INTRODUCTION
In his book, Just As I Am, Billy Graham writes of the following event.
"One summer while in New Jersey, I was having lunch at a roadside diner when I was greeted by a big, smiling man whose eyes grew large as he studied me. “Hallelujah!” he shouted, grabbing and pumping my hand. “What an answer to prayer! I was just sitting here praying that I might meet Billy Graham, and in you walk! I didn’t even know you were on the East Coast.” He introduced himself as Dr. Theodore Elsner, a preacher from Philadelphia. “I have a great burden on my heart,” he said. “It’s a message that I believe is from the Lord. Billy, you must go on national radio. You know Dr. Maier the great Lutheran theologian and radio preacher from St. Louis is dead, and you’re the man God could use to touch America through radio.” I did not know what to think. Dr. Elsner urged me to contact Fred Dienert, his son-in-law, and Walter Bennett, a Christian who was also a radio agent. Impressed though I was by this abrupt meeting, I did not look up either Mr. Dienert or Mr. Bennett; indeed, I pretty much forgot the whole idea. I was so busy that I could not imagine adding anything else to my plate. A few weeks later I was speaking at a conference in Michigan. Two well-dressed strangers approached me and introduced themselves as Fred Dienert and Water Bennett. I did not know whether Dr. Elsner had spoken with them since he had met me, but their mission was to interest me in a national radio program. I was still president of Northwestern schools, still active with Youth For
Christ, and spinning in a whirlwind of national interest in our evangelistic Crusades. I told Fred and Walter that I appreciated their interest but simply could not do a radio program at the time. My closet advisers - Cliff, Bev, and Grady- concurred; it was out of the question. Later, in Portland, these two extremely persistent men repeatedly lay in ambush to catch me. All they wanted, they claimed, was five minutes of my time. I got so irritated with their pestering that sometimes I took a back elevator to avoid them. I finally told Grady to let them know I was not interested in their scheme to get me into broadcasting. Leave me alone was my message.
NEEDS
have you ever felt like Billy Graham? Do you know what it is like to be overwhelmed with demands? Your job, surprisingly, is not 40 hours a week, it’s more like 64. And your kids want you to be there for them - to watch their games, to drive them to their activities, and to their friends, and to the mall. And your spouse is wondering if you’ll ever get around to fixing that dripping faucet, mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, cleaning the house... not to mention personal time. And then the weekend comes {Sigh} and especially Sunday morning (smile) and you think, “you know, I’m going to church - I need the break, I need the encouragement, I need the support. And the first thing you hear from the front is “we need volunteers... could you give us.. we need extra...fill in the blank! And as you stop to see some one you say “How are you?” And of all things they tell you?! They unload on you what a terrible week they’ve had, and how much they need this church service. And all you want to say is “GO AWAY!” Church draws us that way doesn’t it? Church draws people, all types of people and they bring along with them all of their needs. Financial needs, and emotional needs, marital problems and parenting concerns..., medical needs, and drug problems, and abuse. Where do you turn with your problems, where do you go?! Jesus has the annoying habit of saying “Come to me...” and they do! Right plop in front of your face!
THE DISCIPLES
That is what the disciples were experiencing in our passage this morning. According to Mark and Luke’s account Jesus and the disciples had crossed the lake to get away for a bit, to “Come away and rest.” And yet by the time they arrived there was a welcoming committee of needy people waiting on the shores. What did Jesus do? He stepped out and continued to minister continued to work and preach and heal. He continued to serve them. And his disciples kept pace with him all day, right past supper time. The disciples had been confronted by needs all day, but now they realized there were faced with a real, genuine, larger than life need. Well, not a need really, a problem A BIG PROBLEM. They were having a national convention and there was no convention center, no Perkins, no McDonalds, no Burger Messiah’s and no Pita Huts. People were hungry. 5000 men, plus their wives and children were at an outdoor evangelistic revival from dawn till dusk. And they were hungry. Something had to be done. And the disciples knew what it was. Send them away. They went up to Jesus and said: "Lord, it is late; send the crowds away to get some supper." Lord, seven hours is enough for any sermon. It’s time to call it quits. Tell the people goodnight and goodbye. Let them go away.
