First Presbyterian Church                                                                Rev. Michael J. Imperiale

Salt Lake City, Utah                                                                          June 4, 2006

                                                                    TAKING THE PLUNGE:

                                                              “Needs – God’s Calling For You”

                                                                          Luke 9: 10-17

Introduction

God’s economy is so different from ours. We tend to operate from a standpoint of scarcity. God operates from the reality of his abundance. The law of supply and demand in our world dictates value, cost, provision and accessibility. The law of providence, grace, wisdom and goodness is the basis for God’s activity in our lives and in our world. Whether a Jewish peasant in Palestine in the first century or a corporate executive in the United States in the 21st, our human economy offers one thing while God’s economy offers something entirely different.

In the fourth message in this series on Taking the Plunge, we come to the letter N. It stands for Needs; the needs you have in your life and the needs that the church and world have all around us. Needless to say (pun intended!), you and I are confronted with various needs every day. Sometimes our needs are simple and easily met. Other times they are so complex and confusing that we wonder and worry what will happen next. Reading the morning paper with breakfast, I notice everyday the needs that confront our families and community here in Salt Lake City as well as the needs of our nation and world. Again, sometimes those needs are fairly simple and can be met with a little bit of human effort and cooperation. Other times, those needs are so huge and daunting that we can be paralyzed by their immensity.

The church is meant to be a place where God addresses our needs from his perspective and provision. Through the gift of his word (the Bible), through the gift of prayer (conversational relationship with God), and through the gift of one another, our needs are shared, understood, and met.

Jesus demonstrated God’s economy in the feeding of the five thousand. Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9 and John 6 each record this miraculous event and its meaning. When all four evangelists remember it and write it down, you know it’s something important to pay attention to.        

I. What They Did and What Jesus Did

It says when the apostles returned from preaching the gospel and healing people, they reported to Jesus what they had done. At the beginning of Luke 9, Jesus sent the Twelve out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Obviously a bit drained by the experiences of doing ministry, they were looking for a break as they took Jesus aside and withdrew. But the crowds found out and followed right along. Politely, the Twelve disciples asked Jesus to dismiss the crowd so that they all could get a room for the night and a bite to eat.

Now I don’t know about you but I can get a little irritated when I need a quiet little vacation and others all of a sudden demand my time. “Tired and cranky” happens when my vacation at the Jersey shore is ruined by car trouble or 7 straight days of rain, mosquitoes, jellyfish or ants. Please pray that the last two weeks of June work out for us.

Here the disciples wanted some quiet time with Jesus. But their plans were interrupted. I wonder how they along with Jesus interpreted it. Was this just a plain nuisance? Or was it the very reason for their life and ministry? Balancing one’s own needs with the needs of others is a challenge.

Look at what Jesus said. He said to his tired, beleaguered friends, “You give them something to eat. You feed them.” There were about 5,000 people in the crowd. Even if the number was on the high end of an estimate, you can understand the disciples’ concern. “We have only five loaves and two fish (barely enough for our little group) – unless we go and buy food for the whole crowd.”

Look at what Jesus did. After having everyone sit down in groups of fifty (I can’t imagine what the disciples were thinking as they organized the crowd), Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. He gave them to the disciples to hand out to the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied.

“They all ate and were satisfied!” Does that blow you away? Does that make you think, “What in the world is going on here?” Or are you so used to hearing about the miracles of Jesus or their naturalistic explanations that you yawn at a well-known Bible story?

The disciples offered what they had – five loaves and two fish. And Jesus fed 5,000 people. And then after supper, the disciples gathered up the leftovers – twelve baskets full. How many disciples were there? How many baskets full remaining? This is God’s economy at work.       

II. What We Do and What Jesus Does

God’s economy, the kingdom of God was the focal point of Jesus’ teaching. He explained that it was not just a future kingdom but that it was already among his followers. And it was embodied in him, the Messiah, the Savior, the Redeemer. Even though the kingdom will not be complete from our vantage point until Jesus comes again in glory, we don’t have to wait to see it. The kingdom of heaven begins in the hearts of those who believe and trust in Jesus. God’s economy is with us today as it was and is and will be with his people at all times in all places.

Do you think the Lord would ask us to do something that with God at work with us cannot be done? Does the feeling of scarcity (only five loaves and two fish) blind you from seeing God’s abundance and provision?

When confronted with the needs of others and God calls, do you say that there’s some static on the line and you don’t quite understand? When God calls and leaves a message, do ever get around to calling him back? Or when it rings are you just not picking up the phone anymore?

All that the Lord asks of you and of me is to use what we have. Whatever amount of money or time or energy you have, Jesus says, “You feed them. You meet the need.” Offer what you have and then see the miracle of multiplication. See the economy of God confound the world’s ways of dealing with these things. See how God blesses you with an overflow that is just amazing.

Conclusion

When you have needs, let them be known to God, to the church, to your family and friends. They will step up and offer what they have and God’s economy will take hold. When you see the needs in your family, among friends, in the church or in the community, step forward and offer what you have. And God’s economy will take hold.

On this Pentecost Sunday, with the Holy Spirit right here right now we celebrate the Lord’s Supper and we see how God worked through one person (his Son Jesus, the incarnate Son of God) and through twelve more. Now literally billions of people have been blessed by God’s economy. So, come to the Table, offer what you have, eat to your heart’s content, and receive an abundance of blessing.