Laetare Sunday (Lent 4) – Pr. Anderson sermon
St. John 6:1-15 “Jesus Tests and Knows What He Will Do”
March 30, 2025 | Christ Lutheran Church
In Nomine Iesu
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Lord God, heavenly Father, by Your Son You fed five thousand men in the wilderness with five loaves and two fish: We beseech You graciously to abide also with us in the fullness of Your blessing. Preserve us from greed and the cares of this life, that we may seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and in all things perceive Your fatherly goodness; through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen. (Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary, by Veit Dietrich, p. 152)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Rom. 1:7, etc.)
The sermon text for today is taken from the 6th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John. We read selected verses in Jesus’ name:
Lifting up His eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward Him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.
And when they had eaten their fill, He told His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
These are Your words, heavenly Father. Sanctify us by Your truth, Your Word is truth. Amen. (Joh. 17:17)
In Christ Jesus, who lifts up His eyes, sees you in your struggles, and feeds and strengthens you with His Word and Sacraments, dear fellow redeemed:
Did you eat before you came to worship today? If you haven’t, how hungry are you right now? I’m assuming no one here is hungry to the point of passing out. As most of you know, I don’t eat before worship which I primarily do for the nerves. And then you heard me explain, how it is a good practice to fast before worship. Whether you are fasting for worship, or fasting for health reasons, to go without food is a great reminder of where our possessions, even the food and water we need to survive, come from. In the moment, we might only be focused on the rumblings of our tummy, but we see how helpless we are. So, what solves this stomach problem is to put in something nutritious. In our text, we see how the bread of life sustains us even in the most uncertain times. Jesus tests and knows what He will do. He feeds the people with food to take care of their hunger and most importantly feeds them with His Word which sustains life forever.
And Jesus uses His Word to sustain Himself because He has a hard time finding rest. As Jesus heals and takes care of the masses, Scripture tells us how He would become tired. Just as we know how tired we are after a long day’s work and we look forward to vacation for much needed rest, Jesus’ body also needed rest. In those times where He looked like He was so close to getting it, the crowds would gather once more, and Jesus was back to work. After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following Him, because they saw the signs that He was doing on the sick. Jesus isn’t doing this to make Himself feel good with a good task. The blessings He gives to the people of healing them from comes from a gracious and merciful heart that hurts for the fallen state of man. St. Mark recording about this account says, “When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34). In our confession of faith on Wednesday’s using the explanation of the second article of the Apostles Creed, we acknowledge we are a lost and condemned creature, and Jesus immediately goes to give lost sheep the food of His Word.
As the Word sustains the people in the most important way, Jesus wouldn’t be the Savior if He didn’t realize where the people were physically. Lifting up His eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward Him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. The Man who knows hunger, knew exactly how to remedy the situation. Now here comes the pop quiz to see if His followers have been paying attention. The answer is they haven’t, and we don’t have to only look at this account and the many other times they failed the test from Jesus. This is a test that has been failed since the beginning of time. Adam and Eve failed the test when they chose the forbidden fruit. The Israelites failed the test after the Exodus when they complained to Moses that they were going to die in the wilderness from specifically hunger.
Of course, we will try to logically solve the answer, so the next thing Philip says makes sense for us to say. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” A little under two thirds of a year’s salary can’t do it. Five loaves of bread and two fish, doesn’t look any better. I can imagine the disciple’s horror as they are looking at a crowd that is bigger than Taylor’s and my hometown. The other part is to remember they have just gotten off a boat after crossing the sea of Tiberias. They aren’t going to be able to crowd fund their way out of this one.
Looking at their answers to the test, it looks like we could say they didn’t do too badly. We are told to give it our best and everything will work out. God points out that our best isn’t good enough. Jesus doesn’t rest because we look like sheep without a shepherd. He gives us the answer to the dilemma. All we need to do is trust that He can take care of us because He is God. Just like the people who watched God guide them as a pillar of cloud and fire out of Egypt, and Jesus’ disciples who watched Him perform miracle after miracle, it can only take a small problem for us to throw out what He has taught us. Like the disciples and the crowd, the problem isn’t only about physical hunger, we spiritually starve if we aren’t fed with the life-giving food that sustains us. It is in the spiritual food how we hear over and over how God will give us eternal life. As Christ’s work is recorded for us to strengthen us when the impossible arrives, too often we try to figure it out ourselves, too often we fall down, and too often we give up on God’s answer to the impossible.
Jesus gave this test because He knew what He would do. He was going to do the impossible. With the numbers simply not adding up, Jesus then took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. Philip had first said that two hundred denarii couldn’t even give everyone a bite, and Jesus is now giving everyone enough food to be satisfied. As the psalmist prayed, “You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing,” (Psalm 145:16) Jesus is fulfilling it, revealing to the people He is the Son of God. This is a great sight for the people to witness because this will not be the only sign Jesus does to prove who He says He is. As Jesus continues to prove Himself to be the Christ, He will continue to fulfill Scripture, and finally when God’s plan hits its apex, the people see the Son of God give up His life and be cursed on a tree.
This final outcome was not an easy road for Jesus. He knew He would be tempted, despised, rejected by all, tired, beaten, and finally crucified. Knowing all of this, and facing everything mankind has faced and struggled with, He never thought this was impossible. He does the impossible for His people. Here on this mountain in the wilderness, the people watched Isaiah’s prophecy come to fruition. Thus says the LORD: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’ They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them” (Isaiah 49:8-10). The Shepherd feeds His sheep with an abundance of physical food and the spiritual food that feeds them forever.
And when they had eaten their fill, He told His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. The people did not just eat until they were satisfied, but this miracle went further. There was a basket for each disciple. Jesus has done the impossible. It can be hard to see the impossible happen, but you are here today because of the impossible. God doesn’t just satisfy you with physical needs that are undeserved, but your sin could have condemned you forever. Instead, God satisfies you with His great mercy. The impossible was calling you back into His field to feed you the food that sustains you. The food of hearing how He sent His Son. This gives you cause to rejoice and be glad, even when life looks impossible because you know your Savior has done the impossible for you. He will take you out of this life of sorrow into a life of eternal peace.
This eternal peace is here right now for you. It is not earthly peace the world strives to find. It is in the food you consume in the Means of Grace. As the disciples witnessed this miraculous event, you also hear it and believe it through the Word. This is why you hear and read it. St. John writes, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31). The miracle revealed to the five thousand that Jesus is the Christ, and its recording reveals the same fact to you. Jesus tests you and knows what He will do. He knows you will fail the test, and on your own you will spiritually starve. He feeds you with the truth of His Word and then intimately feeds you with His body and blood at the altar. You hear the pronouncement of the forgiveness of your sins in the Sacrament and you eat and drink remembering Christ’s death and glorious resurrection, knowing He will return to you.
As you rejoice in your salvation, the devil will try to turn your rejoicing into pride. The text does not have a happy ending. Perceiving then that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by Himself. As much as the world will try, they will never be able to escape life’s problems on their own. Jesus continues to test with the truth of His Word. Happiness will never be in the riches of life. Eternal joy comes from being fed by the Son of God who died for the world. Jesus confirms this when He says after this account, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal” (John 6:27). He knows what He will do. He knows that until He has prepared your heavenly home, He will continue to come and feed you physically and spiritually for all your days, and after all your days, forever at the marriage feast. Amen.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.
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