Advent Lutheran Church

"We are Fed, to be Bread"

                Well, let me say it is good to be back from vacation.  For us, some time apart allows Pastor Roger and me to spend time thinking about the visions and plans that we might develop for our fall programming.  It was serendipitous, then, that right before we left on vacation, we had two different congregational conversations that would prove to be fodder for our reflections:  the first was our Worship Questionnaires which many of you completed, thank you!  (If you would still like to fill out a questionnaire, they are available in the office.)  What we learned from your input was that the vast majority of you who come to worship here at Advent come to be “fed,” and that is happening on a weekly basis through Word and Sacrament and music.  You come, and God nourishes you with the preaching and Holy Communion and the inspiring music, and that is good to hear, for that is as it should be. 

                The second conversation came via the “Sermon on the Spot” questions that were asked of us a few weeks ago during our sermon time set aside to do just that.  One of those questions, and I have heard this sentiment expressed many times before, was “How do I handle the fact that my family has been blessed?”  The immediate follow up to that seems to always be a healthy desire to want to respond appropriately, and to be good stewards of what we have.  But here’s some “food for thought” from the ELCA World Hunger page:  Question:  How often do you refer to your wealth as a “blessing from God?”  Reflection:  What does that imply about God’s relationship with people who are impoverished? If all of creation is a gift from God, is it right to claim that God has chosen some to be rich and some to be poor? In the scriptures, who does Jesus name as “blessed?” 

With that in mind, we simply must realize that we are all beggars, and though few of us need the bread of basic survival, we all come to this place with hands open, in need of something.

                In today’s lesson from the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah is in need.  You may remember from your Sunday school lessons long ago about the great contest staged by Queen Jezebel, who asked both Elijah and the prophets of Baal to prove that their gods were the most powerful by sending fire from heaven.  (God won.)  Now Jezebel is angry at Elijah and has sent men after him to do him harm.  Elijah flees to the wilderness, and, collapsing under a solitary broom tree declares, “I might as well DIE!”  Twice an angel messenger of God wakes him up and encourages him to, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too long for you.”  (Just like a good mother preparing her child for a day of school, “Honey, you have to eat something!”)  And in the strength of that heavenly food, Elijah made the 40-day journey toward Horeb, which we know better as Sinai, where he encountered God – not in the whirlwind, nor in the fire, but in “the still, small voice.”You see, even the great prophets had their ups and downs.  And today, there are those of you here who know the feeling that Elijah felt.  You, too, are sitting under a broom tree, saying, “I’m done.”  And yet God provides nourishment, and draws you to himself.

                Jesus also identifies with God’s providing in these readings from Chapter 6 of John’s Gospel.  These verses are called the Bread Discourse, and the teaching begins following the feeding of the 5,000.  It was common in those days, for the local authorities to try to buy popular support by supplying the people with bread.  But Jesus had much more than popularity in mind, he wanted to give the masses himself, the living bread that leads to new life.  So, speaking to all the senses, just as modern good teachers use multi-sensory learning, Jesus spoke the great “I AM” sayings throughout the Gospel of John.  (Note:  “I AM,” is the translation of God’s response to Moses when asked who it was who was sending Moses out.)  These sayings are metaphors, and they serve a specific purpose.  In each one, Jesus proclaims himself available in a variety of relationships to suit a variety of needs:  “I AM the Bread of Life; I AM the Good Shepherd; I AM the Gate, the Door, the Vine; I AM the Light of the World.”  Whichever way you need to have God, GOD IS.

                In today’s passage, Jesus is bread, daily nourishment from heaven.  In fact, Asian translations of the New Testament often have Jesus saying, "I am the Rice of Life."  But what does daily bread have to do with eternal life?  Our Greek for the Week can help.  The Greek word for bread is “artos” (artos,) and is derived from the word “airo” (airw,) which means “to raise.”  So there is some connection between the yeast-rising dough and God raising us up – an intimate connection between bread and new life, between Living Bread and resurrection.  “’Eternal Life’ is John’s favorite way of describing salvation…” says author William Loader.  So we come to this altar, where we bring our needs and our desires, our deepest longings, and God answers.  Jesus feeds the hunger that God puts in each of us.  Christian author Gerald Mann says it like this, “If you're hankering for God, He's already found you, for it is God who creates the hankering.”

                So God feeds us.  Now, how are we to respond?  Well, the apostle Paul gives us the answer to how we should respond, as he writes to the Ephesians from prison.  He shares with them deep thoughts from the silence, thoughts to build up the community.  And by the way, many of you ask me what God’s will is for your life.  This section of Ephesians is a great place to start:  “Put away falsehood and speak the truth.”  This was written to a congregation of Christ.  Why did Paul feel he had to address lying?  Apparently even the best of families must deal with dishonesty of speech.

“Be angry, but do not sin…”  Now there’s a tall order!  We might preach an entire year on how to be angry while not sinning!  I heard about a sign on a school counselor’s wall that said, “It’s o.k. to be mad.  It is NOT o.k. to be mean.”  That about says it.  “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger…”  Now I have to admit that I speak about this passage with every premarital couple I counsel.  And I tell them that I think in this case the Bible might not have the best advice.  Because if you have been married for awhile, you know that staying up into the wee hours of the morning to try and resolve an issue is probably never as effective as getting a good night’s sleep and taking a fresh look at the problem in the morning.  “Thieves?  Work honestly so you have something to share.” Isn’t that odd?  If it were me giving advice, I’d probably say, “Don’t steal!  It’s against God’s commandments!”  And yet Paul points out the selfishness in this act.  Instead, he says to work honestly so you can share.  It’s about the community.  “Talk is for building up and giving grace to those who hear; Put away evil ways and live in love…forgiving as you have been forgiven.”  Why do you think “forgive us our sins” comes directly after “give us this day our daily bread” in the Lord’s Prayer?  Because first God nourishes us; then we are invited to respond in love to each other, giving yourself up as Christ did, as bread that brings life.  This is God’s will for our lives.  This is our offering, our sacrifice of praise. 

                But why would we choose such a sacrificial life?  Because we are Baptized!  Born again in the power of the Holy Spirit, and we do not want to grieve that Holy Spirit of God.  Theologian Soren Kierkegaard told a parable about a community of ducks.  One Sunday, the ducks went waddling off to duck church to hear the duck preacher. The duck preacher spoke eloquently of how God had given the ducks wings with which to fly. With those wings there was nowhere the ducks could not go. With those wings they could soar.  Shouts of "Amen!" were quacked throughout the duck congregation. At the conclusion of the service, the ducks left commenting on the message and waddled back home.  But they never flew.

                At this table we share in God’s life as the Body of Christ, and we, too become the Bread of Life.  Let me share a recent quote from a few weeks ago in the New Orleans’ Times-Picayune:   Countless volunteers have helped rebuild metro New Orleans -- and for that we will be forever grateful. But few of us have witnessed a community service effort like the one included in the Evangelical Lutheran Church's 2009 Youth Gathering....In newspaper articles and live television coverage, the pictures and stories of youth working and serving in the New Orleans community brought joy and gladness to a city that has known too much suffering and too much heartache these past four years. So may you respond to the Bread of Life, by offering yourself as “Bread for the World.”  Now, get up and eat!  Or the journey will be too long for you.  Amen.