|
Scripture Text (NRSV)
Matthew 14:13-21
14:13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place
by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
14:14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and
cured their sick.
14:15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted
place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the
villages and buy food for themselves."
14:16 Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to
eat."
14:17 They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish."
14:18 And he said, "Bring them here to me."
14:19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and
the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to
the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
14:20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken
pieces, twelve baskets full.
14:21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Comments:
Hi all,
The United Church of Christ offers as an emphasis to this week's New Testament's
lectionary: "And they ate and all were filled." My own sermon topic is,
"Give Them Something to Eat."
In a world with such a contrast between the haves and the have nots, it seems to me
that we should be sharing our wealth with those who dwell in poverty. In our sharing, we
shall find that there is still plenty for us and them too. Feeding the hungry, therefore,
should not only provide for the moment, but erase hunger for ever.
Just a few thoughts. Any comments to help me on my way would be appreciated.
HJ in CA
At our pastor's school this past January, one of our leaders used this story of the 5
loaves and two fishes. He re-told the story along these lines -- the disciples checked for
food that could be shared with the crowd. One disciple found the lad with the 5 loaves and
2 fish. He counted it carefully -- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 loaves; 1, 2 fish. That's not enough --
but maybe I am counting it wrong. And yet, Jesus told them to give them something to eat.
He called over one of the other disciples, and they counted it together -- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
loaves; 1, 2 fish. That's not enough. And yet Jesus told them to give them something to
eat. Maybe we are not counting it right, so they got 2 more disciples to count it with
them. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 loaves; 1, 2 fish. That's not enough. And yet Jesus told them to give
the people something to eat. So they gathered all the disciples together to count. 1, 2,
3, 4, 5 loaves; 1, 2 fish. That's not enough to feed a crowd of over 5000. And yet Jesus
told them to give the crowd something to eat. So they went to Jesus, told him that they
had 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 loaves; 1, 2 fish -- but maybe they were counting it wrong. Jesus said
that they were counting it wrong. So he took the bread and fish and started to count --
you've got 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 loaves; 1, 2 fish; and you've got me!
How many times do we forget to count on Jesus! Instead, we count only on what we can
put our hands on, only on what we can verify and control. When we count like that, we will
never have enough for the world hungry for good news. And yet, if we count on Jesus, all
will eat and be filled!
Another note: The musical "Lazarus" has a wonderful song based on the 5
loaves and 2 fishes called, "I Saw The People Gathered."
OLAS
As to your question, Michelle's final comment is probably the most accurate, however,
I'll give my personal spin on it. John, as the last gospel writer, spoke in large part of
things the synoptic writers did not - he didn't repeat them, but told things they did not
tell. This may simply be a recolletion of John's that didn't come through the others.
However, I feel Michelle is correct... we don't know.
Peace, JG in WI
I don't know about you, but if Jesus had given me a small loaf of bread and told me to
stand in front of a crowd of thousands to feed them with it, I would have thought
"Right." I would have felt ridiculous. I think a big part of this miracle is
that they took a step in faith, doing something that made absolutely no sense at all
because Jesus told them to do it. They had to conquer their fear of embarrassment in order
to participate in the blessing. O my, O my......Blessings to you all - Preacher Pat
Dear folks of the word: thots I hope that we don't make the disciples participants in
making this miracle, just participants in passing out the bounty. Also beware in
connecting it to the Eucharist...water to wine, I can buy, but fish to wine? that is
really a stretch...keep the comparisons to the Great Banquet maybe?!
Oh, yes, Bounty, that is the common thread in all of our texts this week...not so much
the abundance of the bread and fish (or bread and milk or wrestling)...but that nothing
was over 'til all were satisfied. That there were leftovers means that the supply was more
than enough to meet the needs.
If we have 1-2-3-4-5 loaves and 1-2 fish and Jesus..."now we have 12 baskets and
Jesus; that may mean that even the scraps from Jesus' ministry can fill the 12 apostles/12
tribes of Israel." (this last bit paraphrased from the "Expositor's
Commentary") revdjenk in Erie
What I have always liked about this story is the hidden little nugget in v. 19. This
story is usually referred to as "Jesus feeding the five thousand" but, in fact,
it is the disciples who feed the crowd. V. 19 says Jesus "blessed and broke the
loaves, and gave them to the disciples," and then it was "the disciples [who]
gave them to the crowds." This is a story about the empowerment of Jesus' followers
to do the work of meeting needs, not simply a story about Jesus doing one more
"magical" thing.
