"Filled"
a condensed version of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Sunday, August 3, 2008 at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Somonauk, Illinois.

PODCAST of "Filled"

Food

In the United States we consume far too much of it. The CDC reports that about a third of all adults in the United States have a body mass index that classifies them as obese. 16% of children and adolescents are in the same condition.

It’s different than when I was a kid, but as an adult, when I read about Jesus feeding 5000+ beginning with just five loaves of bread and two fish, I can’t help but think of "all ate and were filled" (or in other translations: "All the people ate and were satisfied." or "They all ate as much as they wanted") through the eyes of our overstuffed stomachs and supersized meals.

For us – to eat and be filled means something very different than it did to those who experienced the feeding of the 5000. It wasn’t an "eat so much that you feel completely stuffed" kind of experience – I imagine that people ate until they knew they’d had enough. It seems as though in our food culture we’ve exchanged "enough" with "stuffed."

Hold that thought. Let’s look for a moment at how all those people were fed when all they started with was five loaves and two fish.

Was it like an endless basket of food that automatically replenished itself each time food was distributed?

Was it a mass sharing of resources from all gathered there that began with Jesus telling the disciples to distribute the five loaves and two fish?

Were the people holding back – being filled or satisfied with much less than they would normally eat?

The Bible doesn’t say. It only says what they started with, that everyone had enough and that afterwards there were many leftovers.

I don’t want to lift up one interpretation of exactly what happened over another. I think there are folks here who think any of the three I’ve mentioned is what really happened – and some that think something different. What I do want to do is to get all to think like this:

I always wonder s if I'm experiencing Jesus miracles them the way Jesus meant when he answered John's disciples in their question about who he was:

(Matthew 11:4-5 NRSV) {4} Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: {5} the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.

Or if I'm experiencing them the way the Pharisees were when they demanded a sign from Jesus . . .

(Matthew 16:1-3 NRSV) The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. {2} He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' {3} And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

Am I experiencing Jesus miracles them the way Jesus meant when he answered John's disciples in their question about who he was? Or am I experiencing them the way the Pharisees were when they demanded a sign from Jesus . . .

This isn’t the only account in the Bible of many people being fed - beginning with very little or no food.

• God provided food for the Israelites as they traveled to the promised land – Manna (Exodus 16)
• Elisha trusted God for enough when 100 people were fed – beginning with 20 loaves of barley bread and fresh ears of grain. (2 Kings 4:42-44)
• Jesus started with 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish and 4000+ ate and were filled (Matthew 15:32-39)

In none of the examples does the Bible spell out exactly how the food appeared or exactly where it came from.

But in each of the examples God provided enough.

I think that our understanding of the feeding of the 5000 from Matthew 14 goes beyond the questions as to whether this is about food magically appearing out of a bottomless basket or if the real miracle is that Jesus got a group of 5000+ folks gathered to share what they had.

I think the message of this week’s Bible reading from Matthew 14:13-21 is that God has already provided enough.

But it seems as though our distribution system is out of whack.

You see

• There are enough resources in our community to be sure that our sharing pantry is stocked to be able to provide food for those who are in need
• There are enough resources in our congregation to pay our bills and continue to effectively minister to all.
• There are enough resources in our state to make sure that all have access to affordable healthcare.
• There are enough resources in our country so that every person has a place to live
• There are enough resources in our world so that everyone can have the basic necessities of life
• There is enough

But we live in this culture that says we need more – instead of knowing what is enough – we live until we’re stuffed.

Or

• We live out of fear because all we can see is scarcity.

The people that were fed in today’s Bible reading knew when they’d had enough

But Jesus looked at what meager resources were evident and saw the abundance of what God had provided.

• There are enough people in our community to invite 100 visitors to church before the end of the year
• There is enough to be the church – here – now.
• There is enough to care for others – through our actions and through giving
• There is enough -- so long as we don’t overstuff
• There is enough – and we don’t have to keep holding on to our stuff

• We live in a world of abundance
• We live in a nation of abundance
• We live in a state of abundance (that sounded somewhat funny!)
• We live in a community of abundance
• We are part of this faith community – Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL – a church of abundance

And we can, we must, we will give, serve, live out of God’s abundance. And know that God has provided to that all may eat and be filled.

Close with prayer.

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