If you were to make a top 10 list of Jesus miracles, certainly the resurrection would top the list. You might include the 3 people he raised from the dead. Maybe you’re partial to his turning water into wine. But any such list must include the feeding of the 5000. It is the only miracle besides the resurrection itself included in all four gospels. And so this is a story that is familiar to most of us.
It is also worth noting that some of God’s greatest works
and most profound lessons for us are associated with universal, everyday
experiences and situations common to every person. We all have a father. We all use water to wash. We all know what it’s like to be hungry. We all know what it is to eat. We do it every day.
And so a basic and fundamental lesson that even a child can understand
here is that Jesus feeds his people.
The story starts with Jesus withdrawing to a “desolate
place” when he hears that John the Baptist was murdered by Herod. Perhaps like his weeping at the grave of his
friend Lazarus, it seems Jesus is personally affected by the death of his
cousin and forerunner, John. He seems to
intend to get away from the crowds, to go out of the spotlight, and retreat for
a time of prayer.
But his plan, it seems, was interrupted. According to his human nature, of course,
things don’t always go as Jesus plans, or knows. The crowd that he sought a break from finds
him anyway. And rather than double down
and withdraw again, our Lord has compassion.
He heals their sick. He teaches
them all day. And he already has in mind
a miraculous feeding.
But first he tests his disciples’ faith. When they begin to worry about the needs of
the crowd – and that’s not a bad thing for the disciples to be concerned about
their bodily needs – but they don’t seem to trust that Jesus can handle
things. We’ve got to intervene. We’ve got to tell Jesus that something has to
be done! Send them away to get some
food, already!
Jesus pushes back on them.
“They don’t need to go away. You
give them something to eat.” I like to
imagine a pregnant pause here, as the disciples look at each other in
disbelief. Did Jesus really suggest
something that preposterous? We don’t
have that kind of money. Heck, we’ve
only got 5 loaves and 2 fish. What is
Jesus talking about? He’s really taken
John’s death hard, hasn’t he?
But, no. He tests
their faith. He wants them to confess
their inability, their own need. He
wants them to come to him for aid.
And perhaps here is a reflection point for us. How often our Lord seems to put us also in a
no-win situation. Where our patience is
stretched or our fears begin to surface.
When we are called upon to be faithful, or humble, or kind, or all of
the above, and it just seems so hard. We
are confronted with our own inabilities and shortcomings. We are limited creatures, after all, and
sinful at that.
But once we, like the disciples, fall flat on our face,
Jesus comes to the rescue: “Bring them
to me.” Bring the loaves of bread to
me. Bring the paltry few fish to
me. Bring your limited resources and
your faults and failings. Bring your
frustrations and your exhaustion. Bring
your inadequacy and confusion. Bring
your sorrows, your suffering, your guilt and shame, your very life itself to
Jesus. And he will bless.
Luther makes a similar observation. He says: “The great need of the disciples
on this occasion was that, though they could think and figure, they did not
believe or realize what kind of Lord they had in Christ. And that is the
universal need even today, not only when we need food but also when we realize
all sorts of necessities. We know how to figure and calculate carefully so that
our needs might be filled. But when help does not come immediately as we would
like it, we get nothing out of our careful figuring and calculating except
sorrow and loss of spirit. It would be much better for us to commend the whole
matter to God and not think so much about our needs.”
And so Jesus provides for people’s needs. The Good Shepherd has the sheep to lie down
in this green pasture and he feeds them.
Here we see another few details worth noting: He has them sit down for the meal. He gives thanks. He gives the food to the disciples, and the
disciples distribute it.
Far from a free-for-all, Jesus does everything in an orderly
fashion. There is no rush. There is attention to detail. He empowers his disciples with their own role
and task.
The church learns from this.
We, too, must conduct ourselves properly. We distribute the gifts of Christ in an
orderly way. There is no free-for-all in
the church, but as Paul, too, encourages the Corinthian church that all things
be done decently and in good order. We
are careful and deliberate in our worship life.
We are careful, especially, with the holy things of God, the
sacraments. We are careful, also,
handling the Word of God, rightly dividing law and gospel. Pastors are called as stewards of the
mysteries of God, and given the public exercise of the keys. But likewise, every Christian is called to be
a hearer of the word, and to carefully search the scriptures, and give
attention to the word. We pay attention
to God’s order in creation, in the family, in the church, and in our lives.
Furthermore, Jesus gives thanks. He prays and thanks his Father for the gifts
about to be given. And so it is fitting also
for Christians to pray in thanksgiving for his gifts, recognizing all good
gifts come from our loving Father. And
we pray, especially at mealtimes, giving thanks for our daily bread. We pray after we receive those gifts, and
even before we receive them, trusting him to be the good provider of daily
bread and all spiritual blessings.
Jesus broke the bread and gave it to the disciples to
distribute. He could have given the
bread and fish directly, but he worked through the means of his disciples, much
as he works through the means of his pastors today, to distribute his gifts to
his people.
All ate and were satisfied.
You see, when he gives, it’s always enough. In fact, as the disciples
gather the 12 baskets of leftovers, we see it’s even more than enough. It’s an abundance. We cannot exhaust God’s giving by our
needs. He always, always has more to
give.
You are baptized. But
there’s more there than just what happened on that day long ago. Your baptism is a daily trove of
blessings. You have heard the word. But that word keeps speaking to you, and you
can never hear it too much. You hear the
words of absolution, abundantly, freely, and receive forgiveness even more
abundant than your sins. And you come,
over and over, to this altar, to receive his holy Sacrament. And though it’s always enough, there’s always
more grace than your sin, more blessing than your need.
As I’ve talked to Lutherans about this passage over the
years, I’m struck by how often people make connections between the feeding of
the 5000 and the Lord’s Supper. Of course,
we Lutherans hold the Lord’s Supper in high esteem, and there are some
connections here – with breaking of bread, giving thanks, and the Lord Jesus
feeding his people. While this
miraculous meal was certainly NOT the sacrament, and this crowd, largely, it
seems, were not true believers (for later they tried to make Jesus their
bread-king). Nevertheless, it’s
certainly not a bad thing, though, to make the mental connection here with the
Lord’s Supper, and I certainly don’t mind making the preaching connection
either.
And perhaps also, we might consider that many, many more are
fed by Jesus in the Sacrament, with a bread that is even more miraculous than
that given to the 5000. For it is his
very body. And the wine is his true
blood. And it is not given for the
hunger of the stomach, but the need of the soul. It offers the forgiveness of sins. It brings life and salvation. It strengthens faith. It expresses our unity. And it proclaims the Lord’s death until he
comes.
Far more than 5000 Christians gather at this table, this
Communion of Saints. As heaven breaks
into earth, and the Lamb’s high feast in eternity peeks through the ages, into
our time and space, we are given us a foretaste of the feast to come, with
angels and archangels, and all the company of heaven.
Truly, his body is the bread from heaven. And his blood, shed for our redemption, is
precious indeed. Christ gave himself on
the cross to provide for our deepest need, and it was more than enough. All who trust in him are satisfied, and never
disappointed.
So come today, and whatever is yours, bring it to
Jesus. And he will give you from his own
abundance. Come to his table, take eat
and take drink, for the forgiveness of your sins. Come and be satisfied. And go, and give thanks.
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