MATTHEW 14:13-21 | “WE HAVE NOTHING, BUT…”

“WE HAVE NOTHING, BUT…”

MATTHEW 14:13-21

AUGUST 7, 2017

IF YOU ARE LIKE MOST PEOPLE, WHEN YOU HEAR THE STORY OF JESUS FEEDING THE 5000 WITH FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH, YOU IMMEDIATELY GO TO THE IDEA OF: HOW IT HAPPENED.

THE EASIEST ANSWER, OF COURSE, IS THAT IT WAS A MIRACLE.

JESUS USED HIS MIRACULOUS POWERS AS GOD, TO MULTIPLY THE LOAVES AND FISH, SO THAT THERE WAS NOT ONLY ENOUGH TO FEED THE CROWD OF 5000+ PEOPLE, BUT TO GATHER UP TWELVE BASKETS OF LEFTOVERS AT THE END.

BECAUSE MOST OF US HAVE NEVER WITNESSED ANYTHING LIKE THIS, THE NEXT THING WE MIGHT DO, IS TO TRY TO EXPLAIN THE MIRACLE.

MAYBE THE BIBLICAL WRITERS EXAGGERATED A BIT, FOR EFFECT, TO SPEAK TO THE SUPERNATURAL POWERS OF JESUS AS GOD.

OTHERS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT WHEN THE CROWD SAW THAT SOMEONE OFFERED WHAT THEY HAD BROUGHT TO EAT, OTHERS BEGAN TO BREAK OUT THEIR OWN PICNIC BASKETS, AND EVERYONE BEGAN TO SHARE WITH EACH OTHER.

THE FIRST CHURCH POTLUCK ON RECORD.

THIS IS A NICE IDEA, OF COURSE, BUT IT ISN’T SUPPORTED BY THE PASSAGE WHICH CLEARLY SAYS, THAT THE PEOPLE WERE WITHOUT FOOD, EXCEPT FOR THE ONE WITH THE FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH.

SO HOW DO WE READ THIS PASSAGE, MAKE SENSE OF IT, AND GET SOMETHING FROM IT, FOR OURSELVES?

IF, YOU WANT TO SIMPLY ACCEPT THE STORY ON FACE VALUE; JESUS PERFORMED A MIRACLE AND EVERYONE WAS FED A GOOD MEAL THAT DAY, FINE;

IF THAT HELPS YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS, HELPS YOU TRUST IN GOD, HELPS YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL BE THERE FOR YOU WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY AND IN NEED; GREAT!

THE STORY HAS SERVED ITS PURPOSE FOR YOU.

IF YOU READ IT SEEKING TO EXPLAIN IT; TO RATIONALIZE IT; TO MAKE SENSE OF IT;

YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF HAVING TO TWIST IT INTO ALL SORTS OF SHAPES – LIKE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE MAKING BALLOON ANIMALS – UNTIL YOU TWIST IT INTO SOMETHING RECOGNIZABLE – EVERYONE SHARED THEIR LUNCHES.

BUT WHAT IF WE WERE TO READ THIS STORY IN ANOTHER WAY?

RECENTLY, I READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT PREACHER, AUTHOR, LECTURER, ROB BELL, THE AUTHOR OF LOVE WINS, TAKING HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE, AND OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, INTO THE HEART OF THE BIBLE BELT.

I LIKE ROB BELL.  SOME OF THE THINGS HE SAYS, I’VE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS.

WE’VE STUDIED HIM IN OUR ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS.

THE SORTS OF THINGS HE SAYS ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, WHILE RADICAL TO MANY, ESPECIALLY IN THE BIBLE BELT, ARE PRETTY STANDARD STUFF IN MOST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.

BUT IN A QUOTE FROM THE ARTICLE I WAS READING, ROB BELL SAID THIS:

“PEOPLE SHOULD READ THE BIBLE “LITERATELY” NOT “LITERALLY;” AND “THAT PEOPLE WHO TALK THE MOST ABOUT THE BIBLE OFTEN KNOW IT THE LEAST.”

