GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS THAT REMAIN, THAT NOTHING BE LOST

Sometime ago, I was conducting an online search to purchase a particular Bible made specifically by Bearing Precious Seeds Ministry.  As I was searching, I came across an article entitled, “An Open Letter to Dr. __________ __________.” The letter was written by another preacher within the same particular group.  It concerned the “separatist” lifestyle.  The author of the letter spent a lot of time openly bashing this particular preacher (in Christian love of course) for having the audacity to share the same podium with some Southern Baptist and even Free Will Baptist.  As I read the letter, the resounding thought that kept coming to my mind was the fact that I wouldn’t be accepted in that author’s church – and neither would most of you.  Our tattoos wouldn’t be accepted; our hairstyles wouldn’t be accepted; our earrings wouldn’t be accepted. To this particular writer, most of us who do not wear a Suit and tie to church are just a bunch of drunkards, drug addicts and outcast of society.  In his eyes (and the eyes of most suit and tie religions), we are nothing more than dirty, rotten good-for-nothing sinners.  So I thank God today that Romans 5:20 says “Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound.”  Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” John tells us in John 3:16, “For god so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  But he didn’t stop there, He goes on in verse 17, “For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world, through him, might be saved.” So this brings me to  John chapter 6.

In John 6, the earthly Ministry of Jesus is picking up steam.  In Chapter 4, Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well and heals the Nobleman’s son; in Chapter 5, Jesus heals the man by the Pool of Bethesda; He claims His rightful place within the Deity; and begins teaching both His disciples and the multitudes that had begun to gather.  Transitioning from Chapter 5 to 6, Jesus crossed over the Sea of Galilee (Tiberias). Whether He was trying to get away and have some alone time with the Father, I am not certain.  What I am certain of is that the multitudes followed Him.  So in chapter 6, Jesus is going to perform several more miracles:  In Chapter 6, Jesus feeds the large crowd with 5 Loaves of Bread and 2 fish.  Then, when His disciples were in a storm on the Sea, He walks on Water to rescue them.  I like the fact that no matter where I am in life, no matter what I am going through, no matter how bad the storm is raging, Jesus knows where I am at and anytime He wants to, He can step in a whisper “Peace be still.”  It is comforting to know that He hasn’t lost sight of me.  Jesus will then teach a greater lesson concerning the Bread, and that is HE is the Bread of Life!

But our key verse for today is Verse 12, in which John captures something the other Gospel accounts doesn’t and that is “When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.”  Why would Jesus send his disciples to gather the fragments?  I mean, after all, He had already feed the multitude, and not just feed them – BUT – filled them, completely full – they were satisfied.  Well, I think there are two possible answers:

1. According to Jewish Custom, the Laws of Pe’ah dictates that the residue belongs to those serving. In other words, some should be kept to feed those caring for the large crowd.  In a broader sense, the general idea of Pe’ah is setting aside a portion to care for the poor in general.
2. But I think the real lesson here is that Christ is teaching us to be Frugal. If we are to care for all things good provided by the Hand of God, how much more should we care about those fragmented lives we come in contact with? The broken pieces of a persons’ life?  I think Jesus wanted to teach us that every life matters; every whole life matters, every fragmented life matters; every broken life matters.  I am reminded of Luke 19:10 “For the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The first thing I see in this passage:

Jesus Cares About the Left-Overs

I think the message that Christ wants you and I to know is that He cares about the Fragments – the left-overs.  The shame with so many churches and even our church is, we can see a brother or sister that was an alcoholic, a drug addict, a thief, a crook – basically a dirty, rotten no good sinner, come to the alter and get their heart right with God.  “The son of man comes in and saves that which was lost,” saves them from their sin (past, prestd what do we do???  We sit in our self-righteousness and point fingers at them saying “Oh, they’ll never make it, they’re no good.  God can forgive them for their sin – but we sure won’t.”

But that’s not what Christ says, he says, “Gather up the fragments that remain, that NOTHING be lost.”  In Ezekiel 34:1-4, God rebukes his preachers saying, “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?  Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.”  God is talking here about self-righteousness.  He’s talking about man’s laws hindering God’s grace.  I ask you, what is the purpose of the church?  I think Psalms 147:2 and 3 gives us a pretty good idea:

“The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Isreal.  He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds.”

I believe the church is a Hospital for the Hurting, hope for the hopeless.  I believe you and I are to go into the “highways and the hedges,” into the battle fields of our world and drag the hurting to the Great Physcian for healing.  The word of God says “He gathereth the outcasts of Isreal.”  What’s He doing? He’s “gathering up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.”  Every life matters.  Listen, I have enough scares from the battles in my life, I don’t need any more from “Religious” people.   So, why is He so concerned with gathering up the fragments, gathering up the Left-overs?

GOD CAN USE THE LEFT-OVERS

I’ve heard so many people talk about the regrets in their lives, how they wish they would have been saved earlier, or before they felt washed up.  The truth is, God can use what remains of your life, so don’t let your past hinder your future.  Here are just a few people in the Bible that really messed things up in their lives, yet God took the left-overs and did something great with them:

1. Samson – Left-Over (Judges 16:28-31)
2. David – Left-Over ((II Sam. 12:3)
3. Peter – Left-Over (Matt. 26:69-75)
4. Woman at the Well – Left-Over (John 4:1-41)
5. John Mark – Left-Over (II Tim. 4:11)

“Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost” shows the abundance of God’s grace over our sin.

We’ve all made some decisions in our lives that had real, and sometimes, devastating consequences.  But, “where sin abounds, grace does much more abound.”  God’s grace is not a license for us to sin, but the abundance of that grace moves us to walk close with God.  Finish with 1 John 1:9 and Acts 27:43, 44.