WEBVTT 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:07.759 (Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) Well, grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:09.400 Amen. 00:00:09.619 --> 00:00:12.679 I thought I'd preach from about right here today. 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:21.899 Balcony, you'll just watch the live stream later, I guess, because you all left like ten pews open in the front. 00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:22.940 Is there... 00:00:22.940 --> 00:00:24.760 Did I forget my deodorant this morning or something? 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:29.219 I just wanted to see if I could make you nervous. 00:00:31.158 --> 00:00:33.979 Don't worry, don't you worry. 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:39.799 The parents of young kids in the room are like, Karl, get on with it. 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:43.479 Including my bride, probably. 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:49.539 That's better. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:01:06.219 The sun beats down on Jesus and the disciples from high in the sky, and tummies start to rumble because this crowd is out of food again. 00:01:07.140 --> 00:01:14.040 And Jesus looks out, and he feels another kind of something in his gut. 00:01:14.519 --> 00:01:24.900 The Greek word for compassion, or to feel compassion, has to do with the Greek word for guts, which is splachna. 00:01:26.120 --> 00:01:27.120 Isn't that nice? 00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:29.079 It kind of sounds right, doesn't it? 00:01:29.459 --> 00:01:29.900 Splachna. 00:01:30.099 --> 00:01:31.719 I got a pain in my splachna. 00:01:33.420 --> 00:01:38.519 Jesus is moved in his innards with compassion. 00:01:39.099 --> 00:01:42.040 He feels it in his gut that these people are hungry. 00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:44.799 Nice little bit of wordplay there by St. Mark. 00:01:46.920 --> 00:01:48.760 Because they've been following him. 00:01:48.900 --> 00:01:51.680 These people aren't even Israelites, probably. 00:01:52.379 --> 00:01:59.379 This is that part of Mark's gospel right after he has entered the region of the Decapolis and that Syrophoenician woman... 00:01:59.379 --> 00:02:01.420 You remember from my sermon on that back in March, right? 00:02:02.739 --> 00:02:04.280 Syrophoenician is like an insult. 00:02:06.099 --> 00:02:09.538 She's a pagan, a heathen, and she asks Jesus to heal her daughter. 00:02:10.060 --> 00:02:10.780 And what does he say? 00:02:10.780 --> 00:02:14.360 He says, I was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:17.919 It's not right to give the children's bread to the dogs. 00:02:18.340 --> 00:02:21.020 She says, yes, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall. 00:02:21.620 --> 00:02:25.639 He's in this Gentile region, and there's this massive crowd of 4,000 men. 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:29.699 Probably each of them was married, you could safely assume, and each of them maybe had one kid. 00:02:29.960 --> 00:02:35.400 So we've got like 12,000 people, and there's nothing to eat. 00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:38.060 And there's no... 00:02:38.060 --> 00:02:39.180 What are they going to do? 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:53.979 Jesus looks to his hand-chosen disciples, they'd had a front row seat to his ministry, and all of them, with the exception of Judas Iscariot, were going to be the first generation of leaders in the church, the first pastors with that special name of apostle. 00:02:55.099 --> 00:02:56.520 And he says, guys, what are we going to do? 00:02:58.500 --> 00:02:59.740 He involves them. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:02.180 I feel sorry for them. 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:16.639 There are many ways we could take this pericope this morning, this passage of scripture, and especially on a communion Sunday, man, we could go right to Jesus satisfies the hungry heart with gift of finest wheat. 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:18.120 We could go right there. 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:18.939 He takes the bread. 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:21.580 It even says that he, what does he do? 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:22.800 He gives thanks. 00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:27.979 He breaks it, and then has it all passed out again. 00:03:28.659 --> 00:03:46.699 Eucharistic imagery is abounding here, but we're not going to go that way this morning, because there's something that's been on our mind lately as a congregation, something that's producing some anxiety, I would say, from my chair, anyway, and that is a building project. 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:53.120 Now, to be clear, I'm not preaching about a building project this morning, I'm preaching the gospel from St. Mark chapter eight. 