Lunch with Jesus | Nothing Is Impossible for the Lord

You're listening to A New Beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by Harvest Partners, helping people everywhere know God.

Visit our website and learn more about Harvest Partners at harvest.org. If you're able to do exceedingly and abundantly beyond, that which you can ask or think. So when you pray for something, why do you think God always wants to give you less? He can do more than you think He can do. Don't limit Him with your unbelief. Our God can calm storms, create storms, part the waters of the Red Sea. He can make time literally stand still. He can raise the dead and cause the deaf to hear.

So what is it that you need today? Glad you're along for A New Beginning as Pastor Greg Laurie helps us see nothing is impossible for the Lord. And he invites us to come to Him in prayer. He bids us to ask, seek, and knock.

And when our petitions intersect with His willingness, big things can happen. This is the day, the day when life begins. This miracle that we're going to look at is the only miracle found in all four Gospels. It's a story of the feeding of the five thousand. Now this is a series we're doing called The Seven Signs of Jesus. We've already looked at Jesus turning water into wine, that was sign number one. Cleansing the temple, sign number two. Healing the centurion's son, that's number three. Healing the layman in Jerusalem, that's number four.

Now we're at number five, the feeding of the five thousand. John chapter six, starting at verse one. After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following Him wherever He went because they saw the miraculous signs as He healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed the hills, sat down with His disciples around Him. It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration. Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for Him, and turning to Philip, He asked, where can we buy bread to feed all of these people? Verse six, this is very important, you might underline it. He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

Philip replied, even if we worked for months, we wouldn't have enough money to feed them. Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke, well there's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish, but what good is that with such a huge crowd? Jesus said, tell everyone to sit down.

They all sat down on the grassy slopes, the men alone numbered about five thousand. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterwards, He did the same with the fish, and they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told His disciples, now gather the leftover so nothing is wasted. So they picked up the pieces and filled 12 baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves. When the people saw this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, surely He is the prophet we've been expecting.

We'll stop there. Here's all these adults perplexed by this problem, and here's a little kid that says, well, I've got this. If this could be of any help, I'd like to offer it to you, Jesus. So what do we know about this little boy? We know he was poor, and the reason we know that is barley bread was the cheapest of all bread, and in fact, it was held in contempt. It was thought of as food for animals, not people. And he had two small fish, not big fish, small fish.

It's like having crackers and stale crackers at that, crackers and sardines. It wasn't a gourmet lunch. It wasn't a lot, but that little boy gave his lunch as poor as he was to Jesus.

The lunch was as insignificant as it could be. The little boy was as insignificant as he could be, but here's the point of the story. That which was insufficient and insignificant became sufficient and significant when placed in the hands of Jesus. So you say, Lord, okay, here I am. I don't have a lot to offer, but I do give it to you, and I give it all to you, and I ask you to take what I've given and use it for your glory. So I encourage you, bring your loaves and fish to Jesus. Bring your crackers and sardines and watch what God will do. Now, without question, this became the most popular miracle of Jesus. It's sort of like the people would say, hey, water and wine, that's good.

Restoration of sight, all these things, they're all good, but free lunch? Now we're talking. In fact, we like this so much. We want to make you our king. Understand the Jewish people are under the control of the Romans. They believe Jesus is a militant messiah, a political savior, someone that's going to deliver them from the power and tyranny of Rome. So they said, we want you to be our king right now. Look at John 6, verse 14. When the people saw Jesus do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, he is a prophet we've been expecting, and when Jesus saw they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself. Forced him to be their king.

The whole idea is laughable. See, these people wanted to use God instead of being used by God. They wanted God to do what they wanted him to do.

Listen, God wants to use us, but having said that, he will never be used. What are some takeaway truths from this story? Number one, there will come times in our lives when we are utterly overwhelmed by our problems, by our challenges, and by our hardships. We will not have the abilities or the resources to respond, things that are beyond your control, tests that will come to you in life. These tests are given to determine if you're learning anything as a Christian. Why does God allow us to be tested? James gives us the answer when he says, dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy, for you know when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you'll be perfect and complete, needing nothing. As I've said before, trials and tests in the life of the Christian are like God's gym. You're broken down to be built up. So when you go to a gym and you lift weights, and you do repetitions, and then you get stronger, and then you lift more weight, and then you in time lift even more weight, you're building your muscle up by first tearing it down. The same is true in the tests of life. Why am I going through this?

