July 22 - How Hungry Are You?

Today it might not be so impressive hearing people 5,000 people being fed this morning. So title says how hungry is asking how hungry are you? I said faith is feeding 5000 people from Mark 6 3244.

This is the only Ministry Miracle that's recording in all four of the gospels. And that's kind of interesting because of all the Miracles that here in the Gospels. You would think that they would be more you would think that there would most of them would be in all for the Gospels. Apparently the the disciples had things that they Rim remember differently different events that they remembered over others Matthew my you know, think of things that and more had to do with the lineage of the Jews and that's what he would think about more or Mark thought more of you know, just the interpersonal conflicts and and relationships in between the disciples and how they weren't perfect and the many ways in which you know, they messed up or they didn't remember things or Jesus had to teach them again about something is Oak Park Mark actually pulls out all the work of the disciples. And Luke was more of a physician. So Luke is the kind of guy who would like to be detail-oriented me like you get down. Everything probably is as accurately as as he could remember and John had this anthesis on on the scripture that was more about who Jesus was as God who Jesus was being Divine and at the same time recognizing Jesus Humanity. They'll remember something different but all four of them actually record this miracle. I say that because it's easy to think that feeding 5000 people can easily be just be okay. Maybe it wasn't 5000. Maybe it was only $500. Maybe it was only 50 and they just embellished the story and make it bigger than it was well for gospels saying that this happened so it made a real impression this story reflects a lot of things from the book of Exodus the different ways in which the people of God were provided for by God write it in in their whole travels and going from the place of Egypt. Which okay, they were provided for in some fashion by the Egyptians. And obviously it was hard to even obviously they were be being driven to do things. They didn't want to do and we're calling out to God to deliver them. And so they wanted to go they wanted to leave and it's story of the disciples and Jesus went to Al to a deserted place and they needed to have a place of rest. They needed to find somewhere. I'll part from the crowd because when you remember her for the last few weeks, we've know we've been talking about the crowd is coming and I know over whelming and following Jesus has dusted such a point that people had to push through to try to get to him to try to touch him to try to hear it hear from him directly. About his ministry about the way he thought about the things of God that we're so different from what they heard everyday. The second thing was sheep without a Shepherd in this theme the Sheep without a Shepherd in Exodus. God sent Moses to his people to leave them out. And in this story Jesus is not just this isn't reflecting the story of Exodus. But the Exodus story reflect was Jesus dead. Right, cuz all of scripture points to Jesus all of scripture is 2 points of the one who redeems all the scripture should point to the true Shepherd Moses was not the true Shepherd. The people of Israel would have seen Moses as their Shepherd as their guide the one who would leave them out. And so when we when we talked about scripture and we talked about Jesus being the point of scripture and actually have Redemption for all people Jews as well as Gentiles. Then the Exodus actually reflects Jesus Redemption of all people not just the juice. The third point of this passage that is the organizing of the crowd and the same way when when manic came to the people of Israel as they were being let out of the land and the people of God needed to be organized in some fashion the way the scripture here organizes the people in in fifties and hundreds of reflects how people were organized in the people of Israel were organized as they were going through the desert. So, you know, this is the story doesn't come out of the blue. Jesus is actually doing something here. He's actually pulling from scripture. He's actually their point sandwich. You know, he knows the word of God. So he can next of the things of the word that are going on today. The people need a shepherd.

See Jesus tries to find a deserted place for him and his disciples to relax and recharge, right? So Jesus tries to take a vacation and tries to get away from the people because every time he's in Ministry or somebody every time he goes to heal somebody every time he he is talking to them at like that. If you look at Luke, I mean there is a large amount of texts that goes into some of the preaching that Jesus does. I mean look at everything connected to the the Beatitudes right now all the speech that he does they are and maybe he would have been out there for hours with the people just speaking in it. It wouldn't be just me speaking like this. He would have to shout down the mountain for people to be able to hear him. Especially people this size of 5,000 people on the side of a mountain with no microphone and speakers project consists of any of that kind of stuff. So Jesus would have I've been loud for people to even hear them. Otherwise, you'd have 5,000 people going for us to even be here vacation in this isn't the first time Jesus tries to get away from time to time. He goes to the Mount of Olives pretty regularly when he's there. He tries to go out to other places garden and then things just places to be in God's presence to be able to rest to be able to hear God speaking to be able to hear God's Direction and his leading on what he's to do neck and all throughout scripture. You will see Jesus. signing these places so that he can hear the father. Speaking to what he should be doing cuz it's easy with all the demands. There are four all the thirsty Souls. Better out there for Jesus didn't just to be around and yes, Jesus is God.

