TITLE: LEFTOVERS
SCRIPTURE: ST. JOHN 6:5-14
What an exciting passage of Scripture that should stir us every time we read it. It has always interest me that this particular Miracle is one of a select few recorded in all four Gospel Narratives. It therefore has significance in its teaching to us about Jesus and His work of Salvation. This miracle works on many levels to offer a positive teaching experience. The portion of the lesson where I will place my focus this morning is not from the obvious detail of the text. The Spotlight will shine on a less observed unfolding of the text that many have overlooked in there preparation.
Can I talk to you for just a few minutes from the subject of Leftovers? I am sure we would all admit, we are very blessed as Americans. We are a nation accustomed to the idea of consuming and acquiring more than enough. We are a nation of plenty. This is much of what is wrong with our Country as a whole. We have so much that we are able to enjoy, that we have become a wasteful nation. This is especially true when it comes to our personal consumption. It is part of the norm to Prepare Too Much, More Than Enough. At meal preparation we believe it is always better to have too much rather than not enough.
• We take what is left in the bowls or pots and put it in smaller containers
• We store it in the Fridge
• The next day or two we have what we call Leftovers
• We enjoy the leftovers within the next day or two
• Sometimes in a restaurant we ask for a doggie-bag
• I believe now we ask for a Carry-out
• We take home a portion of a sandwich or a piece of steak to eat later because we are too full to finish it all
• We package our Leftovers to go because we are already thinking about being hungry later in the day or on tomorrow
Here is what I love about Jesus and the Word of God. Jesus used this opportunity as a “testing” or “TEACHING MOMENT.” He gathers the disciples together for a teaching opportunity. The text clearly indicates that Jesus was testing Philip. I don’t know about you, but I am glad that every now and then Jesus does not mind ‘Testing’ us. Not Tempting, there is a big difference between the two. JAMES 1:13 “LET NO MAN SAY WHEN HE IS TEMPTED, I AM TEMPTED OF GOD: FOR GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED WITH EVIL, NEITHER TEMPTETH HE ANY MAN” The Lord does test us to determine if He can trust us. We will never be moved to the next level in our Christian walk until God knows He can trust us at the next level.
In the other Gospel accounts of the feeding of five thousand, the disciples come to Jesus with the question of how were they going to feed so many? But in this text as recorded by John - we are led to believe that Jesus asked the question of Philip. And Philip responds just as anyone would have looking at the impossibility of the situation. “Philip answered him, ‘Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’” On an earthly level there would not be enough resources to provide even a “snack” to all these people.
• But with God nothing is impossible
• This is exactly where Jesus is leading the people
• Aren’t you glad that God deals with Impossibilities
• Aren’t you glad when it is too hard for us, it’s just right for God
• When everyone else gave up on you
• God looked at you and said it is not impossible
• Aren’t you glad there is nothing too hard for God
• When Society says ‘No’ God say ‘Yes’
• If it is too hard and difficult for us, it is just right for God
• ST. LUKE 1:37 “FOR WITH GOD NOTHNG SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE”
Maybe Andrew feeling sorry for Philip is why he steps up to the plate here in the text. That’s a good friend that will step up and help you out, especially when it appears to be a losing battle. They step up and give you, if nothing else, moral support. For certainly Andrew did not have a solution to offer either. Andrew then steps into the picture with maybe a little more understanding that Jesus was going to do something miraculous. He comes forward with an offering of food and says, “THERE IS A BOY HERE WHO HAS FIVE BARLEY LOAVES AND TWO FISH, BUT WHAT ARE THEY FOR SO MANY?”
• Maybe the crowd was getting restless and they were trying to find a solution
• So Andrew steps up by offering some help
• But even in Andrew’s reply we still see an earthly minded response
• “How can this little bit help?”
• I don’t see how it is of any value
Most of us are familiar with that much of the text. We know that a great miracle took place. To be honest our minds cannot even fully comprehend the magnitude of what was done. I have heard many testimonies over my life about how God sustained. When we did not have enough, God stretched that meal until payday or other miracle that resembles that. We know the meal should not have lasted that long. I don’t discredit that, however; this miracle was on the level of not feeding yourself for a few more days, but feeding 5,000 plus women and children with your lunchbox for one! The text says after the crowd is filled, Christ does something interesting in VS. 12. He commands the disciples to – “GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS THAT REMAIN, THAT NOTHING BE LOST.” Jesus was concerned about the LEFTOVERS!! It was not that this was an expensive meal.
