"Scarcity or Abundance?"

First Presbyterian Church
July 30, 2006
Peter S. Buehler
John 6:1-21

There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish.
But what are they among so many people?

MOST OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED OUR BINOCULAR OR STEREO VISION; WE DON'T THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE CAN SEE THREE-DIMENSIONALLY, THAT WE CAN PERCEIVE DEPTH.

SUE BARRY, HOWEVER, OF WOODS HOLE, MA, HAD NEVER HAD THIS ABILITY -- ONE OF A TINY FRACTION OF THE POPULATION.

THAT IS UNTIL HER LATE FORTIES, WHEN, IN FEBRUARY OF 2002, ON THE ADVICE OF HER OPTOMETRIST, SUE STARTED VISION THERAPY -- EXERCISES FOR HER EYES.

USING SPECIAL POLAROID GLASSES TO ALLOW A DIFFERENT IMAGE TO BE PRESENTED TO EACH EYE, SHE WOULD WORK AT FUSING THE TWO PICTURES.

THIS TOOK SOME DOING, SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANT TO BRING TWO SEPARATE IMAGES TOGETHER -- BUT AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES SHE WAS ABLE TO DO IT, IF ONLY FOR A SECOND AT A TIME.

(IF YOU'VE EVER TRIED DOING THIS WITH A STEREOGRAM -- A PICTURE THAT BECOMES 3-DIMENSIONAL WHEN YOU ALLOW YOUR EYES TO CONVERGE -- YOU KNOW IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT TAKES SOME DOING!)

SHE KEPT AT IT, DOING THE EXERCISES AT HOME.
A SECOND VISIT WITH THE OPTOMETRIST; A NEW EXERCISE ADDED.
THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED.
SUE GOT IN HER CAR AND HAPPENED TO GLANCE AT THE STEERING WHEEL, AND NOTICED THAT IT HAD, IN HER WORDS, "POPPED OUT FROM THE DASHBOARD."
SHE CLOSED ONE EYE, THEN THE OTHER, THEN LOOKED WITH BOTH EYES AGAIN, AND REALIZED THAT IT LOOKED DIFFERENT.
SHE THOUGHT IT WAS THE LIGHT FROM THE SETTING SUN, PLAYING TRICKS ON HER, SO SHE DISMISSED IT.
THE NEXT DAY, SUE GOT UP, DID HER EYE EXERCISES, GOT INTO THE CAR TO DRIVE TO WORK, LOOKED IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR, AND IT POPPED OUT FROM THE WINDSHIELD!

DEPTH PERCEPTION!
SUDDENLY FOR HER EVERYTHING ORDINARY BECAME UTTERLY EXTRAORDINARY AND DELIGHTFUL.
THE SIMPLEST THINGS.
SHE DESCRIBED EATING LUNCH THAT DAY: I LOOKED DOWN AT MY FORK OVER THE BOWL OF RICE AND THE FORK WAS POISED IN THE AIR IN FRONT OF THE BOWL. THERE WAS A SPACE BETWEEN THE FORK AND THE BOWL. I HAD NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE…I KEPT LOOKING AT A GRAPE POISED AT THE EDGE OF MY FORK. I COULD SEE IT IN DEPTH.
The New Yorker, June 19, 2006, p.70

I WONDER IF SUE BARRY'S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH HER VISION DOESN'T SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE FAITH MAKES, HOW IT CAUSES US TO SEE DIFFERENTLY?

I WONDER IF FAITH IN CHRIST, PRACTICING FAITH AS A DAILY EXERCISE, DOESN'T GIVE US AN ABILITY, A JOYOUS ABILITY, TO SEE LIFE IN ITS TRUE DEPTH?
THAT WITHOUT IT, THE WORLD IS FLAT, 2-DIMENSIONAL, EVERYTHING CLOSE, EVERYTHING THE SAME --
AND WERE IT NOT FOR THE GRACE OF JESUS WE WOULDN'T KNOW ANY DIFFERENTLY!

BUT WHEN WE PRACTICE FUSING HIS IMAGE WITH OUR PICTURE OF THE WORLD, BRINGING TOGETHER CHRISTIAN FAITH WITH OUR EVERYDAY REALITY, THEN WE PERCEIVE DEPTH -- HOPE, LOVE, JOY -- THESE STUNNING DIMENSIONS OF HUMAN LIFE.
WHICH ARE WHAT LIFE IS ABOUT.

