Food, Fellowship, Family, Forever

Sermon—Food, Fellowship, Family, Forever

John 6:35—69

Food and Fellowship around a table has a proven track record for breaking down walls.

In my senior year at Brian McMahon High School, I had the privilege of being the captain of the wresting team—a team that boasted of having the most champions in our division and conference.

That year, one of our team-mates invited the entire wrestling squad to his Italian home to experience authentic Italian cuisine. Champions come with Appetites.

But our ravenous appetites were slain by the abundance of lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, risotto, roasted vegetable antipasto, eggplant parmesan…Mercy!

The Food, Mercy!

The Fellowship, Mercy!

The Gracious Welcome and Intimacy of the Family in their Home, Mercy!

At some point before leaving, I jokingly told our Coach Cassagram, that all he needed before he died and went to heaven was some chitlins and southern fried chicken.

“Really?”, he responded. “Yeah, my momma is from Mississippi…”

To my surprise he accepted an invitation (that I was only joking about) to come to our house.

Chitlins = The Stumbling Block that we find in the text = Cannibalism

Equally surprising was the fact that my mom jumped on the idea…she was a hall monitor at the High School and like Coach Cassagram.

There we were, the entire wrestling crew with Coach Cassagram sitting around the Whalen table for some authentic Southern Cuisine: Chitlins, Ham hocks, Fried Chicken, Mustard Greens and Corn Bread, Potato Salad—Mercy!

Once again, we Champions came with Appetites.

But in the end, we cried “Mercy!”

Walls and barriers are broken down around tables of fellowship, where food unique to one group is affirmed as good and nourishing by invited guests who are strangers to the area. The Guests cry “Mercy!” and offer praise and thanksgiving to the cook.

Chitlins

Being able to sit around a table to share food with people, no matter where they come from, brings with it a defiance of one’s own cultural perceptions.

It also brings with it a level of intimacy.

Food, Fellowship, Family, Forever.

Now look at this Communion Meal.

Is it not the smallest meal ever?

Hear the words of the Gospel—John 6:35-69.

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them…

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Being Chitlin Adverse = Putting the Physical Ahead of the Spiritual

Champions come with Appetites.

Don’t Ruin Your Appetite!

The one time that Lee DeLong got upset with me.

I had just flown into BWI. My good buddy, Rev. Ed DeLong (former pastor of Centenary UMC), picked me up from the airport. We had a little time before dinner at his home, so I grabbed a sandwich before we got to his house.

Lee was livid!

She wanted my full appetite.

Don’t ruin your appetite for Jesus!

Sad it is that we typically see individuals seated at a table intended for fellowship, but having their attention high jacked by their devices.

But when you are hungry, your full attention is given to the satisfying your appetite.

⁃ Fully Present with the Full Presence: Mindful of the One Minding Us.

COME HUNGRY!

To Feast at the Lord’s Table is to Partake of the Nature of Jesus

· Fellowship with Abba Father

· Family—Sonship Restored

· Forever—Abundant Life for Eternity

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

Food—Jesus offered Himself as food, the Bread of Life.

Partake of the Abundance that Yeshua Offers

'You Are What You Eat', and

'Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are'

Thismeans that it is important to eat good food in order to be healthy and fit.

In Nature, you will notice that Eagles don’t eat what Cows eat; and Horses don’t eat what Pigs eat.

· If all you want to do is graze all day long in the pasture, then grass is enough for you. But if you want to soar like an eagle, you have to eat like an eagle.

· If all you want to do roll around in the mud, then pig slop will be enough for you;

But if you want to run like a stallion, you have to eat what thorough bred horses eat.

We are invited to come to the Lord’s Table as royal sons and daughters of Abba Father.

If you are going to have the nature of Yeshua—live like Him, walk like Him, Talk Like Him, then You must eat the Spiritual Food He offers—His very lifegiving Spirit—the Bread of Life.

The children of humanity are like chitlins.

Dr. Cornell West is fond of describing humans as those born between feces and urine.

Our lowest elements were the lasting elements of the Fall—the filthy ways of sinful humanity. The stench of humanity’s inhumanity.

Yeshua is the Great Chef.

Like my momma did with chitlins, He can take the despised, dirty and discarded children of earth born between feces and urine and make them royal sons and daughters of God.

“What can wash away my sins?

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the Blood of Jesus…”

Champions come with Appetites.

At The Table of the Lord we cry “Mercy!”

Why did Lee DeLong get so upset?

Her Cherry Pie, Mercy!

But we come to the Lord’s Table to partake of His Heavenly Goodness

Look at the Abundance

—Love, Joy, Peace in the Holy Spirit, Mercy!

--Faith and Hope, Mercy!

--Salvation Full and Free, Mercy!

--Comfort, Encouragement, Restoration, Mercy!