One of the characteristics of a Jesus meal is the astonishing level of leftovers. In the feeding of the five thousand, there were 12 baskets of leftovers (Mk. 8:19). In the miracle of the four thousand, there were 7 baskets of leftovers (Matt. 16:10). We see this foreshadowed in the miracle of Elijah’s as well.
“And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat. And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD” (2 Kings 4:42-44).
Notice that in all three instances, the leftovers are pointed to. They are a major part of the point. This is in contrast to the manna from Heaven given under Moses, where there were no leftovers day to day, but only on the weekends, to prevent labor on the Sabbath.
What are we to make of the leftovers? When we are done each Sunday, there are broken loaves here on the Table. What is the point of that? Like everything else about this meal, this is significant. This is an emblem of the grace of God for the world. We are reminded by the leftovers, each Sunday, that the world has not yet been fed, and that there is plenty and to spare.
This is an image of the atonement. We know that Jesus died to secure the salvation of His elect, but we also know that as the disciples fed the multitudes, there was no danger of running out. The reality of what we call definite atonement must not make us reluctant to take up our basket as we head out into the world to serve. We will not run out. We should act like there will be leftovers. So come and welcome, to Jesus Christ.