Come N' Go
Pentecost 11b, 15 (John 6:35, 41-51) with Ephesians 4:25-5:2 in b.g. August 9, 2015
John 6:35, 41 – 51
Texts – Verse 41 – Then the "Jews" began to complain about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."
Verse 48 – I am the bread of life (following verse 47 – Very truly I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.
Do you ever wonder?
Do you ever wonder if you can actually do the things that you are being called to do? Can you be the mother or father you want to be, that you may sense God wills you to be? Can you be the son or daughter you want to be, you know you can be, that you may sense God wills you to be? Can you be the friend you want to be, you know you can be, that God wills you to be?
I suspect that we question whether or not we can be the people God calls us to be for at least 2 reasons. Firstly and often in paralyzing ways, we are aware of our deficiencies. We see our own blind spots, our biases and prejudices. We know that often unconsciously we pass these on to our children. Sometimes (frequently?) they assume our biases, our prejudices. We also realize that we are far from perfect – that we miss the mark of God's intention. This is true of we who are parents, of we who are still blessed to have one or both of our parents – and we who are called to be friends. So often, we are caught up and by our own little worlds that we miss being who God calls us to be.
Secondly we question whether we can be the people God calls us to be in any and all of our relationships because that calling is high, is important, truly matters. To be that parent who listens, who guides, who knows and cares for their child in at least some of the ways that God listens, knows and cares for all of us – wow, that's daunting. And yet the call stands. That call of God to be these amazing people to, with and for others is with each of us in unique ways.
And yet we wonder whether we can be that - do that. We sometimes even wonder whether others can or will or are.
Some of this was going on with those early Jewish people who were contemporaries of Jesus – who in many ways was a good Jewish boy. But now he is making audacious claims. He says, "I am the bread that came down from heaven!" This is scandalous. After all they know the story, the way we know stories like Mary and Joseph's trip to Bethlehem or Jesus' last trip to Jerusalem. Jesus' childhood friends and neighbors know their stories. Their people had been enslaved in Egypt. How they cried out to God! God heard their cry. And God delivered them from Pharaoh, from Egypt. But when they were free in the wilderness, they became hungry. They cry out. God responds by sending them manna, literally bread from heaven. Praise God for that miracle long ago!
But now Jesus, this boy whom they had watched grow up in Mary and Joseph's house – this one who had played with them or with their own kids is saying that he is the bread that came down from heaven. Really? How ridiculous! Not only that but he is claiming that he is the bread that comes down from heaven. Such bread brings new life to people now and forever. They will not die!
Jesus' childhood neighbors and friends are appalled. How can Jesus make such a claim? They know him. They watched him grow up. He did not come from heaven. His claim is ridiculous – crazy, even blasphemous...
Before we judge these people too harshly perhaps we should take a look at ourselves.
Do we see God in our daily lives, around us, before us, before us working for mercy, forgiveness, hope, and new life?
Do we see God among us? Do we hear, view or be challenged by God in this congregation, the communities and work places we are part of? Do we hear or see God in questions, hopes, tears, doubts, declarations? Do we ever hear God in our own or other's confessions, "I believe help my unbelief"? Sometimes that is truly where we find ourselves in our faith - tenuous, questioning, wondering.
But so it has often been. It's not easy, to live with questions. Nor is it "bad" to live with such questions. In fact Christians have most often found themselves in trouble when they are completely self assured. Pride goes before a fall. So it was with Peter when he boldly proclaimed –"Even if they all abandon you Lord, I will not". We know what happens next.
One of our most dangerous temptations here and now is to think that God only can work in the future or the past – but not here, not now, not with us in amazing, miraculous ways. . .
Jesus is right there in front of his contemporaries. They are convinced that they know him. What they "know" is correct. In many ways he is Joseph and Mary's son. But what they "know" is only part of the picture. There is so much more to Jesus than first meets the eye! As the Gospel writer John shares right from the beginning of his gospel - Jesus is the Word that is in the beginning. And the Word becomes flesh and dwells among us full of grace and truth...
This morning I see myself among those early contemporaries of Jesus. Sometimes I wonder about this preaching part of my calling. For 36 years Sunday after Sunday I have been attempting in my own (feeble?) ways to proclaim this Word. Amazingly you people come out. But even then, sometimes I wonder, did you, does anyone hear what I am trying to say? I wonder because of what I notice – some people nodding off, checking their watches, speaking to their spouses or friend. I do notice that. And sometimes it causes me to wonder. . .
And yet God continues to invite, to command, to bless you and me and all people to gather around the Word. In this, not only we ourselves but Christians and Jews over the centuries in myriads of places have listened for God to speak to them through the words of what we now know as Scripture. In this proclamation and listening the seemingly ordinary becomes extraordinary, stirring up faith, hope, love, and trust. In all of this, God draws near taking on flesh!
This is also true of the Sacraments. As we look we may only see ordinary water – hydrogen and oxygen – drawn from our taps, coming from rivers and lakes and wells. And yet when this water is coupled with God's promises something more, much more than we can see with our eyes or even comprehend with our minds begins to happen. God's Spirit breathes upon us and others, doing away with the old and bringing forth new birth within and among us and so many others daily.
Miraculously, so it is also with bread and wine. Christ promises, "THIS IS MY BODY. THIS IS MY BLOOD!" As we are being drawn to him we are being made new, forgiven and driven to forgive. We begin to see that we are part of God's people, people who will not be bound or limited by artificial human constructs of Jew and Gentile, male and female, old and young, even of the dead and the alive.
Yet even in the midst of these interactions of God, I wonder because I see the obvious, speople laughing, giggling, unaware of what's happening to and among them. Sometimes, my mind wanders.
But God is faithful. Christ comes, to earth. He takes on our flesh becoming truly human in ways that sometimes offend us even as they offended his contemporaries. Yet at the same time Jesus is also truly divine. See his vulnerability, suffering, dying and rising.
Don't we see? Right now Jesus is in front of us. He comes through seemingly ordinary things: words, promises, water, bread and wine. Is it possible that He is speaking to us right now saying, "I am the bread come down from heaven"?
By God's grace we can come and go. Christ invites us to come and be nourished. Nourished in order to receive love and new life. And then we are to go, to live and love even as He loves us and this crazy, amazing, beautiful sometimes horrific world. It's our call from him – even as we are. Amen.