Saturday, 25 February 2012

John 10:22-30 Shepherd to Lost Sheep-Do You Read Me? Over

I want you to think back for a moment to the time when you were preparing for Confirmation, especially all the hard work and studying that were involved. You probably felt like the little girl who was attending a confirmation service with her mother. She was fascinated as each person who was being confirmed came forward, knelt and had hands placed on his or her forehead. The little girl asked her mother what that meant, and was told that it was a ritual to impress upon them that their call to be a believing brother or sister in Christ comes directly from God. The little girl thought for a moment and then said "Oh...I thought the minister was feeling their heads to see if they had any brains left".

Our Gospel reading from John 10:22-30 talks about sheep. Sheep are not the brightest animals in the world. They seek the security of the flock and blindly follow the lead of the shepherd. When several flocks are grazing together in a field, they are still able to distinguish the voice of their own shepherd and follow his movements, clap, voice, etc.. Sheep need a leader not because they are dumb, but because they know they can't go it alone. They need someone to lead and to guide them.

We are the same way. Jesus is our shepherd. We must distinguish his voice from all the other voices we hear in our daily lives and follow Him in faith. He provides the security of an eternal kingdom, but people often look elsewhere for their spiritual and eternal security. No forces other than our own can snatch us out of His good care and keeping. There is no security in the law, only unbelief. Christianity is not about Christians behaving themselves. It is about hope for those who do not have any-including all of us . All we have in ourselves is doubt and fear-and nothing there is certain.

When someone looks at the truth and refuses to believe it, it is the fault of the one who refuses to believe. At some point we simply must cut through all the uncertainty and ambiguity and believe! There is a sense in which we have to move from the theology about Jesus to the faith of and in Jesus.

Christ came to those of us who were lost sheep. He has spoken to us through the power of His words and deeds. His miracles point out His divine nature and display His power. They show that Christ and God are the same. He has opened our eyes and ears just like he opened the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf. Our status as God's sheep comes from outside ourselves, not from within. It comes from our faith in Christ. Our salvation is secure because Christ has secured our salvation through His death and resurrection. No one can take it away from us. No earthly power is stronger than He is, and He will not allow any such power to prevail against us. His power and His deity do the work that is appropriate to that nature to accomplish salvation for His people.

The true sheep of Israel are those whom God regenerates, giving them ears to hear the teachings of Jesus in faith. They in turn recognize Jesus as the Messiah, they follow Him in obedient faith, and they develop a personal relationship with Him. There is no loneliness when we belong to God. There are dynamic, social relationships. In John 10:30, Jesus talks about the power which provides the true sheep with eternal security-the power of God and Christ, the power of one . He is not saying that He and God are the same person. What He is saying is that He and God are united in one mission. They are united in the same work. If we criticize the work of Jesus, we are also criticizing God's plan for the universe.

The purpose of sacrifice which Jesus emphasized was not to please a deity that was angry with us because of our sinful behaviour, but to have the intimate fellowship of a meal with the deity. It is not the sacrifices in the Temple that absolves from sin; it is the sacrificial act that Jesus makes through the surrender of his life that provides both absolution of sin and entrance into God's community. Because of His sacrifice, people will know that He is the authentic shepherd.

Jesus challenges those who would oppose Him to consider the Word and His works. When He refers to the law, he refers to the Old Testament. He has a high regard for the Scriptures-a regard not shared by the world today. Many people today say that the Scriptures are indestructible as long as they agree with them. Vast numbers of people have heard His words, and taken Him at His word, and have discovered that He was and is the gateway into the heart of God. He was, and is, the door to the finest and truest understanding of God's nature and God's character that the world has ever known.

We must submit to His word on the subject if we are going to call ourselves Christians. The Jews asked Jesus if He was the Messiah because the Messiah they expected was not the same as the Messiah promised by the Old Testament. The Jews were looking for a Messiah who would use military power to free them from Roman rule. Jesus, on the other hand, was the spiritual Messiah or shepherd promised by the Scriptures. His words and deeds were a powerful, consistent witness to Israel. In return, He sincerely and genuinely wanted Israel to submit to His revelation, to respond to His message with obedience in faith. The decision to reject Him was due to their underlying moral nature. They were not His sheep, so they would not follow Him. Their former religions were still in the backs of their minds in spite of what Jesus said and did. He offered something that their former religions did not offer-namely, eternal life.

