God's Prestige

2 Samuel 11: 1-15
John 6: 1-23
Year B
The eighth Sunday after Pentecost



Experience at Michael Jackson memorial
I told you a few weeks ago, that I had went to the Michael Jackson Memorial in Gary, IN. No one wanted to go with me, but all of my friends made a point to call afterward to see how it was. Even Theresa (our day care director) asked about it. I told everyone, I was really glad to be there. It is a memory that I will treasure forever, but it was the weirdest thing I ever attended. You weren’t quite sure if you were at a funeral, a celebration, a giant talent show, a concert, or a dance party. And it wasn’t all of those things combined.

The show was very well planned out – but no thought was given to logistics
The stage was positioned so people could not see, the sound went out halfway into the show, and the acts had not performed ahead of time. There was only one person who was professional enough to project her performance for 6500 people. And when Joe Jackson came out- he was booed, so they spent the rest of the night trying to get the crowd to say – We love Joe Jackson. It wasn’t true – so the crowd would not say it.

Logistics a very important part of life – Napoleon
My lesson for the night was that logistics in any event is very important. But particularly when you are dealing with a crowd of people. Napolean made a point that wars follow the course of the men’s stomaches. An army can only fight a war, where they are properly fed. The mightiest warriors of all time, finally lost his battle – because he sent his army to fight in a place where he had not logistically thought through how his men were going to be fed and taken care of.

Jesus speaking to a crowd of 5000 – the important thing logistics
Logistics is important in anything where you are dealing with a large crowd of people. Jesus was good at thinking about the logistics of his message. He always gave a lot of thought to how his message was going to be received, and what he needed to give the people to make sure they would take his message home. In a movie I watched, this is called the prestige – the hook that people will always remember. For Jesus crowd – the hook was food. People were hungry and needed to be fed. Jesus knew that his message involved feeding them – they would listen to him.

There was a crowd of 6500 at the memorial for Michael Jackson. Jesus looked and realized that he was speaking to a crowd of 5000 people. 5000 hungry people.


What are these people going to eat, how are they going to take this message, what will keep them peaceful
Jesus is tired of teaching to the crowds. He tries to take a break and get away. But the papporazi search him out and find him. And the crowd is not far behind. Jesus looks at all of these people and asks the disciples – how are we going to feed all of these people?

We have heard this story before – why are we hearing it again?
The feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle story which has been featured in all four gospel. We are reading the book of mark, and this is a convenient time to switch gears and listen to John. We have heard this story before – even this year – we have heard this story before. Many of my colleagues have asked why are we reading and preaching in it again. And why are we reading it in John, in the middle of our study of Mark.

John has a very interesting perspective – and an interesting message
Well, it is because Matthew, Mark, and Luke like to tell the human story of Jesus. They want to fit Jesus into our lives, and things we can relate to. John was Jesus best friend – but he wants us to get a deeper understanding of Jesus – who is Jesus for us and why is so special to all of mankind? Jesus is the son of God, he is the messiah, He has the power of God on his side, because he is the power of God. He has the power to feed all of our hungers.

Tell the story.
In John’s feeding of the 5000, the disciples go out into the crowd. Andrew finds a young boy with three fish and five loaves. He brings it to Jesus, jesus blesses it and it is enough to feed 5000, with twelve baskets left over. After it is over with, jesus takes the disciples into a boat and walks on water.

What are we to get out of that story? We have heard it all before?

Jesus is thinking about the logistics – using this as a teaching moment.

Ask Philip – how are we going to find bread for these people?

Asks Andrew the same thing – and goes looking

Not looking for food – looking for opportunity for God to step in

The story is not about bread and fish, but about the miracle of God’s work - For John everything is a symbol.

People wanted Jesus to become their king – a reincarnation of David for their time. They wanted to good days of David to be restored. They wanted peace, stability, and a chance to be taken care of.

Jesus wanted them to know that we cannot eat by bread alone – but by God’s power.

Says I am he – but it is not what you think

Not a physical kingdom, but a spiritual kingdom

The nun and three pennies
There was a nun who got a vision from God to build an orphanage. As she got this idea- she thought of the logistics. How was she going to pay for it? In her search and her prayer, she found three pennies. She grabbed the pennies and ran to her superiors to tell them her vision.

With Three pennies and a dream from God you can do anything
When questioned about the logistics, she showed her superiors the three pennies. They laughed at her and told her there was nothing she could do with three pennies. She explained that with three pennies, and a dream from God you can do anything.

It is not the three pennies, not even the dream – but the power of God that makes it possible.

Jesus is the bread of life
The point of John’s feeding of the 5000 is the Jesus can satisfy all of our hungers. Jesus is the bread of life. Our hope is not in the food we receive, it is in the jesus who gives it to us. This story is so important to us. Jesus knows that we will be talking about the day he created enough food for he crowd out of a little boys lunch for 2000 or more years. All we know is that the people were hungry and they were fed. That’s the prestige, the hook. But this is not a story about loaves and fishes, it is not a story about food, it is not a story about being hungry. It is a story about acknowledging Jesus as our savior. And recognizing that Jesus provides all of that and more for our lives.

We will hear Jesus teaching about this next week
We will hear from John 6 for a few weeks. And after preaching this sermon, Jesus gives his own explanation to this story next week.

But today remember – Jesus is the bread of life. Jesus is our lord and savior and king. Jesus is our hope. Jesus takes all of our earthly actions and makes them so much more – through the power of God.