Sunday Yr B Sunday bet Jul 24-30
John 6:1-21 (New International Version)
John 6
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
1Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. 3Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4The Jewish Passover Feast was near.
5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages[a] would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Jesus Walks on the Water
16When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19When they had rowed three or three and a half miles,[b] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
Jesus makes something Beautiful
“I’ll never make it.” Sherrie said to her best friend, Lauren.
“Sure you will. Next time.”
“I’m not good enough. The teacher said so.”
“Just because you didn’t get the part in one play, doesn’t mean there isn’t a part that will be perfect for you.”
“Everyone is better than I am. I’ve heard them. There isn’t anything that I am good at. I’m no good.”
“You’re good at lots of things.” Lauren protested.
“Name one thing.” Sherrie challenged.
“Well,…well… you’re a great friend.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“Why not?”
“Because it is not a task, a thing. It’s a relationship and I’m only half of it.”
“But relationships are difficult and you are good at them. There are other things you are good at.” Lauren insisted.
“I’m not good at school. I’m a lousy athlete. I now find I am no good at acting. So, I’m pretty worthless.”
“You are not worthless. Remember Ms. Casey in Sunday School class? She talked about Jesus feeding the five thousand and how a small boy was so important in one of the great miracles in the Bible.”
“Yeah, but I’m not a small boy, and Jesus is not working a miracle with my lunch.” Sherrie rolled her eyes.
“I’m not talking about miracles. I’m talking about how Jesus used a tiny boy and his picnic basket to accomplish something. If he can use a boy and five loaves of bread and two fishes to do something great, he can use you, too.”
“Yeah, like he would.”
“Mrs. Casey said you had to be prepared, like the little boy was with his food; and you had to be in the right place—the little boy was following Jesus. Even as a kid, he recognized that Jesus was worth following.”
“You’re right. One smart kid—not like me.” Sherrie shook her head.
“You’re smart enough to be prepared and you go to church to learn about Jesus. That makes you equal.” Lauren insisted. “The last part was that the boy trusted Jesus with the little that he had to make something wonderful from it.”
“Well I do have that. I have very little.” Sherrie smirked.
“Come on, that’s the point. Give Jesus a chance to work where you are. Let Jesus make something beautiful for God with what you have.”
“I guess I don’t have the belief that Jesus would waste time on me.” Sherrie acknowledged.
“If Jesus died on the cross for you, wouldn’t he think you’re worth wasting time on?” Lauren wondered.
“I’m not used to anyone, but you, caring about me.”
“Well, now you know better.” Lauren put her arm around Sherrie’s shoulders.
“I don’t know how to trust easily.”
“When I don’t feel good about myself, I pray.” Lauren confided. “I ask God to help me feel better so I see me from God’s point of view.”
“I don’t pray very well, either. Another thing I’m no good at.” Bitterness crept into Sherrie’s tone.
“Praying is just talking.” Lauren stated. “Talking with God. I know you can talk.”
“Yeah, but I mess up my words and don’t know what to say.”
Lauren thought for a moment. “Pretend you’re talking to me. Say whatever you would say to me only add ‘Dear God’ in front and ‘Amen’ at the end.”
“It sounds simple.”
“It is.”
“I don’t know.”
“Let’s do it together.” Lauren began. “Dear God,”
“Dear God,” Sherrie copied.
“I don’t know what to say to you, but I need help.”
Sherrie repeated it word for word.
“I don’t feel too good about myself, but I want to be like the boy who gave his picnic basket and you did great things.”
Sherrie paused, cleared the tightness in her throat, and said, “I don’t feel too good about myself, ..” She trailed off.
Lauren waited.
Sherrie sniffed. “I want to be like the boy who gave his picnic basket and you did great things.”
“Help me, God. In Jesus name, Amen.”
Sherrie’s voice grew stronger. “Help me God. In Jesus name, Amen. Thanks, Lauren, for being my friend.”
“You’re welcome. Back atcha. Whenever you feel down about yourself, you know where to go.”
“I’ll come see you.”
“No, silly. Talk to God.” Lauren chuckled.
Sherrie laughed out loud. “Oops. I’ll get it right, one of these days.”
“You got it right today.”
Sherrie paused, and then asked, “I wonder what my 5 loaves and 2 fishes will be?”
“Huh?”
“Something that I can give to Jesus, so he will make it into something beautiful.”
“You are something beautiful for God.”
“You, too.”
Together, they chorused. “We are something beautiful for God.”
Daily prayer: Dear God, Help me to be prepared as the small boy was. Help me to pay attention as he did and help me to trust you as he did so that you can make something beautiful of me for you. In Jesus name. Amen.
Memorize John 6:9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
Action: How about you? Do you believe that God will do something with your life? What have you got to offer to Jesus? If you aren’t sure, then pray.
