When they were full, he told his disciples, 

"Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted." So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves that were left over by those who had eaten.

John 6:12-13 CSB

What's with the leftovers?

(What were they going to do with them?)

You'd think that if Jesus could feed everyone there'd be just enough, but he got his team to go and collect what was left.

Was it to make sure that the disciples really got that this was a miracle?

John calls these "signs". Signs pointing to Jesus and to his kingdom. 

After everyone close to you has been fed, and there's a basket of leftovers in your hand, what's in your mind?

We could feed more.

There must be more hungry people somewhere...maybe we should go and find them and offer them this bread.

It's the opposite, or maybe an expansion of the manna in the wilderness when the instruction was to collect just enough for what you need.

Here there's a surplus.

A surplus of grace.

If your church is full, plant another, if your people are well fed, go find some hungry ones, if your needs are met, look out, seek out, those who's needs are not.

Maybe that's what the basket of leftovers meant.

There were 12 disciples and 12 baskets. 

One each.

Each person figuring out what to do with their surplus of grace.

#gospelofjohn

#surplusofgrace