When a Little is A Lot
Jesus replied, “They do not need
to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five
loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,”
he said. Matthew 14:16-18
There was a 1994 movie starring Ben Stiller and Wynona Ryder entitled, "Reality
Bites'. It was about the sense of frustration and disillusionment of a group
of young Texans.
I suppose the feeding could in some ways be sub-titled "reality bites", or
maybe "bites of reality".
This miracle of Jesus is the only miracle in all four gospels. Interesting
isn't it. Even John, the usually odd-man-out in the gospels includes it along
with Matthew, Mark and Luke. It must have really struck a note with them.
This is a miracle about realism.
It is also a miracle in which the disciples demonstrate significant reservations
about Jesus ability to cope with reality.
The situation is this. Jesus has just learned of John the Baptist's death
at the hands of Herod. He is grieved and retreats for some time alone, but
this is not to be. The crowds follow him and Jesus, seeing them virtually
adrift, takes compassion and spends his depleted energy teaching and ministering.
As the day winds down, Jesus does not seem to be taking any of the normally
expected steps to look after everyone's needs--food and rest.
His disciples in uncharacteristic lack of humility virtually order Jesus
to send the people home. "It's getting late. Send them home."
Any pastor knows this feeling. At the end of the service you have stood at
the door and greeted everyone who stops to be greeted. A few words exchanged,
maybe more. Perhaps a personal need is revealed and a prayer shared. All
the while you notice the couple who do not seem to be speaking to one another,
the woman across the room drying some tears, the one person sitting alone,
visiting with no one. You do what you can in each situation.
Then while you linger with the person who has waited to get a bit more private
time you notice your children standing at the door. They stare at you in
a way you know well. Come ON dad! Lets GO! They don't know what you
know, but they have run out of patience with you once again. Come on, time
to go.
So it is with Jesus. He sees the need most pastors would not see and can
meet them in a way we can only imagine on our best days.
But his helpers have run out of patience. Come ON Jesus! Time to GO! Just
send them home.
The people themselves don't seem to think food is their biggest issue, but
the disciples know better. Send them home to dinner.
Jesus says, "YOU feed them."
This is a question of whether Jesus is really in touch with the reality of
the situation. His disciples do not think so. They do not think he is up
to dealing with what they see, but he is apparently blind to seeing.
Jesus gets them fed.
My mind goes back to another time in the wilderness when Jesus is hungry.
He has fasted forty days and Satan comes and tempts him to turn the stones
to bread. You remember his response. "Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from God."
Can you see Jesus turning to the disciples and saying, " Excuse me.... I
was forty days without bread."
Then turning to the crowds and in a loud voice "Brothers, Sisters...are you
hungry? I have been hungry. But let me tell you something.
Man does not live by bread alone. NO, do not be deceived by grumbling stomachs.
Look to God alone. Do not give in to sensual gratification.
Fasting will strengthen your spirit."
No, that's not what happens is it?
He says, how much do you have?
"Five loaves and two fish."
This isn't even their bread and fish. A boy has brought them. And the boy
has decided to share.
Jesus blesses them.
He undoubtedly uses the common blessing a Jewish family would pray at mealtime:
Blessed art thou
O, Lord our God
King of the world
who has brought forth
bread from the earth.
There is a Jewish saying, "He who enjoys anything without thanksgiving is
as though he robbed God." The fact that Jesus looked up to heaven and gave
thanks could mean that the intention of what he did when he fed the multitude
was simply to get them to see that all good things come from God. He wanted
the people to see not bread multiplied, but God glorified. As he had taught
the multitude with words, now he was teaching them with actions. As he fed
them, he was teaching the people that beyond the bread was the God who provides
all bread and provides it abundantly.1.
In a Galilean community, daily bread is more than just a turn of phrase.
A working person earned food for the day.
There were no refrigerators or delis.
You might have some grain on hand and some cooking oil and a few staples,
but there was no larder full of food.
It was made as it was needed and grain or flour would be purchases as there
was money. No work, no food and the margins were slim.
Jesus gives us in the Lord's Prayer, "give us this day our daily bread."
We may fast, but we need our daily bread.
This is as concrete a reality as it gets. Basic needs of the people of God.
And Jesus is up to the challenge, and more.
Five loaves and two fish. Not much is it?
Dale Bruner says the disciples only counted to seven. Five plus two.
The forget to add one more--Jesus.
Let us not forget how to count to eight.
And let us not become frightened at needs we find around us.
If Jesus says, "you feed them" He will provide the means.
And sometimes the most precious commodity is Jesus Himself--our paschal meal.
We come and we feed on the bread of heaven to the filling of our souls.
Preached August 3, 2008
Dr. Harold McNabb
West Shore Presbyterian Church
Victoria, British Columbia
Notes
1.Richard Carl Hoefler, "The Good Grocer", a sermon from his book,
There are Demons in the Sea, Preaching the Message of Miracles.
Resources Consulted
Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew, A Commentary. Vol. 2 The Churchbook,
Eerdman's
Llory J. Olgivie, Matthew, The Communicator's Commentary. Word Press
Richard Carl Hoefler, There are Demons in the Sea, Preaching the Message
of Miracles.
Online Resources Consulted
http://www.preachingtoday.com/
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