Bigger, better and greater

From Helen

Have you ever had the experience of something good happening and then it getting better and better ? We once went to a wedding where the reception was a Chinese buffet. I apologise if I have told you this story but it is a very important one and is close to my heart. I say a Chinese buffet. This wasno ordinary buffet, it was in the St.Davids hotel and spa in Cardiff bay. We were all invited table by table to a room where there was food galore. It was very good but the best bit is yet to come… when dessert came we were taken back into this room and there were loads of mini desserts and we were offered each one. Well, I knew that 7 desserts was greedy but they were mini and it would be rude not to…. That reception was bigger, better and greater than all I could have imagined.

This is certainly an experience and emotion which we have heard about in our readings this morning. In the reading from 2 Kings (4: 42-44) Elisha trusted God and the result was even bigger, better and greater than he could have imagined. With few resources 100 people were fed and there was even food left over !

In the gospel reading (John 6:1-15) the disciples turned to Jesus with even fewer resources and a lot more people to feedand the result was even bigger, better and greater than all they could have imagined. 

In our epistle reading (Ephesians 3:14-21) we heard Paul hoping that the readers would be rooted in the love of God and that their hopes would be met by something bigger, better and greater than they could imagine.

That something bigger, better and greater was the love of God. God loves us and His love is much bigger, better and greater than we could ever imagine. 

Back to the gospel reading. The disciples were understandably a little worried, they needed to get food for all these people who had come to see and hear Jesus. They must have been a bit panicked but they did the right thing by turning to Jesus and when they turned to Jesus He helped them and did more than they could have asked for. 

Jesus didn’t just give enough food for the people to eat He gave more, there were 12 basketfuls left over. This is amazing. This is the only miracle that is told in all 4 of the gospels. In the gospels not every story is the same because the writers of the gospels like any good author gave the information that they felt would fit their audience, their community best. This one makes every gospel. 

Maybe it’s because the little boy with the food was very excited and wanted everyone to know about his part. Maybe it’s because so many people were helped all at once so they told everyone. Maybe it is because it is such an amazing miracle with lots left over. We will never know, but the one thing we can know is that God who provided more than enough and offered something bigger, better and greater does the same for us well.

Who in their right mind would think about dying for people who may not even accept them? Who would endure suffering for people who would keep turning away? Who would keep loving those people who can barely love each other let alone you? The answer is God.

God loves you and He wants you to love Him too. Even if you didn’t love God, He would still love you. He loves you with a love that is bigger, better, greater than you can even begin to think of. 

To me that is the biggest miracle ever, the feeding of the 5000 is well known but how well known is that love that God has for you and this world. We have a responsibility to tell people about something that is bigger, better and greater than they can even begin to imagine.

We are here as witnesses to the love of God. God who can provide so much more for us, more than we can even think of. 

That love is free, it never runs out it is always there, God who fed 5000 people, God who became one of us, God who walked amongst us, who died for us, who rose again  loves you. He loves you so much that He would give His everything so that you can know that you are truly loved. Amen