Blessings, Eric in KS
I only have..... We behave this way a lot. We only have so much to give.... time,
money, energy, talents and often patience. Most of the people in this story felt they had
nothing. One person only had a little. Actually, it was plenty, for him. It was only
deemed 'a little' by the disciples as they searched for something to feed the masses.
I cleaned out my refrigerator the other day. Part of the process was pulling out
leftovers that had found their way into the back crevices of the refrig. What I pulled out
had once been delectable morsels much too tasty to toss out. But now it was, well,
disgusting. I won’t be anymore graphic than that. I'm sure you've experienced the
same. So, what about what we possess, that once was good enough to share. Do we share or
put it away for another time only to find it much much later changed into something not
fit for anything....
Not sure where I'm going to take this... but perhaps ya'll can "chew" on it
awhile. :) mitcavis
mitcavis,
You really want us to chew on those disgusting leftovers?
LOL! Michelle
Seriously, good food for thought!
'Twas writtin: "Part of the
process was pulling out leftovers that had
found their way into the back crevices of the
refrig. What I pulled out had once been
delectable morsels much too tasty to toss out.
But now it was, well, disgusting."
Mitcavis! You didn't leave them
long enough. A learned article in a 1973 issue
of The Journal of Irreproducible Results
proved that, if left, long enough, the
leftovers that migrate to the back of the
refrigerator will transmigrate to your closet,
turning into those extra paper-covered wire
hangers that seem to come from nowhere and
collect in the closet by the hundreds. (The
only seem to come from nowhere because, as you
see, they are actually spiritually evolved
leftovers.)
Blessings, Eric in KS
Wow! Here it is only Monday,
and I'm already preparing next Sunday's sermon
-- what a rarity for me; usually it's late
Saturday night/early Sunday morning.
Preacher Pat, I'm right with
you on the 'leap of faith' idea. Yesterday, we
had (in our monthly series) a session on 'the
power of prayer' and it was one of the things
I talked about -- how we fear to ask for what
we might term 'improbable' because we fear the
consequences of not receiving it. Instead we
ask for what we believe can fall into the
range of the 'do-able' even though we believe
all things are do-able for God.
I, too, am guilty of that. On
September 1, I turn 50 and five days later I
will be married (for the first time; her first
as well). She currently lives in Scotland, and
we need to await a visa so she can return with
me after the wedding. It might take up to six
months! I have given it up to the Lord to
smooth the paperwork paths and allow the visa
to be ready in time. I was hesitant to ask
Him, as I feared the consequences if it wasn't
ready. How would I feel? react? If I'm to have
credibility as a preacher, I need to be able
to lift such things to the Lord and not be
concerned; just expectant. Not an easy task!!
Out of this personal incident, I can relate to
the disciples being told to feed the 5,000
with just five loaves and two fish. Instead of
trusting, I'd be expecting major embarrassment
as soon as we ran out of food!
Thanks for the seeds so many of
you have offered over the past many months. I
tend to be a late-comer at the very end of the
week, so I've not had many opportunities to
share my thoughts. God has blessed me with the
ability to get up and preach, with no notes or
script, and will even show me what to say as I
go along -- now there's a 'leap of faith'!!
and yet when it comes to asking for some
things in prayer or trusting God to provide, I
hesitate. Sometimes I wonder what it takes for
us to allow the mustard seed to grow inside
us.
Blessings to all, Don in
Ontario, Canada
Preacher Pat, I like your take
on it! Mitcavis, I know those leftovers
personally! Like the illustration and idea.
Might I combine the leap of faith with the
leftovers somehow? Food for thought. Is it a
leap of faith to share what "seemingly little"
we have while it's still good? Stewardship
possibilties abound. REVJAW
I like Jesus' answer to the
disciples when they want him to send the crowd
away to find food
Jesus say "YOU give them
something to eat."
I think he's still waiting for
the church to get that right.
Pr.Del in Ia
Reams of junk mail mixed in
with the bills and clergy communications
today. Still fairly new at this, I can't get
over how much mail a pastor gets! Still not
sure where to put it all.
An envelope from United
Methodist Communications stands out among it
all. A churchwide appeal for Southern Africa
famine relief. I hear Jesus say, "YOU give
them something to eat." I say, "Yes, Lord, but
You know how they get with too many special
offerings. Grumble, grumble, grumble."
