A Lad With No Name

[0:00] All right. Good morning, everybody.

[0:13] We'll go ahead and get started here this morning. In our Sunday school hour, we're going to start in a new series. And I would tell you who we're going to talk about, but we're basically going to talk about people in Scripture that had no name.

[0:27] No name that was mentioned in the impact that they have. Because, you know, sometimes we think about all those big names, you might say in Scripture.

[0:37] You know, when you think about names in Scripture, what are some of the names that jump out to you? Moses. What's that? Abraham. Paul.

[0:50] I mean, you've got a lot that really stand out. But, you know, the reality is, is God speaks a lot about those that were not given their name, but made a difference. I think it's important to realize that you don't have to have a big name to make a difference for God.

[1:09] And as we're going to look here this morning and talk a little bit about this, let's go ahead and open with a word of prayer, and then we'll get into the lesson here this morning. So, Heavenly Father, if we just come before you today, Lord, we just thank you for the day, for the opportunity.

[1:24] Pray for those who are ill and the others that didn't feel safe traveling, Lord. Pray just that this would be a blessing this morning as they listen online. Lord, just thank you for what you've given to us, Lord.

[1:36] Help us to be mindful that a life lived for you is the most important. And, Lord, we just give you all the praise and glory here today. In Jesus' name, amen.

[1:46] You know, as we begin looking here at a name, because, you know, we talk about, you know, the importance of a name in Scripture is also there. You know, you think about the name of Jesus. You know, we hear a few weeks ago on Christmas, we talked about the name of Jesus and what it means, a name above all other names.

[2:05] But, you know, Jesus also makes mention in his word about those who had no name given. It's not that they didn't have a name, because all of them have a name.

[2:16] You know, we all are given a name. It's that name itself is a reality because our name identifies us through our life and even beyond.

[2:28] You know, none of us. The funny thing is, is none of you get to choose your name. Not normally anyways. You know, nowadays you can legally change your name and you do things. But, you know, but normally speaking, you get your name from your parents when you're born.

[2:44] It's a name that you have and sometimes people don't like their name. And other times, you know, they wish they had a different name or other things. But the reality is you don't get to choose our name.

[2:56] But we do choose what we do every day and what kind of name that we have. You might not be able to choose your name, but you definitely choose what is associated with your name.

[3:09] What's associated with those things? Because when people hear our name, what do they think about? You know, when somebody hears your name in a conversation, what comes to mind?

[3:21] That could be a good question to ask ourselves. Because what it is, it represents what others perceive or understand about us. In our name, the reputation that is built behind our name is important and it has value.

[3:38] You know, consider, look over to Proverbs chapter 22 for a moment. Proverbs 22 in verse 1. The Word of God tells us here something very important.

[3:48] Here in Proverbs 22 in verse 1. It says, a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches and loving favor rather than silver and gold. You know, a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.

[4:03] You know, that verse, we could spend some time just unpacking what's in there. But the reality is, is you choose. You have some choices that impact the reputation associated with your name.

[4:14] Those things are clear. You know, Ecclesiastes 7 says a good name is better than precious ointment. You know, Proverbs 10, 7 says, the memory of the jest is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot.

[4:29] You know, the Bible goes on. There's many places in reference it speaks about your name and what it's talking about. Is it just how you sign something, you know, or what the bank says ownership of something is?

[4:43] When it's talking about a name, it has that reputation of what people think about when it's associated. What comes with your name? You know, because your name doesn't mean near as much as what the reputation is.

[4:56] You know, really, Shakespeare spoke to this fact about what you call something when he said, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. In other words, a rose, you could change its name to whatever you want to change it to, but it's not going to change what it is.

[5:13] The same with our name. What your name is isn't as important as the reputation and what's attached to it. The things attached to your name.

[5:24] No matter your name, it's secondary to the testimony that you have. And we're going to look here, because this is the case with many of the characters here in Scripture, that we don't know their names, but God, for some reason, has withheld their names from his record.

