WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.623 --> 00:00:06.423 The name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. From 2 00:00:06.423 --> 00:00:07.923 John, chapter 6. 3 00:00:07.923 --> 00:00:14.023 But there are some of you who do not believe thus far our text. 4 00:00:21.723 --> 00:00:25.723 Jesus is surrounded by unbelief. 5 00:00:27.223 --> 00:00:33.023 Jesus is surrounded by men whom he's called into his service, who don't 6 00:00:33.023 --> 00:00:38.723 have enough faith in him and his word and don't have enough love for 7 00:00:38.723 --> 00:00:40.023 his flock. 8 00:00:40.723 --> 00:00:45.023 Jesus is surrounded by people who have gathered around him for the 9 00:00:45.023 --> 00:00:46.323 wrong reasons. 10 00:00:47.523 --> 00:00:52.623 Jesus is surrounded on all sides by sin and doubt. 11 00:00:53.623 --> 00:00:59.523 But yet, despite all of this Jesus gives an abundance of his miraculous 12 00:00:59.523 --> 00:01:00.823 food. 13 00:01:01.923 --> 00:01:05.423 He gives himself to those who hunger. 14 00:01:07.023 --> 00:01:11.523 This is the context of what John six presents to us, this is what it 15 00:01:11.523 --> 00:01:15.923 looks like and it's what it looks like in Christ church still today. 16 00:01:17.023 --> 00:01:21.323 When John 6, begins with the feeding of the 5000, we see Jesus with 17 00:01:21.323 --> 00:01:25.523 the disciples that he has called into his service, Those whom he has 18 00:01:25.523 --> 00:01:28.423 called to love his people to care for them 19 00:01:29.423 --> 00:01:31.723 to be under Shepherds of his sheep. 20 00:01:33.223 --> 00:01:37.023 Yet, as this massive flock of sheeps stands before them 21 00:01:37.023 --> 00:01:40.223 the disciples don't quite know what to do. 22 00:01:41.223 --> 00:01:43.123 Where we to buy bread 23 00:01:43.123 --> 00:01:44.823 so that these people may eat. 24 00:01:44.823 --> 00:01:49.323 Jesus ask Philip to test him, but Philip fails the test. 25 00:01:49.323 --> 00:01:53.123 200 denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a 26 00:01:53.123 --> 00:01:53.423 little 27 00:01:53.423 --> 00:01:57.223 he says. In other words, I don't know how we could possibly feed 28 00:01:57.223 --> 00:01:58.023 these people, Jesus. 29 00:01:58.023 --> 00:02:01.023 So I guess there's nothing we can do. 30 00:02:02.223 --> 00:02:06.223 So, even though the Son of God stands before him, even as he looks at 31 00:02:06.223 --> 00:02:09.823 the one who has performed countless miracles before his eyes, 32 00:02:11.423 --> 00:02:17.023 he doesn't trust in Christ enough to look at his Lord and say, where 33 00:02:17.023 --> 00:02:18.023 are we to buy bread 34 00:02:18.023 --> 00:02:22.523 Lord? Lord we don't have to, you will provide it. 35 00:02:23.823 --> 00:02:25.023 Likewise in St. 36 00:02:25.023 --> 00:02:27.423 Luke's account of the feeding of the 5000. 37 00:02:27.423 --> 00:02:31.723 The disciples come up to Jesus and say, send the crowd away to go into 38 00:02:31.723 --> 00:02:35.623 the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get 39 00:02:35.623 --> 00:02:36.723 provisions for 40 00:02:36.723 --> 00:02:38.923 we are here and a desolate place. 41 00:02:40.223 --> 00:02:43.923 In other words Lord, stop caring for these people. 42 00:02:43.923 --> 00:02:46.623 Stop proclaiming salvation to them. 43 00:02:46.623 --> 00:02:48.923 Let them go so that they can solve their own problems. 44 00:02:48.923 --> 00:02:52.123 Don't burden us with their needs. 45 00:02:52.123 --> 00:02:53.823 We have enough to do. 46 00:02:55.723 --> 00:02:59.123 But even though these men don't trust Christ, the way that they 47 00:02:59.123 --> 00:03:04.423 should, he still calls his disciples to serve him by serving his 48 00:03:04.423 --> 00:03:04.823 sheep. 