00:03:53.120 --> 00:04:06.240 But I've heard lately, I've heard for like the past year or so maybe, that we'll never be able to afford X, Y, or Z, or it's just not who we are. 00:04:06.580 --> 00:04:07.620 It's out of reach. 00:04:07.740 --> 00:04:08.479 It's impossible. 00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:15.979 And in that way, I think we're a lot like Jesus' disciples in this morning's gospel. 00:04:17.899 --> 00:04:23.579 So we're going to learn from them that when we give our little, when we give what Jesus asks, what do you have? 00:04:26.699 --> 00:04:32.800 He makes it much, and in fact, gives it back to us to give away. 00:04:35.180 --> 00:04:53.379 With the disciples, we're going to recognize the impossible need, we're going to give what we have in response to Jesus' invitation, and then we're going to watch in amazement as he works the miracle and stretches our gifts beyond what we thought was ever possible. 00:04:54.019 --> 00:04:57.480 So first part here, recognizing the need. 00:04:57.860 --> 00:05:05.360 The disciples, really, if you look at this in your bulletin, in verse four, they make a good point. 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:09.360 How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness? 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:14.560 There's not really a good answer for that. 00:05:15.379 --> 00:05:20.399 They know that Jesus is right when he says, well, we can't just send them home because they've come a long way. 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:24.660 Some of them might faint or die if we just send them away from here. 00:05:24.779 --> 00:05:25.519 Saying, good luck. 00:05:29.779 --> 00:05:41.660 But the fact remains that there was no corner store you could go down to or bread warehouse and buy enough to feed this crowd of, let's just say, again, 12,000. 00:05:41.660 --> 00:05:50.720 In fact, I'd bet you couldn't even go down to New Ulm or up to Hutchinson and walk into Walmart and find enough bread to feed 12,000 people. 00:05:53.750 --> 00:05:56.129 You'd have to arrange for that ahead of time. 00:05:56.470 --> 00:05:57.750 You'd have to make plans for that. 00:05:57.810 --> 00:06:04.730 You can't just find that somewhere, even today, much less 2,000 years ago. 00:06:05.769 --> 00:06:13.209 And we find ourselves in similar situations today, but they don't always have to do with bread and a couple small fish and feeding people in the wilderness. 00:06:13.769 --> 00:06:20.149 I've seen the annual reports from the last 20 or 30 years where expenses vastly outpaced giving. 00:06:20.810 --> 00:06:25.089 I've seen the appeals from the unlucky person who was the financial secretary at the time. 00:06:26.250 --> 00:06:28.290 Some of you in here maybe wrote some of those. 00:06:29.129 --> 00:06:38.610 I heard about the 0% interest loans that members offered to the church so that the church could make payroll and keep the lights on through the end of the year. 00:06:43.339 --> 00:07:00.540 I've heard you when you've said that this congregation has always been supported by small family farms and that the idea that we would somehow potentially raise seven figures and then borrow another six for anything is untethered from reality. 00:07:02.939 --> 00:07:04.660 It's just not going to happen. 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:06.920 I've heard you. 00:07:08.300 --> 00:07:09.600 It's just not possible. 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:13.620 That's what I've heard. 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:38.240 Even with, let's just say for the sake of argument here, with full support of the vision of ministry that we feel like the Lord has given our congregation to do, it still can seem unlikely that we would have enough to do a big building project. 00:07:40.259 --> 00:07:45.819 Now personally, I happen to think that it's probable that we will raise that much, not unlikely or even possible, it's probable. 00:07:46.060 --> 00:07:52.579 But I get that it seems so big that just how could it ever happen? 00:07:55.079 --> 00:08:01.060 That's why we're going in this direction this morning because in impossible situations, what does Jesus do? 00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:12.800 He takes what's there and uses it to meet the need in a way that none of us could on our own. 00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:14.819 Look with me again here. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:17.639 This is verse five. 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:22.540 Jesus asks them, what? 00:08:23.879 --> 00:08:24.879 Just read it out. 00:08:25.019 --> 00:08:25.459 Call it out. 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:29.540 How much do you have? 00:08:34.450 --> 00:08:39.190 He doesn't explain how they're supposed to find enough food to feed them out in the wilderness. 00:08:41.250 --> 00:08:46.049 He just says, well, how much do you have? 00:08:49.820 --> 00:08:51.759 How much do you have? 00:08:54.059 --> 00:08:56.899 We're not going to go find it out somewhere else. 00:08:57.840 --> 00:08:59.080 How much do you have? 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:12.740 And when they say then, well, we've got seven loaves, from a certain perspective, this just appears to confirm that they're going nowhere fast. 00:09:14.460 --> 00:09:15.779 How much do we have, Jesus? 