The Message for Nov 8, 2015

The Message for Nov 8, 2015

Mark 12:38-44

Is Jesus Enough?

Rob Miller, Pastor

Today we wrap up our 6-week worship series on, “Not a Fan” based on Kyle Itleman’s book by the same title.

We started this series with a story from John’s Gospel (Chapter 6) where great crowds were traveling with Jesus. He was at the height of his popularity. Word spread about his miraculous healings and inspirational teachings. Huge crowds gathered around him.

One day there were about 5,000 men, not including women and children around him. The crowd probably exceeded 15,000 people that day. It was getting late and Jesus knew the people were hungry, so he turned to his disciples and asked what all these people would do for food. 15,000 is a lot of mouths to feed.

One of the disciples, Philip, told Jesus that even if they had eight months wages it wouldn’t be enough money to buy bread for everyone to have a little. From Philip’s perspective, this wasn’t their problem; and even if it was, there really wasn’t anything they could do. Andrew had been working the crowd and told Jesus about a boy who brought his lunch. He had five loaves of bread and two fish. But what are they among so many???

Jesus did the unthinkable. He took the boy’s lunch and he fed the entire crowd with it – all 15,000. The Bible tells us that after everyone had their fill there was plenty of food left over – 12 baskets full.

The little bit that we give to Jesus he turns into a miracle. Never underestimate what you give to Jesus. He can do wonders with it…

After dinner the crowd decides to camp out for the night so they could be with Jesus the next day. They are committed fans – it seems. But the next morning the crowd wakes up hungry for breakfast. They look around for Jesus, but he is nowhere to be found.

Eventually they find out that Jesus and his disciples had crossed over to the other side of the lake. Instead of going home, the crowd went to the other side of the lake to be with Jesus. The crowd seems to have no other priority than be with Jesus. Maybe they are more than just fans after all.

By the time they catch up to Jesus they’re starving. It’s too late for breakfast. Its lunchtime and they want to see the lunch menu. But Jesus has decided to shut down the all-you-can-eat buffet. He’s not handing out any more free meals. Jesus said to the crowd:

“The truth is, you’re looking for me, not because of the miracles, but because I fed you.”

So… Jesus decided to have the DTR talk with this crowd right then and there (DTR stands for Define The Relationship). It appears that all these people went to all this trouble and sacrifice to follow Jesus, because they see him as their meal ticket. That’s it. And Jesus knows it.

Sorry -- the drive through window is closed…

Has that ever happened to you? It’s happened to me and it is frustrating… While living in PA, I stopped at a Wendy’s Drive-thru late one night while traveling home… and it was closed. Auggggggggggg! Now what am I going to do??? I’m starving…

Jesus wasn’t handing out any more food. His mission was not about running a soup kitchen. Jesus came to offer himself. The question is, will Jesus be enough for them?

Jesus says to the people, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Jesus changed the menu. And he is the only one on it.

I’ve been to a number of restaurants lately and I’ve noticed in some places there is way too much on the menu. I have a tough time deciding what to order. Too many choices… I was out to lunch three times this week and after looking over the menu, I asked the server what the day’s special was. I went with the special every time.

Jesus is special. There are way too options on the menu of life. Jesus is the special for life -- he is the bread of life…

Here are some people who discovered Jesus as the bread of life.

Ed was let go from his job. He was an executive living an executive lifestyle. He wasn’t sure how he would pay the bills. The stress was taking its toll on his marriage and on his health. He was no longer self-sufficient. For the first time in his life, his prayers weren’t just empty phrases he learned as a child – he was in need. Desperate, he turned to God in a way that he never would have if he hadn’t lost his job. It was easy for him to be fan of Jesus, when he was making a half-million dollars a year. But for the first time in his life, he put his trust and hope in Jesus. Now he’s a follower.

Kathy was married for more than twenty years when her husband decided he wanted a divorce. She had been going to the same church since her childhood. But because of the divorce, she was no longer welcome there. She was broken and bitter. One day a friend told her about a Lutheran church. She went and heard about grace for the first time in her life. The Bible began to speak to her directly. And she listened. In her loneliness – in her bitterness – in her depression – she heard the message of Jesus saying “Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest.” She became a follower.

When something tragic happens...when

A child is diagnosed with cancer,
the addiction seems unbeatable,
a future seems overwhelming,
a relationship falls apart,

Suddenly religion isn’t enough. Suddenly worship isn’t enough.

Suddenly the spectacle, the fish and loaves, isn’t enough.

In those moments, at those times Jesus is special and the only thing on the menu. At those times people have discovered that Jesus is exactly what they need. He becomes their hope in a seemingly hopeless situation.

Jesus is enough – but the crowd that day didn’t think so. They were following Jesus for the perks, and not for a personal relationship. Guess what happened? The fans turned away from Jesus and went home. Here’s what we read in John 6:66:

Many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. He wasn’t giving them what they wanted…

Jesus was teaching them that he was the Son of God --- that he came to save them. AND unless they eat his flesh and drink his blood they have no life. Without Jesus there is no life in this world or the next.

Jesus said, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them… so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Sounds like Jesus was into cannibalism and vampirism. No wonder the people walked away from him…

This is one of the areas of the Bible we probably should not take literally. We interpret this to be the body and blood of Holy Communion in the form of bread and wine. But Jesus hadn’t established this sacrament yet… So perhaps Jesus was trying to teach the people that a relationship with him is all you need for life.

Jesus turns to the 12 and asks them… (verse 67) “You do not want to leave too, do you?”

Peter speaks for all of them. I picture his saying it like this, “Phrrrrrrr, Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

The 12 disciples believed and understood Jesus to be from God. They not only believe Jesus and what he said -- they believed in him. Jesus is the only one who offers eternal life. There is no other….

Followers believe that - fans do not.

Followers focus on the future - fans do not.

Followers place their hope and trust in Jesus alone - fans do not.

That’s why Peter says... “To whom can we go?” Now behind that question are a thousand other questions... Like:

Who could lead us like you can?

Who could teach us with wisdom like you do?

Who could possibly bring us closer to God?

Why would we ever want to leave you, Jesus, you are Lord and Savior of all?

Who else is worth following compared to you, Jesus?

How could we ever find someone like you?

Your law is love and your gospel is peace…

Fans will bail on Jesus when his teachings get too difficult – when his expectations require everything from us for his kingdom work. Fans like comfort and the status quo.

Followers are up for the challenge. Followers are on the move.

Followers realize that Jesus will never ever abandon us. He alone offers the words for life in this world and the next…

In our Gospel reading… Jesus was enough for the woman who came to worship one day… She gave everything she had – all that she had to live on because she put her trust – she put her hope in God alone…

Read Mark 12:38-44

Could you imagine taking your pay check from this past Friday and signing it over to Jesus by putting in the offering plate here in worship? Take about faith. “Yeah but it was only two pennies.” “Yes it was only two pennies and that was all she had.”

Here’s the point - It wasn’t the amount she gave, it was the motivation behind her giving. She gave knowing and trusting that God would provide.

What’s behind your giving? The question is not – what’s in your wallet. The question is what’s behind your giving? Our guide is to give 10% back to God but the amount is not as important as the motivation behind our giving.

Is faith behind your giving? Or is something else behind your giving? Do you know and trust that God will provide all that you need and your giving is a direct response of thanks to what God has done for you? The amount of our giving is the amount of our faith.

In the end, the question is – is Jesus enough for you?

It comes down to whether or not you will be a fan or a follower. Listen to how Kyle puts it in this video…

Video sermonette #6

Someday – we don’t know when – but someday Jesus will come again. I’m guessing that none of us want to be called fans on that day. Of course – there are no guarantee that we will get what we want. But Jesus does offer a guarantee.

Jesus guarantees that as we put our trust in him, he will never fail us.

Jesus guarantees that as we put our hope in him, he will be our guide for life through this world and into the next.

Our Not a Fan series ends where it began, with a question: Are you a fan or are you a follower of Jesus?

In other words, can you say without a doubt to Jesus - “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One sent from God.” And we will live our lives accordingly… Amen