• This boy was not rich
• The text tells us clearly that the loaves were ‘barley’
• Barley bore only one third the value of ‘wheat’ loaves in that time and place
• This was the ‘cheapest’ bread that could be bought
That being the case, the question begs - Why did Jesus send his disciples around after everyone was full to gather up the fragments that remained? It is interesting that we are not told what Jesus had done with the leftover fragments. I don’t believe there is a deep or heavy theological answer. Jesus simply knew that someone would be hungry tomorrow. Sometimes we try to get too Heavy and too Deep when it comes to understanding the Word of God. Sometimes it simply – is what it is.
This is where I want to park for just a few minutes this morning. Let’s talk about the importance of the leftovers. What do you do with your leftovers? If you are like most Americans we take leftovers and put them in a container and place it in the fridge so you can enjoy later. And if you are like me, you usually don’t get back to those leftovers and you end up throwing them away because they have gone bad. I am always amazed and feel concerned every few months when we unload a trash bag full of food from the Refrigerator that we Throw Out. Today food is so plentiful that we really don’t think much about how we use it, or abuse it. But for much of the world and for much of history, food was a precious commodity.
• In many cultures if a family had leftovers from a meal, which wasn’t often, they would give the leftovers to people who were poor and didn’t have much food to eat
• Since food wasn’t as plentiful or easy to get it was important to share it so as many people could be fed
Maybe that is what Jesus had in mind here, to take the baskets of food to those in need? We don’t know but what we can see in the text is that it was important to Jesus, that nothing be wasted. In the OT a similar situation arose. When the Israelites were wandering in the desert God provided Manna from heaven to feed them. But, it was more than just food, it was a way to teach the people that they were to depend on God to provide. The manna God provided was not to be saved overnight. If someone did save it - we read in the Bible that it would spoil and not be useable the next day. God provided all that they need for that day but each day was a new day to rely on God’s gracious providence.
We should think about Christ gathering all those fragments, those leftovers, those things that no one in the crowd wanted any longer - they ate and now they were satisfied.
• He gathered them for a Purpose
• What was His purpose in gathering these leftovers?
• He was going to use them
The idea of ‘PROVING’ was ‘TESTING WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF SUCCESS.’ We see this point in that Rich Text found in MALACHI 3:10 “BRING YE ALL THE TITHES INTO THE STOREHOUSE, THAT THERE MAY BE MEAT IN MINE HOUSE, AND PROVE ME NOW HEREWITH, SAID THE LORD OF HOSTS…” Prove Me – “Testing with the Anticipation of Success.” Jesus tried the faith of Philip expecting him to pass this test. If the disciples had paid attention to all the miracles already seen, they would have faith to believe that this too was possible to Jesus.
• Jesus had continued to Preach
• Jesus had continued to Heal
• Jesus had continued to bless the crowd till the time of getting supplies was gone
• He now wanted to see if the disciples had the faith to expect a miracle
This was a borrowed meal. Jesus pays His debts, and then some. He could have multiplied the meal to be ‘just enough’. Yet, His miracle goes far beyond that, for the meal was given by a poor child, who could use repayment with interest. How much was given back to the boy? I am not sure if it was one basket or twelve, or some number amidst those, but it was far greater than had been received by the Lord.
The Lord gives us far more than we have ever given Him. Yes, I know we PRAY – GO TO CHURCH – LIFE SEMINAR – PRAYER SERVICE – BIBLE STUDY – TRAVEL FOR AFTERNOON SERVICES – WITNESS – TEACH IN OUR MINISTRY. Sometimes I can’t help but to wonder why are we really following Jesus?
• Are you following him because he gives you daily bread?
• Jesus is safe; a safe place to run when things don’t go our way
• And we pray for daily bread, for what we need
• Are you following him because he is a king?
• Maybe, but we can force him into a place that he doesn’t want to be
• We will make Him King, but won’t make Him Lord
• He wants to be Lord of your whole life, not just King over part of it
• Not just for politics sake, or here in church
• He wants to be Lord of all your life
• Are you willing to give him your little
• No matter how vulnerable it makes you feel?
• Can you give him your feeble gift believing he will make it great?
• Give him your finances so that he can build his kingdom?
• Give him what little you have?
• Give him all, like this little boy in the text whose mother probably prepared him a snack
Sometimes, having leftovers is like having a penny in our pocket—we don't think it's very important. To some people, leftovers are worthless, while to others, they are very important. Jesus told His disciples to gather up the leftover fragments because He viewed the leftovers as important. The multitude threw away the leftovers once their stomachs were full. But these fragments were part of God’s grace.
