WILL JESUS TEST YOU? (Does God ask trick questions?) "Therefore Jesus, lifting…

WILL JESUS TEST YOU?
(Does God ask trick questions?)
“Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?' This He was saying TO TEST HIM, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.…”
(John 6:5)
“This He said to test him?” Jesus is ever the master teacher. He is probing to see where Philip and the other disciples are in their faith. He recently multiplied wine for a wedding. Could He handle this crowd?
I think the real key here is to see how the sneaky Rabbi set up Phillip.
1.) “Where are WE to buy bread?” WE? The answer that would have delighted Jesus would have been: “Master, I don't know about WE but this i know. If YOU want anything it will happen.”
2.) I think Jesus did his second sneaky Rabbi thing by saying…”Where are we to BUY BREAD.” Buy? he had no intention of buying anything. This test was a test of misdirection. Leading his disciple to look at their bank account rather than at JESUS ability to be the bank. After all. All the healing and miracles were supposed to build faith in HIS ability to do the impossible.
Remember after the resurrection when Jesus met the disciples on the road to Emmaus and talked and walked “and as they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if going farther.” Misdirection again. But the disciples constrained him to join them for dinner. How lovely. He acted like He was going on his way when all along he wanted them to insist He join them. (Luke 24:28)
Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
As Jesus knew what he was going to do He must have smiled that Andrew had looked and at least discovered something (credit wallace). Thats all Jesus needs. Something.
You bring what you have and He will bring what He has.
Next time you dismiss something because of a lack of money remember this test. God wants you to respond by looking at the One who is all sufficient asking,
…”Is this something YOU want Lord? You can do anything! What do you want me to do?”
Do the thing He says and the miracle process is set in motion.
#provision