Satisfied

Satisfied

The Seventh Sunday after Trinity – 8/3/2025

Mark 8:1-9

Rev. Dr. Christopher W. Brademeyer

That portion from God’s holy Word for consideration this morning is our lesson from the eighth chapter of the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark with special emphasis on verse eight which reads as follows:

“ And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.”[1]

Thus far the Scriptures.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

                “They had nothing to eat.” Simple words to convey a simple reality. Food is an essential part of life in this world. Indeed, if we go too long without nourishment, we will become faint. With enough time we will eventually expire. This reality is simple because it is so immediate. Infants know hunger as well as adults. Thankfully, many, if not most of us here this morning, have not had to seriously worry about food for a while. God willing, such generosity from our God will continue.

                But this is not the only kind of hunger we experience.

Hungry for the Wrong Things

                That is to say, we do not only hunger for the basic sustenance we need to keep living. We hunger for more. Gluttony is the most basic form of this sinful hunger for things beyond what we need in this life. Which of us has not overindulged or eaten rich foods to excess? And the worst part is that we all know how we ought to eat, that is, we all know which foods should be limited like sugary sweets and deep fried treats and we know that we should not eat more than we need each day.

                I am not saying this to excuse such behavior or make light of it. Gluttony is not bad because of the harmful effects on our bodies. Most of the time we hear about overeating, this is the direction the conversation goes. Bad eating can lead to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and the like. But for us Christians, the real concern here is that eating excess food is to waste that which God has blessed you with for the sake of your hungry neighbor. Let me say this clearly: eating more than you need is stealing food out of the mouths of those who are hungry and it is for their sake that God gives you excess food, not for the sake of your sinful flesh and the appetites in it.

                But besides food, the sinful heart craves and hungers for many things. We crave fame and fortune, even to the point that people will sell out their friends and morals to gain them. We hunger for power and authority, even to the point that people will do anything to keep them and consolidate them. We desire a clear conscience, and we will silence anyone or anything that robs us of that.

                This is all to same something simple but true: this sort of hunger is just another way of describing idolatry, that is, having other gods besides the one true God.

Hungry for Other Gods

                Idolatry is a sneaky sort of thing. It often takes root in the heart and mind long before it becomes apparent to the person whose heart and soul have been taken captive by it. It nearly always begins with the true God’s good gifts to us and always ends with sin, death, and unbelief. Desiring things like food and drink, house and property, wife and family, career and office, positions of authority and recognition in and of itself is not a bad thing. After all, these are all gifts given to us and among us for the sake of serving our neighbors.

                But the sinful, hungry soul can twist and misuse these things, seeing them not as gifts to be used under God’s rule and truth and for the sake of the neighbor, particularly the neighbor under your authority or who is in need nearby. No, the sinful heart twists these into becoming ends in themselves, that is, makes them idols to be served rather than seeing them as tools by which to serve under God. And this can be easily identified. When a good gift from God has been misused to the point that you hunger for it beyond what is appropriate, you will find that you will become fearful, angry, and defensive about it. The man who has gained power inappropriately or who holds on beyond his time will be outraged when dear friends and advisors suggest retiring. The woman who has made an idol out of her career will constantly justify her lack of care for her husband and children, refusing to see the more basic need to be with her family. The child who falls into gluttony will become hostile, angry with his friends who tell him to stop eating so many donuts.

                And if you find that there are things in your life that you hunger for in this way, repent and turn aside from misusing these things.

                There is nothing wrong with these good things so long as we keep them in the right place in our lives, the places that God intends.

True Hunger, True Food

                Behind all of this is a true hunger. We all crave things. There is, to borrow a phrase, a hole in the soul that demands being filled up. That is to say, we hunger and thirst, but we often lose sight of the thing that will really sate the hunger. We need Christ. We need forgiveness. We need a clear conscience. This is what our souls desperately crave. And, by the death of our Lord, this is what has been earned for us, has been delivered to us in Word and Sacrament, and that we hold onto in faith.

                Though our sinful hearts will tell us that this cannot be enough, you will find that Christ’s death and resurrection, that He Himself, is greater than your hunger and deeper than your longing. We are wired to want to be righteous and holy and Christ is the one that grants that to us. Yes, dear friends, your hunger will be sated. As our Lord says in another place, He is the one Who is true food and true drink that never leads to us being hungry again.

                Where food and drink, power and authority, fame and fortune all fall short is that these never satisfy for long. Just like how a meal lasts only until the next one, so too do these all fall short. But with our Lord it is different. He does not diminish or become digested. No, He is eternal and the food He gives us that is Himself does not ever need to be replenished.

                So come, dear Christian, and eat. Not as the world eats, but as the Church does, feasting on the Word of Christ, receiving His very body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins, and finding in Him what no earthly banquet can provide: a satisfied soul, a clean conscience, a heart at peace with God. You who hunger, be filled. You who thirst, drink deeply. For Christ is here, and He is enough. In Him, there is always more than enough, seven baskets full and then some.

In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] Mark 8:8 English Standard Version. All subsequent quotations from the Holy Scriptures are from the ESV.