Sunday, August 8, 2021

You give them something to eat

 Mark 6:30-44

The title of this story in CEB is, "Jesus feeds 5,000 people". But that's not actually how the story goes.

It begins with the apostles reporting to Jesus about the preaching and healing mission he'd sent them out on. But this debriefing was being interrupted by "many people... coming and going." There wasn't even a time or place for them to eat. (Remember that, it will be important later.)

Jesus suggests a retreat, a boat trip to a secluded desert place all by themselves. There the apostles could relax and unwind and give Jesus a full report of their successes. 

But many of those same folks who had been coming and going and interrupting lunch before their departure noticed them going. These folks ran ahead, and were there to greet Jesus and the apostles at the place which they thought would be secluded and deserted.

Don't you hate it when that happens?

I'm sure that the disciples were... miffed at this development. But Jesus reacts differently. He has compassion on these masses, recognizing that they were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus begins to teach them many things.

Mark our storyteller doesn't tell us about the disciples' mood as the day wears on, but I think I can guess. Finally they come to Jesus with a suggestion. Sends these folks away (please!) so they can go get food for themselves and not starve out here in this secluded place. 

What follows is one of the most surprising and potentially devastating lines for anyone who is trying to be one of Jesus' followers: You give them something to eat!

The disciples are flabbergasted -- as we ourselves would be. You want us to go off and buy eight months' pay worth of bread? What exactly do you want us to do here?

Jesus is unruffled. What do you actually have? Go look.

You and I know, of course, what they have. They have their own dinner. Are they supposed to give that away and go hungry themselves? They have five loaves and two fish. What is that in the face of the need?

The critical question is: Will they give it to Jesus to use, or will they hoard it for themselves?

Apparently they give it to Jesus. Jesus takes the five loaves and the two fish, and he blessed them. And then... Then he gives it back to the disciples. And the disciples feed five thousand people with it.

What would that be like? Especially for congregations being eaten up by the economy of scale, not to mention the depravations of COVID-19?

Dare we give the little that we have to Jesus, for Jesus to bless and give back to us for Kingdom work?

A favorite preacher story of mine:

The preacher gets up on Sunday morning and says, I have good news and I have bad news.

What's the good news?

We have all the money we need to do all of the things God wants us to do.

What's the bad news?

It's still in your pockets.

Grace and peace...