How to lovingly compare those
grumbles to Jacob's wrestling so hearts will
want to give them something to eat? A task too
large for me, but not for God.
Thank you all for your thoughts
week after week!
pastorkat PA
Jesus is in grief. He has just
heard that his cousin John has been beheaded,
and all he wants to do is be alone for a
while.
And yet still they come.
Wanting healing and feeding. Never satisfied.
A constant stream of people seeking help.
Any clergy will tell you, that
the demands of ministry never end. And yet so
often parishioners or those who come seeking
our assistance, have little, if any idea, of
what limited resources we use to try to
satisfy them. We are limited and inadequate
human beings, and yet we are expected to
satisfy the demands of a suffering world.
The disciple's answer to the
problem is so similar to many of my
parishioners response to difficult situations.
Send them away, let them fend for themselves.
Why should we be responsible?
Human beings, myself included,
are loath to take on the awesome
responsibility of compassion, and yet Jesus in
his worst time possible, indicates to the
disciples that they do have a responsibility.
There is an element of frustration and
pleading in the statement, "They need not go
away; you give them something to eat."
I am tired of so many of my
people not even attempting to live out their
Christian claim of compassion and love. I am
tired of their reluctance to tackle the large
issues, preferring instead to dance around the
edges with petty issues.
I guess I am tired of them
thinking that because I am a priest, that I
have any special advantage over them. I am no
more than a single human being, but I know
that even with the inadequate resources of my
own existence, God has been able to use me. I
don't claim any super powers, just a simple
willingness to have a go.
This is what Jesus was looking
for.
I wonder what Jesus (yes that's
right, Jesus) learnt from this occasion?
"Unless a single grain fall
into the earth and die, it remains just a
single grain." Multiplication is the secret to
satisfying the world.
Go and make disciples. Hmmm!
Some preliminary thoughts on a
very powerful gospel. Have a good week
everyone.
Regards, KGB
Mitcavis,
thanks for the illustration
with the reefer. Know that crevice personally.
I am an interim in a church which is stuck in
the crevice. They are truly blessed with a
fantastic complex but they are extremely picky
and pricey when it comes to sharing it,
therefore it sits empty...a tasty morsel saved
for another time. Meanwhile people are leaving
over the collective stinginess and
narrowmindedness and we there we have the
crevice. Thanks, this is bible school week
(they do use it once and a while) and your
words are welcomed food. KS in PA
In Matthew's reading we see the
disciples offering Jesus the most obvious
solution to a problem. "They're hungry. Send
them away."
How often do we do that?
When we are praying, do we
inform God of the problems and tell him how to
"fix" the situation?
It's not hard to imagine his
sitting there saying, "You be part of the
solution "(You give them something to eat)
even when we don't think we have the resources
or the abilities to be a part of the solution.
GC in IL
Hi, Friends...
I have an experience to share
with you that you may be able to use as a
sermon illustration. I think it fits
beautifully with Jesus making use of what we
have and mutiplying it many times over.
Here goes...Several years ago I
served a small rural church in North Central
Kansas, and like all ...or most churches, we
have our traditional summer vacation bible
school. This particular year we decided to
send our VBS money to the Heffer Project
Internationl. We collected enough money to buy
some baby chicks for food for somebody hunger.
After we sent our money in, I thought it was
all over...mission accomplished.
I didn't think much about it,
until one cold snowy January day, I received
the nicest letter from Heffer Project
International, thanking our Church for the VBS
donation which was added to some other money
to buy a WATER BUFFALOE for a family in
Southeastern Asia!!! The letter went on to
explain how the water buffaloe would be used
to help plow the fields for crops for several
years, and when it became to old to do that,
it would be butchered for food for some
family.
From a few baby chicks to a
Water Buffaloe... Christ made a real
multiplying of food there!!! Hope you can use
it in some way. Have a Spirit Filled
Sunday!!!! Jim, Kansas
KS in PA saidn, "thanks for the
illustration with the reefer."
THE WHAT????
I certainly hope it was only
for medicinal purposes!
Blessings, Eric in KS
What if my church heard Jesus
say, "YOU give them something to eat"? What
would people say?
