Don’t Go Home Hungry!

Mt. 14.13-21

Introduction

·         Old Country Store—Lorman, MS. It was lunch time, and I was meditating on the very passage read earlier. My good friend and fellow motorcycle rider, Randy Smith called. Turns out he and his wife had been traveling on the Harley in eastern MS and had experienced fried chicken at the Old Country Store in the little town of Lorman, just south of Vicksburg. I’m convinced he called just to rub it in. Arthur Davis uses his grandmother’s recipe, and folks come from all over to fill up on his fried chicken. "She taught me how to get the recipe for my fried chicken just right," he says. The 130-year-old wooden structure was once a popular stop for purchasing everything from cotton to work boots. Creaky floors and rusty signs speak of days gone by, lending an air of authenticity. Guests flock to the back, where Arthur offers a lunch buffet ($5.95) with country favorites such as macaroni and cheese, mustard greens, field peas, and dirty rice. One thing clear to me that day—Randy was stuffed and very much satisfied.

·         Great feeling after filling up on good food, and that’s, of course, what today’s passage is about . . . good food that fills us up.

1.     Christ feeds the crowd

·         The occasion—Jesus gets word that he’s cousin has been decapitated. John the Baptist lost his head at the behest Herodias’ daughter. As we might expect, Jesus seeks solitude, takes time to “get away.” But . . .

·         Barclay—Galilee not a very large place. 50 miles north to south and 25 miles east to west.

·         Josephus—“Moreover, the cities lie here very thick; and the very many villages there are here, are everywhere so full of people, by the richness of their soil, that the very least of them contain above fifteen thousand inhabitants.”

·         Not exactly an easy place to find solitude, so Jesus goes to the most logical place—by boat—the other side of the lake—Sea of Galilee. But the crowds aren’t so easily discouraged—they walk around the top of the lake on foot and find him there.

·         And instead of saying, “Hey, just leave me alone. Give me some space!” He does what does he do? Heals the sick! Why? Because of compassion.

·         So this healing time continues until evening comes . . .

·         What about supper? Ferrell and I working in yard/house, etc. Nobody takes out anything to thaw. What do you want? I don’t know, what do you want? How about some fast food? Mickey D’s? Popeyes?

·         So something similar happens there on the east side of the lake—they’ve all been busy—especially Jesus—time has passed by—it’s late—no food on the table. Folks are hungry. They’ve been enthralled by Jesus’ miracle working but growling stomachs sound the alarm of growing hunger.

·         Gotta hand it to the twelve—at least they’re observant enough to know the needs of the people.  But, it’s amazing—the disciples have Jesus right there—and he’s working the miracle of healing—and yet they seek help elsewhere. Jesus is right there with them but they’d rather send the folks to the local 7-11.

·         Aren’t we like that sometimes? We’re followers of the One who is the ultimate source of joy and peace—the One who has the capacity to meet our most urgent needs. And we settle. We bypass him for what seems to be the solution.

·         He doesn’t necessarily make it easy for them. YOU give them something to eat—emphatic. His expectation: for his disciples to be involved. And he expects us to be involved. We’re to be a part of what he’s got going on—the kingdom work.

·         The disciples: but all we can find is just five loaves and two fish—not exactly a truckload of food. (Parallel account in John’s gospel—a boy has the food.)

·         Catfish and hushpuppies. My father and his fish frys—already looking to Labor Day. When he was younger and bit more spry, he would do most of the work. Now it falls to me. I’ll bring the fish and oil. How many pounds, son? His general rule-of-thumb is 1 pound per person. So I say, OK 10 people—10 pounds. I don’t know why he ever asks me. He always breaks his own rule gets too much. 5000 men plus women and children. Easily could quadruple that. 20,000 folks—a nice round number. 20,000 pounds of catfish.

·         It’s not enough, Jesus. Five chunks of bread and two measly fish.

·         But you know, don’t you? With Jesus, it’s always enough.

·         They all ate and were satisfied

2.     Call to Communion

·         This table—simple bread and drink. Seems on the surface to be so little. How can this be enough? Because of Christ. Because he is always enough.

·         This meal is more than fish and bread (point to table)—much more than 5 loaves & 2 fish multiplied. A meal like the one served on the shore of the lake (not discounting it—amazing miracle) only stops the stomach’s growling. When we eat from the Lord’s Table—when we partake again of Christ’s sacrifice, our hearts and minds are filled—our spiritual hunger is no more.

·         Christ calls us to communion so that we might experience afresh the food that fills the soul—his body—his blood—Jesus Himself. He calls us all to eat and be satisfied.

·         Jedadiah the Jew. Observant concerning all the laws and traditions of his people. Faithful member of the local synagogue. Doors opened he’s there. Scroll’s read—he’s attentive.  He’s curious about this Jesus fellow—so he joins the crowd that’s following Jesus—finds himself one day amidst a throng that consists of 5000+ men, not counting the women and kids. And it’s getting late—and everyone’s getting hungry—including Jedadiah. And the next thing he knows, food is coming around—bread and fish. BUT for some strange reason (I don’t even think Jedadiah understood why.) when the food was passed to him, he passed on the food. Didn’t eat. And so, he went away hungry. He didn’t have to—surely didn’t need to—but he did—he left that place—that food—unsatisfied. He went home hungry!

·         Faithful Christians don’t always eat from the Lord’s Table—oh they may seem to do so, but in reality they don’t. They go through the motions—they put bread in their mouths and pour juice down their throats—but the miss the meaning—they don’t partake of Christ anew. And they go home hungry!

Conclusion

·         Today we have the opportunity to come to the Lord’s table—to all eat and be satisfied. Don’t go home hungry!

Hymn:  #557—Blest Be the Tie That Binds

Benediction: May the God of hope will you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.