Gifts of God - Saturday morning

Remember from last night: Return to Form

Ephesians 4:11–13 NIV

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

So when we live in the presence of God. Jesus gives gifts to the church. The gifts are the people. He equips the body to be the body of Christ.

Mark 6:30–44 NIV

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Pray.

Introduction for this sermon: When I was working on my extended plan in undergrad, I waited tables. I loved Mexican food so I figured why not work there and get a discount. I can remember when I first started being so nervous. The way it works is you train….explain.

Spilled tray on Christmas eve.

You start feeling sooooo not ready. There is a lot to learn about food, sauces, etc. A lot of skills that just come with experience. What I learned though, that even if I didn’t have a clue about the menu, or I was not spot on with recommendations, or the food came out a couple minutes late, etc…As long as I loved that table and took care of them, MOST OF THE TIME, things were awesome, and I love that experience.

My experience stepping from trainee to waiter was scary, but it was awesome! That’s where I think we find ourselves with this series. It is time for us to take ownership of our faith and go to serve others.

This morning we look at a familiar story from the gospels; Jesus feeding the thousands with bread and fish.

Background:

Jesus sending out the 12, Then John the Baptist, Now this miracle of feeding all these people.

Jesus sends the 12 out to preach the good news, heal the sick, cast out demons. He sends them out to do the Jesus stuff in the world. Gives them power to do so. At the beginning of our story they are worn out from this work and Jesus tries to give them some rest but more people find them. Thousands even and they are eager to hear from Jesus.

So having compassion on them, Jesus begins to teach to them all. Verse 35 tells of the disciple’s mood by this point:

Mark 6:35–36 NIV

By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

They are a little salty because they are tired. They are also still very unsure at what Jesus is fully about.

Three very important things I have for us from Mark this morning:

Jesus sends them out

Jesus provides the meal, we serve it up

Jesus is the food-bank and the meal

Jesus sends them out

I. God is sending you out. “You give them something to eat!” Jesus sends the disciples out, and here he tells them to feed them. What a peculiar ask in this situation. God does not ask us to make sure we have enough bread and fish gathered up to go and feed others. He does not tell us to measure our faith and see if there is enough to spare. No, he calls us out to serve others! To feed others!

This is a ridiculous plan. This is not the plan I would have. I dont know if God needs us, but he wants to use us, and in some ways, he will only do it through us. I dont know why God does not take care of the brokenness in the world on his own, he surely could, but he wants to do it through us.

Jesus provides the meal, and we serve it up

II. But what is their response?!?! Do you know how much that costs?What we see from the disciples is a feeling of inadequacy…they think they lack the resources. I love the grumpiness and saltiness from the disciples here. I have never really picked up on this pouty tone. See if you can catch it!

Our story starts with the disciples gathering around and sharing their experience as they were sent out. They are tired and Jesus with compassion tries to find them rest. Then people come and follow. I love the grumpy tone found in verse 35.

Over and over again the testimony of scripture is that when God calls man, man doubts the resources needed for the task. Moses called by God, well I don’t speak well! How often do we respond with God I do not have the resources!

My life is too crazy

Job

Kid’s sports

Financial burden

Girls, unworthy

Guys, inadequate

Or I do not know enough to be able to share my faith…

Or how about the disciples thoughts here…We are too tired. We have not even rested yet.

Here is the problem, the disciples and us too often mistaken our own perceived available resources with God’s resources, Hahaha come on church, tell me that doesn’t speak to someone in here this morning!

· We bring what we have to the Lord, financially, time, family, talent and skill, he takes that little bit and makes it enough, makes it more than enough.

· As these shepherds in training gather the baskets full left over, Jesus tells us all that as we trust in God to feed the multitudes through our hands, we will be taken care of too.

Jesus is the food bank and the meal

Not only is Jesus the source of life for the world, he is the life. So not only does Jesus multiply the food so they can all eat. It is actually him who they need. In John’s gospel after this miracle, people come and find him and Jesus tells them, you are looking for me because I fed you, I am the bread of life.

How do we do that?

Back to my restaurant analogy. I had one thing going for me….mexican food. Raise your hand if you don’t like mexican food…I will pray for you. People would come into my section. My job was to go and engage with them. To find out what they were interested in and decide the best thing to give them.

Jim Gaffigan

So I needed to discern the best arrangement of tortilla meat and cheese. I didn’t have to cook it. I just needed to be available and be the connection to the kitchen. There are people that come into your section every day. Family, friends, people at school…they are all after one thing, even if they do not know it. They want to know they are loved, they want to know they are seen, they want to know someone cares for them.

So today we get to practice it.