Sunday - June 28, 2026 - More Than You Know Less Than You Think - Jonathan Follmer

John 6 puts Jesus in front of a hungry crowd and a humanly impossible problem. Jesus lifts up his eyes, sees the multitude coming, and asks Philip where bread can be bought for them. The question is not panic in Jesus. The text says plainly that Jesus already knew what he would do. His question is a test: does Philip know the One asking?

Philip reaches for the calculator. Two hundred denarii would not give everybody even a little. Andrew finds a boy with five barley loaves and two fish, but even he asks the obvious human question: what are they among so many? The disciples see money, supply, distance, timing, and hunger. Jesus sees compassion, purpose, power, and a miracle already forming in his heart.

Human perspective is locked inside mortal, earthly, fleshly limits. God invites weak, tired, hungry people into relationship with the One for whom nothing is impossible. That gap causes God’s people to underestimate him all the time. His love, power, interest, presence, and supply all get measured too small. Even apostolic people can pray hard and still be shocked when God answers, like the believers praying for Peter while Peter is knocking at the gate.

Jesus does not send the crowd away. Jesus says, “They need not depart,” and then he tells the disciples to feed them. The five loaves and two fish become enough only when placed in his hands. Jesus blesses it, breaks it, and puts it back into the hands of the disciples. The miracle starts being understood only as they walk. At first, the disciples may have passed out crumbs, but after a few people they would have seen the math stop working. Perspective changes when provision moves from limited human hands into the hands of power.

The call to faith does not require better circumstances, bigger pockets, more talent, more time, or a perfect past. The call to faith requires a yes. God’s plan is not contingent upon visible provision. God’s purpose depends on where the life, the bread, the fish, and the future are placed.

Paul’s word to the Ephesians brings the same power home. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above what is being asked or thought, according to the power at work in his people. That power is not floating somewhere out in the ether. That power wakes up with Spirit-filled believers, walks into the world with them, and can turn cities upside down when ordinary people put what they have in Jesus’ hands.

---

Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus already knows the plan Jesus’ question to Philip was never the sound of heaven being stumped. The test was whether Philip could remember who stood beside him before he started counting coins. Faith does not deny the size of the crowd, but it refuses to let the crowd be larger than Christ. [62:01]
• 2. Small supply changes in his hands Five loaves and two fish were not impressive until they were surrendered to Jesus. The issue was never the amount of bread, but whose hands held it. God’s people often stare so long at insufficiency that they forget power can bless, break, and multiply what looks laughably small. [83:43]
• 3. Faith learns while walking The disciples did not understand the miracle while standing still with bread in their hands. The increase became visible as they obeyed and kept moving toward hungry people. God often lets the next step feel uncertain because faith is not sight with religious language added to it. [89:25]
• 4. The power is in believers Paul’s words do not leave God’s ability floating somewhere far away and theoretical. The power that does exceeding abundantly is the power at work in Spirit-filled people. That truth turns ordinary days, workplaces, schools, streets, and conversations into places where God can move. [95:55]
• 5. God asks for a yes God does not need improved circumstances before he can use a life. The steps of the righteous are ordered, and the present place may be exactly where heaven intends to work. A simple yes becomes the doorway where fear, inadequacy, and small calculations give way to partnership with God. [99:25]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [60:44] - John 6 And The Hungry Crowd
• [62:01] - Jesus Already Knew What He Would Do
• [64:20] - More Than You Know
• [65:45] - Human Limits And God’s Greatness
• [70:08] - Underestimating God At Every Turn
• [71:41] - Peter Knocks During The Prayer Meeting
• [76:16] - Compassion Looks At The Multitude
• [78:35] - Philip Faces The Test
• [81:00] - Too Many Miles From Cana
• [83:02] - They Need Not Depart
• [84:19] - Impossible Moments Require Faith
• [88:14] - Provision In The Hands Of Power
• [94:15] - Exceeding Abundantly At Work In You
• [99:25] - God Only Requires A Yes

Bible Reading

John 6:5-13
“Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?’ Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took 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 eaten their fill, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.” [01:00:44]

Ephesians 3:20
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” [01:34:15]

Matthew 14:16
“But Jesus said, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’” [01:23:12]

Observation questions

1. In John 6, what details show the difference between how Jesus viewed the crowd and how the disciples viewed the problem? [01:16:49]
2. What were Philip’s and Andrew’s responses when Jesus raised the issue of feeding the crowd, and what do those responses focus on?
3. After Jesus took the loaves and fish, what actions did he take before the crowd was fed, and what was left over afterward?
4. In Ephesians 3:20, where does Paul say this exceeding abundant power is at work? [01:35:55]

Interpretation questions

1. John says Jesus asked Philip this question to test him, because Jesus already knew what he would do. What does that suggest about the real issue in the moment: lack of bread, or lack of perspective about who Jesus is? [01:18:44]
2. Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” Why might Jesus involve the disciples directly instead of feeding the crowd without them? [01:23:12]
3. The loaves only became enough after they were placed in Jesus’ hands. What does that say about the relationship between human insufficiency and divine power? [01:28:14]
4. Paul says God does more than believers ask or think according to the power at work within them. How does that change the way ordinary believers should think about daily life, prayer, and obedience? [01:36:13]

Application questions

1. What is the “crowd” or impossible need in front of you right now? When you think about it, do you tend to respond like Philip with calculations, or like someone who remembers who Jesus is? [01:21:06]
2. What “five loaves and two fish” has God already placed in your life—time, ability, resources, experience, compassion, opportunity—that may seem too small to matter? What would it look like to truly place that in Jesus’ hands? [01:32:11]
3. Faith often becomes clearer while walking, not while standing still. Is there a next step of obedience you already know to take, even if the outcome is still unclear? [01:29:04]
4. Many believers underestimate God’s love, power, presence, or supply. Which of those do you most often measure too small, and how does that affect your prayers and decisions? [01:10:08]
5. God’s purpose is not dependent on better circumstances first. In what part of life have you been waiting for more money, more confidence, more time, or a cleaner past before saying yes to God? [01:39:25]
6. The power of God is not far away and theoretical; it is at work within Spirit-filled believers. How might that truth change the way you walk into your workplace, school, neighborhood, or family conversations this week? [01:36:39]
7. A simple yes can become the turning point. What would a real, specific yes to God look like for you in this season? [01:39:49]