SO, WHAT IF WE WERE TO READ THIS MORNING’S PASSAGE “LITERATELY” NOT “LITERALLY”?

AND WHAT IF, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THE ACTUAL FEEDING OF THE 5000, AND HOW TO EXPLAIN IT, WE WERE TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE, THE MESSAGE FROM THIS PASSAGE, INSTEAD OF THE DETAILS.

THERE’S ACTUALLY A HINT, IN THE VERY FIRST VERSE OF THIS PASSAGE, THAT BEGS US TO DO JUST THAT; A VERSE, I’M SURE MOST OF US (I DID) SKIP OVER COMPLETELY.

IT’S VERSE 13 – “NOW WHEN JESUS HEARD THIS, HE WITHDREW FROM THERE IN A BOAT TO A DESERTED PLACE BY HIMSELF.”

HEARD WHAT?  WHAT HAD JESUS HEARD THAT MADE HIM WANT TO BE ALONE?  WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED THAT MADE HIM WANT TO ESCAPE THE CROWDS FOR A WHILE?

IF YOU LOOK AT THE SECTION OF MATTHEW JUST PRIOR TO WHAT WE READ FOR THIS MORNING, YOU WILL SEE, THAT WHAT JESUS HAD HEARD, WAS THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS DEAD.

JOHN, JESUS’ COUSIN, WAS DEAD.

AND HE WASN’T JUST DEAD, HE HAD BEEN MURDERED.

KILLED BY KING HEROD, FOR WHAT HE HAD BEEN SAYING ABOUT THE ROYAL FAMILY; WHAT HE HAD BEEN PREACHING ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

JOHN PREACHED A MORE STRIDENT VERSION OF THE SAME GOSPEL HIS COUSIN JESUS WAS PREACHING, AND HE HAD BEEN MARTYRED FOR IT.

WHEN JESUS HEARD JOHN HAD BEEN KILLED, HE WANTED TO BE ALONE.  TO PRAY?  TO MOURN JOHN’S DEATH?  TO CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS OF JOHN’S BEING KILLED FOR HIS OWN MINISTRY?

TO HIDE OUT, FOR A BIT, FROM MAYBE BOTH THE ADORING CROWDS, AND THE AUTHORITIES WHO MIGHT BE COMING FOR HIM NEXT?

THIS IS THE CONTEXT WITHIN WHICH OUR STORY BEGINS.  JESUS, WANTING TO BE ALONE.  TO MOURN.  TO GATHER HIS THOUGHTS.  TO PRAY.  TO PONDER.

BUT THE CROWD COMES SEARCHING FOR JESUS.

OUR PASSAGE TELLS US THAT: “WHEN THE CROWDS HEARD IT, (HEARD THAT JOHN WAS DEAD) THEY FOLLOWED JESUS ON FOOT FROM THE TOWNS.”

PERHAPS, THEY TOO, WERE AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO NOW THAT JOHN HAD BEEN KILLED.  MANY OF JOHN’S FOLLOWERS BECAME JESUS’ FOLLOWERS.

THEY WERE SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS; THEY WERE LOOKING FOR COMFORT; THEY NEEDED DIRECTION; THEY NEEDED JESUS TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO NEXT.

LOOK AT WHAT OUR PASSAGE SAYS, WHEN THE CROWD FINALLY CATCHES UP WITH JESUS:

“WHEN HE WENT ASHORE, HE SAW A GREAT CROWD; AND HE HAD COMPASSION FOR THEM AND CURED THEIR SICK.”

IN THE VERY NEXT VERSE, WE HAVE THE DISCIPLES COMING TO JESUS, CONCERNED THAT THE HOUR IS GETTING LATE, AND THAT HE SHOULD DISMISS THE CROWDS, SO THAT THEY MIGHT GO HOME, AND GET SOMETHING TO EAT.

“JESUS SAID TO THEM, ‘THEY NEED NOT GO AWAY; YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT.’”

