“Feeding”

It’s a familiar story, the feeding of the five thousand. One of Jesus’ miracles that gets lots attention and lots of talk about the details, how He did it exactly, what it meant.

For me, the how of the miracle is not nearly as interesting as the why. And I marvel that so few people, then as now, seem to “get” this miracle, the point and the purpose of it. It’s surprising because it’s right there, in front of our faces, and yet it seems few at the time and not all that many now, see it and go: “Oh, I get it!”

Look at the 23^rd Psalm. I mean, most of us know it: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord—forever.”

Now, with that in mind, look again at the feeding of the five thousand. Get it? It’s Jesus! He’s the One. He’s the Shepherd of whom David spoke, the One who leads, feeds, guides, restores, forgives, saves, and shows goodness and mercy to us forever. We are beside the still waters of the Sea of Galilee, waters that could be stormy, but which Jesus could still with a word as we see elsewhere. Jesus has everyone sit down on the grass (and John mentions there was “much grass” in that place, green pastures, beside still waters, see?). And Jesus makes a table before us, there in the wilderness, and feeds all, miraculously, as God fed our fathers in the wilderness during the Exodus with bread from heaven.

And the table is right in the midst of our enemies. The crowds came that day with sick people for Jesus to heal—came tormented by the same enemies that scare us still—illness, weakness, hunger, and fear of death above all. The enemies that Satan marshals to have his way with us so easily. In the presence of these enemies, Jesus first heals, restores, and then feeds.

And this is the point—really it’s quite simple. The supernatural shepherding that saves from sin and death and hell, Jesus does for you, for me. Because we are up against it, for sure. Sin, death, the world, the devil. A fearsome foursome. No matter how healthy, wealthy, crafty, or wise we may be, all of these four eventually conquer us. It’s just a matter of time. Yet Jesus is the One, the only One this world has ever seen, who conquers all four of these enemies. By His cross, He won out over all the fearsome foursome. So, He’s the only One to shepherd us through this wilderness in which we find ourselves lost, in which the first five thousand found themselves that evening by the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

First, Jesus heals all the sick. Now, if you have the power, with just a word, a touch, to heal sickness of all kinds, then you have real power. Because the real cause of sickness and its ultimate end (death) is sin, plain and simple. It’s amazing how few people read their bibles enough to know this. But it says right in the first 3 chapters of the first Book, Genesis, that sin is the cause of all sickness, illness, weakness, sadness, and ultimately of death. Adam and Eve lived in Paradise. A perfect world. No illness. No sick days. No doctors. No sadness. And above all, no death. If they had not sinned, they would not have died. Simple as that! Bible says so!

So, to really heal sickness, you must have power over the root cause, sin. Because, if there was no sin in our world, no sin in us, we could not get sick or die, either one. Therefore, if you can heal sickness by a word (as Jesus does) you can restore the soul too, because your power must be the power over sin itself.

So, Jesus is the Mythical Good Shepherd of which David spoke—only He’s no myth—He’s real! Flesh and blood, living and walking among us. Beside the Sea of Galilee’s still waters, in a grassy meadow, with the last rays of the sun shining gold on the hills, Jesus led His flock, restored our souls, and pointed us down the cross-wise path of righteousness with Him, where He leads us.

Now, the first disciples missed this too, at the time. They didn’t yet know who it is they were hanging with. They said: “Hey, Jesus, it’s late and the people need to eat. Send them away and they can just make it, if they scatter to the villages around, and find some food and lodging.” But Jesus says “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

That’s an interesting challenge. The disciples take inventory. They’ve got five loaves of bread and two fish. How far will that go among five thousand men and their families? Not far enough! But Jesus simply says: “Bring them to Me.” And in His hands, by His Word, the five loaves and two fish are enough, more than enough, enough for twelve baskets full of leftovers (one for each tribe of Israel?) even after everyone has eaten their fill.

Do you see? Then or now? Jesus is the One! What is not enough for us, in His hands is always more than enough! The trick, the key, as Psalm 23 shows, is not to eat from your own hand, or even from your well meaning neighbor’s hand, but from Jesus’ hand. Not to provide for yourself, but to sit down with Jesus in that grassy meadow besides the quiet waters and receive whatever He gives—for the food Jesus gives is real food indeed.

It’s plain to see. But usually we do not see. We keep piling on the sins that slay us. We can’t help ourselves. Maybe Jesus should shout it from the housetops, put ads on TV? But no. Not His way. Too showy, too loud, too pretentious. Jesus just does it, for us, and in the taking, the eating, and the sitting with Him, you get it. Surrounded by your enemies, at a Table in the wilderness, you get Him there, or not at all…

But how would you do this exactly? Where is this magical Table and how do you pull up a chair there? That’s the trick isn’t it? And it’s easy to miss. Most of the five thousand missed it. Many today miss it. But here’s how it works for you: the Table is right here, right now, where Christ’s Word and Sacrament are given out in His Name, by His command. And here, first: Jesus anoints your head with the water of Baptism, water of rest. Then, He restores your soul by the Word of Absolution. He fills your ears with the Gospel of life. Finally, He feeds you at His Table, with His own body and blood, which is the very medicine of immortality, the gateway to the heavenly house whence goodness and mercy ever flow…

There is a place for you, here, at His Table. For sure, any and all sinful, sick, and weary souls who simply receive His Gifts will know Him here—in the breaking of the bread, beside the font where the still waters are, by that still, small Voice, you will know Him, and in this knowing is Peace, that surpasses understanding, guarding heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Forever. Amen.