another book, but let us breathe the prayer that the
GreatAuthor of its letter would, Himself, give us Grace to enter into its spirit
so as to know its meaning and feel its power. Even with the Infallible Word
before you, you will miss your way and fall into grievous error unless you are
taught of God. The mercy is that it is written, "All your children shall be

10. taught of the Lord." and again, "We have an unction from the Holy One and
know all things." There is no knowing anything except by that unction and by
that Divine teaching. What dependent creatures we are, since we make
mistakes evenabout Jesus Christ, Himself, unless the Spirit of God is pleased
to instruct us concerning Him! Lead us always, O Light of God!
Another thing we learn from the text before we plunge into it is that our
Divine Lord always has a reasonfor everything that He does. Even the reason
of His asking a question may be found out or, if we cannot discoverit, we may
still be quite sure that there is a worthy reason. Thatreason, in Philip's case,
certainly was not because ofany need of wisdom in Himself, but there was a
reason—"This He said to test him." Now, if there is a reasonfor all that Jesus
asks, much more is there a reasonfor all that He does. We cannot tell the
reasonof Divine Election—whythis man is chosenor that—but there is a
reason, since Godnever acts unreasonably, though His reasons are not always
revealedand might not be understood by us if they were.
Sovereigntyis absolute, but it is never absurd. There is always a justifiable
cause for all that God does in the Kingdom of Grace, though that cause is not
the merit of the personwhom He favors, for there is no merit. In the matter of
your present trial and trouble, dear Friend, you have been trying to figure out
the designof the Almighty, but without success.Don't you know that His ways
are pastfinding out? In all probability this side of eternity, you may never
discoverGod's purpose in your present trial, but that He has a purpose is
certain and that purpose is a wise and kind one. It is such as you, yourself,
would delight in if you were capable of understanding it. If you could have a
mind like that of God, you would actas Goddoes even in this matter which
troubles you!
At present your thoughts are far below those of God and, therefore, you err
when you try to measure His ways. If you have a quarrel with your heavenly
Father about a bereavementor a sickness—endit at once with humble shame.
There, child, if it ever comes to a question as to which is right—a poor,
ignorant, inexperiencedyouth, or a great, good, wise Father—there cannotbe
a moment's deliberation! The Father's will must be better for the child than
its own will. Be in subjection to the Fatherof Spirits and live. Believe in your

11. Lord and be quiet—Jesus knowswhatHe is doing and why He is doing it. For
the loss of your health there is a reason. Forthose pains of your body, for that
depressionof spirit, for that lack of successin business, even for the
permission of the cruel tongue of slanderto inflict its wounds upon you there
is a reason! And possibly that reasonmay lie in the words of our text, "This
He did to test him."
You must be tested. God does not give faith, or love, or hope, or any Grace
without meaning to prove it. If a man builds a railway bridge, it is that
engines may go over it, that so its carrying power may be tested. If a man
makes a road, it is that there may be traffic over it, every rod of it will be
proven by wheels and hoofs. If he only makes a needle, it must be testedby the
work it can do. When the pillars that now support these galleries were cast,
they were made with the objectof supporting a greatweight and these 20
years they have bravely endured the pressure—itwould have been an idle
thing to have set them up and placed no weight upon them!
So when God made you, my Brother, to be strong in the Lord, He meant to
test every ounce of your strength, for that which God makes has a purpose
and He will test it to see that it is equal to its design. I do not think that a
single grain of faith will be kept out of the fire—allthe golden ore must go into
the crucible to be tested. You have heard of the Birmingham proving houses
for the barrels of guns? Now, the greatMakerof Believers tests allwhom He
makes in His factory of Grace with heavy charges ofaffliction—andonly
those that can bear the test shall receive His mark. When no other explanation
of a Providence can be found, you may always fall back upon the belief that
this He said and this He did to test you.
Let us at once come to the text, which seems to me to have much comfortin it.
May the Holy Spirit lead us into it. First, here is a question for Philip—
"Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"—aquestionwith a purpose.
But, secondly, there is no question with the Master, forHe, Himself, knows
what He will do. And, thirdly, if we enter into the spirit of the Master, there
will be an end of questions with us, for we shall be perfectly satisfiedthat He
knows what He is going to do.

12. I. First, then, HERE IS A QUESTION FOR PHILIP, as there have been many
questions for us. Jesus put this question to Philip with the motive of testing
him in severalpoints. He would thus try his faith. As one has well said, "He
wanted not food of Philip, but faith." The Masterenquires, "Where shall we
buy bread, that these may eat?" Whatwill Philip say? If Philip has strong
faith, he will answer, "GreatMaster, there is no need to buy bread. You are
greaterthan Moses andunder Moses the people were fed with manna in the
wilderness. You have but to speak the word and bread shall be rained around
the hostand they shall be filled." If Philip had possessedgreatfaith, he might
have replied, "You are greaterthan Elisha and he took a few loaves and ears
of corn and fed the sons of the Prophets. O wonder-working Lord, You can do
the same!"
If Philip had displayed still greaterfaith, he might have said, "Lord, I do not
know where bread is to be bought, but it is written, 'Man shall not live by
bread alone.'Your canrefresh these people without visible bread. You can
satisfy their hunger and fill them to the fullest and yet they need not eata
single mouthful, for it is written, 'By every word that proceeds out of the
mouth of God shall man live.' Speak the word and they will be at once
refreshed." This question, therefore, was put to testPhilip's faith. It did testit
and proved it to be very little, for he begancalculating his pennyworths—One,
two, three, four." No, I will not count 200, but that is what Philip did. He
begancounting pennies instead of looking to Omnipotence!
Did you ever do the same, dear Friend, when you have been tested? Did you
get reckoning up and counting coppers instead of looking to the eternal God
and trusting in Him? I fear that few of us can plead exemption from this
failure, since even Moses once fellinto unbelieving calculations. "And Moses
said, The people among whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen; and
You have said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall
the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? Or shall all the fish
of the sea be gatheredtogetherfor them to suffice them?" Remember God's
answerto His anxious servant? "And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord's
hand waxed short? You shall see now whether My Word shall come to pass
unto you or not."

13. Even so shall we see the faithfulness of God! But if we are unbelieving, we
may have to see it in a way which will painfully bring home to us our sin in
having distrusted our Lord! The question was meant, no doubt, also, to test
Philip's love and he could endure that testbetter than he could stand the
other, for he loved Jesus eventhough he was slow of heart to believe. In many
true hearts there is more quiet love than active faith. I am sorry that there
should be little faith, but thankful that there should be more love. The Savior
seemedto say, "Philip, I want these people fed. Will you come to My help in
it? Where shall we buy bread? I am going to associateyou with Me, Philip.
Come, now, how shall we do the
work?"
Philip loves his Masterand, therefore, he is quite ready to considerthe matter
and to give at leastthe benefit of his arithmetic. He says, "Lord, two hundred
pennyworth is not sufficient." His Masterdid not ask him what would not be
sufficient, but what would be! But Philip begins calculating the negative
question, which question, I am afraid that you and I have, also, often
calculated. Evento give eachone in the crowda little could not be done under
two hundred pence—isit not clearthat our resources are inadequate? Thatis
always a depressing and unpractical question to go into. PoorPhilip counts up
what would not be sufficient for all and leaves the All-Sufficient Lord out of
the reckoning!Still, even in that calculationhe showedhis love for his Master.
If he had not been full of love and esteemfor Jesus, he would have said, "My
Lord, it is idle to go into that. We are a poor company. We have a trifle of
money given us every now and then and I do not quite know what is left.
Perhaps Judas does. But I am persuaded that there is not enoughin the bag to
feed these multitudes, even if there were bakers'shops in the neighborhoodat
which we could buy loaves." ButPhilip did not answerthus. No. He had too
much reverence and too much love for Jesus forthat—he failed in his faith—
but he did not fail in his love. It will be well for us to love our Lord so much
that we never speak ofHis gracious plans as being visionary, nor judge them
to be impossible. Jesus neverproposes Quixotic schemes and we must never
allow the idea to cross our minds—eventhe conquest of the world to truth and

14. righteousness is not to be lookedupon as a dream, but to be practically
considered!
The question also tried Phillip's sympathy. Jesus, by this query, moved
Philip's heart to care about the people. The other disciples said, "Sendthe
multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."
Jesus, perhaps, noticing a little more tenderness in Philip than in the others,
said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread?" It was putting greathonor upon
Philip to associatehim with Himself, but perhaps He saw in him a
sympathetic soul and Christ loves to work with sympathetic agents. One thing
I notice—Godseldomuses a man greatly who has a hard heart, or a cold
heart. Only warmth within ourselves cancreate warmth in others. A man
must love people, or he cannotsave them. A minister must have an intense
desire that his congregationshould be savedand must get into sympathy with
Jesus upon that subject or else Jesus will not make use of him.
So our Lord sought to stir up Philip's sympathy. "Come, Philip. What shall
you and I do? Where shall we buy bread to give them to eat?" I do not think
Philip failed altogetherthere. He had not such sympathy with his Masteras he
ought to have had, but he had a measure of it. I trust that our God has given
to us, also, some communion with His dearSon in His love to the souls of men
and so this question comes to testus. Let us not be lacking in either faith, or
love, or sympathy. God grant that we may abound in all these through the
effectualworking of His Holy Spirit—then shall we be fitted to be workers
togetherwith Him.
But why was that question put to Philip? Why is a specialquestion put to
some of you, or a peculiar trial sent to one of you? It was sent to test him, it is
said. But why test Philip? Well, I think the Savior spoke to Philip because
Philip was of Bethsaida. They were near Bethsaida and so Jesus saidto Philip,
"Where shall we buy bread?" Every man should think most of the place
where he lives. I want Jesus to sayto some of you, "What shall we do for
London?"—because many of you are Londoners—possiblyborn within the
sound of Bow Bells, or within the postaldistrict. You belong to the four

15. millions of this greatprovince—no, this greatnation of a city and it is a
solemn responsibility to be a citizen of the greatestcity in the world!
If the Lord does lay London on anybody's hearts, He would naturally lay it
upon the hearts of those who live in it, just as He said to Philip, "Where shall
we buy bread?" If He associates anybody with Himself in the evangelization
of a village or town, it will naturally be a person either born there, or living
there. I know that the old proverb declares that the cobbler's wife goes
barefootand sometimes a man will care for people thousands of miles away
and not look to his own house or to his own neighborhood. But it should not
be so, for it is to Philip, the man from Bethsaida, that the messagecomes
about the people when they are near Bethsaida—"Where shallwe buy
bread?" It is said to test him! And to you, Brother Londoner, questions about
this greatcity are sent to test you.
It is also probable that it was Philip's department to attend to the providing
for the little company of 12 and their Leader. Judas was the treasurerand,
unless we are much mistaken, Philip was the butler. It was Philip's business to
see that they had bread and his part to make some little provision when the
band of disciples went into desert places. Evenso, there are Brothers and
Sisters here presentwhose officialbusiness it is to care for the souls of men.
Among these are ministers, missionaries, Sunday schoolteachers, deacons,
elders, district visitors, Bible-women and the like. If the Lord does not sayto
others, "What shall we do for London?" He says it to us! The question is sent
to test us to see whether we are fit for our office, or whether we have taken
upon ourselves a position for which we are not qualified because we have no
heart for it.
Christ asks us, especially, but I think He also asks allthose whom He has
made priests and kings unto God, "Where shall we buy bread? How shall we
feed this greatcity?" The question comes to testus because it is upon us that
this burden ought to be laid. And perhaps it came to Philip because he was not
quite so forward in the schoolof Divine Grace as some were. Philip did not
make a very wise remark when he said, "Show us the Father, and it suffices
us," for our Lord answered, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet have
you not known Me, Philip?" He was evidently slow in learning. I do not think

16. that Philip was the most stupid of the 12, but I am sure that he was not the
most intelligent. James and John and Peter were the first three—Andrew and
Thomas followedclose behind—andprobably Philip was close afterthem.
Perhaps Philip was number six. I do not know, but certainly the Savior
selectedhim as not the lowestin the class, yet not the highest, and He said to
him, "Where shall we buy bread?"
Those people in the middle position very much need testing for their own
satisfaction. The lowestkind of Christians are so feeble that they canhardly
bear testing. Poorsouls, they need encouraging rather than testing and,
therefore, the greatestproblems are not often pressedupon them. On the
other hand, the highestkind of Christians do not so much need testing, for
they make their calling and electionsure. The middle sort most need testing
and they make up, I am afraid, the greatbulk of the rank and file of the army
of God. There are many who may be described as half-instructed, half-
enlightened—andto these the Lord puts the question—"Where shall we buy
bread?" This He says that He may testthem.
Note well that the question which the Savior put to Philip to test him
answeredits purpose. It did test him. How it tested him I have shownyou
already. It answeredits purpose because it revealedhis inability. "Where
shall we buy broad?" Philip gives up. He has made a calculationof what
would not suffice, even, to give every man a little refreshment and that is all
his contribution to the work—he has not even a loaf or a fish which he can
produce to make a start with. Philip is beaten. What is more, his faith, being
tested, is beaten, too. "Oh, goodMaster," he seems to say, "the people cannot
be fed by us. We cannot buy bread—we—notevenYou and I. You are the
Lord and You cando greatthings, but my faith is not strong enoughto believe
that we could buy bread enoughfor all these thousands of people." So the
question answeredits purpose. It testedPhilip's faith and his faith was proven
to be very weak, very wavering, very short-handed.
Is it a goodthing to find that out? Yes, Brothers and Sisters, it is goodto know
our spiritual poverty. Many of us have a heap of faith, we think—but if the
Lord were to test it, He would not need to put it in the fire to melt it—He has
only to put it on the fire and the most of it would evaporate!Under ordinary

17. trial much faith disappears like morning dew when the sun looks upon it.
What a deal of faith a man has when he is healthy! Just turn on the screws
and let him suffer—see how much of that faith will vanish! How many men
have faith if they have an excellent income regularly paid! But when they have
to ask, "Where will the next meal come from?" have they faith? Alas, they
grow anxious and cum-
bered! It is a wholesome thing to be made to see whatweaklings we are, for
when we find much of our faith to be unreal, it drives us to seek formore true
faith and we cry, "Lord, increase ourfaith!"
Philip was drawn into his Masterand it is a grand thing to be driven right out
of ourselves into our Lord so as to feel, "Lord, I cannot do it. But I long to see
how You will perform Your purpose. I cannot even believe in You as I ought
to believe, unless You give me faith so that even for more faith I must come to
You! Quite empty-handed I must come and borrow everything." Then it is
that we become full and strong!You will see Philip breaking the bread,
directly, and feeding the multitudes just because Christ has emptied Philip's
hands! Until He has emptied our hands He cannotfill them, lest it should be
supposedthat we sharedin the supplying. "This He said to test him," to make
him see his own weakness, forthen he would be filled with the Master's
strength!
This question did good, for it was meant not only to test Philip, but to testthe
other disciples, and so they came togetherand they had a little talk upon the
subject, At any rate, here is a committee of two, Philip and Andrew. Philip
says, "Two hundred pennyworth is not sufficient," and Andrew says, "Well
no, it is not. But there is a lad here with five barley loaves and two small
fishes." I like this brotherly consultationof willing minds—and to see how
they differ in their ideas. Philip is willing to begin if he has a grand start. He
must see at least200 pennyworth of bread in hand and then he is ready to
entertain the idea. Andrew, on the other hand, is willing to commence with a
small capital—a few loaves andfishes will enable him to start, but he remarks,
"What are they among so many?"

18. When saints converse together, they help eachother and, perhaps, what one
does not discoveranother may. Philip was counting the impossible pence and
could not see the possible loaves. But Andrew could see what Philip
overlooked. He spied out the lad with that basketpackedfull of loaves and
fishes. It was not much—Andrew had not faith enough to see foodfor the
thousands in that little basket—butstill, he saw what he saw and he told the
Masterof it. Thus they made a commencementby mutual consultation.
Perhaps if we were to consult we might make a start, too. When a question
eats into men's hearts like this—"Whatshallwe do for London?" When it
leads Christian people to come together and talk about it and when one sighs
out, "Why, it will take many thousands to build chapels, find Ministers and
maintain Missionaries,"there is something hopeful in the calculation!
All right, Philip, I am glad you have had your say and shownthe difficulty of
the task. And then I like Andrew to getup and say, "It is a very difficult task,
but still, we must do what we cando, and as we have these five loaves and two
small fishes we must at leastput these before the Lord and leave it with Him
as to what is to be done." All this is better than shirking the question
altogetherand leaving the crowdto starve. Philip had his faculties exercised.
Christ tried his arithmetic! He tried his eyesight!He tried his mind and spirit!
And this prepared him to go and serve at the Master's banquet which
followed. A man never does a thing well till he has thought about it. And if
Philip had not thought about how to feed the multitudes, he would not have
been a fit man to be employed in it.
It prepared him, also, to adore his Masterafter the feast, for Philip would say,
when the meal was over, "The Masteraskedme how it was to be done, but I
could not tell Him and now, though I have had a share in doing it, He must
and shall have all the Glory. He multiplied the fishes and increasedthe loaves.
My poor faith cantake no Glory to itself. He did it. He did it all!" Perhaps
some question comes to you, my Brother, about the Lord's work—"Howcan
it be done? How can England be evangelized? How can the masses be
reached? How can the world be made to hear the Gospel?" Whateverthe
question is which is put to you, it is a question sent on purpose to do you good