His desire for His followers to submit to Him and respond to His message in faith is still strong today. When the Gospel comes to us, it is our responsibility to respond to it in faith. If we are one of Christ's sheep given to Him by the Father, we hear His voice just like a sheep hears the shepherd's voice. He in turn knows each and every one of us as individuals. He has a personal relationship with each and every one of us and will give us eternal life-a life that no one can take away from us. If we believe in faith, we have no one to thank but Jesus himself.

His death and resurrection have the power to hold and protect his sheep so that nothing can take them away-not even death. Faith is a special gift from God. It is the experience of those who have met Jesus and follow Him. Those with this experience never perish nor have any doubts, but cling on their experience in a manner that nothing can separate them from God's love.

The trust we have in faith in the Good Shepherd carries us through our times of fear just like a shepherd protects his flock in times of trouble. This trust allows us to believe that our life has meaning, even when life's circumstances tell us otherwise. God does not promise us a life of happiness in a world where nature and human cruelty take its toll. One only has to look at the recent tragic shootings at Virginia Tech to see the truth of that statement. In fact, He often uses life's events to give us an occasional tap on the shoulder to remind us the He is "the boss" and that He is in control. What He does promise is that we will never be alone, and that we will never be deprived. He gives us the Spirit that helps us grow closer to God and changes our focus from our own selves to the confidence of a closer faith in Him. The challenge we face when we face life's challenges is not to explain or justify them, but to survive them and remember that God is always with us.

We hear these promises and claims, and we can either believe them and embrace them OR do what we ought to do when we can't believe them and embrace them-namely, call Jesus a liar or a fake, and walk away. Jesus wants us to hear His word and understand who He is for our lives. He wants us to know and believe that He is our shepherd and we are His sheep. He wants us to know His voice and follow it like sheep follow the voice of their shepherd. He wants us to hear His words of peace and comfort in our lives, but sometimes it is hard to hear them over the other noises that we hear in our lives.

Part of the problem is that we often hear what we want to hear. In other words, we have a case of "selective hearing". Far too much of our own listening is centered on the world and not on Jesus. Far too often we tune out His voice. We have heard through the years about His words and deeds, but we still have a hard time centering our attention on the Good Shepherd. The Bible is not a logical, systematic work of theology. It is a collection of God's love songs and our responses-and even our failure to respond. We don't always hear or understand the meaning of these love songs because we do not focus on His voice. We must filter out the background noise like the modern hearing aids that filter out or reduce background noise.

The trouble for many is that they have abandoned the church, or at least relegated it to a minor role in their lives; it is a convenience at best. Thus the power of forgiveness, the gifts of grace, the warmth of fellowship are absent. When people no longer worship they lose sight of the beacons which warn us of the life-shattering rocks, they often forfeit the Word of God which lights the path. They find themselves in need of a shepherd but they don't know where to look.

We can't hear His voice unless we are one of His sheep. Have you heard his voice? It makes all the difference in the world if we hear the Good Shepherd's voice. It has eternal consequences. Eternal life begins not at the time of death, but at the time when we become one of His sheep-that is, when God regenerates our hearts and turns us into followers of Jesus.

When we can't hear His voice because of the noise in our modern world, we must listen for His word. Be still. Quiet our lives. Make time. Close our eyes, be with God and be quiet. Then, when we have finished listening, we must sing praises to His name. We must be apart from the world and not be assimilated by it.

The 23rd Psalm is often read at funerals, but it is not for the dead. It is for the living. It provides God's comfort, strength and assurance that the living will survive life's challenges. The Good Shepherd has to lead the sheep through the valley of the shadow of death to greener pastures. He has to lead us through life's challenges so that we may enjoy life's blessings. He leads us all of the time, but especially when we face life's trials. I know, because I'm speaking from experience-both my own and that of my family.

Believing something and knowing what we believe are two entirely different things. We can only determine what someone believes by looking at what they do, not what they say. Actions do indeed speak louder than words.

