Sermon for July 21, 2024
O Lord God, our constant Companion, we are eternally grateful for Your presence with us as we travel the road of life on earth. Our burdens are lightened; the colors are brightened when we feel You near. The darkness is less threatening, and our fears are less frightening when we remember You are with us. Our joy is multiplied, and our praise is magnified with You by our side. Please remind us that You are always near so that we might find blessing and glorify Your name. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
5000 is a lot of people. and if it were 5000 men plus their families, the number would be much greater. But that many or even more– did not show up. Many did not run around the lake. Many were on the right side of the lake and didn’t care. Many had a low opinion of Jesus so they didn’t go.
Jesus wants everyone to receive His gifts. and in one sense, everyone does. For everything that is, is a gift from God. The rain that falls on the just and the unjust. Divine blessings are given to believers and unbelievers. The Lord is good and generous to all.
As we pray the 4th Petition of the Lord’s Prayer…give us this day our daily bread… not so that God will give it – He already does – but so that we will realize it all as gift from Him and receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. The eyes of all look to You, O Lord, and You give them their food at the proper time; You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145:15-16).
Sin, of course, affects the gifts of God. Creation is not as it was originally created. Greedy people horde while others go hungry. One life is destroyed so that another may prosper. Competition is more likely than compassion, lust not love, pride not humility, power not service, me not you … We must admit we take the gifts of God meant for everyone and not share them.
If there are only five loaves of bread and two fish, then I’m going to make sure I’m at the front of the line to get my fish sandwich . . .
Or if there’s a gas shortage, I’m going to make sure my gas tank is topped off . . .
During covid toilet paper was in short supply because people were hoarding.
So when Jesus told His disciples to give this flock of thousands something to eat, He knew they couldn’t do it. But rather than send them away, He wanted His disciples to turn to Him, the Giver of all gifts, to provide what was needed. To repent of our selfish nature, turn away from ourselves, look to Jesus, and stop relying on ourselves. From Ps. 145, The eyes of all look to You, O Lord . . . Or, at least, we should.
Because in this world filled with problems and division and it’s only getting worse–what can we do with our two hands and two feet? The evil one wants us to think we can do so little in the scope of the world, so why even bother? Forgetting–that when we do what we can, God will do the rest.
Remember whose two hands and two feet saved every single person who ever lived and ever will live? It was those same hands that took that bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it for all to eat, that were nailed to a cross. Never again would He take, bless, thank, break, and give. But risen from the dead, He provided for us forever. He provides for us today—here and now. That miracle of feeding the flock continues as the divine and human Jesus, the dead and risen Good Shepherd gives all that He has.
His voice is still heard in the faithful preaching of His Word. Children of 0 are still being brought into His flock through the washing of Holy Baptism.
The eyes of our bodies should look to Him for the food we need, so the eyes of our souls may look to Him for the forgiveness we need. All these gifts become our daily bread, and we receive these gifts, we do so with thanksgiving.
No one in the crowd by the Sea of Galilee that day left hungry. There were even leftovers, because the Lord is never stingy with His gifts.
But we must not forget, there were people who remained hungry – those who did not bother, or thought it was a waste of time, to be with Jesus. Jesus was there for them, Jesus would have fed them, but they would not.
But that’s not the end of the story. Just as Jesus gave His disciples the food to give to the flock, so He gives His Church today the gifts to give. Just as Jesus sent out the disciples, He sends His Church—you and I to give these gifts to all. Not all will come, not all will receive, not all will be bothered, so we continue to pray. So each week gathered in front of the Baptismal Font—front and center, we receive the gift of His forgiveness. We hear God’s word being taught, and we realize how blessed we are to be in the flock of the Good Shepherd. and thus we bless the Lord!
Then we take this blessing out into the world, to others, which will be more than enough. There is always more than enough in the hands of Jesus. More than enough in His merciful and mighty hands. More than enough in His compassionate hands of blessing. More than enough in his feeding, tending, gracious hands. Until they be hands raised up, on the Last Day, as we enter our Promised Land. To be with our Shepherd, receiving gifts not deserved, but freely given. Thanks be to God! Amen
