Christ Feeds His People TEXT 39Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42And they all ate and were satisfied. 43And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. Mark 6:39-44
Dear People of God, Today's message is very simple. Christ feeds His people. He has baptized you into His death and resurrection. He has baptized you into His church. He sends you back into the world so the world can see Him in you. Do ya think He's gonna let you starve? Do ya think He's gonna let you go without everything that you need? Remember Elijah? God sent ravens to feed him. He sent an angel to give him bread. And that care extends to those who support His servants of the Word as well. The widow of Zarepheth's jar of flour and jug of oil never ran out while Elijah was with her. We are seeing that here this very day at Trinity, Layton. God is providing a way for us to continue hearing the Word and receiving the body and blood of His Son even though we do not at present have the numbers or the offerings to sustain ourselves. "The earth would have to run out of bread or the heavens would have to run out of rain before a Christian would die of starvation.; indeed, God Himself would have to starve to death first." Luther's Works, Vol. 21, p. 207 on Matthew 6:33 A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the LORD upholds the righteous. The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. . . . Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. Psalm 37:16-19; 23-24 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33 Now that does not mean everything you want, everything your little ole pea pickin heart desires. And that's the story--the history of sin isn't it? We always want more. We always want something else. a.. Adam & Eve. b.. The Israelites in the desert. c.. The Jews looking for a bread king. d.. Us here today. We would all prefer not to leave this place. We would all prefer to have the sanctuary and offering plates overflowing. But, alas, it simply isn't so. But we do have Word of God the Father, the forgiveness of sins & the righteousness of Christ Jesus His Son, the comfort and counsel of His Holy Spirit-and we have them in abundance, even to overflowing. We do have the keys to the kingdom of heaven, indeed live in that kingdom even now as you hear this Word of God and come to the table of the Lord. Yes, like the 5000 men, we are sitting at the feet of Jesus in a green place today--a place green and lush from His life-giving Word. So with David we can proclaim, "I shall not want." And with Paul we can confess: I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11b-13 . . . because Christ feeds His people. Those He gathers into His kingdom of righteousness shall not want, for He makes them lie down in green pastures of His Word. He has them sit down in groups of two, or three, or 50, or 100, or more gathered in His name to sit in the green places of His sanctuary, the Church. What that means, is like with the feeding of 5000, even a little is enough when you are in the presence of the Lord. Even a little is enough when you have heard God's Word. When Christ feeds His people, even the tiniest morsel is enough. When Christ dwells with His people size simply doesn't matter-whether the size of the person, the size of the meal, the size of the building, the size of the congregation. When Christ is among His people baptizing His children, preaching His Word, forgiving sins, giving His body and blood-even a thimbleful of water, even the speaking of His name, even a simple absolution, even a crumb of bread and a sip of wine are enough to satisfy His people. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. Psalm 33:18-20 Christ feeds His people, and His people have enough to keep them alive forever-in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen Rev. Kurt Hering Layton, UT ". . . the Lord will have no flatterer as a preacher. he does not say: Go around the village,or to the one side of it: Go in bravely and tell them what they do not like to hear." -- Martin Luther in an Advent I sermon ____________________________________________________________ Coil Binding Machine Coil Binding Machine Offers. Compare Coil Binding Machine http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2241/c?cp=Ki-J9ZQ0SFxFuDixkiLqwQAAJ1G9goxG6rJVcQpsp3CGVrD0AAUAAAAAAAAAAB6naD6cQQwf9iJDzsjMKeRWVzq0AAAAAA==
