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Hear the devotional lesson here: https://bit.ly/3y5dn6J
1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. 14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. (John 6:1-21 NIV)
Happy Monday, dear ConCafe Family! May Jesus be made real in your life, Friend today; and may you share the reality of Jesus too! Our continued prayers for those in need; for each other, and for ourselves.
Well, yesterday in my sermon I confessed that I stand in need of God's grace and strength often. And today again, is one of those days. As happens more often than I'd like, I misread the gospel lesson from one week instead of the right week. So, today's gospel lesson was from last week. If you're preparing a sermon, go to last Monday's gospel lesson and find the right gospel lesson for August 1st. Let me express my deep appreciation for The Rev. Dr. Bradley DeHaven from CC St. Luke's UMC, and The Rev. Dr. Matt Pennington for their invitaitons to preach these last two Sundays. And to their congregations for their welcoming spirits and appreciation. I was blessed to have been in your pulpits. I pray that God was glorified and your souls edified, and Satan mortified.
I love Jesus. I pray you do too. Jesus did so much while on the earth during His earthly ministry, and even today He continues to do exactly the same if we but let Him, and invite Him. A recent theme of our devotional study has been Jesus' commitment to wholeness which include even the physical fulfillment of hunger. As I said last week, Jesus was the original Methodist, because He brought the meal! And today it was brought in a miraculous way. And Jesus even toys with one of His disciples, to test him of course, asking where he thought they could find enough bread to buy in order to feed 5,000 men (not counting women and children!). Jesus, of course, already knew what He would do, but wanted to hear from Philip. And Philip did not disappoint; "It would take more than half a year's wages to buy enough bread for each one ot have bite!" A bite? We speak of the the mentality of scarcity and generosity; those with a generous mindset say "We have enough," and then give, not only of their money, but of themselves. The others never have enough, so they never give or share. Philip, in his defense, had not fully grown in his faith and his walk with Jesus. He was one who gave of himself to die for Jesus, so we cannot condemn him. Jesus is the Man of Why Not. When told that there was a little boy in the crowd who had shown up with five small barley loaves and two small fish, Jesus says and does, the Why Not. (Peter's brother Andrew was not there yet either!) But Jesus has the people sit down, and in an act of gratitude, give thanks to God, and then begins to hand out loaves and fishes. And everyone had enough. In fact, when the eating was over, there were 12 baskets filled with the uneaten loaves and fish. Jesus did not want anything wasted, so we can only imagine they were used to feed more along the way.
This miracle was enough for some in the crowd to declare Jesus as the long awaited Prophet. Jesus knew their next step was to make Him king by force, retreats away from there to a mountain to be by Himself. We know He was a man of prayer, so he spent time praying to His Father. The disciples meanwhile head to the water and set to cross the lake. It gets dark and Jesus had not yet joined them. And, as happens on the lake, a storm comes up, and the waters get rough. They fight the storm by rowing and get about three or four miles when they see Jesus approaching the boat by walking on the water; and this scares them even more. Jesus said to them, as He has often told me, and even you, "Don't be afraid! It is I!" It is then when they allow Jesus on the boat and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. This, my friends, could count as yet another miracle. The presence of Jesus in any situation invites His power to be present, and once there, the boat gets to the shore immediately. Ponder on that for a moment.
Jesus came to save the world. His agenda or goal was for it to happen right away. We became His disciples not just to get to Heaven, but to live and love in ways that bring Heaven here right now. It means living lives with eyes and hearts wide open to the needs of our neighbors so that we can do all we can to help meet those needs. Jesus fed the hungry and as He spoke of the coming great judgement He said we would be judged by those we fed who were hungry; quenced the thirst of those who were thirsty; clothed those who were naked; visited those who were sick or in jail, and welcomed all. The hunger that so many have today is the spiritual hunger to know they are loved and welcomed into the Kingdom of God. That theirs is a bright hope because they can become part of a functioning church that marches ever forward in a triumphant way to make new disciples who care for one another. Our hunger should be to do more, love more, and reach more. And with Jesus "on board" we can do that immediately, and the number won't matter; for He who could feed the 5,000 can help us reach unimaginable numbers too!
PRAYER: Loving God, feed us with the desire and drive to bring Your Reign here on the earth. Help open our eyes, ears, and our thinking to the generosity that is ours. Help us win the world for You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Feed someone with love and acceptance today!
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
