Grace, mercy, and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Why is life so demanding? There are so
many things to do: to keep the boss happy, keep the IRS
away, pay for vehicle registration fees, sales taxes, state mandated auto
insurance, health insurance, and a thousand other demands. If only life was
simpler, less costly. If life was
like the imaginary person named Julia, it would be simpler – someone else would
pay for our birth control, healthcare, loans for college, weatherizing the
house, solar panels, electric car, job training, unemployment, mortgage, food
stamps, and etc… (Obama’s
6/12 speech) Then again, somebody pays for it and
it’s likely to be you and me. There’s no free lunch, is there?
On the other hand, Jesus said I, I am the living bread that came down from
heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that
I will give for the life of the
world is my flesh.” Wow! Living bread, free bread, life giving bread,
eternal life, bread given for the life of the world... doesn’t that sound like
a free lunch? But when Jesus offered this gift many followers said this is a hard saying, who can listen to it?
After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him
(6:60,
66). Or maybe it was
Jesus’ word choice? He literally says whoever
masticates on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise
him up on the last day.
Did his disciples really think
cannibalism? Or did something else choke in their throat: “MY flesh is true
food and MY blood is true drink?” That’s
a hard demand, because it sounds too free and easy and universal to just eat
His banquet and live forever! Does this explains a couple days before, when
Jesus fed 5,000 with some barley loaves and two fish, the crowd tried to make Jesus be king? He slipped away, and
when they found their grocery store the next day he said: Work not for food which perishes, but for food enduring to eternal
life, which the Son of man will give
to you, for on Him has God the
Father set his seal. Therefore they said
to him, What must we do, to be doing
the works of God? Jesus answered them,
this is the work of God, that you believe
in him whom he has sent (Jn
6:27ff.).
Jesus said he will give you this food. They replied “what work must we do?” If someone gives you a present do
you say, “What do I have to do to earn it?” There’s no demand here. Jesus makes
it simple. It is nothing you do, it is whom you believe. It is a free lunch. Then
follows a strange but predictable response: Then
what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? (6:30 )
The sign of loaves and fish was enough for them to make him be king. Now for true bread, for eternal life as a gift,
they want to choose a sign. Why? Is it
the magnitude of His promise, or is it they don’t want to believe that faith
alone receives eternal life? Despite asking for a simple life at the free-lunch
counter we’d rather do than believe. If we can earn God’s approval we remain in
control, in control of God, or so we
think. Besides, works can be done
without faith at all. Jesus isn’t necessary. But manna from heaven did not keep
Israel Egypt Red Sea and then saw many
other miracles, all but two died in the desert.
Only two of that generation entered the Promised Land, Joshua and Caleb;
because only two believed the land was theirs by the promise of God.
It’s easy to work. But to trust God’s
promises, that’s nigh impossible. Are Jesus’ words easier to swallow in the 21st
century? Truly, truly, unless you eat the
flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. (6:53 ) Has the human heart changed
since Jesus’ day? Is faith easier than works (and don’t confuse apathy with
faith)? I’ll give you an example, and I’m not trying to pick on anybody. I’m
just giving an example of a very popular way of looking at God’s lunch counter.
In 1964 Vatican II produced a paper called Lumen
Gentium, light to the Gentiles. Did
it say that Jesus is the living bread for the world? It said apart
from Jesus, Those who, through no fault
of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his church, but who
nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and moved by grace, try in their
actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their
conscience – those too may achieve eternal salvation. (Lumen Gentium 16, see Vatican Council II:
ed. Austin Flannery)
“Light to the Gentiles” means Jesus’
words are not really true for Muslims, Jews, secularists and Pagans. They can earn a free lunch. It sounds so generous
to our ears, saying “God be happy with our good intentions and efforts.” What of “truly, truly, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you
(6:53 )?” Why do we fight
against a free gift that gives eternal life? Do we really imagine we can please God by our works of will, mind and emotion?
