“We Have Nothing Here But...”

Genesis 32:22-31; Matthew 14:13-21, 18-23

NO 8/3/08 MW

The Scene

      Grieving

Jesus has just heard of John the Baptist's death.  His cousin had been beheaded.  You remember John, the one who prepared the way for Jesus and baptized him.  Well, Jesus has a good reason to just pull away and spend some time grieving.  As Eugene Peterson interprets the Gospel, “He slipped away...”

            Crowd Followed

Jesus was unsuccessful because the crowd ran on the shore and was apparently waiting for him.  They needed Jesus.  Some to be healed.  Some, or perhaps most, needed to hear about God's love and God's redemption.  Whatever brought them to run to Jesus called forth compassion in him and his needs took a backseat to their needs.

                  Historical Setting

There could be no better backdrop for this occasion than the one of Jacob wrestling with God and David in Psalm 17 asking God to test him.  I believe that we all wrestle with God, perhaps daily, as we have glimpses of how God would have us live this very day but those moments of contact are just too frightening and we walk away feeling totally inadequate.  Watch closely and you will find yourself wrestling with God.  How many, however, would stand before God and request testing by God?

                        Not A Grade Test

David was not asking for God to give him a grade on his faith.  He was not asking to be tested like we are tested in school.  Indeed, David would no more be able to pass the moral and ethical demands of life than any one of us.  Jacob and David offer us an opportunity to look beyond the moral and ethical testing to a relational God.  David asked that God look deeply within him to test the connection he has with God.  It’s more like testing the level of an electrical circuit.  He then asked that whatever needs changing be changed.

The Disciples Are Tested

Jesus meets the needs of the crowd and it is growing late.  The disciples did what I would have done by telling Jesus it is time to stop and send the crowd on their way.  It was not always easy to find a cafe open late in the day.  This is somewhat akin to the little hand and big hand nearing the noon hour on Sunday morning.

      Alison Visit

I recall a visit from Alison when she got here a little late and wanted to talk a while before going out to eat.  When she was ready to eat and suggested we go to Little River Café, we had to tell her that all her choices on the mountain were closed already or were not open at all on certain days.  It has never occurred to her that there was a difference between “on the mountain” and living in Birmingham.

The disciples were being thoughtful and perhaps they were just ready to call it a day.

                  Disciples Tested

Jesus foiled their plans whether altruistic or manipulative.  Jesus told the disciples to feed the crowd of over five thousand.  I can't help but believe there is a moment of shock.  Perhaps the disciples looked around at one another.  There is this moment of “wrestling with God” before anything happens.

                        In the Car with My Pastor – You Can Preach Tomorrow

At fourteen I was called to be a minister and responded with a very quick, “Yes.”  Sitting in the car with my pastor the following day, he shared how excited he was and that he would let me preach any time I wanted, even the next day if I wished.  This is one of those moments of wrestling with God.  It took ten years of running away before I could return even though the wrestling match continued for many years.  And the only time I've preached at First UMC in Cullman was my brother's memorial service.

Stop a moment and think about any moment when you were certain about what God would have you do.  Did you do it?  Have you had to wrestle with God.

                              “We Have Nothing Here But...”

I had nothing to offer.  Fourteen, extremely shy, a disappointing student, a class clown to cover my deep sense of inadequacies.  Like the disciples, I just could not imagine being able to do what I was called to do.  I had no idea ministry included preaching in front of a bunch of folks.

How many times have you said, “Lord, I would like to but I just don't have what it takes.  I really have so little to offer.”

Disciples Pass the Test

We really don't know how long it was between Jesus' statement and the time the bread and fish were shared – somewhere between immediately and several minutes.  Somewhere deep within those disciples, their relationship with Jesus became alive and well and they responded by feeding that crowd of thousands.

Their relationship with Jesus was strong enough that his Spirit overcame any desire to say, “We just can't do this.”  Their relationship was strong enough that the disciple trusted that Jesus would provide a way.  They were not making a test grade but a life-relationship with Jesus.  They were moving to being like their Rabbi Jesus.

With Jesus We Have All We Need

His disciples learned, along with the crowd and contemporary disciples, that they had enough simply because they were doing what Jesus had called them to do.  They had everything they needed to do what Jesus asked them to do.  This may be the most important lesson we can learn as Christians – We already have everything we need to do what Jesus wants us to do.

      Share With Others

We are called to share with others the love that God has shared with us through Jesus.  We have what is needed to do this as individuals and as a church.

            Mission Trip – Yes

As a church, actually more than one church, a group of folks visited Lucedale, Mississippi and almost completed a house for a family in 3 ½ days.  Had we had everything needed from the beginning we may have completed it.  However, there is no question that we shared the love of our Lord with others.  Rev. Harrell Moore told me more than once that the annual mission trip has much more impact on the area than we can imagine.  Other churches are beginning to believe they can do the same thing.  Churches of various denominations have become excited when they see what can happen when a church has lots of prayers, support, and volunteers to work for Jesus.

There is also sharing devotionally.  Each evening, and Saturday morning, someone leads our team and visitors in a short service of worship.  Adults and youth share the message of love and fellowship among ourselves and with those who join with us. 

Conclusion

If you stop and think about what you have to offer you will turn away from our Lord.  When we second-guess his calling us we will turn away and go with our feelings of inadequacies. Let me tell you that we are all inadequate.  There is no one here capable of feeding the crowd, or an individual, alone.  However, if you will bring what you have to Jesus he will bless it and make it all that is needed for the task for which he has called you.

We are not to send them away but we are to give to them – those with a need.  How do I know?  Look at the compassion of Jesus.  He had every right to turn away from helping others.  He had a death in the family.  He needed to grieve.  Instead, he had compassion for those in need.  We are called to be Christians for others rather than for ourselves.  If we had it our way we would just walk away and remember all the good things we have accomplished.  Jesus calls us to stick in with whatever is happening and know that Jesus will make the way for us.  We have so little to offer until Jesus gets his hands on us and then we have everything we need.

We come to this table and meet our Lord asking that we be blessed and whatever we bring with us will be blessed as well.  We have only a little...but that's enough.