922 Ministries - The CORE & St. Peter Lutheran

If you could have seen just one of Jesus miracles, which one would you pick? Like, if I let you put together a top five or a top ten list of the miracles of Jesus found in the gospels and the New Testament, which ones would make the list and why? And which one would be at the top? Like, if you narrowed down the, the miracles of Jesus into categories, would your number one be one where Jesus raised somebody from the dead? Like, to see literally someone come back from death to life at the hands and words of God?

Would that be the one that would reinforce to you the amazing God and all powerful God that Jesus was? Maybe you'd pick one that involved Jesus releasing demons from somebody. Like the fact that this man as God had power over the devil. Like, just to know that, just to see that. How might that help you fight temptation?

That's your Jesus on your side. Would you pick one that involved the Pharisees, like where they were in the audience? Like, I would have loved to have seen Jesus do that and see their faces and their jaws do that.

Or maybe you'd pick one of the miracles that only the three disciples, the inner circle, saw. Like the rare company that Peter, James and John were as some of the most amazing events of Jesus'ministry in. Like, which one would you pick? What category would you pick from?

Like, my guess is you and I might have different ones on our list. We'll definitely have different ones first on our list. And while the one we're going to talk about today probably would make most of your list, because you heard it over and over and over again in Sunday school and vacation Bible school or christian grade school, it's like one of the go to miracles of Jesus. It's not probably the one that you would put at the top. It definitely wouldn't be the one that I would like.

The one that I would pick might probably be Jesus walking on water. Peter walking on water. Peter sinking when he looks at the waves. Jesus reaching down, sparing his life and then stopping the storm in an instant. That's the one.

If you ever got to see that one, there would be no doubt about God.

And I'm going to try and convince you today that perhaps today's miracle isn't on the top of the list. Because while it's well known and very familiar, it doesn't scream top of the list. But you know who it screamed top of the list to God. Like, of all the miracles of Jesus found in the New Testament, today's miracle, the one we're going to focus on is the only one that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all recorded only one. That all four gospels contain only one.

There's got to be a reason why God doesn't do anything by chance. It's the only one. Some of the miracles are recorded by three, some are recorded by two, some are only recorded by one. But only one is recorded by all four.

So maybe God has something that he wants you and I to learn about him from this miracle that's a little bit different because there's got to be something important.

And I think actually this miracle of all the miracles allows us to see the two things, the two sides of a coin that you find in every miracle about God. Like if you're taking notes and you've probably seen it over the last few weeks, but we maybe didn't identify it. When it comes to the miracles of God, I think they teach us two important aspects, two important sides of the coin. Jesus miracles give us power of God glimpses. Like we get that we love, that.

It's superpower Jesus. It's superpower God. We get glimpses of things only God can do. Miracles oftentimes in our mind are power of God glimpses. But we forget right alongside on the other side of the coin as a part of all the miracles.

I would argue with you that you also get this heart of God insights, insights to the heart of God.

Like his first miracle, changing water into wine. People are having a party in a celebration. Marriage is a visual of what God describes as our relationship. And Jesus does not want the bride and the groom and their families to fall flat on their face because they ran out of the good stuff. So he makes better stuff.

Like he cared about those people and their celebration. Or how about at Lazarus's grave?

Like in the face of death, Jesus wept, his heart broke the heart of God. And today that's what I want you to focus on. On this miracle, that side of the coin. We're going to see power of God glimpses. In fact, we're going to see a lot more than just glimpses.

Like we're going to see power of God, Jesus at work. Miracle after miracle after miracle after miracle takes place in this little section. But today I want you to see that Jesus'miracles also reveal the heart of God for you and for me. And today to see the heart of God that cares and can when it comes to our needs.

And we all struggle and wrestle with that, right? Like our needs. Like when our needs are met, we have confidence in this life. When our needs are met, there's security, not anxiety. When our needs are met, when our resources are high, there's peace.

Like the world would say that. If you're taking notes today, here's the world says truth. That is going to be the underlying heart of God moment that we're going to get insight to of how God cares. Like the world says, when your resources are greater than your needs, when what you have is more than what you need, when what you have provides for all your needs. When your resources are greater than your needs.

I'm good. All's good. Life's good.

No one would argue that, right? And it's not wrong to feel that way.

Let me give you a few examples of how this plays out. Four years ago, right about this time, all of us were hunkered down in our homes. And for some people, they were fearful that they weren't going to have the resources to provide for their needs. The big unknowns. So some of you were like running to Sam's club and coming out with hand trucks full of toilet paper.

