Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

Introduction

With daylight savings occurring in recent weeks, all of us are reminded that Spring is upon us. The sun remains with us through the afternoon and into the evening, the birds begin to wake us with their melodies, and before when the streets were empty they are now filled with children uniting in their great imaginative games and families walking together. The Spring gets us out again, spring leads us out of our homes and into the warmth of the sun. For thirty years, Jesus labored in the shadows hidden from the world but once his Father called him, Jesus was on the move.

In our text this morning we see Jesus on the move from Tiberias to a mountain. The crowds get out of their slumber and follow Jesus towards the mountain. They don’t fully understand who he is but they are curious enough that they cannot stay in Tiberias. This is a feature throughout Jesus’ ministry. He drew crowds because they were fascinated by him, there was an aura to him that shined through the ignorance of men and led them to leap to learn more about Him. Though Jesus wanted to be alone with his Father, he was interrupted by the hungry crowds whose stomachs and souls growled for more. With hungry and expectant souls on our liturgical journey to Calvary let us see what the Spirit has to teach us about the Father’s beloved son.

The Feast of the Passover was nigh

John tells us that the feast of the Passover was nigh. This is not a frivolous detail but rather queues the reader that whatever event unfolds is tied in some way to the theme of Passover. Our collection this morning calls on God to give mercy to his people who deserve to be punished for their sins. The Passover in Egypt was a big step in redemptive history in which God revealed his mercy on his people. He called his people to cover their doorposts with the blood of a spotless lamb and those who were not covered had their first-born son killed.

This was not an isolated moment in Israel’s history. But God tells them, it is a feast that will be kept forever. When the people in the wilderness grumbled and complained in the wilderness God provided them manna from heaven and he told them the following, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” God’s provision was meant to remind His people that he is the God who delivered them from Egypt, every day was a mini Passover in which the heavenly manna pointed back to the unleavened bread they ate when the angel of death passed over their homes.

As Passover draws nigh, Jesus performs this miracle by which he multiplies the bread and the fish for the hungry crowd. It is recorded in John’s gospel because this is a supernatural event, it is the power of the Son on full display. He takes the bread from the young man and offers it to his father in heaven and gives thanks. Jesus shows us that he is indeed the word of creation. He has authority over the creation, he is in the divine word who spoke creation in Genesis and is that same divine word wrapped in flesh. Feeding people bread was not known to him, for he was with the Father creating and distributing the heavenly manna to Israel. Once again, as the feast of the Passover was drawing nigh, Jesus was demonstrating that he is the fulfillment of Israel and is indeed Lord of creation.

Not only is he the creator but he demonstrates that he is the redeemer for the manna from heaven was to remind the Israelites of their glorious deliverance from Pharoah. As Jesus provides heavenly manna he is showing that he is the great deliver. The people afterward shout that Jesus is a prophet, though layered in ignorance they are correct, for Moses said that a greater prophet than him would come. This prophet had the authority to declare forgiveness of sins, and this prophet said the patriarchs was “I am”. identifying himself to share in the divinity with his Father.

Later on, on the day of Passover itself, Jesus would show that he not only was the heavenly manna but the Passover lamb whose blood not only covers but forgives. Where in today’s account he is called the prophet, on the cross he is called the King. As we journey on towards calvary, remeber that Jesus has the power to forgive his people though not deserving for he is the Word of creation. He has all power and authority and this day he pleads his blood to the father praying for you and applying that same blood for you.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen