Day 958 - Do You Also Wish To Go Away?

Gospel Reading: John 6:56-69

Think about our journey over the last few weeks. We followed the crowd along to a place by the sea to hear this fellow Jesus talk. Everybody is hungry so he tells us to sit down on the grass and personally feeds us from a basket of fish and bread some child had brought along that never seems to empty.

I'm not sure any of us really took his words seriously.

People around me say this experience is just like the story they heard in the synagogue about the Hebrews fleeing Egypt with what little food they took with them now gone and they are starving and cursing God.

Back in the desert barely out of Egypt, all thought they would die of starvation and wondered if staying put in Egypt as a slave rather than following God’s command to leave was better since at least they had some food. Moses said they would get food and they did. 

We did not die of starvation then. Some grain-like substance that appeared on the ground like dew in the morning. You could gather it and make bread. Moses called it manna. On top of that, in the evening quail appeared and the Hebrews were able to catch the birds for meat!

This meal Jesus gave us was just like the one Moses gave us. We just cannot understand how Jesus did it. But even so, the next day we all said, "Lets find Jesus and get some more bread."

We didn’t expect to find him on the other side of the lake, but there he was. And we did not expect to hear him tell us we only wanted food for our belly, not the bread of life. He was pretty insulting.

He said we had it all wrong. God sent manna to the Hebrews in the desert so they would not die of starvation. But do you know what he said? He said eventually our ancestors still died. We forgot God made us wander in the desert until everyone who left Egypt had died and only their progeny survived. They never saw the Promised Land, only their children did. Those who left Egypt are all sleeping in the ground somewhere. 

Jesus said the bread he brought was not like manna that you ate but eventually still died. He said eat his bread of life and we would not die! Now that is good news, but it is all so far fetched.

There are no such things as miracles. (Jesus did not call them miracles. He said they were signs of God’s presence. But whether you call them miracles or signs, they are unscientific, to say the least!) No reasonable mind believes Jesus made all that food from a few fish and some bread. Right?

But we were all there and we saw it. So much for seeing and believing.

Just as we were getting comfortable believing Jesus might be something special not only did he tell us it was not Moses who sent bread but God, he also told us God sent him as the new bread of life. But we didn’t eat Jesus back on the grassy plain, we ate bread and fish he pulled from a basket. 

But Jesus says we have to eat the bread of life. He went even further and said, “I am the bread of life, and you must eat this bread and drink my blood to gain a life that defeats death.”

Now I have to tell you that I am a Jew. There are certain things we do not do because it makes us horribly unclean and prevents us from even entering the synagogue to worship.  One of those things is to touch a dead person. The other is to touch blood. And here Jesus is telling us to eat his flesh and drink his blood!?!?

How are we supposed to believe this crazy idea that Jesus is sent from God and we are to eat his flesh to gain eternal life?

Then he says, “What if you saw me ascending to Heaven from whence I came?” Don’t you understand I am not talking about physical flesh and blood? I am talking about spiritual things. After seeing these signs of divine power, do you not believe who I AM? (What is he getting at here? What is this "seeing him ascend into heaven," supposed to mean?)

“It is a cruel, cold world out there, and some of you are quite comfortable making your way in it. I know you do not want to take the time to think about what I have said. You don’t have the desire to think about spiritual things, you are so focused on power, fame, a full stomach and adulation of you by others for your righteous deeds. You would rather get a pat on the back from Caesar, or your fellows, than believe my outrageous claim and invitation to believe and eat.

“Some of you will substitute loyalty to my actions and distort my words to justify a fight against Rome and civil authorities. Some of you so loathe the idea you will try to do me in. 

 “But it will not work. As I have just told you, the battles you fight with the world are pointless futility. You will die. The world only wants you believe you can rely on your own strength.

“I am the true bread and blood of life, Ruach the breath of God who blew into your nostrils to give you life as you exited your mother's womb, your nefesh.

Before I came to you when you died Ruach within you returned to God and you lost your soul, your nefesh. You died. Now he offers nefesh, your being, to you for eternity.

“As I AM, YOU ARE. All you have to do is eat the spiritual bread of life and drink the spiritual blood of life.

“As they say on Monday Night Football, “Are you ready to play football?”

 “I remind you. This is just the first step. The world opposes the ones who eat the bread of life and will seek to do them in. But all you have to do is put on the armor of God – simply believe and you are in 'Fat City,' no matter what happens.

“You observe those others of the synagogue who cringe at my words and wander away from my feast. They let my literal words blind them to belief in my spiritual and physical essence. You know what I say is truth.

 “Do you, my loyal disciples, also wish to go away as the Hebrews in the desert who lamented for a full stomach rather than believe my words? 

"Or are you ready to admit that you believe that if you desire life you have no other place to go? If so, then let your actions speak to your belief.”

Amen

Day 975 - Who Has Heard And Learned?

A reflection of John 6:35-58 for the Men's bible Study, Second Presbyterian Church, August 13, 2015 

Scripture: John 6:35-58 

        The lectionary passage for this past Sunday was John 6:35-51 and that for next Sunday is John 6:51-58. The entire 6th chapter has strong sacramental connection. since many have addressed that perspective, I have concentrated on what may be a more significant message about faith and belief, and how one comes to them. 
       These verses are a climatic revelation about the character of one's calling and the reality that the world is an adverse place for one who has faith. To that end I pose the relevant verses as a reprise at the end of the post.You will see the two passages have three self disclosures by Jesus revealing his divine nature and purpose. The first is an honest and direct statement about his purpose and the meaning of the sign of the bread. Yet the crowd responds much like the crowd we read is a previous post on Mark's account of the events leading to this feeding when Jesus visited Nazareth reported by Mark (Mark 6:1-6).
      
       The passage is constructed to use the first revelation to "set the stage" for the detailed interpretation of it in the next two "self-revelations." First, Jesus rebukes the crowd for misinterpreting the Exodus story concerning Manna. The second and third have such a remarkable parallel that it is difficult to avoid the conclusion this is a purposeful construction that first reveals the actual metaphorically expressed message to closed minds, then repeats it in a way that shocks the listener with an outrageous literal statement implying cannibalism to get their attention.
       The message is hard, as the reaction in v. 52 shows. Can one get past the concrete understanding to grasp the spiritual message? Or is one's mind simply blind to the real message of the sign of bread.  Re-read vv. 28-30 and the the first disclosure.  Ask, "Does the crowd get the message?" 

We will see what John has to say about this question next week, and who gets it, as we conclude the chapter.
      
 First Disclosure:

31Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you bread from Heaven, but it is 32 my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."   34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."

comment: The crowd has sought and and found Jesus in order to get another meal (John 6:25-26). Jesus realizes the crowd has grasped the literal or concrete message in the sign but missed its spiritual point that is the entire purpose of the sign.

After giving this answer, Jesus repeats the message twice more.  Folllow the second and third repetition below. See if you can determine the significant difference between the second and third repetitions. I have added commentary in italics.

SECOND Repetition: John 6:35-51	Third Repetition: John 51-58
35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.	51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (Spiritual food not physical.)
The world reacts against the light:	The world reacts against the light:
41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”	52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Jesus chastises the listeners: 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not complain among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.	Jesus warns the listeners : 53 So 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 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.
"Again, this is who I AM:"	"Again, this is who I AM:"
48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.	58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

A Reprise

36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; 38 for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.”  44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.

       So these verses ask a double-pointed question, not only, "Who has heard and learned?" but also "Have I heard and learned?"  What did Mark  and John tell us Jesus said about understanding grace, the Kingdom of God? They said,we depend solely on the grace of the Holy Spirit to open our minds to understand the Kingdom of God. That is found in quiet discernment and prayer, and in heartfelt, candid conversation with those who agree with you and those who see it differently.
       If we pursue Christian social justice, what are we to do when we encounter ears that the Lord does not open. If we take this passage (and Mark) seriously, it is entirely likely that some will not learn even when exposed to the plain truth. 
The alternative for us then seems to be for us to take on the responsibility for bringing justice to people. It falls on the back of those who get the message. 
       Then one must ask exactly what is justice and how do we do it? Is it social change of an institution, attacking person's character, destroying property, (that is, giving into our anger) or is it spiritual change that ameliorates one's perspective so we can focus on the important things of life, the life that Jesus describes in these verses above?
       Perhaps the primary focus for achieving justice ought to be on how effectively we are helping the abused (remember I called Mark's gospel, "The Gospel for the Abused?").  
       
       Certainly some social movements led by Christians and Jews have achieved institutional change. The best example is the one often cited, the civil rights protests in the 1950's-1970's, or even Social Security or the ACA.  People fall through the cracks because laws are compromise.  I have said before, institutional change is not individual change, and the world has its teeth set against hope. The still present de facto segregation and economic disparity should open everyone's eyes to the fact that social advocacy will always achieve an imperfect objective. Who picks up the wounded, grieved and abused folks who fall through the cracks social justice attains?

       There is a line not to be crossed in the march for social justice when it becomes mostly a political exercise with a marginal connection to faith rather than an effort to uplift people. There is a line not to be crossed in the march for justice through advocating individual change when the individual becomes more concerned about those who are abused because helping them appeals to self and status rather than compassion of the heart. 

Have any of us heard and learned?

Amen

Day 971 - Can You Hear Me Now (reprise)?

A version of a bible study given at Second Presbyterian Church, August 6, 2015.

Reading: John 6:24-35

The Revised Common Lectionary spends five weeks working through the sixth chapter of John. Perhaps it is because this chapter establishes a principal theme of John – faith or belief.

The great feast is over. Jesus has given the crowd and the disciples a sign that he is the Messiah and is of God. He has avoided the crowd by going up to a mountain while the disciples boat to the far shore. Jesus departs to catch them and to do a sign just for his disciples, walking on water in a wind-driven storm. Just as the disciples try to “save” Jesus as the crowd tried to make him King, they find themselves at the shore by Capernaum looking for another meal.

²⁴So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. (Questions: What has just happened after the feeding of the 5,000? Perhaps the crowd thinks there is more food, or more than just food?)

²⁵When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” (This cannot be God, there must be a reasonable explanation for how he got here!)

The Greek word translated as “come here” also is the same verb that means to be begotten, or to come to be (perhaps leaving unsaid by the faithful, “on earth”).  Jesus never overlooks an opportunity for repeating his message, or self-revelation.

²⁶Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.  (Your stomach is talking, not your heart. You just do not get the message.)

²⁷Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” (Can you hear me now?)

²⁸Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God (as you do)?” (We don’t hear you.)

²⁹Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” (Do you hear me know?)

If there is one word to describe the sense of salvation through Jesus in the gospel of John, it is “belief” or “faith.” The crowd believes it knows what it wants, as full belly, yet Jesus is giving them through the sign (feeding the 5,000) that the message is, he is the bread of life, the true bread, not manna.

 ³⁰So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? ³¹Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” (Are you a prophet like Moses who fed us in the wilderness? (When are you going to feed us again, like Moses and manna in the desert? - see Deuteronomy 18:14-22. They still do not get it, or remember the way that they will know Divine speech.)

Jesus now corrects them, that God sent the manna, not Moses:

³²Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (Do you hear me now?)

³⁴They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” ³⁵Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (Do you hear me now?)

       Does the crowd really want this bread always? Do they understand they are lacking something, or is it just sustenance for the body? Is Jesus talking about cannibalism?

³⁶But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 

Jesus laments that they do not perceive his self-disclosure; namely, “Belief in me is complete food for the soul and body.” Perhaps we can encapsulate the message of Jesus in this passage: The Kingdom of God is at the hand of one believes; they will never be hungry or thirsty. If one believes, the opportunity is here now, in the present, for the enjoyment of the Kingdom of God. It is an opportunity that also points towards the future when those who heed the call by God to Him will find their reward. That is, henceforth the one who believes will never be hungry or thirsty spiritually (See v. 39).

This is the basic starting point for Christian social advocacy, living in the Kingdom of God.