Meditation on John 6:1-21
July 26, 2015
***
“After this Jesus went to the other
side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large
crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the
sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the
Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large
crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for
these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was
going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread
for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s
brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two
fish. But what are they among so many people?’ Jesus 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. Then 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. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the
fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up,
and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten,
they filled twelve baskets. When 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.’ When
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. When evening came, his
disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and started across the lake
to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The lake
became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three
or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and
they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then
they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the
land towards which they were going.”
***
We
tried something new with Camp in a Van this week at Ebenezer. This is the
second summer we have partnered with Clearwater Forest Presbyterian Camp to
bring the Christian camping experience to our community, drawing children nearer
to Christ. The new “thing” was feeding the children supper each of the five
days of the program, along with feeding the children and their families on the
Wednesday night “Family Program.” Last year, we provided snacks and found that
the children, after 5 or more hours of non-stop activities, were going home
hungry at 6:30 or 7 at night. Then the parents would have to cook them a late supper
and the family routine for some would be thrown off. The Christian Education Committee
saw an opportunity to bless young families when they decided that it wasn’t too
much work or expense to feed the children a full meal each day at Camp in a Van.
I was thrilled to hear this! I am all for us
eating together as often as possible! When we share a meal, no matter how
simple, we also share our joys and burdens and encourage one another in our
walk with the Lord. Relationships blossom and ministry happens when we eat
together! And it is one more opportunity to invite Christ to be with us and the
Spirit to work in us when say grace with our meals together. Finally, it is an opportunity
for people to serve the Lord by sharing their gifts, time and energy by
cooking, serving and cleaning up after the meals.
The challenge with offering meals each day of
Camp in a Van is that we don’t know how many children will come, especially on
the first day. How much food do we need? Will there be children with special
dietary requirements? Peanut allergies? Vegetarians and such?
But we had faith. And God was faithful! We wanted to bless the children
and God supplied what we needed. Even when it may have seemed like we had underestimated
the crowd, such as on Family Night, we never ran out of food. In fact, we
always had food left over! Hot dogs, barbecues, pizza hot dish, macaroni and
cheese, vegetables, and dessert! We had more than enough!
What did we do with the leftovers? None of the food was wasted; it went
home with families and fed, in some cases, people who had not even attended
Camp in a Van! This ministry, by the grace of God, went beyond the church walls!
We nourished and blessed people that we didn’t anticipate feeding and blessing
when we decided that the Lord was calling us to feed the children with the
Bread of Life (God’s Holy Word, Jesus Christ) and with actual bread of life,
small b, little l.
***
Unlike
our Camp in a Van suppers, for which volunteers had time to plan ahead, and
enough money to shop for what was needed, the feeding of the multitude in John
6 is completely unplanned, on the part of Christ’s disciples. Jesus, however,
has a plan. He wants to test and strengthen their faith--in this story and the
one that immediately follows, when Jesus walks on water. In the feeding of the
5,000, Jesus also wants to reveal another “sign” of God’s love, power, and
compassion to a multitude of people in need. This isn’t a private miracle, like
when he and the disciples are at sea. When Jesus sees the crowd coming toward
him after they have seen and heard of his healings, he expresses his desire to
feed them when he asks his disciples, “Where are we to buy bread for these
people to eat?” Philip doesn’t answer
Jesus’ question of “where.” He reveals the surprise and perhaps dismay of some
of the disciples that Jesus would suggest such a thing when they very likely
have barely have enough bread for themselves. He says what committees or
sessions might say if someone suggested attempting a compassionate ministry
that the congregation had never tried before--a ministry that would require
more funds than they have ever spent--maybe more than they have ever taken in
through a whole year’s worth of offerings, a ministry that would touch the
lives of more people than they have ever touched, all at once!
