Sometimes Jesus disciples must have
thought he was crazy.
He just said things that made no sense.
Here they were wildly concerned that
there were a whole lot of people out in this fairly barren place listening to
Jesus speak, and that was cool and all, but it was getting late in the day, and
the dinner hour was approaching, and really, there was nothing around there to
eat, and no place to stay and, well they just weren’t sure what to do so …
They did what they always did, actually
a great pattern for us, they went to Jesus and shared their concerns. I’m sure doing that was always a bit of
an adventure.
Because, let’s face it, they never quite
knew exactly how Jesus was going to answer their concerns.
You tell him the boat is rocking and the
storm is a bit much and he sends the freaking storm it away. You tell him that
folks are at the door with a paralyzed man and he heals him. You meet a person
with demons in him and Jesus send them into the pigs! The un-kosher issue
solved!
But stuff like that had to be wildly unnerving.
Jesus just did stuff, said stuff, made stuff happen. But this had to take the
cake! Because, you see, Jesus doesn’t solve the problem. He tells the disciples
to solve the problem!
I assume that some of you folks pray.
It seems like a fairly normal part of the practice of a Jesus’ person. You hear
about a situation, you encounter some troubles, you bow your head and give God
a moment of your time.
Maybe you are truly devout about it, or maybe,
the pastor, you are a bit more glib. But at least for most of us we pray and the
prayer goes something like, “Thanks God for being there, thanks for all the
blessings I’ve received, and, by the way while we are talking, Briana, Steve,
and Liliana need an extra dose of your love, protection and healing. Amen.”
Great! It’s all good. God’s got this!
What you don’t expect is an answer back
from God, “No, you’ve got this!”
“Um, say what? I’ve got this? Whoa!
Really? No! Really?”
“Yes!”
In this story, that’s what happens!
Jesus says, out loud, “You give them
something to eat”!
You all hear this? Pray! Go for it.
God’s got this – through you!
Now I realize
this wasn’t exactly a prayer, but for goodness sake, Jesus was right there. Certainly,
he could have waved his hand and made plates of food, or had a herd of beef on
wick sandwiches come down from the hills or popped in a falafel stand!
He is the Lord of
the universe. God can do this!
But no, right
here, right now, Jesus establishes a principle that the answers to prayer begin
with those praying, with his disciples doing what they can do right then, right
now!
You see a
situation, certainly pray, certainly ask the master of all for wisdom and
direction, and resources; but you better be ready to also empty your pockets
and see what resources God has already placed in your control to do something
about what is happening in front of you.
“You give them something to eat!”
Are you worried
about the folks in the Carolinas and Florida and back in Texas who have been
flooded? Then, yes, pray! Ask for God to intervene. Are you worried about the
folks right here in our community that won’t have much of a Thanksgiving? Then,
yes, pray and for God to intervene.
Are you worried
about the folks in the California fires and the Rohinga in Yemen, and the
children dying in was torn Syria? Then, yes, pray! Are you worried about children
who won’t have Christmas presents in Cuddebackville and in other places around
the world? Then, yes, pray!
Are you worried
about the folks in Port Jervis who need a warm place to get off the streets and
get a hot meal and in Middletown too? Then, yes, pray! Pray to the Lord of
Heaven ask for help!
But right after
that, empty your pockets, your attic, your shed, your basement, and see what
God has already entrusted to you , that the Master of the universe intends you
to us to Make a Difference in Jesus name!
You could fill a
flood bucket, or give some money for someone else to make one, or you could
plan to go on the next mission trip this spring to rehab a house. You could
fill up a Thanksgiving basket or add food to the food pantry right here or give
to the CROP Walk to help hungry folks around the world.
You could dream
up a way we could help the folks in fire ravaged California, you could fill an
Operation Christmas Child box, or you could take a Jesse Tree list and make
sure a kid without the basics for Christmas has a new set of clothes, a hat and
gloves, and a present.
You could come December
2 and help us cook a meal for the Warming Station in Port Jervis or figure out
a way we can help St. Paul’s in Middletown with the cost of that new heating
system they needed to keep the warming station there actually warm.
Jesus said, “You give them something to eat!”
But Lord, all we
have is….
“Bring it here
and watch and see what I can do with the things I have entrusted to your care.”
“But it’s only
five loaves and two fish!”
“I didn’t ask you
to bring what you didn’t have…
I only need what
you do have.”
You see in some
ways the greater miracle of the feeding of the five thousand wasn’t the feeding
of the five thousand.
It was the
opening of the hands and hearts of the disciples. “With just this,” Jesus seems
to say, “With just your faithful willingness to be the means of my love, my
grace, my provision - I can do miracles.”
None of us can
match the problems in this world by ourselves. But by God’s grace, and our open
hearts and hands, God can move mountains.
And everyone ate
all they wanted, and what was left over filled twelve baskets.
God’s people,
Making a Difference, in Jesus name.
Amen.
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