[5:40] But the lessons they taught in their life are still living and instructing us today. You know, the choices they make, you know. So consider what Hebrews 11, 4 says.

[5:52] Speaking of Abel, he says, In being dead, yet speaketh. You know, here's Abel, one of the first people on the earth that says, Though he's dead, he still speaks.

[6:03] The reputation, the things said about him, continue even today. Many people know your name, or perhaps just a few, but anything from your life will continue to speak long after your name is etched on a tombstone.

[6:18] You know, you think about, we consider a lot of those from the past and what they have associated with them. You know, think about the names that we have.

[6:29] I mean, you have names and even history of our nation. You know, when you mention the name of Abraham Lincoln, is there things associated with him? I mean, he's dead and gone, but there's still things that speak about his life.

[6:45] Or George Washington, or you could have a name, a number of, infinite number of people, you might say, whose name still has an impact after it's on a tombstone.

[6:55] Now, we need to realize sometimes that's a good name and sometimes it's a bad name. You know, because both happen, don't they? But we're going to look here at these ideas of a name, because the first unnamed individual we're going to consider here is just a boy, just a lad, the Bible calls him.

[7:15] His name's not given to us, but what he did, his generosity touched the lives of thousands of people. Because we're going to talk about a boy who brought a lunch.

[7:28] You know? You know, and we don't know, you know, whether his mom made the lunch, or you don't know a lot. We don't, we're not told anything about the lunch. You know? Maybe you remember in school, how many packed the lunch to school?

[7:41] You know? I mean, I think we can all do it. You know, you remember you have a lunchbox or a bag, and your mom would write your name on it. You know, to make sure it was identified as yours, you know?

[7:52] And you had that name associated with that lunch. And so nobody else would be mistaken about whose lunch it is.

[8:03] But, you know, we understand the importance of a name. But this lad here, even though he's not named, made a difference. Because this lad here in John chapter 6 was carrying his five loaves and two small fishes, you know?

[8:19] And we understand that he was probably carrying it in something that he had brought with him. And God used this unnamed boy to display a miraculous power associated.

[8:32] Because this young man, this event here, is one of the few recorded in all four Gospels. You know? That's kind of like making the highlight reel, you know?

[8:45] It's like when you're mentioned in all of them. You know, here's this man with no name, this young man with no name that's mentioned in all of them. And the multitudes went home that day full and satisfied, never even knowing the boy's name.

[9:01] I mean, there's nothing about his name that we know, but there's much that we can talk about his character. Because let's take a look here this morning in John chapter 6, here this morning.

[9:13] Because as we look here in John chapter 6, we'll pick up here in verse 1. It says, You know, consider here as Jesus puts this, and we find something here about this little boy.

[10:16] Anyway, his character, the boy's character stands out because Scripture doesn't record anything about this boy other than the fact that he was there and he had a lunch.

[10:28] I mean, that's not a whole lot of detail about somebody. You know? When you say you don't even know their name, but all you know is they had a lunch. That's what they brought. They're known for what they brought.

[10:39] You know? Now, when it comes to a potluck, sometimes that's good. You know? Some people make things, everybody wants to know who made it, you know? And then they can pick that out.

[10:50] But, you know, we see here he's looked here at, and he has a lunch. But we're going to see something. What he did here has something to do with his character. Because we see the boy's character on display.

[11:01] Because the choices he made reveal his character. Because we see first thing that we find about his character that I think we can learn from is that he had a right preparation.

[11:13] He was prepared. You know? He came with what he knew he was going to need, you know? That's the reason we, you know, he was a young lad. I mean, that's one of those things you know he wasn't going to leave home without food.

[11:25] If you've been around young boys, I guarantee you, they don't want to get very far from food. You know? That's just kind of a natural thing, isn't it? You know? They want to stay close to where the food is.

[11:36] But he brings these five barley loaves and two small fishes. And 5,000 men, plus the women and children, were sitting on that hillside for a good portion of the day.