We don't have enough! I don't
know how to pray in public. I can't find the
book of Hebrews in the Bible! I could't find
the Lord's Prayer in the Gospels! I'm not
trained in pastoral care.
But, I can hold someone's hand.
I can play the harmonica for someone who's in
a coma. I can volunteer occasionally in the
local food bank. I can write a letter to the
editor about domestic violence. When we start
sharing the little we do have, God empowers it
to multiply. MTSOfan
I see that the math folk are
focused on counting. Donovan over at Sermon
Writer is on that trail. I am getting a vision
of a Martha Stewart program, "How to Feed Five
Thousand". May even compare the Jesus Way to
the Herod Way earlier in the chapter. Let me
give you counters an illustration. When I was
in college in Mississippi we had a hypnotist
come to campus to do a program. He had
hypnotized students to do foolish things on
stage. One delightful girl was told that she
would be unable to remember the number 7. When
asked to count to ten she would skip the
number seven. Told to use her fingers, she was
confused but still insistent that she knew how
to count. I remember a line like "Why, Miss
Minnie Lee Ledbetter (Jerry Clower country) at
Liberty Elementary School taught me to count
to ten just like this, 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10. So
there!" What evil dellusionist causes
disciples to count out Jesus? Feed me folks.
jrbnrnc
KS in PA
Only a truly D.P. could turn a
refrig into a reefer!! It's not even Saturday
night. :)
As for myself.... Eric has
changed the entire way I now look into my
closet.
good evening! mitcavis
jrbnrnc said "I am getting a
vision of a Martha Stewart program, 'How to
Feed Five Thousand'."
Don Imus of radio fame used to
do a comedy routine about "Billy Sol Harkus of
Del Rio, Texas" who had a "Holy Land Amusement
Park" -- one of the items you could buy there
was the "Holy Land Cook Book" in which there
was a recipe for taking two Mrs. Paul's Fish
Sticks and five loaves of Levi's Jewish Rye
Bread to "feed those 5,000 unexpected drop in
guests."
Blessings, Eric in KS
Thank all for sharing your
bread and fish this week. Jesus took the fish
and bread and he lifted it up before the
Father and blessed it. Then he broke the bread
and gave it to his disciples and they gave it
to the crowd. Henri Nowen writes about being
"Chosen, Blessed, Broken, and Given"
I am considering using this
text for communion. Jesus was chosen by God to
be the savior of the world. He was blessed by
God in all his deeds and actions. He was
broken at Calvary for you and for me, and he
was given out of love in order that we might
be reconciled to God.
You and I are also chosen by
God. God blesses us daily. We too are broken
by grief, hurt, pain, and suffering, but we
are broken in order that God might give us to
a hurting world for its healing. So it is with
the people in our congregations. They are
chosen, blessed, broken, people that God wants
to give to the world for its healing.
As often as we eat bread and
drink from the cup let us do so in
rememberance of the one who was chosen,
blessed, broken, and given for the sins of the
world. May it even be so of us.
Thank all for sharing your
bread and fish this week. Jesus took the fish
and bread and he lifted it up before the
Father and blessed it. Then he broke the bread
and gave it to his disciples and they gave it
to the crowd. Henri Nowen writes about being
"Chosen, Blessed, Broken, and Given"
I am considering using this
text for communion. Jesus was chosen by God to
be the savior of the world. He was blessed by
God in all his deeds and actions. He was
broken at Calvary for you and for me, and he
was given out of love in order that we might
be reconciled to God.
You and I are also chosen by
God. God blesses us daily. We too are broken
by grief, hurt, pain, and suffering, but we
are broken in order that God might give us to
a hurting world for its healing. So it is with
the people in our congregations. They are
chosen, blessed, broken, people that God wants
to give to the world for its healing.
As often as we eat bread and
drink from the cup let us do so in
rememberance of the one who was chosen,
blessed, broken, and given for the sins of the
world. May it even be so of us.
O.K. I am using this. I think
it's neat that this is the passage now, when
the 9 Minors in Pennsylvannia were rescued,
and good! NO tramatic stress!!! Correlation to
bring in they shared one sandwich and a can of
soda. Nine people, one sandwich and one can of
soda...and God kept them safe and they were
not only rescued but fine! How many of us will
use this in our sermons Sunday?? Boy,
sometimes God makes it easy! We needed to hear
that good news, encouragement- look at all the
bad news-war. God has not gone away- He hears
us, our prayers---He is compassionate now as
then, he sends the Holy Spirit to care for
us...He heals us, feeds us, clothes us... I
think the title of my sermon will be Don't you
think we could use a little Good news today...
