Scripture: John 6:5-13

When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about 5,000 in all. Then Jesus 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. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets.

The account of Jesus feeding the multitude is reported in all four gospel lessons – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Those who were here last Sunday heard this story from the gospel of Mark. Today’s story is from John. It is in John that we have Jesus feeding the crowd. And it is in John that we hear about the young boy who shared his lunch. And that makes all the difference.

In this story, it was getting time for lunch and the disciples didn’t know where they would buy enough bread for all the people to eat. One of the disciples told Jesus there was a boy in the crowd who had a lunch of five loaves of bread and two fish. I can imagine the boy and his mother earlier that morning in conversation whether or not he needed to take a bag lunch with him for the day. There comes a time in a child’s life when a lunch from home just isn’t that exciting. It gets in the way, when there’s adventures and exploring to take place. I’m sure the mother insisted that her son take the lunch, in case he got hungry, if he was to be gone all day. Perhaps others there had not brought food. Or maybe they had some food but were not willing to share.

One of the disciples thinks this little meal is not enough and says in essence “No Way.”
The other disciple says “Maybe, but it’s Way Too Little to share with all.”
Jesus looks at the meager resources and says, “YES, Way!”

Some people have called this story a miracle. I think the miracle is that someone opened their lunch bag and shared it. Whether it was a young boy or girl, teenager or adult, someone shared what they had with others.

Many of us might have small offerings that when blessed and multiplied by God could end up doing much more than we could ever imagine.  

The little boy said, “I have something to help the situation.”
He could have said, “I don’t have enough to fix this problem, so let me do NOTHING.”
He had SOMETHING to help.
He had no idea what would take place when he gave up his lunch.

A few years ago one or more voices had an idea about bringing all of these youth together to talk about peace. They had SOMETHING – an idea – to help a situation.
Now they could have said, “We don’t have enough time, enough money to fix this problem. We don’t know enough people, so let us do NOTHING.” Instead they did something to help. And this dream continued for conversations on peace.

To me what was remarkable about this idea was that the founders ACTED upon it before they got cold feet. It begins with one voice, one group, one boy with his lunch.

It begins with an idea. Do you know how many great ideas I have stored in a notebook? How about you? Do you have a gift of caring that could be shared with an organization in need of your skills? Do some of you have a musical gift or gift of art that hasn’t been produced yet? What do you have to share that you’ve been keeping?

What happened at the picnic with Jesus was unexpected generosity and compassion for others from a little boy and his lunch.

What would happen if each of us did SOMETHING – one thing – to help a situation?
Hands of Peace youth– you’re already doing it. The Hands of Peace leaders and Board – you’re already doing it. Volunteers and host families – you’re already doing it. But where will we go from here?  

What does it mean to trust in God’s abundant presence enough to make something happen? What little thing could you do to help someone that could be a blessing beyond what we could imagine?  In what ways might our relationships as individuals and communities be changed if we lived with generosity?

Rather than saying we have no resources available, what would happen in this church and community if we said we need to act on the little gifts we have and see what little miracle might take place? By trusting and forging ahead, we too, can be a sign of God’s abundant presence.

It only takes one.
It only takes you and you and you… whether it’s food – to feed the hungry or to give the greeting of peace to those one knows and to those one does not know. If peace is to be brought into the world, we must bring it first to our families and communities. If we are to change the world, we need to begin with ourselves, trusting in God’s abundant presence…to surprise us.

May we begin that task today.
Amen.