The Miracle is...

Matthew 14:13-21 is the lectionary text for next Sunday, August 2.

After John was beheaded and Jesus heard of it, He went to a deserted place by Himself, presumably to grieve and perhaps to consider the next part of God's Mission through Him.

But the crowds followed.  The needs continued.
Jesus made people complete and whole again out of compassion for them.

When it was evening and time to eat after a long day, the church wanted to send the people who were coming to Jesus away.
Jesus commanded them to feed them saying, "You give them something to eat."
The church claimed it did not have the resources to help so many.
Jesus took the meager resources and commanded the crowd to sit down.
Jesus took what they had, gave thanks for it, gave it to the leaders and they gave it to the people.
All of them ate.  All 5,000 men, plus women and children, from five loaves and two fish, were filled.
And they collected what was left, 12 baskets from the disciples, tribes... more than they had when they started.

Was the miracle the same as the one told by Marcia Brown in STONE SOUP?
Was it some supernatural intervention in order to meet needs?

I think the miracle was obedient generosity out of Agape Love.
Jesus had compassion on the crowd.  The church and its leaders couldn't be bothered. They weren't "feeling it."  Preservation of self over others was what they valued.
Jesus commanded them to feed the people.
They obeyed.
It was Jesus' Agape Love that met the needs of the people.
It was obedience to Jesus that made it possible.

What was the miracle, I believe, is the transformative power of obeying Jesus' Way of Agape.
Perhaps when the disciples coughed up what little they had at the command of Jesus, it inspired others in the crowd to share their meager provisions for the sake of one another.
The disciples modeled obedience to Jesus in Agape and compassion.
The crowd perhaps followed the example of the disciples in that obedience and living of Agape.

We do not always want to live Agape Love, folks.
Empire would have us believe it is contrary to logic, fairness and faithfulness to self.
But Agape (committed action on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy and especially the most vulnerable) is Jesus' Way and Kingdom values.
Empire separates, divides, hoards, withholds, ignores, threatens and destroys community and life.
Agape unites, gathers, shares, engages, responds, lifts up and builds up community and life.

The miracle is the becoming of community through the living of Agape Love.
It is the sustainable well-being of all because of the sharing of all in unity of heart and mind.
It is the saying, "No" to empire values that tear down, and saying, "Yes" to Kingdom values that build up.

Sometimes the action of Agape comes before the compassion and empathy therein contained.
Sometimes obedience to Jesus comes before we "feel it."

Have you experienced the miracle for yourself yet?
Have you witnessed people obeying Jesus in the living of Agape and were lifted up by it?
Did it touch you in a powerful way?  Did it move you in your heart, mind and spirit?
Did you see the wisdom and faithfulness in the living of Agape with others because of it?
Did it then compel you to be a part of Shalom Community in Agape and live that yourself?

If so, you have experienced the miracle of Agape Love, lived out in the body of Christ.
If not, I truly hope that you will have your miracle of transformation soon.

The crowd has come to Jesus because what they got from those in collusion with empire left them desolate.
It is time for the church and its leaders to obey Jesus' teachings, commands and examples on the living of Agape Love in the world.
Miracles do happen.  Transformation happens.  Shalom can happen.  When Agape happens.
The program works if you work it.

Pastor Jamie