IT'S INTERESTING HOW WE PERCEIVE THINGS,
HOW OUR EYES WORK,
HOW WE SEE.
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS.

TWO PEOPLE LOOKING AT THE SAME THING.
ONE SEES SCARCITY, NOT NEARLY ENOUGH; ANOTHER SEES ABUNDANCE -- PLENTY FOR ALL.

JESUS SEES A LARGE CROWD HEADED HIS WAY;
HE KNOWS HOW NEEDY, HOW HUNGRY THE PEOPLE ARE;
HE ALSO KNOWS THEY HADN'T GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO FOOD -- WHICH IS AN INTERESTING IRONY.
HERE'S A CROWD OF THOUSANDS WITH A DIFFERENT KIND OF HUNGER.

JESUS SEES THEM COMING CLOSE, AND RATHER THAN BEING PANICKED OR PERTURBED IS CONCERNED.
THEIR SHEPHERD, HE SHOWS COMPASSION;
THEIR HOST, HE LOOKS AFTER THEIR NEEDS.

HE TURNS AND ASKS PHILIP, AN UNSUSPECTING DISCIPLE, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO BUY BREAD FOR THESE PEOPLE TO EAT?

HA HA HA, SAYS PHILIP.
THAT'S A GOOD ONE.
LORD, I CAN NEVER TELL WHEN YOU'RE JOKING AND WHEN YOU'RE SERIOUS.
BECAUSE TOO OFTEN YOU'RE SERIOUS, AND THEN THE JOKE'S ON ME!
BUT IN THIS CASE, I KNOW YOU'RE KIDDING, BECAUSE I COULD WORK FOR SIX WHOLE MONTHS AND STILL NOT AFFORD ENOUGH BREAD FOR THE PEOPLE IN THIS CROWD TO GET A CUBE EACH!
LET ALONE A FEW LOAVES EACH, WHICH, THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, WAS A MEAL-FOR-ONE.

IN THE MEANTIME, WE, READING THE GOSPEL, FEEL FORTUNATE THAT WE'RE NOT PHILIP, BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN A HEADS-UP HE DIDN'T GET:
THIS WAS NO JOKE, IT WAS A TEST!
JESUS HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO.

RIGHT THEN, ANDREW, ALSO KNOWN AS PETER'S LITTLE BROTHER, MUST HAVE OVERHEARD THE CONVERSATION, FOR HE COMES FORWARD, ALBEIT SHEEPISHLY, WITH INFORMATION HE WANTS TO SHARE BUT KNOWS IS USELESS -- THERE'S IS A BOY IN THE CROWD WITH A SNACK HE WANTS TO SHARE.
A LOT OF GOOD THAT'S GOING TO DO!

THE DODGERS ARE PLAYING THE GIANTS AND A KID HAS A BAG OF PEANUTS HE'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE CROWD.
HOW SWEET.
KIDS, THEY SAY THE DARNEDEST THINGS.

BUT THEN JESUS SAYS THE DARNEDEST THING:
MAKE THE PEOPLE SIT DOWN, HE INSTRUCTS HIS DISCIPLES.
SITTING DOWN WAS THE POSTURE OF A GOOD STUDENT READY TO LEARN FROM A RABBI: EVERYONE THERE -- THE POPULATION OF A SMALL CITY, INCLUDING TWELVE INCREDULOUS DISCIPLES -- WAS ABOUT TO GET AN EDUCATION.

"THEN JESUS TOOK THE LOAVES, AND WHEN HE HAD GIVEN THANKS, HE DISTRIBUTED THEM TO THOSE WHO WERE SEATED; SO ALSO THE FISH, AS MUCH AS THEY WANTED. WHEN THEY WERE SATISFIED, HE TOLD HIS DISCIPLES, GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS LEFT OVER, SO THAT NOTHING MAY BE LOST. SO THEY GATHERED THEM UP, AND FROM THE FRAGMENTS OF THE FIVE BARLEY LOAVES, LEFT BY THOSE WHO HAD EATEN, THEY FILLED TWELVE BASKETS."

WHAT THE DISCIPLES LEARNED THAT DAY, WE OURSELVES HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN.

JESUS NOTICES HUNGER; HE FEEDS HUNGRY CROWDS, AND THEY ARE SATISFIED.

FROM SCARCITY, THE LORD CREATES ABUNDANCE.
HIS FOLLOWERS DON'T BELIEVE HIM -- ONLY A SMALL CHILD TAKES HIM AT HIS WORD.
THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF 5,000 FAMILIES, HOWEVER, CHANGES THE DISCIPLES' MINDS.

AND IT'S NOT JUST THAT THERE IS ENOUGH TO GO AROUND -- WHICH WOULD BE AMAZING IN ITSELF.
THERE IS PLENTY.
THERE IS FOOD LEFT OVER; BASKETS-FULL.
IT'S NOT A MATTER OF REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS;
WHEN JESUS IS INVOLVED PEOPLE JUST NEED TO OPEN THEIR EYES AND BELIEVE WHAT THEY'RE SEEING, BECAUSE HIS GOODNESS AND HIS LOVE ARE LIMITLESS.
AND TANGIBLE, NOT JUST SPIRITUAL.

JESUS' MOTHER MARY KNEW IT WHEN SHE LEARNED SHE WOULD GIVE BIRTH:
MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORD, SHE SANG OUT LOUD,
AND MY SPIRIT REJOICES IN GOD MY SAVIOR.
HIS MERCY IS FOR THOSE WHO FEAR HIM
FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.
HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS,
AND SENT THE RICH AWAY EMPTY.

FROM JESUS WE LEARN IT'S OK TO BE HUNGRY.
TO BE HUMAN IS TO PAY ATTENTION TO OUR HUNGER.
BUT WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO BE IS READY.
READY TO BELIEVE,
READY TO BE FED,
READY TO SEE WITH FAITHFUL EYES THE DEPTH AND ABUNDANCE OF GOD'S GOODNESS.

YET HOW EASY IT IS TO LET OUR EYES GO BACK TO SEEING ONLY IN TWO DIMENSIONS, FLAT VISION, NO SURPRISES,
NO PERCEPTION OF HEAVENLY TRUTH BEHIND THE EVERYDAY OBVIOUS.

TWO PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT THE SAME THING AND SEE
TOTALLY DIFFERENTLY.

WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, I'D OPEN THE REFRIGERATOR AND STAND IN FRONT OF IT, STARING, AS IF I WERE IN A MUSEUM LOOKING AT A GLASS CASE OF ANCIENT ARTIFACTS.
WOULD THERE BE ANYTHING THERE OF INTEREST TO ME?
USUALLY, IN MY OPINION, THERE WAS NOT.
"MOM, HOW COME THERE'S NOTHING TO EAT?"
YEARS LATER, MY SONS WOULD DO THE SAME THING.
STAND THERE IN FRONT OF THE REFRIGERATOR, STARING.
NOT SEEING.
AS IF THE FRUIT, AND THE EGGS, AND CHEESE, AND PERFECTLY GOOD LEFTOVERS WERE INVISIBLE.
"DAD, HOW COME THERE'S NOTHING TO EAT?"
BUT TO ONE WITH EYES TO SEE, THERE WAS A MEAL SITTING RIGHT THERE IN PLAIN VIEW.
SO THEN, IF I FELT CHARITABLE, I'D WHIP UP SOMETHING FROM NOTHING -- OFTEN AN OMELET OF SOME SORT, REALLY TASTY -- AND THEN SMILE AS THEY INHALED IT.
IT WASN'T EXACTLY THE FEEDING OF THE 5,000, BECAUSE THERE WERE NEVER ANY LEFTOVERS, BUT THE MASSES IN OUR HOUSE WERE SATISFIED, AND IT ALWAYS SEEMED TO THEM LIKE A MIRACLE.

WHAT ABOUT US?
WHEN WE LOOK AROUND US, DO WE SEE SCARCITY, OR ABUNDANCE?
WHEN WE THINK OF WHAT WE TRULY NEED FOR OUR LIFE, FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW, DO WE BELIEVE THAT THE LORD WILL PROVIDE -- AND NOT JUST ENOUGH, BUT ALL WE NEED TO BE FULLY AND COMPLETELY SATISFIED?

ONE REASON I LOVE THE CHURCH IS THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN MOST EVERY CONGREGATION, AS IN OURS, WHO HAVE LIVED THROUGH THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND HAVE KNOWN WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO HAVE ENOUGH WHEN THERE WASN'T THAT MUCH.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, WHEN TALKING ABOUT THAT TIME IN THEIR LIVES,
WE WERE POOR, BUT THERE WAS ALWAYS FOOD ON THE TABLE.
MEANING, I BELIEVE, WE WERE HAPPY.
WE NEVER THOUGHT WE WERE POOR, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS HAD WHAT WE NEEDED.

