This is a most unusual sermon. All it consists of is ten questions and a short conclusion. The "life" of the sermon depends entirely on the congregation. If the folks don't speak up, the sermon will fall flat on its face. Thankfully, I have never had that experience. On the contrary, once the congregation catches on to the fact that I'm 100% serious, and that practically the whole sermon will be in conversational format, and, most importantly, that no answers will be considered wrong or corrected from the pulpit (I'm asking them, after all, what they think; how, then, could there be a 'wrong answer"?), they really get into it! And after we've worked through these ten questions together, the conclusion has always proven to be deeply meaningful and effective.
(Read Matthew 14: 1-21)
Questions:
1. Why did Herod fear Jesus?
2. What did Herod have against John?
3. Why did Herod throw a birthday party?
4. Why did Herod make his promise to the girl?
5. Why did Herod do what he didn’t want to do?
6. Why did Jesus go to a lonely place?
7. Why did Jesus minister to the people?
8. Why did Jesus tell the disciples to feed the people?
9. Why did Jesus perform the miracle?
10. Why did Jesus have his disciples give the people the food?
Conclusion: In this passage we see two feasts – so different from each other. One was planned, the other unplanned. We can call one a feast of pride, the other a feast of humility. Who was invited to the first feast? A few people. The rich and powerful. Why did they come? Out of their desire for social status. No invitations were sent for the second feast. But many came. Who came? The poor, the suffering, the weary and seeking. At the first feast, the king was served. At the second feast, the king served. The first feast was ostensibly a celebration of life, but look how it ended: in death. The second feast began with grief over death, but it ended with life-giving abundance for all. At the first feast, the king said, “I will give you anything you want”, but the fruit of his promise was death. At the second feast, the king made no such promise. Quite to the contrary, he said, “Bring me everything you have”, and from that little bit, he produced blessing for many. At the first feast, the king was motivated by fear and pride. He fulfilled a foolish promise to protect his honor. At the second feast, the king acted only for the glory of his heavenly Father.
To this very day, we can observe these two feasts taking place, in principle, all around us in this world. One is the feast of the world, and the host is the devil. Like Herod, he says, “Ask me, and I’ll give you anything you want”, but the end of his promise is tragedy. The other is the feast of the God’s kingdom, and Christ is the host. He makes no empty, flattering promises. Rather, he says, “Give me everything you have and everything you are.” If we do so, he transforms it into joy. To sit at the feast table of Christ means to have life and with abundance.
So let us consider seriously, every day, what table we are sitting at and whose promises we are listening to. At one table, there is only disappointment and loss; at the other table there is overflowing grace.
“And they all ate and were satisfied.” Such is the will of God for his children. So it has always been and so it will always be. May our souls be satisfied at the table of the King, Jesus Christ, and never desire any other food but the Bread of Life.