[11:48] And only one person still has food left. You know, that's interesting. Because I want you to understand what's going on here. Because this one little boy in this entire crowd had a meal.

[12:03] Now, I think we'll find there's a reason for that as you read through the Scripture. God always answers the question of why these things are so. And I think it was pretty logical why other people didn't have a meal left.

[12:14] You know, when you read the account, you'll find those details. But often we look forward to those moments that are kind of performance moments in life. But there's been very little time preparing for moments.

[12:28] We find this young man was prepared for the moment that he was going to be in. He was prepared for those things. He didn't even know what it was. But yet he was prepared. He didn't know why he had prepared.

[12:40] You know, we don't know. Maybe he left home with ten barley loaves and four fishes that morning and ate half of it. You know, we don't know. Like I said, there's a lot of things we're not told about this situation except for the fact that he had it.

[12:54] That he was there. He had a preparation. And, you know, we understand that we want sometimes for God to use us. But yet we don't come prepared.

[13:04] You know, if you're not prepared, you're generally not going to be available to make things come about. Preparation makes a big part in those things.

[13:15] And when we neglect to prepare, especially even like today, have you ever heard people come and I've heard this complaint about church sometimes? Well, I just don't get anything out of it. You know, part of the problem is preparation.

[13:30] You know, sometimes people don't serve the Lord because they weren't prepared to serve the Lord. They weren't prepared for those things, you know. Think about Ezra in the Old Testament. God used him to stir the people to revival.

[13:45] But God didn't use a man who just lived his life wandering through it. Look in the Old Testament. Go over to Ezra chapter 7 for a moment. Because Ezra chapter 7 gives us a good example here of this.

[13:59] Ezra chapter 7. And we find here in verse 10, it says, For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to do it and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

[14:15] So in other words, we see Ezra did what? He prepared his heart. Now, you might say, well, that's just for the exceptional. Let's look at the opposite.

[14:28] You know, because God also speaks exactly the opposite of this. Look over to 2 Chronicles chapter 12 for a moment. 2 Chronicles chapter 12. We find an individual here by the name of Rehoboam.

[14:40] King of Israel. Verse 14 of chapter 12 of 2 Chronicles says, What a contrast.

[14:56] You have Ezra that God used mightily because he had prepared his heart. You have Rehoboam who did evil in the sight of God because why?

[15:06] He didn't prepare. Being prepared is important. Because how we do is only as good as our preparation. You know, when you consider the reality of preparation, you know, we need to look at what ways do you want God to use you in your life, both over the course of your lifetime and even this week.

[15:29] And you need to ask, what do I need to be prepared for? Because in order to be used, you have to be prepared. You know, it's interesting.

[15:39] There's a story about President Nixon talking to Winston Churchill. If you know anything of history, Churchill was known for his speeches. He would make these great speeches that seemed just like off the cuff.

[15:53] But there's a record about Nixon asking Churchill's son, and he told him how much he admired the prime minister's great ability at giving experitaneous speeches.

[16:03] And so Churchill's son replied, oh yes, I've watched my father work for hours preparing those. You know? In other words, what people thought was off the cuff was actually what people thought was exceptional because he was prepared.

[16:19] Nobody knew it, but few. But he was prepared for what was going to happen. He had the right preparation, but he was also in the right place. Look at our text there in verse 9.

[16:31] Look what it says. It says, there is a lad here. You know, to be in the right place. You know, the Bible doesn't indicate that this boy was with anybody.

[16:41] It doesn't say he was with his friends or his parents. He appears to be there almost by himself because there was many things he could have chosen to do, but he found his way to where Jesus is.

[16:53] I don't know about you, but young lads, here's a young boy, basically when they're calling him a lad, he's probably between 10 and 14 years old. And I don't know about you, 10 and 14 year old boys have a tendency to wander to places.

[17:07] You know? They kind of want to go and do, but this boy thought it was important to be where Jesus was. You know, to be where he needed to be that was going to make a difference.