Oh, that was you. Everyone around here is going, you're the one who stole the toilet paper. Like, we needed our shelves stocked with all the resources because we didn't know what was going to happen, did we? We never experienced anything like this. So we had to have toilet paper, paper towels.

How many of you tried to order hand sanitizer on Amazon and you couldn't find any for six months? Praise God, they made more. But when our resources were met, when we felt like we had enough, I'm good.

Or how about retirement? Like, some of you are closer than others, some of you are in it. My wife and I, I'm 51 years old, going to 52. We have a plan. We have goals.

I look at my number more now than ever. I look at my goals now more than ever. And there's going to come a time where I believe, as we get closer and closer and closer, where I'm going to get to pull the trigger. Because the resources that are available to us are greater than the need that we believe we need to have to make it x number of years when the resources are greater than the need. Pastor Tim is saying, cyanara, like it's human nature, it's okay.

Even from the most basic of levels. Like when your income is greater than your expenses on a weekly basis, on a monthly basis, all's good, right? And that's okay. I get it. It's human, I get it.

But there's a problem.

Like, first of all, there's a problem because sometimes what the world says resources are greater than needs. We substitute a different word that causes worry and anxiety. Like a lot of you believe your needs are x, Y and z, but those are merely wants.

They're beyond daily bread, they're beyond provision. They're extras.

Like for some of us, God and resources and needs mean steak and cheesy potatoes and cheesecake for every meal. Sometimes it's just going to be spam and maybe some asparagus. And so sometimes we get out of whack spiritually, emotionally, because we confuse needs and wants. But then there's a real time when there's a real reality, when it gets hard in this life, when the greater than becomes an equal to. And we start to get nervous, like right now in our society, like how many of you aren't looking at the prices you're paying for that product that four years ago was so much different and your heart starts to race, you start to get concerned.

If this continues, if inflation continues, if something doesn't happen and something doesn't change, the costs are increasing way more than my resources.

And in all honesty, there are times when our needs are greater than our resources and we're not good. And maybe you've been there, maybe you are there, or maybe one day you will be there, no matter which one it is. I'm glad you're here today because that worldly statement can overwhelm our heart. And we need to see what God wants us to know about his heart when it comes to our needs. That's what today's miracle is going to allow us.

Some insight on a little bit of background of this. We're going to jump from Matthew chapter nine, where we saw our last few miracles, to Matthew chapter 14 today. In between, Jesus sent out the disciples to accomplish some mission work. They've come back super excited, sharing stories. In the meantime, Jesus did a whole lot of teaching, performed some more miracles, and now the disciples are back and Jesus is actively engaged in ministry, preaching and teaching, which leads us into Matthew chapter 14.

And right before this section, when Jesus heard about what had happened, what had happened was Herod. The one who had beheaded John the Baptist, believed that Jesus was John the Baptist reincarnated. So John the Baptist was literally Jesus. And so he was considering this, thinking about this. And when Jesus had heard that had happened, what Herod was thinking about Jesus was John the Baptist reincarnated.

He withdrew by boat, privately to a solitary place. So the disciples have returned. Jesus has been doing preaching and teaching, a full plate, a busy workload. And now Herod is perhaps considering what he's got to do about Jesus because he had already eliminated John. Jesus withdraws three logical reasons.

No one knows for sure if it was one more than another, but all three might have been in play. Like Jesus wasn't going to put himself in danger and allow Herod to end his life before God had that plan carried out. So he withdraws. It's just an element of being smart. The disciples had just come back from their mission journey.

Jesus probably wanted to do some instructions, some follow up, some check ins. How you doing? How to go? What questions do you have? His job was to prepare them to carry the ministry of the gospel of Jesus forward.

Probably a both and also number three. Jesus wanted to get away. Jesus was human like. Jesus understood the importance of rest and relaxation and getting away. I just did that for a few days.

That's why my face is glowing a little bit more than it normally does. It's a good thing and it's a needed thing. But Jesus'plan was thwarted. The crowds that were following Jesus, the crowds that were around Jesus. When Jesus had heard that, he withdrew.

But hearing this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. The crowds see jesus get into the boat, they see the direction that he's going. They make their best educated guess of what that means, and they didn't think twice. They simply left and followed him. Most experts say as they're journeying and following to where Jesus ended up, it was probably a seven or eight mile walk, like not an impossible walk for a day's journey.

