Bread Aplenty Even in the Desert
Bread Aplenty Even in the Desert
Pentecost 11 August 8 1999
Matthew 14:13-21
Late-night calls make me jump. Sometimes out of reflexive response to the noise. Other times out of fear of some tragedy. My hands shake, my stomach knots, questions flood my mind. What has happened now? Who is ill? Has someone been hurt, or died? As I pick up the receiver, I pray. “Whatever comes, O Lord, be with me, to say the right thing—and to help this caller find strength.” I want to comfort people with the knowledge that God provides for them, in times of tragedy or in times of simple need. After such calls, I am sometimes emotionally spent. I need time to myself.
1. The world is full of tragedy.
Consider the circumstances Jesus faced leading up to the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus has just heard about the senseless tragedy of his cousin, John—brutally murdered at the whim of a dancing girl. John and Jesus were not just cousins, but very close friends. They probably discussed theology as they grew up together. No matter, John held a very important place in God’s plan of salvation. In fact, Jesus even says John is “greater than a prophet.” John’s main purpose was to usher in the Son of God by calling people to repentance. Historically, John links the message of the Old Testament Prophets to the actual coming of the Messiah. No wonder Jesus wanted to be alone when he heard the tragic news. “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Ps 116:15.” Silently Jesus sails across the Sea of Tiberias to a place of solitude.
In times of crisis we too need solitude and time to talk with our heavenly Father. He always listens to our problems that would bury us. “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." He says. There are family factions, challenging changes, heavy health issues, and the busyness of everyday life, all making their demands on us. We need time alone with our God. In His humanity, even Jesus learned the limits of the flesh.
2. The world is hurting.
So, how did the word get spread? Who told all those people where Jesus was going. Why would they go so far to follow him so late in the day? When Jesus steps on the shore for his time alone, a huge crowd had already gathered. There before Him He saw a world of demands—the disabled, the poor, the diseased. Whether they knew it or not, those people needed time with God, and that time was upon them. Whether they sensed their lostness, or not. Whether they knew Jesus had something they needed, or not. Whether they knew their sinfulness, or not. Whether they had heard of a loving God, or not, they were being lead by the heavenly father to Jesus because they all needed to be with their God. When Jesus saw them, “He had compassion on them.” He knew their needs and began healing them.
3. The disciples were human.
What was to be a time of rest for Jesus and the twelve turns into a time for ministry. In typical human fashion, Jesus’ disciples see only the limitations of what they can do. They encourage Jesus to stop His ministry so the crowd could continue in their busyness, go home, and get something to eat. “How thoughtful!” huh? But, consider this: Sometimes a thoughtful mind can halt a caring heart, and a necessary ministry.
Can you imagine the shock of the disciples when Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.” The disciples must have looked at each other in utter disbelief. “What? Maybe I didn’t hear you right! There are 5,000 people out there. We don’t have the money for all of them. Besides, there are only five small loaves of bread and two small fish. What are you gonna’ do with that?” “Bring them here to me,” Jesus said. He then takes what they have, gives thanks for it, blesses it, and provides not only what is needed, but more.
As he serves the crowd, He teaches His disciples that He can turn scarcity into abundance. He is God. Matthew emphasizes some important actions and words of Jesus: He took, He thanked, He broke, He gave. While these actions and words filled hungry stomachs, they also filled hungry minds. Consider the impact of receiving bread just as the God of Moses miraculously fed the Israelites with manna. The point is this. Jesus is the Messiah, the true God. He can and does provide for all our needs. And, when there is a mission and ministry to be fulfilled, He still provides.
Consider His mission and ministry among us. When our resources are limited we need to remember that His resources are limitless.
I’d like to close with a story that Corrie ten Boom repeated many times. She was telling her father that she could never be a missionary because of all the hardships and sacrifices it required. “I don’t have the strength to do it.” Her father replied, “You know when I send you once a week to Amsterdam on the train to get the exact time to set our clocks in the shop, when do I give you the fare for the train?” “Just before I am to get on the train,” she replied. “Yes,” he said, “and so it is with the tests of life that come to each of us. God may not give you the strength beforehand, but when the time of the test comes, he will give you the fare for the journey.” Amen.