January 5, 2013

• Front Row Seat to a Miracle

  Last Sunday our pastor spoke about the little boy who shared his lunch. His doing that was the start of the amazing miracle where Jesus multiplied the fish and bread and fed a multitude.

  (John 6:5 - 13NLT)  Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for Him. Turning to Philip, He asked, "Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?" He was testing Philip, for He already knew what He was going to do. Philip replied, "Even if we worked for months, we wouldn't have enough money to feed them!" Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up. "There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?" "Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward He did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told His disciples, "Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted." So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.

  I was thinking about that little boy. Only John's account even mentions a boy. I was thinking about his momma. I think she wanted him to be prepared, and she packed that lunch for him. Just simple fare. No Lunchables or fruit roll ups.   But she knew her little boy wouldn't go hungry.

  Was she there with all the others listening to Jesus? No one ever mentions her. I think she may have been in the crowd, but we will never know.

  But, you know, I think it was her training that caused her son to be selfless on that day. He could have kept his lunch, but he shared. I sense the influence of a mother in that. He obviously had a willing heart. His momma had taught him kindness. The disciples didn't know what to do! There were all these hungry people, and only one kid seemed to have brought any food. "Hey, kid, would you share your lunch?"

  That little boy's lunch, in the hands of the Master, fed over 5,000 people! Incredible! Sometimes it is the simplest things, freely given, which have the ability to touch many. We all have something we can give. We may not think it is much, but in the Master's hands, blessed by Him, it can grow. 

  The last thing I see in this passage from John is that this boy was in the right place. Too often we tend to send the message that listening to sermons is for BIG people. We allow the kids to play their video games quietly in the pew. We excuse them from attendance in the main service and send them someplace else.

  This little boy was "in the service." He could have been somewhere else, but he was in the crowd that was following Jesus. I can't think of a better place for a little guy to be, can you? He was available to be used by God. He had a front row seat to a miracle! I'll bet he never forgot, either.

  • 9:34 am
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