NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 6, 2023
Sunday will be the 10th Sunday After Pentecost. The assigned text from Matthew 14 is Jesus’ famous miracle, feeding a great multitude. In this passage we find guidance and instruction we need to follow when we are confronted by great needs.
Often our responses follow the pattern Jesus’ disciples gave. We first want to dismiss it or get rid of it. But God tells us as Jesus told them “You give them something!” Like Jesus’s disciples, often our excuse is “We have nothing … but…” God’s response is always as Jesus’ was “Bring them, or it, to me!” Jesus demonstrates what The Divine can do with just the little we have to offer if we are willing to offer it.
At Covenant, the third and fourth parts of our mission statement says, “we exist to: ‘care about one another in Christ,’ and ‘communicate Christ to all people.’” This means offering for God’s use whatever we have in living out our mission. Some of the ways we do this is partnering with Pilgrim to cook and serve meals at the Firehouse Shelter for men; cooking and serving meals at First Light, a shelter for women and children. We also offer food assistance through the Pantry for the Houseless, as well as food and pet subsidies through the Blessing Box.
However, following Jesus’ command “You give them something!” also means giving others comfort and hope that comes from knowing God’s love, forgiveness, acceptance and grace. I Peter 3:15 “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. What does that mean? How can we follow Jesus’ command and Peter’s instruction to give the reason for the hope we have?
Join us for worship this week, in person, by Zoom, Facebook Livestream or YouTube, and I will tell you how in my sermon “You Give Them Something!” based on “Matthew 14:13-21.”
About Author