49 00:03:04.823 --> 00:03:08.223 Even though the 12 don't love and care for their neighbors 50 00:03:08.223 --> 00:03:12.423 the way that they ought to Christ, still blesses them to be the hands 51 00:03:12.423 --> 00:03:16.823 through which they will receive his miraculous bread even Judas. 52 00:03:16.823 --> 00:03:20.223 The Son of Perdition who John says 53 00:03:20.223 --> 00:03:22.823 Jesus already knows will betray him. 54 00:03:24.723 --> 00:03:28.723 And of course, as John 6 goes on after the feeding of the 5000, it 55 00:03:28.723 --> 00:03:33.923 seems like we hardly need to mention the disciple who displays 56 00:03:33.923 --> 00:03:36.523 unbelief in the middle of John 6. 57 00:03:36.523 --> 00:03:39.123 When Jesus walks on water. 58 00:03:41.223 --> 00:03:45.723 But as it was by the Sea of Tiberias, so it is still today. 59 00:03:46.723 --> 00:03:51.423 Christ has instituted the office of the Holy Ministry, the same office 60 00:03:51.423 --> 00:03:56.723 that was occupied by the disciples. He charges his under Shepherds to 61 00:03:56.723 --> 00:04:02.123 feed his sheep to care for them to love them and cherish them. 62 00:04:03.823 --> 00:04:09.023 Like the disciples before us, we pastors stumble and fall through 63 00:04:09.023 --> 00:04:14.323 our unbelief. Pastors don't trust Christ and his word, the way that 64 00:04:14.323 --> 00:04:19.723 we should. That's why we pastors despise the word of God and don't 65 00:04:19.723 --> 00:04:21.023 give our Bible studies 66 00:04:21.023 --> 00:04:24.423 and sermons the preparation time that we should. 67 00:04:25.723 --> 00:04:29.723 And that's why we bully and manipulate people when appealing to the 68 00:04:29.723 --> 00:04:34.023 word of God doesn't seem to produce the results that we desire. 69 00:04:35.223 --> 00:04:39.123 We don't trust that Christ will do what he said he's going to do and 70 00:04:39.123 --> 00:04:43.423 pierce through the stony unbelieving hearts of this world and make the 71 00:04:43.423 --> 00:04:44.323 lost his own. 72 00:04:44.323 --> 00:04:49.023 That's why we pastors give up calling on people who strayed from the 73 00:04:49.023 --> 00:04:52.623 heard and why would rather complain about those who have left the 74 00:04:52.623 --> 00:04:54.023 church then pray for them. 75 00:04:55.223 --> 00:04:59.023 The pastor's don't trust that Jesus will preserve his flock. 76 00:04:59.023 --> 00:05:01.323 That's why we don't ask him too. 77 00:05:01.323 --> 00:05:03.023 That's why we don't pray 78 00:05:03.023 --> 00:05:04.323 like we should. 79 00:05:05.123 --> 00:05:09.223 That is why though through our doubts we give up seeking the lost 80 00:05:09.223 --> 00:05:09.423 sheep. 81 00:05:09.423 --> 00:05:13.723 Figuring that is simply not worth the effort and the limited time that 82 00:05:13.723 --> 00:05:17.723 we have a missed the six thousand other problems that we have to deal 83 00:05:17.723 --> 00:05:18.023 with. 84 00:05:19.123 --> 00:05:22.123 The pastor's don't love the sheep as Christ has called us to. 85 00:05:22.123 --> 00:05:27.623 This is why people fall through the cracks is why we forget about 86 00:05:27.623 --> 00:05:29.923 those who need us. It's 87 00:05:29.923 --> 00:05:34.423 why pastor's fail to adequately feed, those who are hungering and 88 00:05:34.423 --> 00:05:38.823 thirsting for righteousness. Why we don't care for the sick and 89 00:05:38.823 --> 00:05:42.823 homebound, like we should. Why we don't visit those who need to be 90 00:05:42.823 --> 00:05:46.823 gathered back in to receive the sacraments and why we don't bring it 91 00:05:46.823 --> 00:05:51.423 to them as often as we should when they can't gather to receive it 92 00:05:51.423 --> 00:05:51.823 with us. 93 00:05:53.223 --> 00:05:57.123 That is why pastors don't care to preach repentance to those who are 94 00:05:57.123 --> 00:06:02.023 caught in sin and unbelief because we don't love those lost sheep more 95 00:06:02.023 --> 00:06:04.323 than we love our own comfort. 96 00:06:05.523 --> 00:06:09.623 That is why we don't preach forgiveness to those who've been broken by 97 00:06:09.623 --> 00:06:13.823 their sins and who are crushed with the weight of a guilty conscience. 98 00:06:16.223 --> 00:06:20.923 But despite the failings of under Shepherds, the Good Shepherd has 99 00:06:20.923 --> 00:06:22.023 compassion on us. 100 00:06:23.323 --> 00:06:27.823 And like the disciples before still invites us to feed his sheep. 101 00:06:27.823 --> 00:06:33.723 Even those of us who may well be unbelievers ourselves. 102 00:06:34.823 --> 00:06:36.423 Through his word of forgiveness 103 00:06:36.423 --> 00:06:42.023 Jesus cleanses the mouths that speak simple words of doubt or fail to 104 00:06:42.023 --> 00:06:42.823 speak at all 105 00:06:42.823 --> 00:06:47.423 like, we should. He blesses our mouths to preach his word of 106 00:06:47.423 --> 00:06:51.823 Salvation and gives us the blessing to administer the bread of life 107 00:06:52.923 --> 00:06:54.623 for all the world to feast upon. 108 00:06:56.323 --> 00:07:00.823 But then, there is also the crowd that followed Jesus out to the Sea 109 00:07:00.823 --> 00:07:05.523 of Tiberias that we see in John, chapter 6, because as John says, they 110 00:07:05.523 --> 00:07:09.523 went out there because they saw the signs that he was doing on the 111 00:07:09.523 --> 00:07:09.923 sick. 112 00:07:09.923 --> 00:07:13.523 In other words, when they see Jesus bringing miraculous healing to 113 00:07:13.523 --> 00:07:18.723 people, they see that Jesus has the power of God and that is what they 114 00:07:18.723 --> 00:07:19.023 wanted. 115 00:07:19.023 --> 00:07:24.623 They wanted Jesus to heal their diseases, to cast out demons to fix 116 00:07:24.623 --> 00:07:30.023 their problems. After he feeds them with the bread, they keep flocking 117 00:07:30.023 --> 00:07:34.023 to him because they want the power to not to have the labor for that 118 00:07:34.023 --> 00:07:34.723 food anymore. 119 00:07:36.023 --> 00:07:39.523 But despite the fact that Jesus is showing the power of God, they're 120 00:07:39.523 --> 00:07:43.923 not terribly interested in what is behind that power, they don't care 121 00:07:43.923 --> 00:07:45.023 some not at all, 122 00:07:45.023 --> 00:07:47.723 some not as much as they should. 123 00:07:47.723 --> 00:07:52.023 The ultimate power God gave Christ was the power to forgive their sins. 124 00:07:53.323 --> 00:07:57.423 To have mercy on them and to make them righteous in his eyes. 125 00:07:58.823 --> 00:08:03.823 This is why our text says that many who had followed Christ depart 126 00:08:03.823 --> 00:08:09.623 from him when he tells them that he is the bread of life that he has 127 00:08:09.623 --> 00:08:14.123 come to feed them with his flesh and blood, that will give them 128 00:08:14.123 --> 00:08:14.623 salvation. 129 00:08:16.123 --> 00:08:19.823 So they depart not wanting this not wanting the forgiveness that 130 00:08:19.823 --> 00:08:20.923 is behind the power. 131 00:08:22.223 --> 00:08:25.823 So, here you have a group of people who don't deserve the mercy of 132 00:08:25.823 --> 00:08:26.123 Jesus. 