Twelfth Greek New Testament Lesson - Last Part of John 3

John 3

19 αυτη δε εστιν η κρισις οτι το φως εληλυθεν εις τον κοσμον, και ηγαπησαν οι ανθρωποι μαλλον το σκοτος η το φως - ην γαρ πονηρα αυτων τα εργα

GJ - Get used to checking out Thayer-Strong's. Copy and paste the Greek word into Google.

20 πας γαρ ο φαυλα πρασσων μισει το φως και ουκ ερχεται προς το φως - ινα μη ελεγχθη τα εργα αυτου

21 ο δε ποιων την αληθειαν ερχεται προς το φως, ινα φανερωθη αυτου τα εργα, οτι εν θεω εστιν ειργασμενα

22 μετα ταυτα ηλθεν ο ιησους και οι μαθηται αυτου εις την ιουδαιαν γην - και εκει διετριβεν μετ αυτων και εβαπτιζεν

GJ - rub away becomes spend time

23 ην δε και ιωαννης βαπτιζων εν αινων εγγυς του σαλειμ - οτι υδατα πολλα ην εκει και παρεγινοντο και εβαπτιζοντο

24 ουπω γαρ ην βεβλημενος εις την φυλακην ο ιωαννης.

prophylactic  treatment

25 εγενετο ουν ζητησις εκ των μαθητων ιωαννου μετα ιουδαιων περι καθαρισμου

GJ - Katherine, Catherine

26 και ηλθον προς τον ιωαννην και ειπον αυτω - "ραββι ος ην μετα σου περαν του ιορδανου ω συ μεμαρτυρηκας - ιδε ουτος βαπτιζει και παντες ερχονται προς αυτον"

27 απεκριθη ιωαννης και ειπεν ου δυναται ανθρωπος λαμβανειν ουδεν εαν μη η δεδομενον αυτω εκ του ουρανου

28 αυτοι υμεις μοι μαρτυρειτε οτι ειπον |"ουκ ειμι εγω ο χριστος αλλ οτι απεσταλμενος ειμι εμπροσθεν εκεινου"

GJ - Note the importance of Jesus sent from the Father, John sent before Him, the apostles being sent. False teachers send themselves.

29 ο εχων την νυμφην νυμφιος εστιν ο δε φιλος του νυμφιου ο εστηκως και ακουων αυτου χαρα χαιρει δια την φωνην του νυμφιου - αυτη ουν η χαρα η εμη πεπληρωται

30 εκεινον δει αυξανειν εμε δε ελαττουσθαι

31 ο ανωθεν ερχομενος επανω παντων εστιν - ο ων εκ της γης εκ της γης εστιν και εκ της γης λαλει; ο εκ του ουρανου ερχομενος επανω παντων εστιν

32 και ο εωρακεν και ηκουσεν τουτο μαρτυρει  - και την μαρτυριαν αυτου ουδεις λαμβανει

33 ο λαβων αυτου την μαρτυριαν εσφραγισεν οτι ο θεος αληθης εστιν

34 [ον γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος] τα ρηματα του θεου λαλει - ου γαρ εκ μετρου διδωσιν ο θεος το πνευμα

35 ο πατηρ αγαπα τον υιον και παντα δεδωκεν εν τη χειρι αυτου

36 ο πιστευων εις τον υιον εχει ζωην αιωνιον - ο δε απειθων τω υιω ουκ οψεται ζωην αλλ η οργη του θεου μενει επ αυτον

Mid-Week Lenten Service, 7 PM, Wednesday, Central Daylight Savings Time

Mid-Week Lenten Vespers, 2017

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM Central Daylight Savings Time

The Hymn #523    Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me         
The Order of Vespers                                                p. 41

The Psalmody                          Psalm 24                  p. 128
The Lections                            The Passion History

                                                  
The Sermon Hymn #657        Beautiful Savior               

The Sermon –      Jesus Preaches on Faith

 
The Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer

The Collect for Grace                                            p. 45

The Hymn #552              Abide with Me

John 7

37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?

Jesus Preaches on Faith

John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

The Fourth Gospel is full of images and symbolism. For that reason, Luther said it is a great book for heretics. They take plain language and weave a new religion from it.

We know from many passages that references to the Spirit also apply to the Word, because the two are never separated. The living water is the Gospel and fruit of the Gospel. One could say from John 1 that two things are constantly emphasized in John - believing and confessing that individual faith. Homiletics (preaching) comes from that word for confessing one's faith.

Thirst refers to thirsting for forgiveness of sin, thirsting for salvation. One includes the other. No one thirsts for forgiveness unless he is aware of his sin. That is why the great, wise, and powerful seldom feel that thirst. They are quite satisfied with themselves and see no reason to admit to their sinful nature.

So this passage is teaching quite clearly that Jesus is the righteousness that people receive through faith. Believing is forgiveness, to put it simply. That is why Jesus said this about the Books of Moses and the Gospel of John.

11. Therefore we have here in the Books of Moses the real goldmine, from which everything that is written in the New Testament concerning the divinity of Christ has been taken. Here you may see from what source the gospel of St. John is taken, and upon what it is founded; and therefore it is easy to understand.

To look at the first three Gospels without the Fourth is a big mistake, and to read the Gospel of John without the Old Testament is an equally bad mistake.

39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Believers would soon enjoy the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which helped them believe in the Gospel at the start and continues to draw them to the Gospel afterwards.

That is why believers are drawn to the refreshment of the Gospel, which is living water, for which they thirst, and that is why this same Gospel flows from them. We have words - justification for forgiveness and sanctification for the Christian life - but the Christian life naturally flows from the heart of the believer.

As anyone can see, this is a sermon from Jesus about faith in Him and how important it is. 

40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. 41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?

People were beginning to confess their faith in Jesus. But others doubted, as will always happen. When a pastor confesses his faith in Jesus, in sincerity and truth, that fosters faith in the congregation. Those ministers who are trained in rationalism and various forms of denominational loyalty - they are the ones who slowly slip away into indifference and finally into no faith at all. 

Some will say - and spend a lot of time on this - that the most important thing in the world is a non-faith matter. But the Chief Article for Jesus should be ours as well - faith in Him, forgiveness of sin through faith in Him.

42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? 43 So there was a division among the people because of him.

Nothing is feared more than division in a church body, and yet Paul said "there must be divisions." Jesus must have been a bad pastor or rabbi, because there was a division among the people because of Him.

The Scriptures consistently teach the division - faith or unbelief. From faith in Jesus comes all good things that matter the most, forgiveness and salvation and the fruits of the Spirit.

It is natural for the believer to confess his individual faith. Some like to pressure people to do this, to accomplish something for the church or for others. But is the natural fruit of the faith, not a forced sanctification project (divided into steps). 

In the hospital we had two piles of books, Angel Joy and Creation Gardening. Those who wanted a book or two took them as needed. My wife's main nurse said, "I grew up taking care of flowers, at my parent's nursery. I really want that book." Later a nurse said, "Why does she get all the books." So they spread around. I wondered when Angel Joy would be finished and printed. Now the original is over 20 years old and still being read. The Jackson Diaspora has meant a spreading of books.

Jesus does not name or describe a program but the divine power of the Spirit at work in the Word. There are many ways that is expressed and God guides the result. 

Luther said it best in his pond analogy.

Conservative Students ‘Violently Threatened’ At ELCA Lutheran College

So why are Missouri, WELS, and the Little Sect on the Prairie
hotter than Georgia asphalt to work with us?

Conservative Students ‘Violently Threatened’ At Lutheran College:



"Like some liberal students who felt unsafe after the election, a St. Olaf conservative student said she “went home for awhile” because of the animus toward conservatives in her classes. She said online harassment led her to transfer to another school after the fall semester.

MORE: ‘I lift, bro’ professor allegedly threatens conservative students for flyers

And there’s this:

On Feb. 18, a student posted an unsolicited photo of a group of students that supposedly included Trump supporters and encouraged fellow students to “remember their faces.”

It’s lonely being conservative at St. Olaf, even though its College Republicans chapter didn’t endorse Donald Trump and refused to phone bank for him in the general election:

In response to St. Olaf’s predominantly liberal campus, many conservative students choose to stay under the radar for fear of being cast out and misunderstood by their peers."



'via Blog this'

Martin Luther College - Children's Theater - No Caption Needed

 

Mystery Solved - How ELDONA Magically Moved from Universal Objective Justification to Justification by Faith

ELDONA will change doctrine for the right price,
and they reject the satis est while claiming to be
Book of Concord certified.
Heiser enforces his own weird ideas and legalistic decrees,
and the supine priests go along with it.
Wives work for their husbands but cannot attend the clergy party,
not even the wife of the husband honored.

Some have wondered how ELDONA changed from treating the Universal Objective Justification of Halle, ELCA, and the Unitarians as an adiaphoron, a matter of indifference.

I was a witness to the events, one way or another, and the answer occurred to me late one night. I became independent with Bethany Lutheran Church in 1997.

Rydecki (above) and Spencer (below)
hosted the first and last Intrepid Lutherans conference.
Spencer bailed out and apologized several times
for hurting others in WELS!

I had some contact with Jim Heiser when he was running Repristination Press under the banner of the Lutheran Confessional Synod (1994), endorsed by Jay Webber and Kincaid Smith. And no one had more to confess than Randy DeJaynes, the bishop-for-life who was later imprisoned.

Later, Heiser emerged again as the pastor of Salem in Malone, Texas, and still running Repristination Press. He began using the Yankee Stadium pan-religious worship service (9-11 memorial) as a reason to leave the LCMS. Benke was suspended in 2002.

However, Heiser was all hat and no cattle when it came to leaving the LCMS. He had every reason in the world to delay - and also wanted to the LCMS pension plan vested. Missouri was not so bad that he wanted to be without the benefits.

Heiser had his name picked out and a website domain (eldona.org) when I asked him if anything was going on. He said, "No." I almost believed him. Funny how telling a websearch can be. "Heiser Lutheran" brought up the website and a new name - but nothing was going on. Here is a convenient summary of various groups.

ELDONA discloses less than the NSA about its operations, but it finally started in 2006. I met some of them because I was invited to speak in Malone, and Heiser was selling Thy Strong Word - and promoting it.

Heiser clearly found the real meaning of Objective Justification to be disgusting, after reading Thy Strong Word. Imagine my shock when he gloated about partnering with the Rolf Preus Synod, admitting that Rolf was a UOJ fanatic. Rolf came up often, such as when Heiser and others were going to pounce on him about UOJ at a conference. Rolf found out and gave a supposed Justification by Faith paper, but brother Dan gushed UOJ in his paper. I asked why no one said anything to Dan on the same topic. Heiser's excuse was - "Dan is going to be a leader" or some such nonsense. Yes, Dan is Fifth Vice President of Missouri, quite an honor for a false teacher.

As Luther says, one does not stay in the same stall
with false teachers. Heiser and the Rolf Preus Synod are
proud of their opportunism and indifference.

Note the Ft. Wayne connections - Bob Preus, Rolf Preus (his son), Jim Heiser, Jay Webber, Kincaid Smith, Paul McCain, and even I - who took summer classes there. Most of ELDONA is Ft. Wayne, which is designed for men with weak Biblical language skills (like Walther). Repristination Press was a good title for these UOJists.

Intrepid Lutherans
I suggested the now-comatose group blog idea to WELS Pastor Steve Spencer. He resisted but agreed it was good to air issues in WELS - haha - a previous blog killed off by WELS. But Spencer was a friend and classmate (Mordor) of SP Mark Schroeder.  Nothing could possibly go wrong. They started in 2010 and stopped by 2014.

The links are a symphony of hypocrisy. They did not like WELS, but promote Northwestern Publish House, home of a hive of NIV promotions, Church Growth fanaticism, and a horrid hymnal - CW.

The Time Out link will take the reader to an Asian erotic site.

They link bad synodical publishers but not Martin Chemnitz Press. Although I had some contact with them, they suffered badly from Icha-phobia, an intense and fatal fear of being accused of knowing me. So they wanted to know how to track down what was going on in WELS, but did not want that to come from the blog. I gave them some hints and excused myself from any planning or organization.

Some early participants were Pastor Paul Rydecki, laymen Doug Lindee and Vernon Knepprath. Rydecki supported Objective Justification at first, and Spencer used that to prove OJ had to be grrrrrreat.

Lindee finally admitted that I was correct about the Halle origins of Objective Justification.

Rydecki came around at some point. Both Rydecki and Knepprath were at the Emmaus Conference attended by our member Brett Meyer and UOJ Stormtrooper/LCS sponsor Jay Webber. We were giving away Justification by Faith books and materials at this "free"conference, really a pre-merger conference. Bret Meyer laughed at Jay Webber hiding behind a pillar and motioning Rydecki to come to lunch with him.

