Genesis 2:7-17/Romans 6:19-23/St Mark 8:1-9
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Jesus knew what He was doing. He always does. He acts with purpose. He lead the crowds out, a three day journey, into that desolate place. They clung on His every Word, holding it sacred, gladly hearing and learning it, so much so, that they forgot their daily needs. Their knapsacks were empty. Their lunch pails bare. What were they going to do now?
Jesus has a plan. A way. He always does. And His way is not always your way. We have already journeyed to a desolate place - our Lord Jesus was Himself driven by the Spirit, according to St Mark, into the wilderness with the express purpose of fasting and in order to be tempted by the devil. Jesus overcame. He kept the fast. He defeated the devil with the might of His Word. So now He leads this great crowd out into the barren wilderness; only it is no longer the abode of the devil. They are not lead in order to be tempted, for God tempts no one. But they are led to be tested. For the Lord disciplines those whom He loves. And He chastises every son whom He receives.
And before the crowds or the disciples notice their precarious predicament, Jesus calls the Twelve to Him and says, I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with Me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry, they will faint on the way. Meaning, they are so famished now that some may in fact die in this place without food. But how can we possibly feed them out here? They are isolated and alone with nothing to eat; surrounded by the harsh wilderness and the barren desert.
It is a stark contrast to the bounty of the Garden of Eden. There the Lord God made to spring up from the ground every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. There was no want or need; but superabundance, a time of great plenty. Perhaps you yourself have known and experienced such a time. Money is good, job or retirement is going well, bills are paid, debts are being paid off, vacations are planed. It is a great feeling. A satisfying position to be in.
But man does not live by all that is meant by daily bread. Life, real life, does not consist in the abundance of stuff. Food can rot. Drink can be sour. Clothing falls apart. Money can be stolen. Devout spouses, children, workers can turn against you. Even good government and peace can be removed, taken away. You are dust. To dust you shall return. And all these things, everything meant by daily bread, can be lost.
And this is what our Lord Jesus would have the disciples learn here in the wilderness. This is what He would have the crowds learn. This is what He would teach you in this wilderness, this desolate place. He would have you learn to rely solely and completely on Him, on His compassion and provision, on His love and mercy. For faith is not a matter of being content before God. Rather it is being in constant need before Him; in need of mercy, in need of love, in need of kindness, in need of forgiveness, in need of redemption.
And indeed He provides, for He has compassion on the crowds. He has compassion on you. He who out of compassion in the beginning created Man and set him in the midst of the Garden to work it and keep it, giving him all things necessary for body and soul, for this life and the life to come, is present now in the flesh of Jesus Christ, who has compassion on the crowd.
He is the constant between the lush paradise of Eden and the desolate barrenness of the wilderness. He is the constant in plenty or in need. Christ Jesus is your constant in times of abundance or in time of want. As St Paul rejoiced, I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I known how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Phil 4:11-13).
The One who gives strength to St Paul, is the One who created the heavens and gathered the waters of the sea as a heap. He spoke and it came to be. He is the One on the rocky hillside with this famished crowd - the Word of the Lord made flesh, having compassion on the crowd. And just as the divine compassion of the Father for His creation moved Him to send His Son, so the divine compassion of the Son moves Him to feed His people.
He takes the seven loaves - note that - seven, for the days of creation, seven for the fullness of Him who made all by His Word. Having taken the bread, He gives thanks, breaks it, and give it to the disciples that they might set it before the people. And so with the fish. And they all ate and were satisfied. He did merely give them a snack, something to hold them over until they arrived back home. He filled their hungry bellies. He satisfied their bodily needs. For our Lord who created you in body and soul, does not neglect your physical needs. He is simply trying to teach you that both your spiritual and physical needs are completely and wholly dependent upon Him. And for Jesus the spiritual and physical are always connected.
