2 Kings 4: 42-44; Luke 9: 10-17

Did your table look like a shipwreck after Thanksgiving dinner? Most tables do look a little torn up and battered. Then, people who like their sports excuse themselves and flop in front of the TV. Others might look at the disaster in the kitchen and long for a couple of maids to clean up. They are not be found in these parts...so somebody has to attack the mountain of plates, pots and pans.

This year I had the privilege of cooking the feast. Even though there were but a few of us, the mountain of cookware seemed to accumulate just as high as ever. Cleaning up gave me a true sense of gratitude. God provided so well. He even provided leftovers. I recall how my own mother seemed to keep those leftovers going for days. Sandwiches, then hash, then soup seemed to never end. We sometimes whined, "Leftovers, again?" But we ate. Try though we might, our best efforts could not save all the leftovers.

But God wastes nothing...not even leftovers! God uses leftovers, whether it be food or His people. His leftovers become His Life-givers!

Recall that He told the people heading for the Promised Land to collect manna each day. It was good only for that day. But the day before the Sabbath, they were to collect as much as they needed for that day and the Sabbath. Leftovers! What a provider!

Elisha knew this provider. His young prophets faced starvation. God used a man from Nowhere to come to Somewhere - that’s where Elisha was, and provide. Food came very sporadically, since there was a gap in the supply line of food. The food-gap needed to be filled. According to our Department of Agriculture, food that comes to us in our favorite grocery travels about 1,500 miles. We take it for granted. And we fuss if our favorite olives or fresh melons are unavailable. Elisha had no Kroger’s or Shop Rite stores. And food must be provided. Look how God supplied.

He sent a man from Baal-Shalishah with twenty loaves of barley bread and some fresh grain came with him. I can just hear his wife, "Do you need to take all that bread?" "Yes, dear. I don’t know why, but I do." Elisha knew dinner arrived! "Hey, Elisha, you got to be kidding! This little bit cannot feed these guys!" But what did Elisha answer?

"Give (this food) to the people that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have leftovers." And that is exactly what happened. Look how God worked.

The man with bread came from the place that means, GOD IS LORD OF THE BREACHES or gaps in our necessary supply to live. Elisha knew this man came directly from God. God wastes nothing, whether it be food or His people! Leftovers.

Looking at the 5000 that special day, Jesus ordered, "Give yourselves for them to eat." His disciples looked for food. Christ gave a more important lesson. When we give ourselves away, He will also provide for us. "Gather up the food that is left, so that nothing will be lost."(John 6.12) Leftovers. Each of them had food enough for that day...and then some. Leftovers! Would the Lesson be learned?

I thought about this when the wishbone came off the turkey. I’m sure many of you recall someone saving the wishbone. Then a day or so later with one other, making a wish as the bone is pulled apart. The winner of the bigger part of the wishbone was said to get their wish. I want to use this leftover wishbone to remind us - Leftovers in God’s hands can be His Life-givers!

This message is not for the person who has it all. They fear giving anything away. When tithing comes up, they tighten up. No, this message is not for that person. They will never understand what it means to be a Life-giver! They see the wishbone and think about the expense of the meal...not the joy that came through giving it.

This message is for that person you might know, who started out well for Jesus Christ. Then, somewhere along the way, they did something or something was spoken. That was enough to cause others to leave them alone. The wishbone might be for them the wish to be useful in God’s hands again.

I can tell you - they need to be told: Leftovers in God’s hands can be His Life-givers!

Think about those persons who wanted to serve the Lord, but seemed to just be leftovers.

There are some, perhaps even in this sanctuary, who feel like they are leftovers. Left out, overlooked, ignored. They wanted to serve the Lord, but for many reasons have just been left alone. They wonder- does God care? Can I be used for Him again? Answer: YES!

Moses was a leftover. He wanted to rule his people. Instead he ran for his life after he killed an Egyptian. In the desert for forty years. His life, he thought, was over. God had other plans. God took that Leftover and made him a Life-giver! Mary Magdalene was a leftover. Seven demons plagued her. Jesus healed her. On Easter morning, she was one of those who ran to the men declaring, CHRIST IS RISEN!

Paul was a leftover. He chased down the first followers of Christ. Then he became one of the believers. But instead of being allowed to preach, the disciples thought it best if he went back home. For years Paul found himself on the backside of life. Forgotten. Then, revival broke out in Antioch. Barnabas remembered Paul. He found him in Tarsus and brought him back. He, too, became a Life-giver!

Young John Mark was a leftover. Barnabas wanted his young nephew to taste the joy of serving Christ. They traveled on the first missionary trip with Paul. They traveled as far Cyprus. The battle for the hearts of men and women began. It was too much for John Mark. While Paul and Barnabas traveled on to Pamphylia, John returned to Jerusalem. (Acts 13.13) A leftover. He wondered about his future serving Christ.

Some time later, Paul and Barnabas wanted to see how the young churches fared. When Barnabas wanted to have Mark join them again, Paul refused. Paul wanted nothing to do with the boy. So, Barnabas parted ways with Paul. He took Mark with him back to Cyprus on the second missionary trip. Paul and Silas went in a totally different direction.

But God believed in John Mark. He used Barnabas to make His leftover useful again. Somewhere between failure and opportunity, John Mark became a man of God. Paul observed the change. Late in his life, Paul called for Mark. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. (2 Timothy 4.11) When Peter gave his own eye witness account of the life of Jesus, we read today, the Gospel of Mark. God uses leftovers, whether it be food or His people, to be His Life-givers!

Leftovers to Life-givers! You might know someone who needs to hear this. They are not forgotten. God will use them. Notice one thing: He wants to use you to tell that other person. You might be keeping a blessing back, because you don’t think what you have to say to your friend means anything. I can tell you - they need to be told:

Leftovers in God’s hands can be His Life-givers!

You and I become the perfect supply for God to bless someone near us. When you get up in the morning, no matter how you feel, say, "Lord, use me today!" You are on your way for God to make you a Life-giver to someone in need.

Look around you. None of us has far to go. Begin where you are. How often do you tell your mate or child, "I love you"? How often do you place your hand on the shoulder of a nephew or a niece who struggles in school? We have a lot to give away. Try giving the fruit of the Spirit. Everyone here can give some love, joy, peace, or patience to another. Everyone here can bring kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control into a family. Those around us will benefit. Each time you offer some of the fruit God has given, you become a Life-giver to another.

Oh, by the way, you will always have leftovers of the fruit of the Spirit. Praise God!

Consider the wishbone as a prompt to allow God His way.

Dedicate yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ again to be used as His Life-giver! You will discover the wonder of the supply of God for those you touch and to you, too!