Calvary Lutheran Church

All Our Needs Will Be Completely Supplied

This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. Hallelujah!

John 6:1-15

Dear Christian Friends,

If you watch too much of the evening news lately, you might think that life as we know it has now completely changed for the worse. With terrorist on the move, with global warming causing havoc with our weather, with North Korea threatening a nuclear attack, with racial tension escalating, the world has now become a more dangerous place in which to live and our security and our peace of mind have been shaken to its very core.

That is what the media would have us believe. And for many in this country and around the world that is exactly how many feel. But not you and me. As Christians, we are told over and over again in God’s Word that we do not live just in the world, or just in the United States, but we live in the kingdom of God. And as subjects in that kingdom we know that

ALL OUR NEEDS WILL BE COMPLETELY SUPPLIED.

Our text for this morning is a strong reminder of this unchangeable truth.

            When the people in Capernaum heard that Jesus was crossing the Sea of Galilee in a boat to the more remote area of the east side, many decided to follow him. But instead of going by boat, they walked on land around the north side of the sea. And as they walked through the towns and villages many others joined them, so that by the time they came to where Jesus was, they numbered about 5,000, and that was just the men, it didn’t even include the women and children. We have to ask ourselves “why?” Why did so many take the time to drop what they were doing and flock to see Jesus? John tells us why. It was “Because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.”

            The impression that John is giving us here, and as verified by their actions later to try to make Jesus a king, is that this crowd was not so much interested in what Jesus had to say as to the miracles he might perform. Oh, his teachings sounded nice—something about the kingdom of God and sin and grace. They weren’t exactly sure what it all meant. And they would sit through it and listen politely, but all that was just preliminary to the good stuff to follow—and the good stuff was the signs and wonders, the miracles of healing on the sick and the suffering. That was something they could relate to. That was something that met their immediate and real needs. And that’s what attracted them to Jesus the most.

            If we were honest with ourselves, we would probably admit that in a similar situation we would have acted the same way. If we truly believed that someone today was endowed with the power of curing all our illnesses no matter how severe; if we truly believed someone had the power to give us all health and wealth and relieve all pain and sorrow; wouldn’t we flock to his side too? This is a typical human reaction—to think first of our temporal, earthly needs. We are not saying that they should not have gone to Jesus with their needs. After all, wasn’t it Jesus himself who said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest”? (Matthew 11:28).  But John’s warning in recording the motivation of these people was, “Get your priorities straight.” What was their greatest need in life? What was the greatest thing Jesus could do for them? Most of these people didn’t even realize it, but wasn’t their greatest need a Savior? Wasn’t the greatest thing Jesus could do for them was to wash away their sins through his own blood, especially when they realized they couldn’t do it themselves? Wasn’t that number one above everything else?

            When this crowd came to Jesus looking first and foremost for a miracle worker, they were saying in effect, “Thank you, God, for loving me even when I don’t deserve that love. Thanks for sending your Son, Christ Jesus, to suffer and die on a cross. Thanks for forgiving my sins for his name sake. Thanks for giving me eternal salvation. I’m pleased as punch, I’m tickled pink to have all these spiritual blessings. But if you really want to help me, if you really want to see thankfulness, if you really want to make me happy, how about solving all my problems, how about curing all my diseases, how about taking away all my troubles. I don’t want any trials in my life to strengthen my faith. I’m perfectly happy with a weak faith. But give me these things for my body first, and then I will think about what you have done for my soul.”

            That attitude is what we call “cheap grace.” When something is cheap or especially if it free, it is usually viewed as worthless. What do you get today that is free? At a service station, you used to get free air for your tires. That’s not the case anymore. In most restaurants, you can still get free water. But that’s because air and water are so abundant.

            God’s grace is free, and yes, God’s grace is abundant. There is more than enough for everyone. Isaiah, in speaking about God’s grace, said, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without costs” (Isaiah 55:1). God’s grace is the most valuable gift anyone can receive. It is more precious than silver or gold. Do you know that if a person were to gain the wealth of the whole world, it would not equal the value of one precious, forgiven, redeemed soul, yes, your soul? But it cost God his own Son. It cost his Son’s suffering and death on a cross where he had to pay the punishment for the sins of the whole world.

            Yes, God’s grace is free, but it is not cheap. Seek that grace first in your life through repentance and faith. Seek that grace first by doing his will purely out of thankfulness, and the Lord will supply all your needs in his kingdom of grace. But the Lord will also supply all your needs in his kingdom of power, that is, his providence, preservation, and protection.

From his elevated position, it was easy for Jesus to see the vast crowd coming toward him. So he started out down the slope to meet them. And as he did, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” Jesus said this to test Philip. Unfortunately, Philip did not pass the test. Instead of saying, “We have neither meat nor money, but we have you Lord”; instead of saying, “Lord, what you did at the wedding at Cana, you can do here;” Philip looked at the situation only from a supply and demand point of view. “Let’s see, we can estimate the crowd to be over 5,000. It would obviously take over eight month’s wages to feed everyone just a little. We don’t have that kind of money. No. It won’t work. The demand is just too great for the supply.”

            Andrew was next to work on the problem. “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fishes, but how far will they go among so many? There is no way that we would have enough.”

            Then Jesus, without rebuking them for their little faith, said, “’Have the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass in that place and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 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. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”

            In God’s kingdom of power, the law of supply and demand does not apply. Even when the supply is small, if put in Jesus’ hands and blessed by him, it multiplies and prospers for our own good.

            God doesn’t promise that we will always eat high of the hog, but he does promise us our daily bread. Remember how Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” God doesn’t promise great riches, but he does promise to provide all that we truly need of our body and lives. Remember how the Lord clothes and feeds even the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. God doesn’t promise us perfect health, but he does promise to be with us always to comfort us in time of need. He said to Paul who suffered some kind of ongoing pain, “My grace is sufficient for you.” God doesn’t promise to solve all our problems, be they marital or social or physical or emotional. Sometimes he asks us to endure them, but he does help us to live with them, to overcome them, and even uses them for our good. And the Lord still governs and controls all that takes place in the world for the good of his church today and until Christ returns. That’s God’s promise, and he can and he will fulfill it, because with him all things are possible. 

            Yes, the world is probably a more dangerous place to live, but isn’t that exactly what Jesus said would happen in the last days? There will be wars and rumors of wars, wickedness will increase, and even the church will be persecuted. But don’t be alarmed, Jesus is here, Jesus will supply all our needs, all is going according to God’s plan in his kingdom of grace, his kingdom of power, and ultimately in his kingdom of glory in heaven. Amen.

Let us pray.

Our Father, though you are exalted over heaven and death, nevertheless you have mercy and compassion upon the lowly. Therefore we come to you confidently with all our needs, trusting you to spply them. We come to you for food, clothing, shelter, good health, steady employment, protection, and all other things that we require.

We ask that you would especially watch over the elderly among us, the widows, the fatherless, the injured and infirm, the diabled, the poor, the downcast and the oppressed. Supply them according to their several needs.

Heavenly Father, we are but strangers and pilgrims here on earth. But you have promised us everlasting life in heaven through your dear Son. Therefore, through the Holy Spirit feed our souls on Christ, who is the true Bread of Life. Make the gospel of Christ the joy of our hearts, and through it increase our faith and and strengthen our hold on eternal life.

Father, we know that you have forgiven all our sins and supplied all our needs. Therefore unto you we raise our voices in praise and prayer. In Jesus' name. Amen.