SPECIAL DAYS: April 18, Holocaust Remembrance Sunday

Lesson: Matthew 14.13-21

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INTRODUCTION:

1. I have used this one once before, but it fits with the theme of the sermon

One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.

The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost?"

God listened very patiently and kindly to the man. After the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this? Let's say we have a man-making contest." To which the scientist replied, "Okay, great!"

But, God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."

The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.

God looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt."

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MAIN BODY:

1. We cannot even create our own food

At a meeting of the governing Board on Monday Jim related how he had planted his potatoes.

Where did he get the potatoes?

Bought seed.

Planted seed from last year.

He did not create the seed.

1. In Mark 4:26-29, Jesus tells a story about a farmer and the growth of the seed.

²⁶He also said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, ²⁷and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. ²⁸The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. ²⁹But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."

2. We know the "how" better than did our ancient ancestors when Jesus spoke this parable.

3. We cannot create, we can only reproduce food.

1. Agronomics

1. Fertilizers

2. Insecticides

3. Herbicides

4. Irrigation

5. Cultivation

2. Genetics

3. Cloning

4. We use all the methods and tools at our disposal, but still we cannot create.

1. We are still dependent on nature.

2. Only God can create and recreate.

2. Because we cannot create but only use what is available we are faced with certain uncertainties.

1. Jesus points out that because of these uncertainties, the human tendency is to worry about the necessary essentials of life.

2. In Luke 12:22-31, NRSVA, he says specifically:

²²He said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. ²³For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ²⁴Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! ²⁵And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? ²⁶If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? ²⁷Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. ²⁸But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you--you of little faith! ²⁹And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. ³⁰For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

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3. For us to avoid anxiety and to live with confidence we need an example of production of life.

1. The lesson gives us a prime example.

1. Jesus learns of the death of John the Baptist.

2. He withdraws by boat to a deserted place to be by himself.

2. When he comes ashore he finds a great crowd.

1. He has compassion for them and cures the sick.

2. It is a long process and takes a great amount of time.

3. Evening comes.

4. It is time for supper.

3. The disciples want Jesus to send the people away so they can go to the surrounding villages and buy food for themselves.

1. Jesus responds that they need not go away.

2. He says to the disciples, you give them something to eat.

3. They have nothing.

4. They have found a small boy who has five loaves and two fish.

5. Jesus ask for them.

4. He orders the crowd to sit on the grass.

1. The men sit my themselves, the women and children sit by themselves.

2. There are about 5000 men and a large number of women and children.

5. Jesus takes the five loaves and the two fish and blesses them and then breaks them into pieces.

1. He gives the pieces of bread and fish to the disciples to give to the people.

2. When they collect the broken pieces, the disciples have 12 baskets of leftovers.

6. It is on one hand a simple and moving story of the compassion of Jesus in providing for the needs of hungry people.

7. It is on the other hand a complex story of food production unmatched in human history.

1. The Israelites were fed with manna for nearly 40 years.

2. Elijah had an encounter with the Widow of Zarephath.

1. He asked her for something to drink and eat.

2. She had only a little four and a little oil.

3. For the whole time of the famine her oil and four did not run out.

3. Elisha met a widow of Shunammite

1. Because of her kindness he desires to help her so he asks her what he can do for her.

2. Because her husband is dead, the creditors are coming to sell her two children into slavery.

3. All she has is a little oil.

4. Elisha encourages her to pour the oil into a large vessel and she does.

5. She continues to poor until there are no jars left.

6. This is not a story of a supper, but of a means to make a little money to starve off creditors.

4. Elisha is fed by ravens.

4. But none of these stories can match what is happening on the shore of Galilee.

1. Some commentators would have us leave the story here, and we could.

1. From the Pulpit Commentary, various authors.

1. "It was a mighty miracle, beyond our comprehension, but no wonder to him who fills all things with living with plenty."

2. "We do not know how the miracle was wrought; we cannot even conceive of it."

2. But I will not leave it here, because I believe that there is a very important and valuable lesson here for us that may, just may, reinforce and increase our levels of trust and confidence in Jesus Christ, and our God.

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3. What is accomplished by going on?

1. The first lesson is that we have to participate.

1. Where did the disciples get the loaves and fishes?

2. They acquired them as a gift from a small boy who had them for his own meal.

2. The second lesson is how were they multiplied.

1. Again from the Pulpit Commentary

1. "We are not told at what point the miraculous multiplication of the bread took effect--under the 'blessing,' and at the 'breaking' of the five loaves and two fishes in the hands of Christ, or as the disciples distributed, or as the people ate. Though we are not told it, this is one of the untold things that we can scarcely find difficulty in supplying; and this without charge, or any self-charge even, of presumptuousness."

2. There is, I believe, an understanding made possible by the reading of the story.

2. Jesus took bread and when he had blest it he broke it and broke it and broke it.

3. Jesus took dried fish and when he had blessed them, he divided it, and divided it, and divided it again.

3. Jesus Christ is the creator.

1. But he laid down all his creative ability when he became human.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NRSVA)

⁵Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, ⁷but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, ⁸he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death--even death on a cross.

2. Here he was exercising, with the power of God to create the molecules of bread and fish.

John 10:31-39 (NRSVA)

³¹The Jews took up stones again to stone him. ³²Jesus replied, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?" ³³The Jews answered, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God." ³⁴Jesus answered, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, you are gods'? ³⁵If those to whom the word of God came were called 'gods'--and the scripture cannot be annulled--³⁶can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, 'I am God's Son'? ³⁷If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. ³⁸But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." ³⁹Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.

3. He reproduces bread and fish until everyone has eaten their fill and there are 12 baskets of leftovers.

4. How do you believe that people who ate their fill related their experience to their own lives?

1. They did not do very well.

2. The next time we see them Jesus is suggesting that they came again because their hunger was satisfied.

John 6:25 through John 6:29 (NRSVA)

²⁵When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" ²⁶Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. ²⁷Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." ²⁸Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" ²⁹Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

3. They did not consider the spiritual hunger that they possessed, but did not recognize.

5. Now how do we relate this experience to our own personal lives.

1. We bring our own bread to the table.

2. We bless it and brake it.

3. Jesus helps us with a potential for faith that is incredible in its depth and its strength to endure.

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CONCLUSION

Finishing the Race ⁽¹⁾

"During a track meet in Florida, a fine athlete came within one second of breaking a state record in the mile run.

"A few did not finish, and workers were setting up the hurdles for the next race when the judge noticed another runner.

"He came across the line staggering, then fell into the cinder track, cutting his face.

"The judge turned him over and wiping the blood from his face, said, 'What are you doing in the mile race anyway?'

"The runner gasped out, 'Sir, my school had a good miler, but since he was sick, the coach promised to have someone run the mile race.'

"The judge said, 'Son, why didn't you drop out, since you were over a half lap behind?'

"The boy answered, 'They sent me here to finish the mile race, and I did!'"

1. Jesus has the capacity to create.

1. Can he help us to be creative?

2. He also can help us to endure.

3. It does not get any better than this!

1. Courtesy of J. P. McCamey, Indianapolis, IN