More Than Bread, More Than Fish – The Act of Communion Within (Part III)

Sermon Title: More Than Bread and Fish – The Acts of Communion Within

Good News Statement: Jesus works within us

Preached: Sunday, May 18^th, 2025 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSVUE): Luke 9:12-17 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of Luke. The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 people on the shore of Galilee from two little fish and five loaves of bread is more than a miracle focused on bread and fish. It’s miracle of work, fellowship, restoration, and preparations. Our exploration of this text begins with reminding us that we have work to do for Christ. Our scripture reading is Luke Chapter Nine, verses Twelve thru Seventeen. May the hearing and understanding of this scripture add a blessing to your life.

Feeding the 5,000 People

¹² The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside to lodge and get provisions, for we are here in a deserted place.” ¹³ But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ They did so and had them all sit down. ¹⁶ And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. ¹⁷ And all ate and were filled, and what was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

The following Sermon Series will be drawn from the words of Biblical Scholar Charles R. Swindoll, who offers commentary and thoughts on the Gospel of Luke in his book ”Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke” published in 2012 by Zondervan Publications in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012.

 

Introduction: [1]

The Twelve Disciples had followed their Master, Jesus, to Bethsaida[2] and then beyond, into the hill country, eager to report their experiences and—and best of all—to enjoy a period of much-needed rest. They had returned with mixed emotions: exhausted after long days of ministry but energized by their experience. After watching Jesus exercise divine authority over the dominion of evil, healing the sick and commanding demons to release their victims, they never dreamed of having that kind of power themselves. They had contented themselves with the privilege of assisting the Messiah, perhaps one day ruling under his administration. But then they received power and authority from Jesus. For several weeks, the Twelve fanned out across Galilee proclaiming the arrival of God’s kingdom and validating their message with Messiah-like miracles. While physically demanding, those weeks on the road must have felt absolutely amazing!

They were starting to see a pattern, the beginning of an agenda, and it made perfect sense. Jesus came to eradicate evil by reestablishing the kingdom of God on earth. He trained twelve deputies and delegated his power and authority to them so they could wage war just like their Master. They would, in turn, train disciples of their own, and when they were ready, pass on their divine power. Generation by generation, an ever-increasing army of disciples would proclaim, heal, cast out demons, and recruit yet more disciples. It was brilliant! Their idyllic thinking left them dreaming that within a few generations, evil wouldn’t stand a chance.

But before they could process all what had happened, before they had a chance to regain their strength, a sea of people surged, bringing with them waves of human need. Suddenly, for all their divine power, the Twelve Disciples found themselves powerless to meet the most basic human need of all: the need to eat. Before long they realized they didn’t understand the agenda nearly as well as they thought. They were now challenged to find a way to feed 5,000 people on the shore of Galilee from two little fish and five loaves of bread.

This famous miracle, which appears in all Four Gospels[3], is a true testament to not only the work of Jesus, but also to the work that Jesus calls us to do. Believe it or not, there is more to this miracle than bread and fish. As a matter of fact, when examined closely, one can see that there is an element of Jesus needing us to do something for him, an ingredient of fellowship, a task to let Jesus restore our lives, and lastly a call to consider what we do with what Jesus gives us. The people are not just fed with bread and fish on the shore of Galilee; they are given the tools to keep Jesus’ ministry alive. Are you on the shore of Galilee?

 

Body:

I would like to begin today’s message by offering a brief recap of where we have been. Two weeks ago, we learned that for whatever reason the Twelve Disciples were trying to get out of a challenge of taking care of the people by telling Jesus, what he never does, to send the crowd of people away. Jesus responds to the Disciples request, “You give them something to eat” (Luke 9:13). This single sentence or command spoken by Jesus directly to the Disciples, in the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, is the same in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Jesus wants the Disciples to do some work, specifically for the people, and to not shy away from a challenge. Even before Jesus multiplies the bread and fish, he is teaching his Disciples and us a lesson. In times of challenges, as a disciple and as a church, we are called not to shy away from them or develop some sort of excuse, praying that they go away, but to approach them knowing that Jesus is with us every step of the way: that the challenge before us is not to weaken us or defeat us, but to make us stronger in our faith.

