Lent 4: Laetare

1  The Lord Can Provide

Psalm 78 summarizes some of the history of Israel.

It especially focuses on the relations between them and God.

After He delivered them from Egypt,

and they were living in the desert, it says:

He also brought streams out of the rock, And caused waters to run down like rivers. But they sinned even more against Him…. And they tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy. Yes, they spoke against God: They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?”

At that time, the people did not believe that God could do it.

There were many people and livestock. There were no fields, and few edible plants of any kind.

What could God possibly give them to eat?

Yet even in this unlikely place,

God showered them with food,

though in their unbelief, they ate to their judgment.

How different with Abraham,

who was told by God to sacrifice his only son Isaac,

the one through whom God promised to bless the whole world.

Abraham passed this test of his faith, and Isaac was spared.

But on their way up the mountain, Isaac had asked:

Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? (Gen. 22:7)

Abraham replied: “The LORD will provide.”

He did provide.

Afterward, it became a saying:

In the Mount of the LORD, it shall be provided.

In our text we catch up with Jesus upon a mountain,

surrounded by hungry multitudes: over 5,000.

They need provisions.

He provided them His Word as spiritual food

for faith and eternal life.

But then He also provided food for their bodies.

This is the lesson for us today: The Lord can provide.

So that we should honor His will, and So that we should receive His gifts.

2  John 6:1–15

After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”

One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

2.1  So that we should honor His will

Two great miracles happened on that mountain.

The one we usually focus on the most is the lesser of them.

See, bread and fish are good for the body,

yet even though we are filled, we will die.

But the message that comes from heaven

is the kind of bread that gives eternal life.

What’s better:

a stomach that’s full for a day, or a soul rescued from the torment of hell?

So while Jesus performed many miracles,

the greatest one was to forgive sins and save.

The other miracles all supported that one purpose.

Where else have you heard of miracles like these?

Last year, we planted a handful of corn kernels, and in the Fall, we harvested thousands.

A single fish might lay thousands of eggs at a time,

so that many fish will fill the water.

We’re accustomed to things like that,

but who actually makes it happen?

Most farmers will admit that they can’t make things grow.

That power belongs to God.

Here, Jesus demonstrates God’s power.

Five loaves to feed five thousand. That doesn’t follow the rules of math.

But it reminds us of something once and for all:

God provides what we need.

How many times don’t we grow weary of the rat-race?

Each day brings more work, more responsibility. Sometimes we begin to think:

If I don’t do it, it won’t get done!

But that gets old.

Who will pay the bills this month? Who will cook and clean? Who will help those who are so demanding? Who will finish all this homework? Who will prepare for the deadlines?

It’s all you, baby. Or so you think.

Then there’s church.

We’d like it to be different,

but sometimes it seems the same as always: If you don’t do it, it won’t get done.

But with this text,

Jesus is telling you to back off.

He shows you how small you really are.

Don’t you think that God knows what you need?

He’s the real doer.

That doesn’t mean we have nothing to do.

He told His disciples

to seat the people, to distribute the food, and to gather the pieces left over.

But the real work was His.

You’d better let Him do your work too, or else it really won’t get done.

There are things — many things — we can’t provide.

Especially when we try to provide them on our own:

Faith, Real good works before God, A joyful heart, A fulfilling career, A peaceful home, Security, even the food on our tables.

We can’t provide any of those things.

Yet it’s easy to assume we have,

because we’re good Christians.

But a real Christian is more than that.

A Christian doesn’t neglect to live by God’s will,

or neglect His word.

A Christian trusts Him.

“Yes, yes,” we say, “I trust Him.”

(Thinking: “Soon I’ll get on with my real life.”)

“Yes, yes, I’ll go hear His Word,”

(Thinking: “as soon as I finish what’s necessary.”)

No. A Christian trusts Him,

not only in theory, but in fact; not only for heaven, but on earth; not only to accomplish a few nice things,

but to accomplish the essentials;

not only for spiritual food,

but for fish and bread.

It’s hard to trust Him, isn’t it?

We’d rather not, because He might want more.

He does want more. He’s not satisfied until we are fully His.

Why continue resisting Him?

There were the 5,000:

fed with bread and fish, fed with the message of forgiveness.

They had everything they needed.

Nobody else really can provide like that,

but the Lord can.

He wants to provide for you, too.

He does provide already.

So let go of your pride,

your frustrations, your ambitions, your constant focus on self.

He’s been providing for you all along.

Honor His will, and hear what He has to say.

2.2  So that we should receive His gifts

Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

It was just bread and fish.

They had eaten bread and fish many times before. Every time it had been a gift from God,

a token of His continued love for them.

But now they saw the Person behind the gifts,

and they finally believed and trusted in Him.

Or did they?

Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

They trusted Him all right:

for more bread and fish.

That’s all they wanted!

They were like so many who ask for help,

but won’t accept the kind of help they really need.

But how many times haven’t we seen people make the same choice?

“Give me security and a full belly,

and I just won’t care about anything else!”

Politicians who promise such things

often do well in elections.

Preachers who claim to give worldly success

attract many followers.

Because there are so many people on earth

who live as though they are animals, as though they have only bodies to feed,

but no immortal soul.

We’ve done the same thing, haven’t we?

We also ask for God’s help,

sometimes with tears and in great distress.

But are we really concerned about critical matters,

or just consumed by issues of the day?

Remember how Jesus so easily fed 5,000!

Don’t you suppose He feeds you, too?

If you want the blessings of greatest importance,

then don’t make Jesus into your bread-king.

Let Him be your Savior instead.

The more important food He provided on that mountain

was the food that gives eternal life.

The Word of Christ reveals God’s mercy toward sinners,

and He actually bestows real forgiveness through the Gospel.

So if you want the blessings of greatest importance,

open your ears and close your mouth for a while.

Hear what He says to you.

This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. And again:

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

Eternal life!

Jesus is a Savior that provides eternal life!

Isn’t that what you really want:

victory over aging, over death itself?

Having such a Savior transcends all earthly trouble,

so that if you have such a Savior, you need not worry about anything!

Don’t leave such a promise aside for a bread-king!

Hold onto the Lord who truly provides what we need.

Can you be sure that this is for you?

He says you already have it:

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

That’s what Jesus came to provide for you. That was His ultimate purpose on that mountain.

When you have Him, you have all that you need.

I don’t know what you’ll eat later today.

(I don’t know what I’ll eat later today.)

But I have no doubt that Jesus

is able and willing to provide for us.

He gives us our work, like He gave His disciples,

but He remains the one who Provides.

Receive the bread of life: the living Word of God.

You are forgiven. You have eternal life.

These things only our Lord can provide,

so receive His gifts, and live in His grace with joy.

Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria