Feed My Sheep
22nd Sunday After Pentecost
Exodus 16:4, 9-12, John 6:31-32, John 21:15-19
October 20, 2024 (VSU Directors and Students)
From reading our scriptures this morning, it is evident that both God and Jesus fed “the people.” They fed those who were hungry.
How many times do we read in the New Testament when Jesus fed and dined with those he met along his journey in life?
Obviously, being fed physically provides nourishment to our bodies, and as we can see in both the Old and New Testament readings, God and Jesus fed the people. However, they were not “just” feeding them. They were using the meals as an opportunity for teaching and showing love.
The people that wandered in the wilderness were always complaining, and Moses and Aaron were always trying to satisfy them. Over and over again, Moses goes to God for instruction and direction with how to deal with these people.
In this particular instance today, the people are hungry, and they ask if Moses has led them into the wilderness to die.
Imagine Moses dealing with all these hungry people, and as God does when he is approached by Moses, God delivers, just like he does for you and I today. Once we learn that God is the one who provides our nourishment both physically and spiritually, it gets easier and easier to turn to God’s direction for the things we need in life.
God used the hunger of the people in the wilderness to teach them that he was their protector and their provider if only they would acknowledge him and look to him for their needs.
Fast forward to the New Testament, and we see Jesus continuing this very important message.
Every time Jesus fed the people or dined with them, he used it as a teaching moment to tell them about his Abba Father. We see in his journey the many messages reminding the people that God is our creator, our provider, our protector, our healer, our deliverer. I could go on and on.
When Jesus is dining with the disciples at the last supper, he wants to be sure that Peter has the message of what he is called to do as he continues his walk once Jesus has ascended into heaven.
And what does Jesus tell him – “Feed my lambs; tend my sheep; feed my sheep.”
Each time Jesus asked Peter if he loved him, Peter was more and more exasperated that Jesus didn’t know or believe that Peter loved him. When in fact, Jesus never doubted Peter’s love for him. Jesus wanted Peter to understand that he would experience tough times ahead, and, yet, through it all in his love for Jesus Christ, he wanted Peter to follow him in telling the good news.
The rise of food costs over the last couple of years has stretched our budget beyond its means to be able to feed the students we support and tend at the Center.
Thanks to your generosity, some of you have extended a hand in offering a little more to help meet our budget so that we can continue to show that we, too, love Jesus and want to tend and feed his sheep.
We have a little bit of the year left, and I’m going to ask you today, if you would like to provide a special contribution to the Center so that we continue to be able to feed them, that you will leave a little extra in the plate. If you are writing a check, if you will note it VSU Meals and if you are providing cash, if you will put it in one of the pew envelopes and label it VSU Meals, we will be sure to put it to the right line item in the budget so we can continue to feed and tend God’s sheep.
We have been supporting and feeding the students at the VSU Center for several years, and we have had the privilege of having many of them attend here, and participate in our music and technology programs thanks to Dr. Donna Gosnell who keeps recruiting them so that we can keep loving them.
Just recently Kelly Williams, a former VSU student, visited with us when she visited Valdosta.
Alex and Bradley came to us through VSU and received many meals through the VSU Center. They still come back and visit us also.
Donavan and Eddy have been joining us for years now, and Brian has been helping us out with our technology and music even before he started here on a regular basis.
All of these and many who still stay in touch with us on Facebook and watch our livestream services on occasion were all fed by you. And just like Peter, you have loved them with your hearts and you have tended to them and fed them out of your generosity.
That is the reason they keep coming back, because through those meals and their heartfelt experiences here with you and at the Center they have been welcomed and loved in the same way Peter loved Jesus.
I want to thank Melissa for all that she has done and continues to do to make sure her sheep are welcomed and fed. We are not the only church that provides meals to the Center monthly. Melissa coordinates with Trinity and Moultrie each month also, and the Center is supported by all the churches in the Southern Cluster and the Presbytery.
I want to thank Sue Miller, Jenny Williams and Conner Thomson for their continued service on the Board at the VSU Center.
As we give glory to God for all that we have, let us now hear from Melissa and the students.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Lord of all Blessings, indeed we are a hungry people. We wander in the wilderness looking for all sorts of manna when you have placed before us all that we need through Jesus Christ, your Son. Remind us Lord that you are the true bread that gives us nourishment not just for our human bodies, but most importantly, spiritual nourishment for our souls. God of Creation, help us to be better stewards of the earth in which we live. God our Protector, we pray for wars to cease, and protection for those who are innocent in the midst of wars. Give protection to children who are abused and those who are held against their will in every land. We pray for those who need healing in whatever way, healing from depression, grief, and all manner of illness that disables their bodies. We pray for caretakers and first responders, for linemen that have worked tirelessly through the storms. Hear now our prayers in silence as we pray for those who have asked for our prayers_____________________________________
God of all Knowledge, we thank you for the this congregation, the students at the Center, and Melissa for and ask your blessings and love surround them as we join together in saying the prayer Jesus taught his disciples, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thou name…….
Amen.