Bring Them Here to Me

Matthew 14:13–21 NIV

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. 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 the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

People are Hungry

It was a long day. It started with very bad news. John the one who baptized was dead in the most gruesome way and for the most ridiculous reason. Jesus was grieving. He knew he needed to get away. He jumped in a boat and made it to a remote place to think and pray and process it all. If Jesus needed to do this, then leaders today need to also remember to take adequate time to rest and renew.

But the people eventually figured out where he was and they flocked to him again. Realizing that time may now be short, he had compassion on them and began to heal those who were sick. So as I said, it had been a long day. It was now time for the evening meal. The disciples were thinking about the people and thought Jesus should let them go so they could find food.

On a different day this might have been exactly what they did. But this day was different. This day Jesus had been moved by the death of a fellow preacher of the kingdom of God. On this day, Jesus was moved by those who were persistently seeking him. On this day, Jesus was moved to do all he could to let people see the heart of God as loving and gracious. Apparently it was time for the disciples to learn to see situations and people through fresh eyes.

“They don’t need to go” he said.

You Give them Something to Eat

Oh boy, here he goes again. No matter what we do he always thinks we can do more… Maybe his challenge began to rest on them as a heavy weight. This can happen in our lives. We’re already doing so much. Life is very complicated right now. We’re all trying to make it through the day. We may be worried if we will have enough. What if we lose a job or develop a health crisis? There’s always plenty to worry about if we focus on it. Studies have shown us that we often see what we go looking for. Small example: did you ever start shopping for a car and suddenly you see everyone driving that same car? Yeah, it’s not that everyone started thinking the same as you all of a sudden. It’s that there are millions of cars on the road in Chicagoland. Thousands of just about any kind. But you’re more aware of this car so your brain picks it out and shows you. That’s kind of how it works in other areas. If we think something bad might happen we start looking for it, being afraid of it and soon enough we are noticing every little bad thing and wondering if it will lead to something worse. This tendency is there to help us be cautious. But if we don’t balance it out we can fall into a hole. Conspiracy theories work that way too. Once you start thinking something is a conspiracy suddenly everything that happens is evidence of it. Trust me I went down this road when I was younger. A healthy sense of skepticism is wise. But a mind that focuses on the negative and doubts every single thing will eventually lose touch with reality and it leads to great unhappiness.

Maybe the disciples were tired and continually amazed by Jesus and not realizing that great things are possible with God. They thought it was totally on them to make this thing with the food happen. They quickly took stock. Nobody had planned for this. Maybe it was a mother who always sent food with her boy. Maybe it was a family who had planned a picnic by the sea but joined in. Either way they did find a happy meal and some breadsticks.

There’s not Enough

We ONLY have 5 loaves and 2 fish. ONLY ONLY ONLY. Jesus we don’t have enough. Jesus our resources don’t even COMPARE with the need we are facing. Could they have been thinking: Jesus this will barely feed us, we can’t share?

Again, they are thinking in terms of what they can supply out of what they are aware that they have in their tired and bewildered hands. Have you ever been there? You’re asking me what, Lord? There’s not enough.

And you know what, you may be right. There may not be enough on paper, in the bank balance, in the cupboards or the fridge or the gas tank.

But Jesus told them to give them something to eat. He didn’t say they had to come up with it on their own. That’s important to remember. So often we try to negotiate with God down to what’s reasonable. But we serve a God who is, what?

Ephesians 3:20 NIV

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

It’s not about what you have already. It’s about who he is. It’s about what he can do in and then through you. According to HIS power that is already at work within us. That kind of God was living among us in the flesh. He said 4 amazing words to them:

Bring them to me

BOOM. Mic drop. And suddenly they could see that what God has given them is not just for them. Suddenly they could see that more just might be possible. That this happy meal and breadsticks might be all God needs to feed the whole neighborhood. Tired hands now trembling they put what they had into the hands of Jesus.

They were overcoming so much stinking thinking in this moment. They were making the choice to leave behind the fear, doubt and disbelief that had been limiting their thinking. It’s not easy to answer the challenge of Jesus, but it’s usually pretty simple.

It’s a simple plan. They gave to Jesus what they had, not what they didn’t have. They gave to Jesus their hopes and their faith. They believed and trusted God to meet the needs.

Jesus directed everyone to sit down because they were about to be served. Then he made the big move. What a visual. He looked up:

Psalm 121:1–2 NIV

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Jesus knew. Now the disciples knew. Everyone in the region and millions across the ages down to you and me were about to know.

So simple but he looked up. He gave thanks for what he had.

He broke the loaves. He gave them back to the disciples. As the disciples gave them away, there just kept being more. More than enough.

