Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 9 AM

Bread of Life – John 6:24-35 Bascomb / August 5, 2018 / 9Am Focus: The real meaning behind Jesus as the TRANSFORMING Bread of Life. Function: To encourage believers to receive communion as a exercise of faith that God is still giving and transforming us today. 5 Purpose Outcomes of the Church: Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Evangelism, Service John 6:24–35 (CEB) 24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Bread of life 26 Jesus replied, “I assure you that you are looking for me not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate all the food you wanted. 27 Don’t work for the food that doesn’t last but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Human One will give you. God the Father has confirmed him as his agent to give life.” 28 They asked, “What must we do in order to accomplish what God requires?” 29 Jesus replied, “This is what God requires, that you believe in him whom God sent.” 30 They asked, “What miraculous sign will you do, that we can see and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” 32 Jesus told them, “I assure you, it wasn’t Moses who gave the bread from heaven to you, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 The bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said, “Sir, give us this bread all the time!” 35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Page 1 of 9 Boy, to understand the gospel of John we must get comfortable with metaphor. Our brains are wonderfully adaptive. We have a great capacity for metaphorical thinking... well, most of us. If you’ve never heard the term “aspie,” it’s an affectionate name for persons with Asperger’s syndrome. (scene from Boston Legal) I knew nothing of this condition until Jerry Espenson played a lawyer with this condition on Boston Legal …notice the hands on the thighs – Asperger’s syndrome is part of our autistic spectrum. The reason I present this to you is the mistaken impression that people with Asperger’s don't get jokes, don't understand metaphors, and don't read body-language. They make social mistakes. But they DO get humor and affection, they just need more time to "switch modes" from literal to metaphorical – they just have to understand if they are in a serious context or a humorous situation. I bring this up because John’s gospel requires you to think in metaphor. Don’t take John too literally Nicodemus - “born again? How does one re-enter the womb to be born again” – uh, uh, too literal. Abstract concepts like “born again,” “bread of life,” and “living water” must be transformed into more concrete concepts. John’s gospel is considered the most spiritual gospel. John wants to focus on the identity and mission of Jesus. Right before John closes the gospel he makes this statement: “…these things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name” John 20:31 (CEB). So John gives us groups of seven “signs” or miracles and Jesus makes seven “I AM” statements about the identity of Jesus (there is a slide for each): "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35). "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12). "I am the door" (John 10:9). Page 2 of 9 "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11). "I am the resurrection" (John 11:25). "I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). "I am the true vine" (John 15:1). In today’s scripture, the crowd has lost track of Jesus (we said a few weeks ago that Jesus had become very popular healing and feeding thousands). Once they figure out where he was they are naturally curious. “Who is this guy?” He heals people, he feeds thousands, and apparently, he can just walk across water! They ask an obvious question: “Rabbi, when did you get here?” But the more accurate way to state it is “Rabbi, how did you come to be here?” or “Rabbi how were you begotten?” This is really an identity question. Begotten was used to question Jesus about a lot of things: where did that wine from Cana come from (2:9)? how does this “birth from above” come about (3:3, 7)? and where does living water come from (4:11)? “How were you begotten?” is a deeper question about how Jesus came to be at all and came to be with us! Jesus begins a “back and forth” with the crowd – kind of a “sign dialogue” because the crowds want more food - Jesus fed them once, “why not again?” They are looking for quid pro quo/transaction. (clip from Silence of the Lambs): “What must we do?” they ask. Jesus says: “Believe.” The crowd says: “Give us a sign so we can believe! Moses gave a sign - bread from heaven” Jesus says: “That’s the wrong bread - that was just manna, God will give you the bread of life that gives life to the world!” The crowd acts kind of “aspy” - too literal - and they think: “Eternal bread! Food forever?! Count us in!” Can you hear the frustration in Jesus’ voice? “You don’t get it. Not bread for your physical life, but bread that will feed your soul. You are looking for the wrong thing!” They have Page 3 of 9 their expectations about a Messiah and Jesus is trying to give them a different expectation. As a teenager I thought I wanted to be an adult – the freedom, the control over my decisions, the experiences denied to the adolescent….but now I know about the mortgages, the responsibilities, the pressures….and now I have different expectations of being an adult. How about being a disciple? The crowd asks for a sign- even though they just had a sign in the miraculous feeding- Signs are never enough for the crowd. So Jesus makes the challenge: “Are you in this just for what you can get out of it? There’s more to it than that!” Look at us! Are we not a crowd? Are we any different? Is it always the case that no matter how much we receive, we always want more? “Hey Jesus, what have you done for me lately?” I know the signs were meant first to meet a human need: cure an illness, feed the hungry, or celebrate a wedding. But the signs also reveal who Jesus is – begotten means God is with us. If you dwell only on one, and not the other, you’re missing the full point. “Remember,” Jesus says: “All good things come from God- not from the messengers of God.” Moses doesn’t save, God does. It was God who provided the bread and fish, and God gives us faith, and faith is the key. God with us! Is God