Like, if this is early in the morning, when they saw Jesus leave, they could have probably covered that in a few hours. As Jesus and his disciples are navigating the water, it's not a kind of walk that I want to go on. If my wife asked me to go on a walk more than a mile, I'm out. But these people were in because they wanted Jesus. They wanted more Jesus.

They wanted time with Jesus because they knew what he had done in previous encounters. They knew who he was, a great teacher, and they weren't going to miss their opportunity to connect.

And with all that in mind, as you consider that, I want you to see what happens next and not go to the glimpse of power, but the inside of heart. So as Jesus and the disciples are navigating the boat, I'm guessing they're more concerned about looking ahead and not seeing the people coming around the water. They weren't concerned about that. They were going to a destination. But when Jesus got to their destination, when the disciples in Jesus landed and he saw the large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Now it's easy to go to that second part, but I need you to see the heart of God on the other side of the coin. Now, compassion, simply by definition in the dictionary, is sympathetic pity and concern for the suffering or misfortunes of others. We have compassion on people who are going through hardship. I feel bad for you. Biblical compassion is different.

When the word compassion is used in the Bible, it's not just to empathize with someone, to have pity for someone, but biblical compassion literally means to empathize with someone who's suffering and to feel compelled to reduce the suffering. Like, biblical compassion is more than feeling, it's acting. It's being compelled to not just, oh, shucks, too bad for you. How horrible. How can I help you?

Like in the moment as jesus sees these people, the other gospels in fact tell us it's not just about their physical needs that he has that feeling for and wants to address. The other gospels tell us that when Jesus saw the crowds and they were like people, like sheep without a shepherd, they didn't have spiritual guidance, they weren't being spiritually fed, they weren't being cared for. When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion, physically, spiritually, for their bodies and souls. And compassion in Jesus acted like, I love to see the heart of God in action. Like Jesus had the human emotion of compassion, but as God, he acted like he could and did because he cared.

Can you imagine the scene like, all these people are coming, we're going to hear in a minute, there were crowd, you already know what miracle this is. You have the number in mind. Like this is Jesus. There's 5000 plus people. Can you imagine if someone told you like, hey, there's healing, there's a doctor who can see you today.

Like the line would go out the door. The doctor won't stop doing what the doctor has to do. Just think about how long this went on and how much was happening, how many people were being healed. If there were thousands in the crowd, Jesus wasn't turning anyone away. Like when you call the doctor and say, hey, doc, can I get in?

Like this is really bad. Yeah, I got an opening in four weeks. Not Jesus.

Like, hey, doc, can I ask you a question? No, I need some rest and recovery. Jesus didn't get in the boat and say, disciples, paddle two times faster, find a new spot. No, he stopped and his heart healed and taught.

Jesus saw the problem, he saw their need, he cared and he could and he did.

And in the midst of all that, while Jesus is healing and Jesus is teaching and people are talking and people are watching, the clock is spinning. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. And the disciples realized there was another problem, and they came up with a solution. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, this is a remote place and it's already getting late. It's a seven to eight mile walk.

For many of these people, the time has come to kick them out. We don't have the ability to provide for them. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food. Like Jesus understood, that's not the solution. They do not need to go away.

The disciples solution was not really a solution anyway. By this time of day, they wouldn't have found anything open. They were at a remote destination. None of those small towns close by could have provided food for all those people. They didn't live in Appleton, where there's a quick trip on every other corner and the food is hot and ready.

The disciples saw a problem, and they came up with a solution. Send them off. Get them out of here. We don't need to deal with this. It's going to get ugly.

These people are going to get hangry. Jesus said, they don't need to go away.

Find a different solution. You find them something to eat, which is interesting when you hear jesus say that, and the disciples go boom, almost like they knew Jesus was going to say no. So they already had the answer. Like, we've been working the crowd, we've been watching the people, we've been intersecting with them as they've come forward and backward and they're still hanging out. We have, we've looked, we have here only five loaves of bread and two fish.

They answered. Before we go on, I just want you to see. Great disciples recognized an issue bad. They didn't see the ultimate solution in the one who could. Like these are the same disciples who only earlier had been on a boat, and they were afraid and they were weak of faith.

And Jesus looked them in the eye and said, where's your faith? And by saying the word, the storm stopped. The waters completely calmed. Like better would have been, Jesus, we have a problem. What would you like to do, or us to do to find a solution?

Even better, lead with Jesus. This is what we found. Five loaves of bread and two fish. Here it is. Go to work.

To which jesus did when they gave him the food. Bring them here. He said jesus knew what he was going to do. He cared about those people. He had compassion.

