Grace, Loaves, & Fishes
EASTER VII YEAR B MAY 11, 1997
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
FUQUAY-VARINA, NC
DAILY MORNING PRAYER
ACCORDING TO RITE II IN THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER
PROCESSIONAL HYMN # 671 "AMAZING GRACE"
OPENING SENTENCES (STANDING)................................P 77
CONFESSION OF SIN (KNEELING)...................................P 79
ABSOLUTION..............................................................P 80
THE INVITATORY AND PSALTER (STANDING)
THE VERSICLES................................................P 80
VENITE - PSALM 97 (READ IN UNISON)................P 82
PSALM 122 ....................................................P 779
THE LESSONS (SEATED)
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON........2 CHR 36:14-23
SONG OF PRAISE - BENEDICTUS ES.....................P 90
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON.......EPH 2:4-10
THE SONG OF MARY - MAGNIFICAT....................P 91
THE APOSTLE'S CREED.....................................P 96
THE PRAYERS (KNEELING)
THE SALUTATION............................................P 97
THE LORD'S PRAYER (CONTEMPORARY FORM)...P 97
THE SUFFRAGES - A.........................................P 97
THE COLLECT FOR THE DAY.............................P 227
A COLLECT FOR SUNDAYS...............................P 98
A COLLECT FOR PEACE....................................P 99
A COLLECT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE......................P 260
THE INTERCESSIONS.......................................P 100
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE - FORM II..................P 385
THE GENERAL THANKSGIVING........................P 101
THE GRACE...................................................P 102
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS - SENIOR WARDEN
SERMON HYMN # 508 "BREATH ON ME"
SERMON - "GRACE, LOAVES, AND FISHES" (JOHN 6:4-15) PHIL TAYLOR
OFFERTORY HYMN # 693 "JUST AS I AM"
PRESENTATION OF OFFERING - DOXOLOGY
CLOSING PRAYERS
RECESSIONAL HYMN # 558 "FAITH OF OUR MOTHERS"
GRACE, LOAVES AND FISHES
LET US PRAY: COME HOLY SPIRIT, FILL THE HEARTS OF YOUR FAITHFUL AND KINDLE IN US THE FIRE OF YOUR LOVE. SEND FORTH YOUR SPIRIT AND WE SHALL BE CREATED AND YOU SHALL RENEW THE FACE OF THE EARTH. OH GOD, WHO BY THE LIGHT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT DID INSTRUCT THE HEARTS OF THE FAITHFUL, GRANT THAT BY THE SAME HOLY SPIRIT WE MAY BE TRULY WISE AND EVER ENJOY YOUR CONSOLATIONS, IN CHRIST'S NAME WE PRAY. AMEN.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK FATHER GOSE FOR INVITING ME.
THIS IS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR ME AND IT WARMS MY HEART
TO BE ABLE TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CRIST
IN THIS PLACE.
READ THE LESSON FROM JOHN 6:4-15.
I REMEMBER AS A SMALL CHILD WE SAID GRACE BEFORE OUR MEALS.
OFTEN THE MEAL WAS SIMPLE, SPARSE, AND UNPRETENTIOUS;
MANY TIMES JUST MOTHER AND SON SITTING AT A CRAMPED, FORMICA TOPPED TABLE IN A SMALL KITCHEN,
LOOKING AT A PLATE OF CABBAGE, POTATOES, AND A SMALL PIECE OF HAM.
NEVERTHELESS, WE SAID GRACE.
"GOD IS GREAT, GOD IS GOOD, LET US THANK HIM FOR THIS FOOD. AMEN"
GRACE FOR ME AND MOTHER WAS A PRAYER.
WE SAID GRACE.
CERTAINLY MOTHER UNDERSTOOD,
AND EVEN AS A YOUNG BOY,
I UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS FOOD WAS PART OF GOD'S GIFT TO US.
MOTHER, AFTER ALL, DID NOT MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY FOOD,
IT HAD TO BE GOD'S GIFT.
