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The Bible never tells us his name. We don’t know much about him or his family. We just know that he offered what he had and Jesus was able to use it. All of the gospels record Jesus’ miracle of feeding the 5’000. But only John tells us in John 6:8-9 that the food came from a young boy. Jesus had been teaching all day and the people had been listening but suddenly they realized the hour was late and no one had brought food. Jesus had compassion and told his disciples to feed the people. Where were they supposed to get food? Andrew stepped forward with a few small pieces of bread and fish from a boy. But even Andrew didn’t see how such a small amount could satisfy anyone. “What are they for so many?” Jesus commanded everyone to sit down, he prayed over the small meal and they began to distribute it. And everyone was fed. The little boy’s lunch was all that Jesus needed to do his work. There are a number of theological points in this story. The miracle of feeding that multitude was a sign that Jesus was the Messiah. Yet the passage speaks to me in a more personal way – Jesus can use what I have to offer him, no matter how small my offering is. When I was younger and bolder, I felt that I had a lot to offer God. I was well educated, had a variety of skills and was full of enthusiasm and vision. God was blessed to have me on his side. Or so I thought. I confess that as I get older, I’m not so sure that I have that much to offer. What I thought would be needed and helpful to God hasn’t been so useful. What I thought would be impressive has become rather shallow. I am coming to realize that God does his best work through the small and weak. Jesus takes our bread crumbs and pieces of fish and uses it for his glory. In our weaknesses he shows himself strong. With food for a small child he feeds a crowd. It’s his work and not mine. My abilities and talents are not nearly as important as my availability and willingness to let him work through me as he sees fit. I sometimes feel embarrassed when I come to him and say, “This is all I have today, some bread and a little fish.” But those are the days when he shows himself strongest and most able. Those are the days when I get out of the way and let him work. John the Baptist said it best when he said, “He must increase and I must decrease.” Offer him what you have and let him do the rest.

Snake Salvation was a reality TV show about “snake handling pastors” in Kentucky. They believe in a bible passage from Mark 16 that suggests a poisonous snakebite will not harm them if they are anointed by God’s power. Sadly, the series was cancelled when the main character died from a venomous snake bite. Does the Bible really say you should go around picking up dangerous reptiles? People often say things like, “I just believe what the Bible says, and I do what it tells me to do.” But in practice the Bible is open to a lot of interpretation and we tend to pick and choose what we like. Did Jesus really mean for us to cut off our hands if they cause us to sin? (Matthew 5:30) Should we feel guilty about wearing clothing with two different kinds of fabric? (Deuteronomy 22:11) Why don’t all women wear head coverings in church? (1 Corinthians 11) None of us comes to the Bible with a blank slate; we all bring our own interpretation to bear. And our interpretation can be faulty. There are many parts of the Bible that are clear and easy to understand. As we mature in our faith, we must wrestle with some of the more difficult passages and think about how we interpret Scripture. But, honestly, the most difficult parts of the Bible for me are the most straight forward and easy to understand. These are the passages that I know I should practice but somehow I fight with. Verses like: There are difficult and challenging questions about reading the Bible. Common sense though could really help those snake handlers. But like Mark Twain said, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.” Yes, it’s the parts that are all too clear that bother me as well. I still have a lot of work to do.

BuzzFeed, an internet site, offers twenty-five shortcuts you can learn from lazy people. The list includes brushing your teeth in the shower and sleeping in the same shirt you wore all day. Why do more work if you don’t have to? I’m not sure the advice is worth the time reading it. Sure, some shortcuts can be helpful but sometimes this leads us to conclusions that aren’t accurate. We look for easy ways to put people into categories. We sort by skin colour, gender, nationality, educational status, income and disabilities. The shortcut, sorting people into categories, is useful because we think it saves us time and energy. Once we put someone in a category, we think we know something about them (since they are like this…then they must do this or believe that.) Based on our assumptions, we make a judgment about that person. When Samuel was sent to anoint a new king over Israel, he saw Jesse’s oldest son. “This guy looks like a king,” Samuel said to himself. “He must be God’s anointed.” He was quickly corrected as God spoke to him and said, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 NLT) It’s a disservice to others when we prejudge based on our categories. God has a totally different way of looking at people and we can’t always see what he sees. That means we have to take the time to get to know someone before knowing what they are like. Most people don’t fit neatly into categories anyway. We are complex individuals who wrestle with the many issues of life. So don’t be lazy. Watch out for how you size people up this week. The Lord is concerned about what’s happening in their heart and in yours.

