AND WERE SATISFIED

By Dr. Eric C. Stumpf, Senior Pastor

St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church – Munster, IN

Mark 6:30-44 + Pentecost 7 (B) +

July 18 & 19, 2009

 Christ is risen!  He is risen, indeed!  The empty tomb declares that Jesus cares for our eternal existence.  The feeding of the 5000 tells us that Jesus cares for our spiritual and physical needs.  Whether 5 thousand or 5 billion souls, Jesus can bring satisfaction to all who look to him as the Savior.  Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.”  Are you receiving all Jesus has for you?

            Recently I received an invitation to comes to my class reunion at Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin.  I already had a prior engagement, so I didn’t go.  The letter also included a plea for address of those “missing,” people who graduated, but they have lost contact.  It got me thinking about people in my past that I have lost contact with.  We were close and enjoyed each other company, but now we are separated by space and time.  I wonder what’s happened to them?  Sometime I even wonder about strangers.  The other night Linda and I were watching “Charade,” a 1963 movie.  We wondered who was still around.  With the internet we could look these people up and were shocked at how many are no longer living.  Their image and voice are recorded, they seem very much alive.  Along with that I wonder about the little boy in our gospel lesson.  We don’t know his name, or who his parents were, or what town he came from – but maybe I getting ahead of myself.

 The Gospel Account

            Last Sunday we heard the grizzly account of John the Baptist’s death, his head on a platter was served up at a birthday party.  How gruesome sin can be, not only then, but as we are acquainted with the atrocities of the Burr Oak Cemetery, sin still thrashes around today.  Jesus was grieved over this, he knew John, they were cousins, and he also knew God worked through him to prepare Jesus’ way.  Jesus knew his mission and knew the months, weeks, days, and minutes were ticking by before his own horrific death on the cross for our salvation.  Jesus needed rest and wanted to get away.  The plan was to sail out on the Sea of Galilee and find a remote place, a quite place.

            But those who sought Jesus could plainly see their heading and following along the shore.  Perhaps at first it was just a few on the spur of the moment who leave the village, traveling to the next village along the shore, saying, “We are following Jesus.”  Then more may have joined, a spur of the moment decision, no thoughtful planning – let’s see what do I need, an extra coat, some money, oh, yes, let’s pack a lunch.  No they are swept along by their desire to see Jesus.

            When you travel with friends the time goes fast and the miles fade away.  By the time Jesus’ boat landed there are 5000 men and goodness knows how many more women and children.  You can all imagine the big smiles on their faces.  Like children who have outsmarted their parents, they probably thought how clever they were to see Jesus’ boat, figure out where he was going, and bet him to the destination.  “Jesus, are you surprised to see us?  We figured out where you were going, and now we are here.” 

            Remember Jesus was tired.  He was grieving over his cousin and good friend.  If we were in the same position would we have been happy to see the multitude?  Would we have gotten upset and said, “It’s too much, I need my space, my private time!”  But Jesus could see the great need, the hopeless, the dying, the sick, the diseased, the discouraged, the downtrodden.  He had compassion on them.

He Gave Them His Best

            A medical missionary told the story about his visit to a hospital that received Christmas presents for children in India from the Lutheran program.  New toys for children were purchased and sent to India for the doctor to distribute.  The new toys were gratefully received.  Then the doctor told the children that he wanted to visit another hospital where the children had not heard of Jesus.  He wondered if they would give him their old toys to give to these children.  The kids thought that was a good idea.  When the doctor came back a couple of weeks later he was shocked to see the children had given their new toys instead of their old toys.  “Why?” asked the doctor.  One little girl said that since Jesus gave his best for them, they wanted to give the best to others.

            Jesus gave his best to you and me.  Jesus sends the Holy Spirit into our hearts and empowers us to repent of our sins, look to Jesus for full and complete forgiveness, and to know Jesus has prepared a place for us.  A pastor visiting his parishioner heard him reflect upon his life.  God had been good to him – wife and family, but now in his great old age he had outlived them.  He had a nice house, plenty of money, many enjoyable things in his life.  But now on his bed with death, according to the doctors, not far off, he took great comfort in knowing the treasure Jesus has for him in heaven.  “This is what really counts,” he said.

            Jesus takes our sins on himself and suffered the terror and trauma of the last moment so we can be in the Savior’s arms and know real and full peace.  Jesus’ best he gives fully to you and me. 

Something to Eat

            As Jesus was teaching, it is the disciples thought they needed to help Jesus.  “Its late, they’re hungry, send them away.”  You can almost see it, Jesus takes just a second to turn his head and say to them, “You give them something to eat.”  Do you know how much 5,000 people can eat?  To the disciples credit they didn’t say, “Are you kidding?”  Instead they scouted out what was available, but all they could find was the boy with his lunch.  If the boys portion was what his mother thought was just right for him, then we can pretty well guess that 10,000 fish and 25,000 pieces of bread would be needed.  Compared to the need and the supply, it looked pretty silly.  But in the Lord’s hands it was something wonder for us to learn.

            Of all the miracles Jesus did the feeding of the 5000 and his resurrection are the only ones found in all four gospels.  Why?  I believe the Holy Spirit wants us to know when you come to Jesus he has all our needs covered, from eternal life to daily bread.  Whether we are lying on our death bed or out of work, Jesus is there giving us his best, lead us to better things, because he cares for every need in our life.

            God could have done things differently.  He didn’t need Moses, he could have visited Pharaoh with a couple of legions of angels and spoken directly to him and said, “Let my people go.”  If Pharaoh had fallen over in fright, he would have packed their suitcases for them.  He could have flatten Jericho’s walls very easily, he didn’t need Joshua to march around it seven times.  But God chose to use people of faith to accomplish his divine will.

            I heard the story of a charity who went to visit a successful man asking for a donation.  The man said that it was understandable for the charity to think that because he was successful that he would have $50,000 to give, but he probably didn’t know the whole story of this man’s life.  Did the man from the charity know that his mother was in a nursing home that cost $4000 a month?  Did he know his brother died without insurance for his wife and five children?  Did he know that his son was religious and was working for next to nothing helping people?  No, the man from the charity did not realize that.  “Well,” the successful man said, if I don’t give any of them a penny, why do you think I’ll give you anything?”  Is that how you respond to God when he calls you to join him in doing his will?  God can use our weakness to show his strength.

            At times one wonders whatever became of people we once knew.  Are they happy, did life turn out well for them.  Even the unnamed boy in today’s Gospel lesson we wonder what happened to him.  I don’t know.  But I do know that when he gave up his small amount of food, he lost nothing, but gained a full meal and witness a great miracle.  Jesus fed him along with the thousands of others.  I guess we do know what happened to the boy.  Jesus took care of him.  Jesus offers to take care of you too.  Amen.

SDG