腓力與飢餓的群眾
約翰福音六章1至13節
1這事以後，耶穌渡過加利利海，就是提比哩亞海。
2有許多人因為看見他在病人身上所行的神蹟，就跟隨他。
3耶穌上了山，和門徒一同坐在那裡。
4那時猶太人的逾越節近了。
5耶穌舉目看見許多人來，就對腓力說：“我們從哪裡買餅叫這些人吃呢？”
6他說這話是要試驗腓力，他自己原知道要怎樣行。
7腓力回答說：“就是二十兩銀子的餅，叫他們各人吃一點，也是不夠的。”
8有一個門徒，就是西門彼得的兄弟安得烈，對耶穌說：
9“在這裡有一個孩童，帶著五個大麥餅、兩條魚，只是分給這許多人，還算甚麼呢？”
10耶穌說：“你們叫眾人坐下。”原來那地方的草多，眾人就坐下，數目約有五千。
11耶穌拿起餅來，祝謝了，就分給那坐著的人，分魚也是這樣，都隨著他們所要的。
12他們吃飽了，耶穌對門徒說：“把剩下的零碎收拾起來，免得有糟蹋的。”
13他們便將那五個大麥餅的零碎，就是眾人吃了剩下的，收拾起來，裝滿了十二個籃子。
信息分享
時近傍晚，但群眾似乎並沒有去意。他們好像那些來我們家中拜訪卻逗留過久的客人。
但問題是，「有甚麼東西可以給他們吃呢？他們可以從哪裡找來食物？」基督突然對腓力說：「腓力，我們從哪裡買餅叫這些人吃呢？」
基督為甚麼問腓力呢？這可能暗示腓力通常負責安排門徒的膳食。而且，他是當地人，可能知道附近有哪些村莊。
腓力的答案很好，他可能早已在心中盤算：「即使只給每人吃一點，我們也買不起！」
腓力誠然想幫助群眾，卻想不到有甚麼方法。今天我們當中有許多人的想法，就跟腓力一樣。他們的第一個問題就是：「需要付出多少？」
腓力把焦點集中在難處上，而不是放在基督身上。他曾見過基督治癒病人，但如今的情況並不相同，他仍需要進一步學習：有基督掌管，雖微薄，也必作用巨大。因為在神凡事都能。
我們相信基督凡事都能嗎？基督永不改變。我們認為沒有可能的事，在祂手裡都會奇蹟性地變為可能。當腓力將餅和魚分給眾人之際，他一定對這位奇妙救主的能力作出重新的評估。你今天有甚麼難成的事，是惟有基督才能改變的呢？
PHILIP AND THE HUNGRY CROWD
John 6: 1-13
1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.
2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.
3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.
5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”
6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,
9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”
10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples[a] to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.
12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”
13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
Message
It was late afternoon. It soon became very apparent that the people had no desire to go home. They were like some guests who come to our homes and stay longer than expected!
The big problem would be, “What are these people going to eat and where are they going to find food?” Christ suddenly spoke to Philip, “What are we going to do about this crowd, Philip?”
Why did He ask Philip? It has been suggested that Philip was usually in charge of the feeding arrangements for the twelve disciples. He was also from that area and would know where the various villages were situated.
Philip gave a good answer. He must have been doing some calculation himself. “It would take far more money than we've got even to give them just a bite.”
Philip no doubt wanted to help the crowd but couldn't see how it could be done. There are plenty of people around today who think just like Philip. “How much is it going to cost?” is their first question.
Philip was problem-centred instead of Christ-centred. He had already seen what Christ could do in healing the sick but this was a new situation. He still had to learn that little is much when Christ is in control. Nothing is impossible with God.
How is our faith, our vision of what Christ can do? He is still the same and what seems impossible for us is wonderfully possible with Him. As Philip passed around the bread and the fish, he must have had a new vision of the power of this remarkable Saviour. Is there something impossible for Christ to do for you today?