THE Café Church service at Crediton Methodist Church on Sunday, August 6 was led by Cathy Jerrard and the sermon was given by Rev Dr Stephen Mosedale, his theme was “A Very Memorable Picnic”.

Cathy invited the congregation to think about any picnic that had stood out for them and to share some of the picnic food they had brought with them.

The reading from Matthew was the story of the “Feeding of the 5,000”.

Stephen said that memories people had shared about picnics were memorable because good things had happened.

All four of the Gospels record the story but Matthew features on the disciples.

Jesus, having just learned of the death of John the Baptist, had gone away in a boat for some quiet time. He discovered the people had followed around the shore and immediately he had compassion on them and started healing the sick.

As it was getting late the disciples could foresee the practical difficulties and suggested Jesus send them away to buy food.

Jesus told the disciples to feed them, but they could only find five loaves and two fish.

Jesus challenged them to be clear what their resources were and to express their inadequacy. Then He took charge.

He told the people to sit down and lifted His eyes to heaven for God’s blessing.

There was more than enough to feed all the people with 12 baskets of left-overs. A very memorable picnic indeed!

The disciples allowed Jesus to take what they thought was inadequate and do something that was amazing.

How often do you look at the sufferings of the world, remembering tragedies, pointless wars, disease, destruction of the planet, poverty (both visible and invisible) and feel overwhelmed that your resources can never be enough to make a difference?

The simple answer to that dilemma is exactly the same as it was in the story – it is to bring what little that we do have to Jesus for His blessing in order that you receive it back and see what it will do – just as five loaves fed 5,000 families.

We often hear the question “how did so little end up feeding so many?”

As far as Stephen was concerned that is not the miracle that took place here.

The miracle was that the disciples felt there was no way they could do the job Jesus had challenged them to feed this vast multitude.

Nevertheless, they brought what little they had to Jesus.

What then followed is the key miracle because so often when we are challenged in a similar way we deny the resources that we do have.

We say there is bound to be someone better placed than me or the need is so great rather than try and meet it with what little we have.

Understand this – nobody ever achieved great things for God and the Kingdom setting out expecting to do so.

Those who achieve things for God are the ones who felt they couldn’t possibly do anything but nevertheless they heard the challenge to bring what little they did have to Jesus for his blessing.

Then, little by little, it was amazing how they could go on making a difference to people all around them having been challenged to meet the need and realising their resources were enough if they offered them to Jesus.

Stephen invited people to write down on paper plates something that they could offer to Jesus.

He prayed that as Jesus held one plate with a small meal on it and asked for God’s blessing on the gifts, the givers and those who would benefit from the gifts.

He asked God to bless the gifts written on the plates, to develop them, empower them and transform us as we use the gifts freely to bless others, to bless our church and our world and so to find ourselves blessings beyond our imagining.

Bronwyn Nott