The disciples were not being cruel here. In fact, they were the ones who saw the problem. They saw the problem and they did their best to solve it. They put their heads together and thought it through. First, they measured the problem. There were ten thousand or more people there, they took that fact into their accounting. Next, they recognized it was a desolate, solitary place and there were no shops. Third, they looked at their purse and there was no money. Then, they looked at the time -- it was gone. So they drew the only reasonable conclusion they could. Their solution was that they couldn’t feed them. They would have to say, "Jesus, you need to send these people away. Send them away Hungry. Let them go while there is still some daylight left. This is problem to big solve, we looked at everything, and this is our conclusion: we cannot deal this problem.
The disciples were practical people. they were fishermen and farmers. They lived with the daily demands of life. They knew what was manageable and what was beyond them. They were being realistic. They were a lot like us. There are needs all around us. Real needs, Big needs, and big problems that are beyond what we know we can handle. And we know what must be done. We’d love to help, but it’s too much. Send them away. It’s called a referral. A mother shares with you that her child is getting involved with the wrong kind of kids, they are putting the pressure on, and there are so many temptations to face. It’s more than a parent can handle.. These parents are hungry for answers. They ask you "What are we to do?" It’s a problem, a big problem. Call big brothers/big sisters. Call Head Start. Send them to children and youth. Lord send then away. Or a couple shares with you that their marriage is in so much turmoil that days go by when they don’t speak, or one of them doesn’t bother coming home. And it’s better that way - at least it’s quite. It’s more than they can handle. They ask you “ What are we to do? It’s a problem, a big problem. Refer them to a marriage counselor. Contact the woman’s center. Send them to MHMR. Lord, send them away. A homeless person calls the church. They have , no job, no place to stay, no money for food. It’s more than they can handle. They ask you “” what am I to do?” It’s a problem, a very big problem. Call human services, call the welfare office, send them to the Gatehouse. Lord, send them away.
YOU FEED THEM
But Jesus says, "No, they can stay; YOU feed them." Jesus doesn’t condemn the disciples, in fact he agrees with them, up to a point. He knows people are hungry. He too realizes the hour is late. And no, there are no Giant markets in Bethsaida. He knows the need, he just doesn’t agree with their solution. “You give them something to eat.” If there are hungry people here feed them. They had spent the day healing the sick, casting out demons, preaching good news to the forsaken, what was one more need? Why stop now? You fed them. Why stop now? Feed the hungry, heal the sick, shelter the Homeless. Hmm. Jesus always seems to be asking more of us than we can handle- as spouses and parents and students and workers and on and on. He calls us to love, even when loving is difficult; to forgive, even when we have been wronged; to serve even when the task is so great. And those things are not easy to do. After all, we are not Jesus, our powers are not unlimited, as his were.
FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH
The disciples choked. "What? Lord, we have nothing here but five loaves and two fish. Five loaves and two fish?! That’s not enough for anything!" Lord, what we have is not even enough for one, never mind 10,000. Lord what we have barely keeps our church going, we can’t do it. That is the classic response of people who feel overwhelmed by the depth of human need. And it is a human response. It’s the human response to the parent worried about her child. Lord, who am I to help them with their child, I can barely keep ahead of my own. Nothing here but five loaves and two fish."
It’s the human response to a couple in trouble. Lord, if they only knew the arguments we’ve had, it’s a miracle we’ve made it this far. Nothing here but five loaves and two fish.”
It’s the human response to issues of homelessness, and poverty, abuse and addictions. Lord, it’s a wonder I am able to hold my own. “Nothing here but five loaves and two fish.
BRING THEM TO ME
Fortunately for the Twelve, and for us, the story does not end with Jesus asking the seemingly impossible of the disciples, then wandering off into the desert leaving them stranded. "You give them something to eat," he said. And the disciples answered, "How can we? "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’ Then Jesus said softly: Bring them here to me.’ Bring them to me. Give me the lunch bag you have. Let me have them. Don’t hold back, even if it seems unrealistic. Bring them to me;. Even if it is impractical. Bring them to me, even if it is in every way impossible. Meager as those resources are, Jesus says give them into my hands.
