Gayle C. Felton - "Feeding the Hungry Crowd" (July 28, 1991)
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Transcript
Transcripts may contain inaccuracies.
(organ hymn music) | 0:00 | |
(organ hymn music resumes) | 0:26 | |
- | Good morning and welcome to this service of worship | 5:41 |
in Duke University Chapel, we are particularly | 5:44 | |
delighted to have those of you | 5:47 | |
who are visitors who may be at summer conferences at Duke | 5:49 | |
or passing through town, | 5:53 | |
I'm delighted to be back in the chapel | 5:55 | |
after two months' absence | 5:56 | |
and today gives me an opportunity | 5:58 | |
to welcome the newest member of the chapel staff. | 6:00 | |
Our new assistant Dean of the Chapel | 6:04 | |
and Director of Religious Life, | 6:07 | |
the Reverend Debra Brazzel, | 6:10 | |
Ms. Brazzel comes to us from | 6:12 | |
a ministry in Dallas, Texas. | 6:15 | |
She joined our staff at the beginning of the summer | 6:18 | |
and has already endeared herself | 6:22 | |
to many in our community, | 6:24 | |
and we're delighted to have you with us | 6:27 | |
here at Duke Chapel. | 6:29 | |
- | Thank you. | 6:30 |
- | Debra. | 6:30 |
- | It's been a pleasure to be here, | 6:31 |
and I want to extend my heartiest feelings | 6:32 | |
of appreciation for the warm welcome | 6:36 | |
that has been shown to myself and my husband. | 6:39 | |
It's been a pleasure for us to be here, | 6:42 | |
and we're looking forward to serving in Duke Chapel. | 6:44 | |
- | We also welcome | 6:48 |
as our guest preacher today, | 6:50 | |
Dr. Gayle Felton, | 6:51 | |
She's Assistant Professor of Christian Nurture | 6:53 | |
at Duke Divinity School, | 6:56 | |
she's had a distinguished career | 6:58 | |
in undergraduate and in seminary education, | 7:00 | |
gifted preacher, and we're delighted | 7:04 | |
to have her bring the message to us today. | 7:06 | |
Now let us stand for the greeting. | 7:10 | |
Be glad in God and rejoice, oh righteous, | 7:17 | |
shout for joy, all upright of heart. | 7:19 | |
Congregation | God has called us by name | 7:23 |
and poured out His blessing upon us. | 7:25 | |
- | God has multiplied our resources | 7:29 |
and blessed us with food for body and soul. | 7:31 | |
- | Rest-- | 7:35 |
(indistinguishable audio) | 7:36 | |
- | God grants us power to comprehend | 7:41 |
love's breadth and length, its heights and depths. | 7:43 | |
(congregation responds indistinctly) | 7:47 | |
(organ music plays, "All Creatures of Our God and King") | 7:55 | |
♪ All creatures of our God and King ♪ | 8:44 | |
♪ Lift up your voice and with us sing ♪ | 8:50 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 8:56 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 8:59 | |
♪ O brother sun with golden beam ♪ | 9:04 | |
♪ O sister moon with silver gleam ♪ | 9:10 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 9:16 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 9:18 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 9:22 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 9:25 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 9:28 | |
♪ O brother wind, air, clouds, and rain ♪ | 9:36 | |
♪ By which all creatures ye sustain ♪ | 9:43 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 9:49 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 9:52 | |
♪ Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice ♪ | 9:57 | |
♪ Ye lights of evening, find a voice ♪ | 10:03 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 10:09 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 10:12 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 10:15 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 10:18 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 10:21 | |
♪ O sister water, flowing clear ♪ | 10:30 | |
♪ Make music for thy Lord to hear ♪ | 10:36 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 10:42 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 10:45 | |
♪ O brother fire who lights the night ♪ | 10:50 | |
♪ Providing warmth, enhancing sight ♪ | 10:56 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 11:02 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 11:05 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 11:08 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 11:11 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 11:14 | |
♪ Dear mother earth, who day by day ♪ | 11:23 | |
♪ Unfoldest blessings on our way ♪ | 11:30 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 11:36 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 11:39 | |
♪ The flowers and fruits that in thee grow ♪ | 11:43 | |
♪ Let them God's glory also show ♪ | 11:50 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 11:56 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 11:59 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 12:02 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 12:06 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 12:09 | |
♪ All ye who are of tender heart ♪ | 12:27 | |
♪ Forgiving others, take your part ♪ | 12:34 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 12:40 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 12:43 | |
♪ Ye who long pain and sorrow bear ♪ | 12:48 | |
♪ Praise God and on him cast your care ♪ | 12:54 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 13:00 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 13:03 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 13:06 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 13:09 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 13:13 | |
♪ And thou, our sister, gentle death ♪ | 13:21 | |
♪ Waiting to hush our latest breath ♪ | 13:28 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 13:34 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 13:38 | |
♪ Thou leadest home the child of God ♪ | 13:42 | |
♪ And Christ our Lord the way has trod ♪ | 13:48 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 13:55 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 13:58 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 14:01 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 14:04 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 14:08 | |
♪ Let all things their Creator bless ♪ | 14:36 | |
♪ And worship Him in humbleness ♪ | 14:43 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 14:49 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 14:52 | |
♪ Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son ♪ | 14:57 | |
♪ And praise the Spirit, Three in One ♪ | 15:04 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 15:10 | |
♪ O praise ye! ♪ | 15:13 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 15:17 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 15:20 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 15:23 | |
- | Let us pray. | 15:40 |
Great God, whose glory is beyond the reach | 15:43 | |
of our imagination, | 15:46 | |
And whose response to us | 15:49 | |
is more generous than we can ask or think, | 15:51 | |
deliver us from the limitations | 15:55 | |
we impose on our own humanity. | 15:57 | |
Your hand is heavy on us in our deceits. | 16:01 | |
You call us from our hiding places | 16:06 | |
to find forgiveness, refuge, and strength in you. | 16:09 | |
You summon us from our self-interest | 16:15 | |
to share what we have. | 16:18 | |
That all your people may eat. | 16:21 | |
Help us to hear you in this hour, | 16:25 | |
that we may respond every day to your will. | 16:28 | |
Amen. | 16:31 | |
You may be seated. | 16:33 | |
- | Let us pray. | 16:47 |
(congregation reads along) Prepare our hearts, oh God, | 16:49 | |
to accept your Word. | 16:52 | |
Silence in us any voice but your own, | 16:54 | |
that hearing, we may also obey your will. | 16:58 | |
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, | 17:02 | |
Amen. | 17:05 | |
The first reading is taken from the second book of Samuel. | 17:09 | |
But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord. | 17:13 | |
And the Lord sent Nathan to David. | 17:16 | |
He came to him and said to him, | 17:20 | |
there were two men in a certain city, | 17:23 | |
the one rich, and the other poor. | 17:26 | |
The rich man had very many flocks and herds. | 17:30 | |
But the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, | 17:33 | |
which he had bought. | 17:37 | |
He brought it up, | 17:39 | |
and it grew up with him and with his children. | 17:41 | |
It used to eat of his meager fare | 17:44 | |
and drink from his cup | 17:47 | |
and lie in his bosom | 17:48 | |
and it was like a daughter to him. | 17:50 | |
Now there came a traveler to the rich man, | 17:54 | |
and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd | 17:57 | |
to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him. | 18:01 | |
But he took the poor man's lamb | 18:05 | |
and prepared that for the guest who had come to him. | 18:08 | |
Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. | 18:13 | |
He said to Nathan, | 18:17 | |
as the Lord lives, the man who has done this | 18:18 | |
deserves to die. | 18:22 | |
He shall restore the lamb four-fold, | 18:25 | |
because he did this thing | 18:27 | |
and because he had no pity. | 18:29 | |
Nathan said to David, | 18:33 | |
you are the man. | 18:34 | |
Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel. | 18:37 | |
I anointed you King over Israel. | 18:40 | |
And I rescued you from the hand of Saul. | 18:43 | |
I gave you your master's house | 18:46 | |
and your master's wives into your bosom, | 18:49 | |
and gave you the house of Israel | 18:51 | |
and of Judah. | 18:53 | |
If that had been too little, | 18:56 | |
I would have added as much more. | 18:58 | |
Why have you despised the Word of the Lord | 19:01 | |
to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord? | 19:04 | |
You have struck down | 19:07 | |
Uriah the Hittite with the sword. | 19:10 | |
And has taken his wife to be your wife. | 19:13 | |
And have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. | 19:17 | |
Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house | 19:21 | |
for you have despised me | 19:26 | |
and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite | 19:29 | |
to be your wife. | 19:32 | |
Thus says the Lord. | 19:35 | |
I will raise up trouble against you | 19:36 | |
from within your own house | 19:39 | |
and I will take your wives before your eyes | 19:41 | |
and give them to your neighbor. | 19:44 | |
And he shall lie with your wives | 19:47 | |
in the sight of this very sun. | 19:49 | |
For you did it secretly, | 19:52 | |
but I will do this thing before all of Israel | 19:54 | |