I don't see any reason for this. Don't you know God's making you stronger? Why do I go through these things so my endurance may grow? One translation, I believe it's a Phillips translation, says, when trials come into your life, my brothers don't treat them as intruders but friends.

Could you think of the trial you're going through as a friend instead of an intruder? Could you think of the hardship you're facing as something that God can use, like when that unexpected bill or expense comes, and you wonder, how will I ever pay this? When you have that crisis with your spouse, and you wonder, how will we ever get through this? When that perfect child of yours gets themselves into trouble, and you wonder, how will we resolve this?

When a loved one dies unexpectedly, and you wonder, how will I survive this? Know this, God is able to meet whatever comes your way because God is able. I love this phrase that God is able. Let me give you seven verses very quickly that use the word evil in them, showing the ability of God to meet your needs. Number one, 2 Corinthians 9, 8, says, God is able to make all grace abound toward you so you having all sufficiency in all things may have an abundance for every good work.

Also, over in 2 Timothy 1, 12, God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly beyond that which you could ask or think. So when you pray for something, why do you think God always wants to give you less? What if he wants to give you more? These people that were fed, did they get just enough to fill their stomachs? They were filled, and there were leftovers and no doggy bags, right?

They were full. God wants you to be fed and full, and he can do more than you think he can do. Don't limit him with your unbelief. Hebrews 2, 18 says God is able to help those who are tempted. If you're being tempted right now, you might say, I can't resist this temptation. It's too much for me.

Wrong. You can and you will if you lay hold of God's sufficiency. Don't try to do it in your own strength. Also, in Hebrews 7, 25, it says he's able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, and he will make intercession for them. So no one is beyond the reach of God. Do you know someone you think, I could never see them coming to Christ? No one's beyond the reach of God. Keep praying for them. He's able to save to the uttermost, and he's able to save to the guttermost.

I don't care how low it is, or they are. And also this, he's able to keep you from stumbling, Jude 1, 24 says, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. He'll keep you from stumbling. You might say, well, what if I fall away? Do you want to fall away?

Well, no. Then you won't. Hang on to the Lord. He will keep you from stumbling and present you faultless in that final day before the Father. And he's also, according to Philippians 3, 21, able to take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own. He's going to redeem you and resurrect your body one day. Isn't that great to know God is able?

Remember that. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. You know, when you've walked in the very land where Jesus himself walked, you'll gain a whole new appreciation for the truth of scripture.

Hey, everybody. Greg Laurie here, inviting you to the Harvest Ministries Israel tour, April 9 to 19, 2024. This will be an unforgettable journey through biblical sites and a unique opportunity to grow in your own faith. Listen, spots are limited. Be sure to sign up as soon as possible at Israel.harvest.org.

Again, it's Israel.harvest.org. Hope to see you there. Well, today, Pastor Greg is offering some encouraging perspective on the nature and power of God. We're learning the Lord is able.

Let's continue. Nothing is too big or small and insignificant for God to respond to. You have a big problem? Pray about it. You have a small problem.

It's okay. Pray about it. Philippians 4 again says, in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

In everything, it doesn't say, and only the big gnarly things. In everything, if it's troubling you, it concerns God. So you have a burden?

This is really bothering me? Okay, pray about it. Turn your worries into worship. Turn your panic into prayer.

Offer it to the Lord. I love what Psalm 61 says. The psalmist writes, hear my prayer, O God. Attend to my prayer, for when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Have you ever been overwhelmed with your problems?

What do you do? You call out to the Lord. Lord, I'm overwhelmed, so I'm turning to you. First Peter 5, 7 reminds us, cast all your care upon him, for he cares for you. One last thing, bring your talents, abilities, gifts, and resources to Jesus. No matter how insignificant they may seem to you, God can do a lot with a little. Look at what he did with that little boy's lunch. But you know, these people would turn on Jesus.

