July 28, 2024

Sermon title:  “Let’s Eat!”

Scripture:  John 6:1-21

(Other lectionary suggestions include II Samuel 11:1-15, ((this is about David and Bathsheba)) Psalm 14, and Ephesians 3:14-21.)

John 6:1-21

Feeding the Five Thousand

1After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 2A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, “Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” 10Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. 11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” 13So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” 15When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Jesus Walks on the Water

16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

          If you were here last week, you may remember hearing a sermon on the Feeding of the 5,000. Guess what:  same sermon again! Just kidding. Actually, all four Gospels have an account of this feeding. Last week we heard Mark’s account. Today we’ll hear John’s account. Then next week....Just kidding, again! The lectionary didn’t make a mistake, but I DID! I wanted to preach on the Feeding of the 5,000 last Sunday, and I thought the lectionary skipped over that story, so I included it. Had I just looked ahead to today’s lesson, I would have seen that the lectionary was going to have us hear John’s account. So here we have it, and I called the sermon, “Let’s Eat!” I like that phrase because I have heard it so often in my lifetime, usually at family gatherings such as Thanksgiving. And usually those words indicate a happy time and a big meal. What could be better?

          I must tell you that after last Sunday’s sermon on the Feeding of the 5,000, one of our members called it the first church potluck meal! And that’s good, isn’t it, because at just about every church potluck I’ve ever attended, there is always food leftover - and there was here, too, right? Jesus started something, and it was GOOD!

          I mentioned that last Sunday we heard Mark’s account, which was probably written before any of the other accounts. In today’s account by the author of the Gospel of John, we are getting John’s view that not only is Jesus the new MOSES - Jesus is also leading a new EXODUS. What did Moses do but lead the Israelites through the Red Sea and out of the house of bondage - Egypt - and then FED them (with God’s help, of course!) with manna from Heaven? We have those words from a hymn: “Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven, Feed me ’til I want no more, Feed me ’til I want no more.” Also, this is happening at Passover time, as was pointed out last week. The author of John wants us to recall the Passover of when God’s people escaped Egypt and were led to the Promised Land.

          Did you see that “Jesus went up into the mountain”? Who ELSE went up a mountain? If you said, “Moses,” you are correct! Again, John wants you to see Jesus as the NEW Moses. The first Moses led his people out of slavery; the new Moses will lead the people out of slavery to sin. And did you notice? Some of the people wanted to make him king BY FORCE. But he withdrew, UP the MOUNTAIN. Something about that mountain that gave him strength..... If Jesus was going to be king, it was going to be on his terms, not ours. As we have said before, he was not going to be king in any sort of earthly sense.

          Did you notice that some of the disciples are named in John’s account? Philip and Andrew are given “speaking parts,” even though Philip doesn’t know what to do! Andrew doesn’t, either, but he does bring the boy with the bread and fish to Jesus’s attention. I think we mentioned this point last week:  bring what there is to the attention of Jesus. We may not know what he’ll do with it - but part of our faith is that God or Jesus will do something surprising.....maybe something we never even thought of, something that is new and creative.

          Before I move on to more Biblical things, I want to address what seems to be a human condition:  our apparent need to make heroes out of our leaders. The Scripture tells us that Jesus withdrew when some wanted to make him king. I happen to be old enough to remember when General Douglas Macarthur came back from the Pacific Theater, and there was a movement to have him run for President. We eventually did make one military hero President:  General Dwight Eisenhower. Why do we think military leaders will be great Presidents? There was talk of having General Norman Schwartzkopf of the Iraq War run for President. Again, why do we do that? Some generals may make great Presidents, but not necessarily. I personally think the tendency to make military leaders into civilian leaders goes way back to ancient times. Look at King Saul and then David and then David’s son Solomon. Other cultures did the same thing:  Israel’s enemies had their generals be their leaders. An example: the Assyrian Empire that existed around the time of Isaiah. Their kings were their military leaders and vice-versa.

          Perhaps the tendency to do that - make military leaders into rulers - is part of our survival DNA. Perhaps the thinking was something like this:  General So-and-So saved us from the Bad Guys. If we make him king, maybe he’ll save us from OTHER bad things, too. Just a thought. But our very first President was first a military leader:  General George Washington of the Continental Army! Thankfully - in my mind, at least - we have gotten away from the idea that a President must have served in the military. It may be a “plus,” having served in the military. But it no longer seems to be a requirement. Donald Trump did not serve in the military, and neither did Bill Clinton. George H. W. Bush did, but his son George W. Bush did not.....unless you want to count his stint in the National Guard.

          My point? Historically we as a race have wanted to put those we think can save us into power. But Jesus was not going to be THAT kind of savior. He refused to let himself be made into an earthly king.

          Near the end of today’s Scripture lesson, we have an account of Jesus walking on the water toward the disciples, who were in a boat. They are afraid at first, until Jesus tells them not to fear. What is John trying to tell us? For one thing, Jesus has just acted like Moses and fed the people, as we are told in the book of Exodus. But now he even calms the storm, and only God Almighty can do that - and we can read about God’s power over chaos in the early chapters of Genesis. So, is John saying that not only is Jesus the new Moses, but he also is LIKE GOD in some way? Maybe so.

          And perhaps John is trying to say something else, too. Perhaps he is saying that in turbulent times, we need to let Jesus in. We will all have turbulent times in our lives, and sometimes when we least expect them. But don’t be afraid because we can have Jesus with us. I love the way today’s lesson ends:  “Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.” I love that:  “immediately.” No “and then the waters calmed down and they had a pleasant journey.” But “immediately.” Is that really what it’s like when we trust in the Lord? “Immediately.” I love that word. Another way to say what John is trying to tell us is, “Know Jesus. Know peace.” I have seen a bumper sticker that says, “No Jesus. No peace.” But if you spell it correctly, you get what John is trying to tell us. I said I liked that word “immediately.” Okay.....I am going to end this sermon IMMEDIATELY!

Pastor Skip