[17:20] You know? He had chosen to do the very thing that was going to be beneficial. You know? Nobody drug him there.

[17:32] You know, the Bible doesn't say anything, but it says he was there. He was here. He was present where he was available. You know, he didn't need to be drugged there. He chose to be there.

[17:44] You know, Joshua made a great example of this in Joshua 24 and verse 15, where it says, If it seemed evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve. You know, think about the reality.

[17:56] This boy made a choice of where he was going to be. I'm glad you made a choice this morning to be here at church. You know? Being here makes a difference, you know?

[18:08] We shouldn't take something to keep us away. We ought to measure how much does it take to keep us away from something. It puts a priority on it. You know? Because sometimes it doesn't take much to keep us from doing something.

[18:22] You know? And what's that tell us? It's not very important. The priority you put makes a difference in that, in the choices that you make. And so the best way to be a testimony to those around you is to always be where you should be on the Lord's day.

[18:38] You know? You know, it's funny. I guarantee you this morning your neighbors noted that you shoveled the driveway and left. Amen? They make a note. They may not say something, but they made a note that you got up and left this morning.

[18:54] That it was a Sunday morning. It's something that they see you do all the time. You know, that makes a statement of being where you ought to be. It's fulfilling what God tells us in Hebrews chapter 10, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some ends, but exhorting one another and so much more as you see the day approaching.

[19:12] You know, to be in the right place, to have the right preparation, but also the right people. You know, look here at verse 8 here in our text. Notice what it says. And one of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said unto him, There is a lad here.

[19:29] You know? When Jesus asked the disciples to get food to feed the hungry people, it just so happened that the only person with food was standing next to Andrew. You think that was coincidence?

[19:40] You know? We find here that it tells us that Jesus already knew what he was going to do. The Lord would have known long before anyone got hungry that the only food available was that little boy's lunch, and he was going to use it to make the need.

[19:56] He was going to use it to provide what was needed, and Jesus knew the boy with the lunch wouldn't get lost in the crowd. He knew the boy wasn't just looking for friends or activities or trouble to get into.

[20:08] The boy was there looking to hear Jesus, and Jesus knew the boy was going to get as close to someone who was already close to Jesus. You know? When we associate ourselves with the right kind of people, we put ourselves in positions where God can use us.

[20:24] You know, who you associate with makes a difference. Here's this young lad wanted to associate with Andrew. He wanted to be close to one that was close to Jesus. You know, the friends that we make make a difference.

[20:38] You know, the Bible, consider what Proverbs tells us. Proverbs 13, 20, says, He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. You know?

[20:50] Who you choose to hang out with makes a difference. It influences us and influences others also. You know, God isn't looking for people who are sleeping in on Sunday or wasting their time on the internet to use it for His work.

[21:07] You know, people, God uses people who are willing to be available to be used, that are looking to be used, that are in the right place, prepared to do the right things.

[21:17] You know, consider Psalm 1 in verse 1, it says, Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night.

[21:35] You know? Being prepared and being around the right people walketh not after the counsel of the ungodly. You know? You know, when you're raising your kids, what's one thing you tell them?

[21:47] You need to be careful with your friends that you keep. You know, your friends can get you in trouble. You know? I can tell you, I've seen many people who've gotten lives messed up because somebody they hung out with chose to do.

[22:02] You could go down here to the county jail or the state jail and they're going to find people in there that are there because of the people they chose to hang out with. Because the people they hung out with did something and they got put in jail because they were an accomplice to something.

[22:18] because of the people they hung out with. I know people personally who have had jail issues because of that. Somebody they were with stole something.

[22:29] It was big enough it was on a trailer and they took the whole trailer and the guy said, well, they told me to pick it up so he didn't think anything about it and he found out later the guy stole it. But since he was present, guess what? Accomplice.

[22:39] The friends you keep can have an impact. If you want to have an impact for God, you need to hang around people who are going to have a godly impact.

[22:51] To do those things. You know, he had the right patience. You know, as a kid, do you ever eat your lunch before lunchtime? You know? Yeah, as a kid. Jared's like, glad mom's not here.