Furthermore, Jesus reminds us that we have work to do: we are called to “give the people something to eat.” As a disciple, it is our job to find ways and methods to strengthen our faith, to be the hands and feet of Christ on this earth, and to do what we can today so that we can face tomorrow. As a church, it is our job to meet the people where they are, to feed those in and outside our church, to keep our church alive, and to develop ministries by which spiritually nurturer the people. Jesus has work for us to do, but are we willing to do the work, even if it means being challenged to do something new?

Last week we read Luke 9:13-15: “[The Disciples] said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.’ (For there were about five thousand men.) And [Jesus] said to his disciples, ‘Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.’ They did so and had them all sit down.” For starters, the Twelve found themselves in a state of panic. The Twelve searched for what they could find and found nothing, except a mere five loaves of bread and two small fish. John’s narrative tells us the fish and bread were part of a little boy’s lunch, so neither the loaves nor the fish could have been very large (John 6:9). That would explain why John records the Disciples asking Jesus after seeing what the boy had to offer, “But what are they among so many people?” (John 6:9).[4] Talk about being in a dilemma! And Jesus needs the Disciples to give the people something to eat, from practically nothing. If they were still contemplating sending the crowd away, I bet now they are praying to Jesus to send the crowd away. They are faced with yet another challenge.

Jesus gives the Disciples another command. Jesus tells them, “Have [the people] sit down in groups of about fifty each” (Luke 9:14). Have you ever asked yourself why Jesus wanted the people to sit down? They had been following him all day, and just like the Disciples, maybe the people needed an opportunity to rest. Perhaps, having the people sit prevented the people from having to stand in long lines for an extended period of time waiting for food. Maybe, having the people sit down was Jesus’ way to bring order to a chaotic situation. In John 14:27, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” Maybe Jesus was trying to bring calmness and peace to a situation that was on the verge of becoming out of hand.

This moment of the miracle teaches us two things: First, sitting down is essential to having a healthy relationship with Christ, and second, Jesus provides us with opportunities to fellowship. First, when was the last time you allowed Jesus to assure you peace during a chaotic and uncertain time? When was the last time you simply sat down—took a break—because Jesus told you to? When was the last time you did anything for yourself that allowed you the chance to recharge, re-center, and refocus your life? No matter what you are going through in your life, no matter how busy your life may seem, if you truly open your ears to Christ, you will hear him inviting you to sit down and take a break. If God rested on the Sabbath, if Jesus rested on a boat, then certainly we can find some time to sit down and rest.[5]

Second, the people were not only instructed to sit down, but they were instructed to sit in groups of fifty each. Why? To create a moment of fellowship: to establish a moment when the people could gather together. Fellowship is essential to the ministry of Christ. Fellowship in the Bible is God’s people working and experiencing life together, building each other up to greater works of love. The people, whether they knew each other or not, whether they came from the same village or not, whether they believed in Jesus or not, whether they looked the same or not, whether they acted the same or not, whether they were wearing the same colored robe or not, whether they were having a good day or not, whether they had joys or burdens to share, sat and shared a meal together. Fellowship is what reminds people that they aren’t alone. Fellowship grants the people the opportunity to catch up, to say “hello”, and to ask how the family is doing. Fellowship is what brings order to our chaotic life because it reminds us to sit down.

Fellowship in the Bible is God’s people working and experiencing life together, building each other up to greater works of love. Fellowship on the shore of Galilee is God’s people taking a moment to sit down and rest. Fellowship during the ministry of Jesus is God’s people, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be able to share the good news with those around the table and beyond. Fellowship in the church is the church’s chance to do something outside of its normal time of worship—the church’s chance to revitalize the life of the church. And fellowship in your life is an opportunity to gather with others to have a good time and catch up.

Even before Jesus multiplies the bread and the fish, he is demonstrating to the people and his Disciples what is needed to follow him. They need to be willing to overcome challenges, to do some work, to sit down and rest, and to make sure that they fellowship with one another. What Jesus has instructed those present to do is what we are capable of doing as a church and even as an individual. It’s through these instructions that we find ways to remove ourselves from sin because our life is busy doing what Jesus needs us to do. However, before we can do what Jesus instructs us to do, we must allow him to help us be made new; and before that, we must realize that Jesus provides for us. This is where the story continues.

