Sermon by the Rev. Andrew S. Rollins

Lent IVB (March 22, 2009)

Text: John 6:4 - 15

Title: “On the Mountain”

Four Witnesses

It’s a curious fact of history that the Church has passed down the story of Jesus in the form of four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. One might have thought that at some point, the Church would harmonize those four accounts into a single Gospel. Filmmakers have tried. But the Church has stuck with four gospels. One reason for that might be that each gospel writer has something distinct to say. All four writers tell us of real events. But they don’t simply report those events. They interpret them. And theirs is not just any interpretation. The Church has said that they have given us the correct interpretation of these events.

Today’s gospel reading affords us an opportunity for comparison because the Feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle recorded by all four Gospel writers. We can see what each Evangelist has to say about this important miracle. Each account is slightly different. Each of the four writers clearly has particular themes in mind and lessons to teach. Each shines the spotlight on different details. John is a skillful and truthful writer. He has selected his material carefully. He includes some details; he leaves others out. It’s not that Matthew, Mark, and Luke disagree with him. They’re just frying other fish.

So what is it about the Feeding of the 5000 that John wants to emphasize? How does John interpret this event? One way to tease that out is to notice what John tells us that is not included by Matthew, Mark, or Luke.

The Event, Through John’s Eyes

For instance, only John tells us that the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near when this miracle occurred. That’s significant. The Passover feast was a time when Jews from all over the empire flocked to Jerusalem. It was a rallying point for intense, nationalistic zeal. Many Jews were ready to throw off the shackles of Rome. John wants to be sure we understand that Jesus is walking into a politically charged atmosphere.

You’re familiar with the basic story. Crowds are following Jesus. According to John, Jesus asks Phillip, Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat? Andrew points out a little boy who has a small lunch. Jesus tells the disciples to instruct the crowd to sit down. He takes the loaves, gives thanks, and distributes them. The people eat their fill; the disciples gather up twelve baskets of leftovers.

Then, only John tells us of the crowd’s response to this miracle – and Jesus’ response to their response. They say, This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world. And, John writes: 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 (6:15). Only John tells us that. There was an emotional movement in the crowd -- a mass recognition that here was a man of incomparable power. Here was a man who could lead them as their King. But Jesus will have none of it. He responds by withdrawing, by going again to the mountain . . . alone.

In giving us these particular details about the Feeding of the 5000, what has John revealed to us about Jesus?

Jesus Recognized a Crisis

Jesus knew how to recognize a crisis. 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. King! What an opportunity! After all, Jesus keeps talking about the kingdom. Doesn’t a kingdom need a King? But Jesus recognized the moment as a crisis! (I would’ve been tempted to let them make me king and plan to re-educate them later!)

But Jesus perceives that the crowd has completely misunderstood the miracle. They interpret the miracle to mean that Jesus will meet their economic needs and nationalistic expectations. One of John’s essential themes is that Christ is a King, but his kingdom is not of this world. Before Pilate, Jesus will say, My kingdom is not of this world (18:36). Jesus knew that the way his kingdom would triumph would not be by beating the enemy in siege warfare, but by dying and rising from the dead (Carson). Way back in chapter 3, he tells Nicodemus, And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life (3:14) The crowd is tempting Jesus to by-pass the cross.

Crowds wield a reckless sort of power. There’s a “College Pranks” video making the rounds on YouTube where a student arranges for the entire crowd at a college basketball game to prank his roommate. During halftime, this roommate is called down onto the floor. His name has been ‘randomly’ drawn for a chance to take one shot from the half court line, blindfolded, for a half-million dollars. They call this poor guy down out of the stands, blindfold him, put him at half court. “3 – 2- 1.” When he throws his shot at the basket . . . there’s a pause (it’s a complete miss), then the crowd is signaled to react as if he made the shot. The whole auditorium goes nuts. His blindfold is ripped off. “You won! You made it! It’s a miracle!” Off course, the guy falls to his knees. He can’t believe it. But everyone’s cheering and congratulating him. He starts crying, “Oh my God! I won!” They bring him one of those giant checks. He gets up and starts running around, leaping, screaming. It starts to hit him, “Oh, my life will never be the same. I’m rich!” Then, his roommate whispers in his ear: “You’ve been pranked.” He covers his face and runs out of the auditorium. (That’s entertainment!)