WE WONDER TODAY IF SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE THE OPPOSITE SENTIMENT: WE HAVE A LOT, BUT WE WISH IT WERE A LOT MORE.

IT'S SO TEMPTING, WITH ALL OF THE THINGS AROUND US THAT MONEY CAN BUY, TO BE DISSATISFIED EVEN WITH ABUNDANCE.

THE APOSTLE PAUL SPEAKS TO US, IN A WAY HE TESTS US AS JESUS TESTED PHILIP, WHEN HE SAYS TO THE CHURCH: "I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO HAVE LITTLE, AND I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO HAVE PLENTY. IN ANY AND ALL CIRCUMSTANCES I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET OF BEING WELL-FED AND OF GOING HUNGRY, OF HAVING PLENTY AND OF BEING IN NEED. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM WHO STRENGTHENS ME." (4:12-13)

SOMETIMES IT REALLY DOES SEEM LIKE A SECRET, ONE WE'RE FINDING OUT ABOUT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

WE'RE CONVINCED OF SCARCITY, OF NOT-ENOUGH.
NOT ENOUGH TIME.
NOT ENOUGH MONEY.
NOT ENOUGH ENERGY.
NOT ENOUGH EDUCATION.
NOT ENOUGH EXPERIENCE.
NOT ENOUGH FAITH.
NOT ENOUGH PATIENCE.
NOT ENOUGH RESOLVE.

BUT TIME AND AGAIN WE HEAR JESUS TELLING US TO SIT DOWN, TO LISTEN, TO SEE, TO BELIEVE, TO TRUST.

IT MAY SEEM UNRELATED TO LOAVES AND FISHES, BUT THERE IS A CHALLENGE BEFORE US AND THE REST OF THE WORLD THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO FAITH IN JESUS.

WE KNOW THAT SCIENTISTS ARE CONVINCED THAT GLOBAL WARMING IS A TRUE THING, NO LONGER A THEORY, AND THAT WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN AL GORE'S FILM, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, IT IS DEFINITELY WORTH IT, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN TO BEGIN TO GRASP WHAT CARBON EMISSIONS HAVE DONE TO CAUSE MORE HEAT TO BE TRAPPED IN OUR ATMOSPHERE THAN OUR EARTH CAN HANDLE, AND WHAT THE EFFECTS OF THAT IMBALANCE WILL BE IN THE NEXT 10-50 YEARS.

IT'S SOBERING.
IT'S ALSO TEMPTING TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY AND JUST GO ON DOING WHAT WE'RE USED TO DOING, EITHER NOT WANTING TO CHANGE OUR WAYS, OR NOT SEEING HOW WE CAN POSSIBLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, IN EFFECT LETTING OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM.
YET IF FAITH SAYS FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH CAN FEED A CROWD,
AND IF THAT FAITH POINTS AGAIN AND AGAIN TO ONE WHO CARES FOR PEOPLE -- PHYSICALLY AS WELL AS SPIRITUALLY,
AND IF THAT SAME FAITH INVOLVES DISCIPLES, US, IN SERVING AS WELL AS BELIEVING,
THEN WE CAN KNOW THAT OUR COMMITMENTS AND OUR LEADERSHIP IN REVERSING GLOBAL WARMING WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

IT DEPENDS HOW WE SEE THE WORLD.
DO WE SEE SCARCITY, OR ABUNDANCE?
TOO LITTLE RESOLVE TO MAKE CHANGES, OR ALL THE KNOW-HOW WE NEED, IF WE JUST START TODAY?

USING LESS HOT WATER.

INSTALLING COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS.

UNPLUGGING OUR CELL PHONE CHARGERS WHEN WE'RE NOT USING THEM; SAME WITH HAIR DRYERS.

RUNNING OUR DISH WASHERS WHEN THEY'RE FULL.

RECYCLING EVERYTHING WE CAN.

WALKING MORE, DRIVING LESS.

THEN WE CAN SAY TO OUR GRANDCHILDREN, AND OUR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, WHO WILL FACE THIS CHALLENGE AND OTHERS OF THEIR OWN, SIT DOWN, AND LET US TELL YOU ABOUT HOW WE WERE PART OF A MIRACLE, AND PART OF A CROWD; HOW GOD GAVE US EVERYTHING WE NEEDED, AND MORE.