This is an adapted version of the sermon I preached on Sunday, August 6, 2023. The gospel reading was Matthew 14:13-21.

There’s a miracle today in our gospel story.
A miracle that shows God’s mercy and glory.
But it’s not the miracle we think that we’re reading.
The miracle isn’t that Jesus is feeding.

See, the miracle here is so much more deep.
It’s not that the shepherd was feeding the sheep.
But rather the sheep were feeding each other.
The disciples had enough bread to fill one another.

Read the words closely, as close as you wish
And you’ll see the disciples fed five thousand with fish
Now this is surprising, because we focus on Christ
But it was the disciples who had that bread sliced

First, they told Jesus to please, just let the crowds leave
But Jesus said, No, you’ve got what they need
You can feed those crowds and fill up their tummies
You have enough food that I bet is quite yummy

The disciples said, please, two fish and five loaves?
There are thousands here, Lord, they came here in droves!
Christ said give me that food, and he blessed it and prayed
And then returned it to them, saying, “Give it away”

It was their food they shared, though meager and small
It was their food that fed five thousand in all.
Now Christ had the power to make the food grow.
But Christ grew their food, and then let it go.

The miracle is that they had enough. 
To solve the problems around them, they had the right stuff.

The miracle is that we have enough. 
To solve the problems around us, we have the right stuff.

We always forget that, like the disciples back then.
You know, one chapter later, Jesus did this again. 
He fed four thousand more in chapter fifteen,
But the disciples somehow forgot what they’d seen.
They couldn’t recall that they always had plenty.
And whoever they fed never went away empty.
For the truth is that we too have all that we need.
And through us, God will comfort, and heal, and feed.

Now I know, you probably think this doesn’t mean you
I know because I often feel that way too
I know I have gifts, I know I have some
But the gifts that I have are so often dumb

I once discovered this skill, at first I rejoiced
Because I found that I could impersonate this voice
It was Kermit the Frog, and I love the Muppets
I sang at talent shows, and I purchased a puppet
But really, what good does this voice really do?
It’s just a parlor trick, it doesn’t help me or you

But then one December, I just could not determine
Just what I would say in a Christmas Eve sermon
A voice said, Use me, I’ll help you to preach
I’ll help you connect, I’ll help you to reach…people

See, the gifts that we have may be silly or small
But God will bless them, and use them for all
And it really makes sense, because that’s how we start
We’re brought here for baptism, and then we depart

You were brought to the font, to the font in there maybe,
Perhaps you were an adult, a child, or baby
Whenever it was, you were brought there that day
Your parents or sponsors were led boldly to say:

“I present you for baptism, and I hereby commit
To nurture and support you as the Spirit permits”
You were offered to God, and God saw you and smiled
And that day through that water you were named God’s own child

But you didn’t stay there. God said, “You are mine.
But go now from here, and let your light shine.” 
So that’s who we are, we are people God blesses
And then sends out to many towns and addresses
And we’re not left alone, God wants us to flourish
And so God provides the food that will nourish

And that’s why we gather here week after week
To receive wine and bread that are truly unique
But the funny thing is, it’s not special bread
And it’s regular wine, just concord grape red.

We bring the bread here, and we bring the wine
It comes straight from your kitchens and wallets, and mine
But when we offer it to God, something takes place
Christ’s presence is here, right in this space
And we take back the wine, and we swallow the bread
And now we are healed, and sent out, and fed

Does God perhaps do this with more than just food
Transforming and healing so we are renewed?
Does God bless our money, our talents, our time
Does God bless a sermon with Dr. Seuss rhyme?

If we gave all we have to a God that is good
How would God use it in our neighborhood?
If we offered it all to God that is great
What miracles do you think that God would create?
If we committed it all to a God we can trust
Could we trust that God would still take care of us?

That is the challenge this story provides
Can we trust in a God who has promised to guide
Who has promised to feed, who has promised to love
Who has promised it all from the heavens above

Can we give it all, and trust in the Spirit
The Spirit who gives hope to all who will hear it

Featured image by Lawrence OP on Flickr.