Break & Give

Prayer

“Hangry”

Remember those Snickers commercials, the “You’re not you when you’re hungry” commercials. Showed a celebrity like Betty White or Aretha Franklin in odd situations - playing football, in back seat of a guys’ rode trip. Concept was that you’d play football like Betty White or be a diva like Aretha Franklin if you were hungry. Around our house, the word “hangry” is used (angry because you’re hungry, hungry - angry, get it?).

Experience I think all of us can relate to, that feeling of irritation, of becoming resentful, when you’re not getting what you want or even need in that moment. When problems come up at inconvenient times - you’re tired, it’s been a long day, finally get to crawl into bed, all of sudden the neighbors start making a lot of noise - or, as parents know all too well - kids needing you in the middle of the night.

This past week, when I was with the Andersons in Portugal, we were changing locations of where we were staying (back in city of Porto), and things went awry trying to get the information we needed to check into our apartment.

We’d been out all day, we got dropped off at the apartment with all our luggage - and we couldn’t get in. John David is trying to fill out lengthy form on his phone (have to every guest’s info, including passport), we’re trying to call the real estate office that manages property - calls go straight to voicemail. We ended up having to take an Uber over to their offices to get the key. That was a hangry situation.

Gospel story I want to share this morning starts off as a “hangry” story. We’re in the midst of our “We Would See Jesus” sermon series, taking a look at these great stories about Jesus in order to see if we can “see” him better. That our hearts would be drawn to him, our minds, as Dallas Willard says, would be enthralled with him. We would more willingly give ourselves to him.

We started with story of Jesus and Peter (for a little bit, at least) walking on the water - and Jesus beautifully speaking to them in the midst of their fear, It’s me, I’m with you. Jesus is always with us, no matter the circumstances.

Last Sunday - we looked story of Jesus and his mother, Mary and the disciples at the wedding in Cana. Jesus, to save the bridegroom from social embarrassment makes this amazing wine (and a lot of it) out of water - reminding us of God’s unabashed goodness, the grace after grace he pours into our lives.

Today, we’re going to be in Gospel of Mark, story of Jesus feeding the crowd of 5,000. We’ll see how Jesus deals with his disciples in the midst of their being “hangry”. Mark 6:30-44...

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. 35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” 39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 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 his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Break & Give

The Hangry Disciples

So, at the beginning of this story, you can bet the disciples were excited - they’d just come from having been sent by Jesus to various towns and villages surrounding Galilee - proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God, healing people, freeing some of them from demon possession. They’re reporting all of this to Jesus - they’re excited…Jesus, you should have seen it! I touched the man, immediately his skin started cleaning up…this woman, her eyes were wild, glazed - and I cast that demon out…

They’re probably talking over each other - and I’m sure Jesus was laughing through it all, just soaking up the joyful reaction of his disciples.

But he also knows that ministry is work. Tiring work. So he wants to give them rest. Note what it says in verse 31, “because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat,” he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

I’m sure the disciples were eager for that - some rest sounds great. So, they get into the boat in order to head to a “solitary place” the Bible says. Ends up not being so solitary. Crowd figures out where they’re headed and runs there on foot and gets ahead there ahead of them.

And you can just imagine the look on the disciples’ faces when they see crowds, you gotta be kidding me! They’re tired, they’re hungry - they’re trying to get away to get some rest and this stupid crowd is ruining it! It’s a hangry moment.

To be fair - I’m reading a little into the story - maybe’s it’s because that’s how I’d be feeling in that moment, that irritation rising up. But I think this would be the typical response, the likely response. We certainly see it reflected in their readiness to have Jesus send the crowd away.

But it’s not Jesus’ response. “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”

Jesus’ immediate heart response to seeing the crowd is...compassion. They’re lost. They’re searching. Jesus knows that he is the one who can give them exactly what they need. He longs for them to come under the care he can provide. If you let me, I will be your shepherd - that’s Jesus’ heart in that moment. So he starts teaching.

