Two very apt readings for this special day of baptism – firstly we hear Paul tell us that he kneels before God
to listen to what God wants of him, which he then shares with us: ‘I kneel before the Father, from whom
every family in heaven and on earth takes its name’ – every family on earth, that’s all of us – made and
named in God’s image.

Paul then goes on to say that he prays that God grants us strength and power and that we will know God
right here in our hearts. He wants us to know the love God has for each of us – and that we understand just
how huge and all-encompassing that love is! This sounds incredible and he’s saying it to all of us. With faith
and as part of God’s family, every single one of us is loved and protected in this way – even if we have a tiny
fledgling faith – and today, through Baptism, J** and D**will become part of God’s family! As they grow,
they’ll have the opportunity as we all do, to grow their relationship with God, so they can know his love
and strength and know him in their hearts. What a wonderful gift, and we know that God delights in giving
gifts to God’s children!

We then go on to hear in our gospel reading just how incredible God is at providing for his people, not just
in love and strength but physically. Jesus asks Philip where they might get enough bread to feed the
crowds that had gathered, 5 thousand in all it tells us – but Jesus already knows what he is going to do and
we read that there is a little boy with 5 barley loaves and two fish – it doesn’t say how big the loaves were
but they would have been the ordinary black bread eaten by the Galilean peasants, so not huge; the little
boy was almost certainly following the crowd in the hope of selling his food to make a little money – but
instead we hear that Jesus takes them, gives thanks over them and starts to distribute them. We heard that there were over 5 thousand people, but only 5 loaves and 2 fish, and yet everyone who was
seated was able to eat until they were full. What an incredible miracle!

Jesus then instructs his friends, the disciples, to gather up the left-over fragments – this wouldn’t have
been bits that people had dropped as these hungry crowds would have been careful to eat every scrap; it
would almost certainly have been what was left next to Jesus and in his miracle working hands as the
bread multiplied. However, as it is packed away, we can see just how abundant the Lord’s provision is as
the left overs fill 12 baskets!

—-Let’s see what that looks like… [12 baskets are held by 12 volunteers as we think about how much
bread this really is and consider God’s abundance. —–

There would have been more than we could ever imagine – the hungry thousands had been fed and still
there was more – we certainly worship and abundant God! It shows us that God not only supplies our
needs but goes over and above, there is always more!

After people had eaten, we heard that the people who had witnessed this miracle said: “This is indeed the
prophet who is to come into the world.” – everyone there, even the common Jews, expected the Messiah
to come and to be a great Prophet. Are we expectant? Do we expect to hear from Jesus? Do we have faith
enough to stand up and ask God for what we need, and for what he wants of us? Do we trust that he will
provide?

Today, as we all renew our baptism promises why don’t we all come afresh before God with open hearts
and minds and discover what his abundance means for each of us? Amen.

Service: Rev Rebecca Yates, 28th July 2024. (St John The Baptist Church Peterborough UK)

Readings: Ephesians 3.14-21 / John 6:1-21