Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Jubilate Sunday - Luke 9:10-17

Jubilate Sunday

Daily Lectionary Readings: Leviticus 8:1-13, 30-36; Luke 9:1-17; (Sirach 50)

Luke 9:10-17:

[10] On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. [11] When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing. [12] Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” [13] But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” [14] For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” [15] And they did so, and had them all sit down. [16] And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. [17] And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces. (ESV)

God has blessed us with a planet full of resources that seem almost inexhaustible, though the writing is on the wall for some of them. As we revel in our own genius at making such fantastic toys, we do well to start learning how to be better stewards of our resources. How do you return thanks for our many blessings when we throw so many of them away? Now, look at how Jesus works with what He has!

And he said to his disciples, ““Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” [15] And they did so, and had them all sit down. [16] And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.” Jesus begins His distribution by offering a "eucharistic" prayer – a prayer of thanksgiving. "Eucharist" is a Greek loan word for thanksgiving, which reminds us to receive all gifts of God with thanksgiving, be it the Sacraments or even lunch on the lawn. As David taught us, all good things come from His hand and should be received with thanksgiving: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”1

First, the loaves and then the fish are distributed by the disciples, after being blessed by Christ, to five thousand men plus women and children. "And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.” In Jesus' hands, what we find insufficient becomes not only enough but more than sufficient. The more Jesus gave of the loaves and fishes, the more there was to give. Nothing is wasted, but everything becomes a blessing for many. This is how God “richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.”2

Though we sometimes care only for ourselves, as we are still sinners and refuse to release what we can to his use, He does not withhold anything from us. That includes sacrificing His only Son on the cross to die for us to forgive our selfishness and self-centeredness. He has provided for your deepest needs and invites you to show thanks in service to your neighbor.

Jesus also desires that nothing be wasted. Twelve baskets, one for each disciple, were gathered. These baskets are called κόφινοι - kóphinoi - a small Jewish basket for a traveler's provisions. From it, we get our word "coffin." Because of our rebellion against God, our alliance with the devil's desires, and following our throwaway society, we are wasted and destined for eternal ruin, with decaying leftovers buried in a coffin as our legacy.

But Jesus does not want one of His children to be wasted or thrown away. He said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”3 and “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”4 Jesus gives us the heavenly food that leads to eternal life. When you eat a picnic on a nice manicured park lawn, you will be hungry again soon, maybe by the time you get home. The food Jesus offers is His flesh and blood for the life of the world, served upon the cross. The life He offers in exchange for His is eternal. We travel in the coffin of life in this world in the assurance we will arrive in the life of the world to come.

1Psalm 23:1-3 (ESV).

2Small catechism. Meaning of the first article of the Apostles’ Creed.

3John 6:35 (ESV).

4John 6:51 (ESV).