September 2, 2007

Every Child Comes with a Sandwich Under His Arm

by Rev. Dr. Jim Carlson

Matthew 14:13-21

Opening Illustration – We’re dressed up to appear like people who lived 2000 years ago.

How would Matthew describe someone if wanted to convince people he was the Messiah?

Before I tell the story, we’ll look at what people were expecting.

(Slide) – The Messiah and Eternal Rest

(Slide) 2 Baruch – expectation associated coming of the Messiah with bread from heaven and large crop of grapes for wine.

(Slide) John 6 – John shows Jesus associating this feeding with his teaching – Jesus himself is the bread from heaven which satisfies forever.

Story of the Feeding of the 5000 has to be understood in the context of the expectations Jewish people had for a leader.

Story in Matthew comes just after story of John’s execution.

Jesus takes a boat to the other side of the lake, people follow him on foot.

Jesus feels pity for them – Heals their sick. Poor people.

People stayed there instead of returning home for dinner. Had no dinner.

Disciples tell Jesus to send the people into town to buy food. Jesus says they do not need to go away.

Jesus tells the disciples to feed the people. All they have is five loaves and two fish.

Jesus has the people sit – sounds like a formal meal.

Take, thank, break, give – probably formula for religious community meal. (Slide)

People eat until they are full. Disciples collect 12 baskets of food – Symbolic of Israel.

Passage usually used to illustrate the fact that God provides for God’s people. Old Proverb.

We can never make a scientific statement about God’s provision.

Two things we can say about this passage as we think about living out our faith in the modern world.

First: Despite the fact that Christians are not immune to poverty and starvation – we understand that what we have is given to us by God.

Yes, we have to work to harvest it. But we cannot makes plants grow and animals multiply.

This passage reminds us that God’s grace and giving nature is at the heart of our own wellbeing.

We have to guard against thinking that we have independently provided for our own sustenance. We need other people to grow food, to process food, to deliver food.

We depend on the rest of creation, and we believe creation has God as its source.

We must maintain a sense of humility and avoid feeling we are entitled to food and water and the things we need to survive.

Second: This passage reminds us that whatever hopes and dreams we have for our lives and for the world – Christians believe those hopes revolve around the work of God through the person of Jesus.

People with power and wealth tend to feel entitled to remake the world in the way they dream of.

We need to trust that God is still in charge, working for good in the world. Our hopes and dreams must be grounded in faith.

Matthew and the other gospels and Paul use this formula as an image of Jesus’ death.

People thought this was just a sign of how God would miraculously provide for the world.

Matthew reinterprets this for us and says, “In the kingdom of God this bread and cup are symbols of Christian self-sacrifice.”

Reaction to “Loaves and Fishes”

Just as Jesus broke the bread and passed it to the 5000, he also broke the bread at the Last Supper and said, “This is what will happen to my body when I am crucified for your sins.”

As Christians we celebrate the way God provides for us, even thought it’s mysterious. But we can not separate that celebration from the commitment to give of ourselves sacrificially to the world.

This passage asks us, “What do you have that you can give to the world? What’s in your lunch? What can you pass around to people and share?”

The world around you is like those poor, hungry, disoriented people in this story. It is our job as Christians with God’s help to carry on the ministry of Jesus, to feed the hungry, to heal the sick, to teach people what Jesus said, and to give of ourselves to people.

Take a look inside your lunch bag. What do you see there? Are you willing to part with it for the greater good?

Remember that the person who had the loaves and fish ate along with everyone else. He didn’t starve.

You may not think you have much to offer. You may say your lunch is tainted because you don’t think God’s happy with you for some reason or another.

I will leave you with this – in the Kingdom of God, small thing become big things; mustard seeds become large bushes that birds can nest in; a tiny pinch of yeast make the whole loaf of bread rise; and a small lunch becomes a meal for thousands.

Whatever you have to offer, it is enough, as long as you’re willing to turn it over and let Jesus do what he will with it.