August 23, 2014

Just Trust Jesus!

11th Sunday after Pentecost, 8/24/14
Matthew 14:13-21


Just Trust Jesus!
I. Because he knows what you need
II. Because he provides what you need


A few years ago I needed the services of a plumber and the one I had used for years was now retired. I have a friend who works for a local plumbing supplier so I called him and asked him for the name of a good plumber. He told me, “Call Jerry of JTJ Plumbing.” And then he gave me Jerry’s cell phone number. So I called Jerry and he said he could take care of my plumbing problem the next day.

Right on time the next day Jerry was at my front door. After shaking my hand, he gave me his business card. While Jerry went to work fixing my problem, I took a close look at his business card. For some reason I expected the “J” in JTJ Plumbing to stand for Jerry, but his last name didn’t begin with a “J.” So what was the significance of the JTJ? I looked closely at the logo on his business card and there was my answer. JTJ stood for “Just Trust Jesus.” Just Trust Jesus Plumbing.

I suppose we could debate whether using the name of Jesus in your business’ name is appropriate and advisable. It does make a fine statement of your Christian faith. But it could become a little silly if the idea caught on among Christians. Imagine having a JTJ Attorneys at Law, JTJ Medical Group, JTJ Lumber, JTJ Chevy Dealer, JTJ Dry Cleaners and others all in the same town.

But truer words were never spoken. Just trust Jesus. As hard as we might try, none of us as sinners has always been trustworthy. There have been times in our lives—countless times in fact—when we have failed. We’ve let someone down. Or, we didn’t have the ability to do it.

But that never happened with Jesus. In fact, he even perfectly carried out the greatest work in the world’s history—the work of salvation.

And the account before us this morning—the familiar account of Jesus feeding the 5,000—is another event in his life which pleads for us to trust him in every aspect of our lives. Just trust Jesus. As people who do trust Jesus, it’s my prayer that your trust in him grows this morning as you focus on this portion of his word.

Part I.

I’m sure you’ve experienced what I call the customer service nightmare. You’ve spent time looking on a company’s website for the part that you need for a particular item. But it’s been a colossal waste of time. You can’t find what you need. So you call the toll free number and things go from bad to worse. You can only understand every fifth word that the customer service rep says. You can’t get them to understand your model number. They ask questions that you don’t understand. And you end the conversation by saying loudly, “Just forget it! Bye!” Frustrating, isn’t it?

If Jesus had been that customer representative, he would have known exactly what you needed before you even called him.

Take a closer look at our text. It begins with the words, “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.” What had happened? Matthew doesn’t tell us explicitly, but the previous event was King Herod’s murder of John the Baptist. Think about that. A Roman government official, at the urging of his illegitimate wife, had done something violent and heinous against the kingdom of God. It had to affect Jesus deeply. So he went to a solitary place with his disciples. You see, Jesus also knew what lay ahead. Bible scholars call this the beginning of the withdrawal of Jesus’ ministry. His season of popularity was nearly over. He knew that within days the masses of the people would reject him because he wouldn’t be their bread king. He wouldn’t lead them against the Romans. He refused to be their earthly king.

But he also knew what the people needed. Imagine Jesus traveling by boat to be by himself for prayer and meditation and as he looks at the shore, he sees thousands of people making their way around the Sea of Galilee so that they can catch up to him. But he didn’t drop anchor in the middle of the lake in order to avoid them. No, he knew what they needed.

The eyewitness Matthew writes, “He had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’” He had compassion on them because he knew exactly what they needed. Among the thousands were those who were sick and needed healing. If medical care was available to these people, they had been told either, “I can’t help you” or “I don’t know what the problem is.” But Jesus knew and Jesus could help and he did.

But he knew that all of these people had a deadly spiritual malady—the disease of sin. And the only solution to it was Jesus, their Savior. We only get a brief word or two from Matthew about the passage of time that day, but it’s apparent that Jesus spent a good part of that day with them. Doing what? In addition to healing them physically, he also healed them spiritually with his word. The Bread of Life fed their hungry souls. He knew exactly what comfort and encouragement they needed.

But he also knew they needed food. It almost sounds from Matthew’s account that the topic of food for the people didn’t arise until the evening. But this account is found in all four gospels. As we put those accounts together, it’s apparent that Jesus and his disciples discussed the matter of feeding the crowd earlier that day. Jesus wanted his disciples to know that he knew what the people needed. He wanted his disciples to trust him.

He wants you to do the same. Just trust Jesus because he knows what you need.

When you call on Jesus in prayer for his help, do you realize you’re not telling him anything he doesn’t already know? Rather than frustrating you, that truth ought to comfort you. He knows exactly what you need even before you know it. He knows you need financial help. He knows you need healing. He knows you need relief. He knows you need employment or family help. In fact, he knows perfectly how it’s all going to turn out for you. So why do we worry, get frustrated, despair? Because we’re sinners struggling with a sinful nature that just won’t trust Jesus. Look, Jesus knew how much we needed him to be our Savior, to be our holy substitute in obeying every aspect of God’s will and to be our substitute on Calvary’s cross. So he made that his mission—to be your Savior. Just trust Jesus.

II.

How many times have you heard the words, “I’m sorry. I can’t help you”? It’s bad enough when the customer service rep says those words to you. But when it’s your banker, your employer, the medical specialist, those words can be crushing.

Jesus said many things while he was on this earth. But he never said, “I’m sorry. I can’t help you.” In fact, too often Jesus wanted to help the people in his life, but they didn’t want it.

Jesus perfectly knew what people needed and he perfectly provided it. We see that happening in several ways in our text. First and foremost, he provided for their spiritual needs. He spent the better part of this day speaking to a crowd of thousands of people. No doubt he shared with them the most important truth they needed to know—that their forgiveness and salvation were found in him, and in him alone. He assured them that life with the Father came through him.

But he also provided for them physically. Thousands watched as Jesus performed one miracle of healing after another. They were cured—young and old alike. And at the end of the day, when the disciples had failed in their efforts to find enough food for this crowd, when food couldn’t be purchased nearby, when the only food to be had was five loaves of bread and two fish—but what’s that among so many people?—Jesus provided. He had the people sit down in an orderly fashion so that there would be no pushing and shoving. Then he spoke a blessing and distributed the food to the disciples. They in turn distributed the food to the people. And as they did so, the bread and fish multiplied.

It multiplied so much that there were twelve baskets of leftovers. You see, he doesn’t simply provide what you need. He provides more than you need. He often provides in abundance.

Just trust Jesus because he provides what you need.

Look back on your life and consider how Jesus has always met your needs. Perhaps he filled a need immediately when someone helped you unexpectedly. Perhaps he allowed a need to linger so that during that time you would hold onto him in faith more firmly. Perhaps he knew that what you think you need wouldn’t be good for you in the long run. But he always provides what we need the most and he does in abundance. Our greatest need is forgiveness for our sins and Jesus gives that to us daily, fully, completely. He guarantees us life with him in heaven. He promises to be with us always. Indeed, we must admit that he provides for our needs abundantly! So just trust Jesus. Let go of the anxiety and stress. Take your cares and concerns to him and let him have them. Tell your Savior, “I know that you always do what’s best for me. I know that because that’s what your death on the cross was all about. There you provided for my greatest need.” So, what else do you need him to do for you? JTJ. Just trust Jesus. Amen.