ACTUALLY, THE TRUTH IS, MOTHER DID BUY THE FOOD.
SHE HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY IT BECAUSE SHE DID WITHOUT.
SHE WORE THE SAME DRESS AND SHOES TO WORK FOR YEARS, AS A MAID,
AND SO THERE WAS MONEY FOR FOOD,
STILL A GIFT OF GOD.
MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT GRACE.
BOTH THE GRACE WE SAID AT MEALS
AND THE UNDESERVED GRACE OF GOD.
I LEARNED ABOUT GRACE IN SUNDAY SCHOOL AND CHURCH, TOO;
BUT I EXPERIENCED GRACE FROM MOTHER.
I KNEW LONG BEFORE I HAD READ PAUL'S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
THAT GRACE WAS NOT SOMETHING TO BE EARNED BUT SOMETHING FREELY GIVEN,
SOMETHING SHARED BY A LOVING PARENT,
UNMERITED AND UNDESERVED.
WHEN I READ,
"...BY HIS GRACE WE ARE SAVED...IT IS NOT YOUR DOING.
IT IS GOD'S GIFT,
NOT A REWARD FOR WORK DONE,"
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT.
I EXPERIENCED IT.
IT WAS REAL.
IT IS STILL REAL FOR ME.
THAT GRACE,
THE FREE GIFT OF GOD'S GRACE,
REFLECTED IN THE EYES,
THE TEARS,
AND THE SACRIFICE OF MOTHER
BECAME A CERTAIN REALITY FOR ME.
I NEED ONLY STOP, CLOSE MY EYES,
AND GOD'S GRACE IS AVAILABLE TO ME
ONCE AGAIN IN THOSE MEMORIES.
GOD'S GIFT OF GRACE ALWAYS COMES TO US FROM SOURCES OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES,
OFTEN WITH GREAT SURPRISE.
IN THIS MORNING'S OLD TESTAMENT LESSON,
CYRUS THE GENTILE KING IS A MOST UNLIKEY SOURCE OF LIBERATION AND GRACE FOR CAPTIVE ISREAL.
AND THE YOUNG BOY AND HIS LOAVES AND FISHES,
WE JUST READ ABOUT,
ARE AS JUST AN UNLIKELY SOURCE.
BUT GOD USES THEM BOTH.
IN THE CASE OF CYRUS,
THE PERSIAN KING WILL SEND THE CAPTIVES HOME
AND INSIST THAT THEY REBUILD THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM.
IN THE CASE OF THE BOY,
GOD THROUGH JESUS
WILL FEED A MULTITUDE
WITH THE MODEST OFFERINGS OF A CHILD,
AND WITH BASKETS OF FOOD TO SPARE.
THOSE WHO WILL REBUILD THE TEMPLE MUST WORK HARD.
THOSE WHO APPLY THE GIFT OF THE RESURRECTION TO THEIR LIVES ARE COMMITTING THEMSELVES TO STRUGGLE AND SACRIFICE.
BOTH OF THESE EFFORTS BEGIN HOWEVER WITH A GIFT OF GOD
AND SO THEY ARE POSSIBLE.
THEY ARE NOT POSSIBLE HOWEVER WITHOUT THAT GIFT.
WE ARE NOT SELF MADE,
WE ARE HIS WORMANSHIP.
FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT TAKE CREDIT FOR FAITH.
JESUS WENT UP INTO THE HILLS.
WHENEVER THE GOSPELS TELL US
THAT JESUS WENT UP A HILL,
WE CAN EXPECT SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO HAPPEN.
WE MIGHT SEE HIM TRANSFIGURED,
WE MIGHT SEE AND HEAR HIM PREACH A SERMON ON THE MOUNT,
WE MIGHT WATCH HIM CRUCIFIED,
WE MIGHT WITNESS HIS ASCENSION TO THE FATHER,
OR AS IN JOHN'S GOSPEL TODAY,
WE MIGHT BE THE RECIPIENTS OF A MIRACULOUS MEAL.
