Feed the Multitudes

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

Our Old Testament lesson for this morning is the story of King David and how he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then attempted to cover up his sin by having Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, killed on the battle field. We see this story in sharp contrast with how the scriptures described him before he became king. Before he became king there was nothing he could do wrong. The Lord was with him and spoke to him in dreams. But, as soon as he became king David began to make some big mistakes. He started to use people for personal and political gain. Even his marriage to Michal had been a political maneuver. So, David didn't put much heart into his relationship with her. And when she had a disagreement with him, rather than try to work things out, he simply wrote her off and ignored her. So, when David was walking in his rooftop garden, one evening, he saw Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers, a Hittite, who was away at battle. And from a distance he could see Bathsheba on her rooftop garden. And she was taking a bath. And, immediately, his heart lusted after her; and he sent for her to come to the palace. Of course, Bathsheba came to him and they committed adultery and she became pregnant. So, to cover it up, David had Uriah come back from the battlefield to Jerusalem and tried to get Uriah and Bathsheba to have marital relations. But, no matter how hard David tried, he couldn't get Uriah to bed with his wife. And, so, in one last desperate effort, David sent a letter along with Uriah, addressed to the general, that Uriah should be placed on the front lines in the next battle they had. And the result was as David intended: Uriah was killed in battle.

Now the sad thing that this points out is that even though David had been close to God in earlier years, he had wandered away from the Lord. In fact, there were many things that King David did on a daily basis that may have looked religious. For he did lead the worship of the people in state events. And he did do obvious acts of public piety. But, then there were the other things that he did that were so wrong that they betrayed a basic fault in David's personality, a self-centeredness, a hedonistic streak, that would take him to the very brink of ruin at several crucial times in his life.

But, of course, this story in the scriptures isn't there as a simple historical record. Rather, it is there for us to read as we examine our own ways and practices. For how many of us, like David, want to be looked at by our friends, our family, and our fellow workers as basically good people while living a secret life of sin?

I once knew of a business man in Durand, Michigan who seemed to appeared to be pretty neat and orderly. He kept his lawn mowed neatly and his house nicely painted. He seemed to be very courteous, and he always gave money to the local charities, although in such a way that people would always know that it was he who had given the gift. He attended church in one of the largest churches in town most every Sunday and was considered to be religious. So, everyone thought he was a good guy. But, of course, that is what he wanted people to think.

One day, however, a company that he owned was being audited by the IRS and a member of this man's community, who happened to work for one of the area banks, was called upon by the IRS to participate in the audit as a consultant. So, she went to the man's office to do the audit, going through his confidential records, and found that most of the man's holdings and businesses dealt with such things as the sale by mail of pornographic literature, pictures, and videos. In fact, it was soon learned that this supposedly upstanding, pious citizen was the kingpin in one of this country's largest porno rings.

So, looks can be deceiving. It is a game that people play with ourselves and with the world. We want to look good to the world. So, we dress up. We smile at people. We live in nice neighborhoods in well kept houses. We try to say the right things. We even come to church. But, is it only a cover-up? Is it only a facade that hides what we really are – Sinners plagued by self-centeredness, broken relationships, greed, dishonesty, slothfulness, insensitivity, and a score of other faults? Aren't we also sinners who, like King David, constantly need the grace of God in order to keep from falling over the brink into certain oblivion? I know that I am. And I hope that you're honest enough to admit it, as well. Because if we can't admit that we need God's grace then there's really no point in our being here in this place, at all. For the purpose of the church isn't to make the people who go to the church look good to the world. Rather, the purpose of the church is to be a hospital for sick sinners. The purpose of the church is to provide us with an opportunity for encountering God's grace through Jesus Christ and to help us get and stay on the right track as we live our lives before God.

Our gospel lesson for today with its story of the feeding of the 5,000 is a reminder of this purpose of the church. As you may remember, the disciples saw all these people sitting there and Jesus asked them, "Where are we going to get enough bread to feed all these people?" And of course, the disciples answered that they wouldn't make enough money in eight months to buy the bread that could feed them all. So, Jesus took what was there and fed the 5,000 with more than they could eat.

Now, the importance of this scripture is not simply to impress us with the ability of Jesus to do amazing things with bread and fish. Rather, the story tells us that with Jesus we should expect to be fed, not only with the food we need for our physical survival, but – and even more importantly – with the very food we need for our spiritual survival, as well. And, more than that, the disciples are told throughout the scriptures, over and over again, in no uncertain terms that it is their job to provide opportunities for the world to be nourished with this spiritual food.

Now I would venture to guess that providing such opportunities for folks to be nourished with spiritual food is what the people had in mind back in 1828 when the first Methodist churches were started in Pontiac. In fact, the other day Lon Bone, from First UMC, called me and told me that C-Span was coming to Pontiac to commemorate the passage of Alexis de Tocqueville through the area. He called me because he knew that my great-great-great grandfather – Ira Donelson – had been extremely active in Pontiac Methodism. So, at 8 a.m. the next morning, I met Lon downtown at Nick's Cafe and we got to meet some of the folks from C- Span. And while I was there Lon provided me with a history of Methodism in Pontiac. And the document that he gave me says that the purpose of the first Methodists in Pontiac was to (and I quote) "evangelize the world, to go into the by-ways and hedges, the sparse settlements and do personal work and compel the multitudes to come in to receive God's gift of a free and full salvation. The early Methodist preachers in Pontiac held up Christ as our "elder brother" – as an example to follow. They preached a free, full salvation for all, to all, to the poor as well as to the rich, to the needy and ignorant, as well as the intelligent. The first Methodists in Pontiac were strong of heart, poor in purse, rich in zeal, and strong and stalwart that the cause of Christ might prosper; the church be built up and souls saved unto eternal life. In other words, the first Methodists in Pontiac really believed that it was the purpose of the church to feed the world with spiritual food.

Are we still there today? Do we believe enough in God's grace through Jesus Christ to tell others about Jesus? Are we enthused enough about what our fellowship is all about that we are willing to invite our neighbors, family, friends, and acquaintances to church? Or, are we more concerned that someone might call us a religious fanatic or think of us as being some kind of a Bible thumper? Or, in this day when people talk about religious rights and separation of church and state are we reluctant to share our faith with others for fear that we might be stepping on someone's toes? Do we really believe what Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life – no one comes to the Father but by me?" Do we really believe that people need to have Jesus in their loves in order to live a happy, fulfilled life? Do we really believe that people need to know God's grace in order to have eternal life? Do we really care about people enough to want to share that we would want to share our Lord with them? Indeed, are we still there, with those early Methodists of Pontiac who believed that it is the purpose of the church to feed the world with spiritual food? Because if we are, then there is real hope for the future of United Methodism.

Jesus did many very meaningful things with his disciples and others with food involved. I am especially reminded of the encounter that Jesus had with Peter following the resurrection. At a breakfast they were having, Peter is facing Jesus and Jesus asks him: "Simon

son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" And Peter replies: "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." And Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." But, then Jesus says, again: "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" And Peter answers: "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." And Jesus says: "Take care of my sheep." And, finally, a third time Jesus says to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" And Peter is hurt because Jesus asks him the third time, "Do you

love me?" And Peter says, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love

you." But Jesus replies, "Feed my sheep."

My friends, that is what Jesus wants us to do. It is our response to God's grace in our lives that we share the word. It is our acknowledgment that God is working in our lives and giving power to our lives that we enthusiastically tell others what God is doing. For that is the spiritual food that brings life to others and it is the proof in the pudding that God is truly working in us.

Amen.