“Feast on the Lord’s Abundant Provisions”

Thanksgiving Eve – November 25th, 2009

John 6:1-14

“What are you having for Thanksgiving dinner?” The world renowned chef Emeril Legasse started his
Thanksgiving special on the Food Network with that question for pondering. Tomorrow, most people that will
gather around Thanksgiving tables will sit down to a very luscious turkey dinner with mashed potatoes, stuffing,
gravy, cranberry sauce, and probably some really great pumpkin pie and whipped cream to top it all off. If you’re
like me at all, I’m sure you’re looking forward to the wonderful meals that family and friends have in store
tomorrow, as we commemorate our national day of Thanksgiving.
How appropriate, then, knowing that in a few hours we will indulge in one of the biggest and tastiest meals
of the year, that we take a moment and meditate upon not only one of the most well-known miracles in the gospels,
but also one of the most memorable meal gatherings in Holy Scripture, the feeding of the 5,000 in John chapter 6.
Tonight we are invited to that wonderful meal to feast with the thousands on the Lord’s abundant provisions, which
not only feed the body and its health, but also feed the soul and its spiritual health and happiness. Feast on the
Lord’s abundant provisions. Thank the benefactor, that is, recognize through praise and worship the one who is the
source of all good things for body and soul. Enjoy the nourishment, because our Lord provides for body and soul to
complete satisfaction, literally “stuffing” us with good things. And share the superabundance. Knowing that our
God has given all that we need for body and soul, we look to the needs of others who not only need food for earth,
but also food for eternity.

I. Thank the Benefactor

“Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” That was the question that Jesus offered to his disciples as
they saw the mass crowd of some 10,000 people coming toward them on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, a
question that was essentially a test for them, a test not just of faith, but of their ability to make the spiritual
connection that Jesus was much more than just a man, and much more than just a prophet – that he was truly God
in the flesh – Adonai, the Christ, the giver of all good things for body and soul, for earth and eternity.
It was a test from their teacher...a test that the disciples, as they so often did, failed miserably. Philip, the
fierce skeptic, was the first one to pipe up and offer his bleak summary of the situation, “200 denarii of bread will not
be enough for them that they receive, each one, a smidgen (a crumb).” And Andrew, one of the first disciples to leave
his fishing nets and follow Jesus, even after seeing many of Jesus’ miracles, had no more faith in Jesus than Philip
did, “There is a young boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish – but what are these to such a group?” In other
words, “The lack of food for so many people is an insurmountable problem, Jesus! Just send them all away!”
They failed the test! They very quickly forgot who the source of all blessings is...not themselves, but God.
Listen to the spiritual object lesson that Jesus offered to his disciples: “Jesus said: “Have the people sit down.” There
was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about 5,000 of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and
distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.” With those few fish and
those few loaves of barley bread, Jesus made clear to his disciples that he was not only concerned for the spiritual
welfare of the people. He also was concerned for their temporary well-being and showed his compassion toward
them by giving each and every one of them something to eat...not just a crumb, not just a smidgen...they ate, “as
much as they wanted,” giving not only the disciples, but also the crowd absolutely no reason to question Jesus’
nature as true God or to doubt his identity as the benefactor of mankind for both body and soul.
That’s a lesson we will want to remember tomorrow, in our national celebration of Thanksgiving. So often,
when people get together on Thanksgiving, they speak quite openly about giving thanks for various reasons, but
remain rather vague as to whom is receiving our thanks. God is our benefactor for the blessings of both body and
soul. We don’t have to ask the questions that we heard in our gospel lesson...”What shall we eat? What shall we
drink? What shall we wear?” The one who has set us free from our sins by his blood, who has made us to be a
kingdom and priests to serve our God and Father, who gave of his life over to death so that we would live eternally
in heaven...he, the Lord Jesus is also the one who deserves our worship, our praise, and our thanksgiving for the rich
bounty of blessings that he regularly and daily pours out on us, blessings both on the table at home and from the
altar in worship. As we feast tomorrow on the various wonderful meals, and as we gather around tables of plenty,
give thanks to the great benefactor, our Triune God, who sees to it that you are always cared for, both for now and
for eternity.