00:09:16.179 --> 00:09:18.039 Well, not enough, that's for sure. 00:09:22.860 --> 00:09:24.159 So what does he say next? 00:09:24.600 --> 00:09:25.679 Ah, you're right, guys. 00:09:26.059 --> 00:09:27.259 I don't know what I was thinking. 00:09:28.059 --> 00:09:28.899 All right, send them home. 00:09:32.460 --> 00:09:33.700 Seven loaves isn't going to cut it. 00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:35.960 No. 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:39.539 He instead has the people sit down. 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:45.519 The verb is like reclining at table, like you would in the ancient world. 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:46.620 Sit down. 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:47.700 We're going to eat now. 00:09:50.409 --> 00:09:51.450 We're going to have a picnic. 00:09:52.450 --> 00:09:56.970 He takes what little they have, what they're able to offer. 00:09:57.309 --> 00:10:02.769 He gives thanks to God for it, and I think this is the best part, so don't miss this. 00:10:03.429 --> 00:10:10.250 He breaks it, gives it back to the disciples, and has them distribute it to the crowd. 00:10:12.049 --> 00:10:24.269 Jesus does this miracle where he invites them to offer something that, in their eyes, is not going to come close to meeting the need. 00:10:26.110 --> 00:10:36.350 And he miraculously multiplies it, and then gives them the privilege of, you could say, doing the ministry, giving it back out to feed the people. 00:10:37.789 --> 00:10:41.750 Also it's just good logistics, 12 guys handing out bread instead of one. 00:10:42.610 --> 00:10:43.649 That just makes sense. 00:10:44.870 --> 00:10:47.470 And I think, friends, Jesus asks the same question of us today. 00:10:48.610 --> 00:10:50.389 How much bread do you have? 00:10:54.750 --> 00:10:55.710 How much can you give? 00:10:56.559 --> 00:11:11.529 And you say, well, it's Wednesday night before midweek service, and you've got a $10 bill that you throw in that little coffee can downstairs for the spy fundraiser, $10. 00:11:12.049 --> 00:11:17.629 They're raising money for this trip to New Orleans, I think it was. 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:22.429 And Jesus uses that faithful gift. 00:11:22.769 --> 00:11:36.909 He multiplies it, and lives of our young people here are changed forever, through $10, $5, a couple ones, a 20, a 50, whatever it is that you have to give. 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:48.019 You should hear the youth who went to New Orleans talk about that trip. 00:11:51.950 --> 00:11:57.950 Going to a youth gathering, going to the two youth gatherings I was able to go to, I think is a big part of why I am standing in front of you today as a pastor. 00:12:02.409 --> 00:12:08.690 And we are going to have the youth share with the congregation on a Sunday coming up here about that experience. 00:12:09.850 --> 00:12:12.490 Little gifts that seem like they're not going to add up to much. 00:12:12.850 --> 00:12:18.850 What's $10 going to do when they've got to raise how many thousands per kid for the food and the flights and the hotels and whatever? 00:12:22.779 --> 00:12:24.080 Jesus says, how much can you give? 00:12:25.620 --> 00:12:28.700 And he's the one who stretches it to meet the need. 00:12:29.179 --> 00:12:30.399 He doesn't ask you to do that. 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:32.559 He just asks you, what do you have? 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:45.840 When we offer what we've got, we get to watch in amazement as Jesus makes that little into much. 00:12:48.220 --> 00:12:58.360 And Mark, he does not explain the particulars of what it looked like, or what it sounded like, or what it even felt like to the disciples when Jesus multiplied what they had offered. 00:12:59.740 --> 00:13:07.519 It's kind of fun to think, was the basket, they would just pass out a handful and go back and that same handful was still right here? 00:13:08.220 --> 00:13:10.100 The basket never depletes? 00:13:10.440 --> 00:13:13.620 Or the basket does deplete and then it fills right back up? 00:13:15.139 --> 00:13:20.980 How do you break seven loaves into enough to feed 12,000 people? 00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:24.059 And the couple of fish they find along the way, did they fry those things up? 00:13:24.139 --> 00:13:26.679 Did they eat them like ceviche, raw? 00:13:26.679 --> 00:13:28.059 I mean, what do they do with that? 00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:29.679 How much time are we talking here? 00:13:29.799 --> 00:13:39.960 There's a lot that Mark could have recorded that he doesn't, because I think he wants us to focus on something other than the ins and outs of how this was done. 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:48.559 He wants us to see that the disciples offered to Jesus in faith. 00:13:49.899 --> 00:13:58.120 Jesus performed a miracle and gave them that offering back to feed this crowd. 