Here in Nova Scotia there is a a singer/songwriter by the name of Terry Kelly. A few years ago, he wrote and recorded a song called "In My Father's House". I was reminded of the words of the first verse while I was doing the research for this homily, and since they are somewhat appropriate, I would like to share them with you:

In my father's house

There was sanctuary

When it would rain in the world

Love would keep us dry

When it rained it poured

Love was our umbrella

In my father's house


When we are with God, He provides the sanctuary and protection we need to survive life's storms. All we have to do is come inside in faith.


Saturday, 18 February 2012

John 10:1-10 Jesus, the Good Shepherd


A mother was once asked by a census-taker how many children she had. She replied, “Well, there’s Billy and Harry and Martha and…”. “Never mind the names,” the man interrupted, “Just give me the numbers”. The mother angrily replied, “They don’t have numbers, they all have names!”  

This might be a funny story, but in our modern world this is oh so true. We are often reduced to numbers and statistics, especially by the government. Here in Canada, our governments- municipal, federal or provincial-know us by our Social Insurance Numbers, and that identity is included in almost all of our lifetime records and transactions. We are no longer identities to our governments, only our “number” is. Even our opinions are reflected by numbers in survey results, as was seen by the surveys conducted during the recent federal election campaign. No wonder many people have an “identity crisis”.

Thankfully, our Saviour Jesus Christ is not like this. He knows each and every one of us by our names, just like a shepherd knows each and every one of the sheep in his flock. Personal names and identities are important to God, especially his own; therefore, it is not surprising that Jesus knows us by our names. After all, he is the Good Shepherd.

The parable of the good shepherd and his sheep is a reference to God’s intimate knowledge of all of us. A good shepherd looks after his flock and knows his sheep. Sheep are not the brightest animals in the world. They seek the security of the flock and blindly follow the lead of the shepherd. When several flocks are grazing together in a field, they are still able to distinguish the voice of their own shepherd and follow his movements, clap, voice, etc. Sheep need a leader not because they are dumb, but because they know they can’t go it alone. They need someone to lead and to guide them.

Jesus is our shepherd. People who truly belong to God listen to and believe in the words of Jesus. We must distinguish his voice from all the other voices we hear in our daily lives and follow Him in faith. He provides the security of an eternal kingdom, but people often look elsewhere for their spiritual and eternal security. No forces other than our own can snatch us out of His good care and keeping. There is no security in the law, only unbelief. Christianity is not about Christians behaving themselves. It is about hope for those who do not have any-including all of us. All we have in ourselves is doubt and fear-and nothing there is certain.

In Biblical times, sheep were often placed in a fenced-in area at night for their protection. If the sheep pen had a gate, the shepherd could close and lock it and go home; however, many sheep pens did not have a gate. Instead, there was an opening. A shepherd would then lie across the opening to keep predators out. Just as the shepherd controlled the entrance to the sheep pen, Jesus controls our entrance to heaven. In fact, Jesus is the only way to heaven. As Jesus once said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me”. Our comings and goings are through Jesus.

This might seem narrow-minded to some people, but it was Jesus who in his perfect mind and perfect planning paved the way for us to be reconciled to God. He did this by giving himself to us. For us he emptied himself of his deity and took on human form and became a lowly, humble servant-just like a shepherd is a lowly, humble servant. We can have all of the world’s goods, but we would still be empty inside. The only person who can truly satisfy us is Jesus. If we allow Christ to live in us, we will have an abundant life. His love encourages us and empowers us so that we will obey him out of joy and thankfulness.

As a gate-keeper, Jesus provides both protection and freedom. He gives us helpful boundaries and keeps the enemy at bay. We can trust him more than we can trust the world around us. Jesus warns us about those who would lead people far from the truth, especially false teachers and some TV evangelists. These false prophets are like junk food. They look so appealing, but a steady diet of their “spiritual junk food” will hurt us in the long run. Jesus loved people and cared for them just like a shepherd cares for his sheep.

Those of you who have ever held a yard sale might have been in a situation where a customer found an item that he or she wanted, but did not want to pay the price you were charging. Well, our spiritual life is the same. There are people who are looking for joy, peace and love in their lives. When someone tells them that they can have all of that and more just by believing in what Jesus did for them on the cross, they do not want to pay the price.