and before the sun. | 19:57 | |
David said to Nathan, | 20:00 | |
I have sinned against the Lord. | 20:01 | |
Nathan said to David, | 20:04 | |
now the Lord has put away your sin. | 20:06 | |
You shall not die. | 20:09 | |
Nevertheless, because by this deed | 20:11 | |
you have utterly scorned the Lord, | 20:14 | |
the child that is born to you shall die. | 20:17 | |
This is the Word of the Lord. | 20:20 | |
(congregation responds) | 20:23 | |
- | The appointed Psalter for today is Psalm 32, | 20:39 |
found on page 766 in the hymnal. | 20:42 | |
Please stand as we sing responsively. | 20:45 | |
(organ music plays) | 20:49 | |
♪ Blessed are the those ♪ | 20:55 | |
♪ Whose transgression is forgiven ♪ | 20:56 | |
♪ Whose sin is covered ♪ | 21:00 | |
♪ Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity ♪ | 21:04 | |
♪ And in whose spirit there is no deceit. ♪ | 21:09 | |
♪ When I did not declare my sin ♪ | 21:16 | |
♪ My body wasted away ♪ | 21:19 | |
♪ Through my groaning all day long ♪ | 21:22 | |
♪ For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me ♪ | 21:27 | |
♪ My strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. ♪ | 21:33 | |
♪ I acknowledge my sin to you ♪ | 21:40 | |
♪ And I did not hide my iniquity ♪ | 21:43 | |
♪ I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord ♪ | 21:49 | |
♪ Then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin ♪ | 21:55 | |
♪ Therefore let those who are Godly offer prayer to you ♪ | 22:01 | |
♪ At a time of distress in the rush of great waters ♪ | 22:06 | |
♪ They shall not reach him. ♪ | 22:10 | |
♪ You are a hiding place for me ♪ | 22:14 | |
♪ You preserve me from trouble ♪ | 22:17 | |
♪ You encompass me with deliverance ♪ | 22:20 | |
♪ I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go ♪ | 22:25 | |
♪ I will counsel you with my eye upon you ♪ | 22:31 | |
♪ Do not be like an unruly horse or mule ♪ | 22:38 | |
♪ Without understanding ♪ | 22:42 | |
♪ Whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle ♪ | 22:45 | |
♪ Many are the pangs of the wicked ♪ | 22:50 | |
♪ But steadfast love surrounds him who trusts in the Lord ♪ | 22:54 | |
♪ Be glad in the Lord ♪ | 23:01 | |
♪ And rejoice all righteous ♪ | 23:03 | |
♪ And shout for joy all you upright in heart ♪ | 23:06 | |
♪ O glory be to you, oh God ♪ | 23:13 | |
♪ And to Jesus Christ our Savior ♪ | 23:16 | |
♪ And to the Holy Spirit ♪ | 23:21 | |
♪ As it was since time began ♪ | 23:26 | |
♪ Is now and ever shall be ♪ | 23:29 | |
This reading is from Paul's letter to the Ephesians. | 23:48 | |
For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father | 23:52 | |
from whom every family in Heaven | 23:56 | |
and on Earth takes its name. | 23:58 | |
I pray that according to the riches of His Glory, | 24:01 | |
He may grant that you may be strengthened | 24:05 | |
in your inner being with power through His Spirit | 24:07 | |
and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. | 24:11 | |
As you are being rooted and grounded in love. | 24:16 | |
I pray that you may have the power to comprehend | 24:20 | |
with all the saints what is the breadth and length | 24:23 | |
and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ | 24:27 | |
that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled | 24:31 | |
with all the fullness of God. | 24:34 | |
Now to Him who by the power at work within us | 24:37 | |
is able to accomplish abundantly | 24:40 | |
far more than all we can ask or imagine. | 24:43 | |
To him, the glory and the church, | 24:47 | |
and in Christ Jesus to all generations | 24:49 | |
forever and ever, Amen. | 24:52 | |
This is the Word of the Lord. | 24:56 | |
Congregation | Thanks be to God. | 24:58 |
(organ choral hymn music-"Thou Wilt Keep Him") | 25:01 | |
♪ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace ♪ | 25:33 | |
♪ Whose mind is stayed on thee ♪ | 25:44 | |
♪ The darkness is no darkness with thee ♪ | 25:57 | |
♪ But the night is as clear as the day ♪ | 26:09 | |
♪ The darkness and the light to thee are both alike ♪ | 26:20 | |
♪ God is light and with him is no darkness at all ♪ | 26:55 | |
♪ Oh let my soul live, and it shall praise thee ♪ | 27:23 | |
♪ For thine is the kingdom, the power ♪ | 27:36 | |
♪ And the glory, for evermore ♪ | 27:44 | |
- | The Gospel lesson this morning | 29:17 |
from the sixth chapter of John | 29:19 | |
is the familiar story of Jesus feeding the multitude. | 29:22 | |
Interestingly, this account | 29:28 | |
is the only incident in the public ministry of Jesus | 29:31 | |
where a miracle is told by all four of the Gospel writers. | 29:36 | |
And indeed, in Matthew and in Mark, | 29:43 | |
this miracle is told twice. | 29:46 | |
So apparently it was in the minds | 29:50 | |
of Jesus's earliest followers, | 29:52 | |
a most significant occasion. | 29:55 | |
Fraught with meaning far beyond physical hunger. | 29:58 | |
I invite you to stand as I read | 30:04 | |
our Gospel lesson. | 30:07 | |
After this, Jesus went to the other side | 30:14 | |
of the Sea of Galilee, | 30:18 | |
which is also called the Sea of Tiberius. | 30:20 | |
A large crowd kept following Him | 30:24 | |
because they saw the signs that He was doing for the sick. | 30:27 | |
Jesus went up the mountain | 30:34 | |
and sat down there with His disciples. | 30:36 | |
Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. | 30:40 | |
When He looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, | 30:47 | |
Jesus said to Philip, | 30:53 | |
Where are we to buy bread | 30:56 | |
for these people to eat? | 30:59 | |
This He said to test Philip | 31:03 | |
for He Himself knew what he was going to do. | 31:06 | |
Philip answered Him, six months wages would not be enough | 31:11 | |
to buy bread, such for each of them to get a little. | 31:15 | |
One of His disciples, Andrew, | 31:21 | |
Simon Peter's brother, | 31:24 | |
said to Him, | 31:26 | |
there is a boy here | 31:28 | |
who has five barley loaves and two fish. | 31:30 | |
But what are they | 31:35 | |
among so many people? | 31:36 | |
Jesus said, make the people sit down. | 31:40 | |
Now there was a great deal of grass in the place, | 31:44 | |
so they all sat down about five thousand in all. | 31:48 | |
Then Jesus took the loaves, | 31:53 | |
and when He had given thanks, | 31:56 | |
He distributed them to those who receded, | 31:59 | |
so also the fish, | 32:03 | |
as much as they wanted. | 32:05 | |
And when they were all satisfied, | 32:09 | |
He told his disciples, gather up the fragments | 32:12 | |
which are left over, | 32:17 | |
so that nothing may be lost. | 32:19 | |
So they gathered them up, | 32:23 | |
and from the fragments of the five barley loaves | 32:25 | |
left from those who had eaten, | 32:28 | |
they filled 12 baskets. | 32:31 | |
When the people saw the sign that He had done, | 32:35 | |
they began to say, | 32:38 | |
this is indeed the prophet | 32:41 | |
who has come into the world. | 32:43 | |
When Jesus realized that they were about | 32:47 | |
to come and take Him by force | 32:49 | |
to make Him king, | 32:52 | |
He withdrew again to the mountain by Himself. | 32:54 | |
This is the Word of the Lord. | 32:59 | |
(congregation responds) | 33:03 | |
Please be seated. | 33:05 | |
It was late, | 33:20 | |
late in the afternoon of a long, tiring day. | 33:23 | |
Perhaps the heat | 33:30 | |
had been as oppressive there | 33:32 | |
as it has been here in Durham for the past few weeks. | 33:35 | |
The crowd had walked for miles, | 33:40 | |
pursuing Jesus around the side of the lake. | 33:45 | |
They had been so fascinated | 33:52 | |
by His healing of the sick | 33:56 | |
and so captivated by the message that He proclaimed, | 33:59 | |
that they had forgotten the time. | 34:04 | |
Morning had melted into afternoon into twilight. | 34:08 | |
And then gradually, as nightfall approached, | 34:14 | |
children in the crowd began to whimper | 34:20 | |
and men and women became aware for the first time in the day | 34:25 | |
of their weariness | 34:31 | |
and of their hunger. | 34:34 | |
Jesus turned to Philip | 34:39 | |
whose hometown was in that part of the country, | 34:42 | |
and inquired of Philip as to how the need | 34:46 | |
of these people for bread might be met. | 34:50 | |
Jesus, you see, | 34:56 | |
was concerned about feeding | 34:59 | |
the hungry crowd. | 35:03 | |
Philip was dismayed. | 35:07 | |
Perhaps I think Philip was even a bit irritated. | 35:11 | |
Jesus was not always practical-minded enough to suit Philip. | 35:17 | |
And is there a touch of irritation | 35:23 | |
in Philip's reply? | 35:27 | |
Why, Lord, six months' wages | 35:30 | |
would not be enough to purchase bread, | 35:33 | |
even bread enough for this multitude | 35:37 | |
to have a few mouthfuls apiece. | 35:39 | |
There simply is nothing that we can do. | 35:42 | |
But Philip, | 35:49 | |
like ourselves, perhaps, | 35:52 | |
Philip does not realize, | 35:55 | |
he does not really, really realize | 35:58 | |
to whom it is he is speaking. | 36:02 | |
Jesus is intent | 36:07 | |
upon feeding the hungry crowd. | 36:11 | |
Jesus, indeed, has recognized the need of these people, | 36:18 | |
even before they have become aware of it themselves. | 36:24 | |
As the day is drawing to a close, | 36:30 | |
we can imagine that the Lord is thinking | 36:33 | |
about the hunger | 36:36 | |
that will begin to gnaw at these people's stomachs | 36:38 | |
as it begins to be clear to them | 36:43 | |
that they have spent all day without eating. | 36:45 | |
Jesus knows | 36:50 | |
for what we are hungering. | 36:52 | |
Even when we do not know it ourselves. | 36:56 | |
Like these ancient Galileans, | 37:03 | |
who had pursued Jesus around the sea, | 37:08 | |
our hungers are often more | 37:13 | |
than physical. | 37:18 | |
As middle-class Americans, | 37:22 | |
we very infrequently suffer | 37:25 | |
the pain of real, physical hunger. | 37:30 | |
And Jesus is concerned | 37:35 | |
about meeting that physical need. | 37:38 | |
But for us, | 37:42 | |
in our privileged situation, | 37:45 | |
perhaps it is more relevant to recognize | 37:48 | |
that the hunger of these ancient people | 37:52 | |
like ours | 37:55 | |
was also deeply internal | 37:58 | |
and spiritual. | 38:01 | |
The bread and the fish that Jesus will give to them | 38:05 | |
satisfied more than their appetite for food. | 38:10 | |
It met the deeper cravings of their spirit, | 38:15 | |
because it was distributed to them by Christ. | 38:20 | |
The crowds of people that we know, | 38:28 | |
the crowds of which we are part | 38:33 | |
are also hungry, | 38:38 | |
hungry for more than physical food. | 38:42 | |