HE FEEDS OUR EYES AS WE SEE HIM TRANSFIGURED;
HE FEEDS OUR MINDS AND INTELLECT AS WE HEAR HIM PREACH;
HE FEEDS OUR SOUL AS WE WITNESS HIS CRUCIFIXTION;
HE FEEDS OUR SPIRIT AS WE SEE HIM ASCEND TO THE FATHER;
AND HE FEEDS OUR BELLY WITH LOAVES AND FISHES.
WE COME TO KNOW JESUS IN THESE VARIOUS WAYS
AND IN THESE VARIOUS TENSIONS.
WE SEE,
WE THINK,
WE FEEL,
WE WITNESS,
AND WE EXPERINCE.
IT IS SOMETIMES THE PECULIAR EXPERINCE OF ANGLICANISM THAT YOU ARE ASKED TO HOLD
THESE VARIOUS MANIFESTATIONS OF THE CHRIST
IN A PROPER TENSION AND A PROPER RELATIONSHIP.
IN THE LESSON FROM JOHN,
JESUS TRANSFORMS A SCENE OF DESPAIR:
PHILIP REPLIED, "TWENTY POUNDS WOULD NOT BUY ENOUGH BREAD FOR EVERYONE OF THEM TO HAVE A LITTLE."
INTO A MIRACLE OF GOD'D GRACE,
WHERE EVERYONE IS FED
WITH PLENTY LEFT OVER FOR OTHERS.
JESUS TAKES THE LOAVES AND FISHES,
BLESSES THEM (SAYS GRACE),
AND DISTRIBUTES THEM.
AS MODERN PEOPLE,
WE WORRY ABOUT, "HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?"
THE REAL MIRACLE IS NOT SO MUCH THE MULTIPLICATION OF FOOD,
MOTHERS DO THAT EVERY EVENING FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
THE REAL MIRACLE IS THAT GOD TAKES THE LITTLE,
THE SMALL,
THE INSIGNIFICANT
AND MUCH IS MADE OF IT.
GOD USES THE ORDINARY TO EXACT THE EXTRA-ORDINARY.
IN DOING THIS,
GOD ACTS THROUGH THE REAL AND TANGIBLE SIMPLICITIES OF CREATION -
PROCESSED BREAD,
UNPROCESSED FISH,
AND THE SIMPLE FAITH AND GIFT OF A SMALL CHILD.
GOD CAN DO THAT TOO IN OUR LIVES.
GOD CAN AND DOES TAKE THE ORDINARY
AND EXACTS THE EXTRA-ORDINARY.
GOD CAN AND DOES TAKE THE SIMPLE
PROCESSED AND UNPROCESSED IN OUR LIVES,
MIXES WITH IT THE GOD/HUMANKIND RELATIONSHIP
WHICH WE CALL FAITH AND MAKES MIRACLES
WITH BASKETS LEFT OVER WHICH WE CALL MOTHER.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
IN A FEW MINUTES WE WILL COLLECT THE OFFERING AS WE SING A HYMN,
DURING THE SINGING OF THAT HYMN,
AND AFTER YOU HAVE MADE YOUR OFFERING OF MONEY,
I ASK THAT EACH OF US CONSIDER
THE COMMITMENT WE HAVE MADE
TO LIVE IN THE LIFE OF GRACE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT MADE A COMMITMENT TO ACCEPT JESUS AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR
OR IF YOU WISH TO RENEW THAT COMMITMENT TODAY, PUBLICALLY,
THEN DURING THE SINGING OF HYMN # 693,
PLEASE COME FORWARD AND WE WILL PRAY TOGETHER AT THE ALTER.
AND NOW UNTO GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT,
BE ASCRIBED ALL MIGHT, MAJESTY, POWER,
DOMINION AND GLORY
THIS DAY AND FOREVERMORE. AMEN.
I APPEAL TO YOU, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD, TO PRESENT YOURSELVES AS A LIVING SACRAFICE, HOLY AND ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. ROMANS 12:1
HYMN # 693 "JUST AS I AM"