John 6:28-57
Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’" Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?" "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.
What is the overall point of this passage? How would you summarize it in a sentence or two? How does it fit with the entire Gospel?
What is the work that God requires of us?
In what ways does Jesus compare himself to Moses?
What does Jesus mean when talks about eating his flesh and drinking his blood? If this is not communion (and many believe it is not), then to what is he referring?
What is the reaction to the teaching of Jesus? See also 6:60ff.
What else is on your mind?
Sunday, June 15, 2008
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20 comments:
Wow, what a passage this is! How can we possibly digest it all (pun intended)?
I enjoyed last week’s conversation about worship. I did receive one comment that I did not publish; it came in last night. It’s tone and attitude was less than I am going to accept. It was a little personal and accusatory.
The post essentially said that people who are driving to sporting events on Sunday may be worshiping in their cars and that it did not matter when and where we worshiped.
Certainly we can praise and worship God anywhere at anytime, but God also wants/expects us to gather as a church–a diverse group of people–to worship him, to commune with him and with each other. God has always been about community, and he expects us to worship in community.
What about our passage this week? What’s it’s about?
Is it Monday morning again? Already?
Did you watch the golf yesterday? Wow! I love watching Tiger Woods play. I watched his amazing round Saturday night, and then last night’s finish was another dose of amazement.
I had a good Father’s Day. Two of my four were gone, but they both called home from Impact in Nashville. That was nice.
This week’s passage is a real challenge on several levels. One major challenge is the length of the passage. I plan to cover all of chapter 6 in some way or another. I am trying to figure out how to do that. I want to focus on the part that is featured in this blog, but will I have enough time?
I had a busy weekend.
I performed Abe Redden’s wedding ceremony on Saturday afternoon. It was a nice wedding; it was in Bloomington. Friday night, after the rehearsal, all of us went to Abe’s parent’s place, out around Norman. Tom and Jackie have a beautiful old farm house surrounded by cattle and pasture.
I didn’t know that Tom has been a smoker (of meat) for more than 3 decades. He used to cater. For the rehearsal dinner he smoked beef brisket. Amazing! He used mesquite wood that Abe brought from Texas. He was kind enough to share some with me.
I’ve been wanting to smoke a brisket for a long time. It’s like the ultimate challenge in meat smoking. I’ve been doing some research, and I think I am ready. It can take up to 14-20 hours. I just have to figure out a time when I can do it. Maybe the 4th of July?
From Leave a Legacy
I want to give a pure intention
Speak with words of grace
And judge through eyes of mercy
I long to choose with holy wisdom
To walk down paths of peace
Taking love to every soul in need
I want to leave a legacy
That a servant who believed
That the world could still be changed by just one life
I want to leave a legacy
That years from now they'll see
That I lived only for the cause of Christ
If I could clearly see tomorrow
The humble prayer would be
That every heart would beat with true faith
If I could somehow shape the future
I would hope and pray
I touched lives by the way I lived today
Here are some thoughts about commitment and assembly from the Hebrew writer:
Hebrews 10:19-25
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 12:22-29
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
Two large points:
We are to assemble to worship and to not forsake that assembly.
When we assemble to worship we are encountering God, who is to be deeply revered. Apparently the angels, myriads of them, gather with us.
Our assemblies now are a foretaste of being in God's presence fully at the end of time. Read Revelation 4 & 5 for further information.
Wow!
HI, my name is Donna, and I'm a brisket-a-holic...Honestly, there should be a 12-step program for really good brisket. I, personally, am completely incapable of preparing one. If you decide to serve it at your July shindig, you may have to turn a hose on me!
Donna
you know... talking about brisket, diet, and commitment may not be the best idea.
Tom and Jackie were kind enough to bring me a nice portion of a brisket, mostly cooked, last night. This evening I will finish it off (cooking and otherwise) and let you know what happens.
Allen,
The mesquite request has been made and will be here some time in the next month.
I will withohold it until after the 4th, so that I may partake in it's rich goodness.
Honestly, it probably won't be here in time. But, if it is, I'll bring it right over. I know you'll take care of me (nod, nod, wink, wink..).
