Table Fellowship
Ephesians 2:11-22
Isaiah 57:14-21
Mark 6:30-44
Psalms 22:22-30
Tim
Christoffersen
St. Anselm’s
July 23, 2000
Good
morning. As some of you know, we just returned from almost three weeks in
Vietnam. Not surprisingly there is even a connection with the story about
the feeding of the 5000 in today’s gospel reading.
This story is one of the most dramatic miracle stories in the New Testament.
It is, in fact, the only miracle story that is told in all four gospels.
Our 20th century or post Enlightenment rationalism is put to the test thinking
about how five loaves of bread and two fish feed 5000 men plus women and children
and still leave 12 basketfuls of leftovers.
But there is a bigger challenge in the story for us. At the beginning of this
chapter in Mark, Jesus is in his hometown and preaches in the synagogue. His
neighbors and relatives are amazed but critical and they took offense at Jesus.
Jesus says to them, "Only in his home town, among his relatives and
in his own house is a prophet without honor." He could not do any miracles
there except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was
amazed at their lack of faith."
In the verses immediately prior to the today’s story, Jesus has sent
the 12 apostles out to preach repentance and to heal the sick. As our story
commences they have returned and are tired. Jesus says, "Come with
me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." But the crowd
recognizes them and they ran on foot from all the towns and reach Jesus and
the apostles in the remote area where they had gone by boat.
So who were these people? What need drove them across the countryside
into a remote area to see and hear Jesus? And what do know about Jesus’
table fellowship or eating with others?
We pretty much know for certain that these were ordinary people who lived
ordinary lives. They probably included a tax collector or two, some prostitutes,
maybe even a leper or two on the fringe just away from the crowd. I don’t
think there were prominent Sadducees or Pharisees or members of the Sanhedrin
in the crowd. Probably few persons of status would run across the hillsides
to a remote location to have a chance to talk with Jesus.
We know from the many other stories of Jesus eating with others that he turned
everything upside down. Eating or dining today with friends or guests has
importance to us. In Jesus’ time it had similar if not more importance.
It was all about status. Guests were carefully invited and ‘seated’
according to their status. Actually they reclined at table instead of being
seated. Those of special status receive better food or cuts of meat.
You knew your place in the society and exactly where you fit in the pecking
order. Jesus turned the whole social order upside down. Everyone was invited
and no one was excluded. When Jesus was calling Matthew, he had dinner at
Matthew’s house and many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with
him. The Pharisees saw this and asked Jesus’ disciples, "Why does
your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus’ short
answer was I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
If I visualized the 5000 in Vietnam, it would likely be in the hills and mountainous
areas on the central and northern edges of the country. Ethnic minorities
who are not Vietnamese live in villages high up in these areas. In the towns
they live mixed together with the Vietnamese. Many of them are desperately
poor with in many cases open sores and blind or crossed eyes. The Communist
government officials who live in Hanoi are probably the counterparts to the
Sadducees and Pharisees and likely would not show up.
What happens at these meals? People are fed spiritually and physically and
lives are changed. Individuals and families begin to understand what the Kingdom
is God is like in their lives. They go out and tell others about the Kingdom
of God Jesus talks to them about and they tell others about the miracles and
the changed lives that occur to those who believe and profess Jesus as Lord.
The connection to Jesus’ last meal with the disciples at Passover and
the Eucharist we will celebrate and share today is unmistakable. In the story
Jesus had them all sit down in small groups on 50s and 100s on the grass.
"Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven,
he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to
set before the people. He also divided the fish among them all. They all ate
and were satisfied."
And after communion, we say in our prayer "you have fed us with spiritual
food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in
peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness
and singleness of heart."
I think that for me "singleness of heart" might mean I need to ask
myself why I have never invited the destitute, the handicapped or the homeless
to my home for dinner. It means I need to question my attachment to big and
little signs of my status in the community and my place in the social pecking
order.
As a gathered community, I feel "singleness of heart" might be thinking
about the friend or acquaintance or family we probably know who has plenty
of status and material well being but we sense in them they feel there is
something deeper that they feel is missing. Or for some it might be one of
the destitute physically or spiritually among us in our community.
Our "singleness of heart" is to reach out in faith and trust in
God’s love and invite them to come to church with us.
John in his gospel says it most clearly. "For God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not
perish but have life everlasting.
AMEN.
