Isaiah 55:1-5 Romans 9:1-13 Matthew 14:13-21
Grace, Mercy and Peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text today is the Gospel lesson just read, especially these words, “Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.” Thus far our text.
Dear friends in Christ. Jesus is a Lutheran, and if you doubt it look at today’s text, 5000 people, all satisfied. It’s the very first church pot luck. Thousands of people eating after church, . The people came to Jesus hungry, they came with their sicknesses, and their struggles. They came to Jesus, and he satisfied them, because he had compassion upon them.
It had been a tough time for Jesus. His cousin John had just been put to death, beheaded by King Herod in exchange for an erotic dance by his step daughter. With only a little while by himself to mourn, he comes and sees countless people struggling in their daily lives. He sees the people of that day and age who are sick with illnesses, sick with cancer, with blindness, with hurt with pain. He sees those who need compassion and he gives it to them.
And after they have spent the day out in the wilderness receiving healing and compassion and sympathy from Jesus, they are hungry, for they have nothing to eat. The disciples think they should take care of themselves, “Send them to the villages Jesus, make them buy their own food. After all this is a desolate place” And who can blame them? The disciples themselves were hungry, having spent the day helping control the crowds as they came to Jesus. But Jesus says, “they don’t need to leave, you disciples shall give them something to eat.”
Can you imagine the disciples response? But Jesus, we are hungry ourselves! We need something to eat too, after all, we have been out here all day and all we have to eat is five loaves and two fish. How in the world can we feed these 5000 people with only this small amount? So Jesus took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to the disciples. The disciples pass it out, and all are fed. Can you believe it? 5000 people fed from 5 small loaves and two fish. 5000 people fed, and even then Jesus provided so much to them that the disciples had to pick up 12 basketfuls of leftovers. It was a feast, a buffet, a place where they could eat and eat and finally be satisfied. Jesus provided the meal, and all got their fill.
Friends, Jesus does the same for you and me today. For just like those people so long ago, we have many needs. We have family and friends, and maybe even ourselves that are sick and who are tired. We suffer from cancer, from Alzheimer’s, from broken and dying bodies, and we need compassion. There is so much hurt in our world, yes even in our own small town. There are so many people who struggle so much with sin, and with pain. There is not one of us who hasn’t felt its effects on our lives, for each and every one of us are so infected with guilt and sin that it is inescapable.
And so just as in our text, Jesus comes to us. He comes with healing in his wings, with compassion for us and our sin, he comes to make us well. And as he comes, Jesus provides for us a feast as well. Here at this altar in mere bread and wine he gives all the gifts of eternity. Here he feeds us with such a feast that it provides for us more than we can possibly comprehend. Here he gives us life and salvation, so that we might be his own and live in his kingdom forever.
But how Pastor, how can a tiny little wafer that tastes like cardboard really satisfy me? How can a tiny sip of wine quench my thirst? It doesn’t make sense. There isn’t enough there in that small piece of bread and the tiny drop of wine. It must be our imagination, it must be a silly custom we do.
Friends, the same Jesus who fed 5000 people with a few loaves and fish feeds you today. He feeds you yes with a little wafer and yes with a swallow of wine, but in with and under them he gives you himself. He gives you his own precious body, the body of God which was born of the virgin Mary so that it might be bruised and bloodied for you. He gives you in the bread the body that had nails driven through his hands and his feet, so that he might suffer and die on the cross for you. In that tiny wafer you get the whole Jesus ever little bit of him for your forgiveness, your life and your salvation.
He gives you his blood, in with and under the wine for you to drink. It is the same blood that flowed through His own veins, until it was poured out as a sin offering for you. It is the blood that flowed from the wounds of his body, so that you might be rescued in his name. Jesus, in bread and wine gives you himself, so that you might receive forgiveness for all your sin, for all your doubt forever and ever. He gives you himself, so you may eat and be satisfied.
And what Jesus gives you in this bread and wine he gives freely. You do not need to purchase it. You do not need to earn it. You do not need to do anything, for it is a beautiful precious gift for you. “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” For Jesus has paid the price.
And the feast that we eat here at this altar is the same feast we will one day eat forever and ever in heaven. It is a foretaste of the feast of the lamb in his kingdom which will have no end. You will be satisfied, for you will always be full. You will be satisfied, for the feast will always be given to you. It’s a feast we share with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven. It is a feast, prepared for you, so you might be filled.
Dear friends in Christ, are you hungry? Do you need healing? Do you need to be satisfied? Friends, Come today, and eat the bread. Come today and drink the cup. Come today, receive Jesus and be satisfied. For it is truly his body and his blood, and in it you have life forever. Be satisfied. Amen.