Sheep can’t spend their entire lives in the sheepfold. After all, there’s no food in the sheepfold. The sheep might be comfortable and safe in the sheepfold, but the sheep must follow the shepherd out of the fold in order to find sustenance, in order to live. In the same way, Jesus calls out to us. He speaks the word that will bring us out of the places of comfort and safety that we have built around us.

Life cannot be conquered, but it can be delayed, put on hold or made dormant. When we retreat to the safety and comfort of our own personal sheepfolds, we can’t fully enjoy the fullness of a life lived in God. Life is not the same as existence. Ease does not bring joy, and less demanding often means less fulfilling.

A good shepherd is also willing to lay down his life in order to protect his flock. He will use any weapons he has at his disposal (including his staff) to fight off predators. Jesus as our shepherd willingly laid down his life so that those who believe in him would be protected from both sin and the wrath of God’s punishment. Those who love, follow and obey God will be in the devil’s sights. His eye will be on us when we take the battle to him. He also gave us the armour of God that Paul refers to in Ephesians chapter 6 so that we might be better able to protect ourselves as we fight the temptations of Satan and the world.

Satan has no power to stop us from walking with God. He can never own us because we have been redeemed by Jesus’ death and resurrection and we are forever in him. Our greatest challenges often come after our greatest victories. The devil will always be there to challenge whatever God has done. He is always looking for our vulnerabilities. Jesus became the door to salvation for us. He gave his life for the great flock of humanity so that anyone who believes in him can become part of God’s flock.

Jesus came to give us eternal life, offer us forgiveness, set us free from guilt and sin, and give us a fuller, meaningful life here on earth. We can live abundant lives because he can provide forgiveness from sin. In order to seek the gifts he offers us, we have to continually follow him and obey him without reservation. Don’t we all want to experience the joy of living and moving in grace-filled rhythm, in tune with something larger than ourselves? Don’t we all want the sense that we are living and moving in perfect rhythm to the song of the Christian life?

The world tells us to measure our lives by the limited time we have here on earth, but the life we have in Christ is so much better than that, because the life we have in him is eternal life. We disrespect Christ when we do not live up to the potential and possibilities Jesus has made available to us. When we settle for a listless and lackluster life of going through the motions and pursuing meaningless plans, we tell Jesus that his work has no effect in our lives.

We as sheep are unambiguous people who are to be cared for. We can’t enter Jesus’ flock by deeds, philosophy or ritual. We have to come through Jesus. The voice of the good shepherd helps us when we have to make difficult choices-choices about who we are, what we believe, and what really matters to us. He whispers his love for us. He calls us into an ongoing relationship with him. All we have to do are three things:

1.      Confess our sins and admit that we need a saviour.

2.      Trust Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.

3.      Believe that our sins are forgiven and that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.


We must be careful not to let our zeal for God fade. We were created to live a full and abundant life that was paid for by Jesus so that we can enjoy God’s full blessings. Are we living the abundant life, or are we just getting by? How do we leave time in our lives for these blessings? We have to make time for the joys of the abundant life. We have to stay close to the one who makes the abundant life possible-Jesus.

When we come to Jesus that does not mean that our life will be perfect and carefree. In fact, the storms of life might become stronger because of the devil. Jesus does not protect those he loves from bad things happening, but uses bad things to fulfill his plans for our lives. When we suffer, he is glad not because we are suffering, but because through suffering we have the chance to grow in faith and display his glory-and that is the very purpose of our existence.


