And, they’re not just hungry for food. God uses. 2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. Explore What We Do. Miracles require you to speak and act. Meeting Jesus: The Boy with Five Loaves and Two Fish A Message on John 6:1-14 For Jacksonville First United Methodist Church Oct. 13, 2019 By Doug Wintermute dwinterm@yahoo.com John 6:1-14 (NRSV) After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. He takes the five loaves and two fish and gives thanks to God. About the same size as a biscuit! Bring them here to me. The people have been hanging on his every word and following him everywhere, because he is able to feed them with the word of God. Jesus gives these to the disciples to distribute to the people. Matthew account doesn’t mention the boy. Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in God’s hands will feed thousands. John of Kronstadt. I don’t know what to do or say. Miracles come, and you're going find there's certain things that are a part of it, and this passage is really, really a great insight to this. Miracles come, and you're going find there's certain things that are a part of it, and this passage is really, really a great insight to this. Five Loaves and Two Fishes. What will you do? www.maggienancarrow.com/2014/sermon-from-83-the-five-loaves-and-two-fish Five Loaves provides non-perishable food items, hygiene products, and household goods to residents of McDowell County all throughout the year. God wants you to experience the supernatural. 2 A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. you never could have filled. I hope the preaching has improved a little over the last sixty odd years. https://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng Elder James E. Faust You can get the readings here. what you have. They followed Jesus there because they had another kind of desperation, another kind of hunger. you never could have gone. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. what you can do. The Feeding of the 5,000 is also known as the "miracle of the five loaves and two fish"; the Gospel of John reports that Jesus used five loaves and two fish supplied by a boy to feed a multitude. Is it honest for me to say that the abundance of God always prevails? "like" YMI on Facebook for news and updates: https://www.facebook.com/visitymitoday/ However the message remains the same. Five Loaves and Two Fishes John 6:1-15KJV 1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. Through this miracle, God communicates to the disciples and to the crowd that what they arrived with–what they came with, and what they had to offer, was enough before God–was enough to exhalt God–was enough to feed a crowd. Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches. What will we ever do with only five loaves and two fishes? It is enough. It's always the same, the outworking is a little different, but we all hunger for miracles. This is a good time for the disciples to start panicking. In the real sufficiency of this provision we are instructed in the glorious ability … Are you moved? He The miracle here is not that God provides what isn’t there, but that God takes what we already have and makes it abundant through the power of Jesus. For a holier world has to start with me. This attitude operates under the assumption that there is never enough, and that what we have must be kept close, because at any time it might be gone forever–spent, consumed, destroyed. who you are. For the purpose God calls us to, for the love God calls us to, we are enough already. All the disciples have is a tiny amount of food–five loaves and two fishes–and when they skeptically produce them, Jesus performs one of the most well-known miracles of his ministry. Rather than sending them home, Jesus took five loaves and two fish and fed the multitude. One of my favorite made-up words in the English Language is the word hangry. Critics of the Bible tend to laugh at this miracle story. Sometimes we do this to ourselves, and sometimes it is a mechanism of survival. I feel like more is being asked of me than I can give or handle. Nobody gets hangry. Two little fish and five small loaves of bread had fed over FIVE THOUSAND people with plenty of food to spare! I’m afraid, sad, exhausted. Then He gave them to the disciples to set before the people. There were two miracles of Christ that occurred at Bethsaida: Jesus healed a man born blind and he fed the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. He was a married priest, but he and his wife lived as brother and sister. 