There is around us, | 38:48 | |
and within us | 38:51 | |
so much restlessness. | 38:54 | |
So little sense of purpose, | 38:59 | |
such a dearth of meaning. | 39:04 | |
So much boredom. | 39:08 | |
So little real joy. | 39:12 | |
We seek to escape | 39:18 | |
the pain of living, | 39:20 | |
to deny the fear of dying. | 39:24 | |
But within ourselves, | 39:29 | |
we can succeed in neither. | 39:32 | |
Writing more than a century ago, | 39:38 | |
the American author Henry David Thoreau | 39:43 | |
asserted his opinion | 39:48 | |
that the majority of people, | 39:50 | |
the majority, | 39:54 | |
lead lives of quiet desperation. | 39:57 | |
Just getting through, | 40:04 | |
day by dragging day. | 40:07 | |
With little meaning | 40:11 | |
and little significance | 40:14 | |
and no joy. | 40:16 | |
Our desperation today | 40:20 | |
may not always be so quiet | 40:22 | |
as might have been typical in the 19th century. | 40:25 | |
But it is certainly | 40:29 | |
no less profound. | 40:31 | |
The southern writer, Flannery O'Connor, | 40:38 | |
is one of my favorites. | 40:42 | |
And in her strange and disturbing stories, | 40:45 | |
she wrote symbolically about the deepest needs | 40:50 | |
of human beings. | 40:55 | |
In one of O'Connor's short novels, | 40:58 | |
entitled, The Violent Bear it Away, | 41:02 | |
she describes an old man | 41:08 | |
who was a prophet. | 41:11 | |
This old man lived out in the back woods, | 41:14 | |
he refused to have anything to do with his family. | 41:18 | |
He would come into town occasionally | 41:23 | |
and march the streets proclaiming judgment | 41:26 | |
and thundering condemnation | 41:29 | |
upon the wickedness of the world. | 41:31 | |
With the old man | 41:36 | |
lived his great nephew, | 41:39 | |
a 14 year old boy named Tarwater. | 41:42 | |
Tarwater had more or less been kidnapped | 41:49 | |
by the old man | 41:54 | |
and taken away from the rest of the family | 41:56 | |
out into the backwoods | 42:00 | |
to be prepared for continuing the work of prophecy. | 42:03 | |
For inheriting the mantle | 42:08 | |
when the old prophet himself passed on. | 42:11 | |
And sure enough, | 42:16 | |
one morning, the old man sat down at the breakfast table, | 42:19 | |
had a massive heart attack, | 42:24 | |
and right in front of Tarwater's eyes, he died. | 42:27 | |
The boy went to find his only other living relative, | 42:35 | |
an uncle named Rayber | 42:41 | |
who lived in town | 42:45 | |
and was a schoolteacher there. | 42:47 | |
Rayber was at first pleased to see his nephew. | 42:52 | |
He was glad to have him come and live with him | 42:57 | |
and took it upon himself to civilize the boy | 43:00 | |
and to try to cleanse him | 43:05 | |
of the contaminating influences | 43:09 | |
of the mad prophet great uncle. | 43:11 | |
But after only a few days, | 43:15 | |
the problems between the two | 43:18 | |
become painfully apparent. | 43:21 | |
Tarwater had been raised in the backwoods. | 43:27 | |
And his taste and habits were very, very different | 43:33 | |
from those of Rayber. | 43:38 | |
Rayber tried to buy the boy new clothes, | 43:42 | |
he refused to wear them. | 43:46 | |
He tried to entertain him, | 43:49 | |
the boy wasn't interested. | 43:52 | |
But their biggest problem, | 43:56 | |
their biggest problem had to do with food. | 43:59 | |
Rayber was accustomed to going out almost every night | 44:04 | |
and eating at some restaurant of his choice, | 44:09 | |
Chinese food one night, Italian food another night. | 44:13 | |
Whatever was available in town. | 44:17 | |
And when he took Tarwater with him | 44:20 | |
to these various restaurants, | 44:23 | |
Tarwater was absolutely appalled. | 44:26 | |
And firmly refused to eat | 44:30 | |
this strange stuff that his uncle insisted really was food. | 44:34 | |
So the problems mount. | 44:41 | |
And one night, Rayber is lying in bed, | 44:44 | |
still awake in the midst of the night, | 44:48 | |
thinking about the situation | 44:51 | |
and what he should do. | 44:53 | |
And he heard Tarwater get up | 44:55 | |
and sneak out of the house | 44:58 | |
very quietly. | 45:01 | |
Rayber jumped up too | 45:04 | |
and followed the boy through | 45:06 | |
the darkened streets of the town, | 45:08 | |
down into the shopping area, | 45:11 | |
where he stayed far enough behind | 45:16 | |
so he could neither be seen nor heard, | 45:18 | |
and watched as Tarwater walked by | 45:22 | |
the various lighted store windows. | 45:25 | |
At last, the boy stopped | 45:30 | |
before a particular store window, | 45:33 | |
and looked into it intently | 45:36 | |
and longingly. | 45:40 | |
As Rayber observed him from the shadows. | 45:43 | |
And O'Connor describes the scene like this. | 45:48 | |
Tarwater's face was strangely lit | 45:54 | |
from the window he was standing before. | 45:58 | |
Rayber watched curiously | 46:03 | |
for a few moments. | 46:05 | |
It looked to him | 46:08 | |
like the face of someone starving. | 46:11 | |
Who sees a meal that he can't quite reach | 46:16 | |
laid out in front of him. | 46:21 | |
At last, something he wants! | 46:25 | |
Rayber thought. | 46:30 | |
And determined that tomorrow he would return | 46:31 | |
and buy whatever it was. | 46:35 | |
Tarwater reached out | 46:40 | |
and touched the glass | 46:43 | |
with his hand. | 46:45 | |
