Crowds of people are following Jesus – and in today’s Gospel the back story is that he’s come across the lake to Capernaum, a town on the edge of the sea of Galilee, heading away from the crowds and the busyness of his work, his ministry.

But the crowds follow him –having seen that he was no longer there, and they get into their boats and go across the lake to find him. And Jesus, sounding just a little impatient and slightly grumpy, says that they are looking for him because basically, they want some more of the free bread that he had provided for them yesterday.

You see – yesterday had been a very busy day indeed. Jesus, with the help of the disciples and a young boy, who was prepared to be generous with his lunch, had fed 5,000 people with just 5 loaves and 2 fishes. He had then gone up the nearby mountain to pray by himself, while his disciples began to cross the lake by boat. Late in the evening, Jesus had come to them, walking on the water!

Two miracles in one day – no wonder he’s in need of a little r & r!

It is now the next day – and here again is a huge crowd of expectant, hungry people. 

Jesus wants them to understand that their hunger is not just for bread to fill their tummies.

They know that Jesus is someone special – but they don’t realise what it is that they need – and exactly what it is he is offering them. Of course, they would like more of that bread – they are mostly poor people, they don’t have enough to eat. They need this bread to live.

But Jesus wants them to know that God wants to give them more than just bread to eat – he wants to give them life itself – food for their souls too. 

This Sunday at St John’s we have a very special exhibition of thirty stories and scenes from the Bible all made up from knitted figures and painted backdrops. There are two stories here that have some little knitted loaves of bread – one of them I’ve just been talking about – The Feeding of the Five Thousand and the other one is The Last Supper.

Jesus feeds the hungry people with ordinary bread and then shows them how bread becomes a sign of how he will feed them in a much deeper way.

He takes bread, gives thanks to God for it and breaks it to share – saying – this is my body, because I will give my life to save you.

He takes a cup of wine too, gives thanks to God, and says – this is my blood – my very life – which I give so that you might live free.

The people wanted more bread – but Jesus says – while you need your daily bread – as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer every day – you also need so much more – you need Jesus himself.

In the Feeding of the Five Thousand, is the bread that was shared by the little boy – and everyone was fed. 

But at The Last Supper Jesus gives us the bread that is himself – and everyone was changed. 

This bread is not just for us, to keep us alive – it is for the world – that through us, life might come to all. No wonder the people said ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’ 

And Jesus goes onto say ‘I am the bread of life.

This is how we are fed when we come to the Eucharist – and what we receive is both bread, but also life.

And this fills us with thanksgiving! 

At Harvest, more than anything – we are saying thank you – it is a time of thankfulness and rejoicing. Thankfulness for the Harvest – that there will be food to keep us through the winter ahead. Bread to eat and a multitude of fruits and vegetables – like those in our Harvest display today. Some even grown by us! On our allotment, in our gardens. Some the gift of the hedgerows, fruit trees, or vines.

And behind our thankfulness is a recognition of the miracle of growth, the blessing of food and the gift of life itself.

In a moment our Junior Choir are going to lead us in a classic Autumn Harvest Song – Autumn Days – which is a beautiful description of some of the joys of life – and how we mustn’t forget to say thank you to God.

Thank you to God for all this – and thank you to Jesus, who gives us the bread of life – the bread of heaven and the cup of salvation.

Rejoice in the Lord always; Rejoice. Give thanks. The Lord is near. 

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We sing the song Autumn Days led by the Junior Choir from St John’s.

Autumn Days

Autumn days when the grass is jewelled

and the silk inside a chestnut shell.

Jet planes meeting in the air to be refuelled.

All these things I love so well.

So I mustn’t forget, no, I mustn’t forget.

To say a great big Thank You,

I mustn’t forget.

Clouds that look like familiar faces

and the winter’s moon with frosted rings.

Smell of bacon as I fasten up my laces

and the song the milkman sings.

So I mustn’t forget…

Whipped-up spray that is rainbow-scattered

and a swallow curving in the sky.

Shoes so comfy though they’re worn out
and battered and the taste of apple pie.

So I mustn’t forget…

Scent of gardens when the rain’s been falling

and a minnow darting down a stream.

Picked-up engine that’s been stuttering and stalling,and a win for my home team. So I mustn’t forget…

Service: Revd Michelle Dalliston, 5th October 2025. (St John the Baptist Church Peterborough UK)

Readings:  Habakkuk 1.1-4; 2.1-4; Psalm 37.1-9; 2 Timothy 1.1-14; Luke 17.5-10