Bibliography
 

1.      Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV

2.      ESV Study Bible

3.      Notes from Peter Anthony’s Bible Study, Winter 2011

4.      Kenny Luck, “Become an Effective Warrior for Christ”. Retrieved from www.EveryManMinistries.com

5.      Sheila Schuller Coleman, “Wake-up Call Number One”. Retrieved from www.hourofpower.cc

6.      Dr. Jack Graham, “Living an Abundant Life”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

7.      Christopher Harris, “The Ultimate Disrespect”. Retrieved from www.streamingfaith.com

8.      Rebecca Barlow Jordan, “Gate”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

9.      Phil Ware, “Heartlight Daily Verse”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

10.  Glynnis Whitwer, “Would I Know Him?” Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

11.  Bill Bright, “Why Jesus Came”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

12.  John Eldredge, “Christ’s Abundance”. Retrieved from www.newlife.com

13.  Bill Bright, “An Identity Crisis?” Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

14.  Walt Larimore, “The Spiritual Wheel”. Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com

15.  Neil Anderson, “Your Journey toward Christ”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

16.  Greg Laurie, “After the Dove”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

17.  Selwyn Hughes, “The Last Word is Life”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

18.  Dr. Charles F. Stanley, “The Lord, Our Shepherd”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

19.  Dr. Charles F. Stanley, “Jesus: The Only Way to Heaven”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

20.  Sharon Jaynes, “Just What You’ve Always Wanted”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

21.  Kelly McFadden, “The Truth versus the Lie”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

22.  Dr. Charles F. Stanley, “Rekindling the Fire”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

23.  Mike DeVries, “Living in Rhythm”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

24.  Mary Southerland, “First Class Living”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

25.  Dr. Jack Graham, “How You Can Experience Abundant Life in Christ”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

26.  Steve Arterburn, “Called by Name”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

27.  Joel Osteen, “Thriving Every Day”. Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com

28.  Anne Graham Lotz, “More to Life”. Retrieved from www.angelministries.org

29.  Rev. Billy Strayhorn, “The Voice of the Shepherd”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

30.  William Loader, “Easter 4”. Retrieved from www.staff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/MtEaster4.htm

31.  Jerry Goebel, “I am the Door”. Retrieved from http://onefamilyoutreach.com/bible/John/jn_10_01-10.htm

32.  Craig Condon, “Shepherd to Lost Sheep-Do you Read Me? Over”. Sermon preached in 2008

33.  Rev. Adam Thomas, “The Sheepfold”. Retrieved from www.day1.org


Saturday, 11 February 2012

John 6:51-58 Feed Me, I’m Hungry

An atheist was swimming in the ocean one day.  Suddenly he saw a shark in the water, so he started swimming furiously toward his boat.  He looked back and saw the shark turn and head towards him.  He was scared to death, and as he saw the jaws of the great white beast open, revealing its horrific teeth, he screamed “Oh God!  Save me!”

In an instant, time was frozen and a bright light shone down from above.  The man was motionless in the water when he heard the voice of God say, “You are an atheist.  Why do you call up on me when you do not believe in me?” The man was confused and knew he could not lie, so he replied, “Well, that’s true.  I don’t believe in you, but what about the shark?  Can you make the shark believe in you?”
 
The Lord replied, “As you wish,” and the light retracted back into the heavens.  The man felt the water move once again.  As he looked back, he saw the jaws of the shark start to close down on him, when all of a sudden the shark stopped and pulled back.  The man watched as the huge beast closed its eyes, bowed its head, and said, “Thank you Lord for this food which I’m about to receive…”

Have you ever noticed that most of the social life of churches revolves around food?  Think about it for a minute.  Weddings and funerals, for example, involve receptions.  Trinity Church and Saint Andrew’s Church are famous for their pot luck suppers.  Saint John’s Church is known for its annual strawberry supper. Many of our congregational meetings involve refreshments, even if it is only tea or coffee. It seems to me that you can’t have an event at church these days without having something to eat!  Food certainly encourages fellowship. It is ritual, spiritual and historic. (Boyes)
 
In fact, many of Jesus’ miracles, teachings and parables involve food. The story in today’s Gospel reading is a good example. It also involves food, but not the type you would expect.  It takes place shortly after Jesus has fed the 5000 with the five loaves of bread and two fish.  He has left Capernaum with the disciples, but the crowd found them.  The people were still hungry.  They wanted Jesus to once again give them physical food, but he could see that their true hunger was for spiritual food.  When he said, “I am the bread of life,” he was not talking about literal “bread”, but he was talking about the true “living bread” in the sense that those who believe in him will have their spiritual hunger satisfied.[1]
 
John’s discourse about the bread of life in Chapter 6 of his Gospel is his way of dealing with the Eucharist, especially since his Gospel is the only one of the four Gospels that does not include the story of the Last Supper. The story is told in its own way in all for Gospels because each one was written for a different audience. In John’s case, his Gospel was written for the church in Greece approximately 60 years after Christ’s Ascension. At this time in history, the Greeks were leaders in politics, philosophy ideology and culture, so their interpretation was much different than that of the Hebrews, for example.
 