 

Movement One: Jesus Provides what We Need to Keep Going…

After a few hours of anticipation, the moment has finally arrived! Jesus is about to multiply the bread and fish to feed the crowd of people. Luke tells us, “And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd” (Luke 9:16). The Disciples divided the multitude into groups and arranged an efficient distribution plan. Jesus gave thanks for the provision of the little boy’s lunch from John 6 and began breaking the bread and pulling pieces of fish…again and again and again. For hours, Jesus multiplied the food and passed the abundance to the Disciples, who finally were able to “give the people something to eat” (Luke 13).

I’m sure as the Disciples made dozens of trips, carrying baskets of food from Jesus to the multitude, they were asking themselves, “How is Jesus doing this?” From our perspective, if you have ever seen the movie Mary Poppins from 1964 starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, it’s as if Jesus had a magic bag like Mary Poppins that seemed to have no end. In the scene when the Banks’ children are showing Mary Poppins’—the new nanny—her room, she says, “Yes, I think it will be quite suitable. It just needs a touch here and there.” At this point, she opens her bag made form carpet and pulls at a hat stand, then pulls out a mirror, then pulls out a fully grown plant, then a lamp that was already turned on, and after all that she pulls out other accessory items until she pulls out a tape measure to see how the children “measure up.” During all this, the children—Jane and Michael—are curious about this mysterious bag that keeps producing things that are very uncommon to be placed in a bag. Off in the distance while looking into a mirror, Mary Poppins says, “Never judge things by their appearance.” Jesus kept producing bread and fish, non-stop, as if he had some sort of magic bag all while the Disciples were curious with how he was doing this.

The Disciples couldn’t fathom how Jesus was doing this; however, I believe it is safe to say that their “paradigm of ministry undoubtedly changed.”[6] They had indeed received power and authority from Jesus to carry out his ministry, but only as they continually came to him for provisions. Their power to proclaim, to heal, and to cast out demons could never be separated from ongoing dependence on Jesus. His Disciples are to carry out what he supplies. Too much to our surprise, that’s how Jesus works in our life: he provides us with what we need so that we can better be equipped to do his work on this earth as disciples and as a church.

Paul told the people of Corinth, “And God is able to you give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause” (2 Corinthians 9:8). God is providing for you: God is providing for you what you need. In Luke 12, Jesus tells his disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing….do not keep worrying” (Luke 12:22-23, 29). The Disciples were worried—concerned about the people not having food—but if they really knew who Jesus was, then they should have trusted in him to provide for the people instead of wanting to send the crowd away. Jesus was going to take care of the people whether the Disciples believed in him or not. Their worry distracted them from who was before them: they were blind to the provisions of Jesus Christ.

Referring back to Paul, he tells the people of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength but with your testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” As disciples, as well as a church, we will be tested. We will be challenged. We will struggle. We will get frustrated. We will get upset and angry. We will worry. The Devil will constantly be working on us. And if we don’t continuously go back to Jesus for provisions, to be fed the word of God and receive the Light of the world, the Devil will win. However, God will not let you be tested beyond your strength because He will not abandon you nor will He forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:8; Hebrews 13:5). As a matter of fact, we are told in Isaiah 41:10 that God is with us: “Do not fear, for I am with you…” God is always finding ways to help you endure what is being thrown at you because He has given you what you need to overcome any test.

If you don’t believe me, then just look at your own life. Think about all the times you felt tested: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Think about those moments when storms were raging in your life and you somehow made it to the other side. Think about those times when the pieces weren’t fitting together but yet, somehow, the puzzle was completed. Think about those moments when life seemed against you—nothing was going your way—but yet you are here today. Consider those times when darkness prevailed but there was still a flicker of light in the distance. Consider that moment when God did something that you thought He would never do causing you to question Him or even maybe despise Him, but yet He remained by your side, holding your hand. Consider the many messes that He has turned into messages, the multitude of trials that morphed into triumphs, and the several failures that transformed into faithful promises of hope. Ponder that instant when the church may have seemed lost, uncertain, and doing everything it could to stay above water, struggling with each breath; and now see how the church is still here today.

There is no test in life that is greater than God. If we continue to find ways to return to Jesus for provisions, then we will be given what we need to endure what is before us. However, as we return to Jesus, Jesus needs us to allow him to do some work in our life. Jesus wants to perform the acts of Holy Communion within your heart.