Think for a moment about what this reveals about Jesus and his heart toward us - there’s never any reluctance, any begrudging (him again, really?). Jesus never responds to us out of obligation or duty - it’s always a willing heart. A compassionate heart. A ready heart. Ready to take us under his care, to provide for us, to teach us his wisdom, the way to life. So that we will wander like lost sheep no more.

Meanwhile, the disciples, “there goes time for rest. We won’t be eating for a while.” And they’re right. Jesus teaches through the rest of day. They get to stay hangry. Finally, at the end of the day, disciples see their opportunity. They make what is honestly a very practical, thoughtful suggestion.

Think about it - it’s end of the day, they’re in an isolated spot - Jesus should send crowds away so they can travel to neighboring villages to get something to eat. Then, of course, the disciples can eat and get some rest, too. It’s a win-win. Perfect.

Jesus, however, has something different in mind. “You give them something to eat.” As you might imagine, the disciples can’t even begin to fathom such a possibility. They are tired and hungry - daylight is fading, there’s no food around. Besides - it’s a crowd of thousands, thousands! It would take half a year’s wages to buy enough food to feed them all.

Jesus, you can’t be serious. You’ve got to be kidding. So they ask him, “Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” Apparently Jesus is not kidding. He asks them how much bread they have - go and check.

They do. They don’t even have enough for themselves, much less this crowd of thousands - five loaves and two fish. That’s it, five loaves of bread and two fish. Woohoo, crumbs for everyone!

The Trusting Jesus

Jesus doesn’t bat an eye. He starts telling the disciples to have the crowd sit down in groups on the grass. So the disciples organize them into groups of a couple hundred.

Now, if you were one of the disciples, this whole thing must have looked a little ridiculous - you’re looking at this crowd of thousands sitting in their groups. And then you look up at Jesus, and he’s holding up the food - it’s a small enough amount he can hold it all up himself. Crowd of thousands. Five loaves and two fish. So many people. So little food.

Remember at the beginning of the pandemic when fear of not having enough swept through at different times? First it was the hand sanitizer. Everywhere, sold out because folks were snatching it up. It was like liquid gold. Then, the toilet paper. You’d see pictures of people at grocery store with their shopping cards loaded up with toilet paper - they’d be able to wipe their tushies for years to come.

You often see worst of people when the fear of not having enough starts stirring up. There was an ugly incident in my family years ago - we were having a big family vacation at the beach, my parents and all my siblings and their kids. We split dinner responsibilities, and one of my brothers made a great meal, a shrimp boil - it was loaded with shrimp and corn on the cob and potatoes and kielbasa sausage. Everybody’s going through line and the brother who prepped the food, who’s at the end of the line, gets concerned there’s not going to be enough - folks are taking too much, and makes comment about it. He’s a little upset - he’d made it all and now he’s not going to get to share in all good stuff. That starts whole chain of reactions, accusations start flying about people taking too much, and who always takes too much and then ends up not eating it - it gets thrown away (you don’t waste food in my family). It got heated. It got ugly. Listen, I was right in thick of it, I was mad at a couple of my brothers for some of the accusations they were making. Not a proud moment for Laukoter family.

Turns out, it was all for naught, there ended up being plenty.

But isn’t that how we often are - we look, and we start getting worried there won’t be enough. All we can see is scarcity. Fear starts rising within us. I won’t get what I need. I’m going to be without. What am I going to do?

Not Jesus. Jesus isn’t looking at the meager amount of food. He’s not looking at the big crowds, either. He’s looking “up to heaven”. He’s looking to the Father. He’s giving thanks - Father, you provided this food we have. You’re so good to us. You’re so faithful. Thank you.

How often - if we even remember - is our prayer before we eat more of a formality, little prayer we do because we’re supposed to. Not for Jesus. What a bold act of faith. Considering the circumstances, it seems like a ridiculous prayer - thanking God for the meager amount of food for the crowd of thousands. Why bother?