The main reason why John’s Gospel doesn’t include the story of the Last Supper is because he wanted to focus on the meaning of the Eucharist. In the Eucharist Jesus meets us just as he did 2,000 years ago. People fall into sin when they don’t believe in God’s word or trust him. To restore us to the way we are meant to be means that we have to be able to trust again. In the incarnation, God became flesh and lived among us. Christ’s entire life was God’s life in the flesh so that we might know him as a God of grace and truth, of mercy and love, and therefore trust him again.
 
When Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross, he created the final link between his teachings and the Old Testament with its Jewish rituals. The Jewish rites of worship and asking for forgiveness from sin often involved animal sacrifices. Salvation depended on being part of the right race, nationality, bloodline, clan or group. In contrast, the Gentiles believed that life and breath came from the spiritual realm. Consequently, the Gentiles believed that the flesh was corrupt. Their spiritual life consisted of trying to get away from the flesh. The result was rituals and liturgies that pushed God away and made him difficult to reach.
 
Jesus bridged that gap through his death and resurrection---which is the bread of life that he refers to. The bread that Christ refers to is his human nature, which he took to present to his father, as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.  They are called the flesh and blood of Christ because they are purchased by the breaking of his body and the shedding of his blood, and because they are meat and drink to our souls.[1] His crucifixion provides the spiritual food we need for eternal life. (unknown)
 
As God’s revelation, Jesus opens the bread of God’s word in the world. When we eat the bread of life, it fills our spiritual hunger and we become God’s words in the world. As such, we are “our brother’s keeper”. In other words, we must love and care for others like Christ loves and cares for us. If we can’t reconcile ourselves to each other, what hope is there for the life of the world?
 
The word bread also means sustenance. In the Lord’s Prayer, the phrase, “Give us this day our daily bread”, really means “Give us today what we need for life”. Flesh and blood also mean a vital, active life. When Jesus says that he is the bread of life, he is referring to his own life and vitality. He gave his life freely so that we can have eternal life if we believe in him. He gives us grace for living. He gives us access to God, forgiveness of our sins, eternal life and much more. We share life with him much more than we share life with our own friends and family (Stroble)

There is an interesting parallel between this gospel reading and the manna that came down from heaven when the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the desert.  Both Jesus and the manna have their source in God up in heaven, and what Jesus offers is similar to what the Israelites received. (Stoffregen) Unfortunately, the Jews in today’s Gospel reading didn’t understand this parallel. Jesus said that he is the bread of life that came down from heaven, but the Jews knew from scripture and their experience that it was manna, not Jesus of Nazareth that came down from heaven. To them, eating manna and eating a person were two entirely different things. They did not realize that Jesus is the divine word, the revelation of God, and as such not only does he provide the bread, he IS the bread that is essential for our spiritual life.  (Goodpaster)
 
To eat the flesh and to drink the blood of Jesus---and thus believe in him---is to surrender own righteousness before God and cling to Christ’s saving work. Loving ourselves as Christ loves us will involve making personal sacrifices and changes in the way we behave toward others; changes in the way we think, act or believe; changes in the way we worship and pray (including a change in location); changes in the way we forgive one another; changes in the way we regard righteousness and salvation---even changes in our station of life or our economic status. Like the song by the Beatles says, “All you need is love”---the love of Christ as shown by his spiritual food.
 
When we eat the bread of life, we are in Christ and Christ is in us and around us at the same time. If we find it difficult to understand this concept, we are not alone. There is a story about a minister who was walking along the beach with his son. The boy was asking his father questions about a recent sermon about Christ dwelling in his people. The boy said, “Dad, I can’t understand how Christ can live in us and we live in him at the same time.” As they walked further down the beach, the father noticed a bottle with a cork in it. He took the bottle, filled it half-full with water, re-corked it and flung it far into the ocean. He said, “Son, the sea is in the bottle and the bottle is in the sea. As it bobs up and down in the sea, it is a picture of life and motion, life in Christ”. (Zingale)

Faith in Jesus does not begin by obeying church doctrines, not is it an intellectual exercise. Faith in Jesus means responding to his invitation to have a personal relationship with him. Let me give you an example. Suppose some friends invite you to their home for a meal. When you are a guest in their home, they are sharing their intimacy with you. They are sharing with you some of the privacy of that place where they live, eat, love, work on their problems, argue, sleep and depart for work and pleasure and return for rest every day.

