(Play Chris Tomlins’s version of “Take my Life” (recorded from YouTube) during the offering)
It is amazing sometimes what the brain remembers and why! I don’t know why but I can remember what I had for lunch on a Boy Scout hiking trip when I was in jr high. Our Scout troop was going to go to Shiloh Battlefield about an hour drive from our home town. We were going to hike five miles over various parts of the battlefield filling in information from monuments or signs. When mother was making my lunch that morning she asked me if I wanted a ham sandwich. I didn’t. Did I want a bologna sandwich? I didn’t. What do you want for your lunch then? I wanted Vienna sausage and crackers, a Baby Ruth candy bar and Coke. She let me carry it along with an apple. Why I remember that meal I have no clue.
My lunch on that day would be similar to what the little boy gave to Jesus that He used to feed over 5,000 people. He gave to Jesus five loaves and two fishes. Isn’t it amazing what Jesus can do with what we give Him?
Please turn in your Bible to John 6 and stand in honor of the reading of the Word of God. READ verses 1-9.
We dealt with the details of this miracle last year. This time I want to focus on the little boy and what he did.
I. Little Boy
A. Who was he?
We do not know much of anything about this little boy --- we don’t know his name, his age or where he is from. What we do know is what he did --- he gave his lunch to Jesus.
John’s Gospel is the only one of the four that tells us this lunch came from a little boy or lad. We don’t know for sure his age, but some historians believe 6 to 12 years of age.
At that point this little boy didn’t know that Jesus was going to perform a miracle and feed over 5,000 people. He gave his lunch to Jesus probably thinking it was for Jesus Himself. Here is my main point --- essentially he gave everything he had to Jesus. What about you? What do you have that you will give to Jesus?
All we have to give is our life. Listen to this testimony from 3 teenage girls trying to serve God. (Making a Difference from Bluefish)
B. We must reach teens and children
This little boy gave his lunch to Jesus drives home the point that it doesn’t matter what age you are --- you can do something for Jesus. His parents obviously were teaching this child to know and worship the Lord and this was why he was at this event.
It is absolutely essential we reach children and teenagers for the Lord. We must do it while their heart is still tender and open to the Lord. We have got to make sure the ministries to these age groups are the best we can do. From my observation, if a child has not made his decision for salvation by the age of 16 the chance of them doing it drops dramatically. I can remember twenty years ago when I would have told you age 21.
While we are on this subject, the reality is we must examine how we do church. The way we are currently doing things are not reaching teenagers. We need to make some changes in how we do church.
Transition, we have talked about the little boy, now let’s talk about his lunch.
II. His lunch
Jesus didn’t need the little boy’s lunch to perform this miracle. He could have fed these thousands of people without it. Yet, God allows us to have a part in His miraculous work.
A. Five loaves and two fish
His lunch would be more like small dinner rolls and the fish would be more like sardines. The fact the rolls were made of barley tells us he was from a poor family. Wealthy families made bread from wheat.
B. God will use what we give to Him
Some people have lots of money; some have lots of time; some have lots of talent. Most of us don’t have those things and we feel we have little to nothing we can give to the Lord. This little boy only had a lunch and look what God did with it. Your little is a lot with God. The main thing is --- are you willing to give it to Jesus?
Francis Havergal did just that --- she gave her life in ministry to other for Jesus.
1. Take My Life, Let it be
Please get the hymnal and turn to hymn 277. This hymn was written by Francis Havergal. The daughter of a minister, she mastered Greek and Hebrew to read the scriptures in their original languages. Having grown up in England, she traveled in Europe and enjoyed skiing in the Swiss Alps –– an unusual recreation in the nineteenth century. She was also an accomplished singer who sometimes sang with the Philharmonic.
At age 36, she spent five days with a small group of people, some of whom were not Christians, and others of whom were lukewarm. She spent those five days witnessing to them and praying for them, and was delighted to see her prayers answered. By the end of that week, all ten people had devoted themselves to Christ; thanks to the work of the Holy Spirit working through Frances. That night, too excited to sleep, Havergal sat up writing the hymn, “Take My Life and Let It Be.”
Her devotion to Christ took many shapes. For one, she quit singing in secular venues and devoted herself to Christian music. For another, she donated her collection of jewelry to a missionary society to raise money for mission endeavors (hence the lyric “take my silver and my gold; not a mite will I withhold”). But those were merely minor notes in the symphony of devotion that was Frances Havergal’s life
In this song Francis identifies parts of her body and life to give to the Lord. Start in verse 1 and let’s identify them together: take my life; take my hands; verse 2 take my feet and voice; verse 3 take my silver and gold and moments and days; verse 4 take my will and heart.
Would you be willing to give yourself to Jesus this completely?
2. A sacrifice
Too many people that I meet want what Jesus offers them, but they don’t want to give up anything to get it. Aren’t you glad the little boy didn’t feel that way about his lunch? He gave it all to Jesus not knowing if he would get back any of it.
The pig and chicken were having a conversation one morning in the barnyard. They got to discussing what a wonderful farmer they lived with. He made sure they were fed well everyday. They had wonderful places to live. He sure was a wonderful farmer! The chicken said “Let’s make breakfast for him and show him our thanks”. Before the pig could answer the chicken continued, “I will lay my most perfect eggs for him and you can provide the ham and bacon …. What do you think?”
The pig responded, “What would be a donation for you would be a sacrifice for me”.
I have come to the conclusion that it is not a sacrifice when the giving is motivated by love. How much do you love Jesus?
I found this video that illustrates this meaning of the word sacrifice. (show “a sister’s sacrifice” video from Bluefish)
The world will not know or care about sacrifices you have made, but God knows and does care. No where in the story is it said the boy was thanked for what he did. There were no ceremonies bragging on him; there were no medals, no ticker tape parades. In this life, no one may thank you for what you do in God’s service, but know that God will reward you in accordance to your sacrifice.
Prayer