For He who created you from the dust of the ground, physical, breathed the breath of life, His own Spirit into you, spiritual. And you who were once dead - spiritually - in your trespasses and sins, He made alive together in Christ Jesus. God is Spirit, as Scripture says. But for you, He took up flesh, in order to redeem you in both body and soul. His Word cleansed and rebirthed you in Holy Baptism, even as the water was poured on your physical body. Soul and body, faith and life, go together for the Christian. This is why St Paul is so keen to admonish the Roman Christians, As you once presented your members, that is, your body, as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness - for following our bodily passions is a false freedom - so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
Beloved, you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, yielding the fruit of His good creation.
Thus does He lead you out here, to this place, not the wilderness abode of the devil, but to the lushness of His Church and the bountiful provision of His Gospel. Jesus knows what He is doing. He calls you away from your labor, away from your anxieties, aways from all those things that pertain to this body and life, to hunger and thirst for His righteousness, for His Word. He would have you learn again to be completely and wholly dependent on Him for all that is needed not only for this body and life, but for the life of the world to come.
For as He fed and satisfied the crowds, so does He feed and satisfy you. He does not forgive your sins only in part, only a little bit, but fully and completely, granting you the superabundance of His Gospel, the fullness of His grace and mercy, the overflowing of His compassion, which all come to you only by way of His Word, the preaching of His Cross and Passion - which is the fullness of His compassion - for you.
And indeed, here He takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and handing it over to His Servant in order that he may set it before you, His people, His beloved who have been with Him. This is His free gift: eternal life in Him. For His Cross is the true Tree of Life and He is the true Bread, given for you for the full satisfaction of the forgiveness of your sins.
Here beloved nothing is lacking, nothing is less than. Here our Lord Jesus fills your cup to overflowing, feeding you in body and soul, out of His great compassion for you. And there is always left-overs, that is, always more; more than enough for just you, or four thousand. This is the superabundance of His Gospel.
And indeed He sends you away, back to your homes, back to your lives. Back to the living out in your members what He has proclaimed to your ears and heart and soul. In order that what is believed may also be acted upon. For baptized in Christ’s death and resurrection, you have become slaves of God, using your freedom to receive from your Compassionate Lord and so in compassion love and care for those around you, in both body and soul, among whom Jesus has purposefully lead you, according to His good and gracious will.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, who with the Father + and the Holy Spirit, be glory now and forever. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Jesus knew what He was doing. He always does. He acts with purpose. He lead the crowds out, a three day journey, into that desolate place. They clung on His every Word, holding it sacred, gladly hearing and learning it, so much so, that they forgot their daily needs. Their knapsacks were empty. Their lunch pails bare. What were they going to do now?
Jesus has a plan. A way. He always does. And His way is not always your way. We have already journeyed to a desolate place - our Lord Jesus was Himself driven by the Spirit, according to St Mark, into the wilderness with the express purpose of fasting and in order to be tempted by the devil. Jesus overcame. He kept the fast. He defeated the devil with the might of His Word. So now He leads this great crowd out into the barren wilderness; only it is no longer the abode of the devil. They are not lead in order to be tempted, for God tempts no one. But they are led to be tested. For the Lord disciplines those whom He loves. And He chastises every son whom He receives.
And before the crowds or the disciples notice their precarious predicament, Jesus calls the Twelve to Him and says, I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with Me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry, they will faint on the way. Meaning, they are so famished now that some may in fact die in this place without food. But how can we possibly feed them out here? They are isolated and alone with nothing to eat; surrounded by the harsh wilderness and the barren desert.
It is a stark contrast to the bounty of the Garden of Eden. There the Lord God made to spring up from the ground every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. There was no want or need; but superabundance, a time of great plenty. Perhaps you yourself have known and experienced such a time. Money is good, job or retirement is going well, bills are paid, debts are being paid off, vacations are planed. It is a great feeling. A satisfying position to be in.
But man does not live by all that is meant by daily bread. Life, real life, does not consist in the abundance of stuff. Food can rot. Drink can be sour. Clothing falls apart. Money can be stolen. Devout spouses, children, workers can turn against you. Even good government and peace can be removed, taken away. You are dust. To dust you shall return. And all these things, everything meant by daily bread, can be lost.