I was often in contact with Rydecki, who eventually had a book to publish. That was another interesting connection. Someone found these Latin sources, Hunnius, dealing with justification. I passed them onto Rydecki, and another friend donated money for him to buy a new version of MS Office.

When Rydecki wanted to publish, we talked over how to get that done. I said I could help but he would be shunned if it was a Martin Chemnitz Press book. Completely alone - that is also a problem. He brought up the fact that he had been orbiting ELDONA for some time.

I ignored ELDONA after Heiser's pursuit of the Rolf Preus Synod and Jim's indifference about UOJ, so I pointed out those problems, plus Heiser's devious ways. Rydecki's mind was made up. Unlike Ft. Wayne graduates, I do not try to order people around.

I did what I could to promote their sudden devotion to Justification by Faith and their rejection of UOJ. The remnants of the Rolf Synod (minus Rolf) rejected them, coached by...Jay Webber.

Did Knepprath's foundation change Heiser's public position?
Does Heiser have any convictions at all?

The crucial factor was Knepprath's foundation. He had a core of WELS members leaving their congregation (NIV and UOJ) but without the pastor going along.

Heiser perhaps saw a BOGO offer too tempting to resist. He could have a large property, pastor, and congregation in New Mexico, plus another group of laity on the Left Coast - and a foundation to support them.

All of ELDONA's property has been taken from other synods. No one has built a church building from scratch. Bethany did but that is the hard way. Heiser likes the easy way.

ELDONA also believes in wives supporting their husbands by working. ELDONA does not like the NIV, but uses the Babtist New KJV and the Calvinist ESV.

The last ELDONA conference had the gang complaining about me all the time, sounding like pre-schoolers who needed a nap, a snack, or both. One interesting whine was this, "Rydecki works with people. Jackson does not." That is pretty hilarious, given the help and support our congregation gave Rydecki when Jon-Boy Buchholz was excommunicating him and foreclosing the congregation's mortgage. I wonder, "Did Rydecki tell the brethren about

1. The free books I sent him?
2. The original link to Hunnius?
3. The gift of MS Office?
4. The promotion of translations and the ELDONA theses?"

Our congregation does not try to snag or keep people. We encourage others to speak out for sound doctrine.

Mrs. Ichabod Is Home from the Hospital

Ohio State will do this for you,
if you endow a chair for them.

My wife Chris is home from the hospital. The surgery went well and all signs are good. One test has not been reported yet.

She is in great spirits and resting well. Thank you for your prayers.

Our grandson Alex posed in the leaves he was raking,
years ago.

Review: Justification Reconsidered | Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary

 WELS review - straight out of Sioux Falls Babtist Seminary.
Funny how Tomzak omitted that crucial word
Babtist on his resume.

Review: Justification Reconsidered | Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary:

"More, we always stand in danger of losing Paul’s “more radical perception of human sinfulness” (97-98) which required a Christ who comes down into our flesh, who saves us, who forgives us, who justifies us, by God’s grace alone through faith alone. That Christ gets us in and keeps us in."



'via Blog this'

GJ - The WELS reviewer also attended the Babtist seminary in Sioux Falls.

https://sfseminary.edu/about-the-seminary/our-history/

Note the typical UOJ weasel words, which mean that God forgives and saves us - universally without faith - but this becomes true when we make a decision to say it is true (following Walther's Halle Pietism).

who saves us, who forgives us, who justifies us, by God’s grace alone

UOJ Stormtroopers will correct anyone who says |Justification by Faith". They will say "Justified BY GRACE through faith", to signal their use of Walther's dogma, the WELS-ELS-ELCA-LCMS stink they market as perfume.

Although Tomzak pretends to be discussing Justification by Faith - and even uses that term - he is really talking about the dogma of the apostate denominations - UOJ. Therefore, his review is ambiguous, conflicting, and disingenuous.

 WELS hates the Book of Concord and disregards Luther,
so they drying faster than Hillary's 2016 campaign.
Oh, that is dead already? So is WELS.

Great Surgical Outcome

Chris came through the surgery just fine. There was no detectable spread so far. A microscopic test remains to be reported. The surgeon was pleased.

LI was there to meet with the surgeon and spend a long time with his mother.

The details are above my pay grade. Her main nurse was very glad to receive a copy of Creation Gardening.

Mrs. Ichabod - Operation Today

This morning my wife Christina will go to Mercy Hospital for a mastectomy. All the indications are good at this point, because testing has been improved so much lately.

Your prayers are welcome.

A WELS MDiv Thesis So Excellent That It Shares Space with Jay Webber's Equally Verbose Nonsense in the WELS Essay Files

How bad was the first draft?
Or is this it?

PROF. JAMES P. TIEFEL, ADVISOR
WISCONSIN LUTHERAN SEMINARY
MORDOR, WISCONSIN
22 FEBRUARY 2017

http://essays.wls.wels.net/bitstream/handle/123456789/4310/Rue.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

The question has been asked, “Why just focus on the youth and worship education? Why not focus on worship education to all age groups?” While that question certainly is valid, the reason that this paper specifically focuses on the youth is because the youth are at a crucial stage in life. The older they get, the more independent they become. That is something that we cannot avoid nor should we. When our young people become more independent, the more they are attacked by the outside influences of this world and they are vulnerable to follow the evil influences of this world. The only way that teenagers will be able to combat the evil of this world is by continuing to receive nourishment from the Means of Grace. Where do our people receive the Means of Grace the most? Public worship! But if they do not understand why their WELS church worships the way they do, worship most likely will not be edifying and thus they are less likely to return. That is exactly what is happening. Our teens are leaving the church.

There’s the sound of pounding feet outside our homes and churches these days – the sound of teenagers running away from the Christian beliefs that parents and the church have taught them. Some studies estimate that less than one-third of our students who are active Christians while they’re in high school will still be active when they graduate college.

 Christian churches everywhere are losing about two-thirds of their kids during and after high school. 1 Those are daunting statistics!

One There Is Who Has Been Trying to Light the Path - 

• Being Real, 
• Relational, and 
• Going Back to De-Tox

High Church and Low Comedy

Add an Alternative Ministry
and mock Christian Doctrine - good ol' Andy did it,
and it worked.

Laetare, The Fourth Sunday in Lent, 2017. John 6:1-15. The Feeding of the Five Thousand

By Norma Boeckler

Laetare Sunday, The Fourth Sunday in Lent, 2017

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time

The Hymn #9           O Day of Rest and Gladness 
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual 
The Gospel 
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #316    O Living Bread from Heaven 

Our Daily Bread

The Communion Hymn #508    Thou Whose Almighty Word
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 50             Lord Dismiss Us 

KJV Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

KJV John 6:1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. 2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. 4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. 5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. 15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

Fourth Sunday In Lent
Lord God, heavenly Father, who by Thy Son didst feed five thousand men in the desert with five loaves and two fishes: We beseech Thee to abide graciously also with us in the fullness of Thy blessing. Preserve us from avarice and the cares of this life, that we may seek first Thy kingdom and Thy righteousness, and in all things perceive Thy fatherly goodness, through Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God world without end. Amen.

By Norma Boeckler

Our Daily Bread

KJV John 6:1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. 2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

In this miracle Jesus displayed His ability to take care of a vast group of people when no help seemed near. People followed Him because of His miracles in healing those who were diseased. The Gospel of John consistently teaches that Jesus combined His teaching with His miracles to bolster their confidence in Him as the Son of God and Savior.

The people had been trained in the Scriptures for centuries and knew the Old Testament Promises. There were also current expectations, some of them false, some true. Those who looked for a material Kingdom of God expected a warrior king, little realizing how limited that was. Many warrior kings entered history and left an empire behind, but they are mostly forgotten and their empires are shrunken, even buried in the dust. No one would believe today that Portugal was a world empire with that most precious technology advance - maps of the ocean (perhaps from the Chinese).

Spain and Portugal battled for world dominance - now they are two of the PIGS - four countries known for debt problems (Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain). Alexander conquered the world, 300 years before Christ. As LI said, "Alexander was the last notable thing to come out of Greece."

On the other hand, Messianic expectations could be realized in some ways. One hope was abundance, especially since the history of Israel involved great suffering and want. The Messiah would bring great prosperity to people, and that has been realized in the West - even if often forgotten.

By following Jesus into an area with no food, the people showed their faith in Him. Before they could ask or figure out what to do, Jesus provided an answer.

This is where Luther's view of the Bible is especially clear. The Word can accomplish anything, from the forgiveness of sin to the feeding of a multitude. When people modify the meaning of God's Word, they emphasize what is reasonable to them. I discussed this with a Lutheran last night. Calvin placed reason above the Scriptures, which leads to such notions as people sharing their hidden food after a boy shamed them by offering his. Of course, this explanation is entirely lacking from the text, but it is reasonable for rationalistic people.

But the Creating Word can change His own laws of Creation, since those laws are part of the ongoing management system engineered into every item of this universe, from the behavior of electrons to the mothering instinct of animals. This is the very definition of a miracle - going against the natural laws.

Yesterday, in the rain, I scattered borage seed in various areas of the garden, especially among the roses. This herb, nicknamed Bee Bread, has a special quality (besides feeding bees). When borage flowers, the population of beneficial insects increases. I count on good insects to protect the roses from aphids and other destructive creatures. I did not create, engineer, or set up the management of borage, bees, and beneficials. The coordination is miraculous for those who consider how difficult management can be. But this miracle goes far beyond what God shows us in life around us.

The response of the people is easy enough to understand. "If Jesus can heal diseases, then we can trust Him in the desert." The same thinking should motivate us. "If Jesus can feed the multitude in the wilderness, then we can trust Him to provide for us as well."

Luther:
1. In today’s Gospel Christ gives us another lesson in faith, that we should not be over-anxious about our daily bread and our temporal existence, and stirs us up by means of a miracle; as though to say by his act what he says by his words in Matthew 6:33: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” For here we see, since the people followed Christ for the sake of God’s Word and the signs, and thus sought the Kingdom of God, he did not forsake them but richly fed them. He hereby also shows that, rather than those who seek the Kingdom of God should suffer need, the grass in the desert would become wheat, or a crumb of bread would be turned into a thousand loaves; or a morsel of bread would feed as many people and just as satisfactorily as a thousand loaves; in order that the words in Matthew 4:4 might stand firm, that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” And to confirm these words Christ is the first to be concerned about the people, as to what they should eat, and asks Philip, before they complain or ask him; so that we may indeed let him care for us, remembering that he cares more and sooner for us than we do for ourselves.

2. Secondly, he gives an example of great love, and he does this in many ways. First, in that he lets not only the pious, who followed him because of the signs and the Word, enjoy the food; but also the slaves of appetite, who only eat and drink, and seek in him temporal honor; as follows later when they disputed with him at Capernaum about the food, and he said to them in John 6:26: “Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves,” etc., also because they desired to make him king; thus here also he lets his sun shine on the evil and the good, Matthew 5:45.

3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. 4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. 

What is the significance of going up on the mountain? Jesus spent time alone with His disciples. He did not need to see the multitude coming, but the disciples had a chance to see the multitudes from above, surely a breathtaking and scary sight. Many times when we look at a challenge from such a perspective, it is overwhelming.

Many saw the bad economy coming from a distance, and it proved to be even worse than expected. Add to that the changes in technology that make former jobs old-fashioned or obsolete.

This way the disciples could contemplate their doom with human reason. That vast multitude would die in the desert and they would be blamed for drawing them there.

The response of the disciples to the crisis suggests that, with how short or rude they were to Jesus.

 5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 

Luther:
2. Secondly, he gives an example of great love, and he does this in many ways. First, in that he lets not only the pious, who followed him because of the signs and the Word, enjoy the food; but also the slaves of appetite, who only eat and drink, and seek in him temporal honor; as follows later when they disputed with him at Capernaum about the food, and he said to them in John 6:26: “Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves,” etc., also because they desired to make him king; thus here also he lets his sun shine on the evil and the good, Matthew 5:45.

Secondly, in that he bears with the rudeness and weak faith of his disciples in such a friendly manner. For that he tests Philip, who thus comes with his reason, and Andrew speaks so childishly on the subject, all is done to bring to light the imperfections of the disciples, and on the contrary to set forth his love and dealings with them in a more beautiful and loving light, to encourage us to believe in him, and to give us an example to do likewise; as the members of our body and all God’s creatures in their relation to one another teach us. For these are full of love, so that one bears with the other, helps and preserves what God has created.

I put the responses in blue because they are a bit humorous in light of what we know, and they sound like so many council meetings I have attended. "How can we build an addition for cash?" Later we started a congregation with no money, no land, no chairs, no hymnals, and no building - and God provided. 

Our response toward trusting in God is often quite grumpy, as the disciples were. They were perfectly reasonable, if one omits the power of the Word, which was not an assumption in their argumentation. Nevertheless, Jesus remains friendly and simply begins the miracle.