19. and benefit your soul and to lead you to magnify the Lord all the more when
the miracle of Grace is done!
II. Now I come to the secondpart of the subject and that is that THERE WAS
NO QUESTION WITH JESUS. The question was with Philip, but Christ had
no question. "This He said to test him: for He Himself knew what He would
do." Let us take these words and pull them to pieces a minute. "He knew." He
always knows. "Ah," says one, "I am sure I do not know what I shall do." No,
dear Friend, and yet you have been taking advice, have you not? That is a
splendid way of confusing yourself! I hear you cry in bewilderment, "I do not
know!I have been to everybody and I do not know what I shall do!" That is a
chronic state with us when we puzzle our own poor brains—but Jesus knew
what He would do. This is sweetcomfort—Jesus knows.
He always knows all about it. He knew how many people there were. He knew
how much bread it would take. He knew how many fish He would need and
how He meant to feed the crowd and send them all awayrefreshed. He knew
all before it happened. Tried Brother, Jesus knows allabout your case and
how He is going to bring you through. Do not
think that you caninform Him as to anything. "Your heavenly Father knows
what you have need of before you ask Him." Prayer is not meant for the
Lord's information. The question is not put to you that you may instruct Him,
but that He may instruct you! He made the heavens and the earth without
you. With whom took He counsel? Who instructed Him? And He will bring
you through this present trial of yours without needing to add your poor
wisdom to His infinite knowledge!
He knows. Jesus knew whatHe would do. He meant to do something. He was
quite ready to do it and He knew what He was going to do. We embarrass
ourselves by saving, "Something must be done, but I do not know who is to do
it." The Saviorknew that something must be done and He knew that He was
going to do it Himself. He was not in a hurry, He never is—"He neveris
before His time, He never is too late." Our blessedMasterhas glorious leisure
because He is always punctual. Late people are in a hurry, but He, being
never late, never hurries. He does everything calmly and serenelybecause He

20. foreseeswhatHe will do. Jesus knows, dearFriend, concerning you, not only
what you will do, but what He will do! That is the point and He means to do
some greatthing for you and to help you.
He means, also, to bring this city and this nation to His feet. He means that
every knee shall bow to Him and that the whole earth shall be filled with His
Glory. He knows whatHe means to do. He knew, moreover, how He meant to
do it. He knew preciselythe wayand method which He intended to use. He
perceivedlong before Andrew told Him that there was a lad somewhere in the
crowdwith five barley cakes. Whenthe lad set out that morning, I cannot
make out what made him bring five barley loaves and fishes into that crowd
exceptthe Masterhad whisperedin his heart, "Young lad, take with you a
goodlunch. Put those barley cakes into the basketand do not forget the fishes.
You do not know how long you may be awayfrom home."
Nature bade him provide for contingencies,but then Nature is God's voice
when He choosesto make it so. He was a hungry, growing lad with a fine
appetite and he meant to be well provided for, but had he ever thought in his
mind that these strangelyprovidential cakeswouldmultiply so as to feed that
mass of people? Where is the man that is to be the universal provider? Where
is the chief of the commissariat? It is that youth and that is the whole of his
storehouse!He is carrying a magazine of food on his back—inthat basket.
The Saviorknew that. And He knows exactly, dear Friend, where your help is
to come from in your hour of trouble. You do not know, but He does. He
knows where the ministers are to come that will stir up this city of London
and He knows in what style and manner they shall come and how they shall
get at the masses.
When everybody else is defeatedand nonplussed, He is fully prepared. He
knew that those loaves and fishes would be fetchedout, in due time, to be the
basis of a banquet. He knew that He would bless them, break them, multiply
them and give them to the disciples—andthe disciples to the multitude.
Everything was arrangedin His mind and as much fixed as the rising of the
sun. Once more, He did it as one who knew what He was going to do. How
does a man actwhen he knows what he is going to do? Well, he generally
proceeds in the most natural way! He knows that he is going to do it, so he just

21. goes and does it. Can you conceive that a miracle was everperformed in a
more natural style?
If this had been a RomanCatholic miracle, they would have thrown the loaves
up in the air and they would have come down mysteriously transformed and
multiplied a million times! All popish miracles, if you observe, have a great
deal of the theatricaland glitter about them. They are totally distinct from the
miracles of Christ. He does this miracle in the most natural way in the world,
because it is virtually the same miracle which Christ works everyyear. We
take a certain quantity of wheatand put it into the ground and, in the long
run, the end of it is that it is multiplied into loaves ofbread. Certain fishes are
in the sea and they increase into greatshoals. The sownwheatpasses through
the same operationin the ground in the same hands—inGod's hands—andit
comes out loaves of bread!
And that is preciselywhat came of our Lord's action!He took a little into His
own blessedhands and broke it and it kept on multiplying in His hands, and
in the hands of His disciples, till they were all filled! He knew what He was
going to do and so He did it naturally and did it orderly. It is not so when a
man does not know what he is to provide for. We have a large meeting and
there is provision made for tea—andthree times as many come as you have
provided for. What a hurry! What a scurry! What a running to and fro! Jesus
never conducts His matters in that way. He knew what He was going to do
and, therefore, He bade the men sit down on the grass—andthey sat down
like so many children. Mark tells us that they sat down in rows by fifties and
by hundreds—they were arranged as if eachone had been speciallysetbefore
his plate and found his name engravedupon it!
Moreover, there was much grass in the place so that the hall was carpetedin a
way that no firm in London could have done! The feastwas conductedas
orderly as if there had been notice given sevendays beforehand and a
contractorhad supplied the provisions. Nothing could have been done in a
better way and all because Jesus knew whatHe would do! Moreover, He did it
very joyfully. He took bread and blessedit. He went about it with great
pleasure. I should have liked to have seenHis face as He lookedon these poor
famishing people being fed. Like a goodhost, He cheeredthem with His smile

22. while He blessedthem with the food! And then He did it so plentifully, for He
knew what He would do. He did not come half-provided, or stint them so that
every man should have "a little."
No, He knew what He would do and He measured their appetites exactly, a
difficult thing when you have a number of hungry people to feed. He provided
all that they needed and afterwards there was provision left for the head
waiters, so that eachone should have a basketfulfor himself—forthey took up
of the fragments, 12 basketfuls, one for eachof the head waiters. Our Lord
Jesus Christ, in the matter of bringing in His own elect, is going about it, I am
quite certain, knowing what He is going to do. And when you and I see the end
of the greatfestival of mercy we shall say, "Blessedbe the Lord! We were in a
greatworry. We were in sore trouble, but our Lord has done it easilyand
thoroughly. There has been no muddle, no crowding, no passing over of
anybody! Blessedbe His name! He has not done it by chance or through
fortunate circumstances, but He knew what He would do and He has planned
it all through from the beginning to the end in such a way that principalities
and powers in Heaven shall sing forever of the Grace and love and wisdom
and powerand prudence wherein He has abounded towards His people."
Oh, but if we could see the end as well as the beginning we would begin, even
now, to exalt the name of Jesus our Saviorwho foreknows allHis work and
never deviates from His plan!
III. I conclude by saying that because there is no question with Christ, though
He puts questions to US, THERE
OUGHT TO BE NO QUESTION OF A DOUBTFUL CHARACTER ANY
LONGER TO US. Let me mention three
questions and I have done. The first question that troubles a greatmany
people is, "How shall I bear my present burden? How shall I endure this
suffering? How shall I make a living?" That question is sent to you to test you,
but remember that there is no question, with Christ, as to how you will get
through, for, "as your day so shall your strength be," and He will keepHis
saints even to the end. Therefore let there be no question with you, for Jesus
Himself knows what He will

