“The Fourth Sign: Two Fish”

John 6: 1-13 “The Fourth Sign: Two Fish” 3/6/16

Sometimes people assume that because I have food allergies I don’t enjoy to eat, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, some of my favorite memories involve food - the smells that fill the kitchen, the look of a table set to feed people, and the taste of a favorite dish prepared just right. My best friend in middle school and I rolling out sugar cookie dough with my mom during Thanksgiving break for Christmas cookies. Eating toast sandwiches when I stayed over at my grandmother’s house - complete with homemade jam. Having small parties at my apartment while in seminary in order to get to know my neighbors better. Eating my way through Australia during a semester abroad in college with a dear friend - trying new things and exploring different neighborhood cuisines. The list goes on and on. Food memories are deep memories for me.

In today’s scripture passage, we find the disciples forming memories around food as well. This particular scene is hard to imagine - in the time that Jesus walked the earth about 40,000 people lived in the region around Galilee. We are told that a great crowd of 5,000 men came to hear him preach one day because they had seen the miracles he had preformed in the past healing the sick. While 5,000 people may be hard for us to imagine, this number only represented the men, meaning it was probably closer to 20,000 when you included the women and children. It is possible that up to half of the people in the region came to hear him that day. How can we begin to wrap our minds around that?

Jesus went up on the mountain side and began to teach, surrounded by his disciples, as the crowds listened. After some time he turned to one of his disciples, Philip and asked how they were going to feed the crowd that has gathered. Jesus probably asked Philip because he was from the region, with his hometown being less than ten miles away. He would have known the area better than anyone else - would have known where he could find large quantities of food for the thousands of people spread out before him. 

Only Philip balked at the question. He started calculating how much food he would need to get, and how much it would cost and he became overwhelmed. He got so caught up in the details of what Jesus was asking - and replied that it would take over half a years worth of wages, just to let each person have a single bite, let alone be fed. 

How often are we like Philip? How often do we get caught up in the details of what God is trying to do amongst us instead of getting out of the way and letting God be God? Perhaps that is one of the hardest lessons of faith we will ever have to learn - to get out of the way and let God be God. We don’t like to give up control. We don’t like to face the unknown let alone the unpredictable. So we start to tell God what we think is possible and what we certainly think is impossible - as if our calculations and thoughts will stop God from being God. 

Finally, Andrew interrupts Philips train of thought by saying that one small boy had offered what he had for his own meal - five small loafs and two fish. But even Andrew doubted what could be done with such a meager meal. It didn’t seem to be nearly enough. It was like a single drop of water in the sea that surrounded them. What could they really do with that?

But so much could be done with what the little boy offered in love. The little boy willingly gave all that he had instead of keeping it for himself or worrying about what he would eat. It was an act of childlike faith that he, too, would be provided for, even if the adults, like Andrew saw his gesture as meaningless or not enough when faced with the magnitude of the situation. 

However, the little boy had a deeper understanding of what Jesus could do, then even the disciples. In the words of Pastor Mark Batterson, “If you put what you have in your hands into God’s hands, He can make a lot out of a little”. We get tricked sometimes into thinking what we have is not enough so why is it worth even giving. Our small offering can’t provide much in the face of the vast needs, so why give at all. On top of that we start to worry about ourselves. We worry that if we give more, then we will have less, but in the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 contests our mathematics with God. The people were so provided for, including the little boy, that there were left overs. 

This is one of the things I love about the United Methodist Church - we practice God’s mathematics every day because of our connectionism. We proclaim that we can do more together then we could ever do apart, and when we bring our small offering to God - God multiples it to meet the needs of so many people. This teaches us daily dependance upon God while at the same time reminding us what a difference we can make when we come together.

The founder of United Methodism, John Wesley, also believed in the power of God’s mathematics, even when they don’t make sense to anyone else around. One of Welsey’s most famous quotes is “Make all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can.” In his life time, John Wesley gave away over 30,000 pounds which is roughly equal to about 1,764,706 in today’s money. How did he do it? His first year of ministry he was paid 30 pounds, but found that he only needed 28 pounds to survive - he gave the other 2 away. As his wages increased he continued to live off of 28 pounds, giving the rest away, and watching God multiply his gift. To some this may seem like a drop in the bucket, or a drop in the Sea of Galilee, but God continued to multiple and multiple the gift beyond what is humanly fathomable. 

Brothers and sisters, what are your two small fish and five loaves? What do you have to offer God that you are afraid isn’t enough? What act of trust and faith would it be to offer whatever you have, however small, unto God and watch the miracle of multiplication for the sake of the Kingdom? Amen.