“THEY REPLIED, ‘WE HAVE NOTHING HERE, BUT FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH.’”

“BRING THEM HERE TO ME,” JESUS SAYS; AND SO, BEGINS THE MIRACULOUS FEEDING OF THE 5000 WITH TWO FISH AND FIVE LOAVES OF BREAD.

BUT, WHAT IF, THIS STORY ISN’T SO MUCH ABOUT FEEDING THE 5000; OR HOW IT IS THAT TWO FISH AND FIVE LOAVES BECAME ENOUGH TO FEED SO MANY?

AND, WHAT IF, IT ISN’T EVEN SO MUCH ABOUT PROVING JESUS’ MIRACULOUS POWERS AS GOD?

WHAT IF THIS PASSAGE IS ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE – A SORROW SHARED – THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST; THE PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER, LOOKING FOR COMFORT; LOOKING FOR ANSWERS; LOOKING FOR DIRECTION; AND RECEIVING COMPASSION.

JESUS SEES THE CROWD, THE PASSAGE SAYS, AND HAS COMPASSION FOR THEM.

THE DISCIPLES PRESENT JESUS WITH THE PROBLEM OF THE HOUR GROWING LATE, THE PEOPLE BEING HUNGRY, AND THE IDEA THAT MAYBE IT’D BE BEST TO JUST SEND THEM ON THEIR WAY.

INSTEAD, JESUS SUGGESTS THAT THE DISCIPLES GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT; MEET THEIR NEEDS; MINISTER UNTO THEM; COMFORT THEM.

WHAT IF THIS PASSAGE ISN’T SO MUCH ABOUT SUBSTANCE, THE DETAILS, THE “LITERAL” FEEDING OF 5000;

AND MORE ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR GOD TO TAKE CARE OF US; AND OUR TAKING CARE OF OTHERS.

WHAT IF, THE MESSAGE HERE, “LITERATELY” IS THAT AS JESUS CARES FOR US;

AND WE, HIS DISCIPLES, ARE TO CARE FOR OTHERS;

AND THAT BY SO DOING, THERE’S ENOUGH CARING TO GO AROUND, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EVERYONE, WITH PLENTY OF LEFTOVERS FOR EVERYONE ELSE.

WHAT IF, THIS PASSAGE IS ABOUT A SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY, THE GENEROSITY OF BELIEVERS, THE SHARING OF WHO WE ARE, AND WHAT WE HAVE;

WHICH IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF THE CHURCH.

FOR THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OR SO, NOW, I HAVE BEEN A MINISTER.

OVER TIME, AND TO THIS DAY, ONE OF THE MOST OVERWHELMING FEELINGS I HAVE HAD ABOUT THE CHURCH, ABOUT BELIEVERS, IS YOUR OVERWHELMING GENEROSITY.

YES, THIS IS ABOUT WHAT YOU GIVE TO SUPPORT THE CHURCH; TO PROVIDE FOR THE MISSIONS WE SUPPORT; THE MINISTRY WE PERFORM; TO HELP THOSE IN NEED; TO FURTHER THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.

BUT IT IS ALSO ABOUT WHAT YOU GIVE TO PAY THE BILLS; TO SUPPORT ME AND MY FAMILY; TO PROVIDE JOBS FOR OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.

YOUR SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY KEEPS THE DOORS OPENS; THE LIGHTS ON;

AND FEEDS, CLOTHES, AND HOUSES PEOPLE.

YOU HELP THEM TO ESCAPE ADDICTION; TURN THEIR LIVES AROUND; TURN THEIR LIVES TO GOD.

YOU PROVIDE FOR THE ELDERLY, AND THE NEWBORN, AND THE CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.

YOU ADOPT ORPHANS; CARE FOR WIDOWS; AND SEND THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST TO THE FARTHEST REACHES OF THE WORLD;

AND NOT JUST IN WORDS, BUT IN CLEAN WATER, HEALTHCARE, TEACHING AND TRAINING, FARMING AND FISHING, RURAL AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

YOU BUILD HOUSES AND HOSPITALS; YOU FILL UP FOOD PANTRIES AND BACKPACKS; YOU WELCOME THE STRANGER, AND VISIT THE IMPRISONED.