After you arrive, they show you around their home in which they take deep pride. Then you sit down for the meal. You fine everything set with care, the food delicious and the conversation delightful. In other words, it becomes a lovely occasion and you leave feeling full in every way. You enjoy bread from the kitchen, but you also enjoy being graciously received, the lively conversation, and being in beautiful surroundings.

Multiply this by thousands of times and you have a glimpse of what the Holy Eucharist is. In the Eucharist, Jesus and “bread of life” are one. In the Eucharist, bread and wine are the elements that provide our spiritual nourishment and nurture our faith in God.  (Leary) Is Jesus our daily bread or a seasonal dish? Is he our regular nourishment, or our Christmas turkey, Easter ham and whatever else conveniently fits in throughout the year? In other words, is Jesus our Lord, to whom we look for all things, at all times? Is he the centre of our life and faith, or is he our insurance policy that we think of only when we need to file a claim in times of need or despair? The body and blood of Christ is active, not static. It nourishes and flows. It is alive and requires our active participation in it to carry its meaning into the world. (Denton)

Works Cited       
Boyes, K. (n.d.). Food. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from Milo Thornerry:Sermons: http://www.maherconsulting.com/bumc/sermondetail.cfm?ID=222
Denton, J. (n.d.). Sunday Scripture Readings: May 29, 2009. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from Catholic News Service: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/word/05w10529.htm
DiFranco, E. M. (n.d.). Reflections on John 6:51-58. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from Reflections on John 6:51-58: http://home.comcast.net/~cta-philadelphia/EMDHomily8202006.htm
Stoffregen, B. P. (n.d.). Brian P. Stoffregen Exegetical Notes. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from Crossmarks.com: www.crossmarks.com/brian/john6x51.htm
Stroble, P. (n.d.). Whose Casserole (John 6:51-58). Retrieved July 10, 2009, from Religion-Online: http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=3421
unknown. (n.d.). Bible Truth Online. Retrieved July 7, 2009, from Bibletruthonline.com: www.bibletruthonline.com
Zingale, T. (n.d.). Wisdom=Being in Christ. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from SermonCentral.com: http://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?Cont



[1] Matthew Henry Concise Commentary, part of Bible Explorer 4 software 

[1] ESV Study Bible, part of Bible Explorer 4 software

Saturday, 4 February 2012

John 6:41-51 Spiritual Hunger

A burglar was arrested and appeared before a judge. The judge found him guilty and before he sentenced the burglar, the judge asked him if he had anything to say in his defense. The burglar said, “Well, Your Honour, you know how it is. The more a man has, the more he wants”. The judge replied, “Is that so? Well, I tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to sentence you to 15 years in jail. How many more would you like?”  

The desire for more and more material things has often been used by human beings to fulfill their deepest desires, but unfortunately it leads to heartache and pain. One only has to look at the “stories” involving former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s resignation or the deaths of Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson or comedian John Belushi for evidence. [1] Millions of people also practically worship the ground that Hollywood idols or rock stars walk on. These people get their joy from worshipping overpaid people who have gaping holes inside----holes that they often try to fill with worldly pleasures such as drugs, alcohol or sexual pleasures. [2]

Another way people try to fill this gap is by being obsessed with food. For many people, food is no longer a simple pleasure and a means of nourishment. Instead, it is a source of confusion, guilt and conflict---just like the obsession some people have with drink or gambling. The moment of pleasure is an illusion.

We must ask ourselves, “What are my hungers? Where have I gone to satisfy them and where have those choices led me? When my life takes a turn that requires wise choices, strength and perseverance, will the stuff I use to fill the void in my life be the nourishment I need?” Thank goodness Jesus provides an alternative that is healthier for us both physically and spiritually. In John 6:35, he states that he is the bread of life, and he goes on in verse 44 to explain that no one can come to him unless God the Father draws him. [3] Those who believe in him will have their spiritual hunger satisfied. This is the message that he tried to give in the story of the loaves and fish. Unfortunately, the people didn’t get it then, just like many of us don’t “get it” today.

