{"id":1832,"date":"2018-07-29T20:22:55","date_gmt":"2018-07-29T20:22:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/?page_id=1832"},"modified":"2018-07-29T20:22:55","modified_gmt":"2018-07-29T20:22:55","slug":"sermon-29th-july-2018","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/information\/sermons\/sermon-29th-july-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Sermon – 29th July 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sermons index<\/a><\/p>\n

Ninth Sunday after Trinity – evening<\/h1>\n
\n

Sunday 29th July 2018<\/h3>\n

Proper 12 – 9th Sunday after trinity – evening
\n
\nEphesians 3.14-21
\nJohn 6.1-21<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Revd Ness Tobin<\/p>\n

\n

\"RevFeeding the Five Thousand<\/strong>
\nThe feeding of the 5000 is a very well known Christian story, taught many times over in Sunday school, and in church. To Christians who have been brought up in the church it is probably as well known to them as the story of Christmas and Adam and Eve. The story of how Jesus fed 5000 people from a small meal of 2 fish and 5 loaves. And when I saw what the reading was for tonight, I wondered if I was able to bring any new insight to this widely known tale. You\u2019ll have to let me know later!<\/p>\n

But once I started reading the passage again I realized that this isn\u2019t just a nice story to show the power and wonder of Jesus. Once you start unwrapping it you realize that it has a depth of meaning, both for its time and for us today. At its most basic, if you can describe such an incredible tale as basic, is that the miracle tells us a great deal about the compassion of Jesus. He saw the hunger of the people who had been with him all day and were physically and spiritually hungry. And he wanted to provide for them.<\/p>\n

And then Jesus gets the people to sit down. Why? Why does this matter? Well, it changes the dynamic of the meal. It\u2019s the difference between eating a sandwich in the car, on your way to work, and sitting down for a proper meal, that will take time to eat. Jesus is providing the people not just with a stop gap snack- but with a meal that not only filled them up, but gave them to opportunity to sit down and be still, to listen, and to share time with family and friends. Taking time out, as it were. Jesus values us as people and as a community.<\/p>\n

Next is the concern of Jesus. Notice his regard for the leftovers. \u2018Let nothing be wasted\u2019 he said. Who would have thought that Jesus, who could transform 5 loaves and 2 fish into a meal for 5000; would be bothered about the crumbs and scraps! Jesus does not want waste, he\u2019s concerned how we use the things around us and how we deal with the world. What does that say for the way we use our worlds resources?<\/p>\n

And then there is before the miracle, when Jesus went up the mountainside, then returned to the mountain afterwards.<\/p>\n

Both mountains and boats are good ways of getting away from people! And if you read the stories of Jesus, he often went away to pray. His miracles are interspersed with mountain praying!<\/p>\n

I read a reflection by somebody called Barbara Mosse and she put Jesus\u2019 withdrawing from the crowd as a reaction to the crowds misunderstanding of him as a prophet and their desire to make him king. Like his withdrawal to the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil, she saw him withdrawing here as a way of resisting the urge of worldly power and acclaim. Like Moses, and his accent up Mount Sinai, mountains were where Jesus could be close to his father. And, like the receiving of the ten commandments, Jesus could be close to God\u2019s will for the world.<\/p>\n

But I also think that Jesus needed to get away from the crowd simply because he needed to be alone with God. In John 5 v19 he makes it very clear that he can do nothing by himself, only do what he sees his father doing. And the same is true of us. We need time with God in order to be able to follow Him and do His work. Indeed, we will wilt without Him.<\/p>\n

Looking down from the mountain, Jesus sees the 5000. There are so many of them, it would have been easier to say, \u2018we have not got enough, we cannot hope to feed them\u2019-something that Philip estimated when he said it would take 6 months to raise enough money to buy enough food.<\/p>\n

And Philip was right. It would take 6 months. But that was without God. Jesus challenged Philip to look at his resources-but then to put them, no matter how small, in Gods hands. Five barley loaves and two fish-and notice that Johns gospel describes them as \u2018small.\u2019 Yet, Jesus transformed them into enough for 5000 people-more than enough, in fact.<\/p>\n

And what was the result of this miracle? Did it end with people being well fed, and that was that?! Well, if you read on to verse 27 Jesus explains that, since the bread eating miracle, the crowd have changed. Back then they looked for him because they saw the signs he had performed whilst healing the sick. But now, he said, they pursued him because of eating their fill of loaves.<\/p>\n

And that had changed them, both physically and spiritually. He tells them, \u2018Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.\u2019 Jesus is the true bread, or manna, that comes down from heaven.
\nTonight we are sharing bread and wine which we share as the body and blood of Christ. But Eucharist; Holy Communion, is also about a promise-the promise of eternal life. And the bread and wine is blessed with the Holy Spirit, so that we can receive His spirit. Its like taking, I think, a little bit of Jesus inside us. I always feel that it\u2019s a bit of his purity and goodness, and life and strength. And He will transform us.<\/p>\n

What are you going to do with that goodness, life and strength that he has given you?<\/p>\n

It is always a temptation to look at the huge needs in the world, and dismiss what we are able to do as being pathetically inadequate- so that we end up being discouraged and do nothing. The work of Mother Teresa was dismissed as being too little to make any difference, but, as far as she was concerned, every little act of loving kindness was something beautiful for God, and infinitely worth doing. The \u2018little\u2019 when blessed by God, can bring hope and joy to others.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a bit like an old worn teddy. Each time the bear is cuddled, its only a slight action. But over the years, the effect of those hugs, starts to show, quite dramatically.<\/p>\n

Jesus worked through the little boy. The boy shared what little he had- five small loaves and two small fish. A tiny amount. Yet, with Gods help, Jesus was able to provide abundantly-so abundantly there were 12 baskets of leftovers. What small thing could you offer to God?<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a story of a little boy who was walking along the beach. And all along the shore there were thousands of star fish, washed up along the beach. You could hardly walk on the sand for them. The boy was putting a few in his bucket and taking them back to the sea. A man came along and said, \u2018there are thousands of starfish stranded. Why do you bother? You will hardly make an impression. You will only be able to put a few back.\u2019<\/p>\n

The boy replied, \u2018even if I only put one back, I have helped that one. It will make a difference to that one. And it will make a difference to me.\u2019<\/p>\n

What small act can you do? It needn\u2019t cost anything. Smiles, friendship and love are free. They are also infectious. God can use our life in ways we haven\u2019t even thought of, blessing people we haven\u2019t even met.<\/p>\n

What we contribute may be small, but it is still worth doing. Each of us has a lifetime\u2019s worth of moments to offer, each small but there to give. And remember, Jesus can do great things with small fish. Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sermons index Ninth Sunday after Trinity – evening Sunday 29th July 2018 Proper 12 – 9th Sunday after trinity – evening Ephesians 3.14-21 John 6.1-21 Revd Ness Tobin Feeding the Five Thousand The feeding of the 5000 is a very well known Christian story, taught many times over in Sunday school, and in church. To … <\/p>\n

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