133 00:08:26.123 --> 00:08:29.923 Hear you have a group of people who don't repent the way that they 134 00:08:29.923 --> 00:08:34.123 should, who don't perfectly believe, who don't fully, let go of their 135 00:08:34.123 --> 00:08:36.523 selfishness and self-righteousness 136 00:08:36.523 --> 00:08:39.523 and yet, Jesus feeds them anyway, 137 00:08:40.523 --> 00:08:45.123 He tells the crowd to be seated, he lets them know that they are, in 138 00:08:45.123 --> 00:08:49.923 fact, his guests of honour and that he is going to serve them. And then 139 00:08:49.923 --> 00:08:54.123 he does exactly that he takes the loafs and the fish, he gives thanks, 140 00:08:54.123 --> 00:08:58.823 he distributes them and through the power of God, Jesus miraculously 141 00:08:58.823 --> 00:09:01.023 provide enough food for everyone. 142 00:09:01.823 --> 00:09:03.923 With an abundance leftover. 143 00:09:05.523 --> 00:09:10.123 Once again, so it was by the Sea of Tiberias and so it is in 144 00:09:10.123 --> 00:09:11.323 Christ church today. 145 00:09:12.723 --> 00:09:17.223 So, the crowds gather on Sunday morning, but the church doesn't always 146 00:09:17.223 --> 00:09:22.323 gather together for the right reasons. Some not purely for the right 147 00:09:22.323 --> 00:09:22.823 reasons 148 00:09:22.823 --> 00:09:25.723 and some perhaps not for the right reasons at all. 149 00:09:27.023 --> 00:09:31.123 Some gather, because they grew up in a world where decent honorable 150 00:09:31.123 --> 00:09:34.823 people went to church on Sunday morning and they fancy themselves 151 00:09:34.823 --> 00:09:40.123 decent honorable people, so they want Jesus to give them all the 152 00:09:40.123 --> 00:09:44.323 earthly acclaim that they think they earned. Or they are gathered 153 00:09:44.323 --> 00:09:47.523 because they want Jesus us to fix their problems because they want 154 00:09:47.523 --> 00:09:52.023 him to make them healthier, wealthier, happier, more comfortable, or 155 00:09:52.023 --> 00:09:53.023 more successful. 156 00:09:53.923 --> 00:09:58.123 They see that Jesus has power but they don't necessarily care the way 157 00:09:58.123 --> 00:10:03.123 that he should about, what why he has that power for about the 158 00:10:03.123 --> 00:10:03.623 forgiveness 159 00:10:03.623 --> 00:10:04.823 that is the real power. 160 00:10:06.323 --> 00:10:10.923 This is why over the last year, people in our congregations, have 161 00:10:10.923 --> 00:10:14.923 not stopped going to the grocery stores or going to doctors 162 00:10:14.923 --> 00:10:16.423 appointments when they need. 163 00:10:16.423 --> 00:10:19.423 But some are still at this time 164 00:10:19.423 --> 00:10:21.423 staying away from the sacrament 165 00:10:22.223 --> 00:10:26.723 cuz that is just too risky with a virus going around. 166 00:10:28.423 --> 00:10:32.823 But it is also why for a long time before that about 80% of the people 167 00:10:32.823 --> 00:10:37.223 whose names are on our church rosters, want to still be considered 168 00:10:37.223 --> 00:10:42.023 members, but they never come to hear Christ word or to receive the 169 00:10:42.023 --> 00:10:44.423 blessed Sacrament and increasingly 170 00:10:44.423 --> 00:10:46.923 so not even at Christmas and Easter. 171 00:10:49.223 --> 00:10:54.023 It is why there are people on this Seminary campus this morning, doing 172 00:10:54.023 --> 00:10:59.023 other things than being here for the Divine service. 173 00:11:00.323 --> 00:11:04.623 And it is why most people in our congregations even those who do come 174 00:11:04.623 --> 00:11:09.423 regularly on Sundays, don't stop consuming their daily bread but they 175 00:11:09.423 --> 00:11:14.123 rarely pray except when they want something of course, and they almost 176 00:11:14.123 --> 00:11:17.223 never read and study God's word and their homes. 177 00:11:18.323 --> 00:11:22.323 And it is why so many in our congregations like the people at the Sea 178 00:11:22.323 --> 00:11:24.923 of Tiberias grumble and complain. 