23. do!
You came here, tonight, very distressedand you said, "I wish I might get a
word to tell me what I should do." You will not gethalf a word as to what you
shall do, but you shall hear a word of a different sort. Jesus knows whatHE
will do and what He will do is infinitely better than anything you can do. Your
strength, my Friend, is to sit still. Roll your burden upon the Lord! Do the
little you cando and leave the rest with your heavenly Father. This is the
answerfrom the Urim and the Thummim. For you—Jesus knowswhatHe
will do! There is that other question, which I have already asked—"Whatis to
be done with this greatcity?"
I had the greatprivilege of being able to preach, yesterday afternoon,
[Wednesdayevening, June 22, 1881]in one of our easternsuburbs. Setting out
from my own house early in the morning, I went on riding, riding, upon one
railway and another till I think I must have been journeying for fully two
hours and a half before I had passedfrom one end of London to another!
What a city of magnificent distances!It seems as if there was not a greentree
which the builders will not cut down, nor a grassymeadow which they will not
turn into ugly streets. "Replenishthe earth," indeed! It is replenished. The
dead earth is buried awaybeneath the abodes of living men!
As for creatures ofour race, what myriads there are of them! And, then, as
you go along with a Christian friend, he says, "There is a chapelneeded
here." Or, "There is a little chapel here, but not one person in 50 goes to a
place of worship." Then you arrive at another suburban place and your guide
will say, "Here are people anxious for the Gospel, but there is nobody to take
it to them." I went along yesterdaysorely burdened and questioning in my
heart, "What shall we do?" I kept thinking, "You had better not ask yourself
that question, for you cannot do much towards answering it and it will only
worry you." And yet it came back to me, "How shall we buy bread for this
multitude?"
My Lord and Masterwould say, "YOU." In my heart I wantedHim to leave
me out, but He would not. He never would have said, "How shall I buy
bread?" because He knows that. But He put it to me and I felt that I was a

24. hindrance for making it a question at all, for He only makes it a question to
me for my sake. O that we had men and money to send out ministers and to
build places for them to preach in! We have preachers ready in the College,
but I have no means for
building places of worship! Surely many of you must have been burdened
with the hugeness ofthis city! But, dear, dear, this is like one drop of rain in a
greatshowercomparedwith the whole world that lies in the WickedOne.
How is this world to be enlightened?
It is no question with Jesus and, therefore, it should never be an unbelieving
question with us. "Canthese dry bones live?" Let us answer, "Lord, You
know." There will we leave it. He is able to do exceedinglyabundantly above
what we ask, oreven think—and we may depend upon it that if He has sworn
by Himself that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to Him, it shall
be so and He shall have the Glory! One other question should be mentioned. It
is this. Has the Lord put into the heart of any unconverted person the
question—"Whatmust I do to be saved?" And is that question perplexing any
of you? I am glad it is so, but I hope you will turn to the right place for an
answer. I hope you are enquiring—"Lord, what would You have me do?"
Do you know why that question is put to you? It is to test you and to humble
you. It is meant to make you feel the impossibility of salvationby your own
works so that you may submit yourself to the righteousness ofGodand be
savedby faith in Christ Jesus!Remember that there is no question with
Christ about how you are to be saved. In fact, that question was settled—when
shall I say? Settled when He died? No, settledlong before that—itwas decided
in the Everlasting Covenantbefore the day-star knew its place, or planets ran
their round! God had then regarded His son as the Lamb of God, slain before
the foundation of the world and to this day the word still stands—"Beholdthe
Lamb of God, which takes awaythe sin of the world."
Look unto Him and be saved! There is no question about the possibility of
your salvation, or about Christ's ability to save you. The question in your
heart, "What must I do to be saved?" is put there to testyou, but Jesus
Himself knows what He will do. What a blessedword is that! He knows how

25. He will pardon, comfort, regenerate, instruct and lead you! He knows how He
will keepyou to the end by His unchanging Grace!He knows how He will
preserve you and sanctify you and use you and glorify His own name by you!
He knows how He will take you up to Heaven and setyou upon His Throne
and make all the angels wonderand adore, as they see what He will do! God
bless what He will do. God bless you for Jesus'sake. Amen.
The Testing ofFaith
Author: RayC. Stedman
Readthe Scripture: John6:1-15
It is no coincidence inGod's programI am sure, that this Sunday which has
beensetaside as WorldFoodDayis also the day we come to the accountin
John's gospel ofJesus feeding the 5,000beside the Sea ofGalilee.
The lasttime we saw ourLord he was speakingto the people of Jerusalem,
following the healing ofthe impotent man at the poolof Bethesda. Here we find
a major difference betweenthe GospelofJohnand the otherthree gospels.
They seemto focus largelyupon our Lord's ministry in Galilee, andfora two-
yearperiod they follow him in much ofhis healing and teaching ministry there.
But John selectsonlytwo miracles outof that two-yearperiod: The miracle of
the feeding of the 5,000, andthe accompanying miracle ofJesus' walking onthe
waterto his disciples during the storm. All four gospels recordthese two
miracles, andJohn's selectionofthis particularincident indicates there is
something extremely important about it. In our Lord's words to the multitude
on this occasionhe gives the first hint ofhis approaching death.
After this Jesus wentto the other side of the Sea ofGalilee, whichis the Sea of
Tiberias. And a multitude followedhim, because theysaw the signs whichhe

26. did on those who were diseased. Jesus wentupon the mountain, and there sat
down with his disciples. Nowthe Passover, the feastofthe Jews, wasathand.
(John6:1-4RSV)
Thatlastsentence dates this incident in the spring of the yearwhen the hills
would be greenwithgrass. The multitudes were following Jesus everywhere
despite the factthat it was the Passoverseason, whentheyought to have been
on their wayto Jerusalem. The Law requiredthat every male Jew celebrate the
Passoverthere if they couldpossibly getaway. So ordinarilythese great
multitudes would not be in Galilee but in Jerusalem.
Johnhas included this to indicate why Jesus did whathe did on this occasion.
These greatmultitudes followedour Lord everywhere he went because they
did not dare miss the tremendous excitementof the "signs" whichhe did. He
was now feeling the pressure ofthese crowds, andwantedto getawayfora
time alone with his disciples, who hadbeenministering from townto town
themselves andhad seenthe powerofGodmanifested through them. They got
into a boatto go across the northern end ofthe Sea ofGalilee to the eastern
shore.
But the multitudes would not give up. As the boat left to cross the lake they
beganto run along the northern shore, throughratherrough country, to getto
where they saw the boatwas heading. Jesusandhis disciples arrived first and
wentup on the hillside together. As he watchedhe could see the crowdcoming
along the shore andeventually gathering at the footofthe hills. His response
was to determine to do something for them. He knew that ordinarily they
would be in Jerusalemforthe Passover, so itis clearthat it enteredinto his
heart to have a Passoverfeastrightthere in the wilderness with them. In Verse
6 we read "he himself knew whathe woulddo."
Yet he also uses this occasionto give to the disciples whatwe canonly calla
mid-term examination! Theyhad been with him for two years and had heard
all his amazing words. Theyhadseenthe mighty powerofGoddemonstrated
againand againand had themselves beensentouton a ministry. Jesus now
decides to testtheir faith. According to this account, Jesus choseto examine
Philip first:

27. Lifting up his eyes, then, andseeing thata multitude was coming to him, Jesus
saidto Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so thatthese people may eat?" This
he saidto testhim, forhe himself knew whathe would do. (John6:5-6RSV)
Examination time has come. We are notsure why Jesus chosePhilip. Itmay be
that Philip was the one whom he thought to be most advancedin the lessons of
faith. These disciples allhadunique personalities. Peter, ofcourse, wasloud
and brassy. He had his footin his mouth most ofthe time -- the Jim Wattof the
disciple band. James andJohnwere ambitious and fiery. Theylosttheir
tempers easily-- thatis why Jesus calledthem"Sons ofThunder," (Mark
3:17). Philipwas quiet, deep, andrather mousey, the kind who hung around in
the backgroundallthe time. Yet I am sure Jesus sawinhim a man of deep
perception. The quiet kind are oftenthe deep thinkers. Perhaps he chose Philip
because he was the one who wouldmost likelyunderstand allthat was
underneath the very dramatic surface phenomena which the disciples were
witnessing.
In any eventJesus saidto Philip "How are we to buy bread so thatthese people
may eat?" He did not really expectto buy bread. In factJesus knew thatPhilip
could not possiblyanswerhis question. There was no village andno stores
nearby, and they had very little money besides. His questionis clearlydesigned
to setbefore Philip a predicament that had no human solution.
Has that ever happened to you? Perhaps some ofyou right now are in that kind
of a state: Youare facedwitha predicament for which you canfind no answer
in the normal resourcesofhuman life. Thatis whatJesus did with Philip.
Our Lord, ofcourse, wasthinking ofministry to these people, ofmeeting their
need. ButPhilip according to this account immediatelybeganto think of
money. He responds to Jesus' question: "Two hundreddenarii would not buy
enoughbread for eachofthem to geta little." As he estimatedthe resources
available, Philipgave up in despair; he thought there was no waythis problem
could be met.
Godforgive us for the Philip in all of us! How many times has this happened in
our ownexperience! As we contemplate the Wordof Godto us he commands