 

Movement Two: The Acts of Communion Within… 

As Jesus was getting ready to distribute the bread and fish, he performs five different actions—one of which is carried out by the disciples: Jesus looked, Jesus blessed, Jesus broke, Jesus gave, and Jesus instructed the Disciples to set. These actions are also stated in Matthew 14 and Mark 6. In John’s Gospel, however, Jesus only “took the loaves, and when he had given thanks he distributed them to those who were seated” (John 6:11). No matter how many times I read this portion of Jesus Feeding the 5,000, I automatically recall the moment when Jesus gathered with his Disciples for one last meal in the upper room in Jerusalem. Today, we call this meal “The Last Supper” or “Holy Communion.”

Hear these words recorded in the Gospel of Luke: “When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves, for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood’” (Luke 22:14-20).

Did you catch what Jesus did with the bread? He took the loaf of bread, gave thanks or blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his Disciples. What Jesus did during the Last Supper is what he did while feeding the 5,000 people on the shores of Galilee. On the shores of Galilee, Jesus was foretelling his future but no one knew it, not even the Disciples. For many years, reading this miracle drew me towards the liturgy of Holy Communion. But, as I was studying this text, and realizing how the Disciples continuously returned to Jesus for more provisions in order to feed the people as we often do in our own lives, I began to see how what Jesus does with the bread is what he does in our life. Let me explain…

In the presence of Jesus were 5,000 people, plus women and children according to Matthew, who were not all the same, who did not all come from the same village, who did not all have the same levels of belief, faith, and trust in Jesus, who did not all agree with Jesus or even with one another, and who did not all have connections with the person they were standing or sitting next to. Everyone was different in some way. However, they all had a story, some sort of inkling, which lead them to be in the presence of Jesus. We are similar to the crowd in that way: we all have a story; we all have a reason why we have chosen to be in the presence of Jesus Christ. And Jesus realized that which is why he did and said what he did and said. The people, us included, are similar to the bread in that Jesus is performing actions in our life to bring us back to him.

First, Jesus took the bread, just as it was. It may have been irregular in shape, it may have had a few rough edges, and it may not have been baked perfectly. But Jesus received it and took it to make it holy. Jesus receives you just as you are—the good, the bad, and the ugly, the mistakes, the failures, the successes, the joys, the rough edges, and the imperfections—and takes you to make you holy, to transform you into something new. Jesus takes you in so that he can begin to shape you and mold you into who he knows you can be. Are you willing to let Jesus to take you in just as you are?

Second, after taking the bread, he looked up to heaven. Once we allow ourselves to be received into the care of Jesus, Jesus presents us to God so that we truly become a “child of God”—a follower and doer of His word, sharing the light and love of Christ with all creation. This simple act grants us the knowledge that we now belong to God or as Jesus states, “Abide in me, and I in you” (John 15:4). At this point, we are turned over to God as God continually looks down upon us.

Third, Jesus blessed the bread. The Greek word often translated as “blessed” is makarios, which means “fortunate,” “happy,” “enlarged,” or “lengthy.” Makarios is used in the Septuagint (a translation of the Old Testament into the Greek language) and the New Testament to define the kind of happiness that comes from receiving favor from God. Consequently, the word can also be translated “favored.” In the New Testament, it usually carries the meaning of being “blessed by God.” Mary, the mother of Jesus, was “blessed among women” (Luke 1:42–45, 48).

Perhaps the most well-known use of the word blessed in the Bible is found in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–12; Luke 6:20–23). Jesus used the term blessed in the framework of the Beatitudes to describe the inner quality of a faithful servant of God. This blessedness is a spiritual state of well-being and prosperity—a deep, joy-filled contentment that cannot be shaken by poverty, grief, famine, persecution, war, or any other trial or tragedy we face in life. In human terms, the situations depicted in the Beatitudes are far from blessings, but because God is present with us through these difficult times, we are actually blessed by Him in them.

While material blessings are certainly included in God’s favor, the Bible ascribes a much fuller meaning to the word blessed. Blessed speaks of our inner state of well-being, the prosperity of our souls in Christ. Blessedness comes from unhindered fellowship with God the Father through our Lord Jesus. To be blessed is to experience the full impact of God’s presence in our lives now and for all eternity. The one who is blessed trusts in God’s love.

At this moment, as Jesus blesses the bread, he also blesses the people to remind them that they are favored by God. You are blessed in so many ways because God has given you favor. You are blessed because God has never left your side. You are blessed because He has continually provided for you. You are blessed, no matter what is going on in your life right now, because God loves you and nothing can separate you from His love (Romans 8:35-39).  You are blessed! And because you are blessed, you have the wonderful opportunity each and every day to help others know that they are blessed. Through this blessing you are forgiven of your sins, promised salvation, and given hope to face tomorrow.

Fourth, Jesus broke the bread. This is probably one of the toughest lessons to understand in this miracle. Jesus broke the bread to divide it amongst the people. However, when it comes to us, Jesus breaks us to bring us back together, not to keep us apart. We are broken people. In the words of Seth Holmes, “A body cannot live the reality…”[7] meaning that at some point we become weak and tired and worn out because we can no longer live the reality we find ourselves in. We are over stressed, over worked, overwhelmed, overburdened, in over our head dealing with pain and hurt and sorrow. We feel as if we have hit a brick wall and have nowhere to turn. Have you ever felt like that before? You feel broken; so broken that not even all the “King’s men could you put you back together again,” to quote from Humpty Dumpty.

I believe it’s when we feel broken that God does God’s best work. Matthew 11:28-30 reads, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” When we are broken, not sure what to do or where to go, Jesus will give us rest—a chance to release our burdens, to seek to be put back together. Psalm 139:23-24 states, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Jesus doesn’t want you to be broken because you can no longer live in reality. He wants to make you whole and new so that you can live an eternal life with him. If you feel broken in some way, let God search your heart today so that Jesus can begin the process of putting you back to together.

Fifth, and lastly, Jesus gave the bread to the Disciples. We are urged to give of ourselves to God. Paul noted to the people of Rome, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1). Furthermore, Howard B. Grose and Charlotte A. Barnard wrote in their hymn titled Give of Your Best to the Master, “Give of your best to the Master; give of the strength of your youth… Give Him your loyalty… Give Him first place in your heart… Give Him first place in your service…Give Him your heart’s adoration.”[8] We are called to give what we can, as often as we can, in as many places as we can to God so that our life will be transformed and made new. James tells us, “Give yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you…” (James 4:7-8). In the presence of 5,000 people, Jesus, through the bread, invited the people to give of themselves to God so that what they receive will feed them tomorrow. Have you given yourself to God? Have you asked Him to search your heart? Have you told Him how you feel? “Jesus, Jesus, can I tell you how I feel?”

On the shores of Galilee, in the presence of 5,000 people, Jesus not only performed actions that alluded to the Last Supper, but he performed actions that we are to experience in our life so that we can be better prepared to receive him in our life. We pray to have Jesus take us into his care, we pray that Jesus looks up to heaven with us in his heart, we pray that we are blessed in some way that reminds us that we are favored by God, we pray that when we feel broken that Jesus is able to put us back together, and we pray we are able to give ourselves to God, allowing God to use us to do His will in our life. What Jesus did with the bread and fish is what he does in our life on a daily basis. However, how often to do we let Jesus perform these actions in our life without push back? We are people who need to be healed by the actions of Jesus Christ.

 

Movement Three: Examine the “Communion” in Your Life…

Before, I bring this message to a close, I invite you to think about your own life. Are you going through something right now that seems to be causing you to feel broken? Do you feel as if Jesus wants to bless you, but you aren’t open to receiving blessings? Are you afraid to look up to the heavens and ask for help? Are you struggling to give yourself to God? We’re human: we are going to experience many emotions by which push us away from God. We’re a church: we are going to go through seasons by which the future doesn’t seem hopeful but daunting. We’re the body of Christ: we will have to endure challenges before we are fed. But, all-in-all, we must not give up. We must allow Jesus to provide for us in all roads of life. Even in unpredictable moments, we must do what we can to return to Christ for more provisions to look into that “magic bag” and ask what comes next.

I want to share a story with you. While I was an intern chaplain at Rush University Medical Center, I received the opportunity to comfort a grieving wife and mother over the phone. I share with you a little bit from that exchange:

Patient is a 39-year-old male who is married, but separated, and has three children which are the age of 13, 16, and 17. Patient has been hospitalized because of pneumonia and a positive COVID-19 test. Chaplain first encountered patient when patient CODED at 0947 in T10E. No family was present but the family was contacted by the attending RN. Patient was made stable in the span of ten minutes and was transported to the CATH Lab for further testing. Chaplain remained present on the unit until patient was transported.