What would Jesus have done? (Well, he would’ve made the shot. That’s not the point!) Jesus perceives that this crowd is recklessly offering him a totally false identity. He sees that his very being, his core identity is at stake here. He knew what the crowd was trying to make him.

What is the crowd trying to make you? Will you recognize when the crowd wants to make you something that violates your integrity, your vocation, your very identity in Christ?

Jesus Walked Away

John also shows us that Jesus knew when to walk away. 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.

Notice his calm resolve. Jesus says nothing. He just walks away from the crowd. No sermon. No explanation. Jesus didn’t fear or avoid the crowd. He spent a great deal of time with the crowd. But he knew when to walk away. He knew when no one was listening. He knew when to stop motivating, teaching, convincing, explaining. He just walked away. (“Where’d he go? We got this crown all made.”) He knew when to walk away.

Do you know when to walk away? You can probably recall one specific party that you should have walked away from. (I can think of several.)

The best movie I’ve seen in a long time is Arranged, which tells the story of the unlikely friendship that develops between a young Orthodox Jewish woman (Roshel) and a young Muslim woman (Nasira). These two find themselves in the same public elementary school in Brooklyn for their first year as teachers. As different as they are, they’re drawn together because both are going through the process of arranged marriages. The principle of this school, a so-called liberated woman, is terribly galled by their choice to respect the practices of their religious communities. And she’s particularly galled by their clothes (Roshel dresses modestly; Nasira wears a headcovering). In one scene, this principal calls them both into her office and tries to talk them into meeting some guys. Finally, in exasperation, she tries to hand them a wad of money to go out and “buy some decent clothes.” But they recognize this as an offer to buy their integrity. They stop trying to explain. They just refuse, and leave.

Some people will simply never understand who you are in Christ. We have to recognize when the time has come to stop explaining and negotiating and just walk away.

Jesus Went to the Mountain

Finally, John shows us that Jesus knew where to go. 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. Not only did Jesus know what to walk away from, he knew where to go when his identity, his calling was being challenged.

The mountain . . . he went up the mountain. Where does a leader get the vision? Where does a Christian learn who she is? On the mountain, that’s where. The mountain is where you get the vision. In the language of the Bible, the mountain is where you meet God face to face. Moses went up the mountain. The mountain is where you learn who God wants you to be -- what God wants you to do.

According to John, Jesus knew who he was because he was in intimate communion with His Father in Heaven. John records Jesus saying things like, Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing (5:20). Because Jesus had been to the mountain --- face to face with God -- he knew his identity, his mission, his purpose. So, when the crowds wanted to redefine him, he knew to walk away, to get alone again with His Father.

On April 3, 1968 – the day before he was assassinated – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke at the Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee. In the face of threats on his life, King preached support of striking sanitation workers. He said, “Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!”

How does a Christian chart the way in the middle of a crisis – when the heat is one – when the crowd wants you to sell out? Where does that internal GPS come from? Where do you get a vision that will withstand the pressure of the crowd?

You have to spend time on the mountain. You have to walk alone . . . up the mountain. Sometimes you have go back up the mountain . . . again. You have to get back in intimate communion with your Father in Heaven. You won’t find that vision -- that purposeful resolve that will withstand the crowd -- in a book . . . or on a DVD . . . or in a class.

No professor can write that on your heart. No committee can vote it into your being. Your therapist can’t give it to you. Your personal trainer can’t give it to you. Your retirement portfolio can’t give it to you. Your GPS can’t show you where to get it. Fr. Howard can’t give it to you. The bishop can’t give it to you. Momma can’t give it to you. Daddy can’t give it to you. Your boyfriend can’t tell you what it is. You won’t get that even from your best friend.

That can only come from God. God wants to give you a vision for your life that will withstand all the pressure the crowd can throw at you. God wants to write that vision on your heart so deeply that no one . . . can ever . . . take it away from you.