II. Enjoy the Nourishment

Thanksgiving meals are not the kind of meals that you shovel in your mouth in five minutes and then you
leave the table. Thanksgiving meals are to be enjoyed! You don’t gulp down the turkey, you savor it! You don’t
inhale the pumpkin pie, you make sure that you can taste every bit of its essence, the pumpkin, the cinnamon, the
nutmeg, everything that makes it a Thanksgiving Day pumpkin pie! And once you have the opportunity to savor all
of the unique tastes of late November cooking, you leave the table, satisfied, stuffed!
When Jesus provided for the stomachs of the 5,000 men, not including women and children, they didn’t go
away hungry! They were stuffed! They ate until they were satisfied. In his infinite wisdom, Jesus knew that many
of them had been with him all day, that they had come from great distances, that they had no money and no access
to food, and so he provided for them – nourishment that wasn’t just satisfactory, nourishment that wasn’t just good
enough to get them for a few hours. He gave them a feast! The Greek word that is used to describe this feast has
the connotation of the people sitting down and savoring the meal, enjoying it, because it was provided to them at no
cost, and it met their earthly need perfectly.
What tremendous nourishment our Lord Jesus provides – not just for the body, but especially for our souls.
Yes, this national day of Thanksgiving zeroes in on the physical and earthly blessings which the Lord pours out on
us, and by the end of the day, we’re stuffed! But let’s not forget the most important nourishment that our Lord sets
out before us – his Word – the gospel in Word and sacrament, a spiritual meal which is provided at no cost to us
and meets our greatest need in abundance.
Later on in John Chapter 6, Jesus himself says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger,
and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Finally, even after you and I will feast on the wonderful fixings of
Thanksgiving dinner, eventually you and I will be hungry again, no matter how wonderful it tastes, no matter how
stuffed you will feel afterward – eventually you’ll get hungry again. With the spiritual nourishment of his Word,
our Lord Jesus leaves no hunger in our souls. He fills us to satisfaction with clear revelation and lasting promises
that everything has been accomplished for our salvation – that his body and blood were given over to death so that
we would be forgiven and made righteous in the sight of the Ancient of Day. And for those who trust in Christ as
Savior, even if everything in this world should be taken away, the promise remains that there is an eternal banquet
in heaven awaiting us, a seat at the Father’s Thanksgiving table in life eternal, through the merits of Jesus Christ.

III. Share the superabundance

And that’s the superabundance that we want to pass on to others. Surely this time of year is a time when we
examine how richly the Lord has provided for us, and see different ways and unique opportunities that we can reach
out to those who may not be as blessed (from an earthly standpoint) as we are. It is a worthwhile practice to help
others that are in need, knowing just how greatly the Lord has opened his hand to satisfy our needs. And even in
our own community, our God has given many opportunities for us to do things like that, to share with others the
earthly abundance that we have been granted by the mercy of God.
That’s exactly what happened on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The 5,000 men (not including
women and children) ate in abundance until they were full. But, what about the disciples? What about the ones
that were distributing the food? Did Jesus have nothing for them? Were they not hungry too? Verses 12 and 13
tell us what happened: “12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left
over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left
over by those who had eaten.”
Everyone was provided for! There wasn’t one person who was left out. There wasn’t one person who
unnecessarily went hungry. There was food for everybody, and as was the custom, after the large crowd was done
eating, the leftovers went to the disciples so that they could eat! There wasn’t one person that Jesus forgot!
As it is with the provision of food to the crowd, so it was with the provision of salvation for mankind. Jesus
didn’t leave anyone out! His blood shed on the cross covered your sins, my sins, and the sins of all people, the
“little” sins, and the “big” ones, the ones that we aren’t even aware of, and the ones that plague our hearts and
minds, the sins that we commit unintentionally, and the ones where we openly and willingly rebel against the law of
our God. Jesus’ blood paid for them all – every transgression of every person, everywhere, of every time, every
culture, every nation and language – he didn’t forget anyone - his blood was sufficient for all.
And as we gather around tables tomorrow in thanksgiving for earthly blessings, let’s not forget that the
greatest food that God gives is the bread of life – the good news of Christ crucified for the salvation of souls. If we
have nothing else in this world, even if we have no food, no shelter, no basic necessities of life, we know that we
have forgiveness, and that we have heaven awaiting us. Share that abundance – because our Savior has given it not
only for you, but for all people to enjoy.
“What are you having for Thanksgiving dinner?” No matter what crosses your table tomorrow, remember
that you are partakers in a feast of the Lord’s abundance. Thank him for his earthly and eternal generosity and
benevolence. Enjoy the nourishment he provides for both your body and your soul. And share the abundance
which reveals God’s goodness and invites all to the Thanksgiving feast that will never end. Amen.