28. us to feed the multitudes -- notonly physically, whenneed arises (suchas we
are doing in World FoodDay) -- butevenmore important, spiritually. As I
travel aboutthe country I am distressedby the fact that very few churches
seemto understand that the church is sentinto the world to teachthe world
truth that it never couldfind out in any other way, truth that is desperately
neededto handle life and make it work as Godintended it to work. Inthe
secularrealms ofknowledge there are greatmissing elements, greatblanks,
that the people of the worldtry to fill up in a dozen different ways, butonly the
church possesses the truth, the bread that canfeedthe hungers of life.
What do we do when we hearthis command, "Feedthe multitudes"? We
respondlike Philip. We begin to think ofcommittees, andfund raising, and
organizations. We use veryimpressive-sounding words: We have to "setour
goals," wemust"understand the parameters ofthe problem," etc. The resultis
that very little gets done. OurLord, however, saysto beginwhere youare, with
whatyou have. Iam convincedthat if the church wouldjust do that across this
country, all these expensive substitutes wouldnot be needed. We wouldsoon
transform our country by the sharing of the Word.
This is the waythat news aboutJesus hadalreadyspreadthroughout the land,
and why multitudes were alreadyfollowing him. Theydid not have television,
telephone ortelegraph, but they did have the all-time mosteffective means of
communication: Tell-a-person!Thatis the waythe news aboutJesus had
spread!
In response to Jesus'question, Philipgasps inutter despair, "Lord, how canwe
do this?" In this mid-term examination Philip gets a big "F," justas we
probably would have too. Isn'tit interesting to think that, if Jesus hadgiven
that command, "Feedthe multitude," to an atheist-- say, to MadelynMurray
O'Hare -- she wouldhave saidexactlywhatPhilip said? Without any reckoning
upon the resources ofGodwhatsoever, thinking only in terms of the human
resources available, she wouldhave respondedin the same words as Philip,
"We don't have enoughmoney. We can't do this. It takes moneyto buy bread."
Our Lord would have had to point out what is true everywhere in the
Scripture, that it is ministry that comes first, andmoney follows. Itis rather

29. shocking to think that if this questionwere askedofanunbeliever he would say
the same thing as a believerwould. In otherwords, there wouldbe no
difference betweenthe wayan atheist, anda true disciple ofour Lord would
reactto this command of Jesus. Whata revelationofChristianunbelief!
Another of Jesus' disciples, Andrew, doesa little better. He gets a "D":
One of his disciples, Andrew, SimonPeter's brother, saidto him, "There is a
lad here who has five barleyloaves andtwo fish; but what are they among so
many?" (John6:8-9 RSV)
There is not a lotof faith in his response, butthere is a little. Andrew had been
checking outthe crowd. No wonderhe has become the patronsaintof Scotland:
He is not interestedin spending money to feedthis crowd! If you doubt that, I
would point out to you what is not evident in the Englishtext but is in the
Greek. Thatis thatAndrew actuallyuses a Scottishexpressionhere. He did not
say, as this accountreads, "Thereis a ladhere" (thoughthat is a Scottishword
for boy), buthe actuallyused the diminutive whenhe referred to both the boy
and the fish. What he said was, "Lord, there is a wee laddie here and he has five
loaves ofbreadand two wee fishes."Thatwas allhe couldfind in the crowd.
Given his makeupyou canbe sure he had checkedouteverypossibility in the
throng and this is all he could come up with.
But, ofcourse, thatis all Jesus needs. He neverasksus to startaccumulating
more before we beginto minister. All he wants is what we have right now. As
soonas he found out what was available inthe crowd, thatis allhe needed; just
one lad's lunch was allit took. ImmediatelyJesus said:
"Make the people sitdown." Now there wasmuchgrass inthe place; so the
men satdown, in number about five thousand. Jesus thentook the loaves, and
when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so
also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eatentheir fill, he
told his disciples, "Gatherup the fragments leftover, that nothing may be
lost." So theygatheredthemup and filled twelve baskets withfragments from
the five barley loaves, leftby those who had eaten. (John6:10-13RSV)

30. Notice the simplicity ofour Lord's actions. We have seenthis before in the
accountofthe changing ofwaterinto wine. There is no razzmatazz, no special
pleading, no raising his hands and dramatically crying outto God. No, there is
merely a simple taking of the breadand the fish and, lifting his eyes, giving
thanks to the Father. Rememberthatin, Chapter5, Jesus has alreadydeclared
the process bywhich he performed his work: He saidhe could only do what he
saw the Fatherdoing. In that inner vision ofhis heart he could see the Father
feeding the multitude, that this was whatwas demandedfor that moment, and
he simply respondedwith thankful expectationthatGodwould do whathe said
he would do. Ihope you have the habit ofgiving thanks at everymeal, public or
private. Rememberthat,
Back ofthe bread is the snowyflour,
And back ofthe flour, the mill.
And back ofthe mill is the field of wheat.
The rain and the Father's will.
So Jesus gave thanks forwhathadbeen provided and beganto feedthe
multitude.
I have oftenwonderedjust when the miracle of multiplication took place. Did
Jesus place allthe fish and bread in a basketandsendthe disciples out with
little amounts ofit to distribute it, and then as people reachedin it kept
increasing? Ordid he heap up a greatquantity of it, and then send them out to
distribute that? How did he do this? I wonderedaboutthis fora long time until
I lookedcarefullyatMark's accountofthis gospel andfound that Mark tells
how Jesus did it.
Mark says thatJesus "blessed, andbroke" the bread(Mark 6:41RSV), andhe
uses the aoristtense, whichis to sayit was a single actionneverrepeated. Then
Mark uses the imperfect tense, "he keptongiving to the disciples." Inother
words, the miracle took place inour Lord's hands. As he held the simple meal
in his hands he would break offpieces andgive to the disciples, andhe kepton
doing that. There neverwas anincrease inthe amount in his hand, but there

31. was always a continual supply until the whole multitude of five thousand males
(the text uses thatterm) alone were fed, plus, undoubtedly, another three to
five thousand more womenand children. There were probably ten thousand
people in that greatcrowdwho were fed. And they were notgiven a tiny
amount. This was notan airline meal! They"ate their fill," it says. Youcan
almosthearthe burps coming from the crowdas this wonderful supply is
given.
Then, in line with the orderliness ofGod, ourLord commandedthe disciples to
cleanup the place, save allthe fragments, andpolice the grounds so that
nothing was leftto mar the landscape thatGod had made. There is a wonderful
lessononecologyhere also. According to the account they filled twelve baskets
with the fragments remaining. Thatis a hint as to where the baskets came
from. Obviously these were the disciples' ownpersonal baskets. Inthose days
every Jew who traveledcarrieda basket, justlike a womantodaycarries a
purse. And like womentoday, they had an amazing array ofthings in their
baskets!Theywere preparedforany eventuality. But they dumped them all
out and gatheredup the fragments, so thatthey eachhad a full basketoffood
for the restof the day and for the trip back in the boat. Whata wonderful
account!
There have been many attempts to explain this miracle on rational grounds:
Some have saidthis was a miracle of sharing, that, as Jesus wasteaching the
people, he so movedthem they abandonedtheir selfishhabits and sharedwith
their own families and with others the lunch they had brought with them so
that there proved to be plenty for everybody. But this wordabout Andrew
scouting the crowdlays that argumentto rest. He had done so to see how much
foodcould be found in this desertplace to feedthe multitude. This crowd
would neverhave found time to go back and pack a lunch. When they saw
Jesus leaving theyimmediately ran around the north shore of the lake to follow
him.
Another suggestionis thatthis was reallya miracle ofsublimation, that Jesus'
teaching was so marvelous people forgotabouttheirfoodand they wenthome
saying, "Oh, thatwas so great!He fedus so full I'm not evenhungry." Now that