with you? The story of God providing is not just Biblical history, God is giving in the present age as well. It is not that God gave, but that God gives. God continues to give. Page 4 of 9 Sadly, we could come to church Sunday after Sunday looking for the wrong thing. And we, as a church, might try to provide the wrong thing? Hear this quote from one of my commentators: (quote slides 1-6) “We are accustomed to inviting people into the community of faith for all the wrong reasons: for the "right" kind of worship; for political engagement on behalf of the poor and downtrodden; for the sake of a Christian America; for a strong youth and family ministry; for the opportunity to practice mission in a downtown location, or to go on mission trips to Africa or Central America. (let me clarify that these are GOOD things to provide – the church needs them like the human body needs bread! But there’s more – a higher call – listen: (quote slide 7) Yet what we have to offer—in Christ and by Christ and because of Christ—first and foremost is "soul food," which lasts forever and does not change with the changing circumstances of the church or the world. It is soul food that we desire, and soul food in which we will rejoice, long after our bellies are full of rice and our lives know justice in a free society.” Feasting on the Word – Year B, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Proper 3-16). (Story of the “rice” Christians) Jesus refuses to participate in our “quid pro quo,” consumer focused system. Maybe the crowd in the church needs more time to shift our thinking from literal to metaphorical. Didn’t Jesus tell Satan in the desert that “humans don’t live by Bread alone?” Page 5 of 9 He isn’t interested in being limited to a “Jewish King” Messiah, but in revealing a new way, a radical truth and a full life. The disciples can’t see Jesus for who he is because Jesus has a local address. They know Mary and Joseph. They live around the homestead of Jesus, so they can’t see Jesus in a larger light. They think “I know where you’re from, Jesus.” Even Nathanael said: “Can anything from Nazareth be good?” (John 1:46 - CEB). But Jesus claims another address: “I assure you,” Jesus replied, “before Abraham was, I Am” John 8:58 CEB. The great “I AM” that created everything in Genesis is the “I AM” come to earth. The great “I AM” that fed Israel manna in the wilderness is the same “I AM” feeding five thousand with five loaves and two fish. The same “I AM” that brought the Hebrews into the Promised Land is the same “I AM” that has redeemed us for a new heaven and a new earth – promised upon Jesus’ return. And I declare to you today, the same ‘I AM” that gives YOU life and breath is the same “I AM” that sets this table for you today. The question is….. Do you get the metaphor? Jesus as the “bread of life” begins the process of transformation. God is “begotten” as one of us so that we can be transformed into the likeness of Jesus now – and one day, into a New Heaven and a New Earth prepared for those who are transformed. (move to the table) Medieval superstition was too literal. People tried to “sneak” the bread from the altar table home and use it to make magic potions. “Hoc est corpus meum” This is my body, spoken in the Latin Mass was mutated into “hocus pocus” of parlor magicians. Eating this bread (here on this table today) is nothing without faith – it won’t make a decent lunch for you and, unless you seek the higher call, it will do little to change things in the here and now. Page 6 of 9 But taken in FAITH you release the possibility of true change in your life. Transformation into the person God knows you can BE! What kind of bread are you church - All Natural, Rye, Moldy, Crusty, Fresh, 7 grain, Nut Bread, Banana Bread? Come forward in faith and feed on the living bread God had provided in Jesus Christ. Understand the metaphor and then you can be changed and the world around you can be changed. If you don’t come forward in faith?....well then, this is nothing more than refreshments. SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION After the miraculous feast on the mountainside where a multitude were satisfied with five loaves and two fish, the disciples gathered twelves baskets of left overs. (Instead of one loaf, a basket is then lifted up) Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry. And whoever trusts in me will never be thirsty." (Lift the cup at this time.) The crowd gathered around said: “This teaching is difficult.” And so Jesus continued by saying, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." When we come to this table together, we trust God will satisfy us our hunger (lift the basket) and our thirst (lift the cup). Jesus shared this meal with a hungry crowd long ago and he shares it with us today. Let us bring our hunger and our thirst to the table of the one who called himself the Living Bread. Page 7 of 9 Prayer of Confession Almighty God, we confess how hard it is to be your people. You have called us to be the Bread of Life as the church, to continue the mission of Jesus Christ to our lonely and confused world. Yet we acknowledge we are more apathetic than active, isolated than involved, callous than compassionate, obstinate than obedient, legalistic than loving. Gracious Lord, have mercy upon us and forgive our sins. Remove the obstacles preventing us from being your representatives to a broken world. Awaken our hearts to the promised gift of your indwelling Spirit. This we pray in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen. (show these communion slides) HEAR THE GOOD NEWS: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God's love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! People: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Glory to God. Amen. When the crowds were hungry for miracles, he promised that we who come to him will never be hungry, and we who believe in him will never be thirsty. Words of Institution So, Father God, pour out your Holy Spirit on this crowd gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, the bread of heaven, broken to feed a hungry world, so that we may become one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world. Page 8 of 9 Merciful Creator, Bread of Heaven, Spirit of Love, we praise your holy, eternal, nameless Name. Amen. Page 9 of 9