I wish we could be there, but we'll be roughing it on the beach. I'll try to find a BBQ place that night so that we can commune in spirit. :]>
Brent
So you know:
Tracy's brother lives in Texas and smokes (meat), and evidently he is going to be kind enough to bring me some more mesquite wood.
I don't think I am ready for the mass smoke yet, so it will probably be hot dogs for my big mid-summer bash. Maybe next year?
I need a couple of good food grade barrels to make a big smoker.
Kedra and I went to spend a little time with Laura and her brothers today while they sat during their father's surgery. They did not receive the best of news, so pray for them.
After we left Laura we went to Sam's to get a small brisket. While there I wanted to impress my lovely wife with how much I love her, so I bought her a Sam's pizza and drink combo for $2.85. Who says I'm not romantic?
Why do we gather on Sundays to worship?
What does John 6 have to do with it?
Is worship all about God, or is it also about us? If so, how?
We had an interesting class last night. It wasn’t really what I expected, but it was interesting nevertheless. Most, if not everyone, in the room believe John 6 is about communion with Christ. This lead to a discussion about our low and limited view of the Lord’s Supper, which then lead to our low and limited view of worship, which lead to the fact that our place of worship is often dirty and somewhat unappealing. For some reason I did not leave feeling all that great! Ha ha.
I think the discussion highlights the need to “revision” what our worship assembly is all about. There are some who want to make it so reverent that it would not be practical on a human level, and there are others who want it to be a great social gathering where we laugh and have a great time and generally feel good. How do you balance that?
If you were constructing a worship assembly, what would it look like?
My ideal worship assembly would be God's people coming together on a Sunday and worshiping God! Because they want to worship God. And because their hearts and spirits hunger for God and to be as close to Him as humanly possible, physically, spiritually, and emotionally.
It's simple really. Concerns about Worship shouldn't be about the building your in or the clothes you have on or where you sit or any of those human things. It should be about putting your heart into worshiping the God who Loves you.
If a person tells me that they can't worship God because of the building they use then in my opinion I call that WhooHaaa. that person should look into his own heart as to why. Me personally I could worship in a barn setting on a hay bale and feel just as close to God as being in a mega-church with stained glass and all. I've been to churches where "IMO" the congregation cared more about how fancy the church building was and how well you could dress for that one hour a week, than how many souls were worshiping the God that got them there. In short to me reverence to God and His worship is a heart/soul-spirit/and mind thing, not a physical/human building or dress code thing. Another way to look at it is we shouldn't try to impress God with a fancy building or fancy clothes we should try to impress Him with our hearts and spirits. I don't think He cares about the rest because it will just crumble and wither away.
Now as far as communion goes I do think alot of folks take the body and blood as just a thing to do because everybody else does. I do think a person needs to take communion very sincerly and take it for the right reasons.
Good questions Allen, your a big thinker aren't you..
Jon Goller
i have to agree with jon although i admit that i as allen have also asked myself and others the same question. this is something i struggle with and acknowledge how difficult it is to merge the diversity of all into a communal setting that keeps all happy and engaged. tough to do. to me it seems the condition of the heart is the factor more than the order of songs, prayer and message and the local or tangible components involved in the worship. personally, i feel i have "worshipped" God on a run by myself through the backroads of spring mill as well as in a pew or chair in building. felt closer and more connected to him in the outdoor setting.
rr
Jon, I agree whole heartedly with you. Our worship for God is simply that. FOR GOD. Its not about singing so the person next to you can hear you, or wearing the best clothes so that everyone thinks you have the best style, its all about God and not about us at all-
As I write this, I'm reminded of the song "Heart of Worship" by Michael W. I think it fits in with what we all need to do - refocusing our attention to what worship is at its most basic principle.
- I dont believe for a minute that God cares how, when, or where we worship him. I think his utmost care is that we worship him with our fullest. It is out of this worship for Him that we show our love for Him, our thankfullness of what he's done for us, our prayer and petition for His best for us, and so much more. Worship isn't just what happens on Sunday mornings, our very lives are worship. I worship God while I'm at work talking to a mom on the phone, I worship God while fixing Michael dinner, and I worship God while driving with civility every where I go, among many other things.