32. canhappen. I have beenin meetings that were so marvelous thatone could
forgetabouteating. ButI do not think that is the case here because, as a little
girl saidwhen this was taughtto her in Sunday School. "Whatdidthey put in
the twelve baskets, then?"Thatis a goodquestion!
C. S. Lewis saysthis was a miracle ofthe old creation, thatas he did when he
changedthe waterto wine, Jesussimplyshort-circuitedsomething that
happens regularly in nature overa long period oftime so thatit happened in an
instant. Wheatmultiplies in the fields, and it makes possible a continuing
supply of breadas it is ground and baked. Fishmultiply in the sea, andthat
process ofnature keeps a plentiful supply of fish available allthe time forthe
fish markets ofthe world. Thoughit included human effort and human
preparation, Lewis suggeststhatby the creative powerofthe Fatherat work in
him, our Lord short-circuitedthatwhole process andwrote insmall letters
instantly whatis alreadywritten in large letters across the whole panorama of
nature.
Thatmay very wellbe whathappened here. Butwhateverwas the explanation
of it, it was the Fatherat work in the Son. Notice the effectJesus'actionhad
upon the crowd:
When the people saw the signwhich he had done they said, "This is indeedthe
prophet who is to come into the world!"
Perceiving thenthat they were aboutto take him by force to make him king,
Jesus withdrew againto the mountain by himself. (John6:14-15 RSV)
Thatis a remarkable statementofa proper conclusion, followedby a terribly
wrong response. As theysaw this miracle happen, their minds wentback to a
verse in the 18thchapter ofDeuteronomy, where Moses, who hadfed the
people in the wilderness with manna from heaven, hadsaid to the people, "The
Lord your Godshall raise up unto you a prophet like me," (Deuteronomy
18:15RSV). The murmur beganto spreadthrough the whole crowd, "This
must be the one of whom Mosessaid, 'There willbe a prophet like unto me'."
And they were deadright. Thatwas one ofthe signs ofthe Messiah; thatwas
indeed proof that here was the one of whom Mosesspoke. Butthe strange and

33. sadthing was thatwhen they reachedthatproper conclusion, theyimmediately
reactedin a very improper way. It says thatJesus, "perceiving thenthat they
were aboutto come andtake him by force to make him king," separated
himself and went back up on the mountainside alone.
What a strange reaction! Theywere notreadyto follow him as the Messiah;
they wantedto use him; they wantedGod to work for them according to their
program and their schedule. Beforewe judge themtoo sharply, let us ask
ourselves, do we do the same thing?
Have you everbecome angrywith Godbecause he did not give you whatyou
askedfor? Youwere reallyexpecting him to work for you and to do what you
wanted? Ido not know if you have done that, but I have. I have been very upset
with God sometimes becausehe did not do what I told him to do. This storyis
given to teachus that this is not the kind ofrelationship that men are to have
with God.
StanleyGoldfoot, ourfriend from Israel, toldme that whenMenachimBegin,
the Prime Ministerof Israel, wasatthe height ofhis popularity in that country
and the focus ofattention all overthe world because ofhis standfor the
interests ofhis country, crowds wouldgatherabout him in the streets of
Jerusalemandcry out, "Hamelek Yisrael" (The King ofIsrael). Israelhas
beenlooking fora king eversince the days of David. Whenthese people beside
the Sea ofGalilee were fedby Jesus theythought, "Here is the one who can
take care ofallour needs. We don'thave to worry againabouteating. Let's get
him and make him to be our king." Butour Lord wouldnot consentto being
usedlike that.
The only proper attitude towardthe greatnessandmajestyof Godis written
right across the front ofthis auditorium: "Youare not your own; youare
bought with a price," (1Corinthians 6:19b-20a). Ourgreatestprivilege is to see
ourselves as his instruments, doing what he wants to do, notusing him to do
whatwe want to do. Surely this is the lessonwhichthis incident engravedupon
the minds ofthese disciples -- thatthey were to be his followers, andthatwhen
they were readyto take thatrole, Godhimself was readyto do greatthings
through them.

34. I hope this accountsends us back to our daily work with the realizationthat the
Living Godhas chosenus to be a channel of his blessing, to work inus and
through us to do what he wants to do. Thatis the greatestjoyand the greatest
privilege oflife.
Prayer
Lord, in this quiet moment many ofus are having to face the same issue that
these people facedlong ago: Is Jesusto be King or simply a politician to be
manipulated atour beck and call? Helpus to crownhim King, to be ready to
follow that he may indeed minister through us, so thatwe may respond with
thankful expectationto this commandto feedthe multitude around us who
hunger for the delivering Word oflife. We ask itin Jesus' name. Amen.
Christiansonly:Why JesustestsPhillip?
Can you pleaseexplain whyJesustestsPhillip(verse6)? Then, haveyou
yourself gottestin life? Can youpleaseshareyour experience?Thankyou...
John 6 (ContemporaryEnglishVersion) John6 FeedingFiveThousand1Jesus
crossedLakeGalilee, whichwas also knownasLakeTiberias. 2A large... show
more
BestAnswer: Jesuswanted Philipto realizeHispower.Hewantspeopleto
knowthatHeisGodandhavethepower of GodtheFather. Hewantedusto see
throughPhilipthatwehaveto trustandbedependenton Him.
Lastmonthmy husbandlosthisjobasOfficer in chargeof a companydealing
with second handcars.Themanagerrecommendedhimto beoutand even
fromthisapartmentwehavebeen livingforfiveyears.Theownerwasa

35. Chinesefriendof my husbandandalsotheownerof thecompany. Sincethe
main officewasclosedtheyhaveto transfertheir officehere.So wehaveto
vacatetheplaceafter onemonth.
I asked theLordto letusstay sincewehaveno placeto go. Wedon't wantto
livewithourchildren.My husbandwastroubledfor many daysbutI stayas
calm asI couldand keepon trustingGod. Themanager letmyhusbandsigned
the memothatwewillleavetheplacesinceheisno longer connectedwiththe
company.
God isgoodaftera daymy husband signedthememoearlyin themorninghis
friend calledandtoldhim to stayaslongasweneedtheplace.Weare
privilegedto stay withfreelightandwater. GodiswonderfulandI justpraise
Him for themiracle. Allthepeoplein theofficeweresurprisedfortheowner's
decision.
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Your answer isbehindthethoughtsof Johnwho wrotetheBook.
John knewJesusthoughtsbecauseJesusspokewithhim thantheothers. Jesus
(testPhilips'knowledgeof Him). Justto seewhat Philip wouldsay.

36. GoodQuestion.
John wasJesuscousin. MaryandSalomeweresisters.
John wasverydiscreteabouthisselfwhenwrotewhathedid.Hewouldcall
himself 'theother one.'Hewouldnever mention hisname.
Mary wastheoldestdaughterof thetwo.
BecauseJesusbrother JameswasatoddswithHimuntilJesusresurrectedand
camearoundthem andstayedwiththem for40 days, JesusleftMary to Johnto
takecareof her.
You can practicallycanlivein thattimewhenyou studylikeGODSAID.
Jesusalso asked on anotheroccasion"whodo you say thatI am". A significant
partof Hisjourney wasinvolvedin persuadingothersto seeHimfor who He
really was.HisApostlesmisunderstoodHim, thosewho triedto makeHim King
misunderstoodHim, thosewho crucifiedHimmisunderstood Him. Itwasonly
in thelightof theEaster eventandthefirstPentecostthat allthepiecesof the
puzzlecouldbeput togetherinto a comprehensiblepicture. BecausePhilip
knewfromhisinvestigationsthat itwashumanlyimpossibleto feed thecrowd
he wouldhavelearntsomethingprofoundaboutour LordwhennonethelessHe
did feedthecrowd.
I justtaughton that2 weeksago. Thesimplestanswer to covereveryoneisthat
testingishowwediscover whatweneed to improveupon. In Phillipsspecific
case, he,likemany, havedifficultiesgettingpastthephysicalandbeingableto
see thingsfrom a spiritualperspective.
Every Christianwillbetested.Sad to saymanywillfailthetests& go back out
into theworld, But Godhassomethatwillpassthe testeverytime.