Last week the price of gold hit an all-time high of $2,431.46 (US) per ounce. Economists are trying to understand what is driving the market. Economic uncertainty is no doubt a part of it. It reminded me of a news article from a few years back. John Waddell’s hobby was to go looking for gold in the abandoned mines that dotted his property in central Arizona. Occasionally he got lucky and found the odd gold nugget. One day, while out searching, he fell down one of the shafts. He was using climbing equipment to explore the shaft when a carabiner clip broke. He fell about fifty feet to the bottom, breaking both legs. During the three days he spent in the abandoned shaft, he fought off rattlesnakes and hallucinations. Thankfully, some friends knew he was missing and went looking for him. They knew the area that John liked to search and were finally able to locate the mine. It took a rescue crew about five hours to get him out. He was badly injured but glad to be alive. It’s amazing what people will risk their life for. Some people search for gold or other forms of wealth. On the internet, it seems like most people are looking for fame. A researcher asked people, “If you could say in one word what you want more of in life, what would that be?” People responded with answers like happiness, peace, love, passion, joy, security, and fulfilment.  Everyone is looking for something. But the writer of Proverbs counselled, “How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.” (Proverbs 16:16) Jesus told his followers to, “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)  Our desires are not necessarily wrong, but we are reminded that seeking God’s wisdom should always be at the top of the list. When we truly find his understanding, we find everything else we need. 

Two elderly men were venting their frustrations about the woes of modern technology. “I just can’t ever seem to remember my darn passwords,” grumbled one of them. The other one smiled. “Oh really? I can never forget mine!” “How do you manage it?” asked the first guy curiously. “Well, I simply set all my passwords to ‘Incorrect’ so that whenever I’m told that my password is incorrect, I’ll remember it!” It’s always been easy to make fun of ‘old people’ and the aging process. These days I find my definition of ‘old’ is shifting a lot. I’m beginning to realize my own mortality. My body has started letting me know that things are changing. As we age, we are forced to remember that our bodies will someday decay and waste away. Our body is a vessel that carries us through this lifetime. As believers, we aren’t to be morbid about this. God created us for eternity. Writing on this very topic, the Apostle Paul says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16) The aging process is inevitable, but each passing day is another opportunity to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. God’s spirit is transforming us and preparing us for eternity and becoming more like Jesus. Rather than looking backward in life, becoming cynical or bitter, we are to grow into the person that God has called us to be. Each day becomes an opportunity for renewal and growth – no matter how old we get.

Sometimes, even the smartest and most spiritual among us can be a little bit dense. We just don’t understand what Jesus is trying to tell us. For example, how would you feel if you were in the boat on the day of this exchange? “But the disciples had forgotten to bring any food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat. As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, ‘Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.’ At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, ‘Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear? Don’t you remember anything at all? When I fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?’ ‘Twelve,’ they said. ‘And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?’ ‘Seven,’ they said. ‘Don’t you understand yet?’ he asked them.” (Mark 8:14-21) Jesus channels his frustration with the disciples into these nine pointed questions. They have travelled with him, seen his miracles, heard his teaching and still don’t understand what he is saying. I’m sure they felt somewhat embarrassed. When Jesus warned them about the “yeast of the Pharisees”, he wasn’t talking about bread. Jesus was warning them about the evil designs that the Pharisees were planning: the plot to kill him. The disciples had missed the whole point. They were thinking about their stomachs. I wonder how often I read a passage of scripture and do just that: miss the whole point because I’m thinking about something else. I’m preoccupied with my needs, my situation, or my empty stomach and I totally miss out on what God is trying to say to me. After all this time with Jesus, knowing him, his teaching and his miracles, we can still miss the most basic of messages. As you read your Bible this week, slow down and take your time. Listen to what Jesus is really saying. See you Sunday,

Poor Milan Shipper. A high school student from the Netherlands who just wanted an exciting vacation before heading off to university. His dream is to visit Australia for a few weeks, so he was excited to find an amazing deal online to Sydney. Seeing the offer, he booked it on the spot. However, when he boarded his second flight, from Toronto to Sydney, he was surprised at how small the plane was. After the flight had taken off, he discovered he was going to another city called Sydney: the one in Nova Scotia, Canada. Sydney, the Canadian one, is a lovely place on the East Coast, but it wasn’t where Milan wanted to go. The folks at the airline, being good Canadians, apologized to him. They got him on a return flight back to Amsterdam and were able to help him get a ticket to his dream location: Sydney, the Australian one. Such mistakes are not uncommon. Sometimes, despite our best attempts, our plans go wrong. We take a path that doesn’t get us where we want to go. Some mistakes are easily corrected and leave no marks. Other mistakes can go far deeper and carry far more lasting implications. That’s why we need Easter and the power of the resurrection. The resurrection is about hope. Sin and death don’t have the final word over life. The resurrection affirms that the price of our sins has been paid. God’s love has overcome. We can have confidence that we are headed in the right direction towards the right destination. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” Ephesians 1:18-21 Christians are ‘people of the resurrection’. It impacts our outlook on life and our hope in death. It assures us that God is in control and he can work with our sins and mistakes. It’s our guarantee that we are on the right path and will reach our heavenly destiny. “He is risen! He is risen, indeed!” See you Sunday,

