A synopsis of the sermon delivered by the Rev. David L. Hicks at St. Paul’s Reformed Episcopal Church at the 10:30am service on Sunday, Lent IV, March 6, 2005. Please read St. John 6:1-14.
Today, we observe the Lord’s Supper, or Holy Communion, in obedience to the command of our Lord Jesus. His instruction in this regard is to be found in three of the four Gospels – Matthew, Mark and Luke. In John’s Gospel, however, we find no narrative of the institution of the Lord’s Supper. We do find that the story of the feeding of the 5,000 (our Gospel reading for today) is the basis for Jesus’ lengthy discourse on the necessity of “eating his body” and “drinking his blood” in order to have eternal life. Many scholars have concluded from this that John uses the miracle narrative as a substitute for the institution narrative included in the other three Gospels.
Is John’s use of the miracle story a legitimate one? There is indication from Jesus’ words in the Biblical text, that he expected his followers to make this connection. We are told in John 6:5-6 that Jesus’ inquiry into how the multitudes would be fed was not spoken out of desperation or ignorance, for “he knew what he would do.” One might say that Jesus orchestrated the situation in order to provide the teaching about himself as the “Bread of Life.” Later, when the crowds had followed him to another location, Jesus remarked that they were not following him because they understood the significance of the miracle, but because they wanted more food to fill their bellies. “Labor not for the meat which perisheth,” he says, “but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed” (Jn. 6:27). Finally, Jesus concludes, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you” (Jn. 6:53).
We should note that in this great miracle, Jesus used what was at hand – the paltry lunch of a young lad consisting of five barley loaves and two small fish. As Philip said, “What are they among so many?” Yet, Jesus took these hopelessly inadequate resources and fed a huge crowd of people. When we approach the Lord’s Table in Holy Communion, one may very well say something similar. When we contemplate the spiritual lack that each of has and the weakness of our ability to serve God as he requires, we can be tempted to conclude that there is no hope. Looking at what we are to receive in Holy Communion, some bread and a taste of wine, we may echo Philip’s words and say, “What are these in comparison to the great depth of need in my life?” However, the same Jesus who multiplied the loaves and fish is the same Jesus who promises to meet us in his Holy Supper. He is able to take what appears to be insignificant and make it to be the means of his grace for the sustenance of our souls. Knowing this to be true, let us labor for that food that endures unto everlasting life which the Son of Man so graciously gives us, today.
Amen.
