August 2 -- Goin' Fishin' (Pentecost 9A)

Thankful and in our prayers, congregations with whom we've connected in July...

-Lutheran congregations across the Black Hills, SD

-Zion Lutheran in Oregon City, OR
-Klamath Lutheran in Klamath Falls, OR
-Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran in Jackson, WY
-Grace Lutheran in Omaha, NE

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Grace and peace to you this day.

3 points I’d like to make, in light of this Gospel text:

1) Disciples wanted to send the crowds away.  But Jesus held them together. 

Disciples wanted to keep it simple and neat, but how “keeping it simple and neat” can breakdown community and attempt to edge out God’s compassion. 

This is a text about God’s compassion, God’s justice…where ALL are fed.  All are clothed, all are housed, all are safe and have security.  This includes those who have to wait in the back of the line — in Jesus’ day women and children, in our day black lives, and any who are unfairly discriminated against because of their status or the color of their skin... 

I’ve been wondering this week, as Congress argues again, what God’s stimulus plan would look like... What would God’s health care coverage and education plan would look like?

If we bring something back from the text for our world today, I think we have to look at how Jesus overflows with compassion: All ate and were fed, and there were 12 baskets left over.

Furthermore on this first point: Jesus calls the disciples to that work.  Can’t help but think of John Lewis’ final words, “marching orders,” repeated throughout his funeral service this week:  keep moving.  “You give them something to eat.”  People are hungry.  People are tired.  People are discriminated against. People are hurting.  You do something about it, keep moving, Jesus says…

2) The disciples didn’t think there was enough.  But Jesus turned that which was offered into more than enough.

You know, I don’t like it when biblical scholars and preachers “explain away” or de-mystify the miracles of Jesus (Jesus walking on water/shore).  Rather than scientific analysis, I’d rather focus on what these stories teach us about Jesus and about us... 

That being said, one explanation that I’ve heard about this miracle of the loaves and fish, which I do like…is that the bit that was offered by someone for whom that was all they had —  5 loaves and 2 fish — was such an inspiration to all, that everyone began to gladly share, and suddenly blessings abound.  Loaves and fish abound, and there are even leftovers!

It’s a common phenomenon in congregations, when it comes to offering and tithing, that often it is those with less income who give a greater percentage, like the little one who offered all he had…entrusting it to God, to be blessed, broken and shared (miraculously, in abundance) with the whole.

That’s what offering is!   

Siblings in Christ — I read some years back that when a congregation calls a pastor, one of the things they’re doing is sending that person to the biblical text each week to “fish” — to fish out a word from God for the people.  “What say you, Preacher?  What can you find, a word from the Lord?  Any fish for us this week?”  Well, in my “fishing” this week, I find this text to be calling us to give and keep giving—not just the fraction that we think we can afford.  We are called us to give all we have to God’s work.   It’s all

God’s anyway, isn’t it? 

Jennifer at SVLC saying a prayer and writing the first check of the month to Synod, the church’s tithe.  Whatever we bring to Jesus, let’s take a deep breath of thanksgiving and say a prayer (like p.)...

And may the 5 loaves and 2 fish not inspire us to share our leftovers [pause].  Let’s let Christ deal with those 12 baskets of leftovers.  May God’s Word invigorate us today to bring all we have, lay it in Christ’s hands so that he may bless it, break it and share it with a hungry and hurting world.

With the abundance, Jesus feeds us too!  ALL ARE FED means you and me – we don’t just empty are pockets and go home hungry and bitter.  In this amazing story, messy-spirit-filled-children-screaming-old-people-dancing-everyone-singing-everyone fed-community-in-Christ is the result!  Amen?   ALL ARE FED, you and me included!

3) The disciples want to send them away, but Jesus even feeds the disciples! 

Jesus forms us all into one body, through sharing.  The disciples don’t think there’s enough, but Jesus makes sure everyone is fed, including them, including us!

Friends, we are fed this day—even if and especially when we’re tired, depressed, lost, confused, lonely, wrapped up in conflict, stressed about money, grieving our losses, losing our hope—Jesus doesn’t send us away empty... 

He sends us away fed! 

That’s what what I fished out for this day.  May God take this bit of fish, bless it, break it and share it.  For Christ is the bread of life.  TBTG.  AMEN.