Today's Lectionary TextJohn 6:1-15After this Jesus went across the Galilee Sea (that is, the Tiberias Sea). A large crowd followed him, because they had seen the miraculous signs he had done among the sick. Jesus went up a mountain and sat there with his disciples. It was nearly time for Passover, the Jewish festival. Jesus looked up and saw the large crowd coming toward him. He asked Philip, “Where will we buy food to feed these people?” Jesus said this to test him, for he already knew what he was going to do. Philip replied, “More than a half year’s salary worth of food wouldn’t be enough for each person to have even a little bit.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said, “A youth here has five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that for a crowd like this?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass there. They sat down, about five thousand of them. Then Jesus took the bread. When he had given thanks, he distributed it to those who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, each getting as much as they wanted. When they had plenty to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves that had been left over by those who had eaten. When the people saw that he had done a miraculous sign, they said, “This is truly the prophet who is coming into the world.” Jesus understood that they were about to come and force him to be their king, so he took refuge again, alone on a mountain.  Today's Devotional
Five barley loaves and two fish – to feed the 5,000 who were in attendance. If this was before us today in our local churches, what would we hear? Possibly something like the following: “we can’t feed that many,” “we don’t have enough money,” “we don’t have enough people,” “Who is He (Jesus) kidding?” “Jesus is really calling us to do something like that?”
We may not be faced with feeding the 5,000, yet we are faced with creative ministry in these uncharted territories ahead of us. Knowing that, we have the unique opportunity to join with other local churches in our networks so that we may share the ministry of transforming the world for Jesus Christ. (Point of information here: all of our Great Plains Conference local churches are placed into networks within your particular district for shared ministry opportunities and resourcing one another.) I’m guessing several of you may still be thinking, “no way.” “Yes way!” The miracle that day was through the hands of Jesus. As Jesus took the bread and fish into His hands, He began the powerful work of multiplying. No money, no sending the disciples to borrow money, just by the use of His hands Jesus made ministry happen. We may be limited with finances and or resources, yet when we join with others, that produces opportunities for pooling together what each church and/or individual has to offer. As we join together and become creative, new ideas emerge and new opportunities are provided. In this passage, Jesus provides us with permission and authority to do ministry different than we are used to. I like that about Him! Prayer for ReflectionGod of powerful hands and creative minds, join us together with other local churches and individuals so that we might be creative as You are. Thank you for radical ways of touching so many people. Amen.
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