And he was a God who understood what God has promised. That God provides for our daily needs, that God provides for us, body and soul. And this Jesus, who was savior, was also Jesus who cared about their bodily needs. Bring them here to me. He said he directed the people to sit down on the grass.

So he organized it in an orderly way. Imagine if thousands of people find out there's five loaves of bread and two fish. It'll be like all you crazy people going for the toilet paper during COVID No, he organized it, set them down, lifted it up, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to the disciples. And the disciples gave them the people and gave them to the people and kept giving them to the people and kept passing them out to the people. Like Jesus was providing for the people's needs.

Body. And we know I'm a savior also, soul. So much so that when they ate, they all ate and were satisfied. Like it wasn't just a half a piece of bread and a little sliver of fish. Enough energy to get you home.

No, they ate and were satisfied. Can you just fathom that as you go on to hear how many there were? There was twelve baskets left over and the number of those who ate was 5000 men, besides women and children, in my estimation. The Bible doesn't tell us at least give a plus one to everybody who was at the meal. Like somebody brought their whole family.

Somebody might have brought nobody. My estimation, the basement has to be somewhere around ten k. Just imagine that we serve lenten meals here. We plan for 300 to 350, depending on the week. But sometimes a certain class or a group of kids sing and the number goes through the roof.

Grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles are showing up and the line is long all the way until 06:00. And sadly, sometimes if you get here late, no food for you, we run out. They don't bring Pastor Tim down to do Jesus can for 10,000. That is an amazing glimpse of God's power. There's like miracle after miracle on this day.

But on the other side of the coin is the why behind the what? The heart of God, who's serious about the promises he makes to provide for our needs. I want you to see that and understand that and celebrate that. Like he was serious about that in this story. Because he was serious about that.

Like willing to go to the cross and give up his physical body because he cared for your body and soul. He didn't want it to end up in eternity in hell. That God who taught pray, Lord, give us this day our daily bread knew he would. And for that day, those people did not have, so he did. He can again.

Here's the thing. I know a miracle like this is great, but you look at me and say, pastor Tim, jesus is not here. You're right. He's not going to come to your house tonight and multiply your chicken breasts for you. But he gives you gifts and abilities and talents to provide what you need.

Like in there are times when the resources aren't as great as the needs. Family and friends. Nine, two, two. Church family. I'm going to tell you this right now.

There are resources that we have that we would love to use to help you. If that's the case. Like our good Samaritan team has resources. We are part of the Apple Valley food pantry that has resources. Like if you are in need of resources because you are a single mom or in need of things and help with your kids, because it's hard.

We have safe families. We literally have programs at our church to help people be able to be provided for body and soul spiritually.

Like, I know there are times when it is hard. And sadly, there are times in our world when because of governments and wars and other things, people are hurting and there is not food and stuff available. I pray that that is not the case. Sadly, it oftentimes is. But God is a promise keeper when it comes to this.

The world says, when my resources are greater than my needs, it's all good. And sometimes that's hard. Sometimes it's not a body and soul. Can you hear this and see what the Bible says? When you get anxious about it, when you worry about it, remember what the Bible says.

Jesus resources, God's resources. What he can do both body and soul. His promise to provide both body and soul. Jesus resources are always greater than my needs. He will meet them.

That is my God. That is your God. He'll use others. He'll use you. He'll use your gifts.

He'll use your parents. And because Jesus'resources are greater than my needs, I can make the statement, I can have confidence and security and peace. Because God is good. God's good. He will not fail.

And sometimes I think it takes perspective to remember that. Like biblical perspective. Like the pages of the Bible are littered with more stories than this one about how God provides for body and soul. Like for 40 years in the desert, God provided manna for the Israelites each and every day. On Saturday, he gave them a double portion.

They grumbled and complained because they wanted meat and potatoes and dessert all the time. But they were cared for. Body 40 years. In a miraculous way, I think of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath. The oil's gone.

All hope is lost, Elijah says and prays over it. And every day enough oil shows up to make a loaf of bread for all three of them. I think of Jacob on the run, had nothing, maybe a backpack, maybe not. Slept on a stone. God promises to provide over the next 20 years.

Even though Laban tried to trick him and take all his good stuff. Jacob left, provided for to become a great nation. I think of Paul from prison who said, my God will provide all my needs. I can praise God. Whether living in plenty or in want, God will provide because God is good spiritually.