And drew it back slowly. | 46:47 | |
He hung there as if he could not take his eyes | 46:52 | |
off of what it was he wanted. | 46:56 | |
Rayber thought, | 47:01 | |
a pet shop. | 47:03 | |
I'll bet it's a pet shop. | 47:05 | |
Maybe he wants a dog? | 47:08 | |
A dog would make all the difference. | 47:11 | |
Abruptly, the boy broke away | 47:16 | |
and moved on down the street. | 47:19 | |
Rayber stepped out of the entrance | 47:23 | |
and made for the window that he had left. | 47:25 | |
He stopped | 47:31 | |
with a shock of disappointment. | 47:33 | |
The place | 47:38 | |
was only a bakery. | 47:40 | |
And the window was empty. | 47:44 | |
Empty except for one loaf of plain bread | 47:49 | |
that had apparently been pushed aside and forgotten | 47:55 | |
when the shelf was cleared for the night. | 48:00 | |
He stared, puzzled, at the empty window for a second | 48:07 | |
before he started after the boy again. | 48:11 | |
Later on in the story, | 48:19 | |
Flannery O'Connor illumens this incident. | 48:23 | |
When she describes Tarwater | 48:27 | |
as a boy with a bottom split out of his stomach | 48:31 | |
so that nothing could heal or fill it | 48:37 | |
but the bread of life. | 48:43 | |
What other store windows | 48:53 | |
before which we stand | 48:58 | |
entranced? | 49:01 | |
What would it take | 49:06 | |
to heal and fill the split-out bottoms | 49:08 | |
of our stomachs? | 49:14 | |
The Christian answer | 49:19 | |
has always been very simple. | 49:22 | |
It still is. | 49:27 | |
Life apart from God | 49:29 | |
is ultimately unsatisfying. | 49:34 | |
H.G. Wells, who was no Orthodox Christian, | 49:41 | |
spoke himself about a God-shaped blank | 49:47 | |
in the heart of every person | 49:53 | |
an empty space at the very core of our being | 49:56 | |
so intricately shaped | 50:02 | |
that nothing can fill it | 50:06 | |
but the presence of God. | 50:09 | |
The great Christian Saint Augustine | 50:14 | |
put it beautifully in his Confessions. | 50:18 | |
Thou hast created us for thy self, Oh God. | 50:22 | |
And our hearts are restless | 50:28 | |
until they find their rest in thee. | 50:31 | |
Our most profound hungers | 50:38 | |
can be satisfied like those of the ancient Galileans | 50:43 | |
by nothing except the food which God provides us | 50:49 | |
through Jesus Christ. | 50:54 | |
What we crave | 50:58 | |
at the core of our being | 51:00 | |
is a reconciled relationship with the God who loves us | 51:04 | |
and wants to fulfill our needs | 51:10 | |
with the abundance of divine grace. | 51:13 | |
Many of you, I'm sure, | 51:22 | |
are familiar with the series of books | 51:24 | |
by C.S. Lewis, | 51:28 | |
called The Narnia Chronicles. | 51:30 | |
Ostensibly, they're written for children. | 51:35 | |
In all of those books, | 51:40 | |
Lewis has a character named Aslan | 51:42 | |
who is a lion. | 51:47 | |
And this lion is Lewis's symbol | 51:50 | |
for Jesus Christ. | 51:54 | |
In one of the books, | 51:57 | |
entitled The Silver Chair, | 51:59 | |
a little girl named Jill | 52:03 | |
has suddenly been transported by supernatural forces | 52:07 | |
to a strange and mysterious land. | 52:13 | |
She is separated from all her friends, | 52:19 | |
lost, confused, frightened. | 52:23 | |
But Jill's most immediate problem | 52:30 | |
is that she is intensely, | 52:34 | |
desperately thirsty. | 52:37 | |
She feels that if she does not get a drink of water | 52:41 | |
she will simply die. | 52:45 | |
And as Jill looks around her in bewilderment, | 52:49 | |
she hears in the distance | 52:54 | |
the sound of a running stream. | 52:57 | |
And rushes of course | 53:04 | |
in that direction | 53:06 | |
to find the water | 53:09 | |
which she so craves. | 53:11 | |
And sure enough, | 53:14 | |
as Jill comes into a clearing, | 53:17 | |
she sees before her a beautiful, gurgling brook | 53:19 | |
of fresh water, | 53:23 | |
but just as Jill is about to dash | 53:27 | |
to the bank of that stream | 53:30 | |
and plunge her head in to satisfy her thirst, | 53:32 | |
she sees, lying on the bank, | 53:37 | |
between herself and the water | 53:42 | |
a lion. | 53:46 | |
Huge, majestic, powerful. | 53:49 | |
And Jill is terrified. | 53:55 | |
She stands there wanting the water so badly. | 54:00 | |
Yearning but afraid to drink. | 54:05 | |
And then the lion speaks. | 54:10 | |
If you are thirsty, | 54:16 | |
you may drink. | 54:19 | |
Well, if Jill was frightened before, | 54:23 | |
when the lion speaks she of course is petrified, | 54:27 | |
cannot even force out an answer | 54:31 | |
and in a moment, the lion speaks again, | 54:35 | |
if you are thirsty, come and drink. | 54:39 | |
Jill is in agony. | 54:44 | |
Wanting and craving but fearing. | 54:47 | |
Again the lion says, are you not thirsty? | 54:54 | |
And finally Jill croaks out, | 55:01 | |
I am dying of thirst. | 55:04 | |
Then drink, said the lion. | 55:10 | |
(stammers) Well, may I, could I, | 55:15 | |
would you mind going away while I do? | 55:17 | |
Jill says. | 55:21 | |
The lion just growled. | 55:24 | |
Turned his head. | 55:27 | |
Well, | 55:30 | |
will you promise not to do anything to me | 55:33 | |
if I come, said Jill. | 55:36 | |
I make no promises, said the lion. | 55:41 | |
Do you eat little girls, Jill asked. | 55:47 | |
I have swallowed up girls and boys, | 55:53 | |