When I was growing up, we lived in a house on my grandmother’s farm. My father and I had an annual spring ritual which was to go ‘fencing’. That meant taking a trip around the perimeter of the farm to check the condition of the fences. It was essential to ensure that animals, mostly cattle, wouldn’t be able to get out into someone else’s property. “Good fences make good neighbours” is a favourite saying of farmers. In our physical world, it is easy to observe barriers or boundaries. There are fences, walls or signs that inform us that we are moving from one place to the other. Healthy living involves knowing and observing boundaries in the emotional and spiritual areas of life. For many people finding the boundaries between work life and personal life can be very difficult. People want a sense of fulfillment in their work and desire a rich and fulfilling private life. Finding balance can be a challenge. The teacher in the Book of Ecclesiastes seemed to understand this dilemma.  “I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me…So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun…There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw is from the hand of God.” (Eccl 2:18-25) The teacher sees both good and bad in work and recognizes that work and life enjoyment are both from God. And yet, there can be a lot of frustration in sorting out that interaction. He goes on to write that to “everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Eccl 3:1) To me, it sounds like he is helping us to think about boundaries in life. We are not what we do. Our value and worth comes from God. He has given us talents and skills to be used to bless others and provide purpose. We should not conclude that work is all there is in life. We need to enjoy family, good food and fun times. The teacher in Ecclesiastes reminds us that life is short and our work will not be finished but left for someone else. We need to hear this perspective today. It’s not easy in the modern world to find the right work-life balance. But then, it wasn’t easy when Ecclesiastes was written. The point is, that wrestling with finding the boundaries and balancing the good things God has provided is a part of life. There is wisdom in thinking about these things and letting God guide us to the answers.

Sue Markham really wanted a dog. Her husband wasn’t so keen on the idea. He finally relented and agreed that they could get a dog if it was a small one that wouldn’t take up too much space in their home. Sue began looking for a puppy at animal shelters and when she saw little Yogi she just had to have him.  She brought Yogi home and told her husband that he was a Jack Russell Terrier and would not likely ever be over twenty pounds. Then Yogi started to grow and Mr. Markham became concerned over the amount of food that Yogi was eating. Mrs. Markham had to confess that Yogi wasn’t really a Jack Russell. She was hoping that her husband wouldn’t notice her little “white lie” until it was too late to change his mind. She hoped he, too, would love their new pet. In reality, Yogi is a Great Dane. And not just any Great Dane but a Boston Great Dane, which just also happens to be one of the single largest breeds on the planet! A news reporter writes: “Today, Yogi is weighing in at about 200 pounds, and is around six feet, ten inches from tip to tail.  Much bigger than your everyday Jack Russell, that’s for sure.  He’s a neighbourhood favourite as well, gaining tons of attention for his very large size and gentle giant manner.” Mr. Markham must be the forgiving type because he and his wife are still living together and he has come to love the small pony that now lives in his home. The story has a happy ending but not all little white lies end so well. King Solomon offers advice to all of us in the Song of Songs: “Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines.” (2:15) Solomon tells us that it is the little foxes that spoil the vines – the little things that can have a big impact. This appears to be a warning to you and me. We need to watch out for subtle dangers of so-called “little sins”. It is often the “little sins” that grow into larger problems if they go unchecked. God’s word is clear that sin is sin. We try to excuse these “little sins” by saying something like, “It was just a little white lie. It won’t hurt anyone. No one will really notice. It’s not like I murdered anyone.” Indeed, the consequences of certain sins may be more serious than others. What we need to guard is the attitude of our heart. We don’t want little things growing into big problems. It’s better not to start with any “little sins” but rather to stop them from starting. Most of us don’t have room for a Great Dane in our lives.See you Sunday,  Pastor David

It was a difficult meeting. I was right and the other person was wrong. They were explaining what they felt and I was defending myself. I got in some really good points. But after the meeting, I felt embarrassed. To defend myself and get in my side of the story I had been rude and condescending. If there was video evidence, it wouldn’t show me in a very good light. When I look back over my life, the times that embarrass me the most are occasions when I wasn’t very gracious or even a little bit gracious. These are events, conversations or behaviours that I am ashamed of. I could have responded differently but I didn’t. At the time I felt justified. I was being attacked or treated unfairly. The other person was being a jerk. I had a right to be annoyed. But now when I look back all I see is my poor conduct.Jesus faced a lot of criticism and questions. A certain group of people sought to find something wrong with him or his teaching. He was never a pushover and on occasion, he had harsh words. But he was very gracious, patient and never rude, sarcastic or demeaning to others. In the face of outright opposition and attack, Jesus remained true to his character. Colossians 4:6 in The Message reads: Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out. Sometimes it’s easy to view other people as the enemy or competition. We try to score points and stick it to them. That’s evidence of a heart that hasn’t yet been transformed, it’s simply un-Christlike. There are dozens of conversations I would like to go back and do-over. But I can’t. So, I need to make sure my interactions with people are gracious and kind. I pray that God will put a guard over my mouth so that what I say encourages and builds others rather than tearing them down. It’s important to remember – “be gracious in your speech.” See you Sunday,  Pastor David