A God of Action

2 Sam 11:1-15; Eph 3:14-21; Jn 6:1-21

I would like to start this morning by talking a little about our Old Testament lesson. You'll remember that it was the story of King David's affair with Bathsheba-- how he got her pregnant, and then tried to fool Bathsheba's soldier-husband, Uriah, by bringing him home from the frontlines of a war that the Israeli army had been fighting against the Ammonites. David wanted to get Uriah and Bathsheba together for at least one night for obvious reasons. And the story tells us that because Uriah was an honorable and sensitive man it was impossible for David to get this to happen. And, so, he sent Uriah back to the battle with sealed orders which, when followed, resulted in Uriah's death.

So, what we have is David, in a position of having had everything he ever wanted. Up until that time he had been respected by his people. He had built a beautiful city, Jerusalem, to be his holy capital. But, then, with this foolish affair with Bathsheba and with the cover up that followed, David was suddenly found breaking all the commandments. He no longer deserved to be king over Israel. And the question that any reader of this story would ask is this: "Considering David's sins, how is it possible that he wasn't executed for what he did, much less lose his throne to someone more deserving?" As we read about David's sins, it looks like his future was doomed. And, yet, we know that all things are possible with God.

As we look at our own lives, none of us can brag about being totally righteous. Not one of us here is perfect. (Well, maybe one or two of us, but no more than that!) Like David, we have all tasted Eden many times and lost it through sin. And when we have gotten into some real messes because of our own willfulness and greed, because of our rebellious nature, or because of our careless search for pleasure, haven't we wondered how God could still love us? Haven't we sometimes thought it impossible for God to somehow straighten out the mess we were in? It doesn't matter who you are, or how old you are, or what position you may hold in the community, there come those times when we wonder if God really can come through for us.

In J. B. Phillip's book, Your God is Too Small, we are told that often our vision of God is limited to what we may have learned or thought about God when we were children. For instance, there are those who think that God is a big guy sitting up in heaven on a throne, visited by angels who constantly fly back and forth between earth and heaven informing him of what we're doing down here. So, if God is all-knowing, then it is by those angels that he gets his knowledge. But, there would be a problem with such a God. A God like that wouldn't be very personal. A God like that wouldn't be very understanding about our concerns and our needs. A God like that wouldn't be very available to us when we really need him. And, yet, that childish vision of God is what many people are stuck with even in their adulthood.

What we need to do is expand our vision of God. For God is with us and constantly struggles with us and actively loves us and pushes us and pulls us along the road of life, sometimes encouraging us, sometimes scolding us, always caring for us as we go along our way.

The writer of our lesson from Ephesians was very aware of how important it is for us to expand our understanding of God when he said that God is "able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think." Imagine that! We can't possibly ask or think of all the things that God is able to do for us and for others.

So, by faith, we need to remember that it is more than possible for God to help us at our time of need. When we think something is impossible, that is when it is possible! When we think we are at the end of the road, then it is that through God's power we find ourselves at the beginning. When we think we're dying is when, by God's grace, that we are being born anew. When we think that there is no hope is exactly when God comes along and gives us a future we could have never dreamed of. So, we need to put our faith in God and trust in him.

Jesus, himself, was a prime example of God's being able to do more than we can ask or think. Our Gospel lesson for today shows how Jesus, himself, pushed the limits beyond belief. The Feeding of the Multitudes is a story of how earthly limitations were easily overcome by the power of faith. The disciples said, "It will take at least 200 denarii to buy even small portions of bread for the 5,000 people who are here!" But, Jesus was able, with only five loaves and two fishes to give everyone a feast with 12 baskets left over. Don't ask me how he did it! That's not important. What is important is this lesson: that with God all things are possible.	There is a true story that comes out of Nebraska about how God does work in mysterious ways. On March 1, 1950 in the town of Beatrice, Nebraska, the pastor of West Side Baptist Church went to the church that Saturday afternoon to prepare for the evening choir practice. Most choir members would arrive between 7:15 to 7:30 p.m. He then went home for a quick supper, was ready to return to the church with his wife and daughter, when it was discovered that the daughter's dress was dirty and needed a change.

High school sophomore Ladona, several blocks away, had trouble with her geometry problems and had to stay home to finish the problem. Usually, she would always be early for the rehearsal.

Two sisters in a house across town were ready to go to the church, but the car wouldn't start. They called up the geometry girl to pick them up.

Mrs. Schuster with a small daughter normally would arrive for choir practice at 7:20, but that night her elderly mother needed her, so she dropped by her mother's for a while.

A lathe operator wanted to stop putting off an important letter. He didn't know why, since he hated letter writing. But, he was late getting out of the house for the practice.

Stenographer Joyce Black, feeling "just plain lazy" stayed until the last possible minute. then she was ready to go when it happened.

Machinist Harry Ohl was going to take his two boys to choir practice, since his wife was away, but somehow started talking with someone and when he looked at his watch, it was already too late.

Pianist Marilyn Paul decided to come one-half hour earlier. But after supper she fell asleep and arrived barely on time.

Choir director and the mother of the pianist, Mrs. Paul, was late due to her daughter. She had tried unsuccessfully to wake her up before.

Two high school girls usually went to choir practice together, but one was listening to the 7-7:30 radio program and just that evening broke their usual habit of promptness in order to listen to the very end.

At 7:25 the West Side Baptist Church blew up. Its roof crushed in and its walls fell down -- due to leaking gas. But the choir members were all late. And this had never happened before.

God's activity and power is beyond our imagination. God pushes our limits. When we say it is impossible is when, through God's power, that it happens.

Our gospel lesson for today awakens us to this mystery when we read about how Jesus' disciples were riding across the Sea in their boat. It was dark and there was a strong wind and the waves were getting big. Three or four miles from shore, they were wishing that Jesus could be with them, knowing that he would be able to calm the seas. But, he wasn't there. It would have been impossible for him to be there, as Jesus didn't have a boat. That's when they looked up and saw Jesus walking on the water toward them.

What a lesson this should be to us about God: Just when we think it's all over, it's just starting. Just when we think that we've had it, is when God gives us his grace. Just when we think we're out of luck, is when God fills us with his blessing.

This is the message of the gospel. And it is around this gospel of Jesus Christ that we should center our lives. For it is with such a faith, that life (with an unimaginable fullness of joy and peace) goes on.

Amen.