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This Week's Sermon THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 19 July 2009 "The Giver of All Good Things" Mark 6:30-44 LSB Series B Pastor Philip G. Meyer Soli Deo Gloria!

Today we have heard the account of Jesus' feeding of the 5,000 men, and this event will occupy center stage two weeks from today and for a couple of following Sundays. We'll move over to John's discussion of its aftermath. This miracle is a watershed event. From this point on in our Lord's ministry, his popularity begins to slide ominously. On the surface of things it seems that Jesus has never been more popular, but it didn't rest upon the recognition of his true mission. With the death of John the Baptizer Jesus focuses on his own impending death. In spite of the intensive catechesis that Jesus was giving the Twelve disciples, not even they have grasped what Jesus is all about.

As Jesus tried to get away from crowds after John's death, he was not able. The crowds actually beat Jesus and the Disciples around the tip of the lake because they went on foot. When Jesus arrived he was again confronted with the great crowd. The quiet place of rest Jesus sought was spoiled, but the sad fact was that the crowd had followed him for the wrong reason. They were seeking more miracles, not a Savior from sin. Yet, even with that, Jesus was moved with compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them, to impart God's Word to them, pointing to himself. Reality set it when it became late. The Twelve announced to Jesus that he needed to send the crowd away so that they could get something to eat.

Jesus challenged them by telling them to give the crowd something to eat, but when they had taken inventory, they realized that whatever they could buy from their treasury would be inadequate. Jesus was emphasizing their poverty. Jesus was directing things back to himself. He would make them see something they had not seen, that is, their own inadequacy and their absolute dependence upon him. He would present himself as "The Giver of All Good Things."

The miracle was an amazing one. Nobody has enough. The inventory was stark-five loaves and two fish. Hopeless is the only way to describe it. Into this hopeless situation steps the Son of God and provides more than enough. In fact, all 5,000 men ate and were satisfied, to say nothing of the women and children who were not counted. The crowd probably numbered nearly 15,000 persons in all. The leftovers were more than the sum total of what they had at the beginning! No man had ever done that! It is a miracle on a par with the Creation itself.

Yet, the people misunderstood. They were more impressed with the gifts than with the Giver. Isn't that the way is it for us, too? Do we really see that it is God who gives us all things and that we must come to rely on God in every need and to learn to be content with what he provides for us daily?

Therein lies our sin and the sin of all people. We do not remember our Lord as "The Giver of All Good Things," but tend to think that we supply our own needs. And that proves to be disastrous for us. We take inventory of what we have and are discontent. Those who have the most crave more and more. Just the other day FoxNews featured a story on celebrities who are shopaholics. Kim Kardashian's family staged an intervention because she spends so much money on things. Others listed as spending too much are the usual list of maladjusted celebrities, including Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and others. Having lots of money and things doesn't seem to equal contentment. Lack of contentment means that one is looking to one's self for all good and blessing. One isn't looking to "The Giver of All Good Things."

Recall how our Lord spoke early on in his earthly ministry:

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" (Matthew 6:25, ESV)

Isn't life more that what you eat or wear? Yet, this crowd believed that this was all there was to life. They wanted more. Isn't our sin that we also want more than we need? Two weeks ago Paul spelled it out in our Epistle as he spoke of his "thorn in the flesh:"

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."" (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

If life is merely what you eat and wear, then your life is poverty-stricken indeed. We have become afflicted with a very shallow view of life. Perhaps it is the material age in which we live that has compounded the sin; perhaps it is because we believe we have a right to anything our heart desires, or perhaps we are discontented with what God gives us.

God tells us that we have all that we require. The Apostle Paul warns us:

"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." (1 Timothy 6:6-10, ESV)

When we are discontented, we have taken our eyes away from "The Giver of All Good Things" and placed them on the things instead. Things become more important than the One who gives them, who provides them to us out of his abundant grace and mercy.

Luther once wrote:

"That it tastes good and that we enjoy it is God's to grant. If God does not give the enjoyment, it does not help to have an abundance." [Luther's House Postils, volume 1, p. 346].

True enjoyment comes only from contentment and contentment comes only from recognizing who the Giver is, of appreciating his blessings. As we pray Luther's prayer before meals we are reminded of this:

The children and members of the household shall go to the table reverently, fold their hands, and say:
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing. [Psalm 145:15-16]

Then shall be said the Our Father and the following:
Lord God, heavenly Father, bless us and these your gifts which we receive from your bountiful goodness, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

This is the very point that the crowd and the Twelve missed. It is the very point that we often forget. Who is this Giver? He is the Christ, the Lord of all, the One through whom the Father created the world and through whom he also sustains it. It points to the organic unity of the First and the Second Articles of the Creed where we confess faith in "God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth," and "in Jesus Christ, his Son, our Lord. . . ." Who of you can forget Luther's marvelous explanation of the First Article, where he says in part:

I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that he has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them.
He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.

And why can you rely on this promise of God? It is because he has made it in Christ, our Lord, whom he sent to redeem you from "sin, death, and hell" by shedding his precious blood for you. If that's how God thinks of you-in Christ!-then you can be sure he will provide bread for your stomach and clothes for your back. Your needs shall be met, says Luther, "even though it be in meager manner" [Ibid, p. 348]. He says that even in poverty we must await God's benevolence. This is looking to the Giver rather than at the gifts.

This miracle is like all the others that our Lord performed, that is, it is designed to lead us to something deeper. By leading us to the Giver we are enabled to see the One who has provided for our greatest need, that of our souls. The Word of God, said Jesus, was his food [John 4.32-34]:

"Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." (John 4:34, ESV)

When we return to this event in two weeks, we will hear Jesus tell us that he is the Bread of Life. Only when we eat this Bread will we find true contentment because only God satisfies the hunger of the soul. It is this discussion which caused many people to leave Jesus and turn against him. He was trying to draw them to that which is more than bread for the stomach. He was drawing them to forgiveness, life, and salvation in himself.

The true bread that we need is Jesus and his Word. You have that Bread in abundance. You have Christ's Word proclaimed into your ears without measure. You have his body and blood distributed to you in the Sacrament every week. You have his Absolution placed into your ears on a regular basis. Christ has not been stingy with you! And yet, many, even of our own congregation, do not hunger and thirst for this greatest gift, but find their lives occupied with getting that which ultimately does not satisfy for eternity. One must ask if we have not become prodigal with regard to the true riches of God because we have focused more on the material gifts. It certainly remains a danger, one which will be explored in following weeks.

But for today, focus on "The Giver of All Good Things." If he does not bless you with as much as you desire, then thank God for that. He will give you what you need to sustain this body and life. If he gives you your heart's desire, thank God for that. Praise his gracious generosity. But to all he says, "Be content with what you have. I know your needs and I have promised to provide for them because of my Son, your Lord Jesus Christ. If I have provided for your greatest need, your forgiveness and eternal life, then I will surely not forget that you need food and clothing."

And listen to the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews:

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."" (Hebrews 13:5, ESV)

In Christ he is with you now as you hear these words and as you eat his body and drink his blood. Here is blessing worth more than all the goods of this world! Here is true contentment and eternal blessing! Here is "The Giver of All Good Things" himself.