Do you also wish to go away?

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. ⁶⁷ So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" ⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.          –John 6:66-68 (NRSV)

Sometimes the word of God is challenging and not comforting.  Such is the case with Jesus’ teaching here.  For us, on this side of it, it’s not that bad because we’re eating bread and drinking wine, but for them, the obvious connection to cannibalism and Jesus’ repetition of ‘eating flesh’ & ‘drinking blood’ is a bit gruesome.  God sometimes ‘grosses us out’ to get our attention...and teach us a truth that is still a mystery...

Lord, to whom can we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  Get my attention...and help me to understand your ways...and your truth.

True Food and True Drink

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.          –John 6:53-56 (NRSV)

If you want to get the full context of this passage, read the entire 6^th chapter of John.  This is John’s graphic teaching about Communion.

Jesus is purposely pushing the limits here...and as we’ll see on Saturday, it’s just too much to handle for some of his disciples...

But what is he up to?  I think he wants us to squirm a bit in order to begin to understand the gift that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are giving us... “in, with, and under” the bread and wine.  Is this truly Jesus?

Jesus, Lord of all, may I ‘eat you up’ and ‘drink you down’ with true joy and thanksgiving...

Sacrament: Visible Words

Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."          –Luke 22:19

So much of God is beyond our understanding, beyond our verbalizing, that we have to use metaphors in order to get even close to what it all means.  Jesus uses the metaphors of bread and wine to speak of what he is doing for us on the cross and leaving for us in Holy Communion.

Augustine called them “visible words,” and this includes the water of the sacrament of baptism.  The word of God is signified by the physical element, and, in our Lutheran understanding, vitally present in water, wine, and wheat. 

Luther, in his attempt to capture the mystery, talks about the “real presence” of Christ.  Somehow (and it remains a mystery) Jesus is truly present when we eat and drink.  Jesus becomes part of us in body, mind, and spirit.  The word of God is accomplishing its purpose.

We will never fully figure out the full height, depth, & breadth of God’s work in this world, but seeking understanding, asking questions, and giving it time to meander in our minds, helps us more fully digest these ‘visible words’ and make them ‘really present’ in our lives.

Good morning, Lord!

Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,

     for in you I put my trust.

Teach me the way I should go,

    for to you I lift up my soul.         –Psalm 143:8 (NRSV)

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.         –Mark 1:35 (NRSV)

Jesus practiced what he preached and was an example for us to follow.  He made a daily time to get himself oriented, to stay focused and to soak up the steadfast love of the Father.

I’m sure there were mornings that were cold...and came quickly after a long night of healing, teaching, or explaining to his disciples.

If he needed that daily connection...maybe we do too.

Lord, let me hear of your steadfast love today, for in you I put my trust.

A Confident Word

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

     it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

     and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.          –Isaiah 55:11 (NRSV)

Our God is confident...that his word will accomplish the purpose for which he sent it.  “And the word became flesh and lived among us.”  And in Jesus lived grace and truth.  God is confident that word will accomplish its purpose.

Revelation, from which comes our Hymn of Praise lyrics, is a difficult book to understand.  It’s filled with strange and wonderful imagery.  And while the individual images may perplex us, the interpretation of the book can be condensed into two words:  God wins.  God accomplishes his purpose.  The Word wins.  Can I believe that because of my faith in God’s Word I win too?  God’s word will have its way in my life.

Thank you, Word of God, word of life, for dwelling in me and working your will in my life.  Keep me focused...

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you...

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.          –Colossians 3:16 (NRSV)

What “dwells in you”?  How do you approach each day?  Optimistic?  Joyful?  Pessimistic?  Fearful?  Anxious?

We all fluctuate day by day, and many times within the day.  Whatever our ‘natural’ inclination, can we make room in ourselves for Christ’s word of grace and truth?  Do you have time, er, can you make time to let Jesus in...and let him stay?

What may be the result...if we make it a daily habit?

Lord Jesus, may your word fill my life completely...so that I think, speak, & ‘sing’ out your truth...your life...in mine.

Word of God, word of life...

We gather around the Word of God read and proclaimed...then given to us to eat...then we are sent to bear it to our world.  “Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts...that we may...worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

We gather...to be changed, don’t we?  To be given life...