Warmest greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This week we’re focussing on our reading from Matthew’s gospel (the feeding of the 5,000) as we see Christ’s complete ability to provide for his people.
I understand that many are not able to join us yet in our services and those who can come miss being able to all meet together and celebrate together as we are used to in song and sacrament. Please keep in touch and share encouragements and prayer needs.
This week’s resources are below. The next resources will be sent in two weeks time. In the intervening week (Sunday 23rd August), I suggest you may enjoy considering Matthew 14:22-36. How does Jesus show compassion, and care to his disciples? How do the disciples grow in trust of him?
I’m so encouraged by the many ways I hear of people caring for one another and their neighbours. Christ is at work through his people.
With my prayers,
Steve
Resources for Sunday 16th August 2020
“I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11)
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession
Consider these words of Jesus:
"I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20)
"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)
Jesus said “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17)
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.
"You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
Word of God
Our readings today are Isaiah 25:6-9 and Matthew 14:13-21.
Creed
Let us declare our faith in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures;
he was buried; he was raised to life on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures;
afterwards he appeared to his followers, and to all the apostles:
this we have received, and this we believe. Amen.
from 1 Corinthians 15.3-7
Reflection: A feast in hard places
We all love times of celebration and we know that many of our celebrations involve food. Our celebrations come and go. After the Christmas turkey comes January. Soon after Easter all the chocolate and hot cross buns are eaten. A birthday cake soon goes stale.
But there is a feast that doesn’t fade away. Jesus says that people will come from the East and West to take their places in the heavenly feast (Matt 8:11). At the end of history there will be no more want or need. At the feeding of the 5000 Jesus is revealing that he is the host of heaven’s feast. He’s at the head of the table. The actual bread and fish are a foreshadowing of the final banquet for all his people.
We’ve just read what is possibly the most famous of all Jesus’ miracles. All four eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life include the feeding of the 5000. If you’ve been in church a while you are probably very familiar with the story. But perhaps it is possible to be so familiar that we miss its wonderful significance. How much we need to hear this.
If we zoom out a little bit in Matthew’s gospel we see increasing division around Jesus.
In his hometown
In 13:35-58 Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth reject him and his teaching. Growing up in a village, they all know Jesus’ family and have seen him grow up. Their familiarity gets in the way of faith. And they “took offence at him” (Matt 13:57). The word for ‘offense’ comes many times in this section of the gospel. Literally it’s saying that they were scandalised by Jesus.
But think how illogical they are being. They agree that Jesus’ has "wisdom and miraculous powers" (Matthew 13:54) so why would they reject him? Their pride means they refuse to listen more to him. This is the last time Jesus is in a synagogue in Matthew’s gospel. When he walks out that day, it is as if he never returns. Jesus, through his teaching, has confronted their familiarity. A clearer vision of Jesus has brought clearer division.
This is a very sad and sobering reality. Familiarity with Jesus is not enough to bring about faith.
Herod
The second point of division is with Herod who has not yet met Jesus. But when Herod heard news of Jesus, his fear and guilty conscience means he jumps to wrong conclusions: “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead!" (Matthew 14:2). Herod refused to repent at John’s teaching. And now he thinks he has risen from the dead, what would be the reasonable thing to do? Surely, to repent, to find out more about Jesus, to investigate. But it seems that none of this happens. He thinks a resurrection has happened and he doesn't investigate the details because he is too troubled by his conscience. By the time Herod does get to meet Jesus face to face, he just wants him to perform a miracle like a travelling magician and mocks him (Luke 23:8-12).
So too, many today don’t want to investigate Jesus further because they don’t want to change how they live. A troubled conscience can lead someone to Christ or can keep them away.
Jesus’ hometown didn’t want to listen to him, Herod didn’t want to change how he lived. Jesus brings division.
Did you know there is an invisible line that divides the land around us? Selattyn and Weston Rhyn fall on one side of the line, and Oswestry, Gobowen and Hengoed fall on the other side. It cuts St Martin’s in half. A drop of rain falling on the Selattyn side will eventually seep, trickle and flow from stream to river Northwards out of the Dee estuary. Rain on the Gobowen side all flows a longer route South through the River Severn towards Gloucester and the Bristol Channel.
The line of division has far reaching consequences. For humanity, the line of division is Jesus and his teaching. Clarity comes when the scandal of Jesus and his teaching are heard. For some those are words of offense, to others they are word of life.
In the midst of this, Jesus spreads a feast in the wilderness. The division Jesus brings is painful to us because we know his comfort, promises and life-changing power. The feeding of the 5000 is not here by accident. Let me show you some of its comforting truths for us.
Firstly, when we are unable, faith finds that Christ abundantly provides. Think of the challenge Jesus gives. He says to the disciples, “You give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14:16) How could they when they have no food and no money! More than 5000 people! Looking at their own resources Jesus’ words seem ridiculous. But just a few verses later, the disciples are indeed giving out food to the crowds and everyone is satisfied.
All of us at times are aware of our spiritual weakness and inability. It is in fact a healthy awareness, so that we will learn like the disciples did to trust Jesus to provide. He is the king who hosts a feast for his people. Ultimately that feast is the banquet of heaven.
The disciples are learning to be utterly dependent on Christ. The crisis on that day was about mass catering but the disciples would face far greater challenges. They find that they truly can look to Christ to provide because he is bringing the heavenly feast. He will provide for his people. They can only give to others what Jesus has first given to them.
Secondly this feast reminds us that our experience is in the wilderness. When our culture doesn’t want to listen to Jesus, or those around us don’t want to change how they are living to come to him, then like Jesus we find ourselves in a desolate place. Perhaps you have felt spiritually desolate at times recently. COVID had reminded me why it is such brilliant news that Jesus has defeated sin death and sickness for us. But not everyone in society has responded to Jesus in faith. It’s easy to be discouraged. But it is normal that when following Jesus we find ourselves with him in a desolate place.
Jesus shows great compassion on the crowds, teaching and healing them (14:14). He takes what little they have and provides a feast, like manna in the desert. Unlike Israel’s history, they trust him, there’s no grumbling that day. And the Apostles learn a little more how Jesus can provide for them, care for them and keep them until that future banquet. One day he will gather all his people for his feast in heaven.
In the midst of whatever challenges you are facing, how is he leading you to grow in trust of him, that he can provide for you, that he cares for you and that you can trust him. Let’s look forward to the coming feast!
Hymn
Prayers
Heavenly Father, our ever-present help in trouble, our fortress and our God: calm the anxious fears of all who turn to you; give strength and healing to those who are sick, and courage and skill to those who care for them; grant wisdom and clarity to those in authority; and humble us all to call upon you that we may be saved not only in this life, but also for that which is to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Let your merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of your humble servants; and that they may obtain their petitions make them to ask such things as shall please you; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
You may like to continue with your own prayers and the Lord’s Prayer.
Conclusion
May Christ, who has nourished us with himself, the living bread, make us one in praise and love and raise us up at the last day, and the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.