[23:06] You know? This miracle appears to take place sometime here in the late afternoon just before the people were making their way home. You know, Matthew 14 tells us that it was evening.

[23:19] Luke 9 says the day was wearing away. In other words, this is not lunchtime. It's at the end of the day. You know, I think the reason a lot of people didn't have much left to eat because they were there all day and what'd they do at lunch?

[23:36] They ate their lunch. You know? They'd already eaten what they'd brought. So now, if the day is weary, it's dragging on and now they don't have anything.

[23:49] You know, it's possible there were other people that day who had brought food and they'd already eaten it earlier in the day which would make logical sense that that would happen. You know, as you're sitting there and Jesus is speaking, I imagine people were munching, you know, it's just something that people naturally do especially if you're someplace for a long time.

[24:09] You know? It comes natural. It's just like us when we hang out we do what? We eat. You know? Food is associated with fellowship. The two seem to tie together.

[24:21] I don't care who or what, it's a human thing, isn't it? That those things tie together in what we do. And so we realize, you've probably noticed in Scripture and no doubt in your own life, that God's timing here though is always perfect because the boy waited for the right time and everyone experienced the benefits of him being in the right place at the right time ready to serve the Lord.

[24:48] Because we understand that God's timing is always perfect. He's never early and he's certainly never late. God always provides at the right time.

[25:00] You know, Ecclesiastes 3.1 says, for everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. You know, when we realize that God's timing is definitely different from our timing.

[25:13] You know, that's one of the things as a Christian, as one that follows Christ, you need to keep in mind that God's timing is not always our timing. Or should I say, our timing is not always God's timing.

[25:24] Might be a better way of putting it. We want to be on our time. You know, we want everything centered about how we think and what we want and want to get that accomplished. You know, but consider what Isaiah 55 tells us.

[25:37] It says, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. As for the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

[25:49] You know, waiting on God is important. To know God's timing and to wait and to see God work because when we prepare yourself for what God would have, you know, that's preparing by spending time with Him, being in the right place, staying faithful in your home and in church, fellowship with the right people, make good and godly friends who will encourage you spiritually and then let God work because those things play out and you know, we see here that these four priorities are part of your character.

[26:25] God's going to use you. You know, when you see the character of this young man, when you have that same character, God can use you.

[26:37] When you're prepared in the right place, ready for the right things and have the patience to wait upon God to do it. You know, Psalm 37, 7 says, rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.

[26:51] So we see the boy's character but we also see the boy's charity. See the boy's charity. when they say that the weight of a man's heart is through his stomach, I would add the way to know a little boy's heart is to see what he does with his lunch.

[27:08] You know, because think about this, here's a young boy that was just as hungry as everybody else but he was willing to give it. That makes an interesting statement, doesn't it? Because this young man, Jesus used the little boy's generosity to reach the hearts and minds of 5,000 men plus women and children as they got their stomachs filled from what Jesus made from a small meal.

[27:33] I want you to notice here he gave willingly. You know, that's important. The willingness of giving. You know, we don't know if Andrew asked the boy for his lunch or if the boy offered it on his own but the very least we know there was no resistance on the part of this boy, no desire for negotiation, no what's-in-it-for-me attitude.

[27:57] The Bible says that he was willing to give. You know, think about how would this story have been different if the boy wouldn't have been willing to give? Would have turned the whole thing around, wouldn't it? His charity, his desire, his boy gave his lunch willing to see what God would do.

[28:16] You know, willing to say, hey, this is what I have. What can God do with it? You know, sometimes I think we begin to withhold from God things thinking what we want to do with it and saying, God, this is what I have.

[28:32] What can you do with it? This is what I have available for you to use. Because sometimes we hold back from God thinking we need it when God says, look what I can do if you're willing to give.

[28:49] What are you trying to negotiate? Have you ever tried to negotiate with God? I won't ask for a raise of hands. That seems to be something else. You know, well, Lord, if I give this, I expect this.