men and women, | 55:57 | |
kings and emperors, | 55:58 | |
cities and realms, replied the lion. | 56:01 | |
I dare not come and drink, said Jill. | 56:07 | |
Then you will die of thirst, answered the lion. | 56:13 | |
Oh dear, said Jill. | 56:20 | |
I suppose that I must go and find another stream. | 56:23 | |
The lion replied, | 56:31 | |
there is no other stream. | 56:35 | |
There is no other stream. | 56:44 | |
There is no other water | 56:48 | |
to quench our deepest thirst. | 56:51 | |
There is no other food | 56:55 | |
to satisfy our most profound hunger. | 56:58 | |
There is no other bread | 57:03 | |
which can feed the hungry crowd | 57:06 | |
except for Jesus Christ, | 57:10 | |
the Bread of Life. | 57:13 | |
Amen. | 57:18 | |
(organ hymn music-"Come We That Love the Lord") | 57:24 | |
♪ Come, we that love the Lord ♪ | 57:45 | |
♪ And let our joys be known ♪ | 57:50 | |
♪ Join in a song with sweet accord ♪ | 57:56 | |
♪ And thus surround the throne ♪ | 58:01 | |
♪ Let those refuse to sing ♪ | 58:08 | |
♪ Who never knew our God ♪ | 58:13 | |
♪ But children of the Heav'nly King ♪ | 58:19 | |
♪ May speak their joys abroad ♪ | 58:24 | |
♪ The hill of Zion yields ♪ | 58:31 | |
♪ A thousand sacred sweets ♪ | 58:37 | |
♪ Before we reach the heav'nly fields ♪ | 58:42 | |
♪ Or walk the golden streets ♪ | 58:47 | |
♪ Then let our songs abound ♪ | 59:03 | |
♪ And ev'ry tear be dry ♪ | 59:08 | |
♪ We're marching through Emmanuel's ground ♪ | 59:14 | |
♪ To fairer worlds on high ♪ | 59:20 | |
Male Voice | The Lord be with you. | 59:30 |
Congregation | And also with you. | 59:31 |
- | Let us pray. | 59:33 |
Be seated. | 59:34 | |
Gracious Lord | 59:43 | |
who taught us to pray daily for bread, | 59:46 | |
stir up in us those hungers | 59:51 | |
which only you can fulfill. | 59:54 | |
Teach us to hunger | 59:58 | |
and to thirst for those things | 1:00:00 | |
which truly satisfy. | 1:00:03 | |
Lord, | 1:00:06 | |
hear our prayer. | 1:00:08 | |
Your Word read and proclaimed has reminded us | 1:00:11 | |
that we came here this morning, | 1:00:15 | |
even though we had not the courage to admit it, | 1:00:18 | |
because we are hungry. | 1:00:21 | |
There are places in our lives, | 1:00:25 | |
deep, vacant, empty spaces, | 1:00:27 | |
that cry out for fulfillment. | 1:00:30 | |
Unanswered questions, unassuaged guilt. | 1:00:34 | |
Unrelieved pain. | 1:00:37 | |
Gnawing hungers. | 1:00:39 | |
That cannot be resolved through | 1:00:42 | |
conventional means of this world. | 1:00:44 | |
And so we have come apart to this place. | 1:00:48 | |
Confident that you have never given us | 1:00:52 | |
stone when we ask for bread. | 1:00:54 | |
Feed us again. | 1:00:59 | |
Lord, hear our prayer. | 1:01:02 | |
Our occasional hunger | 1:01:06 | |
often no more than occasional discomfort | 1:01:09 | |
between breakfast and lunch, | 1:01:12 | |
reminds us of brothers and sisters | 1:01:16 | |
around the world who are always, | 1:01:19 | |
every hour of the day, | 1:01:21 | |
every day of life, hungry. | 1:01:24 | |
Feed them, loving God. | 1:01:28 | |
And make us your assistants. | 1:01:34 | |
Lord, hear our prayer. | 1:01:38 | |
For the suffering peoples of Yugoslavia, | 1:01:41 | |
in their time of trial, | 1:01:44 | |
Prince of Peace, | 1:01:47 | |
we pray for just and lasting peace, | 1:01:49 | |
Lord, hear our prayer. | 1:01:52 | |
For those ravaged by natural disaster in the Philippines, | 1:01:57 | |
oh master of wind and storm, we pray for their comfort | 1:02:01 | |
and our sense of responsibility to help. | 1:02:07 | |
Lord, hear our prayer. | 1:02:10 | |
For the Kurdish people, | 1:02:14 | |
the people of Iraq, | 1:02:17 | |
United Nations forces attempting to enforce peace there, | 1:02:20 | |
ruler of all nations, | 1:02:25 | |
we pray for their families and children. | 1:02:28 | |
We acknowledge our part in their suffering. | 1:02:31 | |
And our responsibility for their future. | 1:02:34 | |
Lord, hear our prayer. | 1:02:38 | |
And for any who have come to this place of worship this day | 1:02:43 | |
seeking nourishment, sustenance, or aid, | 1:02:47 | |
including those who worship with us in Duke Hospital. | 1:02:52 | |
Oh giver of bread, | 1:02:56 | |
oh feeder of the hungry multitudes, | 1:02:59 | |
we pray for those in need | 1:03:03 | |
in body or soul. | 1:03:05 | |
And we pray for help | 1:03:10 | |
in fulfilling our vocation | 1:03:12 | |
to help you minister | 1:03:15 | |
to the hungry crowd. | 1:03:17 | |
Lord, hear our prayer. | 1:03:21 | |
As people have been so gifted, | 1:03:26 | |
in so many ways by a loving God, | 1:03:30 | |
let us now offer ourselves | 1:03:33 | |
and our gifts | 1:03:36 | |
to the God who has given so much to us. | 1:03:37 | |
(organ hymn music- "Brother James's Air") | 1:03:44 | |
♪ The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want ♪ | 1:04:24 | |
♪ He makes me down to lie ♪ | 1:04:30 | |
♪ In pastures green He leadeth me ♪ | 1:04:36 | |
♪ The quiet waters by ♪ | 1:04:42 | |
♪ He leadeth me, He leadeth me ♪ | 1:04:48 | |
♪ The quiet waters by ♪ | 1:04:55 | |
♪ My soul He doth restore again ♪ | 1:05:03 | |
♪ And me to walk doth make ♪ | 1:05:10 | |
♪ Within the paths of righteousness ♪ | 1:05:17 | |
♪ Ee'n for His own Name's sake ♪ | 1:05:23 | |
♪ Within the paths of righteousness ♪ | 1:05:30 | |
