What Does That Little Fish Symbolize?

This last Sunday the Gospel reading was the story of Jesus feeding five thousand (plus women and children) on five loaves of bread and two fish.

It is a most popular account in the New Testament.  We see symbols of its importance on shirts, sweatshirt and cars — the little fish. 

This is what I noticed in this story I had heard and preached about for years:

First I was aware of a God who was weary and tired of the demands of others and went away to a deserted place to rest.

However the needy crowd searched him out; because they needed what he had to offer.

Jesus rose to their demand because: and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.

Then I heard is about a compassionate God who makes something out of nothing.  

And has left overs for later..

This is what I am thinking about: A weary soul who has given more than he was seemingly prepared for.

His strength had turned to a weary feeling of weakness; and all he needed was to rest awhile in a quiet place.

However, the disciples got hungry and they suggested that Jesus send the people away — go back to their homes — so the disciples, and Jesus, could sit quietly and share their meager basket of food. 

Jesus said no, ‘no you need to step up and help them out.’

‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’

And the weary Jesus said: ‘Bring them here to me.’

You know the rest of the story.

What I hope you will hear is that Jesus, only by the grace of God's strength, reached down deep into the resources of his soul relying on God to provide.

 and he had compassion for them 

Compassion is much, much, more than simply being nice.  It is something that pulls at the deepest resourced of one’s being.

With his trusting heart he took that small offering, of just five loaves and two fish, raised them in thanks to God who made more than enough.

When we put our trust, as small as it may seem, in the hands of God we realize endless potential, 

                          abundant possibility.

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. ¹⁵When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ ¹⁶Jesus said to them, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ ¹⁷They replied, ‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’ ¹⁸And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ ¹⁹Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. ²⁰And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. ²¹And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.(Matt. 14)

The Heart of The Eternal Is Most Wonderfully Kind

I woke up this morning singing this hymn —  There’s a Wideness In God’s Mercy like the wideness of the sea. (#588 Lutheran Book of Worship)

I invite you to consider the meaning of this composer's message.

“There’s a Wideness In God’s Mercy, like the wideness of the sea…There is welcome for the sinner and a promised grace made good….for the love of God is broader than the measure of our mind….Tis not all we owe to Jesus it is something more than all…..”

The second line of verse three:  “and the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind.”

In my last blog I talked about how God can make something big out of something small.

In a few days I will be writing about the story of Jesus walking on, a tumultuous sea, revealing Gods awesome, unlimited, power; and how our human minds think so small. 

The hymn above tells us the whole story of God’s creative ability, kindness, love, grace and abundant mercy.

The words move us past small thinking to the larger truth of God.

A truth that God actually cares about each and every one of us in very personal and caring ways.  

Yes, even here and now this very minute. 

More Than Enough

I went to my blog page to edit yesterdays writing on Matthew 14:13-21.  The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand.

It was gone!  

No where to be found.P()&$%$$*^%#@^&

I am not sure if I can redo the information that was in my brain yesterday.

I know I talked about how God uses small things to create abundance. 

Yet this a story is about much more than a huge amount of food that came from five loaves and two fish. With left overs to eat later.

This is a manifestation of God’s glory in spades.  

In front of five thousand men, plus women and children, Jesus make God’s power visible for all to see.

The key statement in this story is: ‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’

“We have nothing.”

Think about how often we hear that kind of statement.  

A statement that assumes we don’t have enough.  

Enough money, 

      enough food, 

          enough time, 

               enough ability,

                      enough strength, 

                                               and the list goes on.

This is a pointed story about how God takes what we think we don’t have, enough of, and makes more than enough.

It is a story about an abundant God.  

A God who can make something wonderful out of something seemly not so wonderful.

It is also about trust, yes trust.

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. ²⁰And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.

Jesus puts the merger amount of food — five loaves and two fish — in God’s hands.  And five thousand men, plus women and children.  

And, there were left overs. 

What does that tell us?

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. ¹⁵When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ ¹⁶Jesus said to them, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ ¹⁷They replied, ‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’ ¹⁸And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ ¹⁹Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. ²⁰And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. ²¹And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.(Matt. 14)