FOR EACH OTHER – AND NOW I MEAN FOR YOUR FELLOW CHURCH MEMBERS – IN THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL, “YOU BEAR ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS, AND SHARE ONE ANOTHER’S JOYS.”

YOU PRAY, YOU VISIT, YOU SEND CARDS; YOU BRING MEALS, YOU SHED TEARS, YOU ATTEND FUNERALS AND WEDDINGS; YOU COMMIT YOURSELVES TO BAPTIZED CHILDREN;

YOU EMAIL – “THINKING OF YOU” FROM ALASKA; PROVIDE THE NAME OF CAREGIVERS YOU TRUST TO CARE FOR OTHERS; GIVE RIDES TO THE DOCTOR.

I COULD GO ON AND ON, OF COURSE, BUT I HOPE YOU’RE BEGINNING TO SEE WHAT I’M GETTING AT:

THE FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH YOU PROVIDE, ARE MULTIPLIED BY GOD, TO PROVIDE ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE, WITH LEFTOVERS!

IT WOULD BE EASY FOR US, AS BELIEVERS, EVEN AS THE CHURCH, AT TIMES, TO SAY TO JESUS:

“WE HAVE NOTHING, BUT…”

OUR TWO FISH AND FIVE LOAVES SEEM LIKE SO LITTLE IN THE FACE OF SO MANY; SO MUCH NEED; SO MANY PROBLEMS;

BUT JESUS SAYS TO US: “BRING THEM HERE TO ME…” AND A MIRACLE OCCURS!

JESUS TAKES WHAT WE MAY THINK IS TOO LITTLE, AND DOES SO MUCH!

WE OFFER WHAT WE HAVE, AND GOD MAKES IT MORE!

WE THINK WE’RE JUST CARING FOR OUR LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD, AND GOD MULTIPLIES AND DIVIDES WHAT WE GIVE, AND SENDS IT INTO OUR COMMUNITY, THROUGHOUT OUR NATION, AND AROUND THE WORLD!

WE THINK WE’RE JUST HELPING A FELLOW CHURCH MEMBER, WHEN WHAT WE’RE REALLY DOING IS CHANGING A LIFE!

WE BEAR EACH OTHER’S BURDENS, AND SHARE EACH OTHER’S JOYS, AND THIS MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD!

KAREN AND I WERE IN A LITTLE, FAMILY RUN DINER RECENTLY, AND OVER THE CASH REGISTER THERE WAS A SIGN; (A SIMILAR SIGN USED TO HANG IN BANNER TIRE ON THE BOULEVARD);

BASICALLY, IT SAID, THAT IF IN THE BUSY-NESS OF PROVIDING SERVICE TO OTHERS, RUSHING AROUND TO GET FOOD OUT (OR TIRES ON YOUR CAR) WE FORGET TO SAY THANK YOU;

WE’RE SORRY, AND PLEASE KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOUR BUSINESS; THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATRONAGE.

PERHAPS, A SIMILAR SIGN SHOULD HANG SOMEWHERE IN THE CHURCH.

I HOPE, ALONG THE WAY, THAT I (AND OTHER MINISTERS) AND OUR CHURCH (AND OTHER CHURCHES) HAVE THANKED YOU SUFFICIENTLY FOR YOUR SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY;

BUT IF NOT, THEN LET THIS BE A TIME WHEN WE DID, TO COVER FOR A TIME WHEN WE DIDN’T.  THANK YOU.

PLEASE REMEMBER TOO, WHENEVER YOU ARE AT A POINT IN YOUR FAITH, IN YOUR LIFE, IN THE CHURCH, WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE STANDING THERE:

SAYING: “I HAVE NOTHING, BUT…”

BRING WHAT YOU HAVE TO GOD, AND KNOW, A MIRACLE IS ABOUT TO OCCUR!