Loaves and Fish;  Bread and Wine;  Body and Blood

Pentecost VII, Cycle B

July 27, 2003

The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel

Saint Luke's Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Lessons: 2 Kings 4:42-44; Ephesians 3:14-21; St. John 6:1-21

     I suppose you know that one of the first things most preachers do, when preparing to preach on a given biblical text, is to consult several homiletical resources, or preaching guides that are meant help the preacher move from the meaning of the biblical passage, to a sermon. But, a preacher has to be careful, because since the 1960's and 70's, with the social activism and peace and justice movement in many churches, more and more, the homiletical commentators tend to point us preachers away from the theological, spiritual agenda of the biblical text, and point us toward, what we call a social agenda. One of the preaching guides I read this week, for example, suggested when preaching on the feeding of the multitudes with five loaves and two fish, it is all too easy to focus on the feeding in metaphorical, spiritual terms. Why not, the commentator suggested, talk about the hungry in our world, and how neglectful Christians are, and how easy it is for Christians to go to church on Sunday, and pass by the homeless on Monday. Why not, the commentator suggested, challenge your hearers to use their five loaves and two fish to feed the multitudes, and eradicate hunger in our world?

     I gave that some thought. I seriously considered that suggestion, in light of our gospel lesson for today, at least, the part that tells about Jesus feeding the multitude. But I finally decided, I couldn't preach that sermon, because it would be misusing the biblical text. It would be twisting the text, to serve another agenda—not God's agenda, through the gospel of St. John. Oh, we may presume that God does have on his agenda, challenging his children to give of themselves to feed the hungry, and clothe the poor, and shelter the homeless. Without a doubt, there are places in scripture where Jesus himself calls us to care for the poor and hungry and disadvantaged. There are sermons to be preached about that call! But, that's not what this gospel passage is about. Jesus feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fish, is not about the poor and dispossessed. Because in fact, Jesus makes it clear what this miracle IS about. First, through this

miracle, recorded by St. John, Jesus is giving the disciples a foretaste, of the foretaste of the feast to come. In other words, Jesus, here, is preparing his disciples, and the church, for the gift of the Lord's Supper. That is clear, because by Jesus' actions, and by the very

language John used to describe Jesus' actions, a connection is made, between the feeding of the multitude, and the feeding of the flock, in the Lord's Supper. Whenever the early Church heard these or similar words, "Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them...", the early Church thought... the Lord's Supper. Of course, there are those who suggest St. John, in his description of this miracle, was linking the feeding of the multitude, with the Eucharist. As if that meant JESUS didn't intend that connection. But the Church, in faith, has never separated the event, from it's meaning, as recorded in Holy Scripture, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. How the miracle happened, and what transpired, and what God told the writer to record as scripture, and what all that means for the Church, the Church has always seen as one message—which is

understood as God's truth for us—from scripture, through the Church's traditional understanding of that scripture, to disciples throughout the ages seeking transformation.

      So that, we can say, first, without a doubt, without wavering, that this miracle of feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fish, is about the Lord's Supper.  It's not about social justice, or caring for the needy. We can say that, second, because the sign, that is this miracle, is not just that Jesus took bread and fish and multiplied it

miraculously—but even after all were filled, there were twelve baskets of leftovers. Not one basket, not five baskets, not twenty-five baskets.. .twelve. It's not just a happy co-incidence that there were twelve baskets left-over. Why twelve? Because there were twelve disciples—who were—are-a type for the Church to come. Just as God's people,

Israel grew out of the twelve sons of Israel, son of Abraham, so also has the Church grown from the twelve apostles, hand-picked by Jesus to be the seed of the Church. So, when St. John tells us the miracle ended in enough fragments being left to fill twelve baskets, we know that this is part of the message in the sign—that Jesus is indeed, the prophet, the chosen one who was to come into the world—that in Jesus, God had come to His people, to establish a new covenant. That in Jesus, God's people would be reconciled to Him, and He would feed His people, not with bread and fish, not even with bread and wine, but with the very body and blood of His Son, crucified and risen, to bring life to the world. And--the crux of this miraculous sign, is, Jesus' presence is never-ending! There is no limit to the body and blood of Jesus, God's Son, our Lord. Even when a multitude comes to the Lord's Table to be fed with the body and blood, soul and divinity

of Jesus Christ in the sacrament. He is not diminished. There is enough for the whole Church! There is enough for me, and for you, when we are spiritually hungry. There is enough for me and for you, when we are weak and struggling in life. There is enough for me and for you, when we are having tough times in our marriages; when we're having a hard time raising our kids; when we're unemployed and looking for work; when we're sick, lonely, depressed, suffering in any way, in need of the strength and encouragement that Jesus provides. When we, in our lives, need Jesus' presence, there will be enough of Him to go around—enough of Him for all of us-for all of us who come to be fed by Him.  There is enough of Him to be with all of us, strengthening us with His very presence, given to us, in the bread and wine, which become His body and blood. Which is why, in the very next section of our gospel reading, when the disciples are fearful and disturbed, feeling alone on a storm-tossed sea, Jesus comes to them, and says to them, "It is I; do not be afraid!" Because that's what Jesus does, and says, to us, when we're frightened, in life, by the storm-tossed seas. He comes to us. He stands at the table with us, and says, "It is I; do not be afraid!" He gives us himself—his very presence in the bread and wine, and says, "It is I; do not be afraid." And—we receive Him. Just as the disciples took Jesus into the boat, we, take the bread and wine, we take Jesus, into our hearts and lives,

Indeed, His body and blood become one with our flesh and bone, so that we may know, and believe, and experience Him, as he says, "It is I...I am with you...do not be afraid."

     And so it is that we come, receive the miracle that is Jesus' un-ending presence.  That we come, to receive, not loaves and fish, but bread and wine, that become Jesus' risen presence. That we come, to see that it is Jesus, and take Him, feast on Him, be strengthened by His presence, that we not, be afraid, but be nourished;  nourished for the week ahead;  nourished to face life;  nourished to be his faithful servants;  nourished to continue on.  Come, and be not afraid--for, it is Jesus, who is here, to feed us.

     In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.