That’s Jesus! That’s what he does He takes ONLY and turns it into MORE. Now, I’m not some name it claim it prosperity preacher. I’m not going there this morning. But I do know that when we get worried we hold back. We don’t trust. We doubt. We stop trying to serve and help others. That’s not God’s plan. The disciples didn’t go home with BMW’s OK? There was no private jet. They didn’t turn into beautiful celebrities. They still got sick sometimes and Jesus helped them get well. But this moment helped to propel them into a life of believing and giving and serving. That day, nobody got a year’s supply of rice-a-roni. But everyone got their daily bread. Amen?

Matthew 14:20–21 NIV

20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Folks I’m here today to say whatever you’re facing, God can handle it. I’m hear to remind us all of that truth. God is present. God is able. If we trust him with what we have instead of worrying about what we lack, good things will happen.

It was our honeymoon. We were driving to our hotel and almost there and the car conked out on the frontage road. It wouldn’t start. So we had to get our suitcases out and walk about half a mile the rest of the way, still dressed up. We got checked in and I grabbed the phone book looking for a tow truck. I came across Jesus is Lord Towing. Nice bold print, it really stood out. I thought, how can I not call Jesus is Lord towing? So the guy meets us at the car. Before he hooks it up he said, tell me again what happened? He said, I could tow you, but maybe you just got some bad gas. I’m wondering. He said, let’s pray. Now I have to tell you that embarrassed me. Because it was the sweaty tow truck guy’s idea to pray, not mine. But my heart was strangely warmed in that moment. God was teaching me something. I was trying to fix it. He prayed a beautiful and simple prayer. I got into the car and vroom it started up! It was taking pretty much all our money to pay for the hotel that night. He didn’t want to take anything for it. I insisted on giving him for $25 for his trouble. He prayed for us again and we went on our way. The wind was at our back that day. We felt cared for and loved. God was letting us know we could trust him as we set out on this adventure. I was starting seminary. Ellen still had a year of college left. We made it through. We’re not rich or famous but God has provided for us. He has been faithful.

The next time we were in that town a few weeks or months later, I wanted to find the guy and thank him again and relive the story. I grabbed a phone book. But there was no listing for Jesus is Lord Towing. I asked around-nobody had heard of Jesus is Lord Towing. Yeah, mind blown.

Now maybe the guy went out of business or changed the name, it’s possible. But other things are possible also. Sometimes we focus on what is broken and what is missing. We forget to bring it to Jesus. Sadly we forget to look to heaven, to give thanks, to pray. But God is waiting to do more than we can ask for or imagine when we are stuck in the wrong thinking patterns.

God is a God of abundance.

Abundance

Not that lavishly selfish kind. No, its the kind where you have what you need to live the life God is calling you to. The kind where sometimes you have more than you need and you can invest in the kingdom more. You can put your gifts fully to use. You can put yourself out there and walk where you have to trust Jesus to see it through.

God wants to bless this tired broken world. We are caught in a cycle we can’t seem to break. Can we be the ones to love? Can we be the ones to share? Can we be the ones to serve?

In case you’re wondering if the virus is dangerous, my brother in law has COVID-19. He has been deteriorating. He says this is not like any flu he every had. He is in a fight for his life. He went to visit family in Florida and he and his mom and brother all contracted it from a friend they were around together. Now he’s stuck there until he gets over it. This is real. We need to be careful and we need to wear masks. You don’t have to agree with me. But there’s wisdom in just hanging in there with these guidelines until the storm passes. Those who take risks put either themselves or their loved ones at risk. I know you know, but this is one way we can love our neighbors right now, whether they understand it yet or not.

I believe God will see us through. I believe we can trust Jesus for healing. I’m praying for my brother in law Mike. I hope you will also. But the life of trusting in God’s abundance may mean trusting that it will be ok to wear a mask and delay some travel or postpone that big gathering just a bit longer.

I want everyone to be back to work and back to school and hanging out with friends whenever they want and traveling this beautiful world safely. But the shortest path to that reality may mean hanging in there a bit longer with a cautious and wise approach.

If we are going to be strong and put up with all these inconveniences it will take great faith. Instead of getting frustrated, look up. Instead of getting angry, pray. Instead of giving in to fear, trust God and be patient so you don’t have to be a patient.

But more than this, keep giving. Keep dreaming up ways to help others. One lady from our church has been helping a young family where the father lost his job. We used to have our Dinner Church meals. We can’t do that right now. Can we still offer help with food for those who need it? Can we organize ways to help with God’s help?

This moment will pass. We probably won’t forget it. But what I hope we live to remember the most is how God helped us keep looking up. How we leaned on his power. How we submitted to his plan and cooperated fully with his work in us. How everyone around us God what they needed on at least a few days when we brought what we have to Him. What do you think? Are you on that path?

Would you stand with me?

Ephesians 3:20–21 NIV

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.