Sermon for July 25

May the words my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you O Lord, our strength, and our redeemer. Amen

Today we look at a story I hope we’re all familiar with. It’s the feeding of the 5000. Let’s take a few minutes to see what’s happening in this story this morning.

In our reading this morning, we read in verse 10 that there was about 5000 in all. The NIV version and the Greek that I have say 5000 men! We, or at least I, wonder how many women and children were there. Nevertheless, when we compare the number to the number of people at a high school football game, we recognize just how many people were fed.

But Jesus had compassion on them. And he knew what he was going to do. But he wanted to put Philip to a test. “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” This sign as John calls miracles, happened in the northeast corner of the Sea of Galilee where Philip was from. He should know where food could be bought. But there was no Sam’s Club or Publix or Wal Mart or even a 7-11. So Philip answered him, “Even if there was a place to buy enough food, it would take 6 month’s salary to buy it. We don’t have that kind of money.

Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother got in on the act. “There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But that wouldn’t begin to feed this crowd.”

I wonder how Andrew knew that—knew there was a boy there that had food. How many others were there? Typically, a boy, or at least me, would have hidden at least one of those fish in my pocket. But nevertheless, Jesus told the disciples to sit the people down since there was so much grass. And with so much grass, there should have been shepherds with their sheep grazing in the area.

Jesus took the five barley loaves and two fish, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples to distribute the bread and fish to the crowd.

John writes that they ate as much as they wanted and were satisfied. Then to top it off, Jesus requested that they gather up all the fragments so that nothing would be lost. They gathered twelve basketfuls.

This reminds us of the time God sent manna down from heaven for the Israelites and Moses directed them to pick all of it up and when they didn’t it bred worms became foul. Use all that God has given.

The result of the miracle, or sign, as John likes to call them, was the people wanted to make Jesus an earthly king. So Jesus escaped to the mountain to be by himself. It was not about his glory, but his father’s.
And John continues. The disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across to the other side. There came up and storm after they had gotten out a ways and they were making little headway, if any at all. That’s when they saw Jesus walking on the water. They were terrified. He greeted them and suddenly they reached the beach where they were going.

In just a short span of a few hours, Jesus has fed 5000 men plus women and children from five barley loaves of bread and two fish. He has walked on the water to catch up with his disciples and seen them cross over to the other side safely.

These were all miracles. Jesus has shown his power—his power over the laws of nature. He has healed, he has fed, he has had compassion. He has saved.

Several years ago, when I was at Breath of Life in Blythewood, the mission congregation provided meals at Thanksgiving for several children’s homes in the area. On that Thanksgiving Eve night deliveries had been made and a call was received from one of the homes telling the group that they had just gotten a group of ten extra youth and could we supply them with enough for the supper that night. There was no turkey left! At about the same time we received a call from a restaurant asking if we could use two baked turkeys. The congregation was able to furnish what was needed.

God had furnished what was needed in a time of “How do we handle this?” Each Sunday since Pentecost we have confessed these words: “It is hard to believe there is enough to share.” And in the prayer after Holy Communion, we acknowledge that we have received from your table more than we could ever ask.

We live in a land where there is plenty of milk and honey. When the Israelites entered the Promised Land it was described the same way—a land of milk and honey. But the description meant something entirely different than we might think. The term milk meant that there was enough grazing land for their sheep and goats so that there would be milk from these animals. Honey meant that there were plenty of date trees in which syrup could be made from the dates. God provided as he does now. We have milk and honey, literally. And more.

God provides to the less fortunate through the acts of his children—you and me. When we give to Sharing God’s Love, Lutheran Disaster Relief Fund, or any one of the various charities, we provide what is needed to those in need. We show compassion for our neighbor, whether the neighbor is next door, the next county, of the next state, or even the next country.

God works his miracles through us. God gives us the ability to help others whether it is through monetary gifts to the various charities or actually being with the people in need we talk about. God has a way of multiplying our gifts. They may seem insignificant at the time, just as a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish, but look what Jesus did. And the same type of thing happens today. when one gives, a multitude gives.

So we share what we have. God blesses it and uses it. The one piece of bread broken now has become two. Is it so hard to believe that there is enough to share? Is it so hard to believe we have received more than we can ever ask for? As people of the body of Christ, how do we answer those questions?

You folks at St. John’s have been very generous in your contributions of talents, time, labor, and sharing of your bounty. Your gifts multiply more than you imagine. And we thank God for that. You have accomplished much over the last year in spite of or may-be because of the Pandemic and you are to be commended for that. But the tasks are never ending. We see so many unchurched and under-churched. And it is that that we must also concentrate on. We celebrate. We celebrate because of what God has done through each and everyone of you. We must now give reason to those who need to hear of the generosity of God, his love and his grace to be with us and join in the celebration.