00:13:58.919 --> 00:14:03.039 Right after they said, where are we going to find enough bread to feed all these people? 00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:06.080 And Jesus said, here's enough bread to feed all these people. 00:14:10.590 --> 00:14:12.750 They all ate as much as they wanted to. 00:14:14.529 --> 00:14:29.389 This isn't like when one person in your group is hungry, maybe it's one of your kids, or maybe it's just you, and you reach in a backpack or open up that center console in your car and, ah, you find one of those green wrappered, what is it, Nature Valley granola bars? 00:14:29.929 --> 00:14:35.049 And you open that thing up and a puff of dust comes out, because they're always smashed into a million pieces. 00:14:36.309 --> 00:14:43.429 And you think about, okay, am I going to eat this with a straw or pour it out into my hand and eat it like I'm a squirrel? 00:14:43.509 --> 00:14:44.250 What's going to happen here? 00:14:44.549 --> 00:14:46.350 And then it kind of holds you over for a little bit. 00:14:46.350 --> 00:14:49.470 No, these people were stuffed. 00:14:51.330 --> 00:14:53.629 They went back for more helpings. 00:14:55.610 --> 00:14:59.090 And what did it cost the disciples when it was all said and done? 00:15:00.070 --> 00:15:02.409 They were out, that seven loaves and the fish, right? 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:08.580 They gave everything they had, well, now they got nothing left. 00:15:10.419 --> 00:15:11.320 Or do they? 00:15:12.899 --> 00:15:14.000 Let's look at it again. 00:15:15.740 --> 00:15:19.539 Verse 8, they ate as much as they wanted. 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:25.059 Afterward, the disciples picked up, how many large baskets of leftover food? 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:27.600 Seven. 00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:33.580 Now, do you think that's an accident, or do you think that that number means something? 00:15:34.700 --> 00:15:36.700 How many loaves did they offer at the start? 00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:38.720 Seven. 00:15:39.500 --> 00:15:40.480 Seven loaves. 00:15:42.059 --> 00:15:42.980 What did they have at the end? 00:15:44.419 --> 00:15:45.840 Seven large baskets. 00:15:52.730 --> 00:15:58.409 When they trusted Jesus, gave away the food that they were going to eat, probably. 00:16:00.190 --> 00:16:05.210 Jesus, we've got seven loaves for 12 guys, and we're hungry too. 00:16:05.450 --> 00:16:06.429 And Jesus, what are you going to eat? 00:16:07.009 --> 00:16:09.990 And he said, just give it away. 00:16:11.789 --> 00:16:12.669 We'll be all right. 00:16:13.450 --> 00:16:20.190 And they end up with kind of exactly what they started with, but more. 00:16:26.179 --> 00:16:29.039 Jesus turned their little into much. 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:46.230 So guys, do you think that Jesus is ever going to let you suffer a net loss when you give what he invites you to give? 00:16:46.830 --> 00:16:53.990 Ah, but if I give my loaf away, what am I, you know? 00:16:55.529 --> 00:16:57.669 It does feel like a sacrifice at first. 00:16:57.769 --> 00:16:59.269 He does ask you to give it up. 00:17:02.289 --> 00:17:05.490 But when you give up seven loaves, you don't just get seven loaves back. 00:17:05.608 --> 00:17:07.650 You get seven large baskets back. 00:17:08.910 --> 00:17:11.809 The scriptures could not be more clear about this. 00:17:11.809 --> 00:17:31.710 In John's gospel, Jesus says that he came to give us full and abundant life, principally in the new heaven and the new earth, where we will be free from sin and sorrow, free from the power of the devil, where there will be no more mourning or crying or pain or death anymore, for all those former things will have passed away. 00:17:31.849 --> 00:17:33.349 That's what John says in Revelation 21. 00:17:33.349 --> 00:17:41.049 But that life for us begins now, even in this age, full and rich and abundant. 00:17:43.029 --> 00:17:47.869 Not wealthy, not living high on the hog, but we have enough. 00:17:49.069 --> 00:17:57.210 He says that in his father's house there are many rooms and that he's gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us, to prepare our own mansion. 00:17:58.349 --> 00:18:02.329 We are rich beyond comprehension, even now. 00:18:04.329 --> 00:18:11.549 He gave his own life for us so that we would live eternally as heirs who inherit the riches of the kingdom of heaven. 00:18:12.529 --> 00:18:26.990 If the God of the universe is your dear heavenly father and the prince of heaven gave everything to redeem you, do you think he's going to let you suffer want? 00:18:27.869 --> 00:18:30.230 Do you think he's going to let you be poor? 00:18:31.569 --> 00:18:34.250 Do you think he's going to leave you in a worse state than you were? 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:48.059 Do you think he's going to leave you worse off for following him when he's never lied to you and he's only ever promised that all of his riches are yours? 00:18:49.619 --> 00:18:50.900 He's just not going to do it. 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:54.240 We'll never suffer a loss from giving to him. 