Jesus Is God so he could and some fashion and if it was the father's will for Jesus to have all the energy that he could have possibly needed and all the time that he could have possibly needed to fulfill every single individual need. But this isn't the way that God works. This is not the way that God works. I mean look at Jesus's Ministry. He had three years. All right. He had 12 disciples. He did not have 1,200 disciples or 12000 disciples kid 12 main disciples who are always there and going through all these circumstances going through his leading and his teaching in his ministry going alongside him as his brothers to do these things. And at this point they didn't even have a chance to eat. All right, that's what the scripture says. They didn't even have a chance to eat and you have all these people like swarming around of crowding around and people just needing healing median cold needing some kind of encouragement, you know, and it was draining them and but we are still physical people right? We still need some food. Jesus he represented by Mark is Israel. True Shepherd to feed the flock.

That's what Mark wants us to see. Because there has been so many people trying to go through to act as trying to say that they were the Messiah try to prophesy in some kind of way as to leave them the way that they wanted the people to go. And so many times they were hurt and disappointed because those ways were not God's ways.

So Jesus is pretty presented not this is the true Shepherd, but the true king right in in in terms of how God presented himself to the people of Israel. God as Shepherd and King versus the false King Harry Who is always in it to indulge himself always to get more things for himself always trying to get something out of everything always trying to take and tax the people and he had to overtax them. Why because the Romans would tax him so he would have to get more. This is how the Roman system works and it's it's terrible. Okay. So the guy at the top is going to run in packs and then the second guy down is going to want to attack but he wants to get something at it. Then the next guy down is going to want to tax and get something out of it. Then the next guy down is going to tax and get something out of it. So by the time it gets to the bottom. the farmer you have so much in taxes that you have nothing right left feet because you giving everything that you've gotten giving all your food and all all your resources toward the governmental system. Especially when trom who's who's the occupying authority over the region. They don't even care they even they even have a tax for the on the temple itself. So if you wanted to even do anything at the temple, if you wanted to give you your daily sacrifices at the temple, there's a tax that you wouldn't have to pay just to pay Rome to pay for the temple paper uses in Temple. They had all these taxes and things you had all these ways in which you would have to give the government stuff.

So let's go back to scripture and the scripture the disciples when they weren't when they were sent out. They had to report back to Jesus. All right, and I sat down and they talked about all the things that they did so they reported back everything that they said and everything that they did and in this reporting. You know, it it just wasn't, you know, they went out in freak. All right, they couldn't come back with you things and just say they went out to preach we told everybody about you Jesus. Okay, what else did you do?

Few words without Dean's is lip service. We can speak about a lot of things we can tell people about Jesus even. but if it's not associated with some kind of loving Act then some people are just not going to hear the words. The Good Deeds without words though speaks volumes is a lot of good things that you can do a lot of good. Devil, in in in in in feeding people and feeding like 5,000 people. I mean these people were hungry just as much spiritually as they were with food and they were in a deserted place and they needed something because when our bellies are empty and we're focused on how hungry we are we cannot receive the spiritual food. There is a block in ourselves that says, okay. I'm focused on this. I need to I need to eat. I can't think about other things So when our physical needs are met. Then we are open to receiving from God.

consider that

so if we're living our life with such a way as if people are compelled to ask us why we are doing such a thing. Opens the door to us to speak about pay.

It's hard, and I know you you know, it's hard. To talk about faith in our culture to talk about faith in in Western culture in North America. Because to be honest, there's more deatrich people. then unchurched people

there are people that have gone to church and have experienced an offense. or a Hertz or even a wrong.

And they cannot feel the love of God that comes from the people. of God Who say they are about love? Because no one has gone to them and ask for forgiveness. No one has gone to them and said I may have been wrong.

No one has gone to them and ask for forgiveness in general. For the people of got me as a representative of who we are here is Salem United Methodist Church. If something happens here, I am compelled to go to the person and ask for their forgiveness for the body here at Salem United Church United Methodist Church if they are wrong, Why because it opens the door the heart for me to be able to speak about a loving caring nurturing God?

We are representatives of God when we step out that door. You are representative of a god when you're sitting next to a person who is hurting and needs caring and loving in the hospital. You are very representative of God when you are feeding those who are hungry and you break bread at your table.

This opens the door of the Ark to be able to speak about faith so that we can plant the seed.

See compelling words after compelling these changes hard and changed hearts. people hear better

when their needs are met

and God is a God who wants the needs met?

Have you tell the disciples to give them something to eat?

And the disciples were offended about that. Bike is what were what were the disciples disciples focused on what was there a question and I we could they they retorted gave a report back to Jesus and reportedly, I don't know what you're talking about. But I cannot give up two-thirds of my yearly income. That's what the cost of the 200 denarii. I was 2/3 of a Year's wage. But you Jesus already knew Jesus can count. Okay, I do. This Jesus was a carpenter. He would have had to have some kind of counting ability. You would have had to measure length and whatnot. So you just can count. He knows how much money it would have required to be able to feed 5,000 people. He was in this throwing it out there and say no you guys feed him. Just knew who the disciples were in new. How much was in the money bag that that that one of them carried around with them? They did not have 210 area in 2/3 of years and

So what you just talkin about here? Jesus is talking about having faith that whatever we are provided. Can be multiplied for God's purposes and what is God's purposes? What are our Commandments What are the greatest Commandments? Love God with all you have and love others as yourself.

And Jesus was ready and willing to have faith as a father would provide what is needed even from a few Loaves and two fish. 5000 people

he was compelled by compassion word compelled by compassion things happen. Hey there, the disciples were report was instinctive and they were probably tired and weary and worn out and their vacation with interrupted.

And they were stressing is my vacations interrupted. I'm going to be stressed. I'm going to be worn out. I'm going to be testy. I'm going to be anxious just ask Becky and I don't even have a have to have a vacation for that to happen. I just have to be tired or does not get my meal or you know, my sugar drops just a little bit.

So I can't blame his disciples for having that kind of reaction.

But what are they focused on their focused on what they have what they can control What day can do?

Jesus who is focused on what God can do. What can happen what the expectation is when God is in the midst and he wants to care for his people. Hey, that's that's the truth Shepherd to Jesus Distributing the bread and the fish to all the disciples and then turn to the rest of the people. Why because this is now the disciples. It is now their turn to care for the people because Jesus first cared for them.

So now they're being asked to be Shepherds of the people in the same way not just preaching. hottest teaching not even just healing but providing for the people

notice that the people don't seem to notice that this miracle even happen is not alike great recognition of like the disciples coming up with all this food and distributing it out all those people and all that stuff. I seen this miracle is for the disciples. This miracle with for the disciples to understand their new place in serving others into giving the others because Jesus first gave to them.

Is it doesn't meet just me need Jesus satisfied? I mean we can meet me. All right, if somebody's hungry we can share food with them. But when God comes into The Mists and just doesn't meet the need but he satisfies then he makes it right. He makes it true. He makes a good all right, but he does something more. It's not just like filling a belly, but he heals the inner man. That's something that we can't we try we we try to give counseling and advice they try to say, you know, this might be the best thing for you. But how do we know? Hey, we can't read minds. We don't know all the person's life. The great thing is that in time ham and God dies. He will make it better.

So I ask you questions this morning. You keep in your mind keeping your thoughts.

How hungry are you?

Do you want your spiritual needs just to be met? Or do you want something more? Do you want to be satisfied with all the God can give it and pour into your life the blessings that he can give you the gifts that he gives you. And the purpose that he has for your life. Do you want to be a part of that great mission of God that he gives us? What are you seeking? What do you want to be filled? Are you seeking you need to be a good person so you can be known as a good person? Where are you seeking to be a good person so that other people can be blast. By what you have from. Cuz this isn't this isn't Point perfectionism is not the point of Christianity here. Perfectionism is not the point.

It what what I need an unmet needs. Do you have that's preventing you from hearing God's calling for your life. What's preventing you from moving into those gifts that God has given you and if you don't know those gifts, that's okay too, but then come come and ask cuz I resources that I you know, there's like different if we can do and everything it it has questions about what you like to do in life. How you like to help people. I know one of my guess is coming out this preaching and teaching and but I also have some prophetic gifting his inability. So that's kind of in there too. But I also like to serve people I mean, I love just being able to you know, give people food when they're hungry. And now it touches the inner places of my heart when I can be able to do that somebody. And I know that I am directly in God's mission. When I am Dead performing at that level.

I know I'm in the place that God has for me when I'm serving other people.

and so when you

when you're doing what God has called you to do because he created the person that you are he gives you the gifts to be able to do these things. And when you are working and you are moving in that area, there's nothing else in life that you would rather have or any place that you would rather be and to do those things.

That to me is satisfying. That to me is a Feeling. That's me is where my Hunger High? What Cheese's?

My Hunger to help meet needs my Hunger to help serve my Hunger to help Council to give advice so that other people's can feel and know the blessings of God that will touch them and change their hearts.

Declared I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

only Jesus