Do we imagine how well we can do for
God, like doing without sweets, cigarettes, TV; like doing without gossip,
anger, lust, jealousy, idolatry… and imagine
doing fine? But put some delicious chocolate under our nose and that’s a
different matter. The world of imagination is just that, and that’s the world
of earning favor by our works before God. Jesus bids the world to eat of Him,
but folks say we’re going out to dinner tonight, combo-pizza. Why if we hear
“Jesus died for me” do we say “I better get jumping?” If we hear “Jesus
declared me righteous” why respond, “I better act perfect.” If we are told
“Jesus forgave your sin” why respond “I’ll find a way to pay for it myself.”
Oh no, eternal life is received in a
simpler way then that. Jesus bids you and me: Truly, truly, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his
blood, you have no life in you (6:53 ).
It is His life, His lunch, His treat. It’s simple and free. Jesus Christ did
not say “I’m taxing you 15%, otherwise I’m not giving my flesh to anyone.” He gave all of Himself for the life of the
world. He gave His all so that you need give nothing at all. He gave all so
that you may believe. When it comes to life, to a restoration of what Adam
lost, there is only one on the shelf in God the Father’s grocery store. It is
the only food. Jesus says the one eating this
bread will live forever. This feast never ends. The one who keeps eating,
who by faith does not leave the table, this one lives forever.
But what about faith, is that our
work? Everyone who has faith has faith, and if you have faith it is your faith.
However, what did the Triune God do so that you believe? Need I start with who sought out Adam and Eve
when they hid? Should I mention the first gospel promise, made to Eve and Adam?
Need we review the entire history of the revealed God, promising grace and
working faith into the hearts of His chosen people? Need we remember Christ’s death for sinners?
Indeed, and so we proclaim that death by eating Jesus’ body and drinking his
blood. Is that why you believe, because God in the flesh gave His life for the
world? Do you believe in the living bread because He came into our flesh to
give his flesh for the life of the world? Do you believe because when He gave
His life He gave life? Did Jesus succeed by his beard pulled out, spikes driven
through his limbs, a spear thrust deep into his side and by saying on the cross
“it is finished?” Did he wear the guilt
of every “do-er,” yours too, as the Passover Lamb to be eaten in haste so that
the angel of death passes over?
This is how he gave his flesh and
blood for you, for the life of the world.
It is the only lunch on God’s restaurant counter. It is unwrapped,
unsanitary, unappealing. Yet this food is free and freely gives life eternal.
This bread, this drink gives life. And the living God uses the very
announcement of this meal to create faith in you. Faith is not something you
do... even if you are told don’t push away from the table, from the meal set
before you. But many of Jesus’ disciples left because they wanted to work for
their lunch. They asked “What work must we do to do the works of God?” Jesus said This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has
sent.
You don’t even need a napkin to wipe
your mouth. His blood cleanses you. Yes, it is a hard saying that Jesus gave
His life for the world. It is a hard saying to believe this is the only way to God
as Father. Faith is not an easy thing. That is why Jesus did the work of incarnation, suffering, the cursed death, the
victorious resurrection, the ascension, the sending the Holy Spirit, through
the means of grace. He did it all for you.
He did it all to free you from the demands we cannot keep. He did it all
that you do not regard it as all about you, but about Him for you. Do you
believe? Thanks be to God for the miracle of water and word outpoured, of the
Word heard and of His body and blood given for life and salvation! Like the two
that entered the Promised Land, you believe because this too is the work of God. The work of God is to believe in
Him whom He has sent. As Jesus said, this
is the work of God, that you believe
in him whom he has sent. Jesus said this is why I told you that no one can come
to me unless it is granted him by the Father (6:65).
And here we are to receive Him. You
did not come here to say “don’t give me anything I haven’t earned!” You do not approach the altar thinking, “I’ll
pay for it by and by.” You are bid to
dine, to receive the work of God in the way He gives it. What love for the
entire world through the banquet of His Son; and you, you, in this wide, wide, world are here, blest by
the Father with faith. It is granted
to you. And faith receives the bread that came down from heaven, the bread that
gives you eternal life.
The Peace of God which
passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Amen.)