[29:01] You know, people do it often. I would venture to say we're probably all guilty at one point or another. That you try to negotiate with God. You say, well, what do people, I guarantee you, I've seen it over the years.

[29:11] I've seen people as soon as life gets turned upside down, they show back up at church saying, God, I'm going to get back in church. You just make everything right. Yeah, you might be doing something right, but you're not doing it for the right reason. You're not doing it because you love the Lord.

[29:23] You're doing it because you're trying to negotiate. You're trying to manipulate. That's not being willing to do what God's asked you to do. You know, we talk about people willing to give.

[29:36] I mean, when you consider 2 Corinthians chapter 8 where the apostle Paul talks about the churches of Macedonia and he makes a statement, he says, out of their deep poverty they were willing to give, it wasn't out of their abundance, it wasn't out of the fact that they had surplus.

[29:56] Paul makes a note there in 2 Corinthians chapter 8, look over there in 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and down in verse 1, it says, moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed upon the churches of Macedonia how that in great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded under the riches of their liberality.

[30:17] For to their power I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves. I mean, think about the reality of that passage when it says that they didn't give to the saints that were suffering in Jerusalem with full pockets, they gave knowing it was going to cost them something too.

[30:35] They were willing to give the goodness and the blessing of God awaits believers who have a willing heart. You know, stinginess and stubbornness always have a bitter end.

[30:48] You know, look at Isaiah chapter 1 for a moment. Isaiah chapter 1 verse 19 tells us this, if you be willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the land but if you refuse and rebel you shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

[31:06] But notice that if you be what? Willing and obedient. That's important. He gave willingly. He was willing and obedient but he also gave wholly or completely.

[31:20] This boy had given three loaves and one fish. You know, he very easily could have gave smaller amount. I mean, you think about that of what was happening. He said he had five loaves and two fishes.

[31:30] He could have said, hey, I'll trade this in here. I'll give you half of it or at least some of it. You know, that's pretty generous. You know, but he didn't, even though I believe the Lord could have fed them all on whatever the boy gave.

[31:48] Matter of fact, Jesus had already proved he could feed them without anything. I mean, here's the one that spoke creation in that the process of what he was doing wasn't the issue. I mean, Jesus could have fed the whole crowd without the boy, but he wanted to, he already knew what he was going to do and there was a purpose behind it.

[32:06] You know, he wasn't generous with the lesser amount. He made the entire dynamic. He was willing to give it to the Lord. He's willing to give all. You know, sometimes I think instead of like this boy, we like to hold things back from God.

[32:22] To say, God, you can have this part and this part, but not this part of my life. We want to hold things back instead of God, I want to give it all to you.

[32:33] So often we focus on what we are giving God, but God really is more focused on what we are keeping. What are we holding back? What are we keeping from him?

[32:46] You know, consider the importance of this. If you remember back in 1 Kings chapter 3, a pretty famous passage of scripture where you have Solomon has two harlots who lived in the same house and each had given birth to a son.

[33:01] And a few days apart, one of the babies died in the night. So the mother of the dead baby exchanged the two children when the other mother woke up to feed her son and he was dead but upon further examination she realized that it was not her son and there was an argument and exchange that took place.

[33:19] And so we find here that they come before King Solomon and when the matter was brought before King Solomon he declared divide the living child in two and give half to the one and half to the other. You know?

[33:31] Now that would have been great advice if you were talking about the apple pie or the gallon of ice cream. you know? But I want you to understand this was a living human being but notice the response.

[33:48] The mother was very willing to say I would much rather I will give him up if he lives. She's willing to give everything for the sake of another.

[33:59] You know? Because a divided baby is no baby and guess what? A divided life is no life. God doesn't desire just to be part of our life or a few hours on Sunday.

[34:10] He desires our whole self. He desires all of us. You know? Consider Deuteronomy 5 and or excuse me Deuteronomy 6 and verse 5 where it says thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy might.

