Last week Pastor Harkness forcefully and dramatically preached on one of the most beloved passages in the Bible: Paul’s declaration of the unconditional, unbreakable, unstoppable love of God.

“For I am convinced,” Paul thunders, “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Wow! For a lot of Christians over the years, that passage is like the Hallelujah chorus from Handel’s Messiah. It’s the peak, the pinnacle, the high point. It’s so strong, so stirring and so powerful that, not only need any more be said. No more should be said!

We have reached the top. Hallelujah! No more needs to be said? Right?

Wrong! Whether we’re talking about Handel’s Messiah or Paul’s letter to the Romans, that’s not how their authors see it!

It isn’t the end! The Hallelujah chorus is not the end of Handel’s Messiah. And chapter 8--as stirring as its description of the unbreakable, unconditional, and unstoppable love of God--is not the end of Paul’s letter to the Romans. In both cases, in fact, more than a third of the work is yet to come! As much as we might like to think that no more needs to be said or sung, their authors disagree with us.

As chapter 9 of Paul’s letter to the Romans begins (our second reading today) Paul asks what he feels is the most important question, based on what he’s already said. What happens when God says yes but we say no?

Paul is convinced that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” But what if we don’t want--what if we reject and refuse--God’s love for us? What then? What happens when God says yes but we say no?

Paul was thinking of his fellow countrymen, the Jews. For us, the issue is raised from members of our families and from neighbors and friends. It can even come from ourselves! What happens when God says yes but we say no?

“Smile, God loves you!” “No thanks! Not interested!” “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” “Thanks, but I’m just not into that stuff!”

What happens when God says yes but we say no? In Paul’s day this was one of the most hotly debated and contentious questions argued about by Christians. Jesus of Nazareth was born a Jew and died a Jew. By his resurrection, Christians believed that Jesus was shown to be the Christ, the messiah.

But, make no mistake about it! By either name--Christ or messiah--Jesus was understood to be for and about the Jews. He came from Judaism and was understood as being sent by God for Judaism.

This was no idle question, then: what happens when God says yes and we say no? What happens when God sends his son to his very own people and they say no thanks! What happens when those whom God accepts as his own reject him as their own?

In New Testament times, that was the question that was asked by Christians about Judaism. In our day that same question can--and should--be asked by those who, after they were brought to Christ, whether by baptism or upbringing, now want nothing to do with him!

What happens when God says yes and we say no? These are the questions that Paul takes up for the remainder of his letter to the Romans. And what do you think his answer will be?

Again, Paul’s words thunder! “I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God says yes!

In today’s gospel reading the world is hungry, starving, for food. Jesus’ disciples’ first reaction is to tell Jesus—not to advise Jesus but to tell him—to send the hungry home. “They need to take care of themselves,” is their attitude.

Jesus’ attitude is, “You give them something to eat!”

“What? Excuse me, Jesus, did we hear you right? There’s twelve of us and all told we’ve only got five loaves and two fish.”

“Bring them here,” Jesus says and, after lifting them up to God, breaking and blessing them, Jesus says, “Here. Feed the hungry and then collect the leftovers.” When they do, twelve huge baskets--one for each of them--is not enough to hold the leftovers from their five loaves and two fish.

Much can be made of this story. What I’d like to draw your attention to today is the central role given by Jesus to his disciples in the performance of this miracle. Even though they don’t think that what they have matters or is enough, they supply Jesus with the five loaves and two fish. After Jesus blesses and returns what they have given him, they distribute and feed the five thousand. And, they are the ones whom Jesus also asks to clean up after the meal.

In other words, Jesus performs a miracle--a miracle that feeds over 5,000 people--by using the resources and the cooperation of his somewhat reluctant disciples and followers.

What happens when God says yes and we say no! God’s yes is not taken away and it is not overruled. God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

But it will be done on earth as it is in heaven by using the resources and the cooperation of Jesus’ somewhat reluctant disciples, whom I look out on on Sundays and whom I look at in the mirror each and every day.

“You give them something to eat,” Jesus says to his reluctant disciples. “Who, me?”
“Yes, you!”

“I don’t have anything to offer. I can’t help someone rediscover the value and meaning of God’s love for them. All I’ve got is my ‘five loaves and two fish’ of meager Christian faith and experience!”

“Bring it here,” Jesus says. And, after blessing us, Jesus returns to us--as he is doing right here and right now--and says, “Now, take back what you’ve given me and use it to feed and care for others!”

Do you want some concrete examples? Today is a healing service. While I hope it’s obvious that you can direct the time set aside for healing for yourself, I hope you also realize that you can use your faith and your interest in another person’s health and well-being as your offering to God!

“Dear Jesus, I’m really concerned about this person. Take my faith in your healing powers and use it to help the one I’m concerned about. Take my gift of faith and return it to me to help others discover--and rediscover--the God whose love for them never fails and never stops ... even when they say no!” In Jesus’ name. Amen!