He'll provide because he's given me grace that's sufficient. Even in weakness, like body and soul, God provides. The Bibles fill the stories of it, and God's promise is this. That same Jesus who Ken and Kit did 2000 years ago. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The savior he was is the savior he is, and the savior who he will be and the heart of God that cared and provided for them does and will like. Perspective has an amazing way of teaching you that. Like, I know some of you are younger and you're going through the hardest time where the income is lowest and the resources being greater than the needs. You're struggling, you're wondering, you're questioning, like, I get it. Inflation right now is real.

It's hard. Or maybe you lost your job. It's hard. But sometimes perspective teaches you the truth about God and his resources and my needs. I know it's true for me.

Like, my wife and I are really good right now. We have been blessed with resources. Like, the resources are way outpacing our needs. And that might change. But if it does, I'll remember 1996, my vicar year.

My vicar year. When I served in Milwaukee, my stipend was $1,000 a month. Now you might say, oh, that's almost 30 years ago, Pastor Tim. Sounds like a lot of money. The average median household income in 1996 was 36,000.

The average median was three times higher. And God had just blessed me with a wife of one year and a child of one month. Our rent was 400. All the other annual month or monthly bills were probably about another 300 to 400. That left about $50 a week for necessities for a little baby and two other mouths.

I'm not going to lie I was pretty anxious. I didn't know what we'd do. My wife sometimes wondered what we would do. Thankfully, in those years, while we were at the seminary, some businesses would drop off day old bread in the married lounge and we would just take it home and go toast.

My wife actually stood in food pantry lines in the inner city with my one month old daughter to get lima beans. Like, if any of you have ever eaten lima beans, they are disgusting. I said no. She salted them and we ate them. Sometimes God provides when you're humble to ask for help.

Grandpas and grandpas helped. Friends and family helped. When I got a call, I made more, but the cost of living was higher. And now I had two mouths to feed and two people to take care of. And there were ladies, missionary societies who would have lists of pastors and their families.

And at Christmas time, we got a big box one time, unexpected, with gifts for my kids and some gift cards to put a little extra food on the table.

God can. God does provide for our needs.

And I want you to hold on this miracle to see the heart of God and also remember the promises of God. Three verses maybe you want to note, take to heart, hold on to in those times when needs and resources. You're struggling, you're anxious, you're worried. God says, God promises. The eyes of all look to you.

So lift up your eyes to the hills and to God, the one who lived and died and rose again, the one who loves you. Body and soul, the eyes of all look to God to give them their food. At the proper time, you open your hand and satisfy the desires, the needs of every living thing. That's God's word. That's his promise.

Take it to the bank. Jesus'resources. Are greater than your needs. God is good. That's why Jesus could say so.

Do not worry, saying, what shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or what shall we wear? The pagans run after all these things. The world's view understands that concept.

Resources greater than needs. And your heavenly father knows that you need them. He knows what you need. He knows you need these things. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

When you put God first, when you seek what God is, what God does, what God promises first. When you seek his kingdom first, you know what you find. Security and confidence and peace, lasting peace. Because it's God who's in charge. It's God and he's good.

And then there's this to him who's able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. Like, I can ask and imagine a lot.

And our God, who's good, he's able to measure, imagine more than all we ask or imagine according to his power. His power that's at work within us. To him, he glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout generations, forever and ever. Amen. Like the glimpses of God's power on display in this miracle.

But the heart of God that's able to do more than we ask or imagine. Praise God. Peace, security, all being good is found in God who's good, which is what my grandpa knew. Like, I wish I had asked my grandpa what his favorite miracle was. He was amazing, spiritual man.

If there's anybody I know in my life whose resources were at best equal to his needs, maybe less than his needs at all times, it was my grandpa. He served in the military and was a marine. His wife died when my mom was seven years old of breast cancer. Like, he made a living in the, in Bay City, Michigan. Not like this powerhouse city like Chicago or Milwaukee, like Bay City, Michigan, being a barber.

A barber. He raised two kids on a barber salary.

I'd been to his house and I never thought about before, but as I visualize it now in my head, I'm like. My grandpa's house was a shack. Like the one bedroom my mom and dad stayed. My mom and uncle stayed in. Had no door.

It had a curtain. It was maybe 750 sq ft. He never complained.

At the end of his life, when he was in a nursing home in care, he was at peace because he knew God provided, even though he had nothing.

Like, my guess is, if this wasn't his favorite miracles, one he knew, and he held onto the truth, the two sides of the coin. God is powerful, and God has a heart that cares. Jesus can and he does care for his body and soul. Let's praise God for that.