July 31, 2005

Genesis 32:22–31;Psalm 17:1–7, 15; Romans 9:1–5; Matthew 14:13–21

Sermon by Michael R. Martin
First United Methodist Church of Saranac Lake, NY

Our reading in Matthew today takes place just after the murder of John the Baptist.

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand (NLT)

¹³ As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed by land from many villages. ¹⁴ A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

¹⁵ That evening the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and it is getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves."

¹⁶ But Jesus replied, "That isn't necessary—you feed them."

¹⁷ "Impossible!" they exclaimed. "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish!"

¹⁸ "Bring them here," he said. ¹⁹ Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. And he took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and asked God's blessing on the food. Breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave some of the bread and fish to each disciple, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate as much as they wanted, and they picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. ²¹ About five thousand men had eaten from those five loaves, in addition to all the women and children!

As soon as Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been beheaded, he sought solitude (verses 12-13). By this time in Jesus' ministry, however, the crowds had begun to gather at every opportunity. They followed him on foot and gathered by the thousands (verse 21). The passage notes Jesus' compassion: The crowd stayed with him for the day as he cured their sick (verse 14).

When evening came, Jesus miraculously fed the multitude with five loaves of bread and two fish (verses 17-19). The text states that there were 5,000 men present, besides women and children. Therefore, the total number of people Jesus fed could have been 10 to 15 thousand. The number of men is listed separately because in the Jewish culture of the day, men and women usually ate separately when in public. The children ate with the women.

It would not have been uncommon for travelers to bring dried fish or bread on a journey or for a youth to sell a limited variety of food items to the captive crowd. However, in a spontaneous gathering of this kind, it would be safe to say that the meager supplies of the food venders had long since been exhausted. Fish and especially bread were central components of the Palestinian diet; meat was rarely available except at feasts. Food was always sold in village markets, and the Galilean countryside was full of villages (Mark 6:36); but Jesus had withdrawn his followers some distance from the nearest villages (Mark 6:32). Even the larger villages would have under three thousand inhabitants; despite Galilee’s agricultural self-sufficiency, feeding the crowd in the villages would thus have been difficult. But it would have taken more than two hundred days of an average person’s wages (around seven months of hard labor) to feed the great multitude that had assembled.

SO Jesus performed a miracle. He took the meager food resources they had, and he blessed it. It was customary among the Jews to begin a meal by giving thanks for the bread and then dividing it. The form of prayer which they used in the time of Christ has been preserved by their writers, the Talmudists. It is this: "Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who hast produced this food and this drink, from the earth and the vine." All ate until they were filled, and there were twelve baskets of broken pieces that remained. Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed over 5,000 people. What he was originally given seemed insufficient, but in his hands it became more than enough. We often feel that our contribution to Jesus is meager, but he can use and multiply whatever we give him, whether it is talent, time, or treasure. It is when we give them to Jesus that our resources are multiplied.

The opening verse of today's passage speaks to our own need to recognize when we need a retreat. John the Baptist was Jesus' cousin and, in a sense, his colleague in ministry. After hearing of John the Baptist's horrible death, Jesus and the twelve had set out for a deserted place for reflection. Along the way, however, another reality dawned. Although we frequently know what we need, the pressing needs of others often stand at the gate. From this passage, two conflicting issues become evident: self-care and compassion for others with genuine needs. As we look at Jesus' response to the multitudes, it becomes clear that we may not always be in a position to legislate when or how we take care of ourselves, take the solitude that we need. Most of us live in the tension of that narrow place that lies between caring for ourselves and caring for others. On the other hand, however, we do need periods of solitude, centering, and reflection. A critical question for today: How do we discern when to shut the door and pull down the shutters before damaging sanity, identity, or self-worth?

Seeking solitude was an important priority for Jesus (see also Mat 14:13). He made room in his busy schedule to be alone with the Father.

Luke 9:18-21 (NAB)
¹⁸ Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
¹⁹ They said in reply, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, 'One of the ancient prophets has arisen.' "
²⁰ Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said in reply, "The Messiah of God."
²¹ He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

Matthew 14:22-23 (WEY)
²² Immediately afterwards He made the disciples go on board the boat and cross to the opposite shore, leaving Him to dismiss the people.
²³ When He had done this, He climbed the hill to pray in solitude. Night came on, and he was there alone.

Psalms 55:6-7 (NLT)
⁶ Oh, how I wish I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest!
⁷ I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness.

Jeremiah 9:2 (NLT)
² Oh, that I could go away and forget them and live in a shack in the desert, for they are all adulterous and treacherous.

How may we benefit from solitude?

Matthew 14:13: As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed by land from many villages.

Solitude can be time to deal privately with pain. Jesus sought solitude after the news of John's death. Sometimes we may need to deal with our grief alone. In our reading, Jesus was not able to dwell on his grief, but forced to returned to the ministry of his flock by his compassion for them.

Matthew 14:23-24 : Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.

Solitude can be time spent with God. Seeking solitude was an important priority for Jesus. He made room in his busy schedule to be alone with the Father. Spending time with God in prayer nurtures a vital relationship and equips us to meet life's challenges and struggles. Develop the discipline of spending time alone with God—it will help you grow spiritually and become more and more like Christ.

Luke 4:42: Early the next morning Jesus went out into the wilderness. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them.

Solitude is important for prayer and refreshment, but will only be possible if we make it a priority. Jesus had to get up very early just to get some time alone. If Jesus needed solitude for prayer and refreshment, how much more is this true for us? Don't become so busy that life turns into a flurry of activity leaving no room for quiet fellowship alone with God. No matter how much you have to do, you should always make time for prayer.

Spending time with God in prayer nurtures a vital relationship and equips us to meet life's challenges and struggles. Develop the discipline of spending time alone with God — it will help you grow spiritually and become more and more like Christ

Relate to our lives: We all have times when we need to get away from it all, seek some peace and quiet, some solitude. I think it is essential – I have found this to be true for me. How often are we able to find this respite, and how long does it last before something intrudes –telephone, children, spouse, pet? Where can you go to find solitude?

THE ELUSIVE SOLITUDE
By James LaJocies

I stepped into the clear sunlight on a spring like day,
To enter the lush forest and search for the elusive solitude.
To help my minds jigsaw puzzle to fit.
To iron out the wrinkles of stress and smooth the mind of life’s highways.
To give me direction, reward me with clarity and to bring peace to my soul.

I searched for the elusive solitude.
I sought her out with purpose and found her hidden,
In the colors of Emerald Green, Sapphire Blue and Snow White.
She surrounded herself with a symphony of soft ocean waves,
With water in a cascading free fall. All of which she harmonized,
Using the wind, caressing the leaves of towering trees.
I found the elusive solitude and then solitude was interrupted ........ People.

Michael R. Martin – July 31, 2005
First UMC of Saranac Lake, 8:30AM