It's true. The same people that cried, Hosanna to the son of David on Palm Sunday would later be saying, crucify him. But yet, he died on the cross for them. I mean, imagine Jesus walking through the streets of Jerusalem carrying a cross on his shoulder. His back has been ripped open after 39 lashes of a Roman, no doubt, cat of nine tails.

Horrible, torturous device. He's had his face punched repeatedly. He's had his beard ripped from his face. There he is carrying the cross. And the people are screaming at him.

They're yelling at him. He could have thrown that cross to the ground and said, forget it. He could have ascended to glory right there. But he kept carrying it.

Why? The answer is given in Hebrews when it says, for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and now he has set down on the right hand of God. Wow. The joy set before him.

What was that? It certainly wasn't the people surrounding him. What was the joy set before him? What kept Jesus going? Why did he carry the cross all the way to the end and then die on that cross and then shed his blood on that cross and then rise from the dead? The answer is, he did it for you. He did it for me.

He was thinking of you. I love the way Paul summarized it when he said, he loved me and he gave himself for me. Yes, it's true, for God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son, and whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. But it's also true, he loves and loved you. Yes, the world, but you, individually, personally. That's why he died on the cross, because we've all sinned, we've all broken his commandments, and he knew the only way for us to be forgiven is for him to die in our place.

It's a substitute for us, because we need a savior. Let's say you were on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and you were leaning over, looking at the water, and you fell over and nobody even knew. And off the ship went, there you were bobbing around in the Atlantic Ocean. Now let's say you're not a very good swimmer. How long will you last? Not long.

Not long at all. Let's say you're a pretty good swimmer. You know how to tread water. Oh, maybe you'll last an hour, two hours, maybe a little longer.

Let's say you're an Olympic swimmer, and you've earned gold medals. Oh, you'll last longer than the other two swimmers, but not that long, because ultimately, your only hope is you need a savior. You need someone to literally pull you out of that water and save you.

That's us. Every one of us needs Jesus. Now, some have lived more sinful lives, but all of us have sinned, and all of us have broken his commandments, and he wants this relationship with him. So coming back to what I said about Jesus wanting to have a meal with you, imagine if after church today, Jesus was going to come to your house for lunch. Hey, you want to go to lunch? Yeah. Guess who's coming? Who? Jesus. What? Yeah, Jesus.

How awesome would that be? Hey, he wants to have lunch with you. He wants to have breakfast with you, dinner with you. He wants to live your life with you and reveal his plan for your life.

He wants a relationship with you, but only you can open that door of your life and ask him to come in. Again, I repeat that verse. Jesus says, I stand at the door and I knock, and if you'll hear my voice and open the door, I will come in. So we're going to close now in prayer, and I'm going to extend an invitation to anyone here, anybody, wherever you are, wherever you're hearing this. If you need Jesus Christ today, respond to this invitation.

Let's all bow our heads and pray. Father, thank you for your word to us. Thank you for your love for us in sending Jesus to die on the cross in our place, your only begotten son. Lord Jesus, thank you for coming and laying your life down for us. And now we know that you're here with us, knocking at the door of our heart, ready to forgive us of all of our sin.

If we'll just call out to you, we need you so badly. I pray that your Holy Spirit will help people to realize right now how much they need Jesus. And we ask all of this in Jesus' name.

Amen. Maybe you felt the Lord speaking to you today and you feel you need to make a change in your relationship with God. Well, Pastor Greg, we'll be glad to help you do that before today's edition of A New Beginning wraps up. Well, it's a real privilege to have some special guests in the studio today. Joining Pastor Greg and me are Kathy Laurie and Shannon Bream, anchor of Fox News Sunday and the chief legal correspondent for Fox News. And she's written a brand new book called The Love Stories of the Bible Speak. And Kathy, I know you're really excited about this.

Oh my goodness. Shannon, thank you for writing this book. It is amazing the number and the selection of couples and situations that you're representing in this book.

