Our Abundant God

One night a mother overhears as her young twin girls are praying together the Lord’s prayer. They prayed, “Give us this steak and daily bread. And forgive us our mattresses.” It’s always fun to hear kids learning the Lord’s prayer. The request for daily bread fits really well with our Gospel lesson for today. Give us this day our daily bread.

If you were to place yourself in this story, where would you be? Would you be with the crowd? Or would you be with the disciples?

Consider the crowd. There were many. Our text says that there were 5,000 men besides women and children. That means there could be as many as 10 to 12 thousand people in this crowd. That would be like every member of Faith bringing 40 or so of their closest friends with them to the same place at the same time. Which by the way wouldn’t be a bad thing. You see this woman, her hand is empty, needy and reaching out toward Jesus. She is part of the crowd and like them is in need.

When Jesus first saw the crowd it must have been some scene. The distance he had traveled by boat, they had walked on foot. They knew that they had needs. And they knew that they needed him. Some of the people that were there were carrying heavy burdens. Some of their bodies were twisted as the result of accidents, or malnutrition. Others are diseased. You can see the effects in their tired dragging bodies and hear it in their coarse voices. Still others are downtrodden. They carry with them problems and guilt from their past. And even though you can’t tell that anything is wrong by looking at them. They weight that they feel almost causes them to stoop over.

Jesus sees this poor pathetic group of people who need him. And he has compassion for them. A compassion that only Jesus is capable of; and so he reaches out to them and heals them. What an awesome sight that must have been. Twisted bodies being straightened. Diseases being removed and health coming back into its place. Burdens being removed and lifted. But that was a while ago. And now, at this moment, the sun is beginning to retreat toward the horizon. Stomachs are chanting their song of hunger. And the hands of the crowd reach out in prayer.

The disciples are well aware of all that is taking place. They watched in amazement as Jesus healed so many. They looked at their watches anxiously as time is getting away from them. They looked at the dinner longingly as they tried to comprehend how five loaves of bread and two fishes were going to feed so many people. Wringing their hands they approach Jesus with a solution. Send the crowd away so they can go get a value meal. But Jesus tells the disciples to feed the crowd. Looking at their little dinner they pray.

Jesus tells the disciples to bring the bread and fish to him. He takes the bread. He looks up to heaven. He blesses the loaves. He breaks them. And he gives them to the disciples. And the disciples take them to the people. Five loaves and two fish now feeds this entire crowd. And not just feeding them, but filled them. And then it didn’t stop there, but there were twelve baskets of leftovers. That is some recipe huh? Take five loaves look up, bless, break, and distribute. Serves 5,000 plus. Our Lord answered their prayer.

Have you figured out where you would be? Perhaps you would include yourself in the crowd. You look down at your own hands and know that even though there is nothing in them, they are carrying burdens. The test results came back and they are not good. The bills are piling up faster than the money is coming in. What about that time when I…I feel so guilty. As you realize the weight of the burdens, you like the crowd, reach out your hand.

Perhaps you would be with the disciples. You are on pretty solid ground. You are learning this whole following Jesus thing and you love it. Yet you know that you can’t stay where you are. You know that as his mission grows and increases you are going to be challenged to grow, challenged to move, challenged to give what seems like the little you do have to him. The math just doesn’t seem the work. The numbers just don’t add it. You look at what you have, and at what you need, and you think, “This is impossible.”

And finally there is Jesus. And no matter where we see ourselves in this story we notice that he is at the center. The love that he feels for the people, for his people, the compassion that he feels for you for me for all people moves him. Out of his great love for the crowd he lifts up his healing hands in prayer and provides for them. Out of his great love for you and me, his hands are lifted up again, only this time on a cross. There he suffered and died. And three days later was raised to life. Now you and I have access to God. We have a relationship with him. He has made us his own dear children whom he loves very much and promises never to leave or forsake us.

For those of us who see themselves in the crowd we remember that though the test results may not change, He does not leave you on your own. He walks with you every step of the way, giving you strength, and the ability to bear this burden. Though the bills stack up, he reminds you that he provides. God provides for the sparrows, how much more valuable are you than they? And the guilt that you feel from the past. Jesus reminds you of the wounds in his hands. That was why he went to the cross, to pay the price for that sin. You are forgiven. You are free. You are loved by God. He takes us sick members of the crowd, and because of his great compassion for us. He suffered his passion. And through that we are made whole.

For those of who see themselves with the disciples, we look to our Lord. We hear him invite us to bring what we do have to him. And in faith we offer to him all that we have. It is a challenge. Because we know that we can do very little with what we have. And we do not want to lose it. Yet we also know that our Lord can do immeasurably more than you and I can ask or even imagine. He is calling you and me to move forward in faith. We know what the goal is, but have no idea how to make it happen. Just as Jesus was able to take the five loaves and two fish and supply enough to not only fill the crowd but also to have twelve baskets of leftovers he is able to take what we have, and use it abundantly. Always there, Always providing. It is scary because you and I are not in control. Yet it is a sure thing because Jesus is in control. And we look to him knowing that he is faithful and that he provides.

Where do you see yourself in the story? We can all think of times when we are with the crowd. The pain and the burdens we face in this life, leave us calling out for help. But that is not where we are left. We can all relate to anxiety that the disciples must have felt over their ministry challenge. Yet that is not where you and I are left. And though we may have been in those places in the picture, that is not where we are now. Now we are in the hands of Jesus.

We are his people. Washed and cleansed by him in the waters of baptism. Connected to him and to one another through the Holy Spirit. Committed to service. And promised to be given everything that we need to support our body, life and mission. We have been promised that we will be given our daily bread.

Just as Jesus gave the bread to the disciples so that they could then give it to the crowd. Our Lord gives to you and me our daily bread so that we can take it to the world around us. We are given our daily bread so that we may build up and encourage one another. We are given our daily bread so that we may serve the people that God has placed in our lives. We are never left to do this on our own. But Jesus is with us. We are here together. Ready to receive, ready to build up, ready to serve.

You are in Jesus’ hands. Know that God provides you and me with all that we need to support our bodies, life and mission. That he provides you and me with our daily bread. Know that he is able to take what little we do have, and turn in into a great abundance. May our God bless you and me as we carry out the mission that he has given to us. And May he give us this day our daily bread. Amen.