[34:27] The key word there is all. Not some but all. He gave willingly, he gave wholly, he gave wisely. You know? Verse 12 there in John chapter 6 says when they were filled.

[34:41] You know, what a great decision this turned out to be for the little boy. You know, in verse 12 certainly would have included the little boy. He was filled right along with the rest of the multitude.

[34:54] In other words, he was willing to give all and still got everything he wanted. You know? Everything for the meal he left full. He didn't lack anything by giving all to the Lord.

[35:11] You know? This little boy was willing to give to the Lord and was willing and received in return his stomach was full.

[35:24] You know? This is a better deal than the buffet. He gave what he had and got far more. it's a principle that we can realize because God will always do more with what we give him than we could have done with it ourselves.

[35:41] God promises to give more than we give. It's not merely a promise about our money but it's a surety with respect to our time, our talents, our treasures, and everything that we possess.

[35:53] You know, look over in Luke chapter 6. Luke chapter 6 in verse 38 tells us this. It says, give and it shall be given unto you. Good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom.

[36:06] For with the same measure that you meet with all, it shall be measured to you again. Now, I like to call this verse the scoop shovel effect. You know, the size shovel you choose to give to God is the same size as the shovel he uses to give back.

[36:23] Because, you know, sometimes, you know, it's kind of like in the kitchen, you know, certain things you only want a small bit of. You know, have you ever seen them little grapefruit spoons? You know, how many know what a grapefruit spoon is?

[36:36] It's that little dinky spoon with the serrated edges on the side of it, and that's so you can dig the grapefruit out of there. You know, then you have a tablespoon and teaspoons and what's unique about all the different spoons, there's what, they're all different sizes for different purposes.

[36:56] you know, now certain things you like, you know, when you're eating ice cream, you don't want to have a grapefruit spoon. You know, most people, I've seen very few people deal out ice cream with a grapefruit spoon.

[37:11] Most of them get an ice cream scoop. Have you ever noticed that's one of the biggest spoons in the drawer? They're usually broad and wide and, you know, what this verse is saying, what spoon you want to get out, to give to God, God's going to in turn use that same size spoon.

[37:31] You know, if you use a grapefruit spoon, you don't get a whole lot. Use an ice cream scoop, you have a lot. Very simple. It's a great picture. You know, when we understand of what we have, because in our life, our time, our talents, our treasures, are really caught up in this little boy's lunch as a picture.

[37:51] Because what are we willing to give to the Lord? Because what we have there is a decision, are you going to keep it, or are you going to give it? The question is are we going to give it to the one who provided it in the first place, and watch him multiply and bless it, and not only for our benefit, for the benefit of the multitude around.

[38:16] You know, this young boy, we don't even know his name, but he benefited thousands of people, because he was willing to give. He was willing to give.

[38:27] You know, so if we want to reap those blessings, let us take a lesson from this boy. We need to prepare ourselves to be used of the Lord, you know, to invest our time seeking him through his word and spending time in prayer.

[38:42] You know, we need to be in the right place. We need to be, let's speak of being faithful in our homes and serving the Lord and being in church, being where we ought to be. You know, do we need to seek fellowship with people who are already close to the Lord?

[38:57] We need to patiently trust his plan and his timing, and we need to be prepared ourselves in the ways that we will prepare to give at the right time.

[39:08] Our heart will be prepared to give as this boy did willingly, wholly, and wisely for the Lord. You know, this morning it's a good time to ask ourselves as we enter into a new year, are you withholding something of your life from God?

[39:25] Are you willing to trust that he could do more with it than you could? You know, we need to consider, will we ask God to take what little we have and do something big? So I believe God can take little things that we're willing to give and do big things that not only impact us, but impact thousands of others.

[39:48] This little boy with no name brings forth that very principle. Something to consider as we enter a new year.

[39:59] Is there something you're holding back from God that you need to give? Turn over to him in your life. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, as we just humbly come before you this morning.

[40:11] Amen. Amen.