37. God testedJobdidn'the? so also JesustestedPhillip.Godtestseachand
everyoneof ushenceitissaid"Andletusnotbeputto thetest"Matthew6:13.
I understandwantingto fellowshipwithyourbrothersandsistersin christ...
butwhatneedof you thatyoumustknow godsintentions? must yourhavefull
understandingsof godswillto liveunder hislaw? Isit neccesary to question
everythinghesaysanddoesandtryto putan earthlyreasonto it? Howcanyou
sleepatnightknowingthat youarent fully in thewordanda follower of Christ?
You makea mockery of truebelieverseverywhere.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?
BRIAN BELL
“This is a Test!”
I. INTRO:A. Armando - to San Bernadino - 3 Jn.1,2;5-8.
B. In this chapter, we’re going to see Jesus perform 2 more impressive
miracles, impossible feats. We’ve alreadywatched him make clearwater
blush(turn to wine!); heal a boy from 20 miles away;& make a lame man
walk. Today, He’ll feed 5000 & walk on water. 1. If Jesus cando these imagine
what He cando for your life, your impossibilities? 2. Are you a pessimist?
What’s on your list of impossibilities? (Your marriage, your job, your
finances?)3. Really, impossibilities depend on our “perspective”. a)Example:
to a child, many things seemimpossible, like long division, or the game of
chess. But from an adults perspective, these are handled w/relative ease. 4.
Let’s try to understand the impossible from 2 different viewpoints...the
human & the divine. a) Divine - Jeremiah makes this claim, Ah, Lord God!
Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your greatpower and

38. outstretchedarm. There is nothing too hard for You. Jer.32:17 (1)Then God
confirms it 10 verses later, Behold, I am the Lord, the Godof all flesh. Is there
anything too hard for Me? b) Lk.18:27 The things which are impossible with
men are possible with God.
C. This is a time of testing for the disciples. Jesus asks:How can we address
the problem of hunger? How can we deal with popularity?
II. THIS IS A TEST!A. FEEDING 5000!(1-15)B. The one miracle, besides
the resurrection, that is in all 4 gospels. C. On the banks of the Sea of Galilee
[Galilee=circle;13mi. long; 8mi. Wide; 700’below sea level] D. Test
Questions!(5,6)1. What do you see when a big crowdshows up (fame,
success, glory? Ormaybe you getoverwhelmed w/a swelling sea of
people/problems, threatening to crash on your head); but what did Jesus
see...hungrypeople. 2. Jesus tests the disciples faith: He asks how they propose
to feed the multitude?
1
3. Sometimes we just focus on the wrong thing completely! a) Like the old
story of the RussianSecurity Officer who watchedthe gate at a plant. Every
evening a man had a wheelbarrel with a brown bag. Every evening the guard
would stop him & ask, what’s in the bag? He would show him & it was full of
sawdust& woodchips, to heathis home. This went on day after day. Finally
the guard couldn’t take it any longer& said look, I don’t care what your
stealing, but I know you're stealing something, what is it? Wheelbarrels! 4.
You will never feed anyone if you don’t ask how you might; You will never
feed anyone if you only focus on the problem; You will never feedone if you
only focus on the many. 5. (6b) Jesus knew exactlywhat He was going to do.
Which means, He’s not only in controlof the situation at hand, but several
steps ahead of the game. a) Like a brilliant chess player who thinks several
moves ahead. Maybe even giving up a minor piece as a gambit(sacrifice)in
order to later gain an advantage. b) So Jesus is willing to give up a little R & R
for His troops, in order to gain a more committed band of men.
E. Pessimismat its Finest! (7,8)1. Philip - It’ll take a small fortune! [Philip
thought the answerwas $]a) So with computer speed Philip analyzes the

39. situation, & gives Jesus a spreadsheetanswer. b) So how did he do on his
exam? Notso well. [1] he sees only the situation, not the possible solution [2]
he’s more concernedabout the odds againstthem, then about those for them
[3] he calculates for only a bare minimum, “that every one of them may have
a little”. c) So while Philip burns out the batteries in his pocket
calculator...Andrew scurries around looking for how much groceries theyhad.
2. Andrew - at leastseeksa solution, even though its a human one. a) But
becomes overwhelmed...whatare they among so many? [Andrew thought little
was insignificant] b) Sir MichaelCosta was conducting a rehearsalin which
the orchestra was joinedby a greatchorus. About halfwaythrough the
session, withtrumpets blaring, drums rolling and violins singing their rich
melody, the piccolo player muttered to himself, “What goodam I doing? I
might just as well not be playing. Nobody canhear me anyway.” So he kept
the instrument to his mouth, but he made no sound. Within moments, the
conductor cried, “Stop! Stop! Where’s the piccolo?”It was missed by the ear
of the most important person of all.
2
3. So Philip looked1st at the budget & Andrew checkedthe pantry. a) They
needed to look to the Lord. Remember they’ve seenhim change water/wine.
b) We do the same. We’ve seenHim change the old waterof our lives into new
wine. We’ve seenhim give us new legs of faith to our lame spiritual bodies.1 c)
When we’re facedwith an impossible situation we need to look to the Lord.
4. Always at the time of human hopelessness...Jesustakesover!5. A Lad with
a Lunch! - If only like this lad we would also give Him our all. a) He will take
it, break it, & use it to bless others! (1) Book:“If it Ain’t Broke, Break it!” by
Robert Kriegel. Secularbook on business. I love some of his chapter titles:
Always Mess w/Success;Playing it Safe is Dangerous;SacredCows Makethe
BestBurgers;Take Risks notChances. b) He’ll Take it (offer yourself & your
resources to Him); He’ll Break it (allow yourself to be thoroughly broken);
He’ll Use it (then & only then can He use it for His glory).

40. F. Scarcityof Food!(10) 1. Jesus is the source ofthe answerto men’s needs. 2.
Jesus uses what’s available. 3. Then He makes them to lie down in green
pastures!
G. Surplus of Food!(11-13)1. Good& Plenty! - After all have eaten to their
full, leftovers! 2. Jesus takes a hopeless situation& turns it into a scene of
hope! a) Jesus loves taking questionmarks & turning them into exclamation
marks!
3. Filled 12 baskets -Jesus notonly meets needs but supplies more than
enough a) God through Jesus Christ provides more than is adequate for
human needs. 4. Hey, what did they do w/the left overs? Doesn’tevertell us.
a) To the animals, birds, to the poor? - We know, not to waste the Lord’s good
gifts. b) Let not nothing be lost - After you’re filled yourself, don’t forget
about others around you! It is not enough to read the Word for our personal
profit; we should also be able to give some of it to others. (1) We are
responsible for all that the Lord gives us. Even the little things.
3
1 Chuck Swindoll; John; pg.5
c) And remember it was while Ruth gleanedfragments in the harvest field
that the biggestthing in her life happened(Boaz). 5. Does Jesus always resolve
our every impossibility w/a happy ending in the here & now? - He does want
to nourish us, but He never wants to be reduced to a genie who will magically
supply our every want. a) He gave the people bread & fish for just that one
day. But he refused to let the people make Him their Bread-King so their
stomaches couldalways be full.
H. The Prophet! (14,15)1. Wow, He is The Prophet, Messiah,...Let’s make
Him “King”! a) Oh 1 day He would allow this(Palm Sun) but on His terms,
Blessedis the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heavenand
glory in the highest! Lk.19:38 b) Why didn’t Jesus wish to be made king by
these people? [wouldn’t mean anything] c) God’s designwas not that Jesus
manifest Himself as an earthly king but as the suffering servant. d) This
reminds them, His kingdom would be spiritual, not political e) The crowds

41. seemedmore interestedin Jesus’signs than in His truth. 2. Jesus withdraws &
heads for the hills. a) What might we learn from His withdrawing from the
place of successto be by Himself? 3. Jesus shows His divine nature as He has
powerover the natural, createdworld. He also showedHe is the Masterof
quantity.
I. WALKING ON WATER! (16-21)J. Stormy Sea!(16-18)1. This happens at
the high point of our Lord’s popularity. a) The disciples (esp Judas)would
have welcomeda kingdom. b) So, Jesus sends them into a storm! 2. The
disciples are threatenedby a sudden squall. 3. From popularity to peril! - Do
you find yourself toiling againstSatan’s storms? Jesus is praying for you on
the mount & one day will come to bring peace.
K. SovereignSavior!(19-21)1. Another situation of human hopelessness&
fear. a) Jesus gives hope, “It is I, do not be afraid”.
4
2. Jesus came to them & met their needs - When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you; Is.43:2 3. Jesus walks onwater& brings the boat to land
immediately. a) With Jesus on board we will arrive at our destination! 4. Jesus
shows His mastery over natural law. L. In Marks account(6:45-52)it ends by
saying, For they had not understood about the loaves, becausetheir heart was
hardened. 1. They didn’t grasp yet He was Godin the flesh, or the sustaining
Breadof Life come down from heaven.
M. End: Are you facing a humanly impossible situation? What is it? 1. Is
Jesus asking you any test questions? 2. Are you only looking at your finances
& your cupboard? 3. Do you feel your faith being stretched? Broken? 4. Jesus
sees, cares, & canamply supply our needs, but He is sovereignlyindependent
from human agendas!!! 5. He has His own biggerplan, but He still will calm
our stormy seas, urging us all along to “not be afraid” because He is here! N.
Communion: 1. Invite up worship team. O. Five brokenthings in the Bible
and the results achievedby them: [1] Brokenpitchers (Gideon) and the light
shone out [2] A BrokenAlabasterBox and the ointment was poured out [3]
BrokenBreadand the hungry were fed [4] A BrokenBody and the world was
saved(Take eatthis is my body which is broken for you; do this in memory of