And this is what our Lord Jesus would have the disciples learn here in the wilderness. This is what He would have the crowds learn. This is what He would teach you in this wilderness, this desolate place. He would have you learn to rely solely and completely on Him, on His compassion and provision, on His love and mercy. For faith is not a matter of being content before God. Rather it is being in constant need before Him; in need of mercy, in need of love, in need of kindness, in need of forgiveness, in need of redemption.
And indeed He provides, for He has compassion on the crowds. He has compassion on you. He who out of compassion in the beginning created Man and set him in the midst of the Garden to work it and keep it, giving him all things necessary for body and soul, for this life and the life to come, is present now in the flesh of Jesus Christ, who has compassion on the crowd.
He is the constant between the lush paradise of Eden and the desolate barrenness of the wilderness. He is the constant in plenty or in need. Christ Jesus is your constant in times of abundance or in time of want. As St Paul rejoiced, I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I known how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Phil 4:11-13).
The One who gives strength to St Paul, is the One who created the heavens and gathered the waters of the sea as a heap. He spoke and it came to be. He is the One on the rocky hillside with this famished crowd - the Word of the Lord made flesh, having compassion on the crowd. And just as the divine compassion of the Father for His creation moved Him to send His Son, so the divine compassion of the Son moves Him to feed His people.
He takes the seven loaves - note that - seven, for the days of creation, seven for the fullness of Him who made all by His Word. Having taken the bread, He gives thanks, breaks it, and give it to the disciples that they might set it before the people. And so with the fish. And they all ate and were satisfied. He did merely give them a snack, something to hold them over until they arrived back home. He filled their hungry bellies. He satisfied their bodily needs. For our Lord who created you in body and soul, does not neglect your physical needs. He is simply trying to teach you that both your spiritual and physical needs are completely and wholly dependent upon Him. And for Jesus the spiritual and physical are always connected.
For He who created you from the dust of the ground, physical, breathed the breath of life, His own Spirit into you, spiritual. And you who were once dead - spiritually - in your trespasses and sins, He made alive together in Christ Jesus. God is Spirit, as Scripture says. But for you, He took up flesh, in order to redeem you in both body and soul. His Word cleansed and rebirthed you in Holy Baptism, even as the water was poured on your physical body. Soul and body, faith and life, go together for the Christian. This is why St Paul is so keen to admonish the Roman Christians, As you once presented your members, that is, your body, as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness - for following our bodily passions is a false freedom - so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
Beloved, you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, yielding the fruit of His good creation.
Thus does He lead you out here, to this place, not the wilderness abode of the devil, but to the lushness of His Church and the bountiful provision of His Gospel. Jesus knows what He is doing. He calls you away from your labor, away from your anxieties, aways from all those things that pertain to this body and life, to hunger and thirst for His righteousness, for His Word. He would have you learn again to be completely and wholly dependent on Him for all that is needed not only for this body and life, but for the life of the world to come.
For as He fed and satisfied the crowds, so does He feed and satisfy you. He does not forgive your sins only in part, only a little bit, but fully and completely, granting you the superabundance of His Gospel, the fullness of His grace and mercy, the overflowing of His compassion, which all come to you only by way of His Word, the preaching of His Cross and Passion - which is the fullness of His compassion - for you.
And indeed, here He takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and handing it over to His Servant in order that he may set it before you, His people, His beloved who have been with Him. This is His free gift: eternal life in Him. For His Cross is the true Tree of Life and He is the true Bread, given for you for the full satisfaction of the forgiveness of your sins.
Here beloved nothing is lacking, nothing is less than. Here our Lord Jesus fills your cup to overflowing, feeding you in body and soul, out of His great compassion for you. And there is always left-overs, that is, always more; more than enough for just you, or four thousand. This is the superabundance of His Gospel.
And indeed He sends you away, back to your homes, back to your lives. Back to the living out in your members what He has proclaimed to your ears and heart and soul. In order that what is believed may also be acted upon. For baptized in Christ’s death and resurrection, you have become slaves of God, using your freedom to receive from your Compassionate Lord and so in compassion love and care for those around you, in both body and soul, among whom Jesus has purposefully lead you, according to His good and gracious will.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, who with the Father + and the Holy Spirit, be glory now and forever. Amen.
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