Give me what you have, not what you don’t have. Give me the love you have for children and the wisdom you have Learned. Could that help a desperate parent with wild kids? Is it enough? No. But put it into my hands.
Give me the commitment and care that has kept your marriage going. Can that rebuild someone else’s marriage? Is it enough? No. But put it into my hands.
Give me what you have gained, what has kept your job and home and welfare. Is it enough to feed the multitude of homeless and impoverished? No. Absolutely not. But put it into my hands.
Now the disciples must have been wondering. “And just what is he going do with this? I know I would. Now that he has our lunch in his hands what is he going to do?
BLESSED AND GIVEN
and he looked up to heaven, and said a blessing! Jesus did what the head of any household does at dinner time; He said grace.
Ba-ruch attah Ah-do-nia
e-lo-ha-nu me-lech ha-olam
ha-mo-tzee le-chem min ha-aretz
Blessed are Thou or Lord our God, King of the universe,
who brings forth bread from the earth.
Blessed are you, O God, creator of all things,
you have given us bread to eat.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, you have given us five loaves and two fish. It is enough. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to give them to the crowds. And everyone, every one of those 10,000 people ate five loaves and two fish. And they were filled. It was enough! Jesus grasped what the disciple had forgotten. God provides, it is enough. God has given, that is all we need.
God has given you wisdom to raise your children well, just as you needed. Now, in his hands, He blesses it, and gives it to you to give to people hungry to care for their children. It is enough.
God has given you a good marriage, just as you needed. Now, in His hands, He blesses it and gives it to you to give to those longing for a happy home. It is enough.
God has given you a job, and a home and food on your table, just as you needed. Now, in His hands He blesses it, and gives it to you to give to those in need. It is enough.
That is the lesson the disciples needed to learn on that day, that is the lesson we need to learn today. That is the lesson even Billy Graham needed to learn. His story continues:
CONCLUSION
"As I came out of the hotel one night, continues Billy Graham, there they were. “We want to say good-bye,” one of them said. “We’re leaving tonight for Chicago.” “All right, fellows,” I said laughingly, “if before midnight tonight I should get $25,000 for the purpose of a radio broadcast, I’ll take that as an answer to prayer and be willing to do a national broadcast.” The thought was so incredible to them that they laughed along with me before heading for the airport.
More than 17,000 people were at the meeting that night. Just before introducing my friend Bob Pierce for a brief report on his travels in the Far East, I told them about the burden Walter and Fred had for broadcasting the Gospel, and the $25,000 condition I had laid down. The audience joined in my laugh. After Bob spoke, I preached and then extended the Invitation to receive Christ. Afterward, in the little room set aside for me in the tabernacle, a number of people dropped by to greet me. Several of them said they believed God had spoken to them during the service about helping us go on national radio. They began to leave cash, checks, and pledges. I couldn’t believe it.!
“Billy,” said Frank Phillips when everybody had left, “people have given us $24,000 tonight for radio!” Their confidence and generosity were enough to make me weep. But how could this be God’s answer? It was $1000 short. I told Grady, Cliff, Ruth, and Frank that maybe the Devil could give us that much to mislead us. We agreed to say nothing to anyone else about the funds and went out to eat, which was our custom after the service. We got back to the hotel about eleven-thirty.
“There are two letters here for you, Mr. Graham,” said the desk clerk. Postmarked two days earlier, they were from people I hardly knew- businessmen Howard Butt and Bill Mead. Both said they believed we should go on radio and that they wanted to be the first to contribute. And each enclosed a $500 check! Stunned, I bowed my head and said a silent prayer. Emotion so overcame me that I could not think straight. Clearly, the funds had come form God.
Then, when I turned to go to the elevator, who should be standing in the lobby but Walter and Fred! They had been at the airport, they said, but something had told them not to get on the plane. I put my hands on a shoulder of each man. “Sign us up for radio for at least thirteen weeks,” I told them. “God has answered prayer. We have the $25,000. We’ll take this as a step of faith.”
That radio show, that was begun with $25,000 that Billy Graham never expected to see was The Hour of Decision. And it was enough.