Proper 13A Sermon: The Lord’s Suppers

Preached on Matthew 14:13–21
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
2 August AD 2020

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Summary: Since God placed mankind on earth, He has continued to feed us, whether in ways mundane or miraculous. Seedtime and harvest, manna and quail, loaves and fish, or body and blood — He looks after His people.

Throughout this continuum of feedings, the Lord weaves one thread. He continually invites us to dine at His table at His expense. At times, we barely notice, at others we cannot help but see that something special is happening.

In the midst of this is the Feeding of the Five Thousand. Rooted not only in Israel’s past but in the history of all people, it looks forward to another meal with Jesus and these same twelve disciples. That meal “on the night He was betrayed” wasn’t the final “Lord’s Supper” because He continues to feed us daily and richly with our daily bread and with Word and Sacrament.

God showers us with all of this sacred sustenance in order to bring us to the last “Lord’s Supper.” It awaits us in the Resurrection. There we’ll join “the marriage supper of the Lamb,” a never-ending feast in His kingdom.

Text: Now when Jesus heard [about the death of John the Baptist], he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”

But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”

And he said, “Bring them here to me.”

Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:13–21

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of The Lord’s Suppers.

Audio: Click The Lord’s Suppers to listen to the MP3.

Other Readings: Psalm 136:1–9; Isaiah 55:1–5; Romans 9:1–13