Patient returned to the unit later that morning and then at 1345 the patient CODED again and after fifteen minutes, the patient was pronounced deceased. Family was again contacted by the RN who seemed distraught and unable to form words. Again, the family was not present. Chaplain was told that the family—the wife and three children—were in Florida. At around 1500, Chaplain received a page to contact the wife of the patient who was seeking support for the death of her husband. Chaplain followed through on the request and was able to converse with the wife at 1830.

	Chaplain & Patient/Family Member	Chaplain’s Thoughts
		As I dial the number of the wife, I notice that the patient is the same age as my oldest brother. How will this Affect my ability to offer support? Will I be more connected to the wife? or Will I seem distant because of the reality of the situation?
W1	(In a saddened voice, the wife answers the phone…) Hello…	I am thrown off by the sudden answer of the phone because I am still in shock about the age of the patient.
C2	(I take a breath…) Hello, is this Maria.	I thought about saying “good evening,” but realized that using “good” may come off as a means of implying something that is not necessarily true.
W3	Yes, this is Maria. You can call me Mary.
C4	Hi, Mary. My name is Daniel; and I am the Chaplain here at Rush University Medical Center. First… I want to apologize for the tardiness of my phone call. And second… I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your husband.	Realizing I rushed through my name and origin of where the phone call is coming from, I deliberately slow my speech down. Also, should I have used the language of first and second? I wonder if this language imposed to Mary that I was reporting from an agenda.
W5	Hi Chaplain. Thank you for calling. And thanking for your condolences. The death of my husband was all of a sudden. I spoke with him just this morning and he seemed to be in good spirits. I don’t understand.
W7	He said, “You aren’t going to believe this, but I have COVID.” I laughed and said that I didn’t believe him. He said, “I know you don’t want to believe me, but it’s true.” Chaplain, I didn’t know how to respond because no matter how hard I wanted to believe him, I couldn’t.
C8	What exactly couldn’t you believe?
W9	I believed he had COVID, but I couldn’t believe or… (she pauses, and begins to sob.) even comprehend that I might not see him again…	Not expecting this question, I realized I was being invited to offer support while Mary took a moment for herself.
W23	The reason that I couldn’t let him go during those years of drugs and alcohol was because… (There was a pause…and silence…and breaths and tears…) I couldn’t leave him because he told me “he saw the light.” He saw hope in his life, in me, in our children, in our marriage of 18 years. He saw life beyond drugs and alcohol and being abusive. He knew what he was doing was wrong and that he was ready to change things.	Wondering what the “light” represents and wondering if their separation is a means of healing for the family… I decide to ask about the “light” first…
C28	(I offer silence…)
W29	But when I talked to him earlier today he said, “I am going to make things right. I am going to lean on the light that you have in your life and we are going to get together and be the family that Christ wants us to be.” I saw Christ enter into his life over the phone. I witnessed the power of Christ. I saw the love in my husband that I saw when we said “I do,” to each other. He saw the light of Christ. We separated to save our relationship. And to have Christ join us back together.
W33	Yes. I know the devastating power of COVID and I couldn’t bear to face the reality that now, after several years of struggling with God, he was finally able to except God and confess that he wanted things to change. That’s why I couldn’t believe him when he said he had COVID. I wasn’t ready to let him go…	The conversation has made a complete circle. Is she verbally signally to me that she is ready to end the conversation? How do I bring this conversation to an end without cutting short the support the Mary needs?

Much like Mary, we encounter moments in our life in which we don’t believe. We can’t comprehend what has just happened. We keep looking into the “magic bag” hoping for an explanation. The more we search, the more we become lost and uncertain. It’s not until we find ourselves on the shore of Galilee that we come to realize the importance and significance of Jesus Christ in our life, the light of hope. On the shores of Galilee, Jesus invites you to receive his provisions so that your life will be changed, so that you can continue the walk, so that the path you are on leads to him, so that the pain and brokenness in your heart can be removed, so that your blessings outweigh the negatives, and so that your worry and stress can be resolved. We never want to believe the horrible things in life, but sometimes in those moments we learn that we aren’t alone, that it’s okay to believe.

At the end of our conversation, Mary was still in disbelief but she was grateful for knowing that, although broken, she was heard and seen. Those on the shores of Galilee may have been broken, but by the end of the meal, they felt heard and seen because Jesus cared for each and every one of them, just like he cares for you. He wants to put you back together; He wants the light of Christ to shine; and He wants you to believe and have hope again. He wants you to live the life that brings you blessings.