(O.K. who sings that country song?) Maybe play
for the people...a girl sings it...something
like well i read the morning paper today,
nobody OD'ed nobody burned a single building
down... and something about all the children
in Ireland had to do is play!!! Healing Sermon
This Sunday I think We could all use a little
good news today
Hello Usually just read over
all the wonderful comments but don't say
anything - however... This past weekend I
attended my 40th high school reunion. Was
talking to a classmate about where our lives
had taken us. He related the following story.
He was running an environmental company. The
hurricane in Honduras occurred. He said, "God
put the idea in my head that I should do
something so I emailed the bishop of
Honduras,asking what I could do while thinking
that takes care of that because I will never
get an answer! The next morning there was not
only an answer, it was a specific answer. "We
need water." The classmate, George Greene met
with some engineers and they devised a water
purifying system that could be placed anywhere
- even in places without electricity (can be
gas run). Senator Strom Thurmond arranged for
a transport plan to take the containers to
Honduras (they made six of them). So within
two weeks, thousands of people were able to
have clean water. Then George said he began to
feel uncomfortable in his old job. So that
company ended and a non-profit was started
with a 10year global mission to bring safe
drinking water to 100million people. The web
site is www.watermissions.org -- This ministry
is viewed as bringing not only safe drinking
water but God's "living water" to all who are
hungering for life.
gigi in fla
Hi All. I have been a usually
frequent reader but very infrequent
contributor. Thanks for your work & words. I
try to go with what I heard, but only see one
or two that come close to what God seems to be
strongly saying to me. This week's passage
leaves me no room for nice words about what we
can give, or how God can use us in ordinary
ways (increasing volunteering or giving in a
small way) or communion. It is about Jesus
taking what the disciples KNEW wasn't enough
and turning it into something that would meet
people's needs in a miraculous way. When are
we going to trust God to take us and do things
far beyond what we "can" do? Don't let your
fears or "common sense" prevent this from
being a place where God begins to perform
miracles in your people! - Joe Bell, Gastonia,
NC
Pretty sure the country song
you are thinking of is sung by Anne Murray, "A
Little Good News" or something close to that.
This will be my last Sunday in this parish. I
have accepted a position as a hospital
chaplain (actually a CPE residency). So the
bread and fishes will be my last sermon. I
will be using the idea of "Blessings Abound"
speaking to both the Gospel lesson, and my
seven years with this congregation. I'm
praying hard for the composure to get through
this day. We've had some troubles lately, but
lots of good times, and I will dearly miss
these people. However, my move is truly
Spirit-led, and the blessings will continue to
come, for me and for them. Katrinka
Hey all,
just surfed onto this site and
enjoying the breadth of comments on this
passage...what a fun bunch! Except Eric. He's
a little twisted I think! :)
For what it's worth, I've often
wondered what would happen if we abolished the
Finance Committees and just used this passage
as our model for stewardship. You know, gather
whatever the people bring, consecrate it for
no other purpose than building God's kingdom,
and then DISTRIBUTE it right there on the
spot. All of it.
After the parishoners pick
there jaws up off the floor we say "now, God
has blessed it, you go and give to them."
Somewhere in the back of my mind I feel like
preachers would still eat and mortgages would
still be paid...but can you imagine what
people would bring forth to God for blessing
if they were building the Kingdom, and not
some committee? Just a though.
Wilscalet in CA
Hi,
This Sunday is the Homecoming
at the church and it is a big deal for the
congregation. That influences the way I am
approaching this message. I have been
interested in the fact that the preceding
several verses describes the execution of
Jesus' first cousin, John. Mt. 14:12 John's
disciples came and took his body and buried
it. Then they went and told Jesus. 13: When
Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by
board privately to a solitary place...Then
follows the feeding of the 5,000 men plus the
women and children. It seems to me that this
is basically what happens when there is a
death. Family receives the word. Family goes
off to grieve. Then bunches of people come to
eat. It also seems to me that these three
points (1-bad stuff, 2-hurting alone, 3-coming
together with Jesus and others to eat and be
comforted) could be a foundation for a
communion sermon, for this homecoming sermon,
or for dealing with life. Perhaps one summary
of this could be, “it’s a tough world, so
let’s eat and party.” At homecoming, we think
of those no longer with us, we re-establish
friendships with those who come just for the
event, and if we look, we can see the way
Christ comes alive in relationships with those
we love and eat with. I am interested in the
ideas, observations of others.