42. me) [5] A Brokenwill (Psa 51:17)and a life of fulfillment in Christ. 1. Ps.51:17
The sacrificesofGod are a broken spirit, A broken(shattered)and a
contrite(crushed) heart - These, O God, You will not despise. [to empty self] a)
Jesus sacrifice to me, brought me a spirit made alive and a new heart. b) My
sacrifice to God, is a shatteredspirit and a bruised heart. (i.e. No pride,
humility) c) The shattering & bruising are designedby God for the
preparation of his people. 2. Lord, Take us, Break us, Use us.
It Is TestOnly A Test
Contributed by James Thomas on Jan10, 2008
based on 5 ratings
(rate this sermon)
| 12,623 views
Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28, Job1:1-8
Denomination: Baptist
Summary: Trying times teachto hold on and trust God
It’s A Test, It’s Only A Test
Scripture for today Matthew 15:21-28
PASTOR James Thomas Jr.

43. House Of Judah Ministries
It’s a test, It’s Only A Test
Test=
1)A procedure for critical evaluation;a means of determining the presence,
quality, or truth of something
a.) a means for determining our presence ofmind our quality or for a better
answerwhat we are made of and the truth of our words.
2.) A basis for evaluationor judgment
GOD will test us many times and many different ways for various
reasons.GODwill testour faith through our family our jobs and through our
closestfriends. Eachtest will carry with it requirements that we must meet to
either to excelor fail. The results of our test will determine the level of our
next test. Does that make sense to you? That means GOD will decide if we are
ready to move to the next level by how we handle eachtest. GOD will allow us
to either hang ourselves, orexcelin him the option is strictly ours and the
outcome is directly derived from our actions. Before we go any further let’s
examine the text for today.
The bible says that This womanwho seeks healing from Jesus is a Canaanite,
first of all she has no right according to Jewishcustomto be talking to Jesus.
Or to be seeking him for anything, yet she shows her desire and determination
by addressing him anyway. Jesus has chosento test her resolve and character.
Her actions and sincerity will determine how Jesus reactsto her. Jesus hears
her when she first addresses him yet he chooses notanswer. Yet his disciples
his followers who are there, petition Jesus to send her away, they have decided
she is an annoyance. The disciples have just been tested for compassionand
have failed. Don’t feel bad if you don’t make the right decisionevery time this
lessonis here to show us that even the ones who walkedwith Jesus missedit
sometimes. Jesus answers herat this moment purposely He says I am not here
for you, you are not Jewish. I am sentfor my people and you are not one of
them. Something strange happen then the womancomes and worships Jesus.
Again she said Lord Help me. Then Jesus answers heragain this time he says

44. it is not meet meaning (good)to take the children’s bread meaning the bread
of life the word and castit to the dogs. Whoo wee now that’s deep I don’t
know how many of us would keeptalking to a man prophet after he has just
calledus a dog. We have a hard enough problem with people who say things
about us now. First he ignores you then he says he doesn’twant to be
bothered with you then he calls us a dog that’s a big pill to swallow.
Let’s be honest how many of us would continue to ask our pastoror one of the
ministers or anyone for that matter to pray for you after he or she has called
us a dog. That’s a test. This young lady is persistent though she realizes this
prophet that she has heard about, this man of GOD, this rabbi has something
she needs. She has determined that he is her only connectionto GOD, her last
hope, her one and only chance to gether daughter healed, and she has decided
she can’t getit anywhere else. She had heard of a man who said ask and it
shall be given unto you. She answeredLord again yet the dogs eatthe crumbs
that fall from the masters table. Then Jesus answeredO woman greatis they
faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt. Jesus testedthe woman for her resolve;
he knew her question and need before she brought it to him. He knew it was
not the custom for the gentiles to address him but he wanted to see whatshe
would do. She addressedhim anyway he testedher perseverance becauseeven
when he proclaimedthat he was not here for her she continued to seek him.
The disciples were testedbecause they were to preach the gospelto everyone
and to operate in a spirit of love toward everyone. Jesus had to teachthem
how to operate in love, her faith proved greaterthan the disciples. God sets
task for us and ahead of us to testour reaction, problems in the family it’s a
test GOD wants to see how we reactdo we reactwith flesh or do we recognize
the enemy and reactby praying and taking it to the LORD IN PRAYER.
GOD tests us to see how planted we are he has to he cannotsend unequipped
uninformed soldiers into battle. Our actions will determine our blessing and
our tribulations. The test GOD sets before us and our actions as we go
through will determine our walk with GOD. OUR Attitude will determine our
altitude how we go through will determine where we are in GOD. Everything
GOD does is a test we determine our fate not anyone else not anything else but
us. We pray then when we feel like we’ve prayed long enoughand it seems
like GOD hasn’t answeredwe tend to try to compensate and our flesh wants

45. to take over and we try to figure a way out. But I stopped by here to tell you
this morning that GOD sees andhears all he knows our situation before we do
but he waits to see what we will do GOD is patient and perfect in his will he is
not going to force us top do as he wishes. GOD will allow us to go through to
ensure we have learned our lesson. Petersteppedout on the water Jesus knew
he could reachedout and carried him. Peter’s testwas much like ours to keep
our eyes on Jesus no matter what the situation looks like, but like many of us
Petertook his eyes offJesus andlookedto his circumstances. Jesuswas sent
that we might have life and have it more abundantly but in orderto receive this
gift we must first perfectthe art of living in Christ. We do this passing the test
and task GOD setbefore us. Rememberthe steps ofa righteous man are
orderedby GOD. Whichmeans everything is alreadytakencare offorus. The
only chance forus to lose salvationis to fail the testand markers setfor us.
Look letme show you something everytestwe pass brings us closerto GOD,
now you sayhow is that so. The testofour faith will bring us closerto trusting
in GOD, eachtime we overcome byfaith our faith is increased. The testof
worshipwill bring us closerto GOD andcarrywith it a deeperanointing every
time. Eachtime we come into GOD’S presence withworshipwe grow closer
and strongerin him. The testof adversity strengthens ourtestimony and gives
us fortitude. The more he takes us through the strongerwe become inGOD.
The testof humbleness teaches us to remain a servantof GOD and the people.
This testkeeps us from exalting ourselves andteaches us thatwe are but
conduits that GOD uses. The testofpraise willkeepus in remembrance that in
everything we do give GOD the glory and this will gain us favor in GOD.
Problems on the job remember it’s only a test, problems athome with your
marriage remember it’s only a test, problems with the children rememberit’s
only a test, problems with your ministry remember it’s only a test, friends
talking about you remember it’s only a test, everything seems to be going
wrong remember it’s only a test It’s only a testbut every testthat we take
teaches us a different lesson
And I came by friendship today to tell you that for every testyou take Jesus is
the answer, yougotproblems onthe job Jesus is the answeryougotproblems

46. at home jesus is the answeryougotproblems with the kids Jesus is the answer
Jesus , Jesus Jesus ,
Justremember that the bible is your study guide study and setyourselfapart
you canpastthe testyou can make the grade. Jesus tookthe testoflife and he
beatit he came to show andillustrate that it Is possible to make it through and
if we follow him and to him for the answerwe canpastanytest.
1. Ananias lied to GOD AND FELL DEAD
2. HIS WIFE LIED TO GOD FELLDEAD
3. Simon, Andrew, James, JohntestedJesustells themto casttheirnet after
they have beenfishing all night and caughtnothing. The bible says they caught
a greatmultitude offish.
I’m reminded ofa womanwith an issue ofblood 12 years she suffered12 years
of no hope but whenshe heard her chance was close. And the answerto her
problems was within her graspshe reachedoutfor it.
Jehova-Jireh- ourprovider, Jehova-Nissi- The LordOur protection, Jehova-
Raahour Shepard. Jehova-Rapha-ourhealer, Jehova-Shalom- The Lordof
Peace, Jehova-
Shammah- the Lord is with us. Jehova-Tsidkenu- The LordMyRighteousness
our forgiver.