Living Bread from the Bread of Life

LAETARE

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT

March 11, 2018

ST. JOHN 6:1–15

Living Bread from the Bread of Life

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

People running out of food and drink is a recurring theme in the early chapters of St. John's Gospel. In John 2 at the wedding in Cana the wine almost runs out. In John 4 at the well in Samaria (the northwestern chunk of the Holy Land that Jews tended to avoid) Jesus' disciples went to buy food and Jesus asked the woman at the well for a drink of water.

Here in John 6 the thousands who had followed Jesus' didn't have any food. And even before He asked His disciples for solutions to this problem, He had already decided to use His divine power to feed these people.

ST. JOHN 6:5–9 Lifting up His eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward Him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION

The text here raises up several interesting questions:

How did Andrew know this, spotting this kid's lunch among the thousands?

Or did the kid somehow hear there was a shortage of food and come forward on his own?

And why did this kid have food on him when all the men had come unprepared?

But a far more important question John's account raises is this:

What is Jesus trying to teach us by providing a tremendous outpouring of food from five little loaves, bread from bread?

If we look back, our Lord Jesus sometimes brings bread directly from heaven. When the Israelites had been delivered out of slavery from Egypt, but then rebelled, our Lord caused them to wander in the desert wilderness for forty years. But during this time He provided miracle manna from heaven to keep them alive.

But our Lord at the wedding in Cana didn't make the sky open and rain down wine for the guests. He used water in six stones jar and changed it to wine.

In our lesson for today He didn't rain down bread from heaven (which He easily could have done), but instead He chose to make use of this boy's bread and fish.

ST. JOHN 6:10–11 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION

Some “experts” in some visible churches demand that this event was an exercise in mass psychology. To wit, when the grown men saw how generous this little kid was, they were ashamed and/or inspired and decided that it was time to take out the food that they had been hiding in their robes, just like everybody else. And soon everyone was enjoying a communal meal with their fellow man. Behold! And see what comes with trusting in the inherent goodness of mankind. This was no miracle, say these experts, yes, even pastors. They violate the clear words of Scripture and speculate that this miracle was spiritual in nature: Jesus had helped inspire the masses to overcome their selfishness and learn to share.

How sweet. How pungent.

Now if Jesus had had manna rain down, these hip thinkers might be more pressed for a non-miraculous answer. But Jesus chose to use existing food and turn it into a feast. Why?

Because Jesus is the giver of all good things, including our daily bread, which is everything we need for body and life. Food, of course, but also clothing, homes, and everything else that keeps you alive and safe.

And Jesus making bread into more and more bread reminds us that He chooses to use us for His purpose of creating more and more believers.

He chooses to need trained men—pastors—to take care of the souls of His people.

He chooses to need godly men—especially fathers—to raise His sons and daughters in the way of the Lord.

He chooses to need godly women—especially mothers—to love and care for His children.

He chooses to call godly baptized believers—especially all of you—to be who He has created you to be in all your different walks of life.

He even chooses to use ordinary bread and create for us His own body for us to eat for our salvation. He chooses to use ordinary wine and create for us His own blood for us to drink for our salvation.

Ordinary people. Ordinary bread.

But Jesus is the Bread of Life. He gives Himself to you in Word and Wine and Bread and makes you extraordinary. You are never going to not exist. You might die, but you will always live because you have received the bread of life.

ST. JOHN 6:35–40 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION

In Jesus' Name. Amen.

God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Thanks be to God!