So important for us to read deeply in the scriptures and their passages sometimes that we come across that we really don't understand. And one of the ones that I think is so fascinating has been made into a movie recently, right, is the story of Hosea and Gomer. There's a story behind the story, right? But can you talk a little bit about that story in particular?

Yeah, and this one I think is so hard to understand sometimes, so painful. So Hosea was a prophet and, you know, often they weren't popular with their people. They had tough things to say from God. Israel was in a place where they were away.

They were drifting at this time, as they often did, as we often do, and they weren't in a great place. And so God asked him to go take a woman of a promiscuous ill reputation and marry her, and that he was going to give a picture of Israel and God's relationship through this difficult relationship. So Hosea, you know, we don't see any hesitation in scripture. He does what God asks. He marries this woman.

They have children, and the names of these children are heartbreaking, like, not my people, you are not loved, these kinds of things. And what God is doing in working through this passage, he talks both about them but also about Israel, that she's been unfaithful to me. She has credited her lovers that she's chased with the blessings I've actually given her. And so this all plays out through Hosea and Gomer as she drifts away from him and is unfaithful again, and God says, go get her and redeem her.

And he does. He buys her out of whatever debt or slavery that she was in. And God doesn't just say, go get her. He says, love her. And he doesn't say, wait until she's cleaned up her act.

You go get her now. So we don't know what she was up to at the time he went and got her. But God used it to show that he would redeem Israel and that he would love them again.

They would be his children again. But man, Hosea's willingness to go through this really unpleasant marriage, I'm sure, but to show that there's redemption when we continue to love and reach out to those who have not always been faithful and good to us. You're listening to Shannon Breen, who has written a brand new book called The Love Stories of the Bible Speaks, subtitled Biblical Lessons on Romance, Friendship, and Faith. And we're making this book available to you this month for your gift of any size. Shannon highlights more than a dozen relationships in Scripture, including Adam and Eve, David and Abigail, Ruth and Boaz, Mary and Joseph, and many others. We learn so much about the different aspects of love spoken of in Scripture. We'd like to send this new book your way to thank you for partnering with us so these daily studies can keep coming your way.

We're completely listener supported. So ask for The Love Stories of the Bible Speak as you donate today. You can call us at 1-800-821-3300. Call anytime 1-800-821-3300. Or just go online to harvest.org. Well, Pastor Greg, you've mentioned before that someone can become a Christian with just a simple prayer.

That's right. Maybe somebody would like to do that right now. Could you help them with that? Sure.

I'd love to. A simple prayer is right. In fact, I would like to just pray a prayer, and I would ask you to pray it after me right now. Pray these words, Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, but I also know that you are the Savior because you died on the cross for my sin and you rose again from the dead. Jesus, come into my life and forgive me of every sin I've ever committed.

I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Thank you for hearing this prayer. Thank you for answering this prayer, Lord, and I pray all of this in Jesus' name.

Amen. If you just prayed that prayer and meant it, I want you to know, on the authority of Scripture, God Almighty has heard your prayer, and He will answer this prayer. You are now a newly minted child of God, so congratulations.

You've made the right decision, and welcome to the family of God. I want to send you a special gift because of that prayer you've just prayed. It's called The New Believer's Growth Packet, and in it is a copy of the New Testament in a very understandable translation called The New Living Translation. It also is filled with hundreds of notes that I wrote that will encourage you in this commitment you've made to follow Christ.

And there's some other outstanding materials in this little packet I'll send you as well. So order your copy today, and let me be the first to say to you, congratulations and welcome to the family of God. And to get that New Believer's Growth Packet, just get in touch, and we'll be glad to send it right out to you. You can call us anytime around the clock at 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300. Or go online to harvest.org and click Know God. Well, next time as Pastor Greg continues his series called The Seven Signs of Jesus, we'll see the rich insights we can glean from the account of the healing of the blind man. Join us here on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher, Greg Laurie. This is the day, the day when life begins. Thanks for listening to A New Beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by Harvest Partners, helping people everywhere know God. Sign up for daily devotions and learn how to become a Harvest Partner at harvest.org.