• That's why Jesus told the disciples to gather up the leftover fragments
• They were evidence of God's blessings and miracles
• Jesus did not want them to be considered worthless
Let's think about the mindset of the disciples as they picked up the fragments. In the beginning, they saw that there were only five loaves and two fish. But Jesus used this small amount of food to feed a few thousand people. As the disciples moved around the crowd picking up the leftover fragments, filling their baskets, they began to understand the work of God. Twelve Baskets – one for each Disciple. The disciples had to take time to gather up the fragments, and in doing so, they experienced and became witnesses of the Grace of Jesus Christ.
• When we think about our own lives, we can probably remember the "big" blessings that God has given us
• But sometimes we forget about the small ones
• Sometimes we're too consumed with other things to gather up these fragments of blessing
• This leads us to underestimate the Grace of God in our lives
I believe this is where Paul was. He was on his way to be Tormented in Hell because he felt it was his duty to go about Killing and Incarcerating Christians, thinking he was doing the right thing. But Jesus stopped him in his tracks on a little dusty road in Damascus and Saved his Soul. Taught him and became the biggest Force that God would use after the ascension of Christ to win souls for the Lord. Paul would go on to do great Works and Miracles for the Lord. Then we find him calling out to God three separate times asking for a removal of some type of thorn in his flesh. God had worked all these wonderful things in the life of Paul and he now forgets about the SUFFICIENCY OF GOD’S GRACE. We must learn how to appreciate even the leftovers, the small things and miracles that God’s sends our way.
Jesus said “GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS LEFT OVER, SO THAT NOTHING MAY BE LOST”. And the disciples did, and each was left holding a basket of miracle leftovers. So what did they do with them?
• Send some home with folks
• Prepare divine doggie bags?
• Take them on the boat and snack their way across the Sea of Galilee?
• Feed the birds?
• Use it for bait?
• Say, oh well, that was that and leave them where they were?
• What did they do with the leftovers?
What do we do with the leftovers? I guess it depends on the value we place on the. Yet we are here today because of these many small fragments of Grace. There's a hymn that reminds us, "COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS." It is our duty to keep these small fragments in our basket. God performs miracles and gives us blessings and grace, but it is our duty to gather up the fragments. We often complain, wondering why God seems to give more blessings to others than He gives to us. This is because we don't pick up all of the small fragments of God's grace. If we gather up all the fragments and put them in our baskets, we will recognize the abundance of grace inside. We will understand God's blessings for us, and this will give us comfort and encouragement.
• Through these experiences, we can understand the love of God
• Through these experiences, our faith will become rooted in the truth
• Then we will see that God is with us in our hearts
The author CS LEWIS wrote, “MIRACLES ARE A RETELLING IN SMALL LETTERS OF THE VERY SAME STORY WHICH IS WRITTEN ACROSS THE WHOLE WORLD IN LETTERS TOO LARGE FOR SOME OF US TO SEE.” Small letters – fragments. Jesus says, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” In other words:
• Don’t just leave it there in that moment
• Pick up the miracle
• Take it with you
• Preserve it to be shared again
• Be the Tupperware that keeps God’s miracles, God’s abundance, God’s presence and power at work in this world and in our lives, fresh and alive
• And then – share it
• Serve up the leftovers of your miracle moments
• For they are gifts meant to be re-gifted
There were possibilities in those Fragments that nobody saw but Jesus.
• It was he that saw Impetuous Peter, saw the Fragments, called him to Himself
• It was Jesus that saw Zaccheus, Tax Collector and Thief, saw the Fragments, called him to Himself
• It was he that saw Mary Magdeline, cast out demons – saw the Fragments, called her to Himself
• It was he that saw the Promiscuous Woman at the Well – saw her Fragments, called her to Himself
• It was he that looked at Nicodemus during Night School Class – saw his Fragments, called him to Himself
• It was he that saw the Woman Caught in the Very Act of Adultery – saw her Fragments, called her to Himself
• It was he that saw the Thief Hanging next to him on the Cross – saw his Fragments, called him to Himself
--When we turn it over to Jesus, He will take our Little and make it Much
--We look at things as not worthy of salvaging
--We look at something or someone and see little value
--We go to a restaurant and they ask us if we want a take-out container – we look at the last few bites and say no, there’s not enough left here to do anything with
--We say we can’t do what we used to do, so there’s nothing left that’s worth doing
--We say there’s nothing there
--Jesus says if you have the faith of a mustard seed
--He can take your Leftovers and make it Your Main Course
