In the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus shows us an example of the reign of Christ in action. God pours abundance on us freely. We’re invited to join in that abundant sharing.
Erik C. Nelson
2 August 2026
Texts: Isaiah 55:1-5; Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:13-21
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Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Today’s gospel reading is one of my favorites because in this short story, we see Jesus in one of his most human moments, that then moves into one of the most brilliant revelations of his divine power and the nature of God.
This first verse starts out, “Now when Jesus heard about the beheading of John the Baptist, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself.”
This story starts out as one of the worst days of his life. His cousin is killed, so of course he wants to be on his own, to have time by himself, to feel the grief and work through the pain. He shows us that it’s okay to step away and feel what we’re feeling.
But that doesn’t last for long. Even as he goes off to a deserted place, the crowds find him and follow him. And it’s so beautiful that the next verse says, “he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them…”
He didn’t rebuke them and send them away, but instead he saw an opportunity. His cousin John came to proclaim that the kingdom of God is close at hand. And this crowd came to give Jesus a chance to show us that reality.
This crowd reminds Jesus, reminds us, that the kingdom of God, the reign of Christ, isn’t just some faraway thing, it isn’t just a utopian vision of the afterlife.
The reign of Christ comes to us now. It’s all around us. We can’t get away.
The people come to him seeking his love and compassion, and he gives it freely. He heals their sick, and when they become hungry, he feeds them from the abundance that can be found in five loaves and two fish.
He feeds them, and there is more than enough for everyone. By the end, there are still 12 baskets full of leftovers.
Some preachers explain this by saying that maybe each person was inspired by the generosity of others that they shared what little they had, and all together, their abundance overflowed.
I would lean more into the miracle of it all, with Jesus channeling his divine power to pour out abundance for them, for us.
I don’t think how it happened matters as much as the fact that it did happen. A hungry crowd gathered, and in the end they all left full and satisfied.
In the Gospel of Matthew, this story comes in the chapter right after the parables we’ve been hearing this summer. Jesus had been teaching the crowds, teaching us, about the reign of Christ, and this is him putting all into action.
This is him making it a concrete reality. Making it something we can see and taste and touch.
Last week, we heard Jesus say that the reign of Christ is like a mustard seed that grows into a great tree, with room for all the birds. In the reign of Christ, abundance grows out of the tiniest things.
And this abundance isn’t just about numbers. The tree isn’t big just to be big. The tree is big to provide a home for the birds. To become a place of safety and shelter.
It is impressive that Jesus fed 5,000 men plus women and children, which altogether is like 15,000 or 20,000 people. But it’s not just about the incredible numbers. And it’s not about just each individual being fed, though each individual is part of it.
It’s about all of us together, in family, in communion, in community. Every piece matters, as a part of the whole. In the mustard tree, there is a place for every bird, every squirrel, every insect.
In the family of God, in the reign of Christ, there is a place for each and every one of us. Because what Jesus is teaching us here is that it’s not about each of us on our own, getting whatever we want or everything we think we deserve.
It’s about something even bigger than that. That huge crowd, they’re all fed. Without any limits; without the disciples, or even Jesus, deciding who deserves it and who doesn’t.
Everybody gets food because Jesus knows that we all do better when we all do better. When we all have enough. When we recognize that together, there is more than enough to go around. God has provided more than we could ever need. And God continues to provide.
When we see that we have abundance together, we can stop holding on so tightly. We can loosen our grip. We can let go of our own little empires, our own little fiercely guarded, carefully curated corners of the world.
We can reject the messages of the world that say that you are defined by your work, by your career accomplishments, by your wealth, your marital status or the size of your family. We can reject any message that says you are defined by anything other than God’s love for you.
The reign of Christ is a reign of abundance, where God freely pours out love and grace and compassion on all of us, without asking beforehand if we deserve it, or if we can afford it.
Jesus is almighty, all-powerful God, and he is also our dear friend. He grieves for his cousin John. He has compassion on this crowd. He stretches his arms wide on the cross to show that his loving embrace is wide enough for the whole world.
God just gives and gives and gives, freely, without a price, without counting the cost.
Toward the beginning of this encounter, the disciples tell Jesus to send the crowd away. There’s not enough food for them, so they should go find it for themselves.
But Jesus, as he often does, refuses to send his family away. He already knows that he will provide for them.
He knows that in the kingdom of God, there are no outsiders. When Jesus looks at the crowd, it’s with compassion. When he looks at us, he sees his beloved family. He heals us. He cures our sickness. And he offers himself to us, the bread of life that always satisfies.
He invites us to come to him always, knowing that there will always be more than enough for all of us. And once we’ve eaten and received our fill, he sends us out to share God’s abundance with the whole world.
Thanks be to God.
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In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
