You Do It

Matthew 14:13-21

Pop Quiz :-)
How many of Jesus' miracles are recorded in all four Gospels?
Answer:  Only one
This one, the Feeding of the 5000.
That fact should make us pause for a moment and ask "Why?"
Of all the miracles Jesus performed, what is it about this one that caused all four Gospel writers to say to themselves, "Hey, this is a story that people need to remember."

The obvious answer, of course, is that this was a pretty amazing miracle!

But, there's something about this one that is unique; that gives it a bit more substance worth remembering for the future generations of Christianity than the others.

The Feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle story that gives us such a perfect illustration of discipleship.
This miracle story doesn't seem to be about the miracle itself so much.  The focus seems more to do with the humble efforts of the disciples than Jesus' amazing feat of provision for the masses.
This is a miracle story that reads as if it is about something going on more deeply between Jesus and the disciples than between Jesus and the masses.  Its a miracle story that seems, on the surface to be about feeding hungry people, but its a story with added detail that seems to point us toward a deeper meaning for the loaves and fishes.

This unique depth in meaning is signaled by Jesus in a very pointed phrase: "They need not go away, you give them something to eat."
In other words, when the disciples came to Jesus informing him that the masses were hungry and need something to eat, setting the stage for the big miracle, Jesus turns to them and says, "YOU DO IT"

Of course, Jesus miraculously provides for the masses, but not before the disciples offer to him what they have, which turns out to be only 5 loaves and 2 fish, hardly enough for even one family, let alone 5000.
It's as if Jesus is declaring to his disciples a message of faith and trust that is bigger than the feeding miracle itself.

The loaves and fishes represent our weakness, our humility, our limitations to face the bigger problems before us.  Yet, when we trust our Lord with what we do have, we witness miracles.
The disciples looked at the situation before them, realized they had only 5 loaves and 2 fish and came to the conclusion that they were incapable of doing much good.  But, in calling them to do it themselves, Jesus affirms that there is more good that can happen than they ever imagined---when God is at work through them.  

With that one simple command, "YOU DO IT", Jesus calls all of us to trust God with what we have, and stop limiting our selves by what we don't.  The effect is our Lord saying to us, "You're not going to benefit by sitting back and watching me do all of this awesome stuff for you."  YOU DO IT, and with my help, we'll accomplish miracles---miracles that are not only a blessing for others, but miracles that continue to affirm your faith and buttress your trust in God.

Discipleship is never easy, never convenient, never black and white.  If it was it wouldn't require or build any faith or trust within us.  No, discipleship is always difficult, inconvenient, and very very gray.

This week, with finances from the pastor's discretionary fund, I have been a part of a consorted effort from a few members of our church to assist a young married couple find adequate housing.  It hasn't been easy, it hasn't been convenient.  But the fact that there our church is willing to respond, willing to give what we have, willing to trust God and do it...that is the miracle of the loaves and fishes.

I met with a woman this week who shared with me how difficult it has been for her to balance her life as a wife, mother, employee, and volunteer. She shared with me how deeply called she feels to continue her volunteer efforts, and yet how inconvenient it has become, and how gray have become the boundaries of her time as she constantly juggles commitments.
Sometimes the miracle isn't that life is all put together, neat and tidy, simple and convenient.  Often the miracle is that we hear our Lord calling and we are willing to say YES!.

For all of us, life is held in a delicate balance between things all put together and things that are coming undone, between faith and unbelief, between heaven and hell, between death and new life.

The miracle of the loaves and fishes isn't so much the miracle that all are fed, but that Jesus had faith in his disciples.
For us today, the miracle isn't that we have faith in God.
It's that God continues to have faith in us.

This is why, I think, this particular miracle story was so important to those Gospel writers.
It gives witness to what the space between death and new life in Jesus truly looks like.

When it seems that we are confined by limitations, and yet we still have enough.
When we are confused, even lost, and yet we still keep seeking a solution.

When we think we can't go on, but then we do.

Therein is Jesus' miracle of the loaves and fishes.

Amen