 

Conclusion:

As I have been saying, the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is more than bread and more than fish. Hopefully, through this message today, you received that notion. From today’s scripture, we are encouraged to return to Jesus for more provisions when we feel like we have run out: he will provide everything we need in life as we find ways to feed the people.  We also heard how the actions taken by Jesus when multiplying the bread and fish, are the same actions that Jesus performs in our life if we allow him to search our heart. Jesus wants to receive you, he wants you to look up to heaven for guidance, he gives thanks for you and blesses you in new ways, he mends your brokenness and makes you whole, and lastly he encourages you to give yourself to God.

As a church, we are called to perform these same actions as we cater to those in our pews and outside our walls. We must be willing to receive those who want to know about Christ, we must do what we can to help others to look for guidance in Christ, we must remember to give thanks for what Christ has done for us as a church, we must find ways to allow Jesus to help us move past what has broken us in the past, and we must continue to be encouraged to do what Christ needs us to do as a church today for tomorrow. We must not stop believing.

On the shores of Galilee, 5,000 people were not just fed bread and fish. They were fed with what they needed to live a life by which is filled with Christ’s provisions. Today, I encourage you, to return to Christ, who is waiting to provide for you. Return to him as you are: let him know what is on your heart so that he can take care of you and make you whole. What do you need to do to receive the bread and fish of Jesus Christ?

Let it be so…

 

Closing Prayer:

Let us Pray… Dear Jesus, may we receive you in our heart today, may we have the wisdom to look up to you for guidance, may we give thanks for what you have done for us, may we be grateful for our blessings, may we seek to be made whole, and may we continually seek your provisions in our life. In your name we pray, Amen.

 

Benediction:

Jesus is inviting you to receive the bread and fish, but what do you need to do today to make sure you are ready to receive that meal? You are each blessed individuals who have been given the provisions of Jesus Christ, so now go out using those provisions to transform your life for Christ. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth doing the work of Christ. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

 

 

[1] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012, pg. 225-226.

[2] According to John 1:44, Bethsaida was the hometown of the apostles Peter, Andrew, and Philip. In the Gospel of Mark (Mark 8:22–26), Jesus reportedly restored a blind man’s sight at a place just outside the ancient village of Bethsaida. In Luke 9:10–11, Jesus miraculously feeds five thousand near Bethsaida.

[3] Matthew 14:15-21; Mark 6:35-44; Luke 9:12-17; and John 6:5-14

[4] According to Mark and John, the Disciples also considered what it would cost to feed all those present. They said in Mark, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” (Mark 6:37); and one of the Disciples, Philip, said in John, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little” (John 6:7). Keep in mind that a single denarii during the time of Jesus—worth about 4 to 15 cents in today’s money—was a single day’s worth of wages during the time of Jesus. In order to feed 5,000 people, it would cost 200 days’ worth of wages. And according to Matthew’s account, there were more than 5,000 people: “And those who ate were five thousand men, besides (or in addition to) women and children” (Matthew 14:21). That would equate, notes Swindoll, “to as many as 12,000 to 15,000 people.”

[5]The more I read this miracle, the more I begin to see what Jesus was doing at this point. The crowd is sitting in groups much like what would have happened during any gathering in those days. The Disciples are given the food to set before the people. The head of the table would take the food and pass it to the next person, who would pass it to the next person, who would pass it to the next person, and so-on and so-forth until everyone had food to eat. Jesus, whether his Disciples realize it or not, is preparing them to feed the people when he is gone; and the Disciples are preparing the people sitting down to feed the people when they are gone. In groups of fifty people each, the good news—the message of Jesus Christ—is being shared from person to person to person, allowing each person to do the work of Christ. What is happening is what we are called to do as disciples and as a church: feed the people of today so that they can feed the people of tomorrow.

[6] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012, pg. 225-227.

[7] Seth M. Holmes, Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies: Migrant Farmworkers in the United States, University Press: Los Angeles, California. 2013. Pg. 39.

[8] Howard B. Grose and Charlotte A. Barnard,” Give of your Best to the Master,” in The New Church Hymnal, Lexicon Music, INC: Newbury Park, California, 1976. Hymn #170.