The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand was special to the gospel writers. In one form or another, it appears six times in the gospels. The version you heard a few moments ago seems to be the favorite, since it is included by Matthew, Mark, and Luke in nearly identical form. It is an appropriate scripture for a Communion Sunday; just as a compassionate Jesus feeds the hungry crowds without regard for the seeming scarcity of available resources, so we trust that we will find abundant food at Christ's table when we gather at it. It's not surprising that we generally view this story from the vantage point of the crowd that was well-fed.

But the story has quite a different twist, if we view it from the disciples' perspective. In what was supposed to be a time of retreat for Jesus and the disciples, the crowds have caught up with them, and Jesus has quickly become engrossed in teaching and healing. He hardly seems aware that now evening is at hand and the crowds will need to eat soon. So, in so many words, the disciples say to Jesus, "You need to get practical now. It's time to stop healing and dismiss the crowds so they can go to the local villages and buy food." They are totally unprepared for Jesus' response. Jesus says to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." You provide the supper tonight. The flabbergasted disciples quickly take inventory of the food resources in the crowd and report back to Jesus how meager they seem: five loaves and two fish. "That will do," he replies. So, Jesus gives thanks for the loaves and fish, and gave them to the disciples to distribute. And all in that crowd are fed, with enough left over for another potluck.

"You give them something to eat." In that experience the disciples learned something very basic about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. As partners in his work of teaching, healing, and nurturing, they, too, were called to share the bread of life with others--both in a physical and a spiritual sense. And the same is true for us who would be disciples of Jesus in our time. To be a member of Christ's church means to share our material and spiritual substance so that those whose lives we touch may be fed. We share in the faith that we have bread to offer, and, however limited it may seem to us, it will be of use in God's service.

So, this gospel story really has two important meanings for us. It reminds us that a compassionate Jesus came among us so that we might find the spiritual nourishment required by our souls. Being fed is one of the valid and essential goals of the Christian life. We need to be fed for the health and vitality of our spirits. Yet, the consumer mentality of our time notwithstanding, that goal is never meant to stand alone. We are fed not just for our own sakes, but also so that we can feed others. God's ultimate goal is that all people will find the food for life they need. But that will happen only as we recognize that sharing bread, as well as receiving bread, is the ministry of every Christian. So, the church is a fellowship of bread-sharers. As the Indian Christian D.T. Niles once put it, "The church is a matter of one beggar helping another beggar find bread."

"You give them something to eat." What we're talking about here is sometimes referred to as the "ministry of the laity," but it includes the clergy, just as surely. As each of us has been nourished in our faith, and as we have been given insight, spiritual gifts, and energy, we are called to utilize these resources for the good of others around us. And that includes those outside the church as well as inside it-members of our families first of all, those in our work places, our neighborhoods, our community groups, our social connections. Sharing bread in these diverse relationships is our Christian ministry, just as surely as sharing it within the church. In fact, one writer I read recently suggested that if a layperson is spending more than ten hours a week in church activities, he or she is likely slighting the ministry one should have on the outside! We in the church do our Christian ministry a disservice when we presume that work inside the institution matters more than our service elsewhere.

So, "you give them something to eat" is a marching order for Christian disciples. It is a reminder that God's grace works through every Christian, not just the professionals. We each have a personal responsibility for our discipleship.

Now this all sounds well and good, doesn't it? If we would just take this seriously, our Christianity would be a stronger presence in our world. But what about this knot in our stomachs at the idea of our giving others something to eat? Some of us may resist the idea of having this kind of personal responsibility for ministry. But my hunch is that many of us are saying to ourselves, "Who, me? Who am I to presume having anything worth sharing with others?" I don't know where this spiritual inferiority complex came from, but I know it's widespread, and it does have a negative impact on Christian ministry. There have been times when I've felt this doubt in myself. Interpersonal relationships, which seem so important in ministry, have not been my area of greatest confidence, and frequently I have questioned my effectiveness because of this. Yet again and again, I have been surprised to realize the impact I had on others in spite of my doubts. I still remember the time, much earlier in my ministry, when I was asked to make a pastoral call on a newcomer in the church who was having marital difficulties. I wasn't even married myself at the time, and felt very anxious about even trying to be with a person in that kind of turmoil, much less offer him anything helpful. But I made the call anyway. I don't remember what I said. But somehow it helped, for soon that man and his wife were back together in church, and were giving me credit for helping. And over the years, my conviction has grown that God does use my gifts and graces even when I don't think much of them. Often I am not the best judge of what God can use. And friends, I believe that's likely to be just as true for you as it has been for me. The talents and gifts and inspirations, which we are quick to label "not good enough," may well be resources God can use to feed others-if we are willing to give God the chance. I believe God would like nothing better than having the chance to show us that we have more bread to share with others than we would ever have believed on our own.

Today, we come to Christ's table to bless and break and share the bread, just as Jesus did in feeding the five thousand. We come to be fed, not only for ourselves, but so that we might have bread to share with one another and with our world. We come to strengthen our faith that in all this God is at work in and through us, and will use even our sharing to bless others.