The Jews didn’t get it because of their biases. They understood Jesus in a completely literal way, but Jesus was talking in a metaphorical way. They were so concerned with their literal interpretations of the laws of the Old Testament that they became set in their ways and either could not or would not change. In a way you can’t really blame them though. It’s only human nature to resist change, either actively or passively. We get so comfortable with the status quo, the way we’ve always done things, etc. that it becomes comfortable, like a well-worn pair of shoes. It just feels so good! We get comfortable! We like things just the way they are!!!!!! This new way of doing things makes us feel uncomfortable!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Jews also didn’t get it because of their prejudice against Jesus. When they heard his claim that he is the bread of life, their response was, “How can this be? Is he not Jesus, the son of a carpenter?  How can he claim that he is the bread of life?” In other words, the Jews didn’t see Jesus as being a supreme being because of their prejudice against his family and his hometown.  

The Jews also objected to Jesus’ claim that he was greater than Moses, and again it was because they saw Jesus as just a man, and not as the Son of God. Jesus knew that his claim would be difficult for people to accept, and therefore he said that if anyone did believe, it was proof that God had led him. The Jews saw Moses as being next to God, and everyone else was of lesser importance. The Jews’ pride kept them from believing in Jesus, just like our pride sometimes keeps us from believing in him. The Jews also believed that strict observance of the law would lead them closer to God, but Jesus tells them that this is not the case. God converts us from sin by enlightening our minds and inclining the will. He influences the soul by motives, just views of his law, love, commands, warnings, desires for happiness, applying truth to the mind, and by urging us to yield ourselves to Christ. [4]

Jesus says something similar when he states that “I am the way, the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through me”. He is the gatekeeper to our eternal destiny. Jesus the gatekeeper draws us to him through his love. [5] When we get to that gate, he is ready, willing and able to open it for us. He makes perfectly clear all that can be known about God. In return, he gives God’s eternal, spiritual life to all who believe. The reward for our belief is eternal life. It is a quality of life that we have now and will have even more of in the future. In return, he demands something from us-namely, a long-term commitment to him. We have to surrender ourselves to him in trust and be faithful witnesses to God’s Word.

The task will not be easy. The Jews, like the Israelites, were famous for complaining, especially during the forty years they spent in the wilderness. We are the same though. We are often tempted to feel abandoned when times are tough. Tough times often test our faith and challenge our Christian beliefs, especially when these beliefs run counter to popular culture. Jesus knows that the world will hit us hard, and we will lapse into spiritual amnesia at times. There will be times when we are opposed by those who satisfy their spiritual hunger with worldly pleasures. There will be times when we will be tired and discouraged just like the prophet Elijah was in 1 Kings 19:4-8. We will need nourishment if we want to follow God’s path and do his work. Jesus will provide that nourishment. We take this nourishment in faith, as a real way of being united with Christ to receive life---a life that will not fade or disillusion us.

When Jesus claims that he is the bread of life, he also states that the bread he gives is his own flesh, which he gives for the life of the world. [6] This is the first time that he explicitly refers to his sacrificial death. Unlike the forefathers of the Jews (who ate manna from heaven in the wilderness and died) those of us who eat Jesus’ spiritual bread and drink his living water will live for eternity if we believe in him in faith. When we take part in the breaking of bread during the Eucharist, we join with Jesus, the saints and each other in fellowship with each other and with God.[7] This spiritual food gives us a share in God’s life, and it is but a small sample of the feast we will have when we eventually sit down and enjoy God’s heavenly banquet.













[1] “Accept No Substitutes: Earthly Appetites, Heavenly Bread, and Human Wholeness” Readings for Sunday, August 2, 2009. Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus,net

[2] “Is it Right to Worship ‘Stars’? “, Dan Wooding, ASSIST News Service. Retrieved from www.assistnews.net

[3] ESV Study Bible, part of Bible Explorer 4 and Wordsearch 7 software packages.
[4]  Jamieson Fawcett-Brown Commentary, part of Bible Explorer 4 and Wordsearch 7 software
[5] “How Can I Get the Holy Spirit?” by Billy Graham Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/news/billygraham/s-501577-521660

[6]  John 6:51, ESV Study Bible