Sometimes I wonder if we miss that because we keep trying to make worship something that it isn't, or we dont alow ourselves to worship because we dont like the building or the songs we sing.
So I wonder if we just dont get how important and life changing/life moving our worship is. I wonder sometimes, what it would be like if we all "got it" and worshiped with our all. What would it look like? What would it sound like? What impact on this world would it have? How many people would see the love of our God through our utmost?
I struggle with these very things I wish we could all do better. Until recently, I always thought "good" worship included drums and a guitar and hands lifted high. Then I stoped and listened and realized worship is so much more than that.
I'm still a child learning - but i LOVE where God is taking me.
Erin,
Your words are very compelling. I have also sometimes wondered what would happen if we all showed up on Sunday morning fully prepared to worship with all of our hearts and souls. I beleive it would literally be heaven on earth.
Man! that would be awesome!
Sometimes I visualize angels among us on Sunday morning walking around during singing or the lesson or especially the Lord's Supper trying to get us to be excited, to rejoice, to praise with our hearts and walking away dejected, not becuase of Allen, not becuase of Gary, not because of anybody other than those who just don't get it.........me included sometimes.
We have to start looking at Sunday morning as a privalege or an awesome opportunity not a duty.
IT'S NOT ABOUT US!!!
For the rest of the week, worship is different, I think. It's still crucial and should be a life of service. But, it's not the attendance with the saints that God's looking for on Sunday.
Well, gotta go! Going to get the ugly finger checked out by a specialist.
Brent
Wow, what great posts!
Good, no, make that great, thoughts Jon G. I love your down to earth no nonsense approach!
Ryan, I hear you! I too feel very close to God outside, BUT I think there is something very special when such diverse lives come together. It is only by the grace of God that we can love each other. The fact that we come together shows a commitment to God and his intentions for us.
One Body!
Unity out of diversity is evidence that God is alive and well and among us, right?
Wow, Erin! You are right (See Romans 12:1-3). Our corporate sacred assembly sets the stage for us to worship with our lives all week long. To separate the two is wrong and probably unthinkable in the mind of God.
Brent were you wagging that big nasty finger around as you wrote that wonderful post? YIKES that thing needs some help!
The posts this week have been especially good. Jon's was straight to the point. Our hearts. As a child growing up in a household that did now worship God in church, and having that opportunity presented to me by friends and neighbors was a breath of fresh air and remains so today. It is a privelege to worship, we are so blessed in our country to be able to openly worship. Worship is something we do daily as Erin so beautifully expressed. But it is the Sunday gathering of the saints, all different, all unique as one that is so special as we worship one God and His Son. Have a wonderful week. Sherron
I don't comment too often, but I do keep up on the posts. Worship is utmost about God and our relationship with him. But worship is also about each other, not what I get from someone else but about what can I give to someone else. I come to worship to Praise God, with everyone, I praise Him on my own through the week in whatever I am doing. I have times of wonderful worship, but at some point I have to think about the BODY and what am I doing to serve the BODY. Paul said "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10 I don't want to use this passage to beat someone over the head, but it tells me that worship is not just about what I want or need, but it is about what the person sitting next to me needs. I hope this is not too muddy, in Christ, Pat Arthur
From William Willimon’s comments on Acts 20:
This is one of the New Testament’s earliest definite references to weekly Sunday worship. The Christians have continued to gather in the synagogue — unless they have been expelled. But they also apparently gather on Sunday, the first day of the Jewish work week, the day which is for Christians a day of resurrection. The church Luke describes is thus moving toward a distinct day of worship of its own, a day symbolizing clearly that while there is much uniting the church with Judaism there is also much dividing it from Judaism. The day of worship, as well as the stories and actions which occur around the table, constitutes the church as a distinct entity, gives it an identity, keeps reminding the church of who it is. Sunday is the Lord’s Day when Christians gather to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Around the table in the gathering for worship, in the breaking of bread, Christians sustain one another through the presence of God as experienced at the table. As the Reformers agreed, word and sacrament belong together. Here is where the Body of Christ is made visible (1 Cor. 11:17-32). Here is where the Body re-forms, receives nourishment and encouragement in this weekly rhythm of renewal and reiteration of our identity as God’s family.
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