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:56.359 Whatever it is that he asks of us. 00:18:57.380 --> 00:19:14.000 Jesus tells elsewhere in Mark's gospel, a little bit after this, whoever gives up house or father or mother or family or goods in order to follow him, he says, first of all, we'll be repaid in this life and also much more so in the kingdom of heaven. 00:19:14.619 --> 00:19:16.740 Seven loaves to seven baskets. 00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:20.079 To who knows how much? 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:21.279 Seven warehouses. 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:23.700 Seven grain bins full. 00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:31.420 So again, I ask, what do we have to lose by giving what Jesus asks us to give? 00:19:33.970 --> 00:19:35.849 Not what your pastor asks you to give. 00:19:36.529 --> 00:19:37.390 Don't mishear me. 00:19:39.329 --> 00:19:44.829 Not what you think you should give compared to something you've heard about somebody else in the church. 00:19:44.970 --> 00:19:46.230 Put all that stuff out of your mind. 00:19:46.410 --> 00:19:47.970 The scriptures say the Lord loves a cheerful giver. 00:19:48.369 --> 00:19:53.569 Between you and the Lord, when he asks you, how much do you have? 00:19:55.829 --> 00:19:58.029 What do you have to lose by giving that to him? 00:20:01.859 --> 00:20:02.799 Somebody say it. 00:20:05.099 --> 00:20:05.500 Nothing. 00:20:07.619 --> 00:20:08.960 In the end, nothing. 00:20:12.730 --> 00:20:29.130 So where in your life does obeying Jesus' call to give of your energy or of your time or of your money appear to be just like a waste, nonsensical, like trying to put out a fire with a squirt gun? 00:20:32.779 --> 00:20:41.460 Maybe it's setting up a recurring gift to the church, like you hear about or you read about in the bulletin, either from your credit card or your checking account, when, man, a recurring gift, what could I even do on a recurring basis? 00:20:41.460 --> 00:20:43.039 Like $5 a week? 00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:45.559 That's like not even worth it. 00:20:46.539 --> 00:20:47.720 What is Jesus going to do with that? 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:49.440 A lot more than you think. 00:20:52.690 --> 00:20:56.710 What is Jesus going to do through me teaching Sunday school? 00:21:00.420 --> 00:21:01.819 A lot more than you think. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:03.640 Ask Merle. 00:21:07.900 --> 00:21:10.720 I didn't talk to him before I said that, so apologies. 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:17.960 But what is Jesus going to do through me saying yes to being on the ballot for church council? 00:21:19.099 --> 00:21:20.819 What good could possibly come from that? 00:21:22.839 --> 00:21:23.980 More than you think. 00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:28.160 I'm talking about money today, but I'm not just talking about money. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:34.380 I'm talking about stewardship, generosity, time, talent, or treasure. 00:21:35.160 --> 00:21:51.480 Whether it seems impossible because the need just seems so big, and you have something you feel like you could give, but in order to get this done, if just I do it, what's that going to do? 00:21:53.240 --> 00:22:03.660 If you're feeling that or if you're feeling like I see the need, but all I have to give, what can I even give? 00:22:07.369 --> 00:22:16.039 If what you have to give feels so small, the message is the same for you this morning. 00:22:17.640 --> 00:22:25.380 When you recognize that need and still respond to Jesus when he asks you, what do you have to give? 00:22:26.819 --> 00:22:28.180 Yeah, I know, we're out in the wilderness. 00:22:30.460 --> 00:22:31.240 I know. 00:22:31.240 --> 00:22:31.339 I know. 00:22:34.220 --> 00:22:37.819 Our denomination appears to be in some kind of long-term contraction. 00:22:38.700 --> 00:22:52.049 There are like a thousand LCMS churches without a pastor, and there are churches that are trying to figure out how to survive and they're forming dual parish agreements and all other kinds of things around us. 00:22:52.109 --> 00:22:55.190 I see the landscape, especially clearly now that I'm a circuit visitor. 00:22:56.829 --> 00:22:58.349 I see the same things you see. 00:22:59.490 --> 00:23:15.630 Now I'm asking you to see the same thing I see from our Lord, that when we give, even if it's a little, he is able, he is powerful to make it much according to his will, not ours. 00:23:16.890 --> 00:23:23.769 As Luther says in the Catechism, he richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. 00:23:24.869 --> 00:23:27.390 He's going to give you everything you need, every day. 00:23:28.730 --> 00:23:32.349 As you pray, give us this day our daily bread. 00:23:34.009 --> 00:23:44.549 So give your little and see Jesus make it much for his kingdom, and you will suffer no loss when you follow where he leads you. 00:23:46.650 --> 00:23:53.250 The peace of God that passes all understanding, guard and keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 00:23:53.910 --> 00:23:54.730 Amen.