Year C Proper 15 WED 2022 Creator Sets Free & Abundance

Year C Proper 15,  WEDNESDAY August 17, 2022

St. James the Less Episcopal, Ashland, VA

“Creator Sets Free & Abundance”

Collect

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Acts 8:14-25

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come* upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John* laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money! You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness.’ Simon answered, ‘Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you* have said may happen to me.’

Now after Peter and John* had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.

John 6:1-15

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.*  A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages* would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they* sat down, about five thousand in all.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. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

A few thoughts this morning on Abundance. I recently watched a movie looking from the perspective of Native Americans, our first nations, how they saw the land and those coming into the land wanted to dominate and control. In our Acts reading I see that same perspective. We want to control and be in power, instead of residing and resting in the Abundance of God. The man wanting to “buy” the power of conveying the Holy Spirit is disgusting.

I mentioned a few Sundays ago how this desire to be in control shows a lack of faith on our part, a wish for us to be in the driver’s seat. The one offering funds for the “power” to convey the Holy Spirit showed how little he understood. How little we understand.

Then we flash to Jesus. Looking at what meager things they had, and how much abundance he could see. Unlearning to think from a deficit perspective, unlearning the need to control and conquer, unlearning the lessons so readily taught in our culture is the task set for all of us. Oh, us of little faith. 

To rethink and rehear this lesson, I would like to read to you from the First Nations Version of the New Testament of today’s lesson. It really emphasizes how it is not about control. It is about having faith.

John 6:1-15 First Nations Version, An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament

1After this Creator Sets Free (Jesus) went over to the other side of Lake of Circle of Nations (Sea of Galilee), also called Sea of Rolling Water (Sea of Tiberias). 2A great crowd of people followed him because they saw powerful signs he performed, healing the sick. 3Creator Sets Free (Jesus) walked up to the mountainside and sat down with his followers. 4Soon it would be time again for the yearly Passover festival for the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel).

5From the mountainside Creator Sets Free (Jesus) could see how large the crowd following behind him had become. There were over five thousand men, along with women and children! He then looked at Friend of Horses (Philip) and said, “Where will we find enough food to feed all these people?"

6He said this to test him, for he already knew what he would do. Friend of Horses (Philip) took a step back and looked at him with wide eyes. He was not sure whether Creator Sets Free (Jesus)was serious or not.

7Friend of Horses (Philip) answered, "Eight moons' worth of gathered food would only give them enough for one small bite apiece!"

8Stands with Courage (Andrew), one of the twelve, the brother of Stands on the Rock (Peter), tried to be helpful and said, 9"Here is a boy with five pieces of frybread and two small fish, but how would that possibly be enough?"

10Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to them, "Have the people sit down on the grass."

There was much grass there, so all of the five thousand men began to sit down, along with women and children. Creator Sets Free (Jesus) waited patiently for them to finish. When they were all settled down, he had the ones who walked the road with him bring baskets and stand in a circle around him.

11He took the five pieces of frybread given by the little boy and held them up

to the sky. He gave thanks to the Great Spirit and began to break the frybread

into smaller pieces and gave them to his followers to give to the people. In the same manner he also divided the two fish, and they were given out to the people.

12 Everyone ate until they were full! When they were done eating, he instructed them to gather the leftovers of fish and frybread, so nothing would go to waste. 13It took twelve baskets to hold it all.

14The people began to realize what had happened. This was a powerful sign that Creator Sets Free Jesus) had just performed. They began to wonder who this man was who could do such amazing things. Like wildfire, the hopes and dreams of many generations began to rise in their hearts and minds. They were saying to one another, “This must be the Prophet, spoken of long ago, who would come into the world!?”

15Creator Sets Free (Jesus) knew in his spirit that the people were about to take

him by force to make him their chief, so he left the crowd and went to a quiet

place on the mountainside to be alone and pray.