Matthew 14:13-21
Pr. Kurt A. Van Fossan – In Nomine Christi Iesu
This morning we will be rejoicing with Richard and Clinton as they publicly confess/confirm their faith in Jesus Christ (which was given to them at their baptism), and receive the very body and blood of their Lord, Jesus Christ in, with and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion for the first time. Though the church has not always agreed about the age at which our children are ready to make such a public confession and receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion, I think one of the reasons we (in the Lutheran Church) have traditionally chosen the age we have is because it is around or soon after the age that they have matured physically (puberty). Along with such maturity comes more temptation—more of an awareness of the sinful nature in them and around them, and consequently more responsibility. So, along with their sinful natures desire to stretch it’s wings and to be more independent from people who have authority over them, like their parents, teachers, pastor’s and God, it’s important to also strengthen their faith in God who enables them and us to overcome the desires of our sinful nature and live according to our new life in Christ.
What are the means of grace God gives us to strengthen the faith which He created in us at our baptism? God’s Word and Sacrament of Holy Communion.
It’s this heavenly food that brings us to our text for today (Matthew 14:13-21), Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000. As we consider these words, consider also how the Lord, through this historical event, reveals His gracious work of salvation in the OT, the NT and today, assuring us of His saving presence for all eternity.
First, notice that Jesus, after hearing about John the Baptist’s death at the hands of the evil King Herod, takes His disciples by boat (over the waters of the Sea of Galilee) to a desolate place. Can you think of any time in the OT when something similar happened? How about when God sent Moses to deliver His people from the hands of the evil Pharaoh by leading them through the waters of the Red Sea and into the wilderness.
We too, after passing through the waters of our baptism, find ourselves in the midst of a desolate place—a wilderness where the Word of God is turned upside down—where what is right is seen as wrong and what is wrong is seen as right.
These desolate places are meant to remind us that just as the OT people were unable to fend for themselves in the wilderness; and just as the disciples were unable to feed 5,000+ people with what little they could come up with, so also are we today unable to make it through this world without God. No matter how much a person may try, they will fail. That’s certain. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Fortunately, our gracious Lord provides us with all we need. In the OT He miraculously provided manna, quail and fresh water from the rock throughout their wilderness journey. In our Gospel reading the Lord miraculously multiplied the five loaves and two fish, providing more than enough for 5,000 men “besides women and children”. Today, while the Lord is certainly faithful in providing for our physical needs, He especially wants to assure us of the abundance of Spiritual food which is available through His Word and Sacrament of Holy Communion.
What’s more important, the physical or spiritual bread of life? It is possible that we may at some point, like some in our world today, find ourselves starving for food, while others live in abundance. But even if, because of sin, we experience suffering in this world (even to the point of death, like John the Baptist), man nor demon can never separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).
That doesn’t mean that we cannot, by our own sins, separate ourselves from God. We do that every time we think we don’t need God to keep our faith alive. How foolish we are whenever we allow our desires for the temporary things of this world to keep us away from the eternal things of God!
But God is forever faithful! After instructing the people to sit or “recline” in the green grass (Mark 6:39, see also Psalm 23 – “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures”), “and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing [gave thanks]. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied.” What does this remind you of? The Lord’s Supper, where His body and blood, which was given and shed for us on the cross in fulfilment of God’s judgement against our sins, is miraculously made alive again and given to us in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. So we give thanks, eat and are satisfied along with others who follow Christ—who believe in Him and His promises.
This is the food of eternal life—a foretaste of the banquet in heaven, where we will be continually nourished by our Lord’s body and blood—fruit from the “tree of life” (Revelation 22:1-2), which is the cross.
If the saints in heaven cannot survive without this miraculous food of God, may we never imagine that we can. Instead, may we willingly and gladly come to our Lord’s Word and Sacrament as often as possible to be fed and nourished by and through Him, whose blessings never end.
In closing, may this miraculous feeding of the 5,000 remind us of the abundant miracle of God’s grace to each one of us. Richard and Clinton, you may not think of yourselves as being very rich. You’re not working yet and have very little money. But because of your faith in Jesus Christ, you are rich beyond measure. Through your faith, like the five loaves and two fish, you can be a blessing to countless others when you share your faith through your words and actions with the people you meet.
May the Lord, through your receiving of His Word and Sacrament of Holy Communion, continue to strengthen your faith in His love and power in your lives, to save you and all you meet.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
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