“On their return the apostles told Jesus all they had done. He took them with him and withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida. When the crowds found out about it, they followed him; and he welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of G-d, and healed those who needed to be cured. The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted place.” But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” They did so and made them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled. What was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.” (Luke 9:10-17)

“Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.” (C.S. Lewis)

I wonder how long the journey was for the disciples who have been sent out by Jesus. From the perspective of the Gospel, it must have lasted for many weeks – but for us, the readers, it lasts for just a short time. And, I wonder how successful they were in their ministry? The text tells us that they told Jesus everything that they had done, but we have no idea what they did except for healing some diseases. Nevertheless, the crowds continue to follow Jesus and the disciples and the miracles and the healing continues.  However, in the very next scene, Jesus gives the disciples another opportunity to do marvelous things, but it seems their humanity gets in the way. When asked to feed the multitude of people, 5000 in all, they seem to have forgotten their power and authority that Jesus has commissioned them with. 

We cannot forget the power of the Holy Spirit and the work that can be done when life gets us down or gets in the way. Jesus is always there, in the background of our lives, giving us the Spirit to empower us with the ability to work our own wonders and miracles. Miracles still happen today, I firmly believe that. And the only way they might even have a chance is if we continue doing the work of Jesus, in the name and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Dave

“I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.”    

Have you had a time in your life where you wish you could have just escaped? Or, have you had some moments where you wish you could have just been taken out of the world – lifted above all of your problems, your debt, your conflicts and worries?

A lot of people today live in the fantasy world of escapism. I am sure you have said to yourself once or twice in your life “I just wish I could escape.” You know those moments:

You say something off color in a crowd

You say something that is considered sexist or elitist

Other moments where you have stuck your proverbial foot in your mouth.

There are different ways we try to escape those moments or try to escape life in general. One of the ways we can escape those moments is we just determine to disappear in the crowd – we try to blend in and become anonymous. Another way people try to escape life is to play “role playing games” – games like “Dungeons and Dragons” (I am betraying my age) – dressing up in costumes and playing out there wishes or fantasies. VR or Virtual Reality glasses do that for the wearer – they allow people to escape their current reality. By putting on these glasses, the wearer enters a different place, a different reality – and they can do this for hours. Or you can just buy Calgon – take me away……..

Why? Why do we try to escape life, reality, relationships, and responsibilities?

One reason is because life is hard. Yes, Virginia, life is hard. But that doesn’t mean we should find ways to escape this life. That is one of the reasons we have such a huge drug problem in our society today – drugs like opioids, heroin, etc. People are trying to escape their problems, or their bad situations, or abusive relationships. Jesus understands that life is not easy – for his disciples – for you and me as well. That is why he prays for us all. Jesus understands the weaknesses of the human psyche. After all, Jesus is human – fully human – so he understands the human condition. His humanity allows him to witness the reality of being human – and so he prays for us and expresses his love for all of his disciples.

Jesus prays for us in this life. He doesn’t pray that this life gets easier for us – he prays that we will choose not to seek to escape – that we will choose, instead to remain in the world and be kingdom builders, faith growers, and witnesses. While the world continues to escape into their own “self-built” realities, we need to seek unity, and continue to spread the Gospel while this world continues to become unhinged. This is why we cannot escape…..after all, no one can escape G-d’s love.

Pastor Dave