Because Jesus knows that he - like us - only has anything because of the grace and goodness of the Father. He knows it is the Father who provides daily bread. Our Father, who art in heaven…give us this day our daily bread. Jesus knows the Father is the good and faithful shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. I shall not want. I shall not want.

Jesus then takes bread and breaks it and gives it to the disciples. They, in turn, take the broken pieces of bread and break those into pieces and gives them to the crowd. Those in crowd, as they receive the pieces of bread, break them and pass them on to those sitting next to them. Break and give, break and give, break and give. Over and over and over again. Same thing with the fish, break and give, break and give. Over and over and over again.

“And they all ate and were satisfied.” Every single one of the them. All 5,000 plus of them. Disciples included - hangry no more.

And I love this little note at the end - job of the disciples isn’t quite done - they have one more thing to do, and I’m guessing they somehow weren’t so tired anymore, I bet they were doing this last job with great delight. They go around and pick up leftovers. It just happens to be twelve baskets filled withe pieces of bread and fish.

It’s God’s little wink - not enough, huh…heck, I’ve even got your lunch for tomorrow covered!

This story is a Good Shepherd story. This is a story that reminds us what it means to live in the Kingdom of God, under the care of the King Jesus, our good shepherd. The shepherd who longs to take these lost sheep under his care, bring them into the flock, and care for them, provide for them, fill them with his teaching, his wisdom. Jesus wants to nourish us on the right way to live. He wants to instill us with abiding confidence that we can entrust ourselves to his care. I don’t need to get hangry. Not only do I not have to get hangry, I can share of what I have with others, even if it doesn’t seem enough. The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.

Spiritual Disciplines

Take extra time and attention as you pray before meals this week. Look up to heaven. Thank the Father. Thank him for whatever it is you have before you -whether it’s a gourmet meal or basic bowl of oatmeal, or something in-between. Whatever it is, God has provided this daily bread for you, thank him for his good gift, his faithfulness.

Pray Psalm 23 on a daily basis. Make the truths of the Scripture passage become something you believe in your mind and in your heart.

Such a powerful image - when you think about sheep, they have no natural defenses - none, can’t run fast, have no camouflage, no defensive ability. And they’re not very bright animals. They are absolutely dependent upon the faithful care of the shepherd.

Sheep that are well taken care of live in blissful peace. Out in the field, grazing away, enjoying what the shepherd has provided, his watchful care. Passage invites us to learn to live this way.

One more spiritual discipline I want to challenge you with this week, bonus - but before I share it, I want to end time of the message a little different this morning. We’re going to change the order of our worship service slightly, we’re going to move straight into Communion right after this, but I want to share a few thoughts before we do.

Inspiration / Communion Prep

I hope that, as we went through the passage this morning, there was a part in there that brought to mind an image from another part of Jesus’ life: “Then looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.”

That it brought to mind Jesus at the last supper, breaking bread with his disciples. What we remember in Communion, as we break bread, remembering the gift of Jesus offering himself to us...”this is my body, broken for you, take and eat.”

It is the gift of Jesus himself, the gift of his life laid down on our behalf, broken and given, for us. Break and give. Break and give.

The disciples - like us so often, were concerned about not having enough for themselves. Leads to us clinging, hanging on. Getting hangry at times.

Yet Jesus doesn’t cling or hoard - and he certainly doesn’t get hangry. Because he so fully trusts the Father, and the Father’s faithful care and provision, he’s ready to share, to give, to pour out for the sake of others - even at the cost of his own body, broken for us. Break and give. Break and give.

That’s my final challenge for this week. Give of yourself this week. Stretch your giving. It may be “bread”, it may be your time, it may be the willingness to listen, to be attentive to others, it may be your help. In this story, Jesus included the disciples in the miracle, he broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, and they, in turn, broke the bread and gave it. Jesus wants us to share in this willingness to give of our ourselves for the sake of others…break and give, break and give. When we live in confidence of God’s provision, his faithfulness, we are freed to give.

(Move to Communion)