4. Jesus says, bring them to me. Look beyond yourself at the needs of others. They’re likely ready to start biting each other’s heads off, or fighting, or falling asleep, or taking each other’s food–who knows. We live in difficult times, and Read more…, This sermon was preached on June 30, 2019, the weekend following my ordination to the transitional diaconate. This song is by Corinne May, The lyrics are something that we could reflect about, This is why this miracle story is so important to our faith. He wrote his sermon word €or word and memorized it. As I look the huge problems before me, I (this means you) assess my loaves and fishes: I work on my own conversion. And now, at this climactic turn in our story, the hour is growing late, and the crowds are in a deserted place, and Jesus stops teaching long enough for them to suddenly realize that they have a very real, tangible, and bodily hunger–for bread. Want to speak on five loaves and two fish. Children and adults continue to die on our streets because of senseless violence. I want to focus on the boy in the story for a moment. Chuck Feeney, who is now 89 years old... is an American entrepreneur who became a billionaire through a company he co-founded called, Duty Free Shoppers. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke them. 19* Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. Today we hear Matthew’s story of Jesus feeding the 5000 with only five loaves and two fish. God provides. Tabgha is known as the traditional sight at which Jesus did the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. The people eat. compassion? The texts were from Luke, Galatians, and 2 Kings–though I did not discuss the Kings reading. What we have is already enough to spread and recieve the love of God. Five Loaves and Two Fish will alleviate hunger for these families and at the same time partner with local businesses and trade school to assist them with skills training acquisition and talent development for economic empowerment. But, instead, Jesus says “You give them something to eat.”. They opened their bags, pulled out the food they’d been keeping for themselves, and … Yet again, the journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step. What do you have that God could use? Miracles require you to do what you can. He did his best to prepare to preach to his home church. Political deadlock keeps decision makers far away from us, and we hear more and more about drastic measures taken by our government without our consent. God uses. Looking the attitude of scarcity in the eye and refusing to succumb to it is a very, very difficult thing to do. There are five-thousand potentially hangry men–and countless more women and children who are also progressing towards a state of hangriness–pressing in on Jesus in a totally deserted place. This story would be dishonest if the miracle here is that God gets God’s favorites out of trouble. to fill a need which. This is a crowd of very needy people–people who are so hungry for love and care that they will follow a teacher out into the desert just to hear more parables. Here is the sermon I preached at The Clare this morning on the feeding of the five thousand found in Matthew. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. That’s what we say: we believe our God is the kind of God who makes abundance known through miracles like this one. to let you become who. Verse 20 of Matthew 14 says; “They all ate and were satisfied”. It sounds like a pious fiction meant only to teach that God can do a lot even when given very little. Perhaps, instead of making something out of nothing, the real miracle is that God took a scarcity and made it an abundance–took what was offered and made it enough–more than enough. How often have we looked at the news, or people begging on the street, or our own friends and family, and said “I just don’t have enough to give you.” How often have we thought that we are not strong enough to combat the pains of the world, or that we are not good enough for our children–or our parents–our spouses? you never could have done. That is the attitude that the disciples have when want to send the people away–they don’t have enough to feed them, and that is what they tell Jesus. Sermon Eleven 5 Loaves and 2 Fishes A young preacher graduated from Bible College and was invited back to his home congregation to preach a sermon. 20* And they all ate and were satisfied. It depends whose hands it’s in.” Jesus’ hands transformed everything he touched. Jesus takes those five loaves and two fish, and blesses them, breaks them and then they are enough–even when there are five thousand hangry men pressing in–even when the world seems full only of horror stories. St. John was in the habit of going out in the streets and giving his money away to the poor and needy. Eight-year-old Kelsey enjoyed helping others. Though you may be far away, you can make a personal impact and touch another person’s life. Want to show you some amazing insights, to how God does miracles. I’m lonely and in a deserted place. to accomplish what. We have thus seen, first of all, the loaves and fishes, in the desert, quite unnoticed, but put there by providence; and we now behold them by that same providence, thrust into prominence. According to Matthew's gospel, when Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been killed, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. God uses where you are to take you where you never could have gone. And then we begin to believe that everyone wants to take something from us, and that we will be depleted and destroyed unless we guard ourselves and our possessions and our relationships and our bodies with vengeance. That’s who we are. Miraculously, Jesus multiplied the small meal into a feast for thousands, with baskets of leftover food. Keywords: supernatural, miracles, commission, purpose, spirit world, holy ghost, community, compassion, occult, initiative, faith. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. If I were the disciples, I’d want to send them away too. Detroit, still mostly abandoned and out of options, has cut off water service to 17,000 people who can’t pay their bills. This is a powder keg situation. It’s getting dark and, just like the disciples, I want to “send the crowds away” to fend for themselves. God doesn’t work like that. John 6: 5-14) Introduction: This text was the first one I used after the Lord called me to preach. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. Rather, they were small round pieces of flat bread. All he had was “five loaves and two fishes”. Once the boy shared, and Jesus started to break the bread and distribute it, a few others got brave too. Then he breaks the loaves and divides up the fish. Application: Do you see the needs around you? Jesus knew what the people needed and, from the start, he “knew what he was going to do.” Through this amazing miracle, he demonstrated that he could—and would—provide. There are three main characters in our text. The texts used may be found here. We are people who believe that God takes five loaves and two fish, and feeds a multitude, not just a little bit, but so abundantly that there are twelve baskets left over. { c and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.} Gaza, Ebola–the plane of AIDS workers in the Ukraine. It’s not just that I don’t think I have enough but I begin … She really wanted to do something that would make a difference. to take you where. I can go very quickly from totally fine to an indecisive grump in about five minutes. Edgar : Luke 9:1-17: The Divine Provision for the World's Need: W. Clarkson : Luke 9:12-17: Ability Developed by Responsibility: Anon. Jesus has been teaching in parables now for several chapters of Matthew, many of which have appeared in our gospel lessons over the past several weeks. More message, less detail than I expected. where you are. The readings may be found at: http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Lent/ALent3_RCL.html The text can be read below: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my Read more…, This sermon was given on February 2, 2020 for the Feast of the Presentation, which delightfully fell on a Sunday this year. Not my problem? We aren’t enough. God uses. you never could have been. However, He did not get His hopes up that they would become His followers, for He knew that they just wanted to get in on the fun and to eat their fill, so He made the best of what He had there, and used five loaves of bread and two fish to feed five thousand people. In the five loaves and two fish times of my life I feel overwhelmed, powerless, hopeless. Five Loaves and Two Fishes Food Bank is a 501(c)3 organization located in Kimball, WV. d 11 Jesus therefore took a the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, c he blessed and brake them, b and brake the loaves; given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; a and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. When someone is hangry, they are hungry enough that they are also angry–suddenly everyone around you is incurably obnoxious, and decision-making becomes impossibly difficult. Much of the world operates with an attitude of scarcity–even in the church. But, the miracle of this story is that Jesus says: Yes you do. The miracle here is that God sees us as already good enough, strong enough, faithful enough to be conduits for God’s abundance. God uses. Five Loaves and Two Fishes Holy Sweat, Tim Hansel, 1987, Word Books Publisher, p. 25 God uses what you have to fill a need which you never could have filled. Maybe it is dishonest–maybe it isn’t true–but only, I think, if we claim that the miracle here is that God intervenes for all “true believers.” It is only dishonest if we claim that we must just wait for God to provide us with a miracle to get us out of our own messes. Lovely Maggie. Before I learned how to arm myself with snacks, I would get paralyzed with indecision at fast food restaurants, snippy and snarky with travel companions, or just so tired that I’d crawl into bed and take a nap. Jesus has been feeding the people with the word of God: the parable of the mustard seed, the parable of the leaven, the parable of the weeds, the parable of the sower. So, they go to Jesus and ask him to send the crowds away. 3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his… He had a very dramatic beginning to the sermon. The conversion of the whole world, begins with me. Oh, for grace to work on unobserved, to have your one talent, your five loaves and two fishes, and only to be noticed when the hour suggests the need, and the need makes a loud call for you. Let’s take a few moments to set the scene for this story. We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish, He said. To live into the Christian life is to live into the knowledge of this, to live into knowing that we have enough love, enough time, enough money, enough strength, enough worth before God and before our companions. Jesus and the disciples had just left Nazareth, where He had been rejected by those of His hometown. He wanted to make a good impression. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. The Mission of the Twelve: R.M. The Five Loaves and Two Fish. A scarcity that is true about our very being. Now, I have an unfortunately close relationship with the state of being hangry. Audio will Read more…. When we offer ourselves up to the work of God, when we give freely of what we are, even if it is only five loaves and two fish, it is enough for the work God intends for us to do. So what, then, is the miracle that takes place here? The young lad who shared his food became famous that day and was sent home with 12 baskets full of leftovers. This story is one of the great miracle stories that shows the abundance and blessing of God–a core tenant of our faith, and an essential piece of what we identify with when we identify as Christians. Yet, I am also not blind to what’s happening in our city, our country and the world, and I’m sure you’re not either. Sermons. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The fish were not trophy bass or seven hundred pound Yellow Fin Tuna, they were the salted fish that the people of that area ate. It's always the same, the outworking is a little different, but we all hunger for miracles. There is no way that the disciples can feed them all–they just don’t have enough. What's your response? I’m sure in our lifetimes we have all seen an organization or a person, or even a whole culture running solely on the attitude of scarcity. Slowly but surely, we don’t “have” enough, becomes we “aren’t” enough–and the scarcity becomes a scarcity of the soul. Y-hope presents~ Five Loaves and Two Fishes ~(Original Song by: Corrinne May)Done for Y-Hope's OASIS Camp, June 2008.Hope it'll bless you! 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. In this Video Pastor Petrus speaks about the importance of the five loaves and two fish. Your money can guaranteed reach the needy. When the news from abroad is so dire, and the political bickering is so disconnected, and the struggle of the poor is so great–is it dishonest for us to say that God will just miraculously provide? 14:14-22 In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s there lived in Russia a priest known as Fr. John’s account speaks of the disciple Andrew finding this boy with his food of 5 loaves and 2 fish. Jesus takes those five loaves and two fish, and he transforms the meager fare into a feast for the whole crowd. Just as he has fed the people emotionally and spiritually, he now feeds them physically–tangibly and bodily–with bread. Want to show you some amazing insights, to how God does miracles. She wasn't very big and she wasn't very strong; so many people didn't think there was much she could do. The loaves were not big, long loaves of bread. I tell you this, not to warn you away from conversing with me before dinner–but, actually, to explain why I identify with the anxiety of the disciples in the scene in our Gospel lesson today. Jesus has his disciples tell the people to recline on the grass in groups of 50 and of 100. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Even amongst people who want to be givers, the fear of not having enough to give makes us horde ourselves away. The Boy With Loaves and Fish (5 of 8) Series: Staying Faithful in Season of Uncertainty Jordan Easley Matthew 14:13-21 Not many people know the name of Chuck Feeney... and he would probably like to keep it that way. I want you to open your Bible with me in Mark, Chapter 6. Miracles require you to take initiative in faith. SERMON On the Two Fishes and Five Loaves, August 11, 2019, Matt. Andrew found a young boy in the crowd who had food—but just five loaves and two fish. d likewise also of the fishes as much as they would. Want to speak on five loaves and two fish. The attitude of scarcity is a powerful thing. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. In the midst of all this, I wonder if it is honest for me to get up here and preach to you about miracles–to preach to you about a God that makes all things abundant and fruitful. I love this word because it is a simple smushing of two words together, which–when combined–perfectly describe a state of being that is both hungry and angry, and yet a phenomenon all of its own. There are many who say that on that hill that day, there weren’t just five loaves and two fish. They were about the size of sardines. And there were even leftovers. View maggie.nancarrow’s profile on Facebook, View maggicubestrikesagain’s profile on Instagram, View margaret-nancarrow-8472219a’s profile on LinkedIn, Sermon for 3/15: Worship in Uncertain Times and the Woman at the Well. "Five loaves and two fishes" appeared nothing to the supply of such an assembly. Instead, there was just one boy with five loaves and two fish who was generous enough to share them with the crowd. We don’t have enough. Many of us need that attitude in order to persevere in a painful world.