♪ Ee'n for His own Name's sake ♪ | 1:05:36 | |
♪ Yea, though I pass through shadows death ♪ | 1:05:45 | |
♪ Yet will I fear no ill ♪ | 1:05:52 | |
♪ For Thou art with me and Thy rod ♪ | 1:05:59 | |
♪ And staff me comfort still ♪ | 1:06:05 | |
♪ Thy rod and staff they comfort still ♪ | 1:06:12 | |
♪ They comfort still ♪ | 1:06:19 | |
♪ My table Thou hast furnish'd ♪ | 1:06:28 | |
♪ In presence of my foes ♪ | 1:06:34 | |
♪ My head with oil thou dost anoint ♪ | 1:06:41 | |
♪ And my cup overflows ♪ | 1:06:48 | |
♪ My head thou dost with oil anoint ♪ | 1:06:54 | |
♪ And my cup overflows ♪ | 1:07:02 | |
♪ Goodness and mercy all my days ♪ | 1:07:11 | |
♪ Will surely follow me ♪ | 1:07:18 | |
♪ And in my Father's heart alway ♪ | 1:07:24 | |
♪ My dwelling place shall be ♪ | 1:07:31 | |
♪ And in my Father's heart alway ♪ | 1:07:39 | |
♪ My dwelling place shall be ♪ | 1:07:45 | |
(organ hymn music-"All Creatures of Our God and King") | 1:08:00 | |
♪ Let all things their Creator bless ♪ | 1:08:54 | |
♪ And worship Him in humbleness ♪ | 1:09:01 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 1:09:07 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 1:09:11 | |
♪ Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son ♪ | 1:09:16 | |
♪ And praise the Spirit, Three in One ♪ | 1:09:22 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 1:09:28 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 1:09:32 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 1:09:35 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 1:09:38 | |
♪ Alleluia! ♪ | 1:09:42 | |
- | Let us pray. | 1:09:55 |
We thank you, God, for this | 1:09:57 | |
moment in worship and in life. | 1:09:59 | |
When we have something to give | 1:10:02 | |
that others need. | 1:10:05 | |
Take our bread, | 1:10:07 | |
our witness, | 1:10:10 | |
our lives to benefit all your human family. | 1:10:11 | |
Feed us, and use us | 1:10:17 | |
to feed the hungry crowd. | 1:10:20 | |
May your glory be known among us | 1:10:23 | |
and in all the world. | 1:10:27 | |
Amen. | 1:10:29 | |
And now let us pray together | 1:10:31 | |
with confidence of the children of God. | 1:10:33 | |
Our Father, who art in heaven, | 1:10:36 | |
hallowed be Thy Name. | 1:10:39 | |
Thy kingdom come, | 1:10:42 | |
Thy will be done, | 1:10:44 | |
on Earth as it is in Heaven. | 1:10:45 | |
Give us this day, our daily bread, | 1:10:48 | |
and forgive us our trespasses, | 1:10:51 | |
as we forgive those who trespass against us. | 1:10:54 | |
Lead us not into temptation, | 1:10:58 | |
but deliver us from evil. | 1:11:00 | |
For Thine is the Kingdom, | 1:11:03 | |
and the Power, and the Glory forever. | 1:11:05 | |
Amen. | 1:11:08 | |
As we go forth to meditate on the story | 1:11:10 | |
of the loaves and the fishes, | 1:11:13 | |
let us not dwell on how much Jesus | 1:11:15 | |
was able to do with so little, | 1:11:18 | |
neither let us dwell on how little we do with so much. | 1:11:20 | |
Instead, let us go with the desire | 1:11:25 | |
to put ourselves as Jesus did, | 1:11:28 | |
wholly at God's bidding. | 1:11:31 | |
Now may our God make you to increase | 1:11:34 | |
in love one another | 1:11:37 | |
and to all people. | 1:11:38 | |
And establish your hearts unblamable in holiness. | 1:11:40 | |
In the name of Jesus Christ. | 1:11:44 | |
♪ Amen ♪ | 1:11:51 | |
♪ Amen ♪ | 1:11:56 | |
♪ Amen ♪ | 1:12:00 | |
♪ Amen ♪ | 1:12:04 | |
♪ Amen ♪ | 1:12:25 | |
(organ hymn music-"For the Beauty of the Earth") | 1:12:35 | |
♪ For the beauty of the Earth ♪ | 1:13:07 | |
♪ For the glory of the skies ♪ | 1:13:12 | |
♪ For the love which from our birth ♪ | 1:13:18 | |
♪ Over and around us lies ♪ | 1:13:23 | |
♪ Lord of all, to thee we raise ♪ | 1:13:28 | |
♪ This our hymn of grateful praise ♪ | 1:13:33 | |
♪ For the beauty of each hour ♪ | 1:13:41 | |
♪ Of the day and of the night ♪ | 1:13:46 | |
♪ Hill and vale, and tree and flower ♪ | 1:13:51 | |
♪ Sun and moon, and stars of light ♪ | 1:13:56 | |
♪ Lord of all, to thee we raise ♪ | 1:14:01 | |
♪ This our hymn of grateful praise ♪ | 1:14:07 | |
♪ For the joy of ear and eye ♪ | 1:14:14 | |
♪ for the heart and mind's delight ♪ | 1:14:20 | |
♪ For the mystic harmony ♪ | 1:14:25 | |
♪ Linking sense to sound and sight ♪ | 1:14:30 | |
♪ Lord of all, to thee we raise ♪ | 1:14:35 | |
♪ This our hymn of grateful praise ♪ | 1:14:40 | |
♪ For the joy of human love ♪ | 1:14:48 | |
♪ Brother, sister, parent, child ♪ | 1:14:53 | |
♪ Friends on earth and friends above ♪ | 1:14:59 | |
♪ For all gentle thoughts and mild ♪ | 1:15:04 | |
♪ Lord of all, to thee we raise ♪ | 1:15:09 | |
♪ This our hymn of grateful praise ♪ | 1:15:15 | |
♪ For thy church, that evermore ♪ | 1:15:23 | |
♪ Lifteth holy hands above ♪ | 1:15:28 | |
♪ Offering up on every shore ♪ | 1:15:33 | |
♪ Her pure sacrifice of love ♪ | 1:15:38 | |
♪ Lord of all, to thee we raise ♪ | 1:15:43 | |
♪ This our hymn of grateful praise ♪ | 1:15:49 | |
♪ For thyself, best Gift Divine ♪ | 1:15:57 | |
♪ To the world so freely given ♪ | 1:16:02 | |
♪ For that great, great love of thine ♪ | 1:16:07 | |
♪ Peace on Earth, and joy in Heaven ♪ | 1:16:13 | |
♪ Lord of all, to thee we raise ♪ | 1:16:18 | |
♪ This our hymn of grateful praise ♪ | 1:16:24 | |
(organ hymn music continues) | 1:16:36 |
Item Info
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