11 th Sunday after Pentecost Proper 13

16* Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."
17* They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish."

Sometimes I think the disciples had no clue who Jesus was. Or they had no faith in Jesus' ability to care for others. They had seen people healed even raised from the dead, so didn't they think He could help them out of this food mess.

"You give them something to eat." Was Jesus testing them? If so they flunked. "We have only 5 loves and 2 fish" Didn't they think they could hand over the fish to Jesus and he would do something?

They did not take the initiative. I could see them looking at Jesus with a blank stare waiting for Him to do something. And Jesus did, he said "Bring them here to me."

But why did they not say, 'Jesus we have 5 loaves and 2 fish, can you do something with them"?

They still lacked faith in Jesus as the Lord of life.

When I decided to go to seminary it was a leap of faith. Wanda and I were teaching in her home town, but we left with neither of us having a job and went to Dubuque to Wartburg Seminary. Wanda found a good teaching job in the Western Dubuque system, and I found the I really wanted to be a pastor. We took a leap of faith and trusted everything would work out. I loved being a pastor and have never looked back at the leap of faith with any regret.

At this point the disciples had no leap of faith even to trust Jesus in providing a meal for 5000 people.

Tim

In the link below is a sermon on this text

Link

9th Sunday after Pentecost Proper 11

A young man applied for a job as a farmhand. When the farmer asked for his qualifications, he said, "I can sleep when the wind blows." This puzzled the farmer. But he liked the young man, and hired him.

A few days later, the farmer and his wife were awakened in the night by a violent storm. They quickly began to check things out to see if all was secure. They found that the shutters of the farmhouse had been securely fastened. A good supply of logs had been set next to the fireplace. The young man slept soundly.

The farmer and his wife then inspected their property. They found that the farm tools had been placed in the storage shed, safe from the elements. The barn was properly locked. Even the animals were calm. All was well.

The farmer then understood the meaning of the young man's words, "I can sleep when the wind blows." Because the farmhand did his work loyally and faithfully when the skies were clear, he was prepared for the storm when it broke. So when the wind blew, he was not afraid. He could sleep in peace.

There was nothing dramatic or sensational in the young boy's preparations - he just faithfully did what was needed each day. Consequently, peace was his, even in a storm. 1

I really like this illustration. I think it can say something about our faith life. Can we live peacefully each day, no matter what storms are around us, because we have a confident faith that we are saved through the cross of Christ and the Easter resurrection?

"I can sleep when the wind blows." I can live peacefully, because I know my faith in Christ assures me of a heavenly home. Can we say that with conviction?

Tim







1 Contributed by: Christian Cheong SermonCentral.com

8th Sunday after Pentecost Proper 10

"God has willed that we should seek and find His living Word in the witness of a brother/sister, in the mouth of a man/ woman. Therefore, the Christian needs another Christian who speaks God's Word to him/her. He/she needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged, for by himself he cannot help himself without belying the truth. He needs his brother man as a bearer and proclaimer of the divine word of salvation. He needs his brother solely because of Jesus Christ. The Christ in his own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of his brother, his own heart is uncertain, his brother's is sure."1

I think this quote from Bohnoeffer speaks how we should help one another in our faith life. But today, we have become so private about our own "personal' faith life that we don't reach out to another fearing they might think we are weak.

Some groups speak about a "personal relationship with Jesus" like that is a silver bullet for salvation. But few people talk about "walking with me" in my faith journey.

I would enjoy a companion to walk with me in my faith journey not to judge, but to uphold. Not to question, but to listen.

When Jesus talks about the harvest bring forth hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty, He is telling us that we all have a different level of faith and then I think Bonhoeffer is right we need our neighbor so that we can bring forth more faith as we walk our "faith" journey with Christ.







1 `Life Together" Bonhoeffer pg. 23