The Challenge
Why did the people choose to follow Jesus?
After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. - John 6:1-6
John is very direct in telling us that many followed because of the signs Jesus was performing, and of course, the benefit to them in being healed of their illnesses.
In the lead up to the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus challenges Philip to think of a way to feed so many. Of course, he has no idea. All he can think of is the way it is always done, to go and buy food.
While the healing is a sign of Jesus' divinity, this is a sign of something else, something that Jesus makes it sound like all of us followers could do.
By asking Philip how the people will be fed, Jesus is telling all of us to think of this as our challenge, our problem to solve, not his.
I believe Jesus wants us to be involved in the transformation of God's Kingdom here on earth, where we are, right now. It is not just about following, but doing. Our actions are a key component of our spreading of the Gospel and even if we can't imagine how to do what needs to be done, we need to see it as our challenge, not God's alone.
Jesus tells Philip to star with what he has, the loaves and fish and begin distributing it. Have faith, act, and God will help.
What better lesson for all of us than that?
Don't look at the impossibility of the task, but just get started, and help will come.
I have seen that happen, and it continues to happen every day. We should come to expect it.
More to come...