28 July 2024 - Proper 12, Year B

 

Theme

This week’s readings speak of God’s power to do miraculous things and how God always ensures that there is enough for everyone, even when it seems like an impossibility. In John, Jesus feeds over five thousand people with only five loaves and two fish before appearing to his disciples by walking on the sea in the middle of a storm. In Ephesians, Paul prays that the Church would experience God’s strength and power, made visible in Christ’s love. In 2 Kings, Elisha also experiences a multiplication of food so that one hundred people could eat and be satisfied. The Psalmist praises God for being mighty and satisfying the desires of all in need.

Scripture Readings

  • John 6:1-21 - John’s account of Jesus feeding the 5000 and walking on water.. A large crowd of people kept following Jesus because of the signs he was doing for the sick. Cheekily, Jesus asks Philip where they will get enough food to feed everyone. Philip and Andrew say that it is impossible, but Jesus takes five loaves and two fish from a boy who was present, gave thanks and gave it to the people. There was enough for everyone to eat as much as they wanted with 12 baskets left over.

    Jesus’ disciples went down to the sea and got on a boat. After a few miles, the wind picked up and the sea became rough. Suddenly, they saw Jesus walking on the sea towards them and they were terrified. Jesus said: “it is I, do not be afraid.” They wanted to take him into the boat and immediately the boat reached the land.

  • Ephesians 3:14-21 - Paul prays for the church is Ephesus, that God would grant them strength in their inner being through the power of the Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in their hearts as they are grounded in love. He prays that they would know how deep Christ’s love is so that they may experience the fullness of God.

  • 2 Kings 4:42-44 - A man brings Elisha the first fruits of his harvest: twenty loaves and fresh grain. Elisha tells the man to give it to the people to eat, but the man says that it is not enough to feed the 100 men there. Again Elisha tells the man to give it to the people to eat because the LORD says: “They shall eat and have some left.” The man did as commanded; the people ate and indeed had some left over.

  • Psalm 145:10-18 - All of creation will give thanks and praise God to make known his mighty deeds. God’s kingdom is everlasting and endures throughout all generations. God is faithful and upholds those who are falling. God gives all their food and satisfies the desires of every living thing.

The Context

This week, the lectionary diverts us from our regular readings from Mark’s Gospel to present John’s account of two of Jesus’ miracles - feeding the five thousand and walking on water. This is beneficial because it gives us the opportunity to notice the similarities and differences between the same stories in the different Gospels. What did each author emphasize and what details did they choose to include or exclude? These are all valuable questions that give us a deeper insight into the stories that many of us know and love so well.

Personal Application

The story of Jesus walking on water is one that is encouraging to many. In a moment where the disciples were tired, anxious and afraid, Jesus stepped into their situation and told them to not be afraid.

John’s account of this story is unique because in his version, Peter does not get out of the boat and walk to Jesus. Rather, in a strange fashion, as the disciples try to help Jesus into the boat, they realise that they have already reached their destination on the other side of the lake.

John’s version of this story may encourage us in two unique ways. First, Jesus’ appearance and encouragement to all the disciples (and not merely Peter) reminds us that Jesus’ words are universally encouraging. When we are swept about by the storms of life, Jesus arrives in our turmoil and says: “Do not be afraid, it is I.”

Second, John’s version of this story reminds us that while we are often overwhelmed by our hardships and fear, our destination is sometimes closer than we think, even though we may not see it in the moment.

If we can learn to keep our eyes on Jesus in the midst of our storms, God’s strength can fill us and guide us to realise that things might not be as bad as they seem and God might just be about to provide a way out of the mess that we find ourselves.

Try and take some time to read through Matthew (14:22-33), Mark (6:45-52) and John’s (6:16-21) versions of Jesus walking on water. What differences and similarities do you notice? How does John’s version of this story encourage and uplift you?

Communal Application

Many of Jesus’ miracles revealed God’s power to do the seemingly impossible, even when many continued to doubt.

Many people today have taken this understanding (along with Philippians 4:13’s words that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”) to mean that they can achieve seemingly impossible things because God is on their side. This could be anything from earning a million rand, to overcoming a disease, to beating an opponent’s in a big sports event. As a side note: I always wonder how God chooses who to assist when the opponent is praying just as hard for God to be on their side.

It is important to note that God’s miracles were arguably never for the benefit of individuals but rather for the benefit of entire communities. Jesus provided food for everyone who was present on the mountain, not just his close disciples. Jesus walked on water and all the disciples’ faith was strengthened. Even when Jesus healed individuals, their healing was directly related to them being accepted by and reintegrated into the wider community who had previously ostracized them.

I think it is good to remember and claim that God can do the seemingly impossible. But we should perhaps be wary about claiming God’s providence on ourselves at the expense or neglect of others and the community around us.

I do believe that God cares about our personal needs and desires. We should take these to God in prayer.

But God’s intention is always that everyone has enough and that everyone may experience the abundance of life in all of its fullness. So let us go into the deep pits of despair throughout the world; where there is hunger, loss and scarcity, and let us claim God’s blessings upon them and share God’s desire that they would be fed and filled. Let us go the wealthy and the hoarders, reminding them that God has provided more than enough for all to have their fill and for there to still be left overs, if only we would learn to share.

Does it challenge you to think of God’s miracles as communal blessings rather than individual favour? How can this understanding change the way we relate to our “opponents” and the way that we pray for ourselves and others? In our current consumerist, dog-eat-dog culture, what does it mean to you that God can do the seemingly impossible and desires fairness and abundance for all?

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