They were in a grassy place, which means they had plenty of water from natural sources. This was an oasis, but one without food. Nothing is crueler to the stomach than drinking water with no food. It only makes the lack of food seem worse, as we discovered in school, waiting for lunch and having nothing but water fountains to fill our stomachs.

10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

The miracle begins with the giving of thanks, which reminds us of the Lord's Supper and connects both miracles. The first is a miracle for sustaining the body. The second is a miracle for strengthening our faith and the soul. Denying one denies the other, because if we cannot grasp the Word providing the Body and Blood of Christ for millions over the centuries, then we cannot comprehend Jesus feeding the multitude in the desert.

And thus it is, that man's reason quickly reduces the revelation of the Scriptures to nothing, as many eras have proven to be true. And if they is true, then man does not benefit from God's blessings but simply gets by on his own with positive thinking, management by objectives, and ginning up his self-esteem.

The efficacy of the Word is so important that it connects everything we know about the Christian Faith and God's revelation in the Scriptures. Children know this simple truth, that God's Word can do anything. Adults lose that child-like faith and harden themselves against it.

The tradition of the readings at the Easter Vigil service remind the congregation and ministers of all that God has done through the Word. His divine Word has not lost its power.

12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 

Everyone ate as much as he wished, and they were famished. Nevertheless, they gathered far more fragments than the original amount of loaves and fish. First of all, this demonstrates the miraculous abundance God provides by His Word, as Jesus suggested would happen. This way, the disciples and the crowd experienced it.

The gathering of the fragments shows that "nothing is wasted" in God's world. I try to show people that in this area. They rake up their leaves and put them neatly into bags. I grab them and spread them over my gardens. They like their pine needles but have too many, so I take wheelbarrows of them and make a soft blanket for various areas where I don't mind a more acidic soil or the scent of pine. This blanket of organic matter shields the soil from evaporation of the rain, from wind and water erosion. Then it slowly decays into the soil to be used by fungus, bacteria, earthworms, and ultimately tree and plant roots. Nothing is wasted. 

The miracle shows that no matter how much they used up, God provided even more, even though the disciples began by doubting how they could feed the multitude, even by buying food.

14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. 15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

The ending shows - and so does the rest of the chapter - that some believed and others were offended and dropped away. Jesus perfectly fulfilled certain expectations that were about before His public ministry, so they thought - "This is our anointed King. He will restore Israel." They thought they were believers, but their understanding was darkened and they did not understand Jesus' sermon on the Bread if Life.

He was re-enacting the miracle of manna during the Exodus, as clearly as possible, but they wanted man's dreams fulfilled, not God's Word revealed. This still shows His kindliness because the food was given to all, not just to those who believed in sincerity and truth.

 By Norma Boeckler

Significance for Us Today
This miracle should support our faith in the Real Presence. Many Protestants say they believe in the feeding of the multitudes by the Word, but they have trouble with This Is My Body, which is consecration by the Word. In fact, some "conservative" Lutherans still persist in saying the elements become the Body  and Blood of Christ when received, as if the consecrating Word has no effect.

Holy Communion is a great miracle, a sacrament to be valued and honored by all believers. 

Secondly, this miracle reminds us of how God provides even when nothing seems possible. For one thing, those who trust in Him and pray  for solutions to difficult problems will be guided by His Spirit in the Word to solve those difficulties or at least to take those difficulties from their hearts.

God sometimes answers in ways contrary to our wishes, but His gracious will is revealed in how He works in the end rather than at the moment. Paul Gerhardt's most difficult years were his last years, which no one would wish upon a great, sincere Christian leader and writer. But when people mention comforting hymns, his hymns come up first, and he wrote the best ones in his last years. Moreover, he is so known as Germany's poet that he continues to teach the Gospel to people even from their national or ethnic interest.

Christians do well because they do not have to have everything, that is, eat the entire feast for the 5,000 by themselves, as some would like to do. Nothing shows lack of faith more than wanting to pile up more and rob more people of the spoils to make a life seem worthwhile. 

That thankfulness and inherent frugality makes all the difference in what can be enjoyed. It increases the value of everything and makes those material things last longer and better. I told one man, who is addicted, "You must have a lot of money." He said, "No I don't." I said, "I can't afford to drink and smoke all the time. You have money for both but say you want to feed your children." Those addictions have eaten up thousands of dollars due to lost wages, fines, accidents, and injuries. It is not wonder the great and wise value addictions because they take everything from them and then give back 2% as charitable giving.