179 00:11:26.923 --> 00:11:31.123 You see on some level they acknowledge that Jesus has the power of God 180 00:11:31.123 --> 00:11:33.623 and yet their simple nature, doesn't care 181 00:11:33.623 --> 00:11:38.223 that Christ has come to give us something greater the bread of life, 182 00:11:38.223 --> 00:11:41.123 the words of eternal life. 183 00:11:42.523 --> 00:11:44.923 And yet despite our sin. 184 00:11:45.823 --> 00:11:50.323 Despite our failings despite our weakness and our unbelief and our 185 00:11:50.323 --> 00:11:55.223 doubt, Sunday after Sunday, even when the world and sadly, some 186 00:11:55.223 --> 00:11:59.023 congregations and pastors consider the church non-essential. 187 00:11:59.023 --> 00:12:02.423 Yet, Jesus still feeds 188 00:12:02.423 --> 00:12:05.423 his church with a bread of life today. 189 00:12:06.823 --> 00:12:11.223 This is what Jesus even when surrounded by unbelief in John, chapter 190 00:12:11.223 --> 00:12:13.823 6 does for his church. 191 00:12:13.823 --> 00:12:17.623 He feeds us with a bread of life and gives us 192 00:12:18.523 --> 00:12:21.423 His words of eternal life, he gives us himself. 193 00:12:23.823 --> 00:12:28.923 So, dear pastors future under Shepherds of Christ. 194 00:12:28.923 --> 00:12:36.523 When acadia spiritual indifference laziness messed up priorities. 195 00:12:38.123 --> 00:12:44.923 Your own sin and times of unbelief set in on you now or in your 196 00:12:44.923 --> 00:12:48.023 Ministries someday because it will happen. 197 00:12:49.223 --> 00:12:53.423 And yet, when you faithfully proclaim Christ word and by Christ Mercy 198 00:12:53.423 --> 00:12:58.123 administer, his sacraments and yet the crowd walks away from the 199 00:12:58.123 --> 00:13:00.323 church and grumbles at you, 200 00:13:01.423 --> 00:13:02.623 because that will happen too. 201 00:13:04.223 --> 00:13:06.523 As it was by the Sea of Tiberias 202 00:13:06.523 --> 00:13:08.723 so it is today. 203 00:13:10.223 --> 00:13:12.623 Jesus himself is life, 204 00:13:13.723 --> 00:13:21.023 your life, and his mission is to impart that life for the sake of the 205 00:13:21.023 --> 00:13:21.523 church. 206 00:13:22.923 --> 00:13:25.123 And he bids us to go to him. 207 00:13:26.523 --> 00:13:31.223 So when surrounded by unbelief, Jesus poses the question to the 208 00:13:31.223 --> 00:13:33.723 disciples and to us too. 209 00:13:35.223 --> 00:13:36.023 Where will you go? 210 00:13:37.223 --> 00:13:40.523 Peter rightly answers is he nails it on the head. 211 00:13:40.523 --> 00:13:42.623 Lord to whom, shall we go? 212 00:13:43.523 --> 00:13:46.123 You have the words of eternal life. 213 00:13:47.923 --> 00:13:50.623 So when surrounded by unbelief, where shall we go? 214 00:13:52.223 --> 00:13:58.123 I suggest that we first to get here and to our congregations and to our 215 00:13:58.123 --> 00:13:58.923 pastors, 216 00:13:59.923 --> 00:14:05.023 to hear Christ's word, which gives eternal life and theforgiveness of 217 00:14:05.023 --> 00:14:05.123 sins. 218 00:14:06.923 --> 00:14:12.723 And then answer his question with our feet by making our way to this 219 00:14:12.723 --> 00:14:16.923 altar so that we can receive the bread of life. 220 00:14:18.323 --> 00:14:22.823 And then we go forth and by the power of God's forgiveness in Christ 221 00:14:22.823 --> 00:14:24.923 we feed his church. 222 00:14:25.923 --> 00:14:31.923 To strengthen them in the one true faith and to life, everlasting. Amen. 223 00:14:33.223 --> 00:14:37.123 Now may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard, your 224 00:14:37.123 --> 00:14:42.223 hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus here in time and unto life 225 00:14:42.223 --> 00:14:42.823 Everlasting. Amen.