In His name, Leon <><
Finally decided on my title for
Sunday...
"Little is Much" from the song
by Mary Rice Hopkins.
'Little is much when He lives
in your heart. Little is much when you know
who you are.
Hear these words that I speak.
I have come for the children, I have come for
you. Through My name, greater things you will
do. Whether you are a baby brand new, or if
you are a hundred and two."
mitcavis
Blessings All (And I think Eric
is just fun, not completely twisted)
Been thinking along these
lines- how we look around to see what the
needs are (if we even do that much) and then
we look around to see what the resources are
and concentrate on how little we have, how
small we are. Like the sailor's prayer that
goes, "Oh, Lord, the sea is so great and I am
so small" leaving out any reference to God who
can do all things. The disciples looked
around, but Jesus "looked up to heaven." With
all our stewardship programs, still nothing is
as effective as getting people looking in the
right direction
Now, all I have to do is figure
out how to do that!
RevGilmer in Texarkana
Leon,
Good idea, but remember that
the people weren't coming to be present with
Jesus to give him comfort in his time of
grief.
Michelle
Wiscalet in CA, you come up
with an idea like getting rid of finance
committees and pledging and relying only on
whatever happens to get dropped in the plate
... and you call ME twisted!!!! Sheesh!
I am a bit twisted this week
... I've been invited to consider a
"hierarchical" position in another regional
judicatory (what we 'Pisspalians call a
"diocese") and I find the position quite
intriguing ... but I promised my daughter we
wouldn't leave here until she finishes high
school next May. So I'm trying to figure out
how to do both if it comes to that and that is
"twisting" me a bit...
Blessings, Eric in KS
PS - I went to grade school,
jr. high, college, graduate school, and
seminary in CA (I escaped during high school)
-- no wonder I'm twisted!
Jesus said "You give them
something to eat." Jesus apparently understood
the the ability of the disciples to feed these
people in the same way that he was able. We
usually don't have nearly as much faith in
ourselves and each other as believers who are
filled with the Spirit of Christ....as Christ
has faith in us..... We are perfectly capable
because of Him but we have little faith much
of the time.....Christ keeps bailing us
out....Can we ever grasp...take hold of the
authority he have given to us as his children?
ABPA
Mitcavis and all,
Around my house, we refer to
the cleaning out the old leftovers from the
fridge as playing Star Trek: you know, seeking
out new life forms and boldly going where no
man has gone before. Isn't that sort of what
Jesus told the disciples to do? Discover a new
form of life by living by faith in what God
can do beyond what they can do. Going boldly
into the places where they had always been
afraid to go and doing things that they never
thought they could do. Trekkin' on with Him!
Mike from Soddy Daisy, TN
I certainly don't want to count
Jesus out of the equation in this miracle. But
that is the point. It is Jesus's involvement
that enables the disciples to achieve their
potential.
If Jesus/God had wanted, there
would be no need for the Church. If we believe
that God has the power to supply all the
world's needs in an instant (and I would
believe that)then the episode of the feeding
of the five thousand is irrelevant in the
scheme of things. He feeds billions of people
everyday. It is what Jesus enabled the
disciples to achieve that is the miracle, and
what was taught in the process.
Keeping a balance in the
divinity/humanity of Christ in this episode is
not easy. Too much emphasis on the divinity
and these events can appear almost frivolous
in the scheme of things. Too much humanity,
and we fail to appreciate the mysterious and
miraculous aspect of what happened.
In my previous post, I simply
wanted to highlight that Jesus was
pre-occupied with the grief of John, and was
simply asking the disciples, what would happen
if I was not here to help you out of this
bind. What would you do for the crowd?
The disciples response was so
human. Send them away.
Jesus says, "That's simply not
good enough. Look for another way."
The entire gospel message is
about this circumventing of human response to
relationship. Jesus was the master at finding
a way, when others had given up. This was his
purpose on earth. That is why the Father sent
him.
Jesus's presence in this
miracle and every miracle is crucial, but
let's not deny our own contribution and what
our role and purpose are.
Thanks for getting the juices
flowing.
Regards, KGB
|