Philip says, in essence, “You’ve got to be
kidding! We don’t have the money!” We get the idea of how much money is needed
when he says, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to
get a little.” Philip cannot yet think beyond what is humanly possible, despite
witnessing Christ turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana in John 2 and
healing the royal official’s son in John 4 and the man at the pool by the Sheep
Gate, who had been sick for 38 years, in John 5. But one disciple, Andrew (Simon Peter’s
brother), reveals a glimmer of faith. He says in 6:9, “There’s a boy here who
has five barley loaves and two fish.” How does Andrew know that a “boy” has
some food? The child, an unnamed stranger, must have overheard Jesus and Philip
talking and, being moved to share his food, perhaps enough food for his whole
family, he approaches the disciples. This, to me, is the first miracle of the
story! This child has more faith, compassion and generosity than all of the
disciples, for even Andrew reveals his doubts when he adds, “But what are they among
so many people?”
Jesus doesn’t answer Andrew. He gives a command to all his disciples. As
I read this, I can’t help but wonder why Jesus doesn’t just tell everyone to
sit down himself. Did you notice this? He doesn’t really need the disciples’
help! But then I realized this is Christ’s way of inviting his disciples to
share in the miracle and demonstrate their own faith, a faith they didn’t have
until Jesus commanded them to use it. Then, the disciples commanding the people
to sit allows the crowd to demonstrate their
faith in Christ’s power as they obey, expecting another miracle. About 5,000
people sit down on the grass, believing something good is going to happen! Then
miracle number 2: they eat until they hunger no more! These are poor people who
had probably never had the feeling of being “full.” Then Jesus tells his
disciples to gather up the leftovers, “so that nothing may be lost.” He intends
to feed more than those gathered in that place. Just as God loves the whole
world and desires all to be saved, Jesus sees the needs beyond the immediate
crowd of 5,000.
The leftover bread fills 12 baskets!
Miracle number 3.
***
Just as I expected, when we decided to offer a full meal each day at
Camp in a Van, God provided more than we needed--the first miracle of our
feeding ministry. And the second miracle was that ministry spontaneously
happened as we gathered downstairs to eat. On Thursday, the girls at my table were
sharing what they wanted to be when they grew up. One wanted to be a brain
surgeon or a hair stylist, if that didn’t work out. The others agreed it was good
to have a back up plan! Then the counselor asked, “If you had one wish that
could come true, and you couldn’t wish for more wishes, what would your wish
be?”
The conversation unexpectedly turned serious. One girl, around 12 or 13,
said she wanted to find a cure for cancer. She had a friend with cancer for
whom our congregation has been praying. Another, 13 or 14, said she would wish
for a million dollars to give to her parents so that they would never have to
worry about money again. The third thought for a moment and said she would wish
that she would never die. The counselor and I were so surprised that a little
girl as healthy and happy as she seemed would be worried about death, that we
didn’t have an answer ready for her.
But it didn’t matter. God had other plans. He had fed the children all
week with the bread of life--small b, little l. And He had fed them all week
from the Bread of Life--God’s Holy Word, Jesus Christ.
The second girl answered without hesitation, “Oh, you don’t have to
worry about dying! You’ll go to heaven!”
She had a smile on her face.
And I thought: the faith of a child!
Miracle number 3.
Let us pray.
Loving God, thank you for your Son, Jesus
Christ, the Word of God and the Bread of Life who nourishes us to new and
abundant life. Forgive us for our many sins, especially when we, like Christ’s
disciples, lack faith in your miracles and compassion for people in need. Thank
you for your provision for us every day and the way you guide us and provide
for us when we seek to minister in your name and walk in your ways! Thank you
for the children in our community with growing faith who joyfully share the
Good News of your love and grace with their family and friends. Help us to be
more like them! We pray their faith would kindle the hearts of others in our
community so that more would come to know your Holy Name. Thank you for the
parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who seek to raise up their families in
the faith. Stir us to be more grateful and generous, like the boy who shared
his bread and fish, and did not hold back. Strengthen us so that we, too, have
the courageous faith of a child, assured of our salvation, with no worries or
fears for our life in this world or in the world to come. In Christ we pray.
Amen.
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