Miracle of the Bread and Fish by Giovanni Lanfranco, 1623 (National Gallery of Ireland)
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Pentecost 10 2026 Proper 13
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
August 2, 2026
Isaiah 55:1-5, Romans 9:1-5, (6-13), Matthew 14:13-21
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Ohhh…I am sooo full. I ate the fish and bread when they first brought it around, but they kept coming back and I kept taking more and more. It was so good and I kept eating and now I am stuffed…I can’t eat another bite.
My name is Ari. I am 12 years old from the village of Chorazin, just north of the Sea of Galilee. My father and I brought my uncle, Zedekiah, to see the new teacher, Jesus. Zedekiah has not been able to use his right arm since a terrible fall off a high wall when he was a teenager. My father heard that Jesus could heal the sick, and this morning, he saw Jesus get into a boat and sail out onto the Sea of Galilee. My father quickly got Zedekiah and me and we hurried along the shore, watching for where Jesus would come ashore. Many other people apparently had the same idea and when Jesus came ashore there were thousands of people waiting for Him.
Word spread through the crowd that Jesus had left town because He was sad at the news that King Herod Antipas had killed John; the one they call, “the Baptist”. I felt sorry for Jesus because He is grieving His friend’s death but the crowd did not seem to care.
Even so, Jesus ignored His own problems and moved through the crowd healing all in need. After a couple hours Jesus came to us and He put His hands on Zedekiah’s arm and said, “Be healed,” and Zedekiah’s arm was instantly restored. The bent, crippled and useless arm now looked and worked just like the other one. I would not have believed it if I had not stood there watching it happen. While grieving John’s death Jesus still has compassion on this large crowd of people intruding on His grief. What kind of man is this who cares for others more than himself? What kind of man can restore a useless arm and heal all the sick?
Hours went by before Jesus finished healing everyone. My stomach started to rumble. I am in a growth spurt and it feels like I am always hungry, and we hadn’t had anything to eat since breakfast and the sun was starting to set. In the excitement of this morning I didn’t think to bring food. I asked my dad, but he did not bring any either; neither did Zedekiah. I secretly hoped that they had a bit of money to buy some food in town because I was starving. And, we were not the only ones who were hungry and tired. The crowd started to grow restless, not sure what to do next.
Another boy, a friend from back home named Ezra, had thought to bring some food, but just enough for him and his family. Earlier he had showed me… five loaves of bread and two fish. As we were standing there not sure what to do, I notice that there was some commotion up by Jesus in the midst of the crowd and I saw Ezra going toward Jesus led by one Jesus’ helpers. What did Jesus want with Ezra? Ezra is just a boy. A nobody from nowhere just like me. Then I saw Ezra give Jesus the loaves and fish.
Jesus instructed the crowd with a loud voice. “Everyone sit down!” Then He took Ezra’s bread and fish and He looked up to heaven and blessed the food. He broke the loaves of bread and gave it to His 12 helpers who took the food from Jesus’ hands and put it in our hands and we put it in our mouths. It did not make sense. Ezra only had five loaves and two fish, but the food kept coming and coming and coming and everyone kept eating and eating and eating until everyone was full. Afterwards the 12 helpers collected a dozen baskets of leftovers. If someone told me about this I would not believe it, but I saw it with my own eyes…I ate the bread…I ate the fish. And now I am sitting on the grass with a full belly amazed at what I have just seen and experienced.
There is a lot to ponder about Jesus. Who is this man who has power to heal, and to multiply food? Nobody can do this…except…God. How can this be? I have heard the stories of when our ancestors were in Egypt and were led out of slavery by Moses. God parted the Red Sea and then fed the Israelites in the desert for 40 years with manna and quail. Today, Jesus fed us in the wilderness with bread and fish.
Did I just meet God? Did God just feed me? But if Jesus is God, why does He work in such quiet, humble ways? He performed a huge miracle with the healings and the bread and the fish, but He did not make a big deal about it. There were no flashes of lightening from heaven, no earthquake, no choir of angels. He did not call down a banquet from heaven, but instead used Ezra’s bread and fish. And, why did He do this out here in the middle of nowhere and not in the Temple Courts in Jerusalem? It does not make sense. Jesus looks like a regular man, but He does what only God can do. Jesus worked through simple means provided by an insignificant boy.
But…if Jesus is God… why did He not save John the Baptist? This Jesus does not act like other powerful men who are all about money and influence and success and victory. Jesus works through weakness and humility, yet with great compassion.
Ari lies back on the grass looking up at the first stars beginning to appear as his father and Zedekiah get ready to return home. This is a lot for his 12 year old brain to try to comprehend.
It is a lot for our brains to comprehend no matter what age. Jesus is God. God provides all that you need for this body and life. God has promised you forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And yet, as you all well know, and some of you know better than others, God allows suffering in this life. Jesus works in your weakness and failure and suffering. Jesus saves those who know they cannot save themselves.
There is a very popular way of thinking about God called the theology of glory that teaches that you can use your own reason, your own choices, your own good works to earn favor from God. Theology of glory “Christianity” is all about you achieving power, triumph, health, wealth and success. The theology of glory ignores Jesus’ suffering on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins and focuses on a Jesus providing earthly blessings and promoting achievement. When trouble and hardship come, the theology of glory will say, “I can’t believe in a God that let this terrible thing happen.”
The Bible does not teach a theology of glory, but rather a theology of the cross. We see it with the death of John the Baptist which foreshadows Jesus’ own death. Jesus accomplishes His most glorious work in the suffering and humiliation and weakness of the cross. Jesus teaches that those who believe in Him will take up their cross and follow Him. Jesus does not promise an easy life free from suffering. Jesus promises that in your weakness He will be there for you pouring out His forgiveness and grace and salvation. Jesus promises you a place at the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom in the heavenly city.
The theology of glory comes naturally to our sinful natures. There is a natural temptation to seek Jesus in grand, emotional experiences. You want to find Jesus in your victories and your success. You want to feel the Holy Spirit working in you through emotional highs. You want God to work in big, audacious, triumphant ways. But that is not how Jesus works as we see in the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus works in ways that seem insignificant and weak.
Jesus came to you and washed you clean in water and the Word of God. For many of you that was when you were a helpless baby who couldn’t do anything for yourself. It was nothing fancy or remarkable. Just simple water poured over your head in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Jesus comes to you here as you kneel in surrender and plead guilty of your sins. Jesus comes to you in His Word of forgiveness and in the words of Holy Scripture. Through the hands of His followers, Jesus serves you His very Body and Blood. You receive the Bread of Life from the same one who fed thousands near the Sea of Galilee long ago. The bread and the wine do not appear to be anything special. Indeed, they are almost embarrassingly simple. And yet Jesus uses these meager means to unite you to Him as you receive into your body His Body and Blood and the holiness and perfection and salvation found in the crucified and risen Lord. You are united with Jesus and you are united with all those who have gone before who rest with Jesus waiting for the resurrection of their bodies on the last day.
Each day, take up your cross and follow Jesus. Jesus provides you with all that you need for body and soul, but know also that there will be difficulties. Know that hardship and suffering are not signs that Jesus has abandoned you. His steadfast love endures forever. Jesus finds you in your humility and weakness and powerlessness and delivers to you His forgiveness and eternal life. Know that life as a follower of Jesus is not a promise of a painless life of ease going from victory to victory. Life under the cross is a daily struggle against the fallen nature of your body, and this world, as your old, sinful self tries to take control and separate you from Jesus. Life is hard